�Just a little argument,� Justin replied.
�A little argument?� Jakob repeated. �She decked you.� He looked at them. �What was said?�
�Nothing,� Justin lied.
�Don�t give us that shit,� Marty said.
�It�s none of your concern,� Justin stated. �It�s between me and JJ and no one else.�
�When it�s JJ it is our concern,� Kevin reminded him.
�Well this ain�t,� Justin replied. �Pest me all ya want, but I ain�t saying anything.�
�Either you tell us or JJ will,� Marty said. �Ya know she will too.�
�Well it�s her decision,� Justin said. �I just said something I shouldn�t have, because I know it ain�t true.�
�What�d you say?� Jakob asked.
�The wrong thing,� Justin replied. �And that�s all I�m saying so forget it.�
�There�s no use in making this complicated,� Jakob stated.
�I ain�t making anything complicated,� Justin said. �You�re just making it seem complicated.�
�Because it is,� Kevin said. �What the hell is going on?�
�Nothing,� Justin said. �I brought her some food and suggested we talk; she got huffy right away.�
�What part of �it�s over� don�t you understand?� Jakob questioned. �It�s been eight months.�
�I still love JJ and I ain�t giving up on her or on us,� Justin replied. �I know she still loves me deep down and I�ll make her realize it.�
�But she doesn�t,� Marty said. �Maybe she does in a way, but it�s not enough to take you back anymore. Let her go and move on like she wants to do.�
�We have a future and you all know that,� Justin said.
�No you don�t,� Kevin said. �You did eight months ago, but not anymore.�
�We still do,� Justin said and they all shook their heads.
�Justin, as your Sergeant,� Kevin started, �I�m going to give you a warning and one warning only. Keep your distance from Jenai or you�re off the case and reassigned. If I even suspect that you went near her or she says you bothered her, you�re reassigned. If I even hear from anyone that you went near her you�re reassigned. If I see you near her you�re reassigned. You only go near her if you have to and not because you want to.� Justin just looked at him. �If she comes near you walk away or you�ll be reassigned. As your Sergeant, do I make myself clear enough for you to understand?�
�Yes, sir,� Justin said.
�Good,� Kevin said. �And remember this is your only warning.� Justin nodded. �Now excuse me.� He went back inside and Marty followed.
�Kevin can sure be a prick,� Justin said.
�Well that prick is doing you a favor,� Jakob stated. �When JJ gets angry she gets angry. If you piss her off again she�ll kick your ass and put you in the hospital. And you know she will.�
�She never did before.�
�Well things are different now. If she�s got to kick the shit out of you for you to understand that it�s over she will. She ain�t going to put up with your constant nagging and pressure about your ended relationship. You know how she gets.�
�I just miss being with her.�
�Well get use to it, because she ain�t going to go back to ya.�
�Yeah, well I still got hope that we�ll get back together.�
�Then I can�t shatter that hope. You�ll just have to hold onto that hope then; that�s all I can say.�
�Yeah.�
�Be a mature adult and just be her friend.� Justin grinned and Jakob went back inside.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nickolas walked the stairway looking for Jenai, since that�s where the guard said she went. He got to the tenth floor when he heard a woman crying. He got to the bottom and saw Jenai sitting in the corner. She had her knees to her chest, her arms on her knees, and her head in her arms crying. Nickolas walked over and knelt in front of her.
�Hey beautiful,� Nickolas said putting his hands on her shoulders.
�Go away,� Jenai said.
�Will you look at me please?�
�What for?�
�So I can see your gorgeous face.�
�That�s a lie. I never felt so ugly in my life like I do right now.�
�What happened with Justin?� She shook her head and finally looked at him. �Look at you, your make-up�s all smeared.�
�What does it matter? I�m a cheap whore anyway.� He wiped her eyes.
�Is that what Justin said?� She shrugged. �JJ, don�t��
�He�s right ya know.�
�I highly doubt that.�
�He never made me feel so bad in my life; not even eight months ago.�
�It shouldn�t matter what he thinks.�
�But it does.�
�Why? I thought it was over?�
�It is over, but I still want us to be friends. He�s ruining what we have left like he ruined what we had and I hate him for it. He�s a good and smart guy, but he�s too stupid to realize we�ll never get back together.�
�Maybe he needs to see you with someone else to realize it. That�s how I got over my ex. I realize now it was never meant to be and I�m happier now.�
�He sees me with you and he doesn�t care.�
�Because I�m a cop and you hate us.� He chuckled and she gave a little grin. �You shouldn�t let one negative comment from your ex put you down. In all reality he�s a jerk and you know it.� She didn�t say anything. �Perhaps you should just keep your distance from him. When he approaches you, just walk away.�
�It sounds easier than it is.�
�You can do it, because I got faith in you.� She grinned and he sat beside her. She looked at him and he wiped her eyes again. �Stop those tears and dry those eyes.�
�I can�t help it. I get emotional when my feelings are hurt.�
�No man is worth your tears and the one that is won�t make you cry.�
�You sound like my cousin.�
�They sound like a good person.�
�He is; he always has the best advice.�
�That�s good.�
�I don�t know what�s worse; the psychotic after me or Justin�s obsession with me.�
�I don�t think Justin�s obsessed with you.� She looked at him. �Ok, maybe a little bit he is.�
�You don�t know Justin like I do, Detective. When he wants something he goes after it until he gets it.�
�Are you going to let him win you?�
�No, because I ain�t anything to be won.�
�No you�re not.�
�Thanks a lot.� She shook her head.
�I didn�t mean that way.� She looked at him and grinned.
�What?� He shook his head. �Don�t give me that. What are you grinning about?�
�Nothing; it�s stupid really.� He sighed. �So what�d Justin say to piss you off?�
�I just told him to move on, because I did and he accused me of sleeping with Jakob and��
�And?� She looked at him a quick second and then looked away just as quickly. Nick sighed. �Me?� She nodded. �Is he jealous of me?�
�I believe so.�
�What did you tell him?�
�The truth; that we�re not sleeping together. Even if we were it wouldn�t be his business. He basically called me a slut.�
�No it wouldn�t and you�re not a slut.� She sniffled. �You ok?�
�Yeah; it�s just my knee. I shouldn�t have taken the brace off.�
�No you shouldn�t have.�
�Brian�s going to bitch at me when I get back to the room.�
�You�re a tough girl so you�ll get through it.� He smiled. �You can get through anything.�
�Thank you.�
�For what?�
�Making me feel a little better.�
�It�s nothing.� She smiled and they got closer. �I just don�t like seeing a beautiful woman crying.�
�I hate cops when they try to make me feel better.�
�Why?� They got even closer.
�Then it makes me trust them.�
�You don�t have to trust me if ya don�t want to.�
�Ok.�
Their lips touched and they heard, �Marty, I can�t just take him off the case, because he�s interested in Jenai.� Jenai and Nickolas pulled apart and looked.
�It�s Kevin and Marty,� Jenai said.
�Yeah,� Nickolas said disappointed, as they came into view.
�He�s hurting her, Kevin,� Marty said. �Are you just going to stand back and watch it happen?�
�I gave him his orders,� Kevin said. �If he doesn�t follow them he�ll be reassigned. As Sergeant I can make that happen.�
�Who�s getting reassigned?� Jenai questioned.
�No one yet,� Kevin answered. �If they don�t follow orders then they will be.�
�Who?� It better not be Nick, because if��
�The only order Nick has is keeping you out of harms way and he�s doing a good job.�
�He�s a good detective.� Jenai smiled and looked at Nickolas.
�That�s why he�s protecting you.� Nickolas and Jenai smiled at each other and Kevin rolled his eyes. �Are you all right?�
�Hmm?� Jenai looked. �Yeah.�
�Ya sure?� Marty asked.
�Yeah,� Jenai replied. �I�m fine. Detective Carter cheered me up.�
�It was nothing,� Nickolas said.
�Are you coming back up?� Kevin wanted to know.
�Yeah,� Nickolas said.
�Alright,� Kevin said helping Jenai up. �Then we�ll talk about what happened with Justin.�
�No we won�t,� Jenai said. �It�s between us and no one else.� Nickolas looked at her. �I�ll talk to Justin about it.� Kevin gave a disgusted sigh. �That�s not going to work. You don�t need to know about every fight Justin and I have. It�s our business.�
�And we don�t want you hurting,� Marty said.
�Yeah, yeah,� Jenai said going up the steps.
CHAPTER 26
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