Change Me (The Protector Series Book 2) Read online

  “Macie, please tell me why you have them,” I said gently.

  Her eyes softened. “I can't tell you what they are. I have to have them for...work.”

  “Then why did you take one last night when you weren't at work?” I asked, confused.

  “I'm always at work,” she muttered.

  “Are you addicted to these pills?” I blurted out.

  “What?” She acted as if what I'd just asked her was ridiculous. “You think they're drugs? You think I do drugs? Wow, just wow, Jasper.” She was shaking her head as she mumbled under her breath. She kept glancing out her window muttering something about an accident, but I couldn't make it out.

  “Hey,” I said quietly, trying to get her attention again. “Macie, I didn't —” her constant mumbling continued and I couldn't get a word in. I chunked the pill bottle across the room and placed both of my hands on each side of her face. She was finally looking at me.

  “I believe you,” I said simply. She hadn't shown any signs of being a user other than last night. I understand the need to keep secrets and I didn't want to push her, yet.

  She stuck her bottom lip out and made a pouty face. “You woke me up for this?”

  I grinned before pulling her lips against mine. I don't know why I did it, I just couldn't help myself. She didn't kiss me back like I'd planned. Instead, she started pushing against my chest. I pulled back at her and raised one brow, questioningly.

  “I haven't even brushed my teeth. Not to mention you accused me of doing drugs less than sixty seconds ago. And how many times have you warned me to stay away from you?”

  That was it. That was the freezing cold shower I needed. I stood up quickly and started walking toward the door.

  “You're right. I should go,” I said awkwardly. She groaned, clearly annoyed at me and my confusing behavior.

  “Sorry,” I muttered before leaving her bedroom and her apartment.

  Two weeks. Fourteen days. Three hundred thirty-six hours. That's how much time had passed since Jasper White had left me sitting on my bed, tired, hurt, and confused. That's also how much time had passed since I'd left the last note I'd likely ever write to Jasper taped to the outside of my window. I told him to stay away from me, for good. And that’s exactly what he did.

  The professor dismissing us from class earlier than normal disrupted my thoughts. I had just started gathering my things when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to see that it was the guy who had sat behind me for the last couple of classes. I didn't know his name and I had never heard him talk before. He always showed up just as class started and was usually the first one out the door once we were dismissed. I cocked an eyebrow at him and waited for him to speak.

  “Want to grab an early dinner?” he asked. I was shocked to hear the confidence in his voice. He was always so quiet that I just assumed he would be shy and timid. He must have noticed the shock on my face because he chuckled as he said, “Oh, did you think I was mute?”

  “I just wasn't expecting your voice to sound like that,” I shrugged.

  He flashed a full smile at me and copied my shrugging motion.

  “Sure, I can do dinner.”

  “Great. You can tell me your name while we walk to my truck,” he said with a laugh.

  “It's Macie,” I said with a wide grin.

  “I'm Jarren. Do you like Mexican food?”

  “I like tacos,” I answered.

  “Perfect,” he muttered as he led the way to the student parking area.

  We went to a restaurant that I’d already been to with Taylor, so I was relieved that I already knew what to order. Jarren was really laid back and easy to talk to. He wasn't terrible to look at, either. He was tall and skinny with jet black hair and eyes that were so light blue they looked grey.

  By the end of dinner I knew we were going to be good friends. He asked if I wanted to go to some sports bar with him after, but I needed to get home. I was expecting a call from Shi to update me on things at home. When Jarren asked for my number before dropping me off, I didn't hesitate to give it to him. He sent me a text message so I'd have his number, too.

  I thought I felt someone watching me as I walked into my building. I glanced behind me several times, but never saw anyone.

  “Hey, Bubba,” I said when I answered my phone. I'd just sat down on the couch when he called.

  “Hi, Mace. How was class today?”

  “It was the same as always. I actually went to dinner with a friend from class. His name is Jarren.” I knew Shiloh didn't particularly care for me seeing guys he knew nothing about, but Jarren was just a friend.

  “Huh, does Jarren have a last name? And maybe you got his social security number while you were at it?” he joked.

  “How are things in Seattle?” I asked in effort to change the subject.

  “Better, I think. Bennett is going to step down. He's actually going to be moving back to Florida next month. He's hoping to get a new group of Protectors started down there.” My jaw dropped at the news. Bennett wasn't typically one to give up so easily.

  “Why would he do that? He's just going to let the others go rogue? They're going to give us all a bad name. It's his job to stop them and keep them in line,” I ranted.

  “It's his decision, Macie. He wants to be closer to his mom. And I honestly think he's just tired. Tired of trying to lead people who don't want to follow. It has to be exhausting.”

  I considered that for a moment and agreed with Shiloh. I wouldn't want to do it either, so I couldn't blame Bennett for trying to start over.

  “You're probably right. I just hope it's for the best. How is Nat? Are y'all finally getting caught up on rest?”

  “She's great. She's going to work tonight, so she's taking a nap. I'm always tired, but not as tired as I was a couple of weeks ago,” he said with a chuckle. The sound of his laugh struck a nerve. I missed him so much.

  “I miss you guys,” I sniffed.

  “We miss you, too, Macie. We will try to come down soon. It's just hard to get away right now.”

  “I know. It's okay. I'm just feeling a little more homesick than usual today. I think I'll follow Nat’s lead and take a nap.”

  We said our goodbyes and I sank further into the couch. I was dozing off when I heard something that jolted me awake. I went to the door to see if someone had knocked, but the hallway outside my apartment was empty. I shut the door and locked it before another thought occurred to me. I ran to my bedroom and yanked the door open. I expected to see the window open, but it wasn't. Maybe I'd just imagined the sound while I was drifting in and out of sleep. I shook it off and called Taylor.

  “Heya!” she squeaked into the phone.

  “Hi,” I laughed. “Want to come over? I'm bored.”

  “Let's go out instead. We can go to that new place downtown that has the live music.”

  I considered her idea for a moment. “Okay, I'm in. Pick me up at nine.”

  “Oh, goody! Dress hot!” She hung up before I could reply.

  “Dress hot, she says,” I mumbled to myself as I stared at my closet. After trying on two dresses, I settled on a pair of skinny jeans. I put on a light blue tank top that was shorter on the sides and showed a little skin, and my grey converse completed the outfit. I kept my makeup light and simple like always and left my hair down.

  Taylor texted me to let me know she was waiting outside right at nine o'clock. I grabbed my purse and headed for the parking lot.

  “Hey, Macie. Talk about perfect timing,” I heard someone say from down the hall.

  “Jarren? What are you doing here?”

  “Well, I was planning on asking you if you felt like having company. But it looks like you've already got plans,” he explained as he appraised my outfit.

  “Oh, I'm going out with a friend. She's actually waiting in the parking lot now.”

  “So, your friend is a she? Would either of you be opposed to having a third wheel?” he asked, sounding as confident as ever.

 
“Er — Sure, you can come,” I shrugged. “Why don't you follow us there?”

  He smiled and nodded.

  “Who's the babe?” Taylor asked when I got into the front seat of her Hummer.

  “A guy from my writing class. His name is Jarren.”

  “I see, and do you like Jarren?” she asked, suggestively.

  “Actually, today is the first time I've talked to him all semester. We are just going to be friends, though,” I explained.

  “Then it would be totally acceptable for me to flirt with him, right?” She waggled her eyebrows as she asked.

  “Totally acceptable,” I agreed. “But, what about—“

  “Don't bring it up,” she hissed.

  “Got it.” I knew she would give me the details of the split between her and Gabe soon enough, so I didn't push her. Now I understood why she wanted to go to the new place instead of Showtime’s or staying at my place. Taylor always liked to have a few nights of confidence building after a break up, and bars were the perfect place to get just that. Specifically bars that her ex-fling wasn't employed by.

  I walked over to Jarren’s truck once we'd parked. He grabbed my hand as we started walking toward Taylor's Hummer but quickly released it once Tay came into view.

  “Damn,” he muttered under his breath.

  “I thought you might like her,” I chuckled. Taylor was straightening her form-fitting dress. It was dark purple, strapless, and put her curves on display perfectly. She left her curly hair down and wild to complete the look. I laughed at the look on Jarren’s face as he took in the view.

  “Taylor, Jarren. Jarren, Taylor. Let's take this inside, shall we?”

  Jarren grabbed my hand again as we walked inside. I was shocked at first, but then he muttered something in my ear about being his new best friend and I laughed. I was relieved he was interested in Taylor and I didn't have to give him the “friends only” speech.

  The bar was pretty crowded. I offered to get the drinks while Jarren and Taylor found an empty table. I squeezed my way through the crowd and to the bar. The bartender was a pretty brunette. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place her at first. She glanced at me once but looked away before I was able to order. I waited patiently while she took the orders of the people surrounding me. When she glanced at me again, I immediately started telling her the drinks I wanted. She looked away before I could finish. I clenched my teeth and groaned inwardly. I was just about to give this chick a piece of my mind when I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Someone was watching me, I could feel it. I did a full 180, taking in as many faces as I could. Nobody was looking directly at me and nobody looked too threatening. Once again, I shook it off and turned back to the bartender.

  “Hi! Excuse me! I'd like to order drinks, please!” I called out to her.

  “Fine. What'll it be?” She asked in a snotty voice. As she got closer I realized who she was: the girl who had been at the park with Jasper. What was her name again?

  I raised one eyebrow at her attitude and shook my head at her, warning her not to play this game with me. “I need two Coronas and a margarita. And extra limes.”

  Without acknowledging me again, she turned and started working on our drinks. She sat them down roughly as she told me the total. I handed her cash and told her to keep he change in the sweetest voice I could manage. I winked at her before walking away.

  I found Jarren and Taylor sitting at a table close to the stage.

  “Not sure what's up with the bartender, but I'll let one of you get the next round,” I said as I passed out the drinks and sat down.

  “I wonder what kind of music they're having tonight,” Taylor said before taking a sip of her margarita.

  “One of my friends said it's usually local bands that write their own stuff. It should be interesting,” Jarren told her.

  I sat back and drank my beer while they had a conversation. It didn't take me long to realize that I'd become the third wheel. Thankfully, the band came on stage and started playing, so I had something to entertain me. They were talented and I enjoyed watching them.

  A waitress sat another beer down in front of me just as I finished mine off. I looked at her expectantly for some sort of explanation, but she just shrugged and walked away. I shrugged back and grabbed the bottle of Corona. I knew it would have to be my last for the night, just in case anything came up, so I took my time with it.

  “Where'd you get another drink?” Jarren asked me.

  “Uh, a waitress just brought it. I'm not sure who paid for it.”

  “Oooh, I wonder if you know who is here,” Taylor said, dramatically.

  “Who would that be?” I asked, pulling my eyebrows together.

  “Oh, I don't know. Just the guy that's had the hots for you for over a month,” she said as she rolled her eyes. I rolled mine back at her. I knew exactly who she was talking about and he most definitely didn't have the hots for me.

  “You're not drinking the beer I ordered for you,” someone said from behind me. I wasn't buzzed enough to ignore the uneasy feeling I got at the sound of his voice.

  I turned to see a tall, dark complected man with dark eyes that matched his hair. He was smiling softly at me.

  “Oh, is this from you?” I asked before taking a small swig.

  He nodded. “Would you like to dance with me before or after you finish it?”

  I chuckled at his arrogance and looked away. Taylor was leaned in close to Jarren and giving him her bedroom eyes. I shook my head as I stood.

  “Now would be great,” I said as I grabbed his hand and drug him away from the table.

  “I'm Macie, by the way,” I said over my shoulder.

  “Name’s Jon,” he answered before spinning me around to face him and putting his hands on my hips.

  I immediately regretted my decision to dance with him. His breath smelled like stale smoke and the feel of his hands made me feel disgusting. I held my breath and put a fake smile on my face, hoping the song would end soon.

  Jon’s hands drifted too low for my liking more than once and I casually moved them back to my hips. After the fourth time, I took a step back and stopped dancing.

  “Guess I should have waited for you to finish the drink,” Jon said, clearly irritated.

  “Go fuck yourself,” I spat before turning back toward Taylor and Jarren.

  “What did you just say to me, little girl?” Jon grabbed me by the elbow and jerked me back against him. “Nobody talks to me like that, especially not some bitch,” he harshly whispered in my ear.

  I was just about to turn around and teach him some manners when he was hauled away from me and dragged through the crowd.

  I stood in place, stunned for a moment. I could only see the backside of the man who was dragging Jon behind him, but I knew it was Jasper. I gritted my teeth and followed them toward the exit. I was walking outside when my head started throbbing and my ears started ringing so loudly I couldn't see.

  “Damnit,” I muttered when I realized I'd left my purse at the table. I staggered outside and leaned against the brick wall. I sent a text to Taylor begging her to bring me my pills.

  I tried to stand up straight, but all of my breath left me. Another painful jolt to my stomach came shortly after, causing me to fall to the pavement. I didn't hear Taylor and Jarren come up behind me, but I gladly swallowed the pill that Taylor shoved between my lips. She sat down next to me and wrapped her arms around me. After a few minutes she saw that I was starting to feel better and she was on her feet and storming around to the other side of the building, tugging her dress up as she went.

  “You're hurting her!” I heard her shout. Jarren looked at me with wide eyes before taking off after her. I scrambled to my feet and followed them. The first thing I saw was Jon’s unconscious body hunched over against the wall. Then I glanced over at the man Taylor was ripping into.

  “Jasper? What did you do?” I asked, confused as hell.

  “I saw him grab you. Are you okay?” he
asked as he slowly started walking toward me. I took a step back as I put everything together. Those were the hands of Jasper that were hurting me. Unintentionally, of course, but that didn't make the pain go away.

  “Mace, let's go home,” Taylor said quietly.

  “I'm going to get this guy back inside,” Jarren said as he helped Jon get to his feet. “I'll see you two later.”

  “If I find out you go near her again you won't be able to walk,” Jasper said to Jon through gritted teeth.

  I winced and wrapped my arms around myself as I slowly took a step toward Taylor.

  “Wait,” Jasper snapped. “Taylor, let me talk to her. Let me explain.” He looked at me, his eyes pleading. My heart hurt just as bad as my head and my stomach. I glanced at Taylor and realized she was waiting on me to make the decision.

  “I'll be fine, Tay,” I said quietly. I heard Jasper let out the breath he was holding.

  “I'll take you home. We can talk there,” he said. It wasn't a question, but he held his hand out patiently waiting for me to agree or disagree. I took his hand and waved goodbye to Taylor. She nodded at me before going back inside the bar.

  “I rode the bike tonight. Do you want to wear my hoody?” Jasper offered. I shook my head no and kept walking toward the motorcycle.

  He got on first and let me crawl on behind him. I didn't wrap my arms around him like I did the last time we’d ridden together. Instead, I put my hands on his hips and leaned back so my chest wasn't touching him.

  “Are you ready?” he asked without looking back at me.

  “Ready,” I muttered.

  Jasper drove a lot more cautiously than he had before. I found myself wishing he would go faster so I could get home and lay down.

  I hopped off the bike and started walking in the building as soon as he killed the motor. Jasper quietly followed me. Once we were inside my apartment, he shut and locked the door behind us.

  “I'm sorry,” he said, still facing the door. “I thought Jon was being rough with you and I saw red. I didn't know you were enjoying his company. And I didn't mean to upset you.”

  “I wasn't enjoying his company. He's a dick,” I deadpanned.