Broken but Breathing (Jinx Tattoos 2)

“This is your home now. Your name is Jocelyn Kolton. Nothing you do will change that until you’re eighteen. I know this isn’t easy. But there are so many people here to help you through it.” Es shook her head. “You’re going to eat dinner and go directly to your room. I’ll be removing all the art supplies while you do that. The alarm is on and armed. I’ll know the minute you try to leave.”

“I won’t do that again,” Jocelyn whined.

“No you won’t on my watch,” Es agreed.

The girl look shocked. She almost felt bad for her. She’d been overindulged in her last life. It was time for a lesson in humility and realism.

“I’m sorry,” Joc mumbled.

“Show me, don’t tell me,” Es said, not about to ease up after the years she’d taken off her life. Her father is going to murder me.

§

Snake

There was something in his old lady’s voice that nagged him his entire trip. It pushed him to make the ride back on minimal amount of sleep. It was sheer will that had him pulling up in front of his house just after noon. Everything looked good from the outside, but his gut told him otherwise. The front door opened, and he was struck by the exhaustion visible in Es’s face. He hurried up the walkway and took her into his arms, lifting her off the floor. She buried her face in his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

“What’s wrong, sweet girl?”

“I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too,” he murmured, kissing her temple, thinking about the velvet box in his cut. It’s time.

He rubbed her back, inhaling her sweet scent. “How’s Joc?”

“She’s waiting for you inside. I think I’m going to spend some time in the garden for a bit.”

He pulled back. “She have a hard time?”

“You could say that,” Es replied elusively.

Snake frowned.

“It’s her story to tell, not mine.”

“All right,” he said as she lowered her feet to the ground and all but ran for the back door. He stepped inside the house, and dropped his saddle bags gently by the front door. Jocelyn sat on the edge of the couch with puppy dog eyes. I’m not going to like whatever she has to say.

“Es said you had some problems while I was away,” he said, running his hand through his windblown hair. All he wanted right now was a long, hot bath, food in his belly, and the feel of his woman pressed against him.

“I did something really stupid,” she whispered.

He arched an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Yeah.” She nibbled her bottom lip.

“Come on, out with it, girl. Stalling won’t change the facts.”

“I ran away.”

“I’m sorry, what did you say? For a minute there I thought my daughter just said she ran away.”

“I did,” she mumbled.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” he roared.

She flinched. The gesture pained him, but he refused to soften.

“I don’t know.”