* Jackson's P.O.V*

Buzz.

My phone vibrated on the counter waking me with an head start. I checked the time on the screen which read 4:30 AM. I slowly sat up in the couch. God I hate this damn couch, how people manage to sleep on couches is still a great mystery to me. My muscles ached from everything that happened yesterday. Ten men dead. One minute we were rushing to rescue Ashley from the mexican cartel, the next minute they were dead, just like that.

Poof.

I sat up in the couch and placed my elbows on my knee then rested my palms on my face trying to recap everything that happened yesterday. Only thing that came to my mind was Ashley, damn it why is she so stubborn? she had one job, and that was to stay put. Now ten men are dead and a cartel is after us. I wondered why they cornered her in the first place? I shrugged it off, maybe they just thought she was a nice piece of a—

No, I stopped myself. Off limits. Besides i'm pissed off at her at the moment. We have a few women in the mafia and they know to never disrespect any of us and always listen because it's for their best interest. Her on the other hand is a different ball game. My arm itched and as I went to scratch it I noticed the bandage wrapped firmly around my bicep. She signed her name in black sharpie without me noticing, next to her name in bubbly handwriting was a sentence that read 'get well soon jerkface'. A smile escaped my lips.

The memory of when I thought she died rushed back to me. The guy behind her was talking about killing both of us and I saw his partner pull out his handgun getting impatient, before he could shoot I instinctively dove towards her. I felt the bullet pierce through my skin as I grabbed her by the waist and pushed her on the ground, throwing myself underneath so she didn't hit the concrete. The back of her head lightly collided with the pavement, not hard enough to cause serious damage, but hard enough for you to want an entire bottle of advil.

I got up pushing back the pain and fired blindly —without missing of course, I never miss— at two guys wearing helmets. A few more ran out from the bushes leaving us outnumbered, that's when I realized these guys weren't just random pedophiles, they were part of a cartel. I notice the guy that had Ashley at gunpoint and followed in pursuit.

As soon as I stumbled past the bushes a firm fist collided with my face and I fell to the ground banging my head on an old log. After that mind switched off as my body worked, I just remember punching and punching and punching until he was on the ground and my knuckles were stained with his blood.

I remember climbing up a tree with the fight died down and just sitting there staring at her. I didn't think she was dead but when I left her she was completely dry, now there was enough blood to donate to eight people, just around her. I remember my arm aching and when I finally decided to give in to the shadows in my mind a voice called "Jackson?" It sounded sweet and kind but worried and scared.

Again the voice said, "Jackson?" repeating over and over again, I wanted it to go away because I was tired and needed sleep then the voice broke and said " I'm sorry" and my eyes slowly began to open. Then a male voice, very threatening spoke harshly. Something snapped when I heard her scream and I jumped down and finished the job.

Everything after that was a little blurry, I remember saying something about hospitals to ashley. She did something to me and deep down a part of me heard the same voice from the bushes say "you know you're kinda hot" I smiled getting comfy before muttering a valid response.

I stumbled to the bathroom and showered before brushing my teeth and going in the kitchen to make breakfast wearing only the white plush towel wrapped around my waist. In the kitchen humming away to a song playing from her phone. I leaned on the wall with a smirk. " I want whatever you're on"

She blushed. " Oh I Didn't realize you..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes roamed over my body.

" Yeah, I know, I know i'm kinda hot" The only way for me to confirm she said this to me last night was to bring it up again and see her reaction. Yeah, yeah what a jerk.

" Oh, um.." She squirmed as her cheeks got even redder and cleared her throat. " So I made omelets, enjoy" She tried to slip past me but I grabbed her arm and pulled her in.

I looked down in her green eyes and when she realized what I was going to talk about a little guilt washed over her features. She bit her lip nervously and I looked away for a second to clear my thoughts before saying,

" So about yesterday..."

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