“Okay.” Jax pulls a shirt on. “But I’m coming with you.”
“Jax …”
“Not negotiable.” His eyes are fierce. “I’m not letting you face him alone.”
Part of me wants to argue. Wants to prove I can handle this myself. But the truth is, I’m terrified. And having Jax there, solid and protective beside me, makes me feel like I can do this.
“Okay,” I whisper.
We walk to the door together. I’m wearing one of Jax’s flannel shirts over my pajama shorts, my hair is a mess, and I probably have hickeys visible on my neck. There’s no hiding what’s been happening here. I take a deep breath and open the door.
Chett is standing on the porch, his face red with cold and anger. He’s wearing his expensive North Face jacket and designer boots, the ones he bought for mountain adventures he promised me, but never actually did because hiking was too dangerous.
“Finally!” He pushes past me into the cabin. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? How many people are looking for you?”
“I told you I needed space …”
“Space?” He spins around, and that’s when he sees Jax. His eyes widen, taking in Jax’s size, his obvious just-rolled-out-of-bed appearance, and then they drop to me. To the shirt I’m wearing that’s clearly not mine. His face goes from red to purple. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Chett …”
“You disappear for days, won’t answer my calls, and you’re up here fucking some random guy?” His voice is rising, getting louder. “Are you serious right now?”
“Watch your tone,” Jax says, his voice deadly calm. He’s moved to stand slightly in front of me, his body language protective.
Chett’s eyes snap to him. “Who the fuck are you?”
“You need to calm down.”
“Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down?” Chett laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “This is my fiancée.”
“Ex-fiancée,” I correct, finding my voice. “We’re done, Chett. I told you that.”
“Because of one mistake? Because I had a moment of weakness?” He takes a step toward me, and Jax immediately blocks his path. “Baby, please. Can we just talk? Alone?” He glares at Jax.
“No.” The word comes out stronger than I feel. “I don’t want to talk to you. I want you to leave.”
“I drove hours through a fucking snowstorm to find you.”
“I didn’t ask you to!” I yell.
“I did it because I love you. Because we can work this out!” He tries to move around Jax, but Jax sidesteps, keeping himself between us. “Would you get out of the way?”
“Not happening,” Jax says calmly. “She asked you to leave.”
“This is none of your business.” Chett’s fists are clenched now. “This is between me and my girl.”
“I’m not your girl.” I step around Jax so Chett can see me. So, he must look at me. “You cheated on me. There are no second chances. We’re done. I don’t want to work it out.”
“You don’t mean that.” His voice softens, turns pleading. “You’re just upset. You’re not thinking clearly. Once you calm down …”
“I am calm. I am thinking clearly. Probably more clearly than I have in years.” My hands shake, but my voice stays steady. “I don’t love you anymore, Chett. Don’t think I have for a while.”
His expression hardens. “This is because of him, isn’t it?” He gestures at Jax. “Is this some kind of tit for tat, Sloane? I get it. I fucked someone, so you fuck someone. Fine, we’re even. Now would you come back home, and we never have to speak of this again.”
“No.”
Chett raises a brow. “No?”
