Page 41 of Jessica's Hero

This is finding out she’s in trouble and not being there to protect her. Hearing her crying. Not knowing if she’s okay. Feeling more helpless than I have since my dad died. Wishing I’d insisted on more security. More cameras. Moresomethingto keep her safe.

“It’s more than dating,” I admit. “I know it’s soon. But she’s different.”

Is this the best time to realize the depth of my feelings for Jess? Probably not. But here they are. Big and bold and all-encompassing.

“Okay, house is clear.” Noah appears at the front door, a flashlight in one hand and his Glock in the other. He flicks the light switch beside the door, flooding the living room with light. “Kyle’s upstairs with the vic?—”

“My girlfriend,” I growl. “Not the victim. Jess. Mygirlfriend.”

He blinks. “Right. Of course. Sorry, man. I didn’t mean?—”

“It’s fine.” Pushing past him, I hurry into the house. Casting my gaze around the room, I get a good look at the extent of the damage. Two windows in the front are broken; with glass strewn all over the floor. Two large rocks are the clear culprit, one near each window. A picture of Jess and her mom is cracked, and I spot one of the figures her mom used to collect lying in pieces on the carpet.

“Fuck,” I hiss. “Who the fuck would do this?”

“Another window in the dining room is broken, too,” Noah adds. “Fortunately, no one got inside. Classic vandalism. Looks like at least third degree criminal mischief, maybe second.”

“It’s not classic,” I snap. “Someone is terrorizing?—”

Shit. Noah’s not the one I’m angry with.

“Nevermind,” I amend. Then I jog to the stairs and take them two at a time, my pulse jumping the closer I get to Jess.

“I’ll help these guys look around,” Oliver calls after me. “And I’ll text Grant. See if he can come over tomorrow to fix these windows.”

Shit. I should have thought of that. Not only is Grant a good friend, but he also owns a construction company in town and should be able to replace the windows right away so Jess doesn’t have to deal with it.

“Thanks,” I throw over my shoulder. “I appreciate it.”

Then I close the rest of the distance to the bathroom, where I hear two voices—one male, one female—talking quietly. In the seconds before I see her, I try to reassure myself. Jess doesn’t sound like she’s hurt. Noah would have said something if she was.

Unless he doesn’t know. Unless Kyle is still triaging Jess and she’s?—

“Kane!”

As soon as I get to the bathroom doorway, Jess leaps up from the floor and races to me. I don’t even get a good look at her before she flings herself into my arms and burrows her face into the crook of my neck, dampening my skin with hot tears.

“Oh, sweetheart,” I croon. I hug her to me, stroking her hair and rubbing her back. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”

“It’s okay,” she mumbles against my neck. “I’m just glad you came.”

Does she really think Iwouldn’tcome?

“Of course I came.” Setting her away from me, Iinspect Jess’s face. It’s tear-stained and swollen with tears, but otherwise unharmed. “Are you hurt anywhere? No one touched you, did they?”

“She said no one got inside,” Kyle interjects. “But it looks like she may have cut her feet. Nothing too serious, but I think she may have some glass?—”

“What?”

I glance at Jess’s feet. They’re bare and streaked with red. The floor is spotted with crimson splatters of blood. And then I spot her hand, clenched into a fist with a red-stained tissue wadded in it.

Worry and rage come roaring forward again.

She’s hurt. Just like I feared. And the fucking asshole who did this is going to pay.

Without waiting for a response, I sweep Jess into my arms.

She clutches my shoulder with her uninjured hand. “Kane! What are you doing?”