Page 10 of Marked by my Stalker (Inked and Possessive. Rugged Mountain Ink #1)
Jack
I never thought I’d ever be caught quite so literally with my pants down, but here we are. I’m batting a thousand. I’m not sure how much her mother has seen, but I take the opportunity to pull out and button up as she parks on the opposite side of the truck.
Fucking hell!
I glance toward Kera, trying to console her, but her little face is already red, and her hands are shaky.
This isn’t how I saw things going down.
“What the hell is going on here?” Linda spits. Her entire body is trembling, even her voice. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone this angry and I’ve been to fucking war.
“Mom,” Kera hops from the truck, her clothes back in place, though the sweater is backwards, “how did you find us? This mountain is huge!”
Her mom tips her head to the side. “I’m the one asking questions, Kera.
What are you doing up here with this man?
No,” she holds up her hand, “don’t tell me because I already know.
He took advantage of you, didn’t he? He tricked you.
God,” she glances down at the ground and begins to pace, the tips of her fingers kneading against her forehead, “this is all my fault. I hired him. I hired him and he’s been out here manipulating you this whole time. ”
“Mom,” Kera presses, “stop. He’s not manipulating me. I like him.”
Her mother’s brows narrow heavily as she tugs at her sweater.
“That’s what manipulation is, sweetie. He’s almost thirty years older than you.
He’s your father’s old friend. You don’t like him.
Any man who’d do this to you out here,” her voice rises, “right off the road, is a terrible person. Anyone could’ve seen you two. ”
Kera rolls her eyes and crosses her arms in front of her chest. “How did you know I was here? You’re tracking me, aren’t you? You’ve got something on my phone.”
“Kera,” her mother sighs, “that’s not what we’re talking about.
There are much more pressing matters. And truthfully, you should be happy I knew where you were.
I knew something was up. I could hear it in your voices when I called earlier.
” She reaches out for her daughter as the final bit of sun dips behind the range.
“No! I’m not going with you!” Kera tucks against my chest. “I’m sorry, Mom, but you’ve crossed too many lines. I’m staying here with Jack.”
Linda glances toward me with the stare of the Devil himself. “I swear to God, Jack, I trusted you. I know Mike would’ve trusted you, too.”
I deserve this. I’ve betrayed her trust.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen.” I clear my throat, heart hammering as the words spill. “I care about her.”
“Oh, my Lord! You’re sick!” Her tone is ragged and rough. “My husband saved your life! Now you’re sleeping with his daughter?” She says it like it’s the most vile thing to ever exist.
Maybe it is.
“I get it,” I say steadily, holding Kera tight, afraid she’ll be swept away. “I’d be upset too, but I didn’t plan for this. Neither of us did. It just happened.”
“You’re going to hell!” Her face is dark red with some kind of rage that I suppose is saved for protective mothers.
“Mom!” Kera snaps. “Stop! You need to leave.”
“I’m not leaving without you, Kera bear. If that means I fight this man, I will.” Linda steps toward me, chest puffed as though she’s really going to fight me for Kera.
I know I should be gentle here, but I meant it when I said Kera is mine. I’m done pretending.
“Lin, stop,” I urge. “We can talk about this peacefully.”
Linda scoffs, arms folding tight across her chest. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’re going to jail, and I’m taking my baby girl home.”
“I’m nineteen years old, Mom! I’m an adult. You can’t send him to jail. This is crazy!” Kera huffs, lands her hands on her face, and twists into my frame as though not looking will make it all go away.
I take a breath. “Lin, I know how much Mike loved his family. And if you think for a second, I’d dishonor that by screwing around with Kera, then you don’t know me at all. What’s happening here is real.”
“Oh my God, Jack. You’ve known her for a what… a month? Two? And how many of those days did you actually talk to her?”
The silence stretches long and sharp because that part is true. Whatever happened between Kera and I happened hard and fast.
Kera turns back, exhaling loudly as she says, “Mom, this doesn’t make sense to anyone but me, and that’s enough! Take it or leave it! You don’t get to control my life!”
Linda’s eyes soften, just a fraction. I can’t tell if it’s defeat or exhaustion, but I know it’s not understanding.
“I miss you, you know?” she says, voice cracking softly.
“Not just the house being quiet. You. Your laugh, your chaos, even your damn eye rolls. I know I’ve been hard lately,” Linda continues.
“I’m not trying to fight everything you want.
I’m just scared that if you build a new life, you won’t need me in it. ”
Kera steps forward until they’re close and wraps her arms around her mother.
“Mom, I’ll always need you. Not the way I used to, but I do.
I always will.” She glances down out at the darkened valley and back again.
“I just… I need to live my own life. And this… school, this city, Brick… none of that is for me. I want to be out in the mountains, in a little cabin by a stream, shooting pictures, raising a family, feeling things.”
“And you want to do that with Jack?”
“If all my fantasies work out, then yeah.” She glances toward me with half a smile then back at her mom. “I’d like that. He makes me feel safe, Mom. He’s grown. He knows what he wants. I like the way I feel around him.”
Linda exhales slowly, her eyes tracing Kera’s expression like she’s unsure of how to proceed.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever see that as a choice for you, and I do believe that you belong at school, getting a degree,” she sighs, “but it’s your life, Kera.
And if you’re telling me it’s your way or bust…
I’ll trust you know what you’re doing.” The words sound painful as she speaks them, but I know she’s trying her best, and that’s all anyone can do in a moment like this.
“Really?” Kera narrows her gaze and leans in toward her mother. “You’re okay with me doing what I want?”
“Kera,” her mother sighs, “I hate the idea of you quitting school. You need a degree if you want a good job. I hate the idea of you living up in these mountains with the dangerous roads, and I hate the idea of you dating a man older than me. A man who,” she glances toward me with that devil stare again, “I just hate in this moment. But… I don’t want to lose you.
So,” she shrugs her shoulders and tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, “I’m going to get a room somewhere tonight.
Let’s have breakfast together in the morning. We can—”
“Mom, why don’t you stay with me at the dorm. You can take my bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
Her mom smiles sweetly. “Really? You’d want me to stay with you?”
“Yeah,” Kera nods, “I miss you too. A lot. None of this is about hating you. You’re my mom. I just… I want to live my own life.”
“Why don’t we both go get a room tonight. My treat.” Linda bites back a smile. “I think your roommate might need a break too. You can invite her if you want. She was chatting my ear off about some virgin auction and I couldn’t talk her out of it.”
“Sounds good.” Kera smiles. “I’ll send Penny a text and we’ll meet you wherever you say.”
Linda glances toward me again with the stare of death, then back at her daughter. “Sounds good, Kera bear. Don’t be long, okay?”
Kera nods and Linda climbs back in her Honda.
When she’s down the mountain, I turn back toward my girl and wrap my arms around her thick waist. “I’m sure that’s not over, but it’s a start.”
“That’s all we can ask for, right?” She tips up onto her toes and leans into my lips, soft and sweet, underneath a million stars.
I never expected to fall for Kera. I was here on a mission. A mission meant for observation. But somewhere between late binocular nights and quiet confessions, she became more than a duty.
Her soft laughter, her dreams, the way she wears a sweater dress. She disarmed me.
I may have been hired to protect her, hired to keep her safe, but now, she’s mine, and I’ll be the devil her mom believes I am if anyone tries to take her from me.