Cole ground his teeth together. He knew the answer before he asked the question. “Why did you have to run away from him?”
Jade whispered. “Because he wouldn’t let me go. If he weren’t in prison, I’m sure he’d still come after me.
“Prison. For what?”
She took a deep breath. “For beating the hell outta me. He did that pretty regularly, but the last time left me in a coma for a couple of days. He’s on year three of an eight-year sentence. He hated your guts, and he hated me because he knew how I felt about you.” Her eyes started to well up. “I ran a lot. Changed my name a lot. I was always on the lookout for him popping up over my shoulder. I got good at running, and he got good at finding me. I just wish I had been stronger to leave him sooner.”
“That bastard took so much from us! I swear I could kill him Cricket.”
“Please don’t think that way. It’s a time in my life I just want to forget.”
“Cricket, he put his hands on you. He hurt you. Kevin is also the reason you think I never came on your eighteenth birthday. He’s the reason you’ve hated me for the last ten years!”
“What?”
“Kevin opened the door the night I came for you. He told me you were gone. That you’d left already. I can’t prove it, but I’m sure it was either him or Mrs. Lockwood that was also taking the money that I sent to you.”
Jade pulled away from Cole to look him in the eyes. “You came for me?”
Gently, he touched her face. “I told you that I would. I came Cricket.”
“All this time…I thought…”
“I know, and it killed me.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Honestly, I couldn’t prove it, and you didn’t believe me when I tried to tell you before. I just wanted to work on regaining your trust.”
Softly, Jade spoke. “I love you, Cole Thornton. I always have—even in my anger.”
Tenderly, he stroked her face then gently placed his lips on hers. “I don’t take your feelings lightly. And, because I can’t pinpoint the moment I fell, I think I’ve always loved you too.”
Jade’s eyes filled with tears. How long had she waited, hoped, and prayed that she would hear those words from him? Cole kissed her softly on her eyelids as he wiped them away. He pulled her into his arms as they leaned back onto the pillows. She could hear the laughter in his voice. “I’m not even going to yell at you for taking the right side of my pillow.”
Chapter 22
“Lockwood. You have a visitor.” The correctional officer unlocked Kevin’s cell and opened the door. He hadn’t had a visitor in too long to remember not even his own mother. It wasn’t even a maximum security prison but according to her, she couldn’t be bothered with all the hoops they made her jump through to see him. Maybe she had a change of heart. He walked out of his cell wearing his orange prison-issued uniform.
When Kevin entered the open visitation room, there was a lot of activity. Some inmates were visiting with their families, sitting and talking across a table from each other, and others were playing board games. There were armed correctional officers stationed throughout watching over everyone. Kevin looked around but didn’t see anyone who was familiar. Someone was sitting alone that stood up when he entered. Kevin looked back at the guard. “Is that my visitor?”
“Yep.”
Curious, Kevin walked over to where the woman stood. She spoke first. “This may seem a bit odd considering that you don’t know me.” She reached her hand out to his.
He only looked at it but didn’t shake it. “Who the hell are you and what do you want?”
Awkwardly, she pulled her hand back. “I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself to you. I’m Elise McGee. I came here because I wanted to talk to you about someone who has recently come into my life.” She sat down in her chair. “I was hoping you could help me.”
This woman was obviously wealthy. He was sure that he didn’t know anyone she could possibly know, but if it would get him out of that cage for a while, he would entertain her.
Slowly, Kevin sat down. “Look lady…I think you might be mistaken. I’m sure you and I don’t know the same people.”
For just a split second, Elise thought maybe coming here was a mistake. Kevin’s bulging biceps with tattoos all over them, wild hair that fell down over his shoulders, and thick beard was a bit intimidating. But nothing was more menacing than his eyes. There wasn’t any life in them. The brown eyes that stared back at her were empty. The memory of the look on Cole’s face the morning he let Jade use his car crept back into her mind. He was falling in love with her, and she had to stop it. Elise slid a picture of Jade that she’d taken with her cell phone across the table to him. “I beg to differ. I think you might know her pretty well.”
Kevin picked up the picture and studied it. Elise could see his eyes narrow and a vein start to throb in his neck. He continued to hold the image in his hand as his eyes looked up over it to Elise.
“So, I’m going to assume that is a yes. You know her.”
Kevin still didn’t respond. The simmering rage within him wouldn’t allow it.
Elise ignored the fact that his face had quickly transformed into something scary and ominous. “I understand she’s the reason you are locked up in this awful place. I’m afraid she might be seriously manipulating someone I care deeply about. I need to stop it.”
His voice came out almost like a growl. “Where is she?”
“Currently, she’s living with my boy…my ex-boyfriend, Cole Thornton.”
“Cole?
