I hear rustling around on the bed and break off, watching as Jack places the tray of food on the floor.
He sits back up, still wordless, and startles me as he leans forward to grab me by my waist. He pulls me in and maneuvers me, turning my body so I can face him.
His eyes lock on mine fiercely. “Besides what?”
As casually as I can manage, I explain that I’m nervous about his life catching up to him… to us.
“Jealousy with this much intensity is new to me. I won’t lie and pretend that I haven’t been a bit jealous of the women you’ve been with ever since… Anna.” I shrug, embarrassed. “But it was manageable. And I’m not sitting here trying to say I think you’d cheat or deceive me in any way. I trust you, Jack. Although, sometimes, that’s not enough when you have deep-rooted issues like I do. And I hate that for us. We’re too old for bullshit, and I should be stronger, but I don’t know how to control it.”
He leans forward again, this time pulling my legs onto his lap. “My beautiful B.” He cups my cheek, holding my stare for a beat before he whispers, “I’m not your dad, Annabelle. You can trust me. If you remember that, we can get through anything together. I promise you with all my heart that I will never hurt you, I will never leave you, I will always be your friend. I will do all I can to be the person you deserve. Someone I wish I could have been for you many years ago.”
I cast my eyes down, breathing deeply as immense emotions run through me.
He knows how much those words mean to me… I’ve always needed reassurance and stability.
The world only sees one part of me—the outgoing, party-loving Annabelle. But Jack knows it all… well, almost all. There’s still one thing I keep close to my heart, hidden from sight.
But besides that, he’s been there for it all.
“Hey, look at me,” he murmurs.
I slowly lift my gaze, taking in his beautiful face. After all these years, I’m still awed by the feeling I get deep down whenever I’m around him.
“I know you’re not my dad, Jack. I do, and I loathe that he’s still impacting my life in these ways. Why did he have to fuck me up so badly? Why couldn’t it have been anyone else to have seen him in bed with my aunt?” I cry.
His face drops at my words. “I don’t have the answers you’re looking for, sweetheart. I wish you hadn’t watched it. I wish that upon no one, not even my worst enemy. It’s a terrible thing to have witnessed, especially at a young age, but don’t let his deceit dictate your life.” He wipes away the few tears of frustration I’ve let escape my eyes before he continues.
“I know I’m not one to talk. I’ve let my parents,my dad, hinder my life as well. After being rejected as a son, I never wanted to feel let down again, so I went without a meaningful romantic relationship because of it. My parents and your dad are the screwed-up ones, yet we’re paying the price. It’s not fair, but many things in life aren’t, so from here on out, let’s try to move on and consciously make decisions for our future that will only better us.”
He stops to stare at me for a second while I sit here speechless. “Let’s choose better… let’s choose us. After years of thinking I was broken and unfixable, I see now that I was only waiting for you to put me back together. Two people with broken, jagged souls finding their exact fit to become whole again is pretty rare and unbelievable, don’t you think?”
My heart stops and my eyes fill with tears as I throw myself onto his chest. “Oh my God, Jack,” I croak, snuggling in close, needing the comfort of his arms.
His words are beautiful, and although I can’t express my feelings right now, I hope that with my touch, he can feel everything I’m trying to say.
“We both probably need to see a therapist. Who the hell knows? We’re pretty fucked up.” He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood, and it makes me smile the way he can always turn a situation around.
After composing myself and my wildly beating heart, I lean back and look into those mesmerizing green eyes. “You’re so special to me, Jack. I should have trusted that when you said you wanted to give this a try, you would give it your all.”
His face perks up. “What are you saying, B?”
This is all new to me, but I’m letting go of all my inhibitions and allowing my fractured heart to lead the way… Jack has all my pieces in the palm of his hand. What he does with them next is one of my biggest fears in life.
But it’s time to start trusting.
Otherwise, it will never work between us, and if he can let go of his past, the only way I have a fighting chance to do the same is with him by my side.
“I’m saying… I choose better. I choose us.” I gulp down my emotions. “I want you to take me on a date tonight. I want a redo of last night. I—” I break off, knowing the next thing I say will drive him insane in the best way possible. “I want my husband to take me on a proper date.”
“Oh, thank fuck!” He pushes the covers aside and hauls me onto his lap. Smooshing my face with his hands, he presses his lips against mine, kissing me hard and relentlessly.
His hands trail down my body, gripping my waist to grind my core against his impressive hard-on.
“Take your shirt off,” he mutters against my lips.
“What’s the rush,” I pant. “Shouldn’t we at least have one date, try to give it our all before we”—I waggle my eyebrows—“you know what.”
“Not happening. I don’t do things in halves, B. Well, I might bend you in half while I fuck the shit out of you, but myallincludes my dick that’s been hard for days on end now.” He smirks.
