Jen_C > Recent Status Updates

For the first time in years, he felt something close to peace. Then, finally, he let the excitement settle in—the realization of what he truly wanted. He was in love. He wanted a future with Megan. And after this conversation with his family, for the first time, it seemed possible. It was time to set things right with the woman of his dreams.

It was too dark to see her expression, but he could feel the tension in her body. “What are you going to do?” There was no time for an argument. “Don’t worry about me.” “I can’t.” Her voice was thick with tears. “We need to stay together⁠—” “No.” His tone was sharp and harsh, but the mere thought of Megan putting herself in harm’s way… it crippled him. Jax leaned closer and put his mouth near her ear. “I love you.

That centered feeling washed over him again. The push-pull of their relationship, the way each of them bared their soul to the other… there was safety and love and respect. He didn’t feel alone. Not in his grief, not in his anger, not in his heartache. But it was more than that. Megan saw him. Megan was the first person he could laugh with, and the first person he could cry with. He could be himself.

His world was in chaos, but the minute Megan came into view, something shifted. He felt grounded. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. Dawson hummed low in his throat. “Man… you got it bad.” Jax was going to kill his friend. Murder him right there in the center of the police station. “Shut. Up.” He couldn’t even wrap his head around these developing feelings for Megan.

Jax reached out. “You okay?” His touch was comforting and grounding. Megan drew in a deep breath and grabbed hold of her runaway emotions. “I’m scared. But I’m also tired of feeling weak and helpless.” It was time to take charge of her life again. “I don’t want to be defenseless anymore. Can you train me? Teach me how to shoot, how to fight back if I have to? If the worst happens⁠—” “It won’t.

Jax stared at her, mesmerized. Had he ever seen her like this? Happy and carefree? Their previous interactions had always been so fraught with tension, and since the attacks, worry had entrenched itself in her features. So no, he didn’t think he’d ever seen her like this. It stole his breath. Megan was an objectively beautiful woman, but happiness enhanced her beauty, making her radiant.

You sssaved me.” “Naw. You saved yourself.” Jax didn’t want to think about those harrowing moments watching the fire-spewing drone chase Megan. He’d felt helpless. The dive into the lake had likely spared her life, giving Jax time to shoot the drone down. “I just pulled you from the lake and warmed your toes.” His gaze met hers and held. Jax’s breath caught as something passed between them. Intangible, but powerful.

She fired up her laptop, sipping her latte while the system booted. Seconds later, she was reviewing her emails. Megan froze as she scrolled through the messages flooding her screen. Dozens of them. The time and date stamps showed they’d been coming all weekend. All from the same sender, the subject line in all caps. IT’S NOT OVER. NEXT TIME, I WILL KILL YOU.

He said he wouldn’t hurt me. I didn’t believe him, so when he ordered me to turn onto a dirt road, I slowed down to escape the vehicle.” Her hand drifted to the matted blood in her hair. “He hit me with the gun while I was undoing my seat belt.” Anger heated Jax’s blood. A man kidnapping a woman at gunpoint and pistol-whipping her was abhorrent. No matter his personal feelings about Megan, she didn’t deserve this.

A truck came up behind her sedan and rammed them. Terrified, Oliver grabbed the wheel of Megan’s car. While they struggled for control, the assailant rammed them again, sending their vehicle off the edge of an embankment. Oliver was killed instantly. Megan, wounded and trapped in the wreck, sat all night next to her friend. Praying. Crying. Cold. Terrified that the attacker would return to finish the job.

Once she realized it was truly safe, nothing bad had happened when she’d released the trigger, she bounded away from Halpert’s dead body. Straight toward Nick. Love her or loved her, he still caught her, pulling her close. Holding her as she shuddered. He realized sitting there, literally on top of Halpert, had taken a toll on her. Hell, that was to be expected. “You should’ve said you were having a hard time.”

Lara, I’ve wanted to do this pretty much on a daily basis since the day I met you. And I might get fired, but it'll be so f-king worth it.” He leaned down and kissed her briefly. Tenderly. Then before she could figure out what the hell was going on, he drew back and sucker-punched her in the face. The world spun and she tumbled into Ty. “Take her out and get everyone away from the building,” she heard Nick say to Ty.

Nick had warned her. Or had tried. He'd been able to see what she couldn’t: that Lara was becoming obsessed. She’d definitely crossed a line today just to get crumbs of truth about her mother’s death. She’d made the selfish choice. The letters FBI stood for Federal Bureau of Investigation, but agents also used the letters for a motto: Fidelity. Bravery. Integrity.
That motto didn’t apply to her anymore.

If she’d been honest with her team at the beginning, they could be following her right now. Halpert would never have known. She could have snipers, undercover agents and her team protecting her as she went to meet him. But no. She’d been secretive about her obsession. She’d made herself vulnerable to a psycho serial killer. Deliberately. She...no. There were no words for what she was or how stupid she’d been.

You don’t care about your own life, Lara! We need you.” All of a sudden the fight seemed to have fled from Nick altogether. “I need you.” Lara refused to be drawn in to the emotion in Nick’s eyes. Refused to hear what he really wanted to say. Lara didn’t do real. “Yeah, Nick. You do need me. You need me to do the things you’re not willing to do.” He didn’t flinch as he looked at her. “Like be an uncaring bitch?

On every single screen in the CMU offices was a message in bold white letters against a red background.

LARA GRANT: LET ME EXPOSE YOUR SECRET ABOUT MORETTI, OR...

Lara held her breath, unable to tear her eyes away from the screen even if she wanted to. Everyone waited with her since the words had taken over every screen. A moment later the rest of the message flashed.

...WELL, YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

We’re going to nail this bastard, Nick. I can feel it.”
Nick stepped a little closer, as they walked, happy when she didn’t shift to put distance between them. God, this was when he remembered why he was so damned attracted to Lara. When she was excited to be part of the team and ready to move in for the kill. Her confidence. Her passion. Her zeal. It made her a great agent and made her damn well irresistible to him.

He had an epiphany about Lara. He did believe being partners was like being married, and if that was true, he was never going to marry Lara. She wasn’t interested in sharing, or being vulnerable with him, unless she was forced to. He could never get beyond her shell. There were no cracks in it, no weak spots. And he didn’t want to be with someone he couldn’t share his life with. Both the beautiful and the ugly parts.

*BORING*
At this stage in a case, we have had at least two or three breaks—even small ones. We’ve had nothing. He’s touched people close to us, and we can’t get a fix on him.” She stalked off toward the gas station.
Nick easily fell in stride next to her, his long legs covering ground faster than she could. It pissed her off for some reason. Mind you, practically everything was pissing her off right then.

A flash of images scorched across her memory. One in particular, a year before when Nick risked his life and jumped into the freezing waters of the East River to help her fight Moretti’s brother. Lara had been so exhausted that she would have drowned had Nick not kept them both afloat. Despite their push-and-pull, hot-and-cold, lust-and-lust relationship, Lara knew without a doubt that Nick Delano had a heart.

What has Victoria been hiding? The bomber has made it personal by hurting the CMU team—first James, now Victoria. Picking them off, one by one. Will they let the bomber win? Not a chance. Twelve hours isn’t a lot of time, but Lara is determined to stop this psycho before he can attack again. Bring it on...

I love you, Grant. I’ve been in love with you for a while, but I didn’t want to admit it. I was scared. Love is risky, and it can hurt sometimes. But this moment has made me realize that it’s worse to turn your back on it. I’d rather have the love for as long as I can, then never have it at all. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I’ve been a fool.

You got me through a lot of dark days, Sara. While my commitment to Hidden Hollows wavered, my love for you never did.” He caught her in his strong arms. “I need you to understand this isn’t a fluke, Sara. I love you. I want a new life. I want you and Ben to be part of it. I’m asking for a leap of faith. I’ve had longer to sort through my feelings than you have, so take your time, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.

He shouldn’t have kissed her. Not until he’d explained things. That kiss had rocked him straight to the core and solidified what he already suspected. Not only was Grant in love with her, he was wholeheartedly committed to her. Committed, as in a marriage, raise-a-family, love-you-forever kind of way. There was no other woman in the world for him. Sara was it. Grant winced remembering the terrified look on her face.

You can’t fall in love with me in 2 weeks. That’s insane.”
“It’s not 2 weeks. I’ve had feelings for you since high school. I didn’t think there was a chance for us. Ever. You and Jared were in love. I respected that. I buried my feelings and vowed to never tell you." “Oh, but now that Jared’s dead, you can?” Grant went pale. Sara wanted to snatch the words back. “You don’t mean any of this, Grant. I can’t do this.

I want a new life, Sara, and I want you and Ben to be in it. I love you. I love you both.” It was the words she’d secretly dreamed of hearing, but now that Grant was actually saying them, all she felt was unbridled panic. It wasn’t real. Grant was used to travel, high-pressure situations, and saving lives. Grant would get bored, and then he would leave. She swallowed hard. “This isn’t how it was supposed to go.

Mom, I’m going to buy Pop’s old shop. I’m going to stay in Hidden Hollows.”
Suzie’s hand flew to her mouth. “You are?” “Yes.” The decision was right. He could feel it in his bones. “I’m ready to quit the SEALs. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I wasn’t sure when the right time would be. I want a new life. A different life." One that included Sara and Ben. They were his future. If Sara would have him.

She’s sweet. Your Aunt Suzie is hoping there’s more than just friendship between the two of you.”

Grant returned to the truck. “There is. Sorta.”

“What does that mean, son?”

“I think…I think I’m falling in love with her. Or maybe I never fell out of love with her.” Saying the words out loud was strange, but it also felt good. Real. “But it’s complicated.”

For a minute, Sara allowed herself to wish that things could be different. That Grant would stay in Hidden Hollows, and they could make their relationship work. A part of her yearned for it so badly, it hurt.

Not just for her. For Ben too. Grant would be a wonderful father, and he’d never feel jealous or competitive of Jared’s memory. He loved Jared as much as Sara did.

Sara…” Did he whisper her name as a warning or an invitation? He wasn’t sure. She edged even closer. “I like the way you say my name. The way you look at me. Like I’m irresistible." “You are, and it’s driving me insane, Sara. I want to kiss you so badly. But we’re playing with fire, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Sara nodded, slowly. “You’re right. It’s better for both of us that we keep this the way it is.