Chapter 29
She was completely delusional.
Maybe you’re the person who is right and all the rest of us are wrong.
He shook his head at that bit of nonsense. However, North couldn’t help but glance over at her.
Why did she have to prefer the real him?
Shouldn’t she have said that he scared her? That she couldn’t handle him?
But no . . . not Angie.
She had to be different. Always fucking different.
She had to be the one woman his body reacted to. But it wasn’t just a physical thing. He was intrigued by her.
He hated it.
“Oh God!” She burst into laughter at something on the screen. He didn’t know what it was or why it was funny and he didn’t care.
Because he was too caught up in her. The flush of red on her cheeks, the way her eyes twinkled as she found something funny. She had a small dimple in her right cheek that he’d never really noticed before.
Also, she had ridiculously long eyelashes. How had he not seen that either?
He prided himself on taking in everything.
“What is it?” she asked.
And he suddenly realized that she’d turned to look at him.
“What?”
“Is there food on my face?” she asked. “There is, isn’t there? How embarrassing. Or is there something in my teeth? I need to go to the bathroom.”
She attempted to free herself from the blanket, trying to stand. But Jared reached out and lifted her onto his lap, holding her tight so she was facing North.
“There’s just a bit of chocolate,” North told her in a weirdly husky voice. “Right here.”
Without thought, he used his finger to swipe at a piece of chocolate at the edge of her mouth.
What the fuck was he doing?
Her heart skipped.
Why was that so hot? All he was doing was cleaning her up. Basically, she was a mess and he had to tidy her up.
Not exactly sexy.
But maybe it was because it was North.
And because he was looking at her like he’d never really seen her before. And he wanted to see more.
She licked her lips, trying to pick up any more traces of chocolate. North’s eyes narrowed. “Are you doing that on purpose?”
“Doing what?”
“Being all sexy and hot,” Jared told her. “Licking your lips and looking at North like you could eat him all up.”
Was she doing that?
Shit.
Turning her head, she buried it into Jared’s chest. “Sorry.”
Immediately, he started stroking her back with his hand. “No need to be sorry. I don’t think North is complaining. Look at him.”
Angie forced herself to turn her head to look at North. He was watching her with those intelligent eyes. The ones that saw way too much.
“Unless I’m acting a part, I always tell the truth,” North told her. “I don’t care about hurting others’ feelings or what the truth might do to them.”
It was harsh. It should have scared her off.
But like she’d said, she valued the truth. There were too many people wearing too many masks. And while some lies might be told to spare feelings, she didn’t need those sorts of lies in her life.
It felt like her life had been one lie after another. Her father had told so many to her growing up. How he’d been robbed and that’s why they had no money. How more money was coming in. That they would hit pay dirt.
That she wouldn’t have to stay with Fergus forever, just until he could get the money together to pay to get her back.
She’d stopped believing his lies. But that one . . . God, she’d hoped that for once he’d come through. That he’d be a proper father to her.
Sadly for her, he’d once again proven to be a useless asshole of a man and an even worse father.
“If I didn’t like the way you looked at me, I’d say,” North told her.
It was like a glass of water on a super hot day. And she nodded.
“Do you like what you see when you look at North?” Jared asked in her ear.
“Who wouldn’t?” she asked. “He’s absolutely gorgeous. Sexy. Beautiful.”
“Beautiful.” North tipped his head to one side, studying her. “Interesting word to use. I don’t consider any part of me to be beautiful.”
She nodded. She understood that. Beauty wasn’t just about what was on the outside. It could definitely be what was inside you.
And she didn’t consider any part of herself beautiful, either.
“You don’t consider yourself beautiful,” North guessed as he watched her.
“Can’t get away with much with you, can I?” she said.
“And you shouldn’t try,” Jared warned. “With either of us.”
This was getting very intense very fast.
She attempted to wriggle off Jared’s lap, but he held her still. “I would stop moving like that if I was you.”
She froze. “What? Why?”
“Why do you think? I have excellent control, but I’m no saint.”
Oh my God.
Did he mean what she thought he did?
“Then let me off your lap!” she demanded.
“All right. If you’re sure that’s what you want.” Jared lifted her off his lap and she knew instantly that wasn’t what she wanted.
She wanted to be back there. Warm and safe in his arms.
God. This sucked.
In an attempt to distract herself from all the feelings running through her, she grabbed a handful of chocolate. Then some popcorn and finally some potato chips. Before she went back to the chocolate.
“That’s enough,” Jared warned.
“What?” she asked.
“You’ve had enough sweet stuff to eat. You’ll be bouncing off the walls at this rate.”
No, she wouldn’t.
“I’m not a child. I know when I’ve had enough.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you? Tell me, how old is your Little?”
Eek.
Why was he asking that? She glanced over at North. He was settled into the corner of the sofa, watching her.
This was as relaxed as she’d ever seen him look.
“I don’t . . . I don’t know exactly. I just . . . whenever she’s come out it’s usually been in high stress situations where I don’t have much time to pay attention.”
Jared cupped her chin as she tried to drop her gaze. “So never when you were happy or relaxed?”
Angie thought about that. “Not that I can recall. Mostly when I’m anxious or scared. Like when I’ve had a bad dream or I’d just been to a therapy session that went deep.”
“Did therapy help?” Jared asked.
“Um, yes. It was online therapy. My therapist is great, but sometimes she’d push me and it would . . . it would trigger old memories of what Fergus did to me. Sometimes, I’d have a panic attack. Other times, I’d retreat to my bedroom, lock the door, and my Little would take over. She’d protect me.”
“Do you still talk to the therapist?” Jared asked.
“No, I probably should. She helped a lot. However, there’s part of me that just wants to forget. I know I’m just burying my head in the sand.”
“Sometimes, you just have to do what you can to survive,” North told her.
Huh.
She was surprised he got it, but she nodded. He was right.
“So you’re not sure how old your Little is?” Jared asked. “Because I would guess around two or three.”
“I guess so. Maybe three or four. She’s not always very verbal, though.”
“Ahh, so she’s the opposite of you,” North drawled.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked with a huff.
“It means you talk a lot,” North informed her.
Rude.
She glared at him.
Jared cleared his throat, turning her attention back to him.
“Have you made up your mind about me helping you with your Little?” Jared asked.
She glanced at North again. “Are you sure that be okay? I would never want to come between the two of you.”
“Really? North asked. “Most women fantasize about being between the two of us.”
Her cheeks had to be bright red and in order to distract herself she reached out and grabbed a huge handful of Sour Patch gummies, stuffing them into her mouth in order to distract herself from jumping his bones.
Get yourself together, girl.
But then her eyes started watering as the sourness hit her tongue.
Oh God.
Oh no.
Too much. Too much. What was she thinking?
She glanced around, unsure where she could spit them out. There was nowhere.
Crap! Jumping up, she got tangled in the blankets and would have fallen over if Jared hadn’t grabbed hold of her hips.
“What are you doing?” Jared demanded.
By now her eyes were watering and panic was starting to set in. Yes, she knew it sounded ridiculous, but it felt like her mouth was burning. Her taste buds were being fried right off her tongue.
Turning to Jared, she pointed at her cheek. Understanding filled his face and he quickly placed his hand under her mouth. “Spit.”
She shook her head frantically.
“Spit,” he commanded.
Oh no, no, no.
Couldn’t she just go to the bathroom and spit it out or something?
A stern look filled Jared’s face and he leaned in. “Spit. Now.”
“Do as he says,” North added. “Open your mouth. Spit.”
Darn. If she could speak she’d make a joke right then. Instead, she leaned over and spat the candy into Jared’s mouth.
She wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”
“Kitchen,” Jared ordered, grabbing hold of her hand with his good one and leading her to the large kitchen where he quickly got rid of the slobbery mess.
More disgusting than whale snot.
“North, a glass of milk, please,” he said as he washed his hands.
Huh. She couldn’t imagine Jared as the milk drinking type.
Turns out, he wasn’t.
North handed her the glass of milk and she stared down at it in surprise. What was she meant to do with this?
“Drink it.” Jared grasped hold of the glass and held it to her lips. “Open.”
She parted her lips, feeling almost mesmerized by him.
“Now swallow.”
The milk slid into her mouth and she swallowed hastily.
“Aren’t you being such a good girl,” he murmured.
A shiver ran through her.
“I think she likes hearing that,” North said. “Even though she was naughty to begin with.”
Jared took the glass away from her mouth and she turned to look at North in surprise.
“Jared said to stop eating and you kept going. Why did you stuff all of that sour candy in your mouth? Was it because I suggested that you might like being between the two of us?”
Yes! It was exactly that.
“Remember, I took you for Jared.”
She narrowed her gaze at him. “Just because you kidnapped me for him, doesn’t mean that he now owns me.”