“Priv—”
“And please don’t ask me anything else about it because I can assure you in the scope of things right now, it really doesn’t matter.”
*
Jillian helped AJ to the hotel lobby fifteen minutes before their ride was supposed to be there.
“Sit here. I’m going to have the concierge send someone back up for our bags. I’ll be right back.”
AJ eased into the leather chair next to the lobby fountain.
She removed the hairband from her wrist and twisted her tangled blond locks into a messy bun then slipped on her sunglass. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from too many tears and no sleep.
“Good morning. How may I help you?”
Jillian handed the concierge her room keys. “Room 349. Jillian Knight. Could you have someone bring our bags down to the lobby, please?”
“Absolutely, Miss Knight.”
“Thank you.”
She turned and nearly ran into the gentleman in line behind her.
“Pardon me.” He smiled with a nod and stepped around her as she looked down to retrieve her phone from her handbag.
“Jessica?”
For the first time in nearly a year … she felt her heart. It beat just feet from her. “Luke,” she breathed his name with the first true breath she’d taken in nearly a year. And when she looked up … she saw her heart.
He looked just like she remembered—perfect. Except, all the blood had drained from his face. He eased his hand toward her head. She needed to stop him, she needed to flee, she needed to do something, but she couldn’t. For a mere second in time she felt every cell in her body come to life.
Luke ever so slowly slid off her sunglasses. His mouth dropped open. He looked at a ghost. She stared at a mirage because out of the corner of her eye she saw several men in suits coming to take him away. The clock ticked no matter how much she wished to be frozen in time at that very moment. She’d dreamed of seeing him again since the day she last saw him at the cemetery. What do you say to the person who gave you everything?
Tick tock.
Two men grabbed his arms, but he still didn’t take his eyes off her.
Say something, her mind screamed.
“Luke … thank you.” A flicker of a smile touched her lips as they pulled him toward the large revolving door.
Once he was outside she could see him yell her name as if something inside him awoke and he began to fight back, but it was too late. Two seconds later they had him stuffed into the back of a black SUV speeding away from the curb.
McGraw’s men hadn’t been following her because of her requests. They knew Dr. Luke Jones and Jessica Day were going to be in the same city at the same time … and as if not even death could keep them apart … they ended up at the same hotel, the same concierge desk, and then for one last time they shared the same breath of air—the same heartbeat.
In that moment she died. There were no more breaths to take.
“Miss Knight, we have to go.” Two more suits pulled her toward the exit and another black SUV waiting at the curb.
“AJ—”
“Mr. Monaghan is already in the vehicle.”
Luke. He loved her—adored her—and then he mourned her. But no longer. He would hate her forever.
Before they opened the door to the SUV, Jillian fisted the jacket of one of the suits. “You tell McGraw I’ll bring him and everyone else involved to the gates of Hell if anything happens to Luke.”
The young man swallowed hard and nodded. “I-I’ll tell him.”
He opened the back door and Jillian climbed in.
“Jillian?” AJ slid his hand across the seat in search of her.
She just stared at it … stared at him.
AJ squeezed his eyes shut. “Where is she?” he yelled.
She grabbed his hand as the vehicle pulled away from the curb. “I’m here. I’m right here.” Her other hand splayed against her heart, slowly clawing into a fist as she looked out the window, falling apart in silence.
“Where did you go?” AJ squeezed her hand.
“The restroom.” Words struggled to move past the asphyxiating lump of emotions growing in her throat.
“Did you get our bags?”
She didn’t know.
“We did,” the suit in the front passenger seat assured.
They arrived at the airport, stopping a short distance from the steps to the private jet.
“I’ve got him. Just get the bags,” Jillian instructed as she stepped out of the vehicle.
“Have you ever been on a private jet?” AJ asked as she led him up the steps.
“No.” Every response came out on autopilot. Jillian Knight had never been on a private jet. AJ’s distrust didn’t go unnoticed by her. Why would he ask if she’d been on a private jet when she confessed her first time on a plane with him months earlier? Because he didn’t trust her, that’s why.