�No,� Jenai replied. �We were inside, there was a knock, we answered it, and all that was there was the box.�
�Did you see anyone, Nick?� Kevin questioned.
�Not a thing,� Nickolas answered. �The outside was clear and I didn�t see anyone suspicious.�
�We�re dealing with professionals here,� Kevin said.
�Terrorists,� Jenai over-reacted. �If I don�t die now I�ll just die later.�
�No one�s going to die,� Kevin said.
�Are you going to play hero and stop them?� Jenai questioned. �They�ll kill you as fast as a bolt of lightening. You don�t even have the chance against these guys.�
�You let me decide that.�
�Why? You decide for me so why can�t I decide for you?�
�This is different, because your life is on the line.�
�Don�t you think I know that?� They looked at each other. �You�ve been trying to ruin my life since I was eight and you don�t care how I feel.� He just looked at her, as did Nickolas.
�Sergeant, this is the only snake we found,� the animal control guy said holding up the snake.
�Ah!� Jenai yelled burying her face in Nickolas and hanging on to him. �Get it out of here!�
�Get rid of that thing,� Kevin demanded.
�Where do you want them?� the guy asked.
�Anywhere, but my house,� Kevin replied. �I don�t care where the hell ya take them.�
�Yes, sir,� the guy said walking away.
�Sergeant, we can�t find anymore snakes,� another guy said.
�Start looking,� Jenai snapped.
�I don�t care how long it takes you,� Kevin began, �but you�re going to get every single snake out.�
�How many are there?� the guy asked.
�About a dozen or so,� Nickolas replied.
�Alright,� the guy said and he walked away.
�Justin is on his way over with Dani,� Kevin said. �When they get here you�re��
�What happened to Dani?� Jenai questioned.
�She was almost hit by a car,� Kevin answered. �Justin�s watching her and when they get here ya�ll are going to the Marriott where I got ya a room.�
�I ain�t staying at any hotel,� Jenai rebutted.
�It�s the presidential suite,� Kevin stated.
�I don�t care if it�s the Lincoln bedroom,� Jenai said.
�It�s just for a couple days,� Kevin said. �Just so I know you�re safe.� She walked away. �Jenai!� She waved Kevin off and walked to the end of the block. �Go keep an eye on her.�
�Alright,� Nickolas said walking to Jenai. He sat beside her on the bench and she looked at him. �It�s not going to be that bad. I mean, you�ll have me and Dani and not some old guy.�
�Plus my ex who still wants me,� Jenai replied. �That�s why I don�t want to go.�
�Justin�s your ex?�
�Yeah.�
�He�s a cop?�
�It ended before he became a cop.� She sighed. �He was engaged to someone else while seeing me and of course I had to fall in love with him only to get my heart broken.�
�I�m sorry.�
�So am I. I thought he loved me also until he told me he was going to go ahead and marry this girl. I was angry and hurt and I hated him. Neither of us ended it officially ya know, but I think after eight months or so of complete hatred ya get the point.�
�Yeah.� They laughed. �But Justin ain�t married.�
�No. I just found out the other day that he realized on his wedding day how much he really loved me.�
�It�s got to be hard on you.�
�Very hard, cause I still love him in a sense and I�m afraid if we spend time together all those feelings will come back.�
�And you don�t want that?�
�No I don�t.�
�Well I�ll be there to stop you.� She grinned.
�Thank you.�
�You�re welcome.� They smiled.
�JJ!� came Dannika�s voice and they looked to see her and Justin.
�Hey, girl,� Jenai said getting up and they hugged. �Are you all right?�
�Yeah,� Dannika said. �Orlando pushed me out of the way.�
�Thank God for him,� Jenai said.
�I agree,� Dannika said.
�Hey, Justin,� Jenai said.
�Hey,� Justin said. �What�s going on here?�
�Snakes are on the loose,� Nickolas replied.
�Eww,� Dannika said.
�They were sent to me,� Jenai stated.
�I�m sorry,� Dannika said, as they sat down. �I can�t believe this is happening.�
�Me either,� Jenai said. �Have you talked to anyone?�
�Just Laken and Nikita; I didn�t say anything about the box though, cause they don�t need to go through this.�
�No.�
�How�s the knee?�
�The medicine is keeping the pain away so I can�t complain.�
�Will you be able to dance again? The club won�t be the same without you.�
�I hope I can.�
�She will,� Nickolas said.
�Brian said he�ll know more when it heals,� Jenai stated. �And I hope it�s soon.�
�It will be,� Justin said and Jenai looked at him, as he looked at her. �God won�t take it away.�
�Excuse me,� Jenai said getting up and walking away, as Nickolas watched her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Hey, Dani,� came a females voice and her and Justin looked.
�Summer, hey,� Dannika said getting up and hugging her. �What are you doing here?�
�We came to see JJ,� Summer said. �We ran into Detective Underwood and he said what was going on. He also said you were almost hit by a car.�
�I�m fine though,� Dannika said. �Thanks to Orli.�
�That�s good,� Summer said looking at Justin.
�Summer, this is Detective Timberlake,� Dannika said. �Detective this is Summer and Aaron, Detective Carter�s brother.�
�Hi,� Justin said, as they shook hands.
�Justin is the infamous ex of JJ,� Dannika said grinning.
�Oh,� Summer said. �I didn�t know.� Justin nodded.
�Where is my brother anyway?� Aaron said.
�Inside with JJ,� Justin replied.
�They should soon be out,� Dannika said. �But sit down and tell me about Hawaii.�
�It was great,� Summer stated. �Very beautiful.�
�Did ya have fun?� Dannika asked.
�Lots of fun,� Aaron replied. �No annoying family members or anything.�
�Aaron got us this nice secluded area and it was so romantic,� Summer pointed out. �We had so much fun.�
�It sounds it,� Dannika said. �Just by your voice and the look on your face.�
�Yeah,� Summer said.
�We�re sorry we weren�t here for Callen�s funeral,� Aaron apologized.
�It�s alright,� Dannika said. �I didn�t want that many people anyway.�
�I wish I was here for you,� Summer said.
�Don�t worry about it,� Dannika said. �It�s alright and plus I had everyone else.�
�It�s good ya have friends like Summer,� Aaron said.
�Yeah,� Dannika said. �They�re the best.�
�I can�t believe Kev�s making me go to that damn hotel,� Jenai complained and they looked.
�It�s nice and elegant,� Nickolas stated.
�It�s not even by the beach,� Jenai pointed out. �Who gets a hotel away from the beach?�
�It�s for your safety,� Justin said. �Like, everyone in the state knows how much you love the beach. The first place these people are going to look is the rental places by the beaches.�
�Well it sucks,� Jenai said. �I�d rather be by the beach so I can work on my tan.� She smiled.
�I�m sure there�s a balcony,� Nickolas said.
�Quit taking his side.�
�Well I�m going to be protecting your ass for however long.�
�Great; you couldn�t even protect your own.� She pointed to the bandage above his eye. �What makes you think you can protect mine?�
�I pushed you out of the way of a homicidal maniac.�
�Anybody can do that, right, Dani?� Dannika nodded. �I�ve been taken care of myself since I was eight. I think I can handle a couple maniacs.�
�Your life is in danger.�
�My life is not in danger. Why would these people kill me over some stupid box?� Nickolas shook his head. �When ya know me better, Nick, you�ll understand my thinking.�
�I highly doubt it.�
�You will.�
�Apparently Kevin thinks your life is in danger.� She looked at him.
�Kevin just tries to run my life.�
�I was assigned to protect you and that�s what I�m going to do.�
�No wonder I hate cops.� She sat down and they laughed, except for Nickolas. �Hey, Summer.�
�Hey, girl,� Summer said, as they hugged.
�Hi, Aaron,� Jenai said looking at him and smiling.
�Hey,� Aaron said returning the smile.
�I�m glad ya�s made it back in time for the climax,� Jenai said and in a deep voice added, �Tonight in the climatic part three of �Big Deal Over a Blue Box in LA� Jenai is home alone with the hunkalicious Detective Nick Carter and gets delivered a box full of snakes. What will happen? Find out tonight at the Marriott.� They all laughed except for Justin and Nickolas.
�I�m glad ya think this is just a big joke,� Justin said and they stopped laughing and looked. �Along with everything else.�
�The only joke was you and me,� Jenai rebutted.
�Ouch,� everyone said.
�This is your life you�re joking about,� Justin reminded her and she got up.
�Yes, Justin, my life and I�ll handle it anyway I want to,� Jenai said.
�Well I ain�t going to stand around and listen to you crack jokes about it, then laugh with you, and have you end up dead.�
�No one said you had to.�
�Well I love you and I just want you to make the right choice.�
�God, why do ya have to do this all the time? Every time we�re together ya got to mention the fact that you still love me. You couldn�t mention it eight months ago, so why now? Half the time I don�t even know why I ever loved you or why I still do at times.� She walked away and Nickolas followed her.
�I think she�s still pissed,� Summer said.
�Yeah,� Justin said walking away.
�Justin, where ya going?� Dannika asked.
�To get reassigned,� Justin replied and Dannika went after him.
�Wait a sec.�
�What?� They stopped.
�This is not the way to get her back.�
�She still hates me and I can�t change that.�
�Yes you can. You�re on this case for a reason and that reason is JJ. We�re going to be sharing a hotel, the four of us, and you can use that time in working things out with JJ.�
�Not if Carter has anything to do with it.� They looked and saw Jenai and Nickolas in an embrace.
�I�ll keep Nick occupied.� Justin looked at her. �I think she still loves you the way she used too.� He sighed. �Please stay on the case and be my protector.�
�Alright.�
�I�m sure things will work out for you and JJ.� She smiled and Justin looked over at Jenai, still embracing Nickolas.
CHAPTER 14
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