DorkFish 4: The Ruthless Scheme

Choices

11:41 A.M.

"I'm so sorry to meet you under these circumstances, Signora Ackles."

Jared accepted the warm hug from the young red head bombshell who'd been making guest appearances in his nightmare for weeks. "Likewise, Dani."

When the girl pulled back, she took his hands in both of hers. "Jensen didn't do you justice. You're even more beautiful in person."

"Thank you," he frowned. "But the horror stories of my faults and crimes are as ugly as reported."

"While I don't know the complete story of what's happened, I know enough from Chris and Jensen," Dani assured him. "All this time I kept telling the two of them that something wasn't making sense in the whole situation, and now we know what it is. Or should I say, who it is. We've all been played by him, Signora, but that ends now."

Jensen stepped into the house and the both of them looked over to him, one calm and confident, the other anxious and heartbroken.

"Car seat base is installed, and everything is loaded," he reported, his voice somber.

Jared swallowed. "You packed the bottles I washed? The ones that were sitting by the sink? What about the formula? Bibs? Spare -"

"Yes," Jensen said with affectionate gentleness even though he cut him off. "Time to go."

Out of time and out of options, Jared bent down to kiss Justice's cheeks where he sat snuggled in his car seat.

"I'll see you soon, baby," he whispered to him, tucking his blanket around him for the umpteenth time while his face washed away in a blur of tears. "Daddy loves you. More than you'll ever know."

His heart felt like it was going to claw itself out of his chest as Jensen lifted their son in his little seat. Jared wanted to scream when he took him outside, away from him, and the reassuring squeeze of Dani's hands was the only thing that kept him from wailing out loud.

"He's safe with me, Signor," Dani promised. "I've been helping my sisters with my nieces and nephews since they were born, so I can assure you, he's in good hands. Call me any time; Jensen said you'll have my number. Otherwise I will see you in two days."

Numbed into silence, Jared could only nod.

Dani wrapped her arms around him again. "You poor thing. I can't imagine how you feel. You must put it out of your mind now, though. You have more important things to focus on. Okay?"

The young woman kissed both of Jared's cheeks, then she was gone.

Jared walked to one of the tall, thin windows beside the arched doors and stared through the glass like a shell-shocked soldier. He watched as Dani nodded at something Jensen was saying to her, then they embraced before she hopped into the driver's seat of her Alfa Romeo Giulietta and shot down the tree-lined drive with his whole life in the backseat.

Jensen waited until the sporty little car disappeared before turning back to look at him through the window. He beckoned to him as if to say, "Your turn," but he simply shook his head in defiance.

His husband came up the gravel walk, and Jared backed off the front door so he could come in.

"You have to go, Jared," Jensen murmured.

"No," he choked.

Jensen sighed. "You promised me you wouldn't do this."

"I thought I could do it then!" he protested, his voice breaking as he dissolved into tears. "Both of you are being torn away from me and I'm terrified I'm never going to get you back again!"