  &quot;Look, stop worrying … Jake's a trained kick boxer, he spent half his life fighting for fun, he'll be fine. Ben is no opponent.&quot; He shrugs, completely unphased.
      I can do nothing but blink at him. So much like his brother but not, the fairer hair thing totally threw me and hazel eyes. Also, the fact that not once that he's touched me have I felt any repulsion or fear. I only felt what I do when Leila or Sarah touch me. Quiet trust for someone who's almost family. This is so new to me I don't even know how to process it.
      &quot;Jake will follow as soon as he gets my message.&quot; He grins at me. &quot;He's got it bad with you. You'll see.&quot;
      I relax back into my chair and close my eyes, trying not to picture Jake sprawling in the street with Ben Huntsberger. Trying not to picture that smug face as he moved in to kiss me. Maybe Arrick is right, he honed in o

  I sit for what feels like an eternity, waiting with bated breath and extreme anxiety coursing through me. Finally, the door opens, and voices come into the apartment. There seems to be more than one and I can't tell if any are Jake. I wait and listen. A male laugh that sounds like Daniel, possibly Arrick too and then I hear Jake, low and husky and my heart constricts with relief.
      The bedroom door opens almost instantly, and he sticks his head around sheepishly, his brows furrowed as he locks eyes with me. Like a child about to meet the headmaster. There's no evidence of any fighting on him at all, no messy face or mussed hair, no torn clothing. I look away from him, emotion rising in my throat, relief and upset. I want to cry suddenly now that he's finally here and safe.
      He walks toward me, I can smell the outside air from his clothes and the faint smells of nightclub and a

  I follow the direction of his hateful gaze and see Jake standing about twenty feet from him. He has another few men in front of him, talking to him. He looks completely unscathed, less agitated than Ben and requiring a lot less force to keep him still, not a hint of anything wrong with his attire at all. I let go of Leila and run for him, pushing in between him and the man shielding him back with a hand and throw myself around him. The tears coming from nowhere. He seems to jolt back to reality at my touch, and instantly relaxes, tension I hadn't seen in his face seeping from his rigid body. His hands come to my face and pulls my chin up to bring our eyes to one another.
      &quot;Hey … Don't cry.&quot; He soothes, the furrow on his brow deepening and showing remorse instead of anger. &quot;Bambino, hey … Stop now.&quot; His arms come around me completely, his face and mouth come int

&quot;Look, stop worrying … Jake's a trained kick boxer, he spent half his life fighting for fun, he'll be fine. Ben is no opponent.&quot; He shrugs, completely unphased.
      I can do nothing but blink at him. So much like his brother but not, the fairer hair thing totally threw me and hazel eyes. Also, the fact that not once that he's touched me have I felt any repulsion or fear. I only felt what I do when Leila or Sarah touch me. Quiet trust for someone who's almost family. This is so new to me I don't even know how to process it.
      &quot;Jake will follow as soon as he gets my message.&quot; He grins at me. &quot;He's got it bad with you. You'll see.&quot;
      I relax back into my chair and close my eyes, trying not to picture Jake sprawling in the street with Ben Huntsberger. Trying not to picture that smug face as he moved in to kiss me. Maybe Arrick is right, he honed in on me to get a reaction from Jake, not once but twice, and Jake behaved in a way that is so uncharac

Chapter 65