Page 68 of Deserving Maisy
“So we have a few weeks before we’ll know,” he said in a flat tone.
Maisy swallowed hard. Did she want Jack’s baby? Yes…and no. Yes, because she loved him so damn much it almost hurt. And no, because it would make moving on with her life so much less complicated.
“That’s probably better anyway. Give the asshole time to stew, and Ryleigh time to do what she needs to do on her end,” Tiny said. “Not to mention, it doesn’t make sense to go up there twice. You have to go up to see the banker once the three months is up, so we might as well wait and kill two birds with one stone.”
“In the meantime, we’ll have you see a doctor here regardless, just in case the drugs your brother made you take all those years have done any lasting damage, and you can get your feet under you again,” Jack said.
Maisy took heart that he was using the “we” pronoun and not saying “you.” She wouldn’t blame Jack for washing his hands of her, but realizing that he wasn’t made the ball of anxiety in her gut recede a smidge.
“You want to see the progress on the hangar?” Owl asked Jack with a smile.
“Hell yeah! I didn’t even ask, what’s up with the chopper?”
“We’re getting her. She’s currently grounded in Washington until all the investigations into Grant are done, but after that, she’s ours.”
“Awesome,” Jack said.
“Yeah, so…you want to walk out there with me?”
“Yes. I’ll get Maisy settled in the cabin and meet you back here.”
Everyone stood, the meeting obviously done. Maisy felt awkward. Jack was right, it would be a few weeks before she’d know if she was pregnant. What was she supposed to do until then?
Jack didn’t give her any time to think about it. He gestured for her to walk in front of him and they left the conference room. Alaska waved at her from the reception desk, but it was obvious Jack was anxious to meet up with Owl. So Maisy gave her a small smile and kept walking.
Before she was ready, Jack was opening the door to his cabin. He stepped inside with her but hovered by the door. “I’ll be back later,” he told her.
Maisy nodded.
Then he turned and walked back through the door, shutting it firmly behind him.
Maisy was alone—and she wanted to cry. She hadn’t expected Jack to take her in his arms and tell her he forgave her and still loved her. But she’d expected…something. Maybe more talking once they were alone. She didn’t think he’d dismiss her entirely.
She walked over to the couch and sat, staring throughthe wall of windows. She wasn’t sure she could survive the next month in this cabin if this was how Jack was going to treat her.
Then she shook her head. No, she could. This was her penance. She’d been weak, had deceived the best man she’d ever known. She’d take whatever punishment he wanted to dole out. And whatever happened between them when everything was said and done, she’d accept it with as much grace as she could.
Jack wasn’t hers. As much as she wanted to keep him forever, he’d entered her life under false pretenses. It didn’t matter if she loved him with every fiber of her being. To him, she would always be the sister of the man who’d kidnapped him. The woman who’d lied to him.
She kicked off her shoes, then brought her knees up. She put her feet on the edge of the couch cushion and clasped her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on her knees and sighed. She wondered what Jason was doing right that moment. Was he pissed? Was he worried at all?
Shaking her head, Maisy knew he wasn’t. He was worried that he wouldn’t be able to get her money in a few weeks, but that was about it. Her brother cared about himself andonlyabout himself. And soon he’d get what was coming to him. Karma would find him. Maisy had to believe that, otherwise she probably wouldn’t be able to find the strength to confront him, to turn him in. To admit to her part in everything he’d done.
She was guilty by association. She hadn’t spoken up when she’d had the chance. Instead, she’d hidden evidence first because she didn’t want to believe the brother she knew and loved could be a killer…then because she was convinced he was capable of killingher.
But any love she’d had for him was gone. Jack had all her love now, and she’d do whatever it took to keep him safe. Even if that was from herself.
“Find her,” Jason snarled at Don.
“What about him?”
“I don’t give a shit about him!”
“So when I find them, I can kill him?” Don asked with an evil grin.
“Did you not hear me? He’snothing. I have what I need from him—his signature on a marriage certificate. But I need my sister. Alive. She has to present herself at the bank after three months to get that money transferred.”
“And I’ll get twenty K, right?” Don asked.
