Page 47 of Heartless (Scathing Hearts #1)

Jake

That motherfucker had better die soon.

When her cell beeped, she sat up. “I’d better check. It might be work.” She touched my jaw. “Thank you, Jake.”

“Anytime, beautiful.”

While she went to fetch her phone, I got on my feet and headed toward her fridge.

“Have you eaten today?”

Coming to stand beside me, she said, “Are you staying?”

I wanted to kiss that fucking sadness away. I tucked her hair behind her ear.

“There’s no meat in your fridge. I’m going to order out. Burgers? I’ll make you a salad.”

She smiled. It was small, but it hit me all the same. “Yes, please.”

“Go work.”

After a quick nod, she tagged her PC, kicked her shoes off, and curled up in the corner of the couch.

****

Sienna closed her laptop and lifted her head.

“Done for the day, baby?”

While I’d been sitting on the other side of the couch, working on my cell, she’d made a few calls. During some of them, she’d effectively argued her points when they’d differed from the caller.

“Yes. What about you?”

“Yeah. What do you want for dinner?”

She scooted closer and sat on her calves beside me. “Thank you for today, Jake. But I’m okay now, so you don’t have to do this. I mean stay with me and cook.”

“Sienna, I’ve watched you take a blow that would have floored anyone and still be kind to the people you work with. I know you’re strong, baby. I want to be here.” I stroked my thumb under her lower lip. “The truth?”

“Always,” she breathed out.

“I fucking miss you.”

At that, her teeth dug into the corner of her bottom lip, and I got harder.

Her gaze dropped. “Jake...”

She needed peace, and I fucking needed her. “Come away with me this weekend.”

Her wide eyes whipped up. “What?”

“I’m flying to Colorado for the weekend. You can work from anywhere, and after the fucking day you had, you deserve a break somewhere quiet. Come with me. We’ll stay at my cabin, and we can play tourist, visit Crested Butte. Hike if you’re brave enough.”

Her cute nose twitched before she bit on that bottom lip again. When a curly strand of her hair swayed over her lowered lids, I added, “You can meet the two Garretts.”

She gasped. “Really? I’d love that.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Who knew the two mountain men would get me time with her?

“Do you think you can leave work early on Friday?”

Her curls moved with her nod. “I’ll call Sherry right now and ask for the afternoon off. Which means I’ll have to do more work tonight and tomorrow.”

“I’m going upstairs to get you some real food—”

She chuckled, and the sound went straight to my cock. “I have some soup if I’m hungry. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

The light was back in her eyes, and her curls bounced. “Yes.”

“Okay, baby. I’m having drinks with Sile before he leaves. You need anything, you text or call.”

“Where is he going?”

“Italy.”

Getting on her feet, she picked up her cell from the low table. “Give him a hug for me.”

I got up and pecked her head. “I’ll tell him you said, hey.”

****

Seated in the cramped back office of the sports bar, Sile shook his head. “Her own fucking doctor. Fuck.” He tipped his tumbler to his mouth. “You got back up out there?”

Leaning back, I crossed my ankles on the desk and confirmed I did.

“She’s going with you. It’s a win.” Sile’s chin jerked. “But you look pissed.”

My gut twisted. It wasn’t anger. I was fucking scared. Scared of losing the woman who’d come to mean everything to me. I gulped down my drink and let the heat of the bourbon slide down my throat.

After refilling our glasses, I settled back in my chair. “What are you going to do about Bianc?”

“I have a plan.”

“Plans tend to go to shit with the women who own us.”

“Ain’t that the fucking truth, brother.” He lifted his drink in a cheer. “To them.”

“To them.”

****

A little before five, Sienna opened the door.

“Good morning, I’m just sending an email and then we can go.” She started toward the living room before twirling to face me. “Would you like a coffee before we leave?”

She was her luminous self, but her eyes were shadowed. I shut the door behind me. “Did you work late?”

Her ponytail swished at the shake of her head. “No, I did some writing, and I got lost in it.”

While she slid her laptop in her purse, I tagged her bag. “Can I read some of it someday, or will I have to buy a copy of the book?”

At that, she jerked up straight and gaped at me. “I didn’t think you’d be interested.”

“If it comes from you, baby. I am.”

Her smile pierced right through me. “All right, but you are so going to regret saying that.”

****

Sienna

“The banana pudding, please. Four slices for me. Thanks, Kira,” one of the Garretts said.

Kira, our server, giggled. “It’s our most popular dessert, and we only have three left. But we have a peach cobbler on specials.”

“Then, I’ll have three banana puddings and one peach cobbler,” he replied with a white grin slashing through his full beard.

I bit on my own giggle and leaned into Jake whose arm was curled around the back of my chair.

After a short but interesting plane ride, Jake had picked up his truck, and we’d arrived at his cabin a little after eleven. The cabin had gorgeous views of the mountain, a large living room with a fireplace, and two bedrooms.

Jake had gone straight to a meeting with his team, and I’d stayed back. I’d puttered in there for a little while before my lack of sleep of the previous night had caught up with me. So I’d crashed into a blissfully long nap on the sofa.

I’d woken up before he’d come back, gotten ready, and here we were in this lovely diner with his team.

I was sitting on one side of the rectangle table between Jake and Erica, a pretty woman with beautiful silk-like hair. A quiet man who’d introduced himself as Rob, but who everyone called Robbie, and the two Garretts had settled across from us.

And boy oh boy, Jake’s description of them had been spot-on.

The two men were huge. Taller and stockier than Jake who stood at six foot-three, or thereabout.

They both had bushy, brown beards and overlong thick hair.

The only way to distinguish them was by the color of their eyes.

One pair was a rich brown and full of laughter while the other was a pale blue, made more piercing by the thick, arched eyebrows.

Their endless teasing of one other and their good-natured bro-tittude made it easy to lob them into the same bag.

They also seemed to truly enjoy the double takes many people made at seeing the twin-like, bearded giants.

But there were subtle differences in their personalities.

Blue-Eyed Garrett was somehow quieter and moved in a deliberate manner while Brown-eyed Garrett was full of unconcealed impulsiveness.

When our server asked Erica for her dessert order, she said, “Nothing for me, thank you.”

Blue-Eyed Garrett, who had his trunk-like arms crossed over his chest, said, “Kira, warm one of the puddings and serve it with half a scoop of vanilla ice cream, half a scoop of chocolate, sprinkled with caramel and a pinch of nutmeg.”

The oddly specific order brought a furious blush to Erica’s face.

The explanation came fast through Brown-eyed Garrett’s growl as he scowled at his doppelganger. “Why are you giving Erica my pudding?”

Blue-Eyed Garrett’s gaze slid to him. “Because you had half a cow for dinner. You’re not hungry, just greedy. And that’s Erica’s favorite dessert.” Without waiting for a response, he jerked his chin to Kira. “Bring us the peach cobbler, Kira. Six of them.”

This time, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud while Blue-Eyed Garrett winked at me.

As Robbie declined dessert, Jake’s rumbling voice caressed my ear. “Do you want dessert, baby?”

I aimed my reply to his ear only. “I’m in the mood for the banana pudding. What do you think?”

His chest moved under his silent laughter, and when our eyes met, I got lost in his. A warm shiver coated my skin, and I—

“Sienna, are you doing Erica’s first Artists’ hike tomorrow?”

I turned to Robbie’s wiry frame. “What’s the Artists’ hike?”

It was Erica who replied. “It’s a hike curated for people who are more dreamers than hikers.

A couple of hours up on easy terrain and pretty views.

My sister’s a writer, and she hates exercise, but she came with me one day, and she said it helped her creative flow.

” She cleared her throat. “It’s just an idea, and it might not work, but—”

“It’s a good idea, Erica,” Jake said in a reassuring tone.

That sounded like my kind of hike. I shifted fully toward her. “How many people are going?”

“Nine people have signed up. The hike is designed for twelve people.”

I grinned. “So, you do have room for one more?”

“Are you sure, baby?”

Shoot. I’d forgotten about the whole bodyguard thing. I twisted toward Jake. “Will it be okay for me to do it?”

Understanding the underlying of my question, he nodded, and his lips twitched. “I’m not going to stop you.”

His gaze dropped to my mouth, and I felt myself drawing closer. Someone cleared their throat. I blinked and returned my attention to Erica.

“I’m a yet to be published writer, do I qualify?”

She smiled. “Of course. Yes. I’d love to have you.”

“Then, I’m in.”

****

Jake

In the passenger seat, Sienna’s face was almost touching the glass of the window. “Look at this stelliferous sky. It’s like the whole Universe is smiling. And the mountains. They’re so noble. They make me feel small, but in a good way.”

“You’ll be in good hands with Erica. She’s a skilled hiker and she knows her shit.”

She sat back. “I trust her, and we’ll be in a group, so it’s bound to be fun. You were right about the Garretts. Blue-Eyed Garrett is a little more intense than Brown-Eyed Garrett but they’re both awesome and funny. And I liked Robbie too.”

There she was again. A pocket of pure air. “Have you ever met anyone you didn’t like?”

The corner of her gorgeous mouth twisted. “Mm. No. I don’t think so. Not at first anyway.” Her gaze dropped to her hands clutched in her lap, and her voice pitched to a whisper. “You’re right, I’m too na?ve, and I shouldn’t—”

When I stopped the car on the side of the road, she blinked fast.

Wrapping my hand around the side of her neck, I dove into her wide eyes. “Baby, that light inside you. It’s rare and it’s fucking precious. Don’t ever lose it or let anyone dampen it. Never, Sienna.”

“All right,” she whispered.

I pried my hand off her soft skin and started the car. Being so close to her was fucking hell, but I’d wait for as long as it took, and I was going to take care of her beautiful broken heart.

I took her hand. “Tomorrow, we’ll go to Crested Butte for lunch.”

Excitement sprinkled her sweet voice. “I’d like that. But after four hours of hiking, you might have to carry me there.”

And lie her under me before spreading her long legs wide for me and making her moan while I... I shifted in my seat.

“Works for me, baby.”