Part 25 (2/2)

I swallow, my throat almost too full of emotion to speak. Because while we'd worked everything out between us, this symbol truly seals it. I'm Jackson's. He's mine. And it really is forever.

I look up, meeting his eyes again. ”It's lovely.”

”If it's not your style, my feelings won't be hurt.”

I've been staring at the ring, lost in its fire. Now I look up at Jackson, my eyes filled with tears. ”No,” I say. ”This is perfect.”

twenty-four.

Jackson and I spent the night wrapped in each other's arms in the bed at the Biltmore, swept into sleep by the tug of exhaustion that finally vanquished fear, at least for those few blissful hours.

I'm glad of the sleep. Glad to have had the chance to hold him close for what I dearly hope wasn't the last time. And now, as we drive from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills, I tell myself that I'm glad we have this moment to share, too.

It's all a lie, of course. I don't want just this moment. I want all the moments. I don't want to have held him close one last time. I want to hold him each and every night.

But my hopes are not running the show here, and so I sit quietly in the car, trying to be brave because right now I think he needs that. Lord knows that I do.

”Stella and Ronnie arrive at two,” he says.

”I know. You told me last night.” Once Damien had agreed to take care of Ronnie, Jackson had started the ball rolling to get her out here. Now, of course, his daughter's care will fall to me.

I lean over and press my hand on his thigh. ”I'll handle it. I promise.”

He nods, his expression managing to be equal parts sadness and grat.i.tude.

”Jackson” I stop myself, not certain that this is a conversational door I want to go through.

I should know better than to open my mouth at all. ”What?”

I consider simply telling him that I'm scared. It's true, after all. But I owe him honesty, and so I dive in. ”Are you sure you want to bring her here? Now that we know the movie might happen and the press knows all about her . . .”

I trail off, hating that I even have to remind him of all the scandal he's been so worried about.

”I know,” he says. ”And I hate even thinking about it. But we've thought about this before, and although it's not ideal, we can s.h.i.+eld her.” He glances sideways at me. ”Except I'm not going to be around to help. Do you want me to keep the guardians.h.i.+p with Damien and Nikki? Do you think I should keep her in New Mexico with Betty?”

”No. I want her with me.” The words come automatically even though I'm not at all certain that answer is the truth. But it's only a lie insofar as I'm scared of my own ability to take care of this little girl. As far as scandal is concerned, I think he's right. It can be managed. It won't be fun and it won't be easy, but it can be done. Celebrities do it every day, and as far as PR manipulation goes, I won't find better resources than in Los Angeles.

I nod, the motion centering me. ”Seriously, it's fine. Scandal doesn't scare me.”

He looks at me, then stays silent for just a beat too long before saying gently, ”You're going to make a great mom.”

I feel my cheeks burn with the rising blush. ”You see too much when you look at me, Jackson.”

He takes my hand. ”I see competence. I see strength. I see you, Sylvia. Really. You're going to be fine.”

I shake my head, not in protest of his wordsalthough he really has not convinced mebut in astonishment that he is the one comforting me this morning.

Gently, I squeeze his hand. ”You don't need to worry about me,” I say. ”I'm nine kinds of good. Really.”

I think he's going to say something, but my phone pings, signaling an email, and when I check it, I also see that I missed a voice mail from last night. I check the log, then curse when I see who it's frommy dad.

Jackson glances at me. ”Are you going to listen?”

”No. Whatever he has to say, I don't need to hear it.” But even as I'm saying the words, I'm pressing the b.u.t.ton to play the message on speaker. I have no idea why. I guess I figure that whatever my dad has to say can't be any worse than what Jackson and I are doing right now.

”Honey, it's Dad. I just wanted to say one last time that I love you, and that I'm sorry. I won't call you anymore. I just hopewell, I hope that someday we can talk again.”

And then the call ends, and that's it.

I frown, because I heard genuine pain in my father's voice, and I do not want to feel pity for that man. Not now. Not ever.

s.h.i.+t.

I turn so that I'm looking out of the pa.s.senger window, not wanting Jackson to see my face. Because, d.a.m.n me, I don't want to reveal that something in my father's voice actually moved me.

After a moment, his hand brushes lightly across my back. ”It's okay, you know.”

”What is?”

”To not completely hate him. That's not the same as accepting, or even forgiving.”

I close my eyes and say nothing.

”Selling you to save Ethan was horrible. And I swear to G.o.d I could kill him for what he did to you. But at the same time I can't help but wonder if he isn't already dead inside. If making the choice didn't kill him already.”

I shake my head. It doesn't matter. I neither care nor want to care about that man. ”Maybe it did kill him,” I say, because I am determined to hold tight to my anger. ”Because G.o.d knows he's dead to me already. And,” I add as I turn in my seat to face Jackson once again, ”right now the only thing I want in my head is you.”

I reach for his hand. ”We're both going to be fine.” If I say it again, maybe it'll be true. Or, at the very least, maybe I'll start to believe it.

We reach the station and park where Harriet told us, then walk inside to the reception area. From there, we're led to a conference room, where we find Charles waiting, along with Damien and Nikki. Damien strides forward the moment we enter to shake Jackson's hand.

”You're supposed to be on your way to China,” I say to him, a little panicked by the fact that the boss I'm responsible for getting everywhere he's supposed to be has completely blown his schedule. ”You were scheduled to leave Los Angeles last night. Christ, Damien, they're going to be”

He holds up a hand to quiet me. ”I handled it. Rachel's taken care of everything. But my brother's being arrested and my niece is arriving soon. I'm staying here, at least through the arraignment and bail hearing. Just in case there's anything you need,” he adds, now looking only at Jackson.

It's not money that Damien thinks Jackson needseven if the court grants an astronomical bail, Jackson has the resources to pay it.i.t's support. And I can tell by Jackson's face that he realizes that, too. And he gives his brother both a smile and a silent nod of acknowledgment.

”Where's Harriet?” Jackson asks.

”With Detective Garrison,” Charles says. ”They'll come get you from here.”

At that, Jackson nods stoically. As for me, I can almost feel myself go pale.

<script>