�Not yet,� Justin said. �His boss said he finished his job and then took off. No one�s heard from him.�
�He might be on his way here,� Jakob said. �When he promises JJ he�s coming, he comes no matter what. Marty doesn�t know how to leave her down.�
�You better be right,� Kevin said, as there was a knock.
�That�s probably him,� Jakob said, as Kevin walked to the door and opened it.
�Marty, hey,� Kevin said. �C�mon in.�
�Kevin,� Marty said stepping inside. �I stopped by the house and Kristin explained what was going on. Is Jenai all right?�
�Yeah,� Kevin said. �She ain�t here though, but should soon be.�
�Hey, Mart,� Jakob said, as they shook hands.
�Jake,� Marty said then looking at Justin. �Justin.�
�Marty,� Justin said.
�I�m hoping my sister didn�t take you back and you�re here on police business.�
�You�re a funny guy, Wallace.� Justin gave a sarcastic laugh. �Remind me to book ya for my next party.�
�Only if ya pay good.�
�Will you two stop,� Kevin requested.
�We�re just messin�,� Justin said. �How�s it going man?�
�Good,� Marty said. �And you?�
�Alright,� Justin said, as the door opened and they looked.
�Marty!� Jenai yelled hurrying over to him and they hugged.
�JJ,� Marty said. �God I missed you, little sis.�
�I missed you too. Why didn�t you call?�
�I wanted to surprise you.�
�And you did.�
�I�m glad.� She hugged him again. �Is everything ok?�
�Yeah; why wouldn�t it be?�
�Kristin said what happened.�
�I�m fine, Marty. Kevin is just being cautious.�
�But you�re all right?�
�Yes, so stop worrying.�
�Ok.� They hugged again and Jenai spied Nickolas.
�Oh, Marty, I want you to meet someone.� She pulled him over to Nickolas. �This is Detective Nick Carter.�
�Nick,� Nickolas said.
�Detective, this is my brother, Marty,� Jenai said.
�And you�re not interested my ass,� Jakob said walking by and Jenai glared at him.
�Nice meeting you,� Nickolas said.
�Like wise,� Marty said, as they shook hands.
�Nick�s my �bodygaurd�,� Jenai pointed out. �He�s got to keep an eye on me so nothing happens.�
�She�s usually the suspect,� Marty stated. �And not the victim.�
�Because she likes kicking ass,� Jakob said walking by again.
�And you�re next if ya don�t shut up,� Jenai warned. �I�ll beat ya with this damn knee brace.� They laughed.
�Still violent I see,� Marty said.
�I ain�t violent anymore,� Jenai said. �I just give warnings.�
�Because Kevin threatened to keep her in lock-up for 30 days if she beat the shit out of someone again,� Jakob said. �And that was about, like, a year and a half ago I believe.� He smiled.
�Jakie thinks he�s a comedian,� Jenai said.
�Ya know ya love me.�
�Unfortunately.�
�I have to get out of here and get back to the station.�
�Ok.�
�I�ll stop by after work.� She nodded. �Nice seeing ya again, Marty.�
�You too,� Marty said and Jakob gave Jenai a kiss and walked away.
�Are you going to stay to eat?� Jenai asked.
�Actually I was hoping I could take you out.�
�I guess so, but Nick�s got to come along.�
�That�s fine. The more the merrier.�
�You were always such a nice guy.�
�You can bring Dani and Orlando if ya want.�
�Then that means Justin�s got to come along also.�
�It won�t be that bad.�
�Uh�� She looked at Justin, as he talked to Kevin. She looked at Nickolas and he shrugged. The door opened and Jenai looked. �Why don�t we take Summer and Aaron instead. � She looked at Marty.
�If ya want.�
�I do.�
�Alright.�
�Hey, Sum, Aaron, Marty�s buying us lunch,� Jenai said and they looked.
�Ok,� Summer said.
�Kev, we�ll be back,� Jenai said.
�Uh, ok,� Kevin said. �Alright.� Jenai gave him a thank you smile and went out with the others.
�Are ya sure it�s safe for her to go out?� Justin questioned.
�She�s with Marty and they hardly see each other,� Kevin answered.
�What if something happens?�
�She�ll be fine, because she�s with Nick. If anything happens he�ll let us know.�
�Well I don�t trust Carter.�
�But I do. What�s not to trust? He�s a good guy and a good cop; one of the best I got.�
�He�s too good.�
�I think you�re just angry, because I put Nickolas in charge of Jenai. If I put you in charge of her I�ll never hear the end of it.� Justin looked at him. �You still want her and she doesn�t want to be around you. I would�ve put you in charge, but she has enough to deal with right now and I didn�t want to add to that. I stuck Nickolas in charge, because I trust him enough not to let anything happen to her.�
�I still think I should be watching her.�
�But you�re not, Carter is. If you don�t like it then I can reassign you.� They looked at each other. �Is that what you want?�
�No.�
�Then stop complaining or you and Rich can switch with Chris and Jakob.� Justin sighed and walked away, as Kevin watched him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So how often does JJ see her brother?� Nickolas asked, as they walked the streets of downtown Los Angeles after lunch. Nickolas, Summer, and Aaron walked a few feet behind Jenai and Marty, as they spent sometime together.
�Not that often,� Summer said. �Last year he only made it to see her, like, five times, but he tries to stay as long at he can. I believe this is the fourth time this year.�
�It�s got to be hard for her,� Aaron said. �For both of them.�
�It is,� Summer started, �but JJ doesn�t show it. She doesn�t really talk about him either, because I think it hurts her too much not being with him. Did ya know her sister, Brianna, was murdered?�
�She mentioned it,� Nickolas said. �How�d it happen?�
�I don�t know,� Summer replied. �She doesn�t mention it. JJ was only 15 and Brianna was 19; that�s all I know and that her and Jakob were there when it happened.�
�Wow,� Aaron said. �She does have it tough.� Summer nodded.
�Maybe she needs true love to help her through it all,� Nickolas suggested.
�I think that�s one of her problems,� Summer said and they looked at her.
�Love?� Nickolas said.
�I think she�s afraid of the whole falling in love and being loved thing,� Summer stated.
�Why?� Aaron asked. �It�s great.� He smiled at Summer.
�Who knows,� Summer said. �She�s just got some issues.�
�Nick can help her out,� Aaron said and Nickolas grinned.
�I wear a law enforcement badge, as she so nicely put it last night,� Nickolas said. �She ain�t interested.�
�I think she is,� Summer said. �I noticed the way she was looking at you during dinner.� She looked at Aaron. �Like she wanted to jump your bones.� Aaron and her chuckled.
�Whatever,� Nickolas said.
�Didn�t ya see it when you were looking at her?� Summer asked.
�I wasn�t looking at her,� Nickolas lied.
�Ya can�t lie,� Aaron said. �I�ve seen ya. I�m your brother so therefore I know more than you think.�
�That�s what you think,� Nickolas said. �I wasn�t looking at her.� They looked at him. �Ok maybe once or twice, but did ya see the look her brother was giving me?�
�Nope,� Aaron said.
�Well it looked like he wanted to rip my face off,� Nickolas pointed out and they laughed. �I�m being serious. I wanted to cuff him so he didn�t have a chance.�
�Quit being paranoid,� Aaron said. �If ya have to worry about anyone ripping your face off for looking at JJ it�d be Detective Timberlake.�
�What�s with him anyway?� Nickolas wanted to know.
�He wants JJ back,� Summer said. �According to Dani anyway. I just met him for the first time the other week.�
�So you don�t know anything about their relationship?�
�Only that when they were together Justin was engaged to someone else the whole time.�
�For 3 � years?�
�Yeah; she was really upset when he told her he was going to go ahead and marry his fianc�e. That�s all I know. Did she tell you anything?�
�Just that she doesn�t want him anymore.�
�Because she wants you,� Aaron said.
�Will you shut up, please,� Nickolas pleaded.
�But of course ya got to get pass older brother,� Aaron reminded him. Nickolas just shook his head and looked ahead to Jenai.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So are you seeing anyone?� Jenai asked her brother.
�Kind of,� Marty replied. �I�m seeing a girl from work.�
�Cool; what�s her name?�
�Paulina; she�s thirty and an executive.�
�Is she nice?�
�Very; almost as nice as you.� He smiled and they stopped at a fruit stand.
�How long have you been seeing her?�
�About fourteen months.� She looked at him. �I didn�t say anything, because I was afraid it wouldn�t last.�
�You sound happy.�
�I am.�
�Then I�m happy for you.�
�That makes me happier.� She smiled. �I think she�s the one.�
�Really?�
�Yeah.�
�Can I meet her first before you decide on any permanent plans?�
�Of course. She�s coming home from New York today and I was hoping we could have supper.�
�I�d like that.�
�I want your opinion before I take the next step.�
�A proposal?� He nodded. �Cool.� She put some fruit in a basket.
�Did you meet anyone you�re interested in?� She shrugged. �You can tell your big brother.� She sighed. �Seeing anyone?�
�I haven�t been with anyone since Justin.�
�Is that still hard for you?�
�A little.�
�You need to find someone to forget him.� She looked at him. �You did find someone.�
�What? No I didn�t.�
�Your eyes say it, Jenai.� She didn�t say anything. �Unless you still want to be with Justin.�
�Don�t be silly, because I don�t.�
�Then who�s the man you�re interested in?� She didn�t say anything and looked across to Nickolas.
�It�s no one.�
�Don�t lie to me.� She looked at him. �I�m your brother remember.�
�I know that.� She looked back at Nickolas. �I don�t know if I actually like him or not.�
�Detective Carter?� She looked at him surprised. �I seen the way you were looking at him during dinner.�
�He�s a cop and�I don�t know.�
�He�s a nice guy.�
�I know.�
�Then forget the fact that he�s a cop and let him know you�re interested.� They looked at Nickolas, Summer, and Aaron. �I think he�s interested in you.�
�He is.� Marty looked at her. �I figured it out and confronted him last night. And he admitted it.�
�And you didn�t hook up yet?�
�We�re keeping it professional.�
�For now?� She shrugged. �Forget your grudge against cops and waste your time getting to know Detective Carter.�
�I am getting to know, Nick.� She sighed. �Ugh! Jakob�s right.�
�About what?�
�He said I only take the time to get to know guys if I like them.� They looked at each other. �I�m afraid to admit it, but he�s right.�
�Of course he is. He knows you better than me or Kevin do.�
�Please don�t tell anyone, Marty.�
�Your secret is safe with me.�
�Thanks.� She hugged him. �You�re the best.�
�I try.� She looked over at Nickolas and sighed. �Well I got to go to the airport and pick up Paulina.�
�Alright.�
�Do you want to come with?�
�Nah; I�ll just go back to the hotel and you can bring her by.� He nodded. �I want her to meet, Kevy.�
�Ok; I�ll see ya later then.� They hugged again.
�Later.� Marty walked away, as the other three approached.
�Where�s Marty going?� Summer asked.
�He�s got to pick up his girlfriend at the airport,� Jenai replied. �He�s coming by later though.�
�Cool,� Summer said.
�Yeah,� Jenai agreed, as she paid for her fruit and walked away.
CHAPTER 23
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