Chapter 57 Jagger #2
Realizing we’re finally alone, Violet turns back to me, her expression morphing from carefree to a possessive mama bear in a flash. “Okay, for real, though.” Concern saturates her tone as she eyes me warily. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine, why?”
“Because your face looks like someone took a baseball bat to it.” Gently, she reaches up and drags her fingers along my brow, down the bridge of my nose, and finally skims my bottom lip. “You okay, Jag?”
“Already said I was fine,” I remind her.
Her lips purse. “Maybe I don’t believe you.” I swear I can see the wheels turning in her pretty little head. And the guilt. I can see that, too. Lifting my hand, I circle her wrist and remove her touch, hoping it’ll snap her out of her deprecating thoughts. “Jag…”
I kiss her open palm. “I’m fine, Vi.”
She shakes her head. “I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t even think about apologizing,” I growl.
“Yeah, but…I don’t know.” Her shoulders fall. “I can’t help but wonder how tonight would’ve gone if I’d caught on to your…plan or whatever a little faster. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to take so many hits during the first couple of rounds.”
My mouth curves up. Fuck, I love this girl.
The way she cares about me. Feels for me.
Carries the weight with me even if it’s misplaced.
If I’ve learned anything from this mess, it’s this.
She’s my ride or die, and there’s nothing in this world that can change it.
“I’ll always take a few hits, Little Thief. ”
And it’s true. I’m a fighter. I enjoy being in the ring.
I crave taking people to the mat. I relish the adrenaline and the crowds and the sounds and the release it gives me.
And I know it makes shit hard for her. Having to see someone she loves take a punch or two.
But just because I might not ever fight Morgan again doesn’t mean I’m never stepping back into the ring.
She knows that, doesn’t she?
“I know you’re not going to stop fighting anytime soon,” she tells me, reading me like a damn book in a way only she knows how.
“I meant what I said to your sister. No one can control you, and even though you said I’m the exception, I have no intention of asking you to stop fighting for me.
You love it, and I love that you love it,” she clarifies.
“But knowing you took these hits for me…” Her lips bunch on one side, and her gaze drops to the ground. “It’s kind of a hard pill to swallow.”
I grab her chin and urge her to look at me. “If I had to fight Morgan every day for the rest of my life in order to keep you, I’d do it.”
“I know you would.” She kisses me. “I do. I know you would,” she repeats.
“It’s just…scary. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, Jagger.
And then, adding in the way Roman swooped in last night, and…
” Another coat of concern paints her expression.
“Tell me you’re okay. You and your brothers and… Gus or…whatever.”
“We’re okay,” I promise her. “I’m okay. My brothers are okay. Our business is okay. Everything’s okay.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah.” I force a smile. “It’s a little messy, but everything’s all right.”
“Okay.” Relief swallows her reservations as she stands on her tiptoes again, closing the distance between us. “I love you,” she whispers.
The words settle over me like a warm blanket, and I smile against her mouth. “Love you, too.”
“Hey, Jag?” Footsteps follow my sister’s voice from the second floor.
Pulling away from Vi so I’m not screaming in her face, I call out, “Yeah, Cobes?”
She jogs into the room, her phone stretched toward me. “It’s Judge. He wants to talk to you.”
I frown. “What?”
“He said you weren’t answering your phone.” Cobie hands her cell to me.
Bringing it to my ear, I say, “Hello?”
“About damn time.” Judge sighs.
I shift the phone to my opposite ear. “Hello to you, too.”
“Tell me, were you ignoring my calls on purpose?” Judge demands. “Or…?”
The man sounds like he’s about to have a heart attack. Part of me wants to mess with him more just for fun, but I decide to put him out of his misery instead. “I left my phone in my room.”
“And what are your brothers’ excuses?” he challenges.
A low rumble of amusement rolls through me. “Can I help you, Unc?”
“Just checking in to see if you’re still breathing.”
“And why wouldn’t I still be breathing?”
“I thought we already agreed you’d stop lying to me,” Judge snaps as if I’ve finally pushed him past the limit. “Look, I’m sorry,” he says in a softer tone. “It’s just…you scared me, all right? I couldn’t get a hold of you, and—”
“I said I’m fine, Unc,” I remind him.
“I know.” He sighs. “I know you are. And I know I already told you this at the coffee shop, but if you need help, or if you need anything like I know you needed last night, I’m here. All right, Jag?”
Last night? The man’s more aware than we give him credit. And even if I want to question him about it, there are too many ears for that. My attention shifts to Violet and Cobie. Unsure what to say, I mutter, “I hear you, Unc.”
“And next time, answer your damn phone. Felt like I was having a heart attack.”
With a laugh, I return, “Will do, old man.”
I end the call and hand the phone back to Cobie. “Thanks.”
“Everything okay?” she prods.
“Just worried about my face,” I reply. It’s only half a lie, but Cobie doesn’t need to know about Gus or our arrangement, or exactly how in trouble we really are.
Hell, a small part of me wonders if I even really know it.
What the after-effects from last night will bring.
Part of me doesn’t want to know. And part of me…
the biggest part, well, I guess I don’t really care.
As long as I have my family and my Little Thief, I can handle it. We all can.
But for now? For now, I’m going to eat some pancakes with my little sister and my Little Thief. Snaking my hand around Violet’s waist, I kiss her temple, then steal another piece of bacon.
We’re going to be okay.
If only I knew what was waiting for us…
To be continued…