Where You Belong (The Blackwells of Montana #5)
Prologue
brOOKS
Fifteen Years Ago
“So they’re delivering the flowers?” I ask Mom while I tap my pocket for the fortieth time in the past five minutes.
The ring’s still there.
“Yes. In thirty minutes. Sweetheart, we have this handled.” She pats my cheek, and her eyes fill with tears.
“Don’t do that.”
“You’re my baby, and you’re about to ask that girl to marry you, so I’m allowed to shed a tear or two. Are you sure this is what you want? You’re both so young, Brooks.”
I’ve never been more positive about anything in my life.
I’ve loved Juliet, my wildfire, since I was sixteen. More than five years. She’s it for me. The beginning and the end, and I want to marry her.
I need to marry her.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“She’s not even out of college yet. You have so much time ahead of you. Let her graduate, come home, and then propose. That’s only a few months away.”
“Mom.” I kiss her on the head, and she wraps her arms around my middle, giving me a hug. “I know you worry. But everything’s fine. We’ll get engaged now, and with everyone’s help, I can get the house fixed up by the time she gets home from college.”
“I’m glad you seem to have it all figured out.” She pats my chest and steps away. “Everything will be ready by the time you get here. Flowers, the food, everything is ready.”
I smile at her. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Of course. You’re my baby.” She winks at me, and I step outside, where my brothers toss around a football and Dad cleans the grill.
After I take Jules to the spot I have planned and propose, we’ll come back here for a celebratory dinner with my family. Her mom can’t come because she’s working the night shift at the hospital, but she said she’d try to get off work early to stop by.
It’ll be a small party for now, and that’s fine. I’ll give her a big wedding later.
“I ordered the lumber for that bathroom,” Dad says. He’s excited to help me renovate the little house I bought.
Thank God. Because no way could I afford to hire it out, and I want it mostly done by the time she comes home for good in a few months. The house isn’t that bad. Nothing a new bathroom, flooring, paint, and elbow grease can’t fix up.
“Thanks.” I pat Dad on the shoulder, then check the time. “I have to go.”
“Good luck, buddy.” He grins at me, and I saunter down the steps, wave at my siblings, then hop on my Harley after making sure I have her helmet and leathers with me.
My wildfire loves the bike.
When I pull up to Juliet’s mom’s house and cut the engine, I frown when she doesn’t come bounding out of the house with a big smile for me. Shit, I haven’t seen her since Christmas, and even that trip was cut short. I’m anxious to get my hands on her.
I’m going to kiss the fuck out of her.
And if she doesn’t get her fine ass out here, I’ll push her back to her bedroom and fuck her six ways to Sunday, and while that’ll definitely be happening at some point today, I have a plan to execute first.
Shit, I’ve been working my ass off at Old Man Hanson’s garage for the past two years to make today happen. Saved every dime, worked overtime, and took side jobs. I need to get this ring out of my pocket and on her finger.
I pat the pocket again, then knock on the door.
No one answers.
The fuck?
I knock again, and this time the door swings open, and Jules is there, but instead of a big smile, she’s crying.
“Whoa. Baby, what’s wrong?”
She’s got her phone to her ear, but I don’t care. I immediately pull her against me, rubbing my hand up and down her back.
“No, don’t let him do that.”
Fuck. Me. Sideways.
I know exactly who she’s talking about.
If this motherfucker ruins this for me, I’ll hunt him down and kill him myself.
“I don’t care how you have to get in there, break down the fucking door,” she yells as she pulls out of my arms and stomps into her bedroom. I’m right behind her.
And to my complete horror, she starts to pack her suitcase.
“You’re not going back today,” I tell her, but she’s shaking her head, ignoring me. “Juliet. JULIET.”
Her head snaps in my direction, and her face crumples. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hang up the phone, Jules.”
But she ignores me and keeps talking into the device, and my blood starts to fucking boil.
“What was that noise? Did you break down the door? Good. What’s he … oh, shit. Fuck! Call the ambulance. I’m on my way.”
“No. You’re not.”
She’s tossing things into the suitcase, not even glancing my way, and it pisses me the fuck off.
Taking her phone from her hand, I end the call, toss the phone on the bed, and take her by the shoulders, turning her to me.
“Why did you do that?” she demands.
“You just got here, baby. You’re not going to turn around and go back to Seattle.”
“Brooks, I’m so sorry.” She leans her forehead against my chest and fists her hands into the fabric at my sides. “I miss you so much, and I needed to see you. But Justin tried to kill himself this morning, so I need to get home—”
Shit. Not this again.
“You are home.”
“You know what I mean.”
Shaking my head, I pace to the other side of the room and turn to glare at my girlfriend. The love of my fucking life. The one person in this world who knows me inside out and loves me anyway.
“Eight people live in that house, Jules. He has people to help him.”
Justin has been one of her roommates for the past two years, and I hate the fucker. He manipulates the hell out of my girl, and she refuses to see it.
He’s the reason she went back to college early at Christmas.
He’s the reason she ends our evening calls before either of us is ready.
He’s the reason for every fucking fight we have.
“I know, but they can’t get through to him like I can. Brooks, I don’t want to hurt you, but he could die, and that would be on my conscience. I have to go calm down the situation, and then I can come back.”
“I need you here.” I cross to her and cup her face. “Baby, I need you here. I haven’t seen you in months. Haven’t touched you, held you, kissed you. Christ, we haven’t had sex in more than nine months—”
“A man’s life is a little more important than sex, Brooks.”
I let go of her completely and step away, my heart hammering.
“He manipulates you. That son of a bitch controls you, Juliet.”
She shakes her head and pushes her hands through her blond curls. “I can’t have this conversation with you again. It always comes back to your jealousy.”
“I’m not the jealous one. Isn’t it convenient that he pulls this stunt the day you’re coming home to me, Jules? He did it at Christmas, too.”
“He’s sick, and—”
“I. Don’t. Fucking. Give a shit.” My voice is hard and a little mean now, but I can’t help it. Christ, my heart is being ripped out of my chest. “I care about you, and I see you being used and controlled, and it pisses me off. If you leave here today and go back to him in Seattle, we’re done.”
Fuck! How did we get here?
Her face goes white.
“Brooks.”
“I’m serious. I’m not bluffing. He’s bullying you, and I won’t just stand by and let it happen.
I won’t sit here and be second place anymore.
I’ve talked to you about this until I’m blue in the face, but you won’t fucking listen, so now I’m telling you that I need you to stay here for the week like we planned.
If you choose to go to him, I won’t be here anymore. ”
I swallow hard, feeling like I might throw up. Jesus.
Jesus.
What is even happening?
My wildfire takes a long, shaky breath, and just when I think she’s going to come to her senses, she shakes her head.
“What you’re asking isn’t fair.”
And that’s my answer.
“Goodbye, Juliet.”
With my heart bleeding outside of my chest, I leave her bedroom and head for the door.
“Brooks!”
“You’ve made your choice. Better go take care of a man who doesn’t need your help.”
“That’s not fair.”
I spin and take her face in my hands. “You want to know what isn’t fair? The fact that I was literally minutes away from giving you everything, and you just threw it all back in my fucking face. Have a good life, Jules.”
I slam my mouth onto hers one last time, then push her away and walk out the door.
Christ.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Now I have to find a way to tell my family that not only aren’t we engaged, but she’s gone. She’s gone, and she’s never coming back to me.