“Good luck.” Abel picked up the phone, looking ready to fight this man after the girls.
Lincoln walked out of the station and back into the bright sunlight. How in the hell was he going to fix this mess with Jessy? Did he want to? They weren’t even intimate yet, and already she was bringing chaos into his orderly world.
Chapter Eight
Lincoln headed into the boutique where his sister worked. He had promised her lunch today. He was still in a rotten mood from his argument with Jessy
yesterday. She had politely accepted his apology but told him it was better they were not friends. She slammed the front door in his face, shocking the hell out of him. He honestly thought a simple apology would take them back to the day they had lunch.
He entered into the cool air of the store. Lily looked up from the register. Normally, she was friendly and sweet, but today she glared at him with hatred. He couldn’t blame her. He had been harsh on Jessy the day in his brother’s office. He had been so confused and hurt that she lied about something as basic as her name. Maybe he had thought for a moment she was like Lydia.
“Melanie is in the back. She’ll be right out,” she said coolly, barely holding eye contact.
Lily had dark circles under her eyes and it was obvious she too had a rough night. He stood there anxiously waiting for his sister to hurry up. Finally, he had to know. “Is Jessy working tonight? We still never found your peeping tom.”
“She told me you and your brother thought I was lying.” Lily looked hurt and not angry. He knew their life had been harsh even before this Jagger character showed up in. “Why would anyone make that shit up?”
“I’m sorry I said that. I was upset.” He tripped over his words. He hated apologizing, but he had been in the wrong saying that.
“And my sister wasn’t?” Lily snapped back at him. Her cheeks were red. “She likes you and you disappointed her. Men are untrustworthy. As soon as hard times hit, they turn their backs on you. I don’t know why I thought you were any different.”
He hated that he added to her bitter view of men. Her father certainly had been no father of the year type. He didn’t know if Lily or Jessy had boyfriends in their background. He wanted to be someone Jessy, and even Lily, could depend on. He spent so much time and energy resisting the pull Jessy had on him. They could have started off as friends and maybe she would have confided in him.
Melanie came out of the back room and eyed both of them cautiously. The tension in the air was thick. “You okay, Lily?”
Lily nodded but didn’t speak. She turned away from him to fix some necklaces on the glass counter that already looked neat. “I’m fine, Mel.”
“Not all men are unreliable. My brother Abel will defend you from this asshole messing with you and Jessy. Lincoln will help, too. Right, Lincoln?” Melanie touched Lily’s arm, proving she had overheard some of their conversation.
Abel and Lincoln had not told Melanie anything of what happened in their office. Lily must have confided in Melanie. Jessy had no friends to lean on or talk things out with. He offered her his friendship, but he had done nothing friendly. Instead, he eyed her with suspicion. He was consumed with guilt.
His sister looked at him with such trust in her eyes and it sent a pain through his chest. Melanie and Lily were the same age, yet Lily had been through so much horror, while Melanie had been protected and sheltered. And Jessy was just a few years older yet she had been left owing her dad’s debt and attacked over it. It wasn’t fair.
“Of course I will. It’s my job,” he stated firmly and honestly. He would protect them no matter what. He didn’t want Jessy to leave town. He wanted her here forever, even if she never forgave him.
Lily clearly didn’t believe a word he said but she stayed silent in front of his sister.
He smiled at Melanie. “Ready?”
Melanie grabbed her purse and followed him out of the store.
“Lily told me some of her life story and it made me cry. I am lucky to have Daddy, you, and Abel always in my business. I see that now,” Melanie said quietly as they walked down the sidewalk. “Lily and her sister had not one person to lean on. Her dad should have been the one they could go to for help, and he was the one who caused all this mess. It’s not fair for you to blame Jessy.”
It was lunchtime and very busy. He kept his hands in his pockets and his gaze down on the sidewalk. He didn’t feel like stopping and talking to people he knew. His heart was a mess right now.
“I know.” He had to agree. “Lily is right. I messed up with Jessy. I have feelings for her but she will never believe me now.”
He more than liked her, he cared about her. He felt protective and possessive about her. What had he done?
“Are you going to fix it?” Melanie sounded sad now.
Lincoln’s heart felt heavy with guilt and doubt. “I don’t know if I can. They are determined to leave and protect this town from some very bad guys.”
“The brothers I know aren’t afraid of a fight,” Melanie said with confidence. Lincoln pondered on his sister’s words all day. It was time for him to prove those words to be true.
* * * *
Jessy sat in the living room feeling blue. The house was too quiet but she didn’t feel like watching TV. She was exhausted, but unable to sleep. She had worked a full shift at the bar last night but had dreamt of the night Jagger had tried to rape her. She remembered how weak she felt trying to fight him off as he slapped her and tore at her clothes. She had yelled and screamed her head off, hoping one of her neighbors would hear and call the police. She had just given up hope when Lily came home and saved her. Lily had been hysterical, thinking she killed Jagger, but Jessy checked his pulse. He was alive. Jessy shook off the bad memories. She never wanted to face Jagger again.