Chapter 6

Charlotte felt her rescuer and caregiver stand while holding her. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she clasped them and let them lay in her lap. As they were moving through the house, she took in her surroundings with interest. On the hall walls were portraits of people that she assumed were Jaxson's ancestors and relatives. The newest one was of a man and woman with two young boys standing between them on a beach. They were all laughing and looked so happy.

Charlotte gasped when they walked into the kitchen. It was not what she had been expecting. She had been expecting an older farmhouse kitchen. The room that she was carried into was not only large, but bright and modern. Everything was shiny stainless steel and black. Even the upper cabinets were a dark wood finish with smoked glass in the doors. The lower cabinets, from what she could see were also the dark finish, but had no glass. Off to the side, she could see a large fully stocked pantry and behind the table was a set of sliding glass doors with curtains that were pulled aside to let in the light.

Jaxson watched as his mate took in the kitchen that he had converted with a mate in mind. Before.....before the mission that had cost him his team. Back when he still thought about such things. Looking at Charlotte's face, he was glad that he had put in the effort. Placing her on one of the chairs, he turned and went to the refrigerator. Jaxson knew she was watching. He was waiting for her to say something.

"You know, Charlotte, you can tell me what you would like to eat. Do you have a preference for breakfast? Eggs and bacon, sausage, ham? An omelet? Oatmeal, toast, anything?"

Charlotte didn't know what to say, so she just mumbled the first thing that came to mind. "Uhhh eggs and bacon are fine."

Jaxson turned around with a smile on his face. He could feel her getting more and more nervous. He enjoyed seeing her in the kitchen that he had designed and built for her.

She didn't know it yet, but the oversized shirt she wore was one of his. He had pulled it on her after Henry had finished stitching her wounds up and cleaning her up. He liked seeing her in his clothes and covered in his scent. Hopefully, very soon, she will wear his mark. He didn't dare dream beyond that. Trying to focus, he started fixing her breakfast. Sitting it in front of her, he joined her.

"Is there anything you can tell me about the man or men who did this to you?" Jaxson watched Charlotte's face turn white and her eyes filled with fear. She dropped her fork and looked down, her bottom lip trembled.

Seeing the fear take hold of her, Jaxson reached for her without thinking and lifted her onto his lap, making her cry out in pain.

"Oh God! I'm sorry!" Jaxson said. "I just wanted to hold you. To let you know that I will always protect you. I will never let anything hurt you again. Not even me."

Charlotte was exhausted and laid her head on Jaxson's chest. Realizing just how tired his mate was, he stood and carried her back to her room. She woke briefly and protested, when he laid her on the bed.

"Shhh, you can bath later. Rest." Jaxson sat on the side of her bed until she was asleep. Getting up, he went into the kitchen to clean up.

Later, after tending to his livestock and taking care of the barn and setting out fresh hay and feed, he was sitting in his living room, reading, when his phone went off. Answering it, he frowned.

"Bill. What do you need?"

"You remember our conversation about the suits and shoes? Well, they've arrived. They are staying in the motel. I overheard them asking for directions." Bill paused before continuing, "To your place."

The rumbling growl that was working its way up his chest into his mouth was going to wake his mate up and he tried to quieten it down.

"How fast can you get here?" He asked.

"Hopefully before those three. They are at the diner, having dinner. I have asked the cook to kind of be a little slow in getting them their food. I'm gathering up my stuff and I'll be at your place in in thirty minutes. Do you have a basement that you can put Charlotte in?" Bill asked and he was walking to his truck.

Getting onto his truck and starting it, he checked his mirrors and made sure that the three men were at the diner. Taking it easy on the way out of town, until he reached the city limits. When he did, he sped up and took the mostly straight road to Jaxson's place. When Bill arrived, the house was dark and he would bet that Jaxson knew exactly who it was at the door.

When Jaxson opened his door and let the sheriff in, he held his finger to his lips to let him know to be quiet. That could only mean one thing. Charlotte was not somewhere else. She was still in the house. Bill cocked an eyebrow and nodded.

As luck would have it, Bill got a text from his deputy, stating that the suits were actually going back to their motel room for the night. At least that's what they wanted everyone to think. Jaxson wasn't taking any precautions with his mate. He was going to keep her with him. If she could shoot a gun, he would hand her one. However, the medication still kept her pretty doped up because of the pain of the multiple stab wounds. However, He had put her in the root cellar below the kitchen with a flashlight, a lantern, a jug of water, a bucket, a sleeping bag and blankets, as well as fruit and canned meat. He had no idea how long this would last. She hadn't liked it, but she understood.

While Jaxson was mulling over this situation, his phone went off. The message was from a ghost. It was a cruel trick. It had to be. He was dead.

It's Rio. I'm with them.

That was it. A message from a ghost. Rio. His brother. He had disappeared several years ago after being released from prison. Where Jaxson had gone into the military, Rio had gone to work for the bad guys. Cartels, organized crime, arms dealers. Anyone who would pay his price. He had moved around a lot.

Their mother's heart had broken when they got the notice that he was going to prison. Five years. Five wasted years, and for what, slicing up a rival. That was the only reason that he didn't get more time. Because the jury has somehow felt that Rio had done the world some good by getting rid of someone who appeared, on paper, to be worse than him.

Just thinking about it made his bear want to roar and challenge him. Rio was the oldest of the two. By three years. He had idolized his brother growing up. In Jaxson's eyes, Rio could do no wrong. Then he grew up and became aware of Rio's "career."

"Shit!" Jaxson said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Bill asked in a whisper.

"One of them is my brother."