“I’m problem child two,” Jase explains, bending down to swipe my bag. “And Bree is problem child one.”
“It’s our mom’s attempt at humor.” Bree rolls her eyes as she pops the trunk.
Snagging my hand, Jase pulls me with him as he shoves our bags into the very back of the trunk. “Let Bree drive. We need to talk,” he whispers.
I don’t question him, climbing in the back seat as Bree gets behind the wheel and Jase takes shotgun. “Wait until we are through the gates.” Bree glances at her brother as she turns on the radio.
“Can they see us through tinted windows or hear us somehow?” I ask, wondering if there are bugs inside my new car.
“No. Your dad checked before I left.” Bree eyeballs me through the mirror as she drives down a long straight road bordered by tall trees on both sides. All I can see for miles is dense woodland and wide fields with the odd building dotted into the landscape. The main compound is behind us, and if I never see that creepy crypt again, I’ll die happy.
“It’s just better to be safe than sorry.” Jase throws a quick look at me over his shoulder. “Big brother has nothing on The Luminaries.”
“So I’m learning.”
“You look beautiful, baby,” he says, looking straight ahead as he reaches back for my hand.
I sit up straighter, threading my fingers in his as I connect with him through the mirror. “You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.” He frowns, and I worry my lower lip between my teeth, wondering if I should have said anything. But I don’t want there to be secrets between us any longer. It’s going to be hard enough having to lie to Chad. I don’t want to lie about anything to Jase. “Rhett Carter took me to the observation room when you were being beaten.” Tears stab my eyes as I remember the things they were doing to him.
“That fucking prick.” Jase’s eyes narrow.
“If it helps you to feel better, I puked all over his dress pants and his shoes.”
Bree howls with laughter, and a glorious smile spreads across Jase’s gorgeous mouth. “That’s my girl.”
“Am I?” I ask as Bree takes a sharp turn up ahead.
“Yes.” Confidence rings out in his tone.
“I thought after what happened with Baz…”
“You can’t let that come between you.” Bree eyeballs me through the mirror again. “Otherwise, those bastards have won.”
“It’s easier said than done,” I quietly admit. No matter that we were forced into it, I still fucked Jase’s brother. I don’t know if he can ever get over it. Maintaining eye contact with him, I squeeze his hand. “Thank you for trying to stop it. You knew they would punish you, and you still tried.”
“I didn’t care about the punishment. I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try. I didn’t want any of that for you.”
“I know, but it could’ve been worse.” Jase opens his mouth to argue, but I place a finger on his lips stalling him. “Baz was trying to help, and he talked me through it. He told me to imagine it was you touching me, fucking me, and to think about one of our sexy times. That’s the only way I could do it.” Tears well in my eyes. “I know that must have been awful for you, Jase, but you were all I was thinking about.”
“Fuck this.” Jase yanks his hand from mine, unbuckles his belt, and climbs into the back seat. “Put the pedal to the metal, PC1. Get us the fuck off this compound.”
“Yes, sir.” Bree mock salutes him, and he flips her the bird as he lands on the seat beside me, instantly circling his arm around my shoulders.
“Temptress.” Jase cups my face in his hands. “I don’t hold any of that against you. Not a single thing.” He tilts my face up. “You hear me? None of it was your fault.” He dots kisses all over my face. “You were so strong. So brave.”
“You carried yourself with grace,” Bree offers. “Julia was spitting fire.”
I don’t want to think about that bitch now. Not when Jase is staring at me like I hung the moon in the sky. “I love you.” I loop my hands around his neck. “I love you so much, Jase. I was so terrified I had lost you.”
“Never.” He rests his forehead against mine. “They want me to break up with you and commit to Julia. I agreed purely to get them off my back, but I’m not giving up, Ash. I won’t stop fighting for you.”
“I won’t either,” I say before brushing my lips against his.
“Breanna,” Jase says in a clipped tone. “I need away from here now.”
“I’m almost at the gates. Chill.”
Jase winds his fingers through my hair, and my core pulses with need when he fixes me with a lustful look. His green eyes are so dark they are almost black. “I’ve been on a countdown until you were back in my arms.” His eyes are greedy as he drinks me in. “I wanted to kill every one of those motherfuckers for looking at you. I still might,” he adds, nipping at my earlobe.
