Chapter Twenty-Two – Mike
I didn’t necessarily want to go anywhere with Jason, but it was decided for me, and I didn’t care enough to argue. Kieran was probably the one who should have spent some time with his father, but he clearly wasn’t ready to, so he pushed it on me.
It was great. So fucking great.
In fact, this whole situation was great. Right when things were calming down, shit hit the fan while we were unaware and unprepared.
I felt terrible for Laina. I wished she would’ve talked to me, but I couldn’t fault her for shutting down.
Grief hit people in different ways, and this was just her way of dealing with it.
As long as she knew that I was here for her, that I’d do anything for her, I’d be as patient as she needed me to be.
Now, when it came to Jason… the jury was still out when it came to that man.
Everyone believed him, and I was inclined to believe him too, but there was still something about him I wasn’t sure about. Maybe it was merely the fact that he wanted to get closer to Laina, and I wasn’t as thrilled with the idea of sharing her with yet another man as, say, Fang was.
I drove, not wanting to give any reins to the man in question.
Jason was silent for most of the drive—we were heading to my place first, then we’d swing by his.
I wasn’t sure how long we would be at Lola’s house, but I’d pack some clothes and toiletries and whatever else I thought I might need, giving myself at least a week’s worth.
Might end up being more, who knew? Could always head back to my place to grab more if needed.
We were nearing my place when Jason finally broke his silence and asked, “How do you like my son?” The question came out of the blue, and for the first few seconds after it was spoken, I was caught off-guard.
How did I like Kieran? There were a few ways I could answer that particular question, not all of them good.
But, as much as I hated to admit it, the man had played nicely these past few months.
He hadn’t done any stalking that I was aware of.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’d proved himself to me, but it was clear to see he did care for Laina a lot.
As long as he never hurt her, we’d be good.
If, however, he turned to the dark side and went against Laina, him and I would have a problem.
I didn’t think it would happen, but stranger things in this world had taken place…
such as said man’s father strolling into town and somehow dazzling our shared girlfriend.
I might’ve taken too long to answer, but eventually I said, “He and I don’t really see eye-to-eye, except where Laina’s concerned. Even then…”
The man must’ve known what I was attempting to say, because he nodded once. “Kieran’s always had a… unique way of looking at things. It’s what made him so loyal. I thought Tessa carried that same loyalty, but if there’s one thing this city has shown me, it’s that I was wrong about that.”
“Both your children are terrible people.” I glanced at him, wondering if those words would strike a nerve. I imagined, if I was a father, they would anger me, but then again, I never saw myself being in the position Jason was in right now. A future without Laina felt so… pointless. Bland. Boring.
Jason smirked, and I hated to report it was the same smirk I’d seen on Kieran’s face time and time again, dimples and all, even though he had gray stubble coating that jaw.
“I won’t argue with you on that. I’m no saint.
I never taught them they needed to be saints—sometimes you need to get your hands dirty to get what you want.
It’s why I let their mother go, why I let them go when they were old enough.
I thought, let ‘em make their own choices, their own decisions. As a parent, there’s only so much you can do for them before you have to let them fly on their own. ”
I understood what he was saying, but still, wasn’t it a parent’s job to instill some type of moral code upon their child?
He went on, “The one thing I always preached was that family is forever. You never, ever went against your own blood. The world is out to hurt you, always, unless you’re privileged enough to be born into obscene wealth, so your family is all you have to really depend on when shit hits the fan.”
I picked up on context clues. “You’re really upset with Tessa for turning against Kieran.”
“Yeah, I suppose I am.”
“To the point where you’ll stand to the side when it comes time for Laina to get her revenge?” When Jason didn’t answer right away, I added, “I’ll do whatever I have to to see that girl get whatever she wants, and Fang and Kieran are the same.”
The man looked at me. “She made her choice. She lied to me about it, knowing exactly how I’d feel if I knew the full truth. All this time, she’s been playing her own game.” His black eyes turned to gaze out the window as we drove through the city. “I won’t be a piece on her board anymore.”
You’d think it would be good to hear that—and it was, but maybe not as good as it should’ve been, due to everything else, and it was because of everything else that I asked, “What about Laina?”
“What about her?”
What could I say about her? Lots. Everything.
I’d come to know the girl pretty damn well since I first saw her, since I began as nothing but a bodyguard pushed onto her by Lola.
Everything had changed between us, and yet she was still the same confused girl she used to be, much as she tried to act differently.
“She latches onto people easily,” I settled for saying.
“And she tends not to take no for an answer.” How many times had I tried to say no to her?
How many times had I failed? I wouldn’t trade away the time we’d had together since, but in the beginning…
it was tough. Tougher than I ever thought it would be.
“Yeah, I picked up on that. She’s not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
He shook his head once. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t put much thought into it.
The last thing I thought when I came here would be that I’d…
well, that things would be so complicated.
” He chuckled softly at that. “But I have the feeling that’s the norm around here.
You, Kieran, and that Fang guy. You don’t look at it as strange? ”
This wasn’t something I wanted to discuss with him, but I supposed it was literally now or never.
Who knew if I’d ever have time alone with him again without the others around.
I said, “My brother’s in a similar relationship with his girl and two other guys.
It was touch and go at first, but after a while, it became the same as any relationship.
If you really want to make something work, you make it work. ”
“Laina is an interesting character. I can understand why you three would be willing to try it out.”
Right then I pulled into my apartment building’s parking lot. I didn’t say anything until I was pulling into a parking spot and turning off the car. Jason grabbed the handle of the door to get out, but I stopped him by saying, “We know she’s got a thing for you.”
His hand relaxed at the handle, and he leaned back in the seat and met my eyes. “She might’ve mentioned something like that, yeah.”
Ugh. I was no good at this shit. I didn’t like having discussions like this, especially with someone I hardly knew. Jason didn’t seem like a bad guy, but that didn’t necessarily make this any easier on me.
“What about you?” I asked him.
“Me,” he said. “What about me? I didn’t come to this city to be on the market for a girl that’s way too young for me.
Then again, I also didn’t come to this city to stand aside and let a mob family plot my daughter’s demise, either.
I’ve watched Laina for months now, learning her routine, the way she walks, how she carries herself—the darkness she hides inside.
I’m well aware it should be something I should easily shut down, but…
it’s the strangest fucking thing. I don’t know if I can. ”
Jason shook his head before he continued, “There are so many goddamn reasons I should say no. It’d make things easier on Kieran, at least. All the logic in the world, though, doesn’t seem to mean shit when it comes to her.”
I sighed. Everything he said sounded like what I used to think, way back when.
All of my excuses, all of my denial—all of that effort expended in an attempt to keep things professional between us—and look at where we ended up.
In spite of it all, or in spite of me, we were together, against all odds.
Quieter, Jason said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve let myself feel anything like that.
Maybe that’s why it feels so surreal.” He ran a hand through his hair, then tossed me a smirk as he got out of the car.
“I’d say I’m way too old for her, but a lot of people would probably say the same about you, Kieran, and Fang. ”
Getting out with him, I frowned at nothing in particular. He wasn’t wrong there.
“She’s got a lot of people who care about her,” I said. “Just don’t play with her.”
Jason stared at me over the top of my car, giving me a strange look. “I’m not someone who plays around, and I don’t think you are, either. You don’t have to worry about Laina when it comes to me. I realize my word might not mean much to you yet, but I swear on it.”
Again, he was right. His words didn’t mean much to me. Still, he had a fire behind everything he said, and I could tell he meant every single word. Whether or not he’d live what he preached was another story entirely, but as of now, I was inclined to believe him.
God help me. This probably meant I’d have to share my girl with him, too.