Passion, Victoria 10: Jenna's Destiny (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3

  “No!” Jenna spun on her heels and rushed out of the police station. When she was standing out on the top step, she felt like she was able to breathe again.

  Jeff came out and joined her. When she looked beyond him, she could see his TOs looking sad and worried, but she quickly looked away and grabbed onto Jeff’s hand. “She didn’t…” Jenna couldn’t finish the words. She refused to. She tugged on Jeff’s hand and followed the signs pointing toward the morgue behind the police station. With every step she took, her legs felt weaker and shakier, but she couldn’t put this off. She had to identify her sister’s body so they could lay her to rest.

  She entered the building and told the woman behind the desk why they were there and were quickly shown to a waiting area in the hall outside the viewing room. Jeff was squeezing her hand so hard she thought he just might crush her bones but she didn’t complain and try to pull away. That pain was helping to keep her centered and in control. The numbness she’d let envelop her had invaded her heart, mind, and soul and she held onto it. She didn’t want to feel anymore. It was the only way she could cope with what had to be done.

  A man dressed in a white coat came out and indicated for them to come in, but Jeff released her hand and stepped back. “I can’t do this, Jenna. I don’t want to see her broken lifeless body. I want to remember her when she was alive.”

  Jenna nodded and followed the man into the viewing room. The stranger stood beside her and held her elbow while another man wheeled a sheet-draped bed up to the window. And then warmth permeated her back. She glanced up over her shoulder and met Dach’s eyes. He placed a hand on her shoulder, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his body. Jenna sagged for just a moment and then she straightened and nodded to the morgue attendants to show her.

  Jenna bit down hard on her tongue so she wouldn’t cry out. Her sister’s face was battered and bruised but if there had been any blood marring her, it had been cleaned away. Jenna placed her hand on the window and traced her sister’s features on the glass.

  “Jenna, is this…”

  Jenna was surprised that the stranger knew her name. She couldn’t remember introducing herself or being introduced to him but she must have.

  “Yes. That’s my sister Joan Louise Reason.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Take my card. When you’ve organized which funeral parlor you’re going to use, call me and we’ll make sure your sister’s…your sister is taken there.”

  “Thank you.”

  Jenna stared at the card for a moment and then took it from his hand. She pushed it into her pocket, stepped away from Dach, and headed toward the door. Jeff was waiting for her in one of the chairs. When he looked up, his face was pale and his eyes were red rimmed, but she knew he was waiting for her confirmation.

  She nodded at her brother and then just kept right on walking.

  * * * *

  Des wanted to take Jenna into his arms and hold her tight, but from the desolate, blank expression in her eyes he didn’t think she’d let him. His heart ached for her and Jeff, but there was nothing he could do except be there and help these two grieving people in any way he could. He’d wanted to grab hold of Jeff’s shirt and shake him when he’d refused to go in with Jenna to identify their sister, but he hadn’t wanted to upset Jenna any more than she already was. He was angry at Jeff for making Jenna have to face that horrible task on her own, but had been glad when Dach had followed her into the room. If his brother hadn’t gone in with her, he or Dallas would have. Dallas had already started walking behind her and so had Des, but Dach had just shaken his head and followed her in himself.

  When she’d nodded at Jeff and then turned away, Jeff had buried his face in his hands and started crying. Des hurried after Jenna, concerned for her welfare. He looked over his shoulder when he heard footsteps behind him and saw that Dallas was following behind.

  Des caught sight of Jenna on the top of the steps and sighed with relief, but his heart started racing when she began to descend the stairs. He picked up his pace until he was jogging and heard Dallas do the same. As he burst through the doors, he scanned the area looking for her and his heart caught in his throat when he saw her walking along, totally oblivious to her surroundings. If she kept going, she would walk right out into the road.

  “Jenna,” Des yelled and put on a burst of speed. She never once paused in her stride or looked back over her shoulder. She was lost in her world of grief and Des knew nothing was going to get through to her. He caught up with her as she was about to step off the curb. He gripped her shoulders and spun her around to face him. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Jenna blinked up at him and then she glanced around. She covered her mouth and an expression of fear and horror crossed her face. “I didn’t…I—”

  “God, baby, you scared the crap out of me.” Des pulled Jenna into his arms and sighed when her little fists gripped his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and looked over her head when Dallas pressed his front to her back. Her breath hitched and then she sniffled and Des realized that she was crying but was still trying to hold everything back.

  He wanted to take her pain away but he couldn’t so he just held her tight. Dallas pressed into her and between them they offered what comfort they could. She slumped against him and then he felt her go totally boneless.

  “Fuck. She’s passed out.” Des swept Jenna up into his arms and stared down at her pale, exhausted face. “Go and unlock the truck and then see what’s keeping Jeff and Dach. We need to get her home and into bed.”

  “Do you think she’ll agree to that, or her brother?” Dallas asked.

  “I don’t give a shit right now. There is no way in hell I’m leaving either of them alone, especially Jenna. We are taking them back to our house and I don’t care what either one of them says. I’m also calling our CO and arranging for us to take time off on alternate days. She needs us, man. Her brother has fallen apart completely and until he gets his shit together, he isn’t going to be any good for her.”

  Dallas nodded, stroked a finger down her face, wiping her tears away, and then turned toward their truck. After unlocking it and opening the passenger front door for him, his brother walked away to find Dach and Jeff.

  Des got into the front seat and held Jenna on his lap. She whimpered as he arranged her against him so her head was resting on his shoulder, but she didn’t wake up. He wanted to keep on holding her but he knew when they started to drive back to Passion he would have to put her in the middle and buckle her in. Besides, he wanted to protect her and that was more important than holding her right now. With care he placed her on the seat beside him and then put her seatbelt on. After he’d dealt with his own seatbelt, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. She felt so damn right in his arms and he inhaled her light floral scent.

  Jenna Reason was perfect in every way and he was going to be by her side while she mourned and hopefully when she came out the other side of this trying time she would start to see him and his brothers as men instead of just her brother’s training officers.

  Chapter Three

  Jenna sighed and blinked to clear the sleep haze from her eyes. She frowned because she couldn’t even remember going to bed. She stretched her arms above her head and looked around. She was in an unfamiliar room and couldn’t even remember how she’d gotten there. She sat up and pushed the blanket covering her aside to find that she was still fully dressed except for her shoes. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and that’s when it all came crashing back into her mind. Jenna doubled over and groaned as agony assailed her chest. Tears streamed down her face and the sobs she tried to hold back erupted in one long, continuous wail.

  She slid from the side of the bed to the floor, curled up on her side, and cried her heart out. The gut-wrenching sobs shook her whole body and she found it hard to breathe as sorrow assailed her. No matter how hard she t
ried to stop the tears, she couldn’t. She cried so long and so hard she began to feel sick. She searched frantically for help and saw the door to the side of the room, hoping like hell that there was a bathroom beyond it. Jenna pushed to her hands and knees and began to crawl toward it. There was no strength in her arms and legs and she was having trouble as it was, and knew she wouldn’t be able to stand up.

  She was only halfway to her destination when large male hands and strong muscular arms picked her up from the floor.

  “Jenna, do you need the bathroom?” Des asked.

  Jenna nodded. “Hurry.” She covered her mouth with her hand and hoped like hell she didn’t disgrace herself by being sick all over herself and him. He carried her into the en suite bathroom, flipped the toilet lid up and then lowered them both to the floor. He was just in time. Jenna heaved and retched over and over again until finally she had nothing left. She moaned when Des pulled her back against his front and didn’t protest when he held her and rocked her. After a moment, he reached up and flushed the toilet and then he stood up with her in his arms. He sat her on the vanity, got a clean washcloth from the cupboard, wet it with cold water, and then wiped her face.

  “Are you feeling a little better, sweetie?”

  ‘Yes, thanks. Do you have a toothbrush?”

  Des searched the cupboard again and she was grateful when he pulled out a toothbrush still in its packaging. Jenna reached out to take it, but he shifted it out of her reach and opened the packet for her. After placing some toothpaste on the bristles, he handed it to her. Usually she would have protested the audience, but she was just too tired to care so she brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth, all under the watchful gaze of Des King.

  When she was done, she went to push off her perch, but Des stopped her. “Let me help you, Jenna.” Once again he lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the bed.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in our home, honey.”

  “Oh, God. Jeff!” Jenna pushed against Des shoulder and when he lowered her to the side of the mattress she immediately stood up. She didn’t care that she was a little light headed or that she swayed slightly. She needed to see her brother and make sure he was okay.

  “Your brother is fine, sweetie. He’s sleeping in our other guest bedroom.”

  “Why are we here?”

  “My brothers and I didn’t feel right leaving you alone right now.”

  “But I wouldn’t have been alone. I have Jeff…”

  “Sweetie, you’re both hurting right now and we wanted to make sure you were okay. Jeff has fallen apart, honey, and we needed to know you had some support.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, Jenna, you’re not fine.” Des pulled her into his arms and held her. “You’re so damn fragile right now. You nearly walked out into the middle of the road this afternoon. If Dallas and I hadn’t stopped you… There was a car coming, sweetie. You would have been seriously injured or ended up being killed.”

  “Shit. I didn’t mean…” Jenna’s sob halted the words on the tip of her tongue.

  “I know that, sweetie. You weren’t seeing anything. You’ve been so strong and brave, honey.”

  “I don’t know how I’m going to get through this, Desmond.” Another sob caught Jenna off guard.

  “Call me Des, sweetie. You’ll get through, Jenna. You’re so strong. Just take one minute at time and then an hour and a day. Before you know it, you’ll be able to remember your sister without crying and maybe one day soon, you’ll be able to smile about the good times you had together.”

  “It hurts so damn much.”

  “I know, sweetie. I know.”

  Jenna soaked up his heat and strength and prayed to God he was right, because if he wasn’t, she didn’t know how she would face each day without her sister in her life. How long she stood there clutching at Des she had no idea, and if Dach hadn’t come in, she may have continued to stand in his arms all night long.

  “How are you feeling, baby?” Dach asked as he walked toward her and Des.

  Jenna pulled back from Des and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. She didn’t want to say she was okay because she wasn’t, so she just nodded her head.

  Dach stopped before her and stroked a finger down her cheek. “Are you hungry, Jenna?”

  “No.”

  “I think you should try and eat something.” Des gave her a gentle smile and then turned to face Dach. “She was sick to her stomach a few minutes ago.”

  “Shit. Do you want me to call a doctor?” Dach asked.

  “No. I’m fi…”

  Dach reached out and touched her shoulder, caressed down her arm until he reached her hand and then clasped it in his. “Come on out to the kitchen, Jenna. I’ll make you a sandwich and something to drink.”

  “I don’t think…”

  Des’s hand pressed against her lower back as he followed behind her. “You can argue all you want, Jenna, but you are going to eat something. You need to keep up your strength so you don’t get sick, sweetie.”

  Jenna sat on the stool Dach pulled away from the kitchen counter for her and gave a sigh of resignation when he opened the fridge door. “We kept a plate of steak and salad for you if you want to eat that, or I can make you a sandwich.”

  Jenna couldn’t stomach the thought of eating meat right now so she relented on the sandwich.

  Dallas sauntered into the kitchen with damp hair and wearing only a pair of low-slung jeans. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw how muscular and ripped he was. His pecs moved up and down as he walked and she could see the ridges of his muscles in his lower abs as they moved beneath the skin of his stomach. She couldn’t believe that her body chose that moment to sit up and take notice. Jenna felt really bad for being attracted to him and his brothers when he sister was lying dead on a cold metal table. She looked away quickly and watched Dach instead.

  Dach placed the tomato, lettuce, and cheese sandwich in front of her and she stared at it in horror. She covered her mouth, slid from the stool, and went running. She made it into the bathroom with barely a minute to spare and dry heaved until her stomach felt like it had turned inside out. With a shaky breath and all her strength gone, she plopped down onto her arse, raised a trembling hand to push a few strands of hair back from her face, and then wiped the tears from her face.

  Movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye and she turned her head to see all three men entering the bathroom. Dach looked concerned but his serious expression didn’t cause her any alarm. Des was frowning and so was Dallas.

  Dach reached her first and helped her to her feet. “Call Ryan. I want her checked out.”

  Jenna was glad she knew who he was talking about since Ryan’s office was right next door to the pathology clinic, and quickly vetoed that idea. “I’m fine. I don’t need a doctor.”

  “Damn it, Jenna. You were just sick to your stomach, again.” Dach grabbed a clean washcloth, wet it and wiped her face. He picked up the toothbrush she’d used earlier from the glass, put toothpaste on it, and handed it to her.

  Jenna was so tired she didn’t even care that she had an audience to watch her brush her teeth, again. When she’d finished, she sighed and leaned against the vanity. She’d never felt so drained and lethargic. It felt like all her energy had drained away down the sink as she’d rinsed her mouth and now she could barely stand.

  “That’s it.” Dallas moved in behind her and snagged an arm around her waist. Dach was holding onto her elbow as if he was afraid she would fall on her arse and Des was still leaning against the door jamb frowning at her. “As much as I would like to see you eat,” Dallas continued speaking, “I don’t think food is what you need right now. You, Jenna Reason are going to go back to bed and going to sleep. Tomorrow you will start out with a decent breakfast and if you can’t keep that down then nothing you do or say will keep us from calling the doc.”

  Dallas slid an arm down her back until it reached her knees and then she w
as being lifted into his arms. If it had been any other day or time she would have protested at being told what to do or at being handled like she was a stubborn child, but she was just too bone weary to put up a fight. Dallas carried her back into the bedroom, placed her on the bed and then pulled the covers up over her. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before straightening up and meeting her eyes with a forceful look.

  “Sleep, Jenna.” Dallas gave her one last frown before turning around and walking out of the bedroom.

  Des moved to the bed, sat on the edge and pushed the tresses which had escaped her ponytail back from her cheek. “We are in the rooms just down the hall, honey. If you need anything through the night all you have to do is call out. Okay?”

  Jenna nodded and then her eyes widened when Des leaned over, planted a gentle kiss on her cheek, then caressed it with his thumb before he, too, walked out.

  Dach walked closer and stood over her, staring down at her with his hands on his hips, and then he glanced skyward. She wondered what he was thinking, but when he lowered his head again and met her eyes, his expression was gentle. Jenna felt her nostrils flare as he placed his hands on the mattress on either side of her shoulders. She loved the citrusy cologne or body wash he used and could have spent hours inhaling the wonderful combined scent of man and what she thought was orange.

  “Get some rest, baby.” Dach leaned down with bent his elbows and then placed a soft kiss on her lips, before he stood up straight, gave her a last look and then he exited the room.

  Jenna rolled on her side and clutched the spare pillow on the bed and buried her face into the softness. Tears fell and she muffled her sobs until finally her eyes got too heavy to keep open and she drifted into sleep.

  * * * *

  “Fuck.” Dallas thumped his fist on the table and looked at his brothers. “What the hell are we going to do now?”

  Dach brought his fresh mug of coffee to the table and sat down. “We make sure that one of us is by her side at all times.”