“Those memories are in my dreams, cousin, things I wish I would never have seen. Something happened to me while we were in that cell, because of the things I saw, something I can’t control.” I take a deep breath and lift my eyebrows. “I will write to you and make sure you know I’m okay. But I am going.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
MARLEY
“YOU LEFTher alone?” Mason shouts at Jax after we get home and tell the story.
I step up to Mason and glare at him. “I told him to. Chuck was right there, and he was only going to be a minute. The guy snuck in after I was in the store.”
“That’s what they do!” Mason bellows as he looks from me to Jax and angrily points his finger. “You know that!”
“You’re right, I shouldn’t have left her, that’s why I changed my mind and turned around and went back. It didn’t feel right.” Jax is standing resolute with his hands fisted at his sides.
We knew this would happen after we got back to the house. I even asked him if he wanted to not tell, but he insisted everyone needed to know. He already told me they were going to be pissed.
“I thought she was safe with you!” Mason yells again and I stand in front of him, putting my hands on his chest.
“Mason, stop.”
He looks down at me, and his face softens. “You know that was risky. Admit it.”
Nodding my head, I agree. “I know now I shouldn’t have told him to go. I thought Chuck being right there would be a deterrent, but I was wrong.”
Gray is standing in the arched doorway of the family room with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Jax.
I set my focus on Gray. “It won’t happen again.”
Gray doesn’t take his eyes off Jax. “How can I know he can be trusted?”
I can feel the anger wafting off Jax onto my back, and I’ve had just about enough. I step away from Mason and yell, “Enough, damn it!”
All eyes in the room turn to me in surprise and I take a deep breath. “It’s my fault. For the past fourteen years I have walked this earth afraid of my own fucking shadow.” I flick my eyes in Jax’s direction and then look at Mason. “Jax makes me feel normal.” Then I look at Gray and lower my voice. “For the first time in a long time, I felt like a normal woman without a damn black cloud over my head. I insisted he go because it felt good, and I just wanted to enjoy feeling like any other woman who stands on her own two feet.
“And as for whether or not he can be trusted is not up to you, it’s up to me. I trust him, he came back for me, and he took care of the guy who grabbed me.” I point my finger at my chest. “I trust him, Gray. I decide, not you.”
Gray’s jaw ticks in a clench, his eyes locked on mine. After a few moments, he pushes off the door frame and walks toward me, softly grasping my shoulders, he kisses my forehead and leaves the room.
Dad clears his throat and follows him out.
Turning my attention back to Mason, he is looking at the floor with his hands hanging from his hips. Keeping his headdown, he looks at me through his eyebrows. “Can I have a moment with Jax?”
I turn and look at Jax, and he nods.
“Fine, I’m going out to my stables.”
The rest of the day was mildly tense. Everyone tried to pretend like it was a normal dinner, but without all the family there talking over each other and laughing together, it was anything but normal. I could tell Gray was tense because he kept looking at Laney Rai’s seat, he’s not handling being so far away from her very well.
It’s no wonder he was so angry about the guy in the feed store, he’s already a tight bundle of nerves because Lainey Rai is outside of his protective bubble.
Just to show him I appreciate his concern, I kiss the top of his head and pat his shoulder when I leave the dining room. Without turning to me, his hand reached up and squeezed my fingers on his shoulder.
Everyone even turned into bed earlier than usual. So, now I’m staring at the lines of light shining through my blinds on my wall.
Wide awake.
Thinking of Jax.
All I can think about is how well I slept last night with him next to me. I normally toss and turn through the night, but I didn’t wake up once after I fell asleep next to him. I tried to fool myself by wearing his t-shirt that he left in my room this morning. It still smells like him. But it just makes me want him here with me more.
