finding Reese.: a SAFELIGHT novel vol.2 (SAFELIGHT Series) Read online

  Our eyes meet, and I nod. “I guess you could say that. And you?” I ask with a smile, my hands removing the hair covering one of her eyes.

  Catalina nods. “I have no complaints. I needed that, thank you. Nothing lifts one’s spirits better than some bump and grinding,” she answers wickedly.

  I laugh at her words, feeling the happiest I have in days. Getting up from the bed, I take the condom off and throw it in the trash bin by the nightstand. I walk to her side and, extending my arm, I beckon. “Shower with me.”

  Catalina wraps her hand around mine and replies, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Why? So I can wash the scent of us off? Nah . . . I’d rather keep this on if you don’t mind.”

  My jaw drops at her words, but I challenge her nevertheless. “Have it your way, minx.” Looking down at my hardening erection, I speak. “Okay, I guess it’s just you and me in the shower, buddy.”

  Catalina’s scandalized reaction makes me chuckle. She flies off the bed, landing into my arms quicker than a snap of fingers. “You don’t play fair,” she laughs.

  Holding back a snicker, I taunt, “Neither do you.”

  Smiling and sneaking quick kisses, we walk into the bathroom to shower and continue our little rendezvous until we are both left breathless and satisfied. After a nice rejuvenating bath, we climb back in bed, falling asleep as soon as we pull the covers over our naked bodies.

  My phone chirps in the distance, and I toss in bed, trying to ignore the constant sound coming from it. After the seventh chirp, I reach out for the damn thing. Rubbing my eyes and sighing loudly, I look to my side to ensure I haven’t woken Catalina up. With her raven hair fanned against the stark white pillow I see her breasts peeking out from under the covers, making me hard again. Covering her with the thick blanket and ignoring the swell below, I check my notifications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The excitement buzzing within me has me flying off the bed, and rummaging through my duffle bag in search of clothes. Once dressed and freshened up, I approach the bed and kiss Catalina’s shoulder, happy with the fact the universe has righted itself once again.

  “Go away, you fiend. Beauty sleep,” she murmurs in her sleep.

  I chuckle at her grumpy ass, and drape my arm over her shoulder, squeezing it softly. Mumbling, Catalina reaches for my chest, and when her eyes open they meet mine.

  “Why are you dressed? Going somewhere?” she asks amid yawns.

  “Jax woke up. Look,” I whisper with a smile, and place my cell phone into her expectant hands. Catalina breathes in and out in relief, and without a moment’s hesitation she closes her eyes and prays in Spanish. I don’t know her exact words, but the gist I get is that she is thanking the angels above for their mercy. Opening her eyes she eagerly reads Jax’s text messages and flies off the bed in search of her phone. She reads her messages and falls to her knees laughing. I watch her completely amused.

  “Um, what did he say?” I ask, intrigued, but she shakes her head and continues laughing.

  “No, I don’t think you want to read that, babe. It might make your eyes burn,” she replies, unable to control her laughter. “Let me get dressed so we can visit him. I’m so excited!”

  I walk towards Catalina and hug her fiercely. After placing the briefest of kisses on her lips, I leave her alone to get ready, and call the front desk to get us a taxi. As I hold the line, I walk towards the window and draw the curtains. The panoramic view of the Purcell Mountains surrounding the lodge appears peaceful as snowflakes gently fall from the sky, but when I look closely at the fierceness of the terrain it makes me shudder. It almost took the life of my best friend and baby brother.

  Catalina’s hands wrap around my waist, and a contented sigh escapes from my mouth. “Ready?” I ask, my hands stroking hers.

  “Yes, I can’t wait to see the other man in my life,” Catalina chirps. I turn around and smile. She’s dressed in dark blue jeans with a red blouse, her trademark skulls emblazoned all over it. Her make-up is minimal, yet that sexy-as-fuck black eyeliner and cherry red lipstick enhances her natural beauty.

  Since we met, Catalina has lost weight, but not enough to lose the curves that drive me insane. To me, she is perfection; I take all that comes with her: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know I’m jumping the gun here, but I find myself dreaming of a future with her. If that makes me a fucking softie, then so be it.

  Chuckling, I kiss the tip of her nose. “Careful, I don’t share well with others . . .”

  To my complete surprise, Catalina grabs my crotch and squeezes softly. “I don’t either,” she declares confidently with a smile on her face. Once she lets go, she winks, making me chuckle, and after grabbing our winter gear we head out the door.

  At the hospital, there’s a massive amount of reporters doing live shots. Someone must have recognized us, because they begin to shout questions at us.

  “Is it true Reese has been given his last rites?”

  “Can you confirm Jackson Reese is out of a coma?”

  Ducking my head and sheltering Catalina from the blinding lights, we rush through the automatic glass doors of the hospital and step into the elevator. As soon as the lift doors close, I let out a breath of relief. “Jesus, can you believe these assholes? What kind of fucked-up questions were those?” I exclaim, completely rattled by the bullshit queries our colleagues threw our way.

  Catalina shakes her head, her facial features bearing a mixture of disgust and rage. “I agree, Stryder. Those sons of bitches need to get their facts straight. Lately, journalism has taken a deep shit. The days of factual reporting are long gone. Scandal boosts ratings, and tragedy even more.”

  She’s holding tightly onto the metal rails of the elevator and judging by the color of her knuckles, Catalina is angry. She needs to calm down before Jax sees us. As the elevator doors open, I weave my hand into hers, and we walk down the hallway towards Jackson’s room. We are met by Kaelan. Her usual prim appearance is long gone; her face is free of make-up and the dark circles and bags underneath her eyes prove she hasn’t slept in days. Her short blonde hair is tied up with a rubber band, and her usual professional attire has been replaced with baggy sweats and a wrinkled t-shirt with the hospital logo, courtesy of the gift shop downstairs. I wrap her in a warm hug, gently kissing her hairline.

  “Oh my sweet boy, being tamed I see?”

  I scoff at her words but deep down I know she’s right.

  “How are you holding up, Kaelan? You look tired,” I say empathetically, rubbing her back.

  Kaelan puts me at arm’s length and holds my cheeks affectionately. “I am, but knowing my boy is safe and sound makes all this exhaustion worth it.” Turning to her side, she greets Catalina by giving her a hug and a kiss on her cheek. “Catalina, dear, he’s been asking for you . . . irritatingly so.” When Kaelan rolls her eyes in mock annoyance, we all burst into laughter.

  “Okay, let’s go see him then!” Catalina beams happily.

  Approaching the glass door leading to Jax’s room, Kaelan gives us the thumbs up first and then we enter. Jax is watching something on his tablet and when he hears the door close behind us, his head snaps up in attention. I take a moment to process the image before me.

  Jackson’s face is painted in different shades of purple and red, and both of his ankles are covered in a plaster cast; one of them elevated by a sling. His head is bandaged and his arms are covered with scratches and bruises. I can’t imagine what his chest and legs look like underneath his hospital gown. At first glance you’d think little brother took a beating in a street brawl. Not
many have survived an avalanche, and seeing Jackson alive on the hospital bed makes me want to jump for joy.

  “Look what the cat finally dragged in,” Jackson jokes while wiggling his eyebrows. “How are the lovebirds?”

  Catalina rushes to his side, her lips kissing his cheeks repeatedly. With tears leaking from her eyes she breathes, “If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will kill you with my bare hands, you son of a bitch.”

  He wraps his arms around her neck to give her a quick peck on the lips like long-time friends would. His bandaged hand softly wipes the tears away from Catalina’s cheeks, and upon closer inspection, Jax’s cheeks are wet with tears of his own.

  “I’m sorry,” Jax whispers. “I’m so, so sorry, Catalina. As I was struggling to breathe, I thought of you and how the news of my death would crush you. Thinking of you kept me alive, Cat.”

  Standing there, watching my best friend and the woman I love share a moment of pure love doesn’t make me jealous like it used to. I don’t fully understand the dynamics of their relationship, but it’s probably one of the most beautiful friendships I’ve ever seen. They are like two kids who love each other deeply, and the vision of them warms my heart.

  Catalina takes hold of Jax’s wrist and smiles when she sees her friendship bracelet back in its rightful place. She kisses it, and when her eyes connect with mine she smiles.

  “Who knew having me on a Lo-Jack would save my life, huh, Catalina?” Jackson jokes, his body broken but his humor completely intact. I snicker from across the room and shake my head. Catalina giggles and nods.

  “When I gave you the bracelet, you didn’t have to prove its reliability by playing hide and seek in the snow, and testing it out, Jax,” Catalina admonishes, but deep down I know she’s using humor to deflect her concern. To ease her wavering emotions, I scoot her to the side.

  “Can I say hi now?” I ask, rolling my eyes and feigning irritation. Catalina sticks out her tongue at me, but moves aside. Jax struggles to sit up, so I place my palm on his chest to stop his movements. It makes him wince.

  “Easy there, brother,” Jackson mumbles.

  I don’t care. I need to feel his warmth to reassure myself this mangled body before me is in fact my little brother. Wrapping my arms around him, tears fall from my eyes unrestrained. “You son of a bitch,” I cry softly, “I thought I’d lost you, Jaxy boy.” As I cry, Jackson sobs in my arms and nods.

  I know this kid through and through. The thought of him being dead makes me cry harder and I know he’s thinking the same thing. We sit there in silence with Catalina’s arms around us both. As our tears subside, Jackson goes on to tell us about the avalanche, and at the mere mention of Chris’s and Rem’s names, he breaks down in tears again.

  If anyone knows about survivor guilt, it’s Catalina. I’m sure she will be by his side to help him work through it. She’s helped him work his issues with alcohol out since they bonded in Whistler, and now more than ever he needs her. Jax has a long recovery ahead of him, and while his body will recover, I’m more concerned about his mental state. Somewhere in the world, two mothers and two fathers, not to mention sisters and brothers, are making preparations to bury those who died the same day Jax survived. A part of me feels heartbroken, yet another part feels immense relief the same fate isn’t rested on our families.

  Breaking away from the pack, I take a seat near Jax’s bed and watch the two people that matter most to me lose themselves in conversation. My thoughts drift back to a few months ago when Catalina arrived into my life. Everything has changed for the better I smile more often, fret less and look forward to many happy days ahead of us.

  A nurse walks into the room, interrupting my thoughts. In a stern voice, she announces, “All right, family. Visitation ends in ten minutes. Mr. Reese needs his rest.”

  She assesses the room and frowns when she sees Catalina is curled right beside her patient on the bed. Catalina places a kiss on Jax’s forehead and gets down from the bed to gently squeeze his hand.

  “See you tomorrow?” she asks.

  Jax nods and smiles longingly. I move to stand and pat him shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. He looks sad and that breaks my heart.

  “We’ll be back in the morning for breakfast, got it? What are you going to do tonight?” I ask.

  Jax lifts his tablet and with a wicked grin he goes on, “Thank goodness for cellular signals. I’ll be falling asleep to the soothing sounds of moaning and grunts.”

  Catalina looks at me puzzled, and I shake my head while chuckling. “What?” Catalina asks confused.

  “Porn, Cat. He’s going to watch porn,” I explain, slightly amused at her shocked expression.

  “Jeez, Jax. Make sure you remove your heart monitor then. The nurses will think you’re having a coronary. They’ll be rushing into the room with a defibrillator,” Catalina quips amid laughter.

  The nurse who is standing near the door huffs and, turning on her heel, walks out of the room with red cheeks. We all look at each other and laugh even harder.

  Jackson points towards the door and asks, “That one . . . Do you think she’ll offer a helping hand? She’s a little old for my taste, but hey, a man has needs.”

  Catalina laughs until tears stream down her face. She bends down and kisses his cheek and whispers as best as she can. “Be a good boy, Jax.”

  “Me? Good? Never!” he replies with a grin.

  Taking hold of Catalina’s hand we bid Jackson farewell, and leave the hospital in high spirits. As we are walking out, I notice a freshly dressed and impeccable-looking Kaelan standing beside a hospital official. Both are briefing the press. With everyone’s eyes focused on the press conference, we hop into a cab and return to the lodge with grumbling stomachs.

  As soon as we arrive at the room, I place a call for room service and order a movie for us to watch while we wait for our dinner. Leaning into each other on the suite’s sofa gives us an opportunity to unwind after the past few long, stressful days. When the food arrives, we waste no time devouring our meal, taking the liberty of drinking beer and enjoying each other’s company. With full bellies, we lay against each other, and Catalina dozes off on my shoulder far before the movie ends with a soft smile on her face.

  Picking up my Raven Girl, I lay her on the bed and peel all of her clothes off. I take mine off as well, and then curl beside her. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I feel content with how my life has changed for the better ever since this amazing woman walked onto that plane and into my life.

  “I love you, Catalina. So damn much,” I whisper into the silence of the room. Catalina curls into me in her sleep, sighing softly. I close my eyes and quickly surrender to my exhaustion, feeling happier than I have for as long as I can remember.

  A SOFT RAY OF SUNLIGHT shines through the slightly drawn curtains of our suite. Stryder is fast asleep with his strong hand wrapped around my wrist. The soft whistle of his even breathing makes me giggle. He must be catching up on sleep. It has been a long week.

  I gently remove his hand from my wrist and go to the bathroom to settle into my morning routine. We promised Jax we’d go visit him during breakfast, and I want to make sure we don’t break that vow. After taking a nice hot shower, I emerge from the bathroom bundled in a fluffy white towel.

  I rummage through the contents of my duffle bag only to discover I have one outfit left. In our rush to get here, we only grabbed a couple of things. At some point today we will need to get more clothes. I’m not heartbroken over it. After the press tour, half the contents in my closet are no longer useful. I’ve lost close to thirty pounds in the past two months. After living with a curvaceous body for most of my life, I’ve learned to embrace its beauty, and so far Stryder hasn’t complained.

  Without haste I put my sort of baggy clothes on: a combination of grey leggings and a long black blouse with patent leather grey riding boots. Stryder is still fast asleep, so I take the opportunity to finish getting ready. My phone rings and I smile when I see i
t’s Faith.

  “Hey, you!” Faith chirps happily, making me grin from the inside out.

  “Hi!”

  “I saw the news last night . . . That Jackson Reese is one lucky son of a bitch. I mean, who gets sucked into an avalanche and lives to tell the tale? That’s amazing. Where are you?” Faith asks, and I find it difficult to hear her because of the loud background noise.

  “I’m in B.C. with Stryder. We got on the first flight out yesterday when we found out he might be alive.”

  “That’s awesome. Oh my God, Catalina! We need to talk about that hunky man of yours. Seriously, we haven’t had quality time since you bumped into him at Velvet Box. What is going on there?”

  I giggle at her breathy, almost whispered question. “Faith, I told you I needed time to figure my shit out, you know? I guess shit figured itself on its own. The moment I met Stryder I knew there was something there, but I don’t want to share the details over the phone. As soon as I get back, we’ll talk over dinner and drinks. All you need to know is that I’m very happy. This is the happiest I’ve been in a very long time.”

  Faith lets out a howl, and the unmistakable sound of her excited clapping comes through the line. “Catalina and Stryder sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” she sings. “I’m so happy for you, Cat! I’ve only been waiting for this moment, like, forever?” she pipes, in that valley-girl voice she uses to make fun of me.

  I roll my eyes, yet chuckle in the same breath. “I know, I know. Listen, I’m about to leave the lodge for the hospital. As soon as I’m back in town, I’ll call you and we’ll make plans to meet up.”

  “Yes! Absolutely! Oh . . . before you go, I wanted to ask you how you’re feeling after your little episode. Are you taking the meds?” Faith inquires her voice stern all of a sudden.

  “You mean the shit anti-depressants I was prescribed? Hell no. I threw those out. I’m feeling fine,” I explain. “I don’t need them. Jax is alive and well, and watching the coverage of the avalanche was life-altering. I hate when doctors see someone sad and think the solution is to write a prescription when it’s not. I’m feeling great. Thanks for asking.”