I chew the cake in my mouth, rolling the jam and cream around my tongue before I swallow. I glance at Jesse, looking for help. Jack always puts me on edge. The more aggressive and cockier of the two.
“I’ll keep you company until he gets off.” His lips curl into his usual teasing smirk. He trails his fingers up my thigh, then leans in, his breath fanning my cheek as he whispers, “Or I can get you off instead.”
The cake I just swallowed threatens to come back up. Marie glares at me with a tight lip. Lucy said she hates sharing her man, but Jack won’t let up. She has nothing to worry about with me. I lift his hand from my thigh. “Not now Jack.”
He chuckles with a sinister grin. “I’m just fucking with you. Jesse has a thing for you. He’d bust my ass if I wet my dick before he does.”
If it wasn’t for Kane invading my thoughts, I would have probably dated Jesse. Good thing I didn’t. I take a sip of my latte, even though it’s still too hot, but I welcome the burn, wishing it was a shot of something stronger.
Jesse sits down at the table, leaving Marie to finish the orders. He takes my hand, stroking his thumb over my fingers. “You’re coming home with us, right?”
Jack smiles, biting his lip.
I roll my eyes. “There’s something you need to know.” I pause. Not wanting to repeat everything. Jack is unpredictable and I can never guess what mood he’s in or how he’s going to react. Jesse can tell him the truth of it all.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me tonight when you’re in my bed.”
“Dude, fuck’s sake. She’s your cousin.”
Jack laughs, looking between Jesse and me. The grin on his face drops when he sees we’re not laughing. “You’re serious?”
Jesse nods.
“How?” he whisper-yells, causing a few heads to turn our way.
“Uncle Gavin is her dad.”
“I thought Kane was your dad.”
“No. Mum just put his name on the birth certificate.”
“Why?”
I shrug my shoulders and stare into my latte. “She killed herself after giving me up, so we’ll never know.” Tears make my vision blurred, the latte swirling into a milky haze.
Jack slides an arm around my back and pulls me into his chest. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to him and the kindest he’s been without his joking and teasing. “Our mum bailed too, leaving us with Dad.” He kisses my forehead and cups my cheeks. “You’re one of us now. You have a home with us.”
Tears drip onto my cheeks, and he swipes them with his thumb. I always wanted to see his softer side and wondered if he actually had one.
“Dry your tears. We’ll get him back for keeping you from us.” His eyes darken. Fear creeps into my chest. I don’t want revenge. I don’t want him hurt. As much as I’m hurting now, I still love the man.
“I’ll lock up early, and we can go home. Dad’s gonna want to hear about this.” Jesse scrapes the chair back as he stands and flips the sign on the door to closed to stop any more customers coming in, then disappears in the back.
Jack still has his arm around me. Marie looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp. She can fuck off. I can’t be arsed with her drama today.
Once the last customer leaves, Jack and I follow Jesse and Marie out the door. Marie jingles her keys in her hand, holding them up in front of Jack. “My place tonight. My parents are out of town.”
He throws his arm around my shoulder. “Not tonight, baby. I have other stuff to take care of.”
She looks between the two of us. “You know, I think this game has gone far enough.”
“I said not tonight, Marie.”
“You know my parents are away this weekend. We had plans, and she turns up and you both drop everything for some sick revenge that has nothing to do with you.”
“Revenge?”
She laughs. “You didn’t think the boys really liked you, did you?”
