Back at the gym, Tilly and Anna set about fixing Cody and Tay while Jaz jumped in the shower with Ryan. The water stung his cuts but it was the only way to clean him up. Watching the red bloodstained water drain away was awful, but at least Ryan could now open his eyes.
‘There you are. You’ll never know just how much I missed you,’ he said touching her wet hair.
‘I think I have a fair idea.’
It looked like a massacre scene in the small bathroom. Blood still ran from his fresh wounds and old ones that had opened up again. Towels were stained with red splotches and everything Ryan seemed to touch or stand on got smeared red.
The sight and smell of the blood didn’t offend Jaz. She was too busy basking in the excitement of having Ryan back and taking care of him.
After he was patted dry, Jaz started patching up all his injuries. ‘What about your ribs?’ she asked worriedly.
‘They’ll be okay. James knows someone who I can see to get them X-rayed.’
Ryan took her hands after she’d finished half mummifying him and brought them to his lips. ‘I love you. Thanks for coming to get me.’
Jaz looked at her beaten-up man, he was still so gorgeous even with the bruises and cuts. He’d just added to his collection of scars. Jaz wanted to hold him, touch him all over, make love to him, but now was not the time.
‘You keep looking at me like that and I might tear off my bandages,’ he said teasingly.
Not all of Ryan was injured but his ribs weren’t up to anything too physical.
‘We have plenty of time,’ she said, threading her fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck. ‘But I won’t be leaving your side anytime soon. I think you need to stay with me until you’re a hundred per cent.’
His lips curled. ‘I very much like the sound of that.’
He pulled her towards him and kissed her again. Soft and gentle.
‘Come on, let’s get you dressed before we get sidetracked.’ Her gazed dropped to his lower half. ‘I’m going to find some of Pax’s nice shirts for you to wear,’ she teased.
‘Oh no, surely not?’ he pleaded. ‘I’d rather walk around with a towel.’
Jaz came back with some clothes for him and he sighed with relief when it was a pair of baggy jeans and t-shirt from Taylor, who had half his wardrobe at Pax’s just like the girls. This place was fast becoming their home.
Together they walked back to the kitchen where snacks had been put on the table, along with glasses of Pax’s finest Scotch.
‘Here, sit,’ said Tilly, jumping up from his chair and offering it to Ryan.
‘Thanks mate.’
Cody and Tay were all bandaged up and kicking back in their chairs, the Scotch already working wonders. Cody had a sedated smile on his face but he wasn’t the only one. Anna gave up her chair for Jaz and Tay pulled her onto his lap.
‘I don’t want to hurt you.’ Anna only just got the words out before Tay cut her off.
‘You won’t. You’re my medicine.’ He tucked his arms around Anna and held her against him.
‘About time, you two,’ said Jaz.
Tay and Anna looked at each other and smiled. ‘I know,’ said Anna as she dropped a kiss on his lips.
‘Is anyone allowed to join this party?’
All heads turned to the voice. Ian and James stood there watching. James was dressed casually in jeans and a black t-shirt. Jaz had never seen him out of a suit before, it made him look like one of the team.
No one had heard them come in. Ian had been shown where the hidden key was, so had Tilly and Cody. All were welcome here.
But no one was expecting James. You could have heard a pin drop.
Jaz cleared her throat. ‘Of course, grab a stool, it’s all we have left sorry. Cody, more Scotch please.’
The two newcomers joined them around the old table with its mismatched chairs.
‘Are we in trouble?’ asked Tay.
Jaz was thinking the same thing. Why was James here?
‘I have a few questions. I’m not angry over this, Ian had kept me filled in from the beginning,’ said James.
Good to know, thought Jaz. Then why was he here if not to bust them for a secret rescue mission?
‘What I want to know, well, what I don’t get is why Salvatore shot Jamison? Was it over his business? Was it about claiming more power? But if it was, then why did you let him go? I also hear it was Salvatore who gave us information to do this mission. Jaz, I’m drawing a lot of blanks and I can’t connect any dots.’
She guessed it might come to this.
Jaz turned to her friends, who nodded, then she turned to Ryan, who smiled and reached for her hand. ‘It’s okay, baby,’ he said.
Jaz took a breath and turned to James. ‘I trust everyone here, and I guess it’s better if you all know the truth.’ Sal had saved Ryan for her, shooting someone for the first time just for her. It’s not what many daughters would want from their fathers, but for Jaz, he’d given her the best gift. Ryan. And because he’d done that, she wanted him unharmed by the agency. Maybe he’d spoke the truth about going straight just so he could get to know Jaz. Only time would tell. Until then she didn’t want him killed.
Which led her to telling the agency. ‘Salvatore is my father.’
‘What the hell?’
‘No way?’
‘You’re shitting, me.’
The last comment came from Cody.
‘I don’t understand,’ said James. ‘How is that possible?’
‘Many years ago Sal fell in love with an agency girl called Julie. What he didn’t know is that she fell pregnant and ran away to WA under the protection of her friend Pax. She did it to save her child. Me.’
Jaz watched James as he tried to make sense of her words.
‘Julie? But that would mean?’ James stuttered as he stood up.
‘That I’m your niece? Yes, it does. And your sister is very much alive and well and has no clue that I ended up with the agency.’
James staggered and Ian helped him back onto his stool.
‘Cody, I think we are going to need more Scotch,’ said Ian with a chuckle.
‘I agree,’ said Tilly, shaking his head.
‘I’m totally lost, but I’ll get the Scotch.’ Cody’s chair scraped against the floor. He stepped to the special cupboard and retrieved another bottle.
‘Lucky we have lots of Scotch,’ said Anna with a smirk.
Cody paused by Jaz’s side, his shaggy hair looking like a he’d rubbed a balloon against it. ‘You might have to start this story from the beginning, Jaz.’
‘I second that,’ said Ian.
‘Me three,’ said Tilly.
James was just openly staring at Jaz. She saw the moment he realised something.
‘My God,’ he said.
‘I know, I have her eyes.’ Her grin was ear to ear.
Then, in the comfort of Pax’s kitchen, with her old and new friends around the table, Ryan lovingly by her side, and her uncle, Jaz started her story from the beginning. And she started it at The Ring, where she first met Ryan.