To Deal With It

chapter eight

Eight

Colder air whooshed in as the van doors suddenly opened and Kevin was yanked off of me. I caught my breath again to see Ethan, Declan, and the guys, and I actually smiled. Ethan was gripping Kevin’s shirt and threatening, “If you ever touch Jay again, without her permission, I swear to God I will make sure it’s the last thing you do. You understand me?”

Kevin actually looked purely petrified as he nodded vigorously, and Declan got me out of the van and put his arm around me protectively, just like he did back in Ireland. Ethan shoved Kevin back, and we all walked away from his van and up the sidewalk and along it. I stared at Ethan. “Why did you do that?”

“What? You know we all look out for our brothers…or sister in this case,” Ethan guessed. I smiled. “Before I go back, I have to know something.”

“Fire away.”

“I need to know you guys will still look at me the same way as you did when I was a guy. Nothing has changed about me; I’m just a girl now. I still have my amazing skills and my strength. You got that?”

“Of course, we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ethan promised, and I laughed while rolling my eyes; I pulled him into a hug which he returned. “Good to have you back, Jay the Jading.”

I laughed as I pulled away, and it felt good to be myself around them. Toni questioned slowly, “So Jay…we got some sports car back in the warehouse, and you know me. Interested?”

“What kind of a question is that? Hell yeah I’m interested,” I teasingly retorted. The guys laughed, and Ethan mused, “Good to see you’re still the same, Jay. And don’t worry; MJ’s got your car safely to the warehouse.”

My smile fell, my jaw set, and I coldly glared at Ethan then said through gritted teeth, “You… Stole… My… Car?!”

The laughter died away as I waited, and Ethan seemed scared and surprised. “Well…technically…yes, but it was for good intentions.”

I felt my fist clench as every muscle in my body tensed for action. I breathed and pretended to relax, which made everyone else relax. Then I shouted at Ethan, “You’re gonna get it now!”

Ethan took off like a freakin’ bullet, and I chased after him. He was not going to get away for stealing my baby, even if was just to bring it to the warehouse. He was going to pay for this. I chased after him until we got into the warehouse when I finally lunged for him and got him the in arm lock and pinned him to the floor. I hissed in his ear, “You will never steal my car again! You don’t even touch my car again! Got that? I said got that?!”

Ethan nodded as dug my knee into his back and pulled his arms back. “Ah! Yes…I get it. Never go near your car again! Damn it…”

I reluctantly let go of Ethan and get up on my feet, pretending to dust off my sleeves, just to be cocky while the warehouse filled with roaring laughter. Ethan took his personal sweet time getting up as Declan and the others rushed in, and Toni complained with Jack, “You couldn’t wait?”

“Ethan was begging,” I explained, smirking at Ethan, who rolled his eyes in response. Immediately, the guys started welcoming me back, and it felt like home here. Not at that house mansion with hollow halls with the insane man lurking within them, waiting for his prey, me.

I went over with Toni to suit up the car that I whistled at. “This is a Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG Edition IWC, if I’m not mistaken?”

John whistled. “Talk about a turn-on.”

I rolled my eyes. “What is? Being able to recognize a car? Especially one that accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 300 km/h, and…a top output of 386 kW/525 hp and a maximum torque of 630 Nm, the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine is augmented by an extremely responsive partner in the shape of the all-new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed sports transmission.”