Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

Jenny also held a gun to Ms. Mackerly’s head.

Thea did a quick sweep of the room, making sure no one else was in there and breathed a sigh of relief to find it empty. So, obviously, Jenny had made the principal call her to get her to come back by saying Ace had been in a fight.

She eyed the gun warily.

“You need to put the gun down before you hurt someone, Jenny,” she warned.

Carrick would be here soon. She just had to keep the other woman calm. Except what would Carrick do when he arrived? He could get shot trying to protect her.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Jenny told her with a crazy laugh. “Been watching you. Waiting for the right time. But those men you’re with keep you close, don’t they? Do you have a magical pussy or something?”

Ms. Mackerly let out a shocked cry as Jenny thrust her away. She fell to the ground. “He should have been mine, you know. Jardin. He was meant to be mine.”

She stalked toward Thea, holding the gun up.

Thea took a step back, wishing she hadn’t closed the door behind her. What was she going to do?

Jenny’s hand shook wildly as she aimed the gun. Ms. Mackerly lay on the floor, weeping. No help there, that was for sure.

Thea tensed, fear flooding her.

Suddenly the door opened behind her.

“Thea, if you’ll just listen to me . . . hey, what’s going on here?” her father demanded. “Why are you holding a gun on my daughter?”

Jenny turned to look at her father, just as he pushed Thea to one side. The gun fired and she screamed. Her father fell to the ground and Jenny just stood there, looking shocked.

She could hear loud voices yelling. People flooded the room. Someone tackled Jenny, not that she was putting up much resistance. Thea crawled toward her father, sobs wracking her body.

“Dad. Dad.”

She rolled him over. His chest was covered in blood, his eyes open and unseeing. Tears fell down her cheeks as she shook.

“Thea, oh, God, Thea.” She was aware of Carrick pulling her back against him, holding her tightly.

“He saved me,” she mumbled. “He saved me. He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Jardin moved to the other side of her father, reaching out to try and find a pulse. He shook his head at her. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

She sobbed hysterically, barely aware of Carrick picking her up and carrying her away, of Jardin’s softly murmured words. Of Jenny’s screams.

It all faded away.

Later that night, she sat on the edge of Ace’s bed, watching both him and Keir sleep. They each had their own room, but they’d opted to sleep in the same bed tonight.

Although they seemed to be taking their dad’s death pretty well. They were having a tougher time with the fact that she’d nearly been shot.

“Come on, rocket,” Carrick placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s time you rested.”

After the shooting, she’d been checked over by paramedics. Then she’d had to go

get the boys and explain what had happened. Then there had been interviews with the cops. All the Malone’s had turned up except Lottie at one point.

When they’d come home, they’d found that Lottie had ordered pizza. She’d held Thea for a long time, it was obvious she was having a hard time as well.

Thea let Carrick pick her up and carry her out of the room. Jardin closed the boys’ door behind them and led them to their bedroom. They walked into the attached bathroom, where the huge jetted tub had been filled with water.

Carrick stripped her while Jardin pulled off his clothes. Then he carried her into the water and sat with her on his lap while Carrick took off his clothes then climbed in. They held her together, running their hands over her as though searching for any missed injuries.