Standby (Open Skies Book 4) by Becca Jameson (popular e readers .TXT) 📕

On the drive back to her condo, he was trying to come up with a good reason to stay because he didn’t want their time together to end, when her phone pinged in her purse.

She stiffened.

He glanced at her. “You gonna check it?”

She shook her head and looked out the window.

He didn’t say anything else until they reached her place. He followed her inside without a word and closed the door. He hauled her into his arms and looked down at her. “May I please see your phone, sweetheart?”

She winced. “Not a good idea.”

He disagreed. “I want to understand what you’re up against. Humor me. Instead of trying to explain it, let me read his texts myself.”

She sighed and pulled her phone out, dropping it onto Jake’s open palm before heading to the couch. At least she didn’t choose to sit alone in the armchair. He wanted to be able to touch her.

After settling next to her, he opened her phone and held it up to her face so that it would recognize her and let him in.

He didn’t ask her to help him. He simply tapped the screen, easily finding a thread from Hawke Richman because his message was the last one to come in.

Jake had to fight his initial reaction and hold his tongue while he read. It wouldn’t help Shayla if he freaked out. But holy fucking mother of God.

Jake scrolled back a few pages and read the last dozen texts leading up to today. The man was fucking out of his mind. He was hot and cold. Abusive and then loving, if one could call it that. The last several texts were a jumble of fucked-up rambling.

Shay…baby…please call me. I miss you. We belong together. You know it. Let’s work this out.

Where are you, bitch? Stop ignoring my texts.

Hey, Shay. It’s midnight. I’m stuck in a hotel in Vegas all alone. Wish you were here with me. Warming my bed.

You know how to stop the rumors, Shay. Agree to go back out with me. You know you’re mine.

Call me when you get this. I’m going to come over when I get into town. You can’t keep ignoring me. Eventually, you’re going to have to face what we both know is true.

Stop ignoring me. Don’t be such a cunt. I’m starting to think the rumors about you are true. You’re making them true. You are a cock tease.

Are you fucking some other man? Is that what you’re doing? If I find out you’ve spread those legs for someone else, I’ll make the guy’s life fucking miserable. You understand?

I saw you across the airport today. You look like shit, Shay. You know you miss me. Stop playing hard to get and admit you’re mine.

I’ll be in Dallas for the entire weekend. I’ll pick you up Saturday for dinner. Be ready.

Hey. I’m alone in my hotel room again. Wish you were here. Sorry about the last time we fucked. You shouldn’t have antagonized me like that. You know I get jealous when other men look at you. I can’t help it. It enrages me. I shouldn’t have been so hard on you. Please give me another chance.

Hey, Shay. I know you’re not working today. I’m picking you up at seven. See you then. Wear that little black dress you have. It’s so sexy and I like having easy access to your cunt.

Jake’s blood pressure was through the roof by the time he got to that last text. It had come in less than an hour ago. This fucking asshole intended to show up here in a few hours.

Shayla was chewing on a nail, her legs pulled up against her chest when Jake faced her. He was angrier than he’d ever been in his life, but the last thing he wanted to do was scare her. “Go pack a bag. You’re staying at my place.”

She shook her head. “No way. I’m not running from my home. If I do that, he wins.”

“If you stay here, he might kill you, Shayla.” He didn’t think he’d ever call her Shay after realizing that’s what Hawke called her. He could almost hear that asshole’s voice. It was making his skin crawl.

Shayla sighed. “Did he say he was coming over? He does that. He never shows up.”

“How often does he threaten to come over?” Jake’s voice rose. Calm, Jake. Don’t make this worse. Don’t be like this asshole. Besides, judging from the few texts he’d read, the answer was pretty often.

She shrugged. “It’s happened several times. Sometimes, I sit outside in my car and watch for him, not going back inside until a few hours after he said he’d be here. I figure if he does show, at least I can drive away.”

Jake spun toward her. “Shayla, this is serious. He’s threatening you.”

“I wish. If he actually ever threatened me, I’d take it to the police. He knows that. He’s sly. That’s why he keeps it clean.”

“Clean? Sweetheart, he calls you the C-word. That ain’t cool.” Jake glanced at the time. It was four. They still had a while, but he didn’t intend to leave Shayla here in this condo. Especially not alone. Not tonight. Probably not any night in the near future.

He needed to tread carefully. If he ordered her around, in her mind, he would be no better than the pilot. “Shayla…” He took a breath. “I think you need to take this more seriously. I don’t like it.”

She met his gaze. “Jake, this is my life. Every day. I’m getting used to it.”

He reached for a lock of her soft hair and let it slide through his fingers. “You shouldn’t have to get used to it. It’s not right.”

She shrugged. “There’s nothing I can do that won’t ruin me, Jake. That’s life. He’ll find someone else to harass soon and then he’ll forget about me.”

Jake sighed. “Okay, but in the meantime, please come stay at my place. I can’t leave you here. I’ll worry the entire night. I’ll worry every