I jerk my head to her. “What? Is there someone out there?”
When she chews on the inside of her cheek, I heave myself out of bed to join her. Our faces press together as we stare through the crack.
“That is… pitiful,” Jess mutters.
Jax is sitting in the middle of the yard, his hands hanging over his bent knees as he stares at the door below us. We watch him silently for a minute, but he doesn’t move.
“What is hedoing?” Jess pulls a face. “This is kinda giving me creepy stalker vibes.”
I drop my hand, letting the curtain fall closed and pushing Jax’s puppy eyes out of view. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going back to bed.”
Jess lingers as I crawl back in, pouring me some water and forcing me to drink it before I lay down. She settles back down on the mattress, but I can tell by her breathing that she’s not going back to sleep.
But we both pretend.
18
TRISTAN
The early morning sun feels like a taunt as I exit the shed where I’ve spent a night tossing and turning. Images of Sienna taunt me, memories from the last few weeks playing in a loop through my mind.
Look at all the ways you’ve fucked up.
And every dream ended with the same, nightmarish image.
But that’s not going to happen.
Pausing, I watch Jax as he stares at the door where we first saw Sienna yesterday. It looks like he hasn’t moved all night.
“Jax.” I approach him slowly. “Did you get any sleep?”
He shakes his head at me. “Couldn’t.”
I get it.
The door starts to open, and Jax and I both bolt upright, Jax scrambling to his feet and then deflating as Emmett exits. He eyes us as he makes his way over.
“You stay out here all night?” he asks Jax. Jax shrugs. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Emmett purses his lips. “I’ll put some coffee out.”
I nod at him. “Thanks. Is Sienna up?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Oh, no. I’m not gonna be your go-between here. Jessalyn would have my balls, and I’m quite attached to them.”
Jax grunts. “I think she keeps them as trophies.”
Emmett grimaces, but I notice the gleam in his eye as he talks about Sienna’s friend. “What exactly is your plan here?” he asks, crossing his arms. “You just gonna linger around my yard and hope she talks to you?”
Blowing out a breath, I stretch out the kink in my neck before I face him. “We haven’t got the best track record of being dependable. So for now, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re not going anywhere. The only thing that matters to us right now is Sienna, and if that means we’re camping out in your storage shed for the next year, that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.”
Emmett rolls his eyes. “Is everyone as dramatic as all of you in Navarre?” he asks with exasperation. “Because I’m picking up a real vibe, here.”
“Who’s dramatic?” A voice rings out.
I watch Emmett flush a deep claret, clearing his throat as he turns to face Jessalyn. “Mornin’, Jess.”
“Morning, Emmett,” she says sweetly as she approaches, before she turns to us. “Morning, asswipes.”
