CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Phoebe was having the time of her life; it had really been a good idea to take the time out for herself. Turns out the most trusted antidote for heartbreak was a good night out all by yourself.

First, she had gone to the movies and watched two bomb movies, then she went to a Chinese restaurant and had her fill with Chinese food, she went bowling and after three rounds, she decided that she was all good and took her to leave. Just as she got to the door, she caught the reflection of two guys who looked terribly out of place and were doing a very terrible job of trying to fake their surveillance of her.

At first, she thought they were Jamie's men but she caught sight of the tattoo on the arm of one of the guys and knew immediately that she was in trouble. She hung her bag over her shoulder and placed her hand inside, getting a secure grip on the gun's handle, and made it out of the building. She made a beeline for her car but remembered that if they had been tailing her, they already knew the car she was driving and they might have tampered with it. She was right. They had slashed her tires.

Phoebe immediately took cover in the shadows, between a Toyota and an SUV at the far end of the parking space. She pulled out the gun and cocked it just as she heard footsteps approaching her car. She whipped out her phone and stared at it, debating whether to call Jamie or not.

"Well, I need to be alive to make his ass sorry. Besides, it's the least he can do under the circumstances."

Phoebe fired a quick text to Jamie, telling him of the situation at hand, and dropped the phone into her bag. Praying that he got the message on time and sends help. Phoebe lay down in the shadows, contemplating her next line of action when her phone rang out, immediately alerting the two goons to her location.

"Well…that was quick." Phoebe immediately grabbed her bag, silenced the phone, and hung it over her shoulder.

"There she is!"

Phoebe stood from her hiding place with her gun hidden behind her as the two hefty men approached her, she was waiting for just the right opportunity to attack.

"Ah, you're coming with us, young lady."

"And what if I don't want to?" The men laughed and continued advancing towards her.

"It doesn't look like you have a choice, princess."

"Oh, but you know Jamie won't be liking that."

"That's the point, darling."

"Just a few steps more…"

Phoebe waited and took some steps back in a false show of fear, it worked. The men immediately dropped their hands from their waistbands where their guns were and smiled like the cat that got the cream. Just as they got close enough to touch her, Phoebe fired a shot at the knee cap of one man and sent her knee into the crotch of the other, and immediately ran to her car, taking cover behind the trunk.

Phoebe took a deep breath as she heard swearing and curses and guns been cocked. That was all the memo she needed to know that shit was about to go down. Phoebe braced herself to come out from hiding and attack again when she heard screeching tires and a familiar SUV pull up in front of her, out came two men with semi-automatic handguns and started shooting like no man's business.

Soon, all the noise that could be heard was silence. She saw as Jamie's men threw the body of one of the attackers into the trunk of the SUV and gestured for her to enter the SUV.

"But, what about my car? Hailey will be very pissed."

"We will have to leave it here, all four tires were slashed so when we get back, we'll send a mechanic to fix it and bring it back to the house."

Phoebe nodded and stood on shaky legs. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving her a heaving, unstable, quaking mess. She had gone out to forget one problem—and for a while it had worked—but she got reminded of two.

Phoebe was silent through the entire drive. As soon as the van entered the gates and went round the round driveway, Jamie, Hailey, Cindy, Mindy, Kieran were all waiting outside the house. Jamie pulled open the door and lifted her right into his arms. Phoebe was mad at him but at that moment, she realized that was where she wanted to be, she wrapped her hands around his neck, her right fingers still gripping her gun, ignoring every sound she heard and let him carry her into the house. She didn't even complain when he dropped her on the bed of his room.

Phoebe whimpered when Jamie moved away from her, she didn't want him going anywhere.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm not leaving, I just need to take off your shoes. Okay?"

Phoebe nodded and watched him under hooded eyes as he took off her sneakers and her socks and did a little massage on her feet. Her eyes fluttered close at the feeling but they shot open again as she felt him move. She watched him as he took off his shirt, his shoes, his trousers and got into bed with her wearing just his boxers. Phoebe didn't even have it in her to appreciate the specimen lying beside her.

"Phoebe…"

"Hmm…"

"It's okay, I promise."

Phoebe just nodded and then she felt Jamie's fingers on her right hand. The one that still held the gun, she felt him pry her hand away from the gun, finger by finger. She made her fingers go lax, surrendering the gun to him. Jamie moved away from her to keep the gun in his nightstand, as soon as he turned back to her, she wrapped her arms around him and threw one of her legs over his. For some reason, she just wanted to be close to him. So close.

Jamie stroked her hair lightly, saying sweet nothings and words of endearment into her ear, and soon her body responded to the gentle lullaby and she felt sleep begin to take her. She closed her eyes as she fell into a dreamless sleep. she didn't have to worry. She had Jamie.

***

Jamie woke up and tried to stretch but found that his movements were restricted by a certain someone. He smiled as he remembered her and grimaced when he remembered what had happened to her. Someone was bold enough to attack her when he had made it clear to all and sundry that she was his and not to be tampered with. Someone was in trouble and he was going to use him as an example not to mess with him and Phoebe.

The boys he had tailing Phoebe had reported that they had brought back one of the guys that tried to take Phoebe, they had called in one of their doctors to treat his gunshot wounds and had him under lock and key. They said he'll be good for questioning tomorrow.

Jamie was doing the questioning himself.

Jamie felt Phoebe stir and looked at her to find her looking up at him. He half feared she was going to move away from him but she didn't. And that shocked him.

"Good morning, beautiful."

Phoebe blushed when he called her beautiful and she mumbled a good morning back in greeting. She got pulled back when she tried moving away from him.

"Jamie…"

"Hm…"

"You need to let me go."

"Why?"

"Because I need to go…"

"Where?"

"To the bathroom!"

Jamie immediately realized what she meant and immediately released her. She quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the adjoining bathroom, puking her guts out into the toilet bowl. Jamie was with her, holding back her hair and rubbing her back. She stood up a little too quick and almost fell from the dizziness that followed but Jamie grabbed her just in time.

"Easy there, Phoebe." He led her out of the bathroom after she had brushed her teeth, Phoebe slid under the covers and hugged the pillow to her head. Jamie left the room and came back some minutes with Advil and a glass of water.

"Take this. I'll tell the cook to make you something for your headache."

Phoebe just nodded her head and watched as he left the room. She wasn't hungover but the events of last night were still so fresh in her mind. Phoebe knew she barely escaped torture and worse fates at the hands of Lorenzo when she got kidnapped the first time. Jamie was able to get to her in time, but deep down she knew that if she got kidnapped again, they wouldn't be as careless as they were the last time.

That was what shook her. The possibility of what could have been.

Phoebe didn't hear when Jamie came back into the room so she was shocked when he touched her. Jamie immediately withdrew his hand and looked at her.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe nodded weakly, Jamie got into the bed beside her and gather her into his arms. She coiled her hands around his neck and Jamie wrapped his arms around her. He would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised by her actions this morning; he knew she hadn't forgotten what she saw but he was willing to enjoy the moment until it was time to address the pink elephant in the room.

"Phoebe?"

"Hmm."

"It's going to be okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Okay?" Phoebe was silent for a while, as though she was processing what he said. And it was taking longer than Jamie would have liked.

"Phoebe…"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you do that. Not let anything happen to me? You don't care about me."

"Because…I love you."

Phoebe froze and so did Jamie. He didn't mean to give the confession so soon and she definitely wasn't expecting to hear something like that from him at all. Phoebe moved away from Jamie's arms and sat upon the bed, she noticed that she wasn't wearing what she came back in yesterday but decided that it wasn't the time to comment on that.

She had bigger fish to fry.

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean by what?"

"Playing dumb with me is not going to help your cause, Jamie."

Jamie knew exactly what she was asking him but he would be damned if he got into this discussion with her. He loved her, he didn't know how or when it happened but he just knew he did. And explaining that to Phoebe after what she saw in his office would definitely prove to be a Herculean task.

"I mean that I love you, Phoebe."

"Oh, really, you do?"

"Yes."

"Then why did I come into your office to see another girl bent over your desk."

"Phoebe…it didn't happen how you think it did. Okay?"

"Okay. So, how did it happen?"

"Listen, I was drunk and she was available. I didn't mean to do it and I still regret it. I don't know…"

"That's just about right. You don't know. You don't know how much it hurt me to see you…and her…together. You don't know!"

Phoebe jumped off the bed and ran into the closet, locking the door behind her and running to the other side of the room, engulfing herself in clothes. Staring at the door. It didn't take long for Jamie to come knocking, when she didn't respond, he simply bashed the door in. phoebe jumped but stayed put. She hadn't been expecting him to do that.

"That was so hot…" Phoebe immediately bashed herself for thinking such thoughts at such a critical time. She needed to be strong.

Jamie entered the closet and advanced until he was standing in front of her, he just stood there contemplating his next line of action before he sat down beside her, engulfing himself in clothes too. The only thing between them was a heavy fur coat.

"Phoebe. I love you. That will never change."

"Okay…"

"The past few weeks have been really stressful for me and…I can't explain it. She was just there…and…I know it doesn't excuse the fact that I did…what I did…but…I swear I don't know."

"Assuming I believe you, that she was just available. And, you say you love me. Love didn't stop you the first time, what will stop you the second time?"

"Phoebe…"

"You know what, don't answer that. It's not like we were together or anything. So, technically you weren't cheating."

"But it's more than that, isn't it?" Phoebe kept silent. She knew what he was talking about. She wouldn't be so angry if she didn't feel something for him in turn. But she wasn't going to tell him that. Not just yet. So, she just stood up from her spot and tried leaving the closet but Jamie grabbed her hand and pulled her down into him.

"Phoebe, it is important that you don't doubt for a second that I love you. I've loved you since that first night and it is on that note that I ask"