I jolted a little as Jett’s large palm was placed on the small of my back, and his warm breath tickled the shell of my ear as he whispered, “Easy, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
Even as my body hummed with desire from his touch, I settled at his words. Like the day I met him, when my world was spinning out of control, Jett was right there next to me once again. I knew without question that he’d protect me.
But he also had the ability to crush my heart and soul.
Though even with that knowledge, I knew I would followthrough with exactly what I’d told him before we got married—that I was going to love him until he loved himself. And then me. I knew we were meant to be together. I’d always known. I just hadn’t figured out how to tell him.
“I see our table,” Lyric said, pointing across the room.
Jett and I followed him and Ruby, my gaze locked on our group of friends—scared to look anywhere else because of who I might see—as we wove our way through the throngs of guests. When we reached our table, Jett’s hands left my back and I began to panic, my body going stiff. Sensing the shift in me instantly, he grabbed my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine.
“Breathe, Roo.”
At Jett's soft but commanding tone, air whooshed from my lungs, causing many sets of eyes to turn my way. We’d been the last to arrive. Our table was enormous, filled with every single couple we knew, some sitting and others standing around it.
Braxton and Jurnee, Gyth and Summer, Landon and Alley, Kace and Teal, Rowan and Brinley, of course Lyric and Ruby, who we’d come with, Bodie and Gemma, Paxton and Capri, Bronson and Lake, Lance and London, and last but not least, Huntley and River. They all chatted with one another happily.
The women looked stunning, and the men were gorgeous. I turned my head, one to avoid those watching me, and two, to look at the man, I mean myhusband,who stood by my side. His piercing blue eyes met mine, and my heart fluttered. The other guys may have been good-looking, I could go as far as hot even—acknowledging that fact in a purely brotherly way—but not one held a candle in my eyes tomyman.
I wanted him in so many ways, but they all seemed unfeasible at the moment.
Jett’s blue eyes darkened as they held my stare, and theworld around us seemed to fade away. Did he know what I was thinking? Was it possible he felt the same way? I wanted to be brave and ask him, but suddenly we were not alone, and the air around us shifted, grabbing everyone’s attention.
An uncomfortable silence spread through the group, only to be broken by Landon and Summer’s snooty, unfeeling parents. I’d been worried about who I’d run into, but my poor friends were having to deal with the people I knew they least wanted to see.
“Did you honestly have to come in here with—” the woman, who I knew was their mother from pictures I’d seen online, turned up her nose as she scanned the whole group, “them—” she flung her hand to gesture to us, “and embarrass our family?”
She was addressing Landon since he was right in front of her with Alley next to him, but Summer quickly rounded the table and flanked her brother in a sign of unity, her husband hot on her heels, coming to support her.
My eyes widened as I watched Landon move a few steps toward his parents and take a couple sideways to position himself in front of his wife, clearly trying to block Alley from their gazes, which held disdain and were trained on her.
Of all the group, Landon and Lance were the only men not former military, but that didn’t stop them from looking badass when it came to their wives and families. Landon was clearly stepping up to the plate as we all watched to see how it would unfold.
And boy, was it a sight to witness.
“I’m not embarrassing anyone.” His voice was deeper than usual, clear with a hint of menace to it. “My family,” he motioned to all of us behind him, his hand waving over our whole group much as his mother’s had seconds ago, “is fucking amazing and better than most people in this room.”
His mother gasped, throwing a dramatic hand to herchest when he cussed, and I had to fight a giggle. Was this woman for real?
“Her acting needs some serious work.”
When Jett gave a small chuckle, I realized I had said that out loud. I looked around me to see a few other faces with laughter dancing in their eyes and knew Jett hadn’t been the only one to hear me.
I didn’t have time to worry about it long because Landon wasn’t done, and everyone was focused on him again.
“Let’s make one thing clear. You. Are.Not.My. Family.”
His mother’s eyes turned to slits like a cat about to strike, and I was waiting for her claws to come out, but it was his dad who spoke then.
“Don’t you dare speak to your mother in that tone again.” Then his gaze slid to Summer’s as he took a step toward her. “And you?—”
That was all he got out before a low growl stopped both his words and movements.
“Don’t you dare speak to her,” Gyth said, his voice scary as hell. “If you come any closer, the scene that will play out will get ugly.”
Landon’s father moved back and then looked behind him at the crowd of people watching curiously. Grabbing his wife’s hand, he turned and, together they quietly retreated.
After a beat of silence, it was of course Alley who broke it.
