Her Daddy's Jewel (MC Daddies Book 5) Read online

  Yeah, she guessed it was. But that actually made her feel better. “You’ll be honest with me?”

  “Always.”

  She let out her breath. “Cuddles and chocolate, huh?”

  “I have a sister and mother. Neither of them wanted cuddles, but the chocolate was a Godsend. Maybe the cuddles would be more for me.”

  “I might like the cuddles.”

  “Good.” He started down the driveway.

  “Your family has money.”

  He grunted. “Crime pays. Although Sting is trying to steer them into more legal activities. You’ll be safe here while I deal with everything.”

  Like Maxwell, he meant. She wondered where he was being held.

  She felt her jaw dropping open as he drove down a winding driveway and the huge stone house came into view. “When you said your brothers and sister lived with your mom, I thought they might get on top of each other but you could get lost in this place.”

  “Over-the-top, huh?” He pulled up beside an Aston Martin and a Lamborghini.

  She glanced down at her tight jeans and teal singlet. She’d taken off the soft sweater he’d given her while they were driving.

  What were they going to think of her? It was obvious they were filthy rich. She was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

  “What did I say about worrying?” he growled.

  “I don’t fit in here.” She hated feeling like an outsider.

  “Jewel, look at me.”

  She raised her gaze to his, surprised by his firm tone. He didn’t use it often on her, but when he did, she’d learned to pay attention. Funny, how she felt like she’d known him forever.

  “Nobody in there cares what you wear or where you came from.”

  Sure they didn’t. Maybe they wouldn’t say anything in front of Jason, but she’d read enough bully romances to know that the poor girl never fit into the rich family. They’d probably find some way to get rid of her. No doubt, Jason’s gorgeous, rich ex would turn up for dinner and his family would want him to spend time with her . . .

  “Whoa, what’s going on?”

  Reaching over, he gently grasped hold of her hand, pulling her finger away from her mouth. Shit. Had she been about to bite her nail again? She hadn’t even realized.

  “Jewel, talk to me.”

  “I really am a mess. You could do so much better. Go off with your cheerleader ex-girlfriend, she’ll fit into your life better than I will. And she probably has none of my baggage.”

  “Okay, whoa. First of all, no cheerleader ex-girlfriend. I was never into sports. I wasn’t the popular quarterback. I was the kid you’d catch out back getting high and planning how to tag the biology teacher’s car. He was a real dick.”

  She found herself calming. That still didn’t mean anything . . .

  “Second of all, there is no one who is a better fit in my life. For me. Than you. Because you are who I want.”

  “I don’t belong here.” She waved her hand at the mansion.

  “You belong wherever the hell you want. You’re a fucking queen, Jewel. I don’t give a shit what your bank balance is or what you do for a living. You. Are. A. Queen. All you gotta do is realize that and there is nothing that is too good for you, understand?”

  He’d grasped hold of her chin as he spoke, not letting her look away.

  “If anyone in that house makes you feel anything less than a queen, you tell me. I’ll kick their asses.”

  “That’s your family!”

  “So? Even more reason to give out a good ass-kicking. Those assholes need it once in a while.”

  He ran his thumb over her cheek. “If you’re really uncomfortable then we can leave and stay at a hotel. This place is safer, though. And I’d rather not worry about you while I’m dealing with stuff.”

  She took in a sharp breath. “I know. I get it.”

  “I know you’d rather go see your son—”

  “No,” she interrupted. “No, I wouldn’t.” He didn’t want her around.

  Jason sent her a curious look but didn’t ask.

  “You say the word, we’ll leave.”

  And he meant it. Her tension eased. She wouldn’t ask him to do that.

  “You ready to go in now, Your Majesty?”

  She narrowed her gaze. “Don’t even think of calling me that.”

  His lips twitched.

  Asshole.

  She reached for her belt, the one he’d insisted she wear with a ferocious frown. Apparently, he didn’t approve of her habit of not wearing a seatbelt. He brushed her hand away though, and undid the belt for her.

  “Wait there, I’ll come get you.”

  She nodded. He liked doing things for her. So who was she to argue with that?

  He opened her door and helped her down with his wide hands around her waist. Look at her now. Never in her life had a man opened a door for her unless it was Maxwell’s goons and they didn’t count.

  Speaking of . . .

  “Do you think your brother and his men got all of Maxwell’s men?”

  “Hard to know for sure.” He reached in and got her sweater, helping her into it. It was the softest thing she’d ever owned, other than the blanket he’d bought for her. And like most of the things he’d bought her, it was a beautiful teal color. She was pretty sure that the sweater was made of cashmere and she didn’t want to know how much it cost.

  Jason had insisted on doing her hair for her. It was up in a high ponytail. He’d even given her some new lipsticks. Just that small thing had made her feel so much better. Today she was wearing a shade called Bad Girls.

  Be a Queen.

  She could do this. Letting him take her hand in his, she followed him up the wide concrete steps. The door opened as they got there. She half-expected to see some sort of creepy butler. What she wasn’t prepared for was the whirlwind that raced out and attached herself to Jason with a squeal that made her ears hurt.

  Who the hell was this? She thought that he didn’t have a gorgeous, ex-cheerleader girlfriend. Jealousy stabbed as he swung her around, hugging her tight. Then the girl turned her face towards Jewel and she saw Jason’s eyes staring back at her.

  His sister.

  The girl sized her up. She braced herself for her judgment. She was wearing a long, pleated skirt in pink and black along with a black t-shirt tucked in at the front. She was gorgeous with long, curly blonde hair. What would she see when she looked at Jewel?

  She would probably hate her at first sight. Jewel was used to that.

  “Hello,” the girl said curiously. “Who are you?”

  Jason sighed and extracted himself to grab hold of Jewel’s hand and pull her towards him. He placed an arm around her waist.

  “Jewel, this is Dusty, my obnoxious, annoying little sister.”

  “Hey!” Dusty put her hands on her hips as she glared at him. “You forgot gorgeous.”

  “Sorry, D.”

  “Don’t call me D.” She glared at her brother.

  “Dusty, this is the woman I love and am going to marry, Jewel.”

  Jewel gaped up at him. He didn’t just introduce her like that!

  “Jason!” she said.

  “Twenty-three.”

  “Are you serious?” Dusty asked loudly.

  “Totally.”

  Jewel winced as Dusty turned her stare onto her. Here it came.

  “How long have you known each other?” she fired out.

  “Couple of years,” Jason replied.

  “How’d you meet?”

  “At a bar.”

  “What’s her favorite color?”

  “Teal.”

  Dusty narrowed her gaze thoughtfully. “What do you do, Jewel?”

  She raised her chin. “I work in the bar where we met.”

  Dusty’s eyes widened. “Bartender or waitress?”

  “Uh, bartender.”

  Dusty clapped her hands. “Excellent, you are my new favorite person.” She grabbed her arm and tried to tug her ins
ide. She was surprisingly strong considering she was several inches shorter than Jewel.

  Jewel shot Jason a shocked look. Reaching out, he grabbed her around the waist, tugging her back against him. “Mine, Dusty.”

  “But—”

  “Mine.”

  Dusty’s face fell. “But I’m totally outnumbered in this household. Three brothers. Three. All older. All overprotective. I’m practically housebound day-in, day-out. I haven’t left the property in close to three weeks, I’m lucky if I see the sun. I might as well be in jail!”

  “You’ve been stuck here for nearly three weeks because you’re grounded,” a deep voice came from behind Dusty and Jewel looked up into the solemn gaze of a hugely-built man. He was the same height as Jason, although Jason was a bit wider. But it was clear to see they were brothers.

  “I’m nineteen, Sting! You can’t ground me.”

  “Seems I can, since I already did.”

  Jewel turned to stare up at Jason. Was his brother for real? He couldn’t ground his sister when she was nineteen. Jason just grinned. “What did she do?”

  “Snuck into Poison. Got drunk. Nearly caused a riot when she got up on the bar to dance.”

  “It was a really good song,” Dusty said to Jewel.

  “I don’t care how good the song is,” Sting told her with a scowl. “You’re underage, you should never have been there in the first.”

  “That’s such a silly rule.” Dusty waved her hand.

  “It’s the law,” Sting told her.

  “You break the law all the time. All of you do. I mean, all I did was have a few vodka and cranberries, and suddenly I’m public enemy number one. Grounded for three weeks at my age! It’s ridiculous. Now that Jewel is here, she’ll be on my side.”

  She would be?

  Well, she didn’t think what she’d done should result in being grounded. And Dusty was right, she was nineteen.

  “Where were her guards?” Jason asked as Dusty tried to tug her inside. Jason kept his arm around her waist, moving with them. She risked looking up at Sting. A shiver went through her at the darkness in his gaze.

  “She drugged them,” Sting replied.

  “Dusty!” Jason scolded.

  His sister shrugged. “They’re such party poopers. They don’t let me do anything. I’m young. I need to sow my oats. Didn’t you sow your oats at my age, Jewel?”

  “Umm.” She wanted to support Dusty, because, you know, girl code. But still . . .

  “She doesn’t have oats to sow,” Jason replied. “Girls don’t have the necessary parts.”

  “What a crock, just because I don’t have a dick and balls doesn’t mean I can’t sow my wild oats?”

  “You’re not sowing any wild oats,” Sting commanded. “Jesus, what am I even saying?”

  Dusty pouted. “I’m going to be the oldest virgin ever, is that what you want?”

  “Yes,” her brothers replied.

  Dusty turned to her. “See what I’m up against?”

  “You’re screwed,” Jewel told her dryly.

  “Yep.”

  “And so lucky.”

  “Lucky? How do you figure that?” Dusty asked.

  Jewel licked her lips. “Because you have a family who cares about you. That’s not something everyone has.”

  Fuck. Dusty and Sting were now staring at her with interest while Jason’s arm tightened around her waist. Why did she say that? Now she’d told them more about herself than she was comfortable with.

  Were they going to pity her? She hated when people pitied her.

  Dusty sighed dramatically. “I suppose you’re right. But after you’ve been in the family for awhile, Jewel, then don’t come complaining to me when all of my brothers attempt to treat you like a precious, fragile doll. Actually, you can totally complain to me. Since I don’t intend to stop complaining, it will make me feel less ungrateful if you complain too.”

  “When she becomes family?” a feminine voice asked from the top of the stairs.

  Jewel glanced up as an elegant woman walked down the stairs. She guessed this was Jason’s mom, even though she didn’t look old enough. There wasn’t even a wrinkle on her face.

  Feeling intimidated, Jewel had to force herself not to step into Jason for shelter. Why she was feeling so out of sorts, she didn’t know.

  She was tougher than this. Some of the foster homes she’d lived in had been hell. She’d had to fight for everything.

  But these people were important to Jason. And he was important to her.

  “Hey, Ma.” Jason stepped forward. She expected him to give the cold-looking woman a kiss on the cheek. Instead, he picked her up and twirled her around, just as he had with Dusty. But Dusty was a firecracker. This woman was cool ice. But instead of telling him off or pushing him away, the woman held him close, almost clinging to him. Then she drew back to look up at him.

  “You don’t visit enough.”

  “Sorry, been busy.”

  “So I’ve heard.” The woman turned her gaze to Jewel. Okay, here it came. Exactly what she’d been dreading. “Hello, dear.” The woman held out her hand. Jewel stepped forward to shake her hand. “I’m Claudia.”

  “Jewel,” she replied awkwardly.

  “Are you visiting for awhile?” she asked them.

  “A few days,” Jason replied.

  “Stay as long as you want. Won’t you come into the parlor?”

  Parlor? Seriously.

  Dear Lord. Jewel was so far out of her comfort zone that it wasn’t funny. Now she was wishing they’d gone to the hotel.

  You can do this.

  They all followed Claudia into a room filled with expensive furniture and antiques. Sting leaned against the fireplace mantel. Funny, usually it was Jason who stood leaning against something. But at the moment he was pressed up against her, his arm around her shoulders. He was lending her his support. Even though he was crazy, she also totally adored him for that.

  “I’m sorry that Jagger isn’t here. He’s away on business. He should be home in a week or so. Tell me, how long have you two known each other?” Claudia asked.

  Jason placed his hand over hers, making her realize she’d been picking at her fingernail.

  Crap.

  “Awhile,” Jason said. “Ma, I’ve got things to do.”

  “You can sit with your mother,” she replied. “You haven’t mentioned Jewel before so I’m curious.”

  So. Uncomfortable.

  “Figured I would once she was mine.”

  “So she didn’t immediately fall at your feet and declare her love for you?”

  Had she really expected her to do that?

  “Nope,” Jason said almost cheerfully.

  “Well, good for you, Jewel.”

  “Umm, what?”

  “It doesn’t pay to give into my boys straight away. They know what they want and they go after it full steam ahead. They don’t like the word no.”

  “I’ve learned that,” Jewel said with a pointed look at Jason. He appeared unapologetic.

  “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell them no. It’s healthy for them. Now, tell me, who is your family? What do you do? Where do you live? How did you meet?”

  “Ma, enough. There’s no time for this.”

  “All right, do you want to explain who the man in the cottage is and what’s going on?”

  Jason and Sting shared a look. “I’d rather keep you all out of it, Ma.”

  Claudia shot them both a look. “I may be semi-retired, but I still have a right to know what is going on. Plus, he’s in my cottage. I’m involved. We all are. I feel this conversation might require more than just tea.”

  “Happy to make you a daiquiri, Ma,” Dusty said cheerfully. “Jewel offered to show me how.”

  Jewel’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t believe the other girl had dropped her in it.

  “Jewel isn’t here to mix drinks for you, Dusty.”

  Dusty grimaced.

  She leaned into Jas
on. “Was it really a good idea to bring him here?”

  “I’m not worried that he’s here, dear,” Claudia said. “I’d just like to know who he is and why he is here.”

  “He’s from Jewel’s past,” Jason said carefully. “He calls himself Luc Darrins, but he used to be Kenton Maxwell.”

  Claudia’s eyes widened. “That’s interesting.”

  She wondered if this woman had known Maxwell years ago.

  “He was supposed to be dead,” Claudia mused. “I’ve wondered how Darrins came into business so quickly. There’s a silent partner from what I understand, only no one knows who it is.”

  “I’m really sorry to get you mixed up in my mess,” Jewel finally said.

  Claudia waved a hand at that. “Do not worry about that.”

  “He was threatening Jewel’s son to gain her co-operation,” Jason explained.

  “What an odious man,” Claudia said darkly.

  “I think he’s been trafficking girls,” Sting said. “There were about eight young, foreign girls at the compound. I’ve put them in a safe house.”

  Dusty looked ill and Claudia was frowning.

  “I don’t know if it means anything, but I heard him talking about shipments coming in and about someone he called the Russian. Maybe that was his partner?” she offered.

  Sting looked thoughtful. “Darrins has been pretty secretive. Nobody really sees him. He sits up in that VIP box, watching men box to the death.”

  “He has an overinflated opinion of himself,” Jewel told them. “He really does think he’s the best of the best. A narcissist.”

  “Why did he want you, dear?” Claudia asked. “Not that you’re not lovely and all, but I’m guessing there is a reason he would threaten your son to get you to come to him?”

  “In his mind, I belong to him.”

  “What a twerp,” Dusty said.

  Jewel blinked and Jason tightened his hold on her, as though worried about her reaction. But strangely, she felt herself smiling. “Total twerp.”

  Sting and Claudia watched her carefully though. They obviously had read between the lines, they understood that twerp didn’t begin to cover it.

  “I take it his people have been taken care of?” Claudia asked.

  Wow, this woman was cool, calm, and collected.