Blaze (Big D Escort Service Book 2) Page 20

  It was as if Santa Claus had eaten a truckload of cookies and then sat directly on her chest. That’s how hard it was to breathe.

  She shrank down, staring at her fingers.

  “Yes,” each said softly.

  Until Ethan, that was. “Did you know that Noah and I were at the Hutchinsons’ house with her? I had a talk with the woman. She is poison. Very unhappy, that lady. Beguiling, though. I wouldn’t totally blame your mother in that situation.”

  Dave scrunched up his brow and held his hand up. “So you all knew, yet you actively kept it from me.”

  “Yes,” each said softly again. Madison elbowed Ethan to keep him quiet.

  Dave’s eyes came up and hit Janie, his expression unreadable. “Can I talk to you alone for a moment, please?”

  Was no a possible response? Because she kind of wanted to run out of the room.

  She slid off the chair, wincing.

  “Be easy on her, bro,” Ethan said around a full mouth. “You should know better than to cram a big dong into a virgin butthole. That wasn’t kind.”

  “Oh my God, Ethan, are you serious?” Madison demanded as Janie followed Dave.

  “No. I thought it might ease the tension. Although he does know better. So actually, yes, I—”

  Janie didn’t catch the rest, though she would’ve definitely preferred to stay and listen to that conversation, as embarrassing as it was, than participate in this one.

  She settled gingerly on the squishy couch. Ethan hadn’t been wrong about the size issue…

  Dave stayed standing, crossing his arms over his chest. His biceps bulged. “I’m not really sure what to say, Janie.”

  She wasn’t either, so she opted for nothing.

  He shifted and looked at the Goodbye painting. Heat prickled her eyes, and Santa was joined on her chest by all his reindeer.

  “Betty—my mother said you broke into her room the other night. Is that true?”

  “I was let in by a crooked rehab staff member, but for all intents and purposes, yes, that’s true.”

  He switched his gaze to his feet. “She said you threatened to break in every day if she didn’t do everything I demanded. Is that true?”

  “Partially. I did threaten to get escorted in, but that was if she didn’t try to get better for you. Following your demands was more implied than specifically requested.” She was pretty sure, anyway. She hadn’t taken a transcript of the conversation, after all.

  “And her neighbors. Did you threaten them, too?”

  “That question seems vague. Do you really not know?”

  His head tilted, indicating he wasn’t inclined to raise his eyes to look at her. “Please don’t lie to me.”

  She entwined her shaking fingers. “I definitely threatened them, yes. Big time.” She briefly went through what she’d done. “And honestly, I’ll go back there if they start up again.”

  “They can’t start up again. They were robbed by what they describe as gangbangers. They didn’t call the cops, which I found suspicious. All the thieves took was a suitcase and some cash. They didn’t take the brand-new TV, or the iPads, or any of it. I heard all this from another neighbor. The Hutchinsons wouldn’t answer their door to me, though I know they saw me approach. One of them was standing in the window as I started over.”

  “Too bad you didn’t get in, because you should’ve taken all their fancy electronics. You paid for all of it.”

  “I am aware. Betty—my mother filled me in.”

  “Well, that’s something.”

  He went still, staring at his feet. “Do you know those gangbangers?”

  “Oh, man, you are really putting me on the spot here, Dave.” She wiped the sweat from her brow. “I don’t want to be honest about that.”

  “Janie,” he said softly. She couldn’t tell if that was a warning or a plea in his voice.

  After a world-weary sigh, she gave him the story, including the part where Noah wouldn’t let her go alone.

  “Your mother never wants to see you again…because of the information you got in order to break into my mom’s rehab place?” he asked, his gaze going to the Goodbye painting again.

  “Nah. She already didn’t. I’d promised never to go back already, but this came up, and I didn’t have any other options. My mom sucks. It has nothing to do with this.”

  He shook his head and turned away from her, showing her his broad back. “I don’t know what to say.”

  She was desperate to keep from begging for forgiveness. She wouldn’t apologize for doing any of it, nor would she apologize for not telling him. She’d do it all again if she had the chance, regardless of the outcome.

  “My mother told me some of what you said. That you loved me, but I didn’t love you back. That you were doing all of that—threatening her, cutting off her supplier, getting info on open apartments, the thugs—simply because I deserved it. You took all that upon yourself, without asking if it was desired or even warranted, because you thought it was the best thing for me. You thought it was the best thing for me. Not she, or the neighbors, or me, but you.”

  How many times could she grimace and wince in the same day? She might set a record.

  “As for the first part,” she said hesitantly, “let it be noted that this was before you said how you felt. I thought I’d be saying goodbye to you.”

  “You would haunt my mother, even after moving on from me?”

  “She used the word haunt, did she? Kind of loose-lipped, your mother.” Janie rubbed at her chest. Breathing hadn’t gotten any easier. “Honestly, yes. I would. Because she was trying to cop out. I’ve seen how she breaks your heart, Dave, and you don’t deserve that. If it takes ten years of following her ass around with crazy eyes, making sure she gets a clue and does the right thing, I will. I have the tools to help you. After all you’ve done for me, I have no choice but to use them. And no, you might not agree with my methods, but in many situations, they work. It’s all I’ve got. I’m sorry you’re pissed. I’m not sorry I threatened your mom. Or her neighbors. I’m certainly not sorry I threatened my own mom. She sucks.”

  Dave blew out a breath and shook his head again, back to looking at that painting. She now wished he was looking at the Love painting. That would be a better sign, under the circumstances.

  Twenty-Nine

  Dave couldn’t stop looking at the last painting in the collection, the one she’d done when she thought it was the end. He’d come that close to losing her. To losing the best thing that had ever happened in his life.

  Water clouded his vision. He didn’t want to admit they were tears. He was so close to breaking down in relief that he couldn’t help himself.

  “She has agreed to move. I put my name in for an apartment in our complex.” He took a ragged breath. “She has agreed to try and get better. To stay away from her old trailer and to…” He braced his hands on his hips, blinking profusely. “To be the mom I deserve, so she said.”

  “Oh,” he heard. Janie sounded relieved. “Well, that’s good. I didn’t know how I would find the time to stalk her. This will really free me up.”

  Fear punched his gut. “Please tell me you’ll never go into that neighborhood without me again.”

  “I’d really rather you didn’t meet my mother. A couple boyfriends cheated on me with her. It isn’t pleasant to have a man I love within her proximity. Or really any man. She sucks, seriously. I can’t say it enough.”

  “I’m not going to fuck your mom, Janie…which is something I never expected to have to say. But please tell me before you go there again.”

  “How about a few cleverly dropped hints?”

  “Janie…”

  “Fine,” she finally said.

  “That gun is gone?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I called her Mom, by the way. Not Betty.”

  “How’d that go?”

  “She started crying. I think that was the turning of the tide.” He finally turned to her, seeing her bowed and picking
at her nail. “My mother would like to meet you when she’s clean and sober.”

  “Oh yeah? How’s her punch?”

  “She told me to marry you.”

  Janie stopped picking at her nail and looked up slowly. Confusion covered her expression.

  He met, then fell into, her beautiful brown eyes. “She said that any woman who would do what you did, without ever expecting something in return, was a woman worth holding on to. She said you’d shamed her. You showed her the unconditional love that she should show. You’ve saved her life, Janie. You’ve saved mine. I am eternally grateful to you.”

  “Wait…you’re not mad?”

  “Are you kidding? I’m mad as hell. The risks you took on my behalf were stupid at best, and extremely dangerous at worst. But your heart was in the right place. You did more for me than anyone in the world ever has. Normally, my friends wouldn’t follow a gun-toting lunatic into a trailer park and threaten a couple of old drug dealers. Not even for me. They must’ve seen the conviction and confidence in you, and followed you into battle. That is…” He knelt before her. “I love you. Thank you.”

  She flashed her thousand-watt smile. His heart lurched.

  She launched toward him, hugging him tight. “Thank God. You kept staring at the Goodbye painting, and I thought that was curtains for us.”

  “What is that other painting called that I keep looking at?” He shifted them both to see it.

  She followed his gaze, and tears came to her eyes. “Love.”

  “I thought it was something like that,” he whispered, and then kissed her.

  A while later, when they walked back into the kitchen to join their subdued group of friends, Dave stuck out his hand for Noah. “Thank you for going with her.”

  Relief crossed Noah’s features. He took Dave’s hand in a hard grip. “I knew you wouldn’t want her to go alone. Granted, it was a dick move keeping all that from you, but I agreed with what Janie was doing. Not exactly how she was doing it.” He shrugged. “Still, she had the right tools to solve the problem. I thought it best to let her work her magic before we brought you in the know.”

  Dave pumped his friend’s hand. “I hate it, but I got it. Thanks, bro.”

  “I’ve always said that once she puts her mind to something, that’s it, haven’t I?” Madison nodded smugly. “She’s super protective, too. I knew she’d make it work. She always has for me.”

  “Madison, you are too embarrassing for words.” Janie rubbed her hand over her face.

  Dave shook Ethan’s hand next, thanking him for his help at the trailer park. Then Colton’s.

  He hugged Madison. “Thank you for trying to keep her away from me. That was the right move. Too bad you lost and aren’t as awesome as I am.”

  “Wow. You’re some asshole.”

  “Yup. An asshole who wins. What’s up?” He flexed.

  She punched him in the stomach.

  “Ow.” Dave bent at the waist. “I see Colton has been teaching you to punch.”

  “Okay, now can we talk about the rental you locked down?” Noah said.

  Epilogue

  “My darling, are you ready?”

  Janie couldn’t help but smile like a lovesick lunatic. That term of endearment was so corny when most people said it, but when Dave used it, it sounded sweet and affectionate. She heard his love in the words. It made her heart squish.

  “Yes.” She exited the bathroom into the master bedroom, which she now shared with Dave. What used to be her room was now her art studio. It wasn’t as big as the one in Colton’s house, which was still set up for her use, but this tiny apartment was home. She could wander in there whenever she got an idea, clothed or not, and go to work. Often, she’d come out of her art daze to find Dave standing in the doorway, sometimes with a cup of coffee, sometimes a soda or beer, and often with a boner.

  They had sex a lot.

  Her Arizona money had run out over the two months since she and Dave had become a couple, and at the moment, she and her art were being almost entirely supported by Dave. She did a few humdrum paintings to place at the art galleries every so often, matching the pieces that seemed to be popular—the guys had been stalking—and those were actually selling, but they weren’t high-dollar sells, and she had to split half the proceeds with the gallery.

  Dave was also supporting his mother, who lived on the other side of the apartment complex, and came over more than any mother ever should. Sure, she was a nice woman when she was sober, which she was and planned on continuing to be, but still…she was the mother of Janie’s boyfriend. It was weird having her hang around all the time. Especially due to their past…and the threats.

  With two people relying on Dave, he had to be feeling the pinch, especially now that he’d quit the lucrative business of escorting. But he smiled more than he ever had. Laughed louder. Loved harder. He seemed so completely happy that the money strain didn’t appear to bother him. He kept saying that they had each other, and they had enough—it was more than he’d ever expected out of life.

  So she stressed for the both of them. She’d sell humdrum crap all over town if it meant he could have his cake and eat it too.

  She squirted herself with perfume and checked herself out in the full-length mirror. The sleek black dress hugged her in all the right places before fanning out over her legs. She looked like a chic goth princess.

  At least, that was what Ethan had said when he surprised her with it. He’d worried she would look like a hobo at her own art show. Which would’ve been fine, since no one knew who she was or that she was the artist.

  Come to think of it, that was probably why he’d bought the dress. His mother had never been able to have a show like the one they’d rigged up for Janie. Ethan was living vicariously through her.

  She blew out a breath as butterflies surged through her stomach.

  Dave waited in the front room wearing a black tailored suit that showed off his wide shoulders leading down into his trim hips. It made him look powerful and sexy at the same time.

  “Hey, baby.” She sauntered toward him, her heart fit to burst. She was so thankful he was in her life. That it had worked out. She couldn’t imagine being happier with anyone else. Or this much in love.

  His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “You are stunning.” She smiled at him, and he blinked stupidly. “So beautiful, Janie. Would a quickie ruin all your stuff?”

  She laughed. “Yes.”

  He held out his arm, and she glided between it and his body, closing her eyes when he hugged her close.

  “Are you nervous?” he asked, kissing down her neck.

  “Very. I don’t really want to see people’s reactions in person.”

  “You will. They’ll love it. We have it set up perfectly, and the buzz is unreal. I’ve been getting emails constantly. Constantly. Social media has blown up—”

  “This is not helping my raging butterfly issue.”

  “Right, sorry.”

  In the last two months, Dave had been incredibly busy getting the show together. He was managing everything. The website was live, but only a couple of the paintings had been revealed. The rest were blocked off with shading and a question mark. He’d created a social media presence for her pen name, Chris Perrin, which was cloaked in mystery. Then he’d used all the BD (and former BD) guys’ connections and social media accounts to boost the news of the show, the mystery of her, and the tantalizing (yet censored) portrait of him in the buff. He’d even run ads. The man was on fire.

  Dick’s website, as unprofessional as Madison called it, seemed to work in her favor, too. People loved the vibe of it.

  What Janie hadn’t expected were the dozens of fitness people and models, women and men alike, who’d asked Dave to hook them up with the painter so they could get their portraits done. That had been a surprise.

  But they couldn’t afford the giant price tag to meet her in person. Dave was knowingly cutting off a revenue stream, as he called it, to feed the propa
ganda beast. He said it would pay off.

  She always just shrugged and changed the subject. She trusted him.

  He softly kissed her lips so as not to disturb her lipstick. “Ready?”

  Because no wasn’t an option, she nodded.

  “My mother is going to ride with us. Do you mind?” He opened the door for her.

  “Yes! Dude, we’ve talked about this. You cannot have your mother go to this. You’re on display. Naked! With an erection! No, Dave. Seriously, call that off. I’ll die of embarrassment. Or she will.”

  “I told her all about. I showed her the lure. She still wants to go.”

  The lure was the censored image of him that promised people they’d get to see the whole thing if they showed up. Peen and all.

  A lot of people were into that idea. Like…into that idea. It was probably the best piece of marketing he’d come up with to draw in women.

  In the car, she just kept shaking her head, overly conscious of Betty’s presence. “I didn’t want to show them, Betty. The paintings of Dave, I mean. Just know that. He wanted to. This is his fault. I had planned to burn them.”

  “It’s okay. I’m sure they’re lovely.”

  Janie just kept shaking her head. Betty had no idea. None. It was not going to work out well.

  “Oh wow, look at this. You did a great job, honey.” As they approached the warehouse, Betty reached forward and patted Dave on the shoulder.

  Yes, Janie should’ve let his aged mother sit up front, but Betty had a fierce stubborn streak, it turned out, and she always flat-out refused. So Janie just had to look like a jerk whenever they went somewhere together.

  It was probably a subtle way of getting back at Janie for the whole threatening incident.

  “Thanks, Mom.” Dave smiled as he found a space in the almost-full parking lot. Beams of light raced across the sky from the front of the once-ramshackle warehouse. A red carpet lined with potted plants kept people from noticing the stained and half-crumbling condition of the cement walkway. White banners dropped from either side of the gaping bay door. Pixie lights ran across the front of the building, distracting from the broken and jagged windows.