Page 25 of Desperate Temptations

J essa opened the door expecting Cain and was surprised to see Gary. A surge of unease swept through her at the look on his face. The last time they’d talked, it hadn’t ended well. She cleared her throat and tried to push back her apprehension.

“Hello, Gary, come on in.”

Gary walked in, his movements jerky, his expression brooding. Jessa had never seen him this unsettled, even after Drew’s murder. Concern and a wave of foreboding sent her pulse spinning.

“What’s wrong?”

He pushed his hand through his hair in agitation. He paced in front of her and remained quiet.

“Does it have anything to do with Drew?” The worry was quickly turning into the icy fear that twisted her heart as Gary’s facial features distorted with anger.

Gary stopped suddenly and whirled toward her with a look of pure rage. Furiously, his voice rose with every word.

“When are you going to let him go? The world did not revolve around Drew.”

Jessa backed away a few steps as her eyes widened in disbelief. She swallowed the anguish that threatened to block her oxygen.

“I know that. I’m sorry. I just thought ... well, I don’t know what I thought.” Jessa looked out the window. Where was Cain? She cleared her throat and rubbed her stomach where her muscles clenched tightly. “Why are you here, Gary?”

Gary paced back and forth, visibly trying to pull himself back together. He tried to smile, but it fell short. He took several deep breaths.

“I wanted to talk to you about Cain.”

Jessa looked startled, not expecting this. A wave of guilt swept through her. An evident and unwelcome blush crept across her cheeks. What did Gary know? What must he think of her? She wrapped her arms around her waist, unable to look him in the eyes.

“What about him?”

Gary sauntered toward her, and then he lightly grasped her shoulders.

“Look at me, Jessa.”

She slowly raised her eyes.

“You need to stay away from him. You have no idea how badly he could hurt you. He’s killed a lot of people. Yes, he did it for our country, but that doesn’t make him any less of a murderer. He was Special Forces, Honey. He’s done things you and I can never even imagine. You deserve so much better.”

Her jaw clenched, and she stiffened. Who was he to tell her what to do?

“What would Drew think?” he said.

Jessa jerked as a mixture of anguish, disbelief, and guilt dashed rapidly through her.

Would Drew hate the idea of her and Cain together?

That thought tore at her insides. She closed her eyes, pressing the fingers of one hand to her temple, where a deep throb had begun to pound.

Her stomach twisted with the sensation of shame, while despair tore at her heart.

A vision of Cain and a memory of how he’d made her feel seemed to give her a sense of calm, strength, and peace that both surprised and thrilled her.

Jessa knew somehow, somewhere deep in her soul, Drew would approve of Cain. Drew would want her happy and safe, and if anyone could do that, it would have been Cain. Jessa swallowed and raised her chin.

“Aren’t you the one who sent him to me?” she asked defensively. Shame was quickly turning to annoyance. She didn’t have to answer to him. She didn’t have to explain any of her decisions to anyone.

She flinched a little when his hands tightened on her shoulders.

“I sent him to scare you, Honey. I’m sorry, but I was desperate to protect you, and I couldn’t think of anything else to do.

You wouldn’t listen to me,” Gary said fiercely.

He shook her lightly. “I never in a million years would have thought you and he would get together. You two are so different. You deserve better, Jessa. Someone like Drew, someone like me.”

Jessa jerked back from him and vigorously shook her head.

“You? Gary, you’re married. Remember your wife, Aubrey?”

He stopped her from backing away any further, putting one arm around her waist, holding onto her hand with the other when she tried to push him away.

“We separated seven months ago. I’ve always had feelings for you, and unfortunately, Aubrey knew that, had known it for a long time. You and I can start seeing each other. If I’d known you were ready, ready to let Drew go, I would have asked you out sooner.”

Jessa sucked in a quick intake of breath and leaned away from him, putting her hands between them, trying to put space between them. Her face was white and strained.

“Gary, did you get divorced over me?”

“God, no, Sweetheart, it was so many things I don’t want to go into right now. Let’s concentrate on us.”

“I’m really sorry to hear about you and Aubrey. I really am, but there’s no way you and I...” She cleared her throat nervously. “I don’t feel like that about you, I’m sorry.”

He tried to pull her closer despite her struggles.

“You haven’t given us a chance. We could be so good together, Jessa. You can’t be with that man. He’s too rough. He’ll end up hurting you. But I would never hurt you. I’m like Drew, I can make you happy, I’d take such good care...”

A ruthless, stone-cold voice came from the front door.

“Get your fucking hands off her. Now!”

They broke apart abruptly. She was finally able to breathe as Gary took a few steps back and looked at Cain.

She had never seen such a horrifying look of detached death in someone’s eyes before.

Coming from this man, it wasn’t a simple promise, it was a given, an absolute if you didn’t do what he asked of you immediately, and they both knew it.

Oh, thank God , Jessa thought. Her eyes glistened with tears. She focused on Cain, relief making her weak. She drew air into her lungs, both hands flat on her chest, as she tried to calm her heartbeat.

Without taking his eyes off of Gary, Cain held out his hand to Jessa in silent demand. After a brief hesitation, she walked directly to him, placing her hand in his. She leaned her head against his muscular arm, holding his hand tightly with both of hers.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” her voice was shaky, but the little nervous tremors that had overtaken her body a moment before had started to quiet down.