I stomp to the front door, let myself in, and then stomp up the stairs. I pause outside Jade’s door and listen carefully for a moment. He is still awake, reading a book by the sounds of it.
Time to take a deep breath and get rid of my grumpiness. Jade can normally handle me at my worst. But I’m pretty sure he is not at his best right now.
I knock softly.
“Come in.”
Moss green eyes greet me as I walk in, but they quickly look away. His shoulders drop. My stomach clenches. The poor boy.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Much better, thank you. I’m so very sorry for allthe trouble I caused.”
Damn it. It looks like he is about to cry. Shame always was Jade’s response in the harem. Apparently it is his go to emotion. Shitty things that are out of his control happen, and he feels guilty about it.
Whereas I respond by being a grumpy, nasty asshole.
Where are the nice boys? Lello, Pink or Red, should be here. Comfort is much more their wheelhouse than mine. I could run away and find one of them. Turn around and walk out.
I suck in a breath. I really am a dickhead. What if I was standing by Noah, Oscar, or Lottie’s bed, and they were really upset? I wouldn’t have any problem with it at all.
Jade is practically a kid too, and I’m perfectly capable of being nice. Cantankerous Ned was a shield I wore in the harem. It was what got me through. But we are not in the harem anymore. I’m free, unfettered, and in love with a wonderful man. A wonderful man, who, for some bizarre reason, seems to have feelings for me in return.
There is more than enough warmth within me to share with Jade in his hour of need.
“Hey, it wasn’t your fault,” I say.
Jade’s eyes stay firmly fixed on his lap. He looks like a picture of misery and not at all convinced by my words.
“It was a little bit of excitement in my boring life,” I try.
My terrible attempt at humor earns me nothing more than the very slightest of nods. It’s fitting. And no less than I deserve. Hells, I truly suck at this.
What would I do if it was one of the kids, or Morgan, who needed me?
“Can I give you a hug?” I ask.
Startled green eyes lift up to look at me. He blinks and then gives me a tiny nod.
“Scoot up then,” I say brightly as I climb into his bed.
Jade makes room for me and I pull him down into a spoon, wrap my arms around him, and hold him tightly. He is ramrod straight for a moment, and then he sighs before deflating like a balloon.
“Thanks,” he breathes softly.
“It really was no bother,” I say.
I mean, I had to abandon the kids, so I thought I was going to lose my job, so I had to confess my dark past to Morgan in the hopes he’d understand and allow me to continue being a part of the children’s lives.
Which then led to me having a freak out and crying in Morgan’s arms all night. Which definitely brought us closer together and probably led to the whole kissing and making out thing that happened tonight. Which is hopefully going to lead to a relationship.
But Jade does not need to know any of that. He can remain in ignorant bliss of that convoluted chain of events. It all worked out wonderfully in the end, and that is all that really matters. But it definitely was a bother and I’m lying my ass off for saying it wasn’t.
“You’d do the same for me,” I say softly.
Jade nods frantically. “One hundred percent! I’d do anything for you, for any of the boys!”
My heart stirs and that gross, warm tingly feeling returns. Apparently, having a found family is incredibly pleasant. Look at me, two whole families and a home. I’m quite sure I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it nonetheless.
