Chapter 63
Chapter sixty-three
Jett
The agonizing thoughts of what could have been plague my mind to the point of torment.
I wasn’t there. I was robbed of the privilege of being a part of any of it. If I had known. If I had only fucking known. Izzy took that from me.
Knowing Izzy’s heart, I’m not blind to the fact that her intentions were pure. She endured everything on her own for the sake of protecting me from more pain and loss.
I can choose to stay angry with her. I have that right.
Or, I can decide on peace. She loves me.
There’s no act of love greater than what she sacrificed.
Yes, she hid this from me for all of these years, but she did it for me.
I have no doubt about that. She suffered in the darkness by herself for me.
I can’t imagine what it was like going through that alone while also looking out for everyone around her. I respect her strength, but when it comes to me, she doesn’t have to be strong. I want to carry the weight of it all.
Fuck, I’m angry, but when I think of everything she went through—most likely terrified—the anger dissipates, replaced by love.
It’s always been like that. Every negative emotion I’ve ever felt towards Izzy always circles back to love.
This situation isn’t any different.
Where I can hold anger at her for keeping all of this from me, I would rather attempt to hold grace.
Sighing deeply, with my decision made, I turn back in the direction of home.
I breathe easier when I notice Izzy’s car is still here, but it doesn’t last long—she’s nowhere to be found in or around my house.
I don’t blame her. I should have stayed and talked to her.
If I want this to work, I can’t just bow out when shit gets hard and messy.
At the same time, I can’t blame myself either. I’ve never been in this situation before.
Walking out, frustrated and determined to find her, I pass by her car on my way to a nearby trail, thinking she went out to try to clear her own head. But something off catches my eye—all of her tires are flat.
No, fuck. Slashed.
Not today. Not after the barn. Not after the baby. Not fucking today.
This was them. There’s no question in my mind that this is another one of their fucking warnings, and I’ve had enough.
I do not need this shit. Not now.
The phone rings twice before there’s an answer. No words are spoken from the other side, but I know he’s listening.
“Point. Fucking. Made,” I growl out in frustration. I probably shouldn’t be pushing this guy, but I couldn’t give a shit less. “But if you want anything from me, she stays out of it. They all do!”
“Oh, Jett,” he says, hissing my name with a laugh. “You act like you have a fucking say. I’m sure it’s nice to pretend that you do. It must bring you comfort.” His tone is condescending, and anger tinged with slight fear bubbles up in the form of a lump in my throat.
“How much more money could you want? I’ve given you all I have to give. There’s nothing left. You’ve drained me dry. We are done!”
His laughter stops abruptly. “We are done when I say we’re done!” he shouts, all signs of amusement abandoned in his words.”You know what I want, what I need from you. It’s a shame we have to show you how vulnerable you and your friends are to get you to comply.”
“Bullshit, “ I instantly retort, not giving a fuck about who he is and what he has over me. “I’m not fucking doing it.”
“Oh, yes, you will, if she means anything to you, like we think she does. You will. But, it’s comical that you think you have a choice.” He laughs, which only boils my blood to hot molten lava in my veins.
I take a breath, steadying myself, looking around at my surroundings.
This ranch is everything my parents have worked for.
It was their dream, which they shaped into a reality through hard work and dedication.
They’ll never forgive me if I agree to this.
This place and its integrity means everything to them.
It means everything to all of us. However, to me, she means more—so much more.
“I’ll call you when I’m free,” I say, hanging up abruptly before he can get in another word.
“Fuck!” I shout, loud and enraged.
What have I gotten myself into?
Where I thought I was saving us all, I actually made a deal with the fucking devil himself.
At first, I didn’t regret my choice, but now—now that they’ve targeted her—I wish I could take it all back. Fuck, at this point, I wish I had killed Liam myself.
I’d be in jail, but at least she’d be safe.
Rolling my shoulders, I push the thought away. There’s no use thinking about what could’ve been or what I should’ve done.
I have to focus on what’s important, what’s most important.
Izzy.
Pulling up to Dessa’s cabin, I see Via on the porch looking at Dessa’s car. Dessa is in the driver's seat, and Izzy is in the passenger seat. Dessa throws the car in reverse and begins to back up just as I accelerate, parking diagonally behind her, stopping her efforts.
Quickly, I hop down from my truck and rush to Izzy’s side.
“Get out of the car!” I demand more frustration in my tone than I intend.
If she leaves now, as frustrated with me as she is, there’s no promise I’ll get her back. This is my only chance.
They’re after her. They’ve made that clear. They want to use her as leverage to get what they want from me. She isn’t safe, and I can’t let her leave. She’s safer with me, and fuck, I’m a selfish man, but I need her with me.
Izzy’s head snaps up, and her furious eyes meet mine. Her door flies open, and she steps out.
“Who the fuck do you think you are!?” she shouts, shoving a firm fist into my chest. “Are you fucking crazy?”
“Yes, yes, I am. I’m fucking crazy. Crazy about you. I’m not losing you again!”
“It’s not your choice, Jett. You cannot control everything.” Her tone is softer, but the frustration she feels for me right now is still present.
“Neither can you.” The words come out immediately, and her attention snaps up to meet mine.
Izzy takes a breath, then shakes her head in disbelief, looking me over.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Jett?” Izzy asks, hands on her hips, attitude and sass in full effect.
“I live here, Iz.” She instantly stiffens in place at my words, and I attempt to recover, not intending to come across so cold. “We aren’t done talking.”
Her features visibly soften a little, but she doesn’t make an attempt to take any steps closer to me. So, I close the distance between us.
Izzy gulps audibly before speaking, “The fuck we aren’t.”
Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I pull her into me. To my surprise, she doesn’t fight. Instead, she relaxes against me.
“You know we need to talk this out,” I say firmly.
“I don’t know what the hell you want from me,” Izzy says softly as she pulls out of my grasp, crossing her arms over her chest before continuing, “and I don’t know what else there is to say.”
“I do. I’m sorry for walking out. I just needed a minute to process.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t you dare apologize.” She’s looking off into the distance, almost as if refusing to look at me. “You did what you needed to do for yourself.”
Well, hell, I’m shocked. I deserve more sass after I walked out on her when she needed comfort. It kills me that she isn’t giving it to me.
“What I need...” I murmur, and Izzy’s eyes shoot up to meet mine, holding my gaze.
The intensity of love and longing in our stare is palpable.
I can feel it. I know she can, too. “What I need is looking back at me. I. Need. You.” The words come out slow and choppy as emotion overtakes me.
I swallow it down, or at least, I attempt to.
I mean every word of it, with everything I am. I need her. More than that, I want her. Only her.
“What about the baby?” Izzy’s voice cracks with sadness. “How could you not hate me now, knowing what I did?” she asks firmly, showing me she truly needs this answer.
Her words cut through me. How the fuck could I ever hate her? I could never. She’s everything.
“Am I sad? Yes. Am I angry?” I swallow. “A little. I’m more hurt.
I’m hurt, but not necessarily that it happened.
I know you, Izabel.” I pause, stepping closer to her, our bodies almost touching.
“Down to your core of what makes you tick, I know you. I know you wouldn’t have made that decision if you felt you had any other choice.
I’m hurt, angry, and sad that you had to do it alone.
I would give anything to turn back time and be there for you. ”
Her entire body relaxes before me as her head falls, and a sob overtakes her.
The sound of her cries shreds my heart, the one that beats only for her.
I take one more step, wrap one arm around her shoulders, and place the other firmly under her chin, lifting her head to mine.
“I could never hate you, Iz. You are my air. My lifeline. Without you, I’m nothing.
I know from experience, unfortunately.” I softly press my lips to hers through her tears.
As if she’s lost in the moment, she allows it, melting against our shared touch. The energy from our kiss is electric.
With my heart pounding in my chest, I reluctantly pull back.
“I love you with all that I am. I have always loved you,” I say, attempting to keep my voice even, but I fail. Miserably. I’m choked up. This woman—she’s everything. I’ve lost her once. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it happen again.
Hell, I’m half tempted to tie her up and lock her away as it is. Who needs choices anyway?
“I… I love you… too.” Izzy’s soft whisper pierces the air between us, and possessiveness consumes me. She’s admitted her love for me. Finally. After all this time.
She’s mine.
It’s time for her to wake up and see that for herself.
“Choose me.You’re mine, Iz. You’ve always been mine. Choose. Me.”
Izzy pulls back in my arms, her features falling into the indecision I’m sure she’s feeling, mixed with a tinge of anger.
“I belong to no one, Jett,” Izzy snarks back, the anger clearly winning. “I am mine and mine alone. I will never be your property. And none of this is that simple.”
“I don't want to own you, Beauty. I want to make you my fucking queen. I want to hand you the world and watch you run it like the badass that you are. You are mine, as I am yours. Don't fight me—fight us—any longer.”
“Jett—” Izzy starts, but I cut her off.
“Where were you going?” I ask, glancing at Dessa sitting in the car, waiting for Izzy.
“Home, Jett. I need—”
“Time?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
“Mhm,” she hums, nodding and looking away again.
I nod back. “Take the time. Take as long as you need.”
“Thank you,” she says quietly, and now I’m shocked even more. Not only does Izzy never apologize, but she also never says thank you.
I plaster a smug grin on my face. “You’re welcome, Beauty.” Just like I knew she would, Izzy rolls her eyes, and I’m overjoyed when her own smile tugs at her lips.
Just then, Dessa rolls down the passenger window. “Iz, we should get going, especially if we need to get you a rental car.”
That’s right, her tires…
“No need,” I say. “I’ll fix your car and see if Ander or Via can leave earlier than planned and drive it back.”
“I already told her I would!” Via shouts from the porch.
Fuck, she heard everything. And if she heard everything, Dessa did too.
Strangely, Izzy doesn’t seem bothered by that, but somewhat relieved. I can only imagine how liberated she feels after carrying around this secret for so long.
“No way!” Izzy shouts back. “You’re pregnant, bitch!”
“If only pregnant women could still drive!” Via then directs her shouting at me. “Can you have it fixed by the day after tomorrow? We have to leave early anyway. I have a photography gig.”
“Sure thing, V,” I say.
“Oh, and Jett? I told Ander y’all need to be more careful with nails and shit on the ranch. All four tires are popped, that’s ridiculous.”
They aren’t questioning the tires being flat. Instead, they’ve written it off as nails. A sense of relief washes over me. Those were questions I wasn’t sure I would be able to answer.
Now well aware of the others, I lean down and whisper into Izzy’s ear, “Just remember, your heart has a home, and I’ll be waiting once you’re ready. I’ve waited this long. No way in fucking hell I’m giving up now.”
With that, I kiss her forehead, turn on my heel, and hop back in my truck, leaving her standing there and granting her the space she requested. The space I knew she needed.
If there’s one thing I hope I made abundantly clear—it’s the fact that I’m not going anywhere.