Seduction (Club Destiny #3)(36)
Author: Nicole Edwards

Stopping midstride, he asked, “Jessie? What’s the matter?” Alex wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to that question.

“Can you come over? I think he’s –” The words were cut off and a gruff voice erupted in the background seconds before the call ended.

Alex took off at a run, dialing the number back and praying Jessie would answer the phone. When she didn’t, he focused on getting into his truck and getting out of the damn parking garage.

By the time he was on the highway, at least another fifteen minutes before he could make it to her house, Alex had a pretty good idea what the hell was going on. He tried dialing her phone again. This time someone answered, but it wasn’t Jessie.

“What the fuck do you want?” The angry words were slurred, but Alex heard them loud and clear.

“Where’s Jessie?” He asked, putting his foot to the floor.

“What the fuck do you care, McDermott?”

Fuck. The irrational voice was all too familiar, and Alex still couldn’t understand what the hell was wrong with Jessie that she would let the bastard keep coming back. “Jeff,” Alex tried for calm, “where is Jessie?”

“Hell if I know. The crazy bitch took off.”

Alex gunned the engine, gritting his teeth to keep from swearing. It would only piss Jeff off more and not being able to come between him and Jessie at the moment, Alex was at a loss.

“Did she leave?”

“Fuck if I know. Why don’t you come over and try to save the day like you always do, McDermott? You know that bitch just eats it up, you always coming to her rescue and all.” Jeff rambled.

Alex wanted to hang up, but at least with Jeff on the phone, he knew where the man was at. “Is she hurt?” He had to ask the question, although it would likely set Jeff off.

“What the fuck do you care?” Jeff repeated himself, obviously good and drunk which was when he usually went on the rampage and found himself over at Jessie’s despite the restraining order.

“Did you hurt her, Jeff?” Alex annunciated slowly, hoping the man would answer. Taking a hard left, Alex pulled into Jessie’s neighborhood.

Jeff still wasn’t answering him, but now that he could see Jessie’s house from his truck, he didn’t have to keep him on the line. Without saying a word, he disconnected the call before pulling into the driveway and throwing the truck in Park.

Jessie’s car was there, but he didn’t see her outside, so he went to the door, knowing he’d better gear up for a fight because if the past was any indication, it wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Jessie!” Alex called out to her when he walked in the open front door. He glanced over at Jeff but didn’t speak to the man. He was sitting on the couch, acting like he owned the place.

That definitely wasn’t the case because Alex knew who owned the fucking house. He did.

“Where is she?” Alex stopped short, staring at the skinny bastard lounging on the couch. What the hell Jessie ever saw in the man, Alex would never know.

“Fuck, dude. Are you stupid? I told you on the phone I don’t know where she’s at.”

Alex wandered through the small two bedroom house, glancing in both bedrooms, the bathroom, but Jessie wasn’t there. He didn’t figure she was, but he had to try. Going through the kitchen, he walked out onto the back steps, glancing at the separate garage.

“Jessie.” He called out to the only other place for her to have possibly gone.

When he opened the door, he found her lying on the floor, curled into a ball, crying.

“Damn it, Jessie.” Alex said without heat as he went to her and cradled her in his arms. “What the hell did he do to you?”

She was bruised pretty badly, but some of them were already fading, so Alex knew they weren’t all from today. But her lip was split and bleeding, and there was a gash above her right eye. A red haze clouded his vision, long since forgotten memories rising up from the ashes, and for a fraction of a second, he considered going inside and kicking the living shit out of Jeff.

Instead, he inhaled slowly, the scent of gasoline and mildew filling his lungs. He could think of so many other places he’d rather be.

“Jessie, I need to get you up.” He needed to check for any other wounds, see if she needed to go to the hospital.

When he reached for her hand, he found her wrist contorted at an odd angle, and she was holding it close to her body. Son of a bitch. The bastard broke her fucking arm.

Pulling out his cell phone, Alex did the only thing he knew to do. He called 911 and gave them the address. He informed them to bring the police because Jeff was violating the restraining order against him. When Jessie started to grumble something, he ignored her.