“Sugar, you need to go home, take a shower, get some food and more sleep than you’ve had since you got here.” I’m trying to persuade Jade to leave the hospital for a little bit. She’s in the same clothes as yesterday and hasn’t left my side, not even to eat. Between her mom and my mom, they’ve kept her hydrated and fed, but getting her to go home has been impossible.
“I’m not leaving your side. Where you go, I go.” Her arms are crossed over her chest, she’s got a hip cocked out, and her face means business.
“Jade, I’m about to have physical therapy in here. It’s gonna be a bitch, shit is gonna hurt, and I’ve gotta do this without worrying you’re worried.” Her face softens, she moves closer, and I’m tempted to jump out of this bed, grab her by her curvy hips, and plant a kiss on her fuckable lips.
“Fine, but I’ll be back.” My hand takes hers, and I bring it to my mouth and kiss it softly.
“I have no doubt about it.” The door creaks open, and my eyes clock the person immediately. I brace for what’s about to come, more than prepared that I’ll have to take whatever shit he’s about to shovel my way.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Jade’s body locks up, goes stiff as a board, and she closes her eyes for a moment and takesa deep breath. Meanwhile, Jace stands in the doorway, frozen, his eyes dropping to our hands. They’re laced, and I’m not letting her go, not yet at least.
“Jace,” I say his name as a warning.
“No, absolutely the fuck not. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” His voice goes up a notch. Jade stands up abruptly, meaning I lose her hand, and I also get her back, which makes me none too fucking happy.
“Knock it off. You wanna get loud, you do it with me and only me.” If Jace wants to fight fire with fire, then game fucking on.
“Jace,” my woman says with desolation in her tone, eating at my gut even more. “I can explain.” I lock my grip on her hip when she attempts to move closer to her brother.
“You bet your ass you will.” Jace crosses his arms over his chest and plants his feet shoulder-width apart in an attempt to put a lid on his anger. Too bad the tick in his jaw and the twitching around his eye tell a different story entirely.
“It’s not what you think,” Jade wades in.
“It’s exactly what I think.” I’m letting him get this out, bury himself in a hole so deep that he may not be able to dig himself out. “My best friend. My sister. You two sneaking around behind my back while I’m what? The clueless schmuck? How long, Locke?” He looks away from Jade and directs his gaze at me.
“Three months.” I’m not sugarcoating this, and I’m not fucking lying.
“You’re a piece of shit.” I flinch but don’t look away. I’m well aware of what I am and what I’m not, and that’s not it.
“Didn’t mean for it to happen, happened anyways. Love her, man.” Jade’s head whips around, tears forming in her eyes as a watery smile meets her lips, and she’s never looked more beautiful.
“You love me?” she asks.
“Love you with my whole heart, sugar.” I give her a smile, more than aware Jace is seething.
“You don’t fucking know what love is. Shit, you’ve been out with me every damn time I’m out. Didn’t hear you making excuses to stay with my sister.” And here it comes.
“Might have hung out with you, but my eyes never wandered. Didn’t talk to any of the women, either. Jade knew immediately. She knows I’m in this for the long haul. The reason we didn’t tell you, it’s right here. You’re ready to lash out, say shit you don’t mean because you can’t control yourself.” I’m poking the bear, but it’s time to get this shit over and done with, rip the bandage off with one swift pull.
“You’re dead to me.” Jace points his finger at me, and I hear the sharp intake of breath coming from my woman. “You crossed a line, one that not even you can come back from.”
“Jace, you don’t mean that. Jesus, he could have been killed, and here you are, saying things you can’t take back.” I flinch, because she’s absolutely correct. Shit could have gone entirely different. Had I not been quick to respond to them calling my name, screaming for me to move, the box truck would have run me over or at the very least crushed me in a manner that could mean organ issues and the possibility of never walking again. “We didn’t plan this. It just happened.” Jade’s voice breaks.
“Fuck,” I murmur under my breath. She’s done enough crying to last her a lifetime, and now that she’s doing it again, it’s pissing me the fuck off.
“Right, feelings just magically happen. Loyalty obviously doesn’t, from either of you, huh?”
“Enough, that’s e-fucking-nough. You wanna do this, we’ll do it when I’ve got two good arms, I’m not in a hospital, and where your sister, your mom, and my parents can’t barge in. Know this, Jace, brother or not, I’ll marry her one day. It’d suck for Jade to have to choose between her brother and me. You keep this shitup, that’s what it’ll come down to.” Jade’s head swivels between me and her brother. The soft look she gives me tells me she likes exactly what I’m saying, minus the part about her brother.
“Trusted you. Trusted both of you. Guess that’s on me. I’m fucking outta here.” My words didn’t sink in. He’s too wrapped up in what he’s feeling and can’t see the bigger picture.
“Jace, please,” Jade begs, moving toward him. I reluctantly let her go.
“Save it.” He turns away and storms down the hallway, voice booming, footsteps echoing off the tile.
“I’m going to go after him,” Jade tells me.
“Sugar, let him go. That’ll only make him madder.” I attempt to climb out of bed, got one leg thrown over the side, wincing at the pain it causes to my shoulder. The nurse took my sling off in preparation for physical therapy, and it’s backfiring right about now.
