The Exception Read online

  He grabbed my shoulder and rolled me over to face him. “You are never on the outskirts of my life.”

  My throat tightened right along with my chest. I gazed into his eyes, the blues swirling fast and hard. “I just feel like you never want to see me, that it burdens you to have to make time for me.”

  Tears began to prick at my eyes. I had just thrown my worst thoughts out there and now I awaited his response.

  It was quick and hard.

  He grabbed my waist and laid me on top of him, crushing me against his body. “Jada, no.”

  My tears fell softly onto the heated skin of his torso before running off the side.

  “I know things have gone to shit. I have had a lot going on, baby. I’m hoping it will all be worked through soon. I miss … this. I miss you. I miss holding you, talking to you, teasing you. Baking with you.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making me smile. “When I say I want to be with you, it’s because I do. More than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

  I rose to look at his gorgeous face. He was chewing his bottom lip furiously, his eyes searching mine.

  “Okay,” I finally said. “But I want a rain check. Every hour I have to sacrifice will be paid back with interest. Capiche?”

  Cane’s chest bounced as a chuckle escaped his throat, his eyes now alight with humor. “Fuck, I love you.”

  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his eyes went wide.

  My heartbeat raced, goose bumps breaking out across my skin. My throat swelled, my breath hitching in my throat.

  Breathe. That was probably a mistake.

  “Jada,” he said, his voice rough. “I—”

  “It’s fine.” I plastered on a smile to cover my disappointment. “It’s fine, Cane. I know how you meant it.”

  His eyes began to blaze as his breath picked up. I turned to roll off of him but he grabbed my waist with both hands, holding me in place. “Fuck this,” he whispered, his eyes wild.

  Forcing a swallow, he continued, “This isn’t how I thought this would happen. Hell, I wasn’t sure if I would ever feel this way at all. But I do, so it’s stupid not to just say it, right?”

  His forehead was wrinkled and a small sheen of sweat broke out across it.

  “Cane—” I began before his fingertips touched me lightly on the lips, effectively hushing me.

  “Jada,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I love you.”

  Each word was clear, crisp, as if he wanted to make sure I didn’t misunderstand that he was saying it, not just the words, but the meaning behind it.

  I smiled through my nerves, my heart bursting with joy. My chest shook as I suppressed a giggle that was awfully timed. “You don’t have to say that.”

  He shook his head, his eyes wary. “Damn it, woman. If you don’t say it back in about two seconds, I am going to lose my shit.”

  I let the laugh escape. I loved him. It was really that simple. “I love you, too.”

  His face broke out, mirroring mine, before he grabbed the back of my head and crashed his mouth to mine.

  CANE

  Who would have fucking thought I’d be so happy after telling someone I loved them?

  I shook my head.

  Who would have thought I would ever even consider that I loved someone at all?

  I worked my way through the streets of Tempe on my way to my office, a dopey smile on my face.

  I need to figure out how to look like a normal person before I see Max. I need to get pissed off about something.

  I laughed at my thoughts, at the insanity of the morning … at how fucking happy I was.

  Who knew?

  I hooked a right onto the freeway as my phone went off. BLOCKED was flashing across the screen.

  What the fuck?

  “Hello?” I said into the line, curiosity getting the best of me.

  “Hey, Cane.” The tone was crisp, cool, and full of complete bullshit.

  My blood ran cold.

  “Simon Powers.” I scanned for a spot on the freeway to pull over. I couldn’t drive with any sense and deal with this motherfucker. “How’s that leg treating you?”

  “Better now with this wad of cash I got from some copper I came across. Money makes everything feel better. But I know you know all about that.”

  I pulled over to the side of the road. I needed to concentrate.

  “You really are the scum of the earth.”

  Simon laughed maniacally over the phone. “Just getting a little back from what you took from me.”

  “I didn’t take jack shit from you.”

  “I’m about to take everything that fucking matters from you.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “How’s that girlfriend of yours? What’s her name? June? Jenna? Hot little piece, I’ll say that for ya.”

  “You motherfucker!” I seethed. “Don’t you fucking say her name! I will find you, fuck the law. Fuck everything. Do you fucking hear me?”

  “Cane, Cane, Cane,” Simon laughed. “You are like taking candy from a baby. Just tell that baby of yours not to wear that tie-dyed shirt when she goes for a walk. Makes it too easy to spot her. At least make me work for it.”

  The line went dead.

  I replayed his words again as I fumbled with the screen and dialed Jada. I felt like I had walked into a freezer, my entire body chilled.

  “Hey, baby!” her melodic voice rang out.

  “Jada,” I said hurriedly, “do you have a tie-dyed shirt?”

  “What?” she asked, obviously confused.

  “Do you have a tie-dyed shirt? Just answer me.” I scanned the inside of the car for something to focus on, something to help me calm the fuck down.

  “I … yeah, Cane, I do. How would you even know that?”

  “FUCK!”

  CANE

  “Parker.”

  “Nick, it’s me.” I swerved through the traffic, heading to my office but not sure that is where I should be.

  Where do I go?

  I slammed my hand against the steering wheel.

  I’ve gotten her involved in this! This is why I don’t fucking get involved!

  “I was just getting ready to call you,” he said in his typical calm voice.

  “Look, I just got a call from Powers,” I rushed out.

  Nick cleared his throat. “That’s interesting. That was why I was going to call you.”

  I took the exit I needed and flew up the ramp. “He’s watching Jada, Nick. He made a comment to me about a certain shirt she was wearing when she was walking.”

  “And you checked to make sure she has a shirt like that?”

  “Of course. I’m not worried about the fucking shirt, Nick.”

  He sighed. “I realize that. Calm down.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down!”

  “Cane,” he said, his voice stern. “I was going to call you because no one has seen Simon in a few days. He’s not been showing up to work, he’s not been at home. Seems like he has fallen off the grid.”

  My tires squealed as I flew into my parking spot, the nose of my Denali kissing my parking sign. I cut the engine.

  Now that I was there, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. There was no handbook to follow on what to do when assholes fuck with your life.

  “What does that mean? I mean, what does that mean to me? What does that mean to Jada?”

  “I’m not sure. He could be lying low. He could be planning something. He could be in Mexico for all we know. But Simon is a character of habit and this is out of habit for him, so I’m a little concerned.”

  I rested my head on the steering wheel. It felt like there was a minefield in my mind, little surprise explosions going off left and right. “What do we do?”

  “I have gotten ahold of my contacts at the police department. They have reason to believe a large shipment of drugs will be flowing through the Valley soon and they’re watching Simon, too. They want any information we have on him to add to their files, so
I’ll give them a call about this. Maybe we can get a restraining order for you and Jada, although it would be pointless, I think. He’s going to do whatever he is going to do.”

  “Fantastic. That does shit for Jada right now.”

  Nick sighed reluctantly. “I would suggest you see if she can go out of town for a few days. We have security on her, yes. But if what you are saying is true and if he isn’t making it up, then the farther away she is while we sort this out, I say the better.”

  “I’ll try. She’s stubborn.” That was typically an endearing quality, but I knew it was going to be the death of me.

  Maybe literally.

  I slammed my palm against the steering wheel again, making the green air freshener hanging on my rearview mirror shake and spin.

  “I see how the two of you are a good fit then.”

  I shook my head. “What are our other options?”

  “We don’t have any. Did he block his number when he called?”

  “Of course.”

  “We have every eye we have trying to find him, as well as the law enforcement. A lot of what I’m getting out of them is insinuations; they can’t really come out and say anything. But it seems that they think he’s involved with this drug movement. Let’s hope they find him and can wrap him up in something and get him off the streets.”

  “Nick?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Find him.”

  I had ignored Jada’s five calls as I drove back to her house.

  This day went to hell in a hurry.

  She’s going to be pissed that I didn’t tell her all of this before.

  A sick feeling had taken over my stomach.

  I should never have pursued her, wrapped something as perfect as Jada up in my fucked up world. I knew better and I have to take responsibility for this. This epic fuckup is my fault.

  I pulled up to Kari’s house, thinking that I should be pulling up to move Jada’s shit out of it and into mine. Instead, I was going in to probably make her never want to talk to me again.

  Par for the fucking course.

  I parked the Denali, got out, and made my way to the door, a sense of foreboding hanging over my head like a storm cloud. I rang the bell and waited.

  “Who is it?” Her sweet voice sounded through the door.

  “It’s me, baby.”

  The door flew open. She stood there in a pair of grey shorts and a cute little pink shirt. She looked gorgeous, as always. I wanted to scoop her up and take her away somewhere far away.

  “Hey,” she said, her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing back here?”

  She stepped to the side as I walked in.

  “I need to talk to you.” My voice was rougher than I would have liked, but this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have.

  “Okay.” She closed the door behind me and followed me in the kitchen, her steps hesitant.

  “Is Max here? Kari?” I asked, looking around.

  She shook her head, her ponytail bouncing. “Nope. Just me. What’s going on? I’ve been trying to call you.”

  “I know. I didn’t want to discuss this over the phone.” I sat down at the table and motioned for her to join me. She pulled out a chair slowly and sank into it, her eyes never leaving me.

  “What’s going on?” she repeated.

  I blew out a breath and caught her up on the events related to Simon.

  “Cane,” she said, her eyes wide in horror as a realization of what I was getting at hit her full force. “The day I wore the shirt … first of all, I never wear that shirt. Kari despises it. I’ve had it forever. That day when we went for a walk, I felt like someone was watching me.”

  My stomach lurched, bile hitting my esophagus.

  That motherfucker was watching her!

  Her jaw dropped open and she visibly shivered. “When we got home,” she swallowed, looking around the room. “Cane, when we got home that afternoon, the back door was open.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I narrowed my eyes, in complete disbelief that she wouldn’t find that just a little fucking important.

  “Because I thought I was paranoid!” She looked around the kitchen like she was thinking. “And the night at the bar! I felt it then, too. That whole night, I just felt like something was wrong. I even thought I saw Simon standing there.”

  “You should have told me this!”

  “Well, maybe if I had known everything that was going on, I would have! You didn’t tell me anything!”

  I watched the clarity wash over her eyes and I braced myself for her reaction.

  “I’ve been walking around every day with no idea. I was completely vulnerable!” She gasped. “How could you let me do that, Cane? I … I don’t even know what to say!”

  I had never felt so stupid.

  “You’ve been trailed for a while now, Jada.” I tried to keep my voice controlled, flat, to avoid incensing her any further. I watched her reaction.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Her jaw dropped further and I winced.

  “I’ve had someone following you, making sure no one got to you.” I sighed, feeling defeated for the first time in a long time. Maybe ever. “He works for the PI company I hired to go after Simon. It’s the same one that helped me when Dad died.”

  “How could you not tell me this? Cane!”

  “I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t know if this shit was from Simon or a coincidence, if he was after you or me. I didn’t know anything for sure, Jada.”

  Her eyes were as wide as saucers. “I can’t believe you didn’t even tell me.”

  “Look, this is my fault. My life is one fuckup after another. I should have never went after you like I did. You don’t deserve this.” I hung my head. “I didn’t want you affected by all of this if you didn’t have to be, baby.”

  “Well I obviously am! Damn it, Cane!”

  My shoulders slumped forward. I was exhausted in every way possible.

  “I need you to go out of town for a few days until we can find Simon. Something is going on and until we know what, I want you out of the way.”

  “Oh, so now you get to come in here, spill your guts, and then tell me to leave?”

  “Jada, please.” I met her eyes. “This is for your own good. Don’t make me pull crazy shit to get you out of here, because I will. You know I will.”

  She crossed her arms against her chest, eyeing me coolly. “Just a few minutes ago, it seems, I was telling you I loved you. And now I sit here and wonder what relationship I’ve even been in because obviously my reality and yours have been very different.”

  “Come the fuck on.”

  “You were all angry that I didn’t tell you Decker had called me, yet you keep this entire thing from me for weeks! Pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?”

  “Stop with the Max bullshit.”

  “Don’t even go there right now, Cane!” She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. “At least Max is honest.”

  “Oh, you think Max didn’t know about this? Think again, babe.”

  Jada sprang up from her chair and paced the kitchen. “So what? I go out of town and you come with me?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t go, Jada. I have to be here.”

  “How do I know you’ll be okay?”

  I smiled. “Because if you are okay, I’m okay.”

  JADA

  I marched into the offices of Alexander Industries with a renewed purpose the next morning, wearing the orange dress that Cane loved.

  Max had been delegated to find me a flight and it left that afternoon, much to Cane’s dismay. I had insisted on seeing my father the night before and telling him goodbye, since he had been feeling ill and I had no idea when I would be back.

  Cane had insisted on staying the night and, when he left that morning, a black car had replaced his Denali in the driveway per Cane’s orders.

  I wasn’t a fan of having a guard sitting in the driveway, but I could see Cane’s point in having him
there. When I had exited the house, Ryan, as I learned was his name, insisted on driving me wherever I wanted to go. So he drove me to Cane’s office.

  I just wanted to see him again before I left, to make things right. The night before had been awkward and frustrating and, as I thought about leaving him for a few days and the danger he was quite possibly under, I just wanted to make sure things were settled between us. He had promised to come by and take me to the airport, but I didn’t want it to be a rushed goodbye. I wanted to take my time and make sure we were on the same page.

  Or at least that we knew what each other’s page was.

  I found the front office vacant. Cane’s SUV was out front, so I knew he was there. I waited impatiently for a few minutes and, with my anxiety building and no Lucy in sight, I started back towards Cane’s office door, smiling to myself as I recalled our rendezvous there.

  The way he had ordered me to bend over his desk. The sound of his zipper coming down in the stillness of the room. The feeling of the cold air hitting my skin as he raised my dress to my waist, the warmth of his hand touching my skin, caressing me softly. The feeling of him pounding into me, hard as steel, while papers flew wildly to the floor.

  It seemed like both yesterday and a lifetime ago.

  Every step I took closer to his office had my heart beating faster. I had missed him so much: our talks, his lame jokes, and our physical connection. I felt like a part of me was missing and, when I had realized that, I knew it spoke volumes. By the time I got to the hallway to his office, I felt ready to pass out. I took a few deep breaths as my strides got longer, ready to see him and wrap my arms around him.

  I could hear voices as I turned the corner to his office. The door was cracked and I stopped in my tracks at a female’s voice coming from the other side of the door.

  “Cane, I am so sorry,” the woman said. Her voice was soft, intimate. She spoke to Cane like she was familiar with him and that had my guard up immediately. I stepped to the side of the door, eavesdropping.

  “You’ve said that a number of times. I hear you.”

  “I know. I need to stop apologizing. But I just feel so bad about the way we left things.”

  “For fuck’s sake.” Cane’s voice was laced with irritation. “Can we not talk about it, please?”