Page 18 of One More Kiss
Steve
I’d just finished cleaningthe kitchen after dinner when Aya got a call. Her face went white and she swayed. Nash rose, his chair scraping hard against the tiles as he clasped Aya to him.
“Is she okay?” Aya asked, her voice rising. She gasped again. “Holy…I’ll tell them. But she’s okay?”
I frowned, not liking the worry in Aya’ voice. She listened again before she set her phone down with a clatter. Levi picked up on the tension and began to fuss. Nash looked torn between gathering his son in his arms and soothing his wife, so I walked over and collected Levi.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Nash asked.
“Mama Grace…”
I stiffened.
“She…she had a date tonight.” Aya’s eyes were dilated, her breath harsh.
“What happened, Aya? Is she okay? Were they in a crash?”
I had to work to keep my clasp on Levi gentle and soothing. My head pounded.
“No. She never left the house. He assaulted her.”
Jasmine. My throat closed and my ears rang.
“She’s okay.”
I sank into the wooden chair, still clutching Levi, who’d quit fussing and instead started smacking his tiny hands against my cheeks. “But he hurt her arm. Kate and Jenna are with her, on the way to get an X-ray.”
“What happened to the man?” I gritted out.
“Cam’s dealing with him.”
I gave a short, sharp nod. Good. “So, Jasmine’s okay? He didn’t…”
“She’s okay,” Aya said. Her cool fingers were on my forearm. I raised my head and met her gaze. In it was understanding.
Levi patted me again, harder. I winced when his finger grazed my eye. Aya lifted him from my arms. I felt naked, empty. Bereft.
Jasmine was hurt. She must be scared. Terror sat, nasty and sharp, in my guts. Jasmine had been hurt. Cam had great security, and I was sure he’d had the asshole tonight checked out. But even still, with all those safeguards, the man made it onto the ranch and hurt Jasmine.
I rose and walked out the back door toward my much smaller cottage.
I sat in the living room, my phone in my hand, in the dark. I wanted to call her. I needed to hear her voice, but if I did, I wouldn’t stop.
I settled for a text: Are you okay? I’m worried.
I checked the screen obsessively, so I knew when she read the message. But it wasn’t until after midnight that she replied. She sent a picture of her arm in a cast, and: Not yet, but I will be.
She was hurting. She’d been alone. I hadn’t been there to protect her.
And I wouldn’t be, ever, if I continued down the path I’d set for myself.
I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts jumbled. I couldn’t go on like this. I simply couldn’t continue to deny my feelings for Jasmine, which meant I had to do something about them.
As dawn broke, I was no closer to answers, but I knew where I had to go to get them.
I shot Nash and Aya a text, letting them know I wasn’t going to be at their place that day. Not that it mattered; Aya was going to be traveling for work and taking Nash and Levi with her. My son didn’t like to be apart from his wife, especially when she made overseas trips for her nonprofit.
They’d be back in a week. Hopefully, by then, I’d have more clarity.
