Title - High Price of Freedom
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG to PG-13 (for some violence)
Category - JMPR, Pretender/Profiler Crossover
Summary - The ramifications of a past mistake come back to haunt Jarod and could be the key to the freedom Miss Parker's searching for. But is the high price worth it in the end?
Disclaimer - Most of these characters don't belong to me. Just using them for a bit. No harm intended.
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3
* * * * * * * * * *
The front door opens and she prays a quick prayer that Madison
doesn't cry out, startling the intruder.
"Stop where you are," she hisses. "Don't go any further." Her
gun is up and her body is between the intruder and the baby,
trying to shield her from any harm.
"FBI," the woman at the door says. "I just came for the babies."
She reaches in her pocket for something, but Miss Parker stops
her, not sure what she was looking for.
"Keep your hands where I can see them," Miss Parker orders
loudly. Her shouts alert Jarod and he comes running down the
stairs.
"What's going on down here?" He stops in his tracks when he sees
the woman at the door. "Rachel?"
"Jarod, where are my babies?" she cries, running to Jarod.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't think you'd be here this soon.
This is Miss Parker," Jarod introduces. "She helped me rescue
the twins. Miss Parker, this is Agent Rachel Burke. She's the
twins' mother."
"Sorry about the gun," Miss Parker apologizes, somewhat
embarrassed. She puts the gun away and sticks out her hand to
Rachel. "Nice to meet you."
"Where are my babies?" Rachel asks again, ignoring Miss Parker's
gesture.
"Madison's in the playpen," Miss Parker says, stepping out of the
way. "Jarod just took Ryan up. He's asleep, but I'll go get him
if you want."
But she sees that Rachel has already scooped up her baby girl
into her arms and is desperately looking for Ryan. Jarod leads
the way as the woman rushes to get up to her other child.
Following slower behind them, Miss Parker finally catches up to
the teary reunion in the nursery. She suddenly feels like an
outsider intruding on a private family moment. Miss Parker turns
to go back downstairs, determined to finish the cleaning job she
started earlier. She definitely had questions for both Rachel
and Jarod, but it wasn't anything that couldn't wait until later.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker is putting the last of the stuff away when she hears
someone descending the steps. Turning to look that way, she
see's that it's Jarod.
"They're all asleep," Jarod tells her.
"I'm sure she was happy to be reunited with her children," Miss
Parker says, trying to make conversation, but not really knowing
what to say. "They sure were happy to see her. I don't think
I've seen Madison smile that much. She was always the serious
one. But I guess she was just missing her mom." She nervously
picks at an invisible spot on her pants, waiting on Jarod to tell
her what's really going on. Because by the looks of things in
that room earlier, there was more between him and Rachel than he
was letting on.
"I know you're curious about this whole thing," he says quietly,
staring out of the window. "Why don't we get out of here. Take
a walk. Check to make sure things are secure." Without turning
to look at her or to see if she was following, he walks out the
door and stands on the porch. A few seconds later he hears her
behind him.
"What's going on, Jarod? How do you know this woman?" she
starts. She figured she'd just come out and ask.
"This starts a few years ago when I worked on the kidnapping case
with the FBI. This guy would take these kids and brainwash them,
making them believe they were his sons. The ones that were
considered 'worthy' became his foot soldiers so to speak. The
rest were . . . disposed of. During that case, I worked with a
profiler named Samantha Waters. We worked well together. But,
when the case was over, I disappeared. I guess maybe a year
later, I had the occassion to work with the same group in the
FBI. I was expecting to be working with Samantha, but she was
gone. Rachel was her replacement. I worked so well with
Samantha, that working with Rachel was a big let down at first.
Things were difficult with Rachel. We were like oil and water -
we didn't mix at all. But, she was passionate about a lot of
things. About her job. About the case. About me." He stops
his narrative there and begins to pay more attention to the
surroundings.
"So you two had a relationship," Miss Parker says, not really
sure how it makes her feel. A little jealous. A little
surprised.
"I wouldn't call it that. Rachel and I were a bad fit from the
start," is his only answer. "She wanted me. I liked being
wanted. I felt like, for once, I was the one in control of
things. But afterwards . . . I couldn't even stay the whole
night. I was gone before she got up the next morning and didn't
look back."
"When was all this?" she asks with a shaky voice. She was trying
to hold back her feelings, but it was hard to ignore the
blatantly obvious question on both of their minds.
"I'm sure you can guess the 'when', Miss Parker," he says with a
completely joyless laugh. "I'm going to say this all happened
about 15 months ago."
"So, they're yours," she concludes. "Madison and Ryan are your
kids."
He just nods his head, unable to speak. He's only known for a
few days himself and he was still in shock over the whole idea.
He can only imagine the surprise and confusion Miss Parker is
feeling right now.
"That's why you were so desperate to get them out of the Centre,"
she rambles. "That's probably why the Centre took them in the
first place. They knew they were your children. And to keep
them safe, you're giving yourself up. That's really why you're
going back to the Centre."
"Miss Parker, to tell you the truth, I don't know what I'm doing.
All I know is that the Centre kidnapped my children. I had to
get them out," he says, finally turning towards her, finally
looking her in the eye. "And I couldn't have done it without
you. You put your life on the line to help me. I don't know how
to thank you for that. So I may have agreed to go back to the
Centre with you to protect the kids, but it was also to protect
you. If they ever find out what you did, you wouldn't be safe.
You can't be there. Taking me back would guarantee your freedom
and safety."
"But what is it that *you* want, Jarod? To never know your
children? To never make a family for them?" she asks.
"I honestly don't know what kind of family Rachel and I could
make for them," he sighs. "I don't love her. I don't even know
her. Sleeping with her was a mistake. But my children aren't.
I already love them with my whole heart. I'd do anything for
them."
"Jarod what if I didn't take you back?" she ponders. "What if
you and Rachel and the kids just . . . ."
"No. Absolutely not. They'd kill you, Parker. You know that."
He steps towards her and gently cups her cheeks with his hands.
"I can survive that place knowing my babies are safe. Rachel's
an FBI agent. She can take care of them now that she knows that
the Centre wants them. But there's no way I could live knowing
you were in any kind of danger."
She closes her eyes and allows his warm breath to wash over her
face. After a few moments of enjoying his closeness, she falls
into his arms and buries her head in his neck. He fully encloses
her in his embrace and holds her tightly.
"Jarod," she gasps, pulling slightly away to look into his eyes.
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," he whispers, tracing her bottom
lip with the tip of this thumb. He leans forward, slowing
creeping closer to her, moving in for a kiss, but doesn't quite
make it.
"Jarod!" Rachel calls from the porch. She was holding a
screaming twin in each arm and wasn't looking too happy herself.
"A little help, please."
Jarod lets out a disappointed groan, resting his forehead against
Miss Parker's. "I should go help her."
"Go," she gently orders. "We can finish our . . . um . . .
*discussion* later," she says with a smile.
"Later," he says with a final sigh. "It's a date." He flashes
her his own patented grin before jogging back towards the cabin.
He takes one of the babies from Rachel's arms and walks inside.
Rachel looks back over her shoulder at Miss Parker and shoots her
a cocky glare. It was a look warning Miss Parker not to mess
with the family she was trying to form.
Miss Parker stares back, shooting Rachel a warning of her own.
Right then and there she realized that her and Jarod belonged
together and that's the way it was going to be, despite Rachel
and the children. And she wasn't going to give him up, not now
after all these years. If it was a fight Rachel wanted, then it
was a fight she was going to get.
* * * * * * * * * *
Over the next few days, much of the same thing went on. The
twins and their safety was the top priority of the adults.
Jarod wanted to spend as much time with them as possible in the
short time he would have to get to know them. Rachel used that
to her advantage. Any time he spent with the babies was also
time spent with her. Which didn't make Miss Parker very happy.
She didn't get to spend any time with Jarod alone. Today, she
was determined to change that.
"Jarod," Miss Parker calls one afternoon when things were quiet.
The kids were napping peacefully and Rachel was in the kitchen
preparing more bottles. "How about we take a walk or something.
We've been cooped up in the house for days. And the kids are
asleep right now, so . . . "
"You don't have to ask me twice," he says with a big grin. He
jumps up from his spot on the floor where he was folding the
babies' freshly laundered clothes. He grabs her hand and heads
for the door.
"Jarod, was that one of the babies?" Rachel asks, poking her head
from the kitchen. "I thought I heard one of them crying."
"I didn't hear anything, Rachel. Maybe you're just being overly
sensitive," Miss Parker manages to say through clenched teeth.
She had been very patient with the situation this entire time.
And it may be selfish, but she just wanted a minute alone with
Jarod, away from Rachel and the kids.
"Well, *you're* not their mother. I am," Rachel snaps. "When
you become a parent, you'll realize that the safety and comfort
of your children are the only things that matter. Isn't that
right, Jarod?"
"Why don't I just go up and check on them," he offers, giving
Miss Parker's hand a gentle squeeze before letting it go. "I'll
be right back and then we can go for that walk." He flashes her
a reassuring smile before going up the stairs to the nursery.
"When are you going to give it up, Miss Parker? Family is the
most important thing to Jarod. The twins and I are his family
now. I know you helped him rescue the kids and I'm grateful for
that. But I think it'll be safe enough for you to leave now.
You're just in the way," Rachel says.
"That's not the plan," Miss Parker tells her. "I leave when it's
time to leave. And Jarod's coming with me."
"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you can
seduce him and break us up. But that's not going to happen. I
know that you want him, but you can't have him. I won't let
you," Rachel vows.
"You don't know anything," Miss Parker growls, standing close to
the other woman's face. "You don't know anything about me or
about Jarod. He's not stupid. Don't you think he can see
through what you're doing? You're using these children to
control him. You're no better than the people who stole the
twins. You think that's going to make him love you? Well,
you're wrong. He's never going to love you. It's not even
possible."
"What makes you so sure of that? Because of you? Because you
think he loves you?" Rachel asks with a laugh. "I'm sure that
whatever you feel you can offer him, it doesn't compare to being
in his children's lives."
"Ladies," Jarod says from the steps. Both women look up, shocked
to see him standing there. "Is there something going on here?"
"I was just telling Rachel that we have some unfinished
business," Miss Parker says, back in her Ice Queen mode.
Whatever she was starting to feel for Jarod, she couldn't allow
it to get in the way. Because Rachel was right about one thing.
She wasn't going to be able to be with Jarod, no matter what.
Whether he stayed with Rachel or went back to the Centre. It was
time she faced that.
"And I was telling her that it was no longer necessary for her to
be here with us, Jarod," Rachel says. "I think we can safely take
the babies away from here. Now thank your little friend for
helping us and let's take our children home."
"That's not going to happen, Rachel," Jarod tells her. "Miss
Parker is right. There's more to consider here. And it's about
time we started thinking about those things."
"Jarod,you're not telling me that you would give up the chance to
raise your children to be with her, are you? Are you in love
with her? Because it certainly didn't feel like it to me that
night you were with me. The night we made those children."
"Don't go there, Rachel," Jarod warns, ignoring her question. He
chances a glance in Miss Parker's direction and sees that her
moist eyes were avoiding looking at him. "Don't start this."
"Don't start what, Jarod? Don't I have a right to know why
you're ditching me and our children yet again?" Rachel yells.
"Is it all for her?"
"You have no idea what's going on, Rachel," Miss Parker growls.
"Don't you see that there's only one way for your children to be
safe? And unfortunately, that means he can't be with either of
us."
"What's she talking about, Jarod? Tell her to leave and then we
can get on with our lives," Rachel demands.
"I can't do that. She's right," Jarod confesses. "There's only
one solution to this. For me to go back there."
Rachel looks at Jarod in disbelief. Then she glances over at
Miss Parker in time to see her flick one renegade tear from her
cheek.
"Oh, I see what's going on," Rachel says. "This is just an
excuse to bail on me and our children again. Jarod, you should
have at least found someone believable. You expect me to believe
you'd leave me for her? That you'd leave your children for her?
Someone so cold. So icy. Probably frigid." Rachel smiles
inwardly at the spark of anger she sees flash in Miss Parker's
eyes. But it wasn't enough. She pushes even further. "Look at
her, Jarod. What does she have that I don't? What does she know
about you that I don't? How could she ever satisfy you like I .
. ."
The loud snap of Miss Parker's hand striking Rachel's face drops
a deadly silence on the entire room. The flaming red hand print
appears instantly on the woman's milky skin. Rachel covers her
stinging skin with her cool hand and lifts her eyes to Miss
Parker, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. Instantly Miss Parker
realizes the game the woman was playing with her. And how she
walked right into the trap.
"You little conniving . . ." Miss Parker growls.
"Parker!" Jarod yells, trying to calm the woman down. "That's
enough." He stands facing Miss Parker, his back to Rachel so he
misses the little smirk playing on her lips.
Miss Parker sees it, though. And she realizes to herself that
Jarod was right. Enough is enough. It was time to end this
little game once and for all. She slips into her huntress mode,
cutting off any emotions she may have been feeling. Emotions
that had clouded her judgment. She reaches behind her and pulls
out her weapon, the only friend she's truly been able to count
on.
To be continued . . .
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG to PG-13 (for some violence)
Category - JMPR, Pretender/Profiler Crossover
Summary - The ramifications of a past mistake come back to haunt Jarod and could be the key to the freedom Miss Parker's searching for. But is the high price worth it in the end?
Disclaimer - Most of these characters don't belong to me. Just using them for a bit. No harm intended.
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3
* * * * * * * * * *
The front door opens and she prays a quick prayer that Madison
doesn't cry out, startling the intruder.
"Stop where you are," she hisses. "Don't go any further." Her
gun is up and her body is between the intruder and the baby,
trying to shield her from any harm.
"FBI," the woman at the door says. "I just came for the babies."
She reaches in her pocket for something, but Miss Parker stops
her, not sure what she was looking for.
"Keep your hands where I can see them," Miss Parker orders
loudly. Her shouts alert Jarod and he comes running down the
stairs.
"What's going on down here?" He stops in his tracks when he sees
the woman at the door. "Rachel?"
"Jarod, where are my babies?" she cries, running to Jarod.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't think you'd be here this soon.
This is Miss Parker," Jarod introduces. "She helped me rescue
the twins. Miss Parker, this is Agent Rachel Burke. She's the
twins' mother."
"Sorry about the gun," Miss Parker apologizes, somewhat
embarrassed. She puts the gun away and sticks out her hand to
Rachel. "Nice to meet you."
"Where are my babies?" Rachel asks again, ignoring Miss Parker's
gesture.
"Madison's in the playpen," Miss Parker says, stepping out of the
way. "Jarod just took Ryan up. He's asleep, but I'll go get him
if you want."
But she sees that Rachel has already scooped up her baby girl
into her arms and is desperately looking for Ryan. Jarod leads
the way as the woman rushes to get up to her other child.
Following slower behind them, Miss Parker finally catches up to
the teary reunion in the nursery. She suddenly feels like an
outsider intruding on a private family moment. Miss Parker turns
to go back downstairs, determined to finish the cleaning job she
started earlier. She definitely had questions for both Rachel
and Jarod, but it wasn't anything that couldn't wait until later.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker is putting the last of the stuff away when she hears
someone descending the steps. Turning to look that way, she
see's that it's Jarod.
"They're all asleep," Jarod tells her.
"I'm sure she was happy to be reunited with her children," Miss
Parker says, trying to make conversation, but not really knowing
what to say. "They sure were happy to see her. I don't think
I've seen Madison smile that much. She was always the serious
one. But I guess she was just missing her mom." She nervously
picks at an invisible spot on her pants, waiting on Jarod to tell
her what's really going on. Because by the looks of things in
that room earlier, there was more between him and Rachel than he
was letting on.
"I know you're curious about this whole thing," he says quietly,
staring out of the window. "Why don't we get out of here. Take
a walk. Check to make sure things are secure." Without turning
to look at her or to see if she was following, he walks out the
door and stands on the porch. A few seconds later he hears her
behind him.
"What's going on, Jarod? How do you know this woman?" she
starts. She figured she'd just come out and ask.
"This starts a few years ago when I worked on the kidnapping case
with the FBI. This guy would take these kids and brainwash them,
making them believe they were his sons. The ones that were
considered 'worthy' became his foot soldiers so to speak. The
rest were . . . disposed of. During that case, I worked with a
profiler named Samantha Waters. We worked well together. But,
when the case was over, I disappeared. I guess maybe a year
later, I had the occassion to work with the same group in the
FBI. I was expecting to be working with Samantha, but she was
gone. Rachel was her replacement. I worked so well with
Samantha, that working with Rachel was a big let down at first.
Things were difficult with Rachel. We were like oil and water -
we didn't mix at all. But, she was passionate about a lot of
things. About her job. About the case. About me." He stops
his narrative there and begins to pay more attention to the
surroundings.
"So you two had a relationship," Miss Parker says, not really
sure how it makes her feel. A little jealous. A little
surprised.
"I wouldn't call it that. Rachel and I were a bad fit from the
start," is his only answer. "She wanted me. I liked being
wanted. I felt like, for once, I was the one in control of
things. But afterwards . . . I couldn't even stay the whole
night. I was gone before she got up the next morning and didn't
look back."
"When was all this?" she asks with a shaky voice. She was trying
to hold back her feelings, but it was hard to ignore the
blatantly obvious question on both of their minds.
"I'm sure you can guess the 'when', Miss Parker," he says with a
completely joyless laugh. "I'm going to say this all happened
about 15 months ago."
"So, they're yours," she concludes. "Madison and Ryan are your
kids."
He just nods his head, unable to speak. He's only known for a
few days himself and he was still in shock over the whole idea.
He can only imagine the surprise and confusion Miss Parker is
feeling right now.
"That's why you were so desperate to get them out of the Centre,"
she rambles. "That's probably why the Centre took them in the
first place. They knew they were your children. And to keep
them safe, you're giving yourself up. That's really why you're
going back to the Centre."
"Miss Parker, to tell you the truth, I don't know what I'm doing.
All I know is that the Centre kidnapped my children. I had to
get them out," he says, finally turning towards her, finally
looking her in the eye. "And I couldn't have done it without
you. You put your life on the line to help me. I don't know how
to thank you for that. So I may have agreed to go back to the
Centre with you to protect the kids, but it was also to protect
you. If they ever find out what you did, you wouldn't be safe.
You can't be there. Taking me back would guarantee your freedom
and safety."
"But what is it that *you* want, Jarod? To never know your
children? To never make a family for them?" she asks.
"I honestly don't know what kind of family Rachel and I could
make for them," he sighs. "I don't love her. I don't even know
her. Sleeping with her was a mistake. But my children aren't.
I already love them with my whole heart. I'd do anything for
them."
"Jarod what if I didn't take you back?" she ponders. "What if
you and Rachel and the kids just . . . ."
"No. Absolutely not. They'd kill you, Parker. You know that."
He steps towards her and gently cups her cheeks with his hands.
"I can survive that place knowing my babies are safe. Rachel's
an FBI agent. She can take care of them now that she knows that
the Centre wants them. But there's no way I could live knowing
you were in any kind of danger."
She closes her eyes and allows his warm breath to wash over her
face. After a few moments of enjoying his closeness, she falls
into his arms and buries her head in his neck. He fully encloses
her in his embrace and holds her tightly.
"Jarod," she gasps, pulling slightly away to look into his eyes.
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," he whispers, tracing her bottom
lip with the tip of this thumb. He leans forward, slowing
creeping closer to her, moving in for a kiss, but doesn't quite
make it.
"Jarod!" Rachel calls from the porch. She was holding a
screaming twin in each arm and wasn't looking too happy herself.
"A little help, please."
Jarod lets out a disappointed groan, resting his forehead against
Miss Parker's. "I should go help her."
"Go," she gently orders. "We can finish our . . . um . . .
*discussion* later," she says with a smile.
"Later," he says with a final sigh. "It's a date." He flashes
her his own patented grin before jogging back towards the cabin.
He takes one of the babies from Rachel's arms and walks inside.
Rachel looks back over her shoulder at Miss Parker and shoots her
a cocky glare. It was a look warning Miss Parker not to mess
with the family she was trying to form.
Miss Parker stares back, shooting Rachel a warning of her own.
Right then and there she realized that her and Jarod belonged
together and that's the way it was going to be, despite Rachel
and the children. And she wasn't going to give him up, not now
after all these years. If it was a fight Rachel wanted, then it
was a fight she was going to get.
* * * * * * * * * *
Over the next few days, much of the same thing went on. The
twins and their safety was the top priority of the adults.
Jarod wanted to spend as much time with them as possible in the
short time he would have to get to know them. Rachel used that
to her advantage. Any time he spent with the babies was also
time spent with her. Which didn't make Miss Parker very happy.
She didn't get to spend any time with Jarod alone. Today, she
was determined to change that.
"Jarod," Miss Parker calls one afternoon when things were quiet.
The kids were napping peacefully and Rachel was in the kitchen
preparing more bottles. "How about we take a walk or something.
We've been cooped up in the house for days. And the kids are
asleep right now, so . . . "
"You don't have to ask me twice," he says with a big grin. He
jumps up from his spot on the floor where he was folding the
babies' freshly laundered clothes. He grabs her hand and heads
for the door.
"Jarod, was that one of the babies?" Rachel asks, poking her head
from the kitchen. "I thought I heard one of them crying."
"I didn't hear anything, Rachel. Maybe you're just being overly
sensitive," Miss Parker manages to say through clenched teeth.
She had been very patient with the situation this entire time.
And it may be selfish, but she just wanted a minute alone with
Jarod, away from Rachel and the kids.
"Well, *you're* not their mother. I am," Rachel snaps. "When
you become a parent, you'll realize that the safety and comfort
of your children are the only things that matter. Isn't that
right, Jarod?"
"Why don't I just go up and check on them," he offers, giving
Miss Parker's hand a gentle squeeze before letting it go. "I'll
be right back and then we can go for that walk." He flashes her
a reassuring smile before going up the stairs to the nursery.
"When are you going to give it up, Miss Parker? Family is the
most important thing to Jarod. The twins and I are his family
now. I know you helped him rescue the kids and I'm grateful for
that. But I think it'll be safe enough for you to leave now.
You're just in the way," Rachel says.
"That's not the plan," Miss Parker tells her. "I leave when it's
time to leave. And Jarod's coming with me."
"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you can
seduce him and break us up. But that's not going to happen. I
know that you want him, but you can't have him. I won't let
you," Rachel vows.
"You don't know anything," Miss Parker growls, standing close to
the other woman's face. "You don't know anything about me or
about Jarod. He's not stupid. Don't you think he can see
through what you're doing? You're using these children to
control him. You're no better than the people who stole the
twins. You think that's going to make him love you? Well,
you're wrong. He's never going to love you. It's not even
possible."
"What makes you so sure of that? Because of you? Because you
think he loves you?" Rachel asks with a laugh. "I'm sure that
whatever you feel you can offer him, it doesn't compare to being
in his children's lives."
"Ladies," Jarod says from the steps. Both women look up, shocked
to see him standing there. "Is there something going on here?"
"I was just telling Rachel that we have some unfinished
business," Miss Parker says, back in her Ice Queen mode.
Whatever she was starting to feel for Jarod, she couldn't allow
it to get in the way. Because Rachel was right about one thing.
She wasn't going to be able to be with Jarod, no matter what.
Whether he stayed with Rachel or went back to the Centre. It was
time she faced that.
"And I was telling her that it was no longer necessary for her to
be here with us, Jarod," Rachel says. "I think we can safely take
the babies away from here. Now thank your little friend for
helping us and let's take our children home."
"That's not going to happen, Rachel," Jarod tells her. "Miss
Parker is right. There's more to consider here. And it's about
time we started thinking about those things."
"Jarod,you're not telling me that you would give up the chance to
raise your children to be with her, are you? Are you in love
with her? Because it certainly didn't feel like it to me that
night you were with me. The night we made those children."
"Don't go there, Rachel," Jarod warns, ignoring her question. He
chances a glance in Miss Parker's direction and sees that her
moist eyes were avoiding looking at him. "Don't start this."
"Don't start what, Jarod? Don't I have a right to know why
you're ditching me and our children yet again?" Rachel yells.
"Is it all for her?"
"You have no idea what's going on, Rachel," Miss Parker growls.
"Don't you see that there's only one way for your children to be
safe? And unfortunately, that means he can't be with either of
us."
"What's she talking about, Jarod? Tell her to leave and then we
can get on with our lives," Rachel demands.
"I can't do that. She's right," Jarod confesses. "There's only
one solution to this. For me to go back there."
Rachel looks at Jarod in disbelief. Then she glances over at
Miss Parker in time to see her flick one renegade tear from her
cheek.
"Oh, I see what's going on," Rachel says. "This is just an
excuse to bail on me and our children again. Jarod, you should
have at least found someone believable. You expect me to believe
you'd leave me for her? That you'd leave your children for her?
Someone so cold. So icy. Probably frigid." Rachel smiles
inwardly at the spark of anger she sees flash in Miss Parker's
eyes. But it wasn't enough. She pushes even further. "Look at
her, Jarod. What does she have that I don't? What does she know
about you that I don't? How could she ever satisfy you like I .
. ."
The loud snap of Miss Parker's hand striking Rachel's face drops
a deadly silence on the entire room. The flaming red hand print
appears instantly on the woman's milky skin. Rachel covers her
stinging skin with her cool hand and lifts her eyes to Miss
Parker, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. Instantly Miss Parker
realizes the game the woman was playing with her. And how she
walked right into the trap.
"You little conniving . . ." Miss Parker growls.
"Parker!" Jarod yells, trying to calm the woman down. "That's
enough." He stands facing Miss Parker, his back to Rachel so he
misses the little smirk playing on her lips.
Miss Parker sees it, though. And she realizes to herself that
Jarod was right. Enough is enough. It was time to end this
little game once and for all. She slips into her huntress mode,
cutting off any emotions she may have been feeling. Emotions
that had clouded her judgment. She reaches behind her and pulls
out her weapon, the only friend she's truly been able to count
on.
To be continued . . .