Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(98)
Author: Kristen Ashley

“We will?” she asked.

He nodded. “We will, poppet. They’ve been working while we’ve been away and they assure me you’re protected.”

Regardless of the fact that there was evidence to suggest that there was something amiss in his house and something mysterious about his connection with Belle, Jack still thought Angus and Cassandra’s assertions were rubbish.

But he knew Belle didn’t.

And he was willing to use whatever he could to calm that storm in her eyes.

His tactic succeeded.

She took a shuddering breath and gave him a tentative smile.

Jack allowed himself a moment to let her smile settle in his chest and his gut then he gave Belle a squeeze before he rolled and turned out the light.

When he had them settled, the front of Belle’s body cocooned to his, she spoke softly, “Jack, we need to talk about something else.”

“What, love?”

She hesitated and said, “This.”

“This?”

“This. Here. Now. You. Me.”

He gave her a squeeze and whispered, “No, poppet. The one thing that we don’t need to talk about is this. Here. Now. You or me.”

“But –”

“All of that is the only thing that’s good and right in this f**king crazy mess.”

She was quiet then she asked, “It is?”

“Don’t you feel it?” Jack asked in return.

Her reply was breathy and hesitant, “I want to.”

He gave her another squeeze. “Then do it.”

“But, the baby… it’s what drew us –”

Jack gave her another, tighter squeeze, halting her words. “I thought I said we weren’t going to have this discussion.”

“But we have to!” she cried, her voice beginning to rise.

His hand came up to fist again in her hair and he used it to pull her head back gently.

Then his lips sought hers in the dark and he reminded her, “Belle, if you remember, there was no baby when I made you mine.”

“Jack –”

He cut her off, “It’s a sad fact that there’s no baby now. It hurts to think about it. It makes my chest tight and my gut ache. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still mine.”

“It makes your chest tight?” she whispered.

“And my gut ache.”

“Really?” she breathed.

“Yes, my love.” He tucked her face in his throat and went on, “But even with our loss, after your accident, I still felt lucky because I didn’t lose you.” He spoke cautiously, not wishing to feed into her fears but needing her to understand. “You could have been hurt in a much worse way, poppet, and, you being here, in our bed, in my arms, for that, I feel lucky.”

He could barely hear her when she asked, “You, James Bennett, feel lucky?”

“Yes, poppet,” he tipped his head so his lips moved against her hair. “I couldn’t lose you and, I promise you, my love, we’ll make another baby when the time is right. For now, we need to just be. You and me, we need to just be.”

“You and me,” she whispered.

“You and me,” he repeated.

“You…” she hesitated then said her next words in a way that made them sound impossible, “like me.”

He smiled into her hair. “Yes, Belle,” he gathered her closer before finishing, “I definitely like you.”

And, after saying those ridiculous words that in no way defined how he felt about her, he couldn’t stop his chuckle.

She stiffened in his arms and asked, “Why is that funny?”

“I’ll explain some other time.”

“Explain now,” she demanded.

“Some other time.”

“Jack –”

“Poppet,” he interrupted her and then ordered, “Sleep.”

“But –”

“Sleep.”

“I think –”

He gave her a gentle shake and demanded, “Belle, sleep.”

She held herself stiff and then muttered, “Bossy.”

Jack smiled into the dark and advised, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to get used to that, love.”

It took her a while but, finally, she relaxed and said on a sigh, “I guess I’ll try.”

And, again, he couldn’t stop his chuckle.

* * * * *

Jack’s Sunday was not quite complete.

Because in the middle of the night, the dogs started barking loudly.

He jerked awake and felt Belle do the same in his arms.

“What the f**k?” he muttered but before he could ascertain what was wrong, the door to the bedroom flew open.

Jack came up and twisted in bed as the room suddenly flooded with light and Jack stared in stunned disbelief as Angus and Cassandra charged in, Angus, wielding a whip and Cassandra brandishing what looked to be…

He stared incredulously…

A twig.

“We’ll not harm ye, wee ghosty!” Angus boomed, his eyes across the room.

“She’s vaporising!” Cassandra shouted.

The dogs barked.

Jack threw the covers back and knifed out of bed.

His body went rock-solid when he heard an ethereal, boy’s voice shout, “Myrtle!”

At the sound, Jack’s body stayed still but his head whipped around and he saw Angus circle the whip over his head but when he flicked it out, it fell to the ground.

“The turret!” Cassandra yelled and ran from the room.

Angus, his kilt awhirl, followed her.

“Don’t hurt them!” Belle shouted. She was out of bed and running after Angus and Cassandra, the dogs, still barking, at her heels.

Jack ran after her and caught her at the waist in the hall.

“Don’t hurt them!” Belle screamed after the departing Angus and Cassandra, her body straining against Jack’s hold and Angus whirled back.

“We won’t hurt them, lass.”

Then he was gone.

Belle turned urgently to Jack. “Jack, don’t let them hurt the children.”

Jack grasped her hand and tugged her swiftly down the hall to Lila’s room. Turning the handle, he shoved open the door, switched on the light and Lila came immediately up in bed and stared at them.

Before she could say a word or even blink the sleep from her eyes, Jack ordered, “Do not let Belle leave this room and keep the dogs close.”

Then, without waiting for a response, he left.

He went back to Belle and his room, pulled on jeans, a t-shirt and trainers and ran to the eastern turret where he knew most sightings of the child ghosts took place.