18. Sloan
Sloan
By the time I'm finished helping Cody pick out the wall colors for every room, most of the family has left the pavilion. Cody’s house is going to be amazing when it’s all finished. I'm so jealous that he’ll get to live on Mulberry Lane for the rest of his life.
“Sloan! Where have you been?” Jude marches over to me as soon as he spots me. I wonder what Wes said to him to make him this upset.
“I was helping Cody with something. I'm shocked you even realized I was gone.” I roll my eyes and walk right past him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jude’s voice holds so much venom. I stop walking and glance at him over my shoulder. I’ve never heard him talk like this.
“It means you haven’t paid a bit of attention to me since we went to the first Python’s game! I might as well be invisible to you whenever Jax is around.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jax leaning against one of the pillars in the pavilion. His arms are folded over his chest and he doesn’t look happy at all. He’s definitely done dealing with Jude. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jax snap at anyone the way he did with Jude today.
“Oh, please! I didn’t know you were this needy or I never would’ve dated you.” Jude rolls his eyes.
I swallow hard as I glance around the yard and see that even though most of the families have left the pavilion, they’re still close enough to hear our argument. Wes and Addi are standing by Jax with Peck, Sophia, Charlie, and Wyatt close to them.
Wyatt transfers Carter into Charlie’s arms and watches Jude carefully.
I don’t miss how all of the men are on high alert and ready to step in if they need to.
Some of them are slowly inching their way closer, but they’re doing it in a way Jude won't notice. I see it though and I appreciate them more than they know. I have no idea how Jude’s going to react.
“I'm not needy and you know it! I ask very little of you.”
“Sure, you ask very little of me, but you expect me to do things. I handle every issue at work, even when you don’t ask me to.”
“Are you kidding me! I asked you not to talk to your dad about the Bradford account! You went behind my back and talked to him. I almost had that account taken away from me and that wasn’t what I wanted!
You don’t listen to a word I say and you just focus on you.
Your wants. Your needs. You only want me around when it serves you in some way. ”
“That’s not true.” His brows draw together as he frowns at me.
“Yes, it is, Jude.” I sigh and shake my head. “The only reason you keep inviting me to hockey games is because you know Jax and Cody won't invite you to things unless I'm there.”
“No, Jax and I are friends.”
“Nah, we’re not friends at all! You actually drive me crazy,” Jax calls from his position a dozen feet away.
I watch Jude carefully as Jax’s words sink in. He looks shocked for a split second before anger fills his features.
“You did this! Jax loved me until you had to go and complain to everyone about me. I don’t know what you want from me, Sloan.”
“Never loved you,” Jax singsongs, but I ignore him. It’s time to get this over and done with.
“Well, let me tell you what I want from you… I want you to get in your car and leave. I don’t want you to contact me at all. I don’t want to see you at work or anywhere else. I’m done with you and our relationship.”
I turn to walk away from him, but he grabs my arm in a firm grip, his nails digging into my flesh.
“Ow! Jude, let go of me!” I try to pull my arm out of his grasp, but he’s holding onto me too hard.
“You’re not breaking up with me! We belong together and I'm not letting you go,” he hisses. “And you’re going to fix things with Jax.”
“Let go of her,” Cody growls, taking a step closer to me. I hold a hand up and stop him. I meet his gaze, letting him know I'm ok. I don’t want him to step in… not yet.
“No, we don’t belong together. I want a man who actually realizes I exist no matter who’s around. I want one who knows what I'm thinking without me telling him. Someone I can be myself around and know he’ll protect me.”
“That type of man doesn’t exist.” He tightens his hold on me, making me whimper in pain.
Before I can do anything to get Jude’s hands off of me, he’s pulled off of me and is lying flat on his back, staring up at the sky.
Within seconds, Jude’s body is surrounded by Peck, Jax, Wyatt, Wes, and Blake. Soon every man from Mulberry Lane is peering down at him with scowls on their faces… all except Cody.
Cody gently gathers me into his arms and holds me close. He rubs one hand up and down my back, keeping his other hand cradling the back of my head.
“Are you ok?” He whispers softly.
I nod my head as I wrap my arms around him, hugging him to me. I know he’ll protect me. I know he’ll make sure Jude doesn’t touch me again.
“I'm going to make something very clear to you,” Jax says in a growl that has shivers running down my spine. I’ve never heard him speak like this. He’s always happy and carefree. “If you ever lay a hand on her again, I’ll make sure you have to breathe through a tube, do you understand me?”
“She turned you against me,” Jude mutters under his breath.
“Nah, dude, you turned me against you. You’re a stage ten clinger and I want nothing to do with it.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“It’s time for you to go,” Wes growls. “If you ever come near Mulberry Lane again, you’ll regret it.”
He pulls Jude up by his collar and shoves him towards the street.
Every man follows Wes as he escorts Jude towards the road.
I'm sure they’re going to shove him inside his car and wait until he leaves.
Once he’s gone, I'm hoping they’ll close the gates to make sure he can’t get back in. Anything to keep him away from me.