�So she made it home safely then?� Kevin said.
�Yeah�home? She lives with you?�
�Yeah; in our basement.�
�Oh.� Just great, Nickolas thought. �How did that happen?�
�She�s like family to Kristin and when her parents abandoned JJ, Kris gave her a place.�
�So if I want to visit JJ I got to visit you also? Is that what you�re saying?�
�Yeah.� Kevin chuckled. �Jenai doesn�t like cops so I highly doubt she�ll let you visit.�
�And why doesn�t she?�
�Nobody knows why exactly. She said she doesn�t want to live with that fear of them getting shot in the line of duty.�
�But you and everyone else think it�s more.�
�Yeah; besides me there�s only one other cop she really associates with.�
�Let me guess�Underwood.�
�Yeah.�
�What�s the story with those two?�
�Why?�
�They were all chummy-chummy earlier.�
�They�ve been through a lot together.�
�Right. Are they an item?�
�Why? Ya interested in Jenai?�
�Maybe.�
�Well she�s not into cops of any kind and I don�t think she�ll make an exception for you.�
�But you didn�t answer my question.�
�No they�re not an item and never were.�
�Then who�s the cop she dated?�
�None to my knowledge. Why?�
�She said her ex is a cop and he dumped her for Miss Fake Tits.�
�It was before he became a cop.�
�I see.�
�If you�re so interested why don�t you talk to her?�
�She�s got that �I�ll-kick-your-ass-if-come-near-me� attitude thing to her. I�ve seen her at Club Z.�
�I�m sure you have.�
�Haven�t you?�
�She�s like a sister so I don�t go and watch her dance and strip.�
�She�s really good.�
�I�ve seen her dance. She got many offers to Julliard, but she won�t go.�
�Why not? She�s got talent.�
�No one knows.�
�Of course.�
�Why don�t you do your job so I can get on with mine?�
�Alright; just trying to make conversation.�
�Just watch JJ. As long as this guy thinks she has the box he�ll do anything to silence her.�
�Right.�
�Keep your eye on her.�
�I will.� He put the walkie-talkie on the dash and looked at his watch. It�s going to be a long night, he thought sighing and looking over to Kevin�s.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jenai finished her dance routine and stood on the stage in the backyard. Kevin built it for her so she had somewhere to practice instead of the parlor. She sat on the edge of the stage and picked up her water bottle. She took a long drink and sighed listening to the music blaring from the stereo. Her dance music changed to something slower and she made a face. Tonya Mitchell�s �I Don�t Want to Fall in Love� poured from the speakers and Jenai laid back and thought about Nickolas.
�Ugh! What�s wrong with me? I hate cops, but he seems so different from the rest. But he can�t be. There�s no way I have feelings for him. No way in hell. I won�t let myself get sucked into that cop world. It ain�t going to happen, because I�ll fight it.�
�Hey, JJ?� Kristin yelled from the porch. �Ya hungry?�
�Uh, yeah.�
�Alright; it�ll be done in ten.�
�Ok!� She sighed and went back to her thinking. Damn, she wanted to kiss him today, but something stopped her. Not just something, but someone�Dannika. Dannika stopped her and she hated it. She hated Dannika and she hated herself. She hated herself for letting herself fall for this�cop. She had no idea what she was going to do. Se had no idea how she left this happen. He stood her up, yet she still wanted him�even more than before. Anyone else that did that she wouldn�t give them a second thought. It was different with Nickolas though. He actually showed concern for her and seemed very sorry for standing her up. Maybe he wasn�t such a jerk of a cop like she thought. After all, Jakob said he was nice and Kevin seemed to like him. Perhaps she should give him a chance. He did save her life after all�twice and she owed it to him. She sighed and took her hands over her face, as she got this sharp pain in her knee. �Ahh!� She bolted up and brought her left knee up and held it, as Kristin ran out.
�Jenai!� She ran over to a tearful Jenai. �What happened?�
�I don�t know.�
�Did ya see anything?�
�No; I was just laying here.�
�Hold it right there!� Nickolas yelled and the two girls jumped and looked. �I heard a scream.�
�It was JJ,� Kristin said, as Nickolas ran over and put his gun away.
�What happened?� Nickolas asked getting in front of Jenai.
�Someone just busted my knee,� Jenai replied through tears and Nickolas got out his radio.
�It�s going to be alright,� Kristin said comforting her.
�Send an ambulance to Sergeant Richardson�s house,� Nickolas said into the radio. �And send back up.�
�It hurts,� Jenai said in pain. �It really hurts.�
�Did you see anything?� Nickolas asked and Jenai shook her head.
�I was just taking a break,� Jenai said still crying.
�Stay with her,� Nickolas said to Kristin. �I�m going to scan the area quick.�
�Alright,� Kristin said and Nickolas ran off.
�It hurts,� Jenai repeated.
�I know, Sweetie, but you�ll be fine.�
�It hurts.�
�Shh!� She smoothed her hair back. �Helps on the way.�
�Make the pain stop.�
�It will; I promise.� They heard gunfire and looked towards the woods.
�Nick,� Jenai whispered and Kristin looked at her. They waited a couple minutes then heard the ambulance.
�I�ll be right back,� Kristin said, but Jenai kept her gaze towards the woods.
�Nick.� She looked for him, but didn�t see him. �Nick.�
�Let�s get a look at that knee,� Hailie said, but Jenai didn�t budge. �Jenai?�
�Nick,� Jenai whispered.
�Jenai!� Kevin yelled running over. �What happened?�
�Someone just smashed her knee,� Kristin said.
�Nick went in the woods after him,� Jenai said still crying, but this time over Nickolas and they all knew it.
�What?� Kevin questioned. �Angel! Estrada! Let�s go!�
�Kevin, be careful,� Kristin pleaded.
�JJ, I need to look at your knee,� Hailie said and Jenai looked at her. Jenai left Hailie look at her knee, but Jenai looked towards the woods. She and Kristin watched a couple minutes, as everyone else rushed around.
�Somebody get a stretcher!� Kevin yelled and Kristin ran over.
�I�m fine, Sarge,� Nickolas said looking at Jenai, as she slowly made her way over. �I�m perfectly fine. Just a scratch.�
�The doctor will decide,� Kevin said.
�Are you all right?� Jenai wanted to know.
�Yeah,� Nickolas assured her.
�Good,� Jenai said and Nickolas smiled, but Jenai made sure it didn�t last, as she punched him.
�Jenai!� Kevin yelled and Kristin held her back.
�That�s for making me worry ya damn prick,� Jenai snapped. �For the second time.�
�Get on the stretcher, Carter,� Kevin demanded and Nickolas did so without protest. �This is why you don�t play hero without backup.�
�Just wanted to save the day,� Nickolas said.
�But you�re a rookie,� Kevin said. �I�ll decide what you do.�
�Why are you here anyway?� Jenai asked and wincing in pain, as Kevin picked her up and set her on the bottom of the stretcher.
�To keep an eye on you,� Kevin replied, as they started moving.
�I don�t need a sitter,� Jenai said. �You do this every damn time.�
�I�m just looking out for you,� Kevin said.
�I can�� Jenai began and interrupted.
�Take care of yourself,� Nickolas finished. �Are you going to come up with a new line anytime soon?�
�How about �I�m going to kick your ass.� Is that good?�
�I guess it�ll do for now.�
�Go to hell.�
�I�ll see ya there.�
�How can you put up with this guy, Kevy? He�s an ass.�
�He�s a good guy and a good cop,� Kevin replied.
�If you believe that,� Jenai said.
�I do,� Kevin said picking her up and putting her in the ambulance. They put Nickolas in and Jenai left out a sigh.
�I ain�t riding with him,� Jenai complained moving, but stopped. �Son of a bitch!�
�Just stay where you are,� Kevin said.
�I�ll follow in the car,� Kristin said and Jenai squeezed her eyes shut in pain.
�Shit!� Jenai said, as the doors closed.
�You�ll be fine,� Nickolas said taking her hand, but she said nothing and just looked at him.
CHAPTER 9
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