12. In Plain Sight #3
As the oldest Donovan, Jax had seen much, and so Ian thought it only natural that he would build a wall. A smile crept across his handsome face, dimpling his cheeks at the realization that the wall stood no chance against the dark-skinned beauty who had bombarded their lives.
“...you did a marvelous job,” Ian said, finally interrupting them.
Deja looked over her shoulder and gave Ian a worried smile. “I stopped the bleeding,” she said.
“That’s most important,” Ian nodded. “Would you mind if I had a moment with my brother?”
Deja nodded as she turned to look at Jax, whose hardened eyes on Ian softened when they fell upon her again. “Will you be okay?” she asked.
“Of course,” Jax said, taking her hand and kissing her wrist. “Thank you.”
Deja took Jax’s rugged, bloodstained face between her hands and kissed him softly, pecking at his bruised nose that Caleb had nearly broken.
Standing on her knees, she leaned into him as he grabbed her waist and tilted his head up to deepen their kiss.
She felt his large hands caress her backside with a provocative squeeze before she reluctantly pulled away from him.
Holding the sheet to her body, Deja approached Ian. “I’m going to get dressed. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Ian smiled charmingly as his hand glided over her hip, pulling her close. Her bottom lip quivered before he pressed his lips against hers, reveling in her taste. “...thank you, my love…” he whispered against her lips.
Goosebumps coating her skin, Deja smiled apprehensively at Ian before looking back at Jax and finally leaving the room. Ian watched Deja leave before he turned to face his brother, who was already standing from the bed to clean his bloody nose.
Leaning back against the wall with his hands in his pockets, Ian watched Jax grab a towel to clean his face.
“Do you remember… when Jamie and Caleb used to trick us into thinking one was the other?” Ian smiled fondly.
“They would swap clothes, mannerisms, speech… Jamie was so good at impersonating Caleb. It drove our parents mad.”
Jax smirked as he tossed the bloody towel. “It was Jamie’s way of protecting Caleb… as if everything I did… wasn’t enough…” Jax muttered.
Ian’s face fell at the way Jax’s expression changed. It was so recognizable, the drastic way Jax’s face would distort from a charming gentleman… to a dejected man in mourning. “We may not be as close as we used to be, but… Jax, there is no one on this planet that I trust more than you…” Ian said.
Jax’s jaw tensed as his Adam’s apple bobbed, staring at his bandaged hand.
“We may fight, say things we don’t really mean,” Ian continued.
“...but you gave me my first love… true love…” Ian said quietly.
“...and I feel like I owe you my life for bringing Deja into it. For I have never felt like-… she makes me feel…” Ian trailed off, unable to finish until Jax looked in his direction, meeting his vulnerable gaze, already understanding the words he couldn’t speak.
Clearing his throat, Ian continued. “I’ve never expected you to tell me everything.
And I’m sure you had a good reason for not telling us the truth about Jamie.
” But Jax sighed in frustration. “Everything you’ve ever done was to protect this family, Jax,” Ian added, catching his brother’s gaze again. “...I trust you.”
Jax shook his head. “Caleb will never trust me again.”
“He just needs to hear the truth,” Ian insisted.
“He hates me too much to even bear standing in the same room with me,” Jax muttered.
“He’s angry with you,” Ian corrected him. “But he doesn’t… hate you.”
Jax’s jaw was clenched with frustration, an argument warring in his mind as he tried to convince himself that there was some truth in Ian’s words. Ian casually approached his brother and took Jax’s hand to inspect his wound. “...she really did quite the job…” Ian mused.
“It comes naturally to her…” Jax agreed.
Ian looked at Jax and twisted his mouth with frustration. “I know you like to keep things to the chest, but with our father making a threat on her life, and now Jamie supposedly back from the dead… we need the truth, Jax. That includes telling Deja what happened to you when you… ‘died’...”
Jax grumbled in frustration, leaning over the dresser as his head hung between his shoulders. Ian’s eyes roamed over the multiple scars that marred Jax’s thick skin. So reminiscent of his own, yet he could identify which scars on Jax were given out of protection for his brothers.
“You make it a habit to take the burdens of this family on your shoulders,” Ian said. “I will never take that for granted. But Jax… you don’t need to take that weight alone…”
Jax slowly exhaled before he turned to look at Ian. A hint of a smile teased the corners of his mouth. “Tapadh leat…a bhràthair…?*”
Ian smiled. “An-còmhnaidh?*…Jax…”
Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open, nearly flying off the hinges as Caleb stormed into the room with Keith behind him. Caleb took several deep breaths to calm himself as he glared at Jax.
“I want to know… everything.”
*?Look at you
*?Oh no, Keith. Shut up.
*?Shut up and listen
*?Thank you, brother
*?Always