Page 41 of Kiss Marry Kill
Megan began to wiggle out of her dress, speaking from behind the screen now. “We had a . . . thing five years ago.”
“A thing?” Becca asked.
“They were in love,” Nelly clarified.
“No we weren’t. It was just an intense few days together. And now it’s complicated.”
She felt Nelly from the other side of the screen. “How is it complicated? There’s obviously chemistry.”
Megan flicked Nelly’s forehead as she came out from behind the screen, going straight for the wine and then plopping down on the couch. Maybe if she talked it out, it would make sense. Because honestly, it was weighing heavily on her. “I’m being stalked, my house has been broken into, I’m getting prank calls, and all I can think about is jumping Jax! What is wrong with me?” she asked, covering her face with a pillow. “I need help. The psychological kind.”
Becca sat beside Megan and plucked the pillow from her face. “Why, because you have a crush on that delicious man? I’d send you to the loony farm if you didn’t feel something for him. He’s hot—and he looks at you like you hung the moon.”
“But there’s so many things going on right now. It’s not a good time . . . well, that’s what he says.”
“And what do you say?” Nelly asked from her other side.
Exasperated by her mix of emotions, Megan stood. “I think he should multitask. He can be with me and protect me! What the hell, right? Why can’t we be together if we’re both feeling it?”
“Exactly.” Both women cheered as Becca pressed the newly hemmed pants into her hands so she could go try them on.
“Ms. Cruz,” one of Jax’s employees yelled from the other side of the house, “there’s someone here for you. He says his name is Pete.”
“Okay, one second. I’ll be right there,” Megan yelled back, quickly dressing. “I’ll be just a second, ladies.”
“We’ll be right here. Still have a pile of clothes to dig through,” Nelly noted.
Megan hurried to the front door, thinking about what Nelly and Becca had said. Maybe she should go after this thing with Jax, show him that some things were worth fighting for.
“Hey, Pete. Come on in,” she called when she saw the older man standing with one of Jax’s men by the open front door, waving the security guy off to let him know it was fine.
“Hi, Ms. Cruz, heard you had a scare,” he answered, stepping into the house while Megan shut and locked the heavy wooden door behind him.
“Yeah it—”
“Stop right where you are.” A gruff voice startled her from behind. “Identification.” Megan whirled around to see Jax standing in the doorway to the living room. His green eyes were shining with intensity, and he already had his hand on his weapon.
“Jax don’t worry. This is just Pete.”
“ID. Now.” His voice was harsh and brooked no questions. He was drenched in sweat, his hair slicked back in a messy ponytail and away from his face, his cheeks a little pinker than usual.
“‘S’okay, Ms. Cruz,” Pete assured her, carefully taking out his ID and showing it to Jax who took it and inspected it.
“Sorry,” Megan whispered, embarrassed. Pete, who reminded her of her grandfather, had been bringing her packages since she moved in and his sweet wife baked her cookies all the time.
“No worries, Ms. Cruz.” He still called her Ms. Cruz even after years of her asking him to call her Megan.
“I’ll take the package,” Jax barked.
“Oh, Pete, I’m sorry.”
Pete sent Megan a reassuring smile and handed the padded envelope to Jax, who signed for it. “Really, don’t worry about it, Ms. Cruz. It’s good to see someone looking after you.” And before she could make another excuse or hit Jax for being such a jerk, Pete turned and left.
As soon as she closed the door, she ripped the envelope from Jax’s hand. “Oh my god, you’re crazy, you know that? Pete works for the homeowners’ association on the island and brings us our deliveries.”
“Everyone’s a suspect until we can figure out what’s going on.” His face was hard and unforgiving. “And where the fuck are my guys?”
“They’re out back, calm down. They didn’t just let Pete in and give him free rein. I told them he’s a friend. You forget that I’ve seen Ryan. I know how he looks. Pete is not Ryan.”
