Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
JETT
How did that old saying go?
I believed it was something about jumping straight out of the frying pan and into the fire— something that we might very well be about to do.
Two weeks had passed in somewhat of a blur.
Patience and I had gotten settled into a routine that worked for both of us, at least for the time being.
I had even been added to the school pick up list, having dropped off and picked up Griffin from school a few times.
The smile on his face and the joy that radiated from him whenever I did always sent a warmth to my heart I couldn’t explain.
Yet, his mother and I were still tiptoeing around each other. Our friendship had never been about walking on eggshells, filled with awkwardness, or moments of uncertainty.
But things had changed enormously.
I had married my best friend, who didn’t know she’d always been the love of my life. And I’d done it for convenience, to help her. It was both the right thing to do and wrong as well. Marrying purely for love is what Patience deserved; it’s what I’d wanted with her someday.
It was a moot point though.
Our coming together now was about ensuring she and Griffin remained together and that the scum trying to tear their world apart didn’t succeed.
We’d put on a united front since marrying one another when we were out in public, where watchful eyes could see us as we waited for the paternity test to come back; yet we retreated to our own space most of the time when we weren’t putting on a show.
It wasn’t easy for me, though, because when I was with her, my heart and body were telling me I was a fool to believe this whole thing was a ruse. It didn’t feel that way when she was by my side.
Patience was the best thing in my life.
However, the feelings she provoked inside me were also a problem.
Still drowning in the nightmares and guilt of what happened to my teammates, I was a mess.
It wasn’t just about those who had died, but also the knowledge that Dusty was still going through hell too.
Maybe staying in Texas would have been easier, but how could I do that when the best person I knew, the one most precious to me, needed my help?
I couldn’t.
So, we may not be playing house, but outside the condo walls, we were playing the happy couple.
And we were about to step that up big time.
Yup, we were headed to Landon’s country club—as husband and wife—for some big charity event with everyone in our tight circle. Whoever thought this was a good idea, knowing that the enemy would be there, was crazy.
Oh yeah, that would be Alley. Then her loving husband, Patience’s attorney, agreed with her.
I understood they needed to go—even though for him, running into his family wasn’t any more appealing than us running into Chaz’s—because not only did his law firm support the causes they were raising money for, but so did No Surrender.
But a black-tie affair? Yup, I was truly out of my comfort zone—for many reasons.
I ran my sweaty hands down my dress pants as I stopped and stared at the door to my home. Not the condo—that was just a place to stay—but Gramps’s house, where love and security had always been present since the day I’d arrived at his doorstep.
Only now, why did it feel like walking over the threshold would be something more monumental and terrifying than being dumped by my mother? Something I wasn’t prepared for but nonetheless would be a game changer in the end.
Because it had been exactly that.
Blowing out a deep breath, I opened the door and walked inside.
Griffin and Autumn were the first to greet me.
Tristan hung back to watch, and I realized I needed to spend some quality time with my nephew, so he got used to me.
They were staying with Gramps for the evening, while all the other kids were at their own homes, or with each other somewhere, being watched by babysitters.
“Jett! Jett!” Autumn yelled exuberantly as she ran up and wrapped her little arms around my legs.
Maybe if she gets them dirty, I can stay home.
“Wait until you see Patience,” she squealed.
Not one to be ignored, Griffin launched himself at me as usual, and I swept him up into my arms. “Daddy, Mommy looks so purr-ty.”
I chuckled at the way he said the word, stretching it out, but the laughter got stuck in my throat when movement caught my eye. Just then, I turned my head toward the staircase where Patience was descending, looking like a cross between a sex goddess and a beautiful princess.
She was breathtaking in a floor-length dress that may have been some shade of purple, I thought. It had small straps, but basically sleeveless. The top was fitted in a criss-cross fashion across her small waist and perfect breasts while the rest of the dress flowed freely around her.
But it was the slightest opening in the middle with a sneak peek of the soft, creamy skin on her stomach that gave my cock a jolt and had my blood pumping faster.
Shutting my eyes was all I could do to try and regain any sense of control and not embarrass myself with kids in the room.
“I hear they call that color orchid.”
My lids opened, and I turned toward Lyric who had a smirk on his face.
“That is what you were thinking about, right?” he asked, brows raised, his crazy smile getting even bigger.
I had thought about the color for a second, but that certainly hadn’t been where my focus had stayed, but I wasn’t going to admit anything to him. Not that he’d believe me.
“How the hell do you know that, anyway?”
“You said a bad word,” Griffin whispered in my ear before I could get my answer.
I found myself searching for Embry, but she wasn’t there, so I was in the clear. “Don’t tell Embry,” I whispered back.
“Okay, Daddy.” With his arms around my neck, he squeezed me tight. “I got your back.”
God, this kid was older than his years and so damn special.
“Thanks, Champ.”
If I were a girl, there was a fair chance I might have ended up ruining my makeup if Lyric hadn’t jumped in and answered my question.
He cleared his throat to nab my attention, and pointed toward the stairs, love and desire, filling his eyes. “My wife told me, of course.”
I turned again and saw that Patience was at the bottom of the staircase, with Ruby coming down behind her.
Of course my sister knew the color; she had modeled for years, and still did sometimes, in addition to working as a nurse.
Fashion was her thing, and she’d been so excited to help Patience get ready for the evening.
My gaze flicked to my sister—beautiful as always—for a second, then went straight back to Patience as she started walking toward me. I set Griffin on the ground and wiped my palms on my pants again. I gulped when the most stunning woman was standing right in front of me.
Not just any woman, but my wife.
Her silky brown hair was swept up onto her head in a fancy style, with a few tendrils falling around her face, the long column of her neck exposed as if waiting for my lips to settle on her velvet skin.
My eyes traced down her neck to where a silver, heart-shaped locket rested between her breasts, and my mouth went dry.
I knew it was the same tracking necklace that all the ladies had, and I’d seen it many times, but right then, it was my own personal honing device.
A throat cleared, and I was almost pissed at Lyric for interrupting again, but when I glanced up, I realized it was Gramps. Shit, I’d been caught. He gave me a shit-eating grin and then sat down in his chair.
Turning back to look at Patience, I noticed her staring at me, insecurity in her warm, chocolate-colored gaze. I realized she was worried about what I thought, but that should be obvious with the reactions I was physically having in her presence.
She needs the words.
“You look absolutely beautiful.” I took her hand in mine as she gave me a soft smile. “Seriously, Roo,” I started, causing her to roll her eyes. “You’re drop-dead gorgeous. Nobody there will have anything on you.”
Lyric coughed.
I looked at my sister, who had also made her way over. “Sorry, sis, no offense.”
Ruby gave me a dazzling smile. “None taken.”
As if I was afraid she would disappear, I snapped my head back toward Patience.
“Thank you,” she said breathlessly, causing my cock to stir.
For the first time since getting home, I found myself wondering if, when things settled, I really had to give her up? I also wondered what it would be like to go home together after the dinner and strip her out of her dress.
“I doubt that, but that’s sweet of you,” Patience added, thankfully pulling me from my wandering mind.
Feeling a tug on my free hand, I looked down to find Griffin pulling on it. “See, I told you she was purr-ty.”
“You sure did, Champ,” I replied as everyone laughed.
“Come here, you two,” Gramps told the kids. “Let the big kids leave so the three of us can eat and play some games.”
Griffin and Autumn made their rounds, giving everyone hugs, and I had to drop Patience’s hand, missing the connection immediately. But it wasn’t long before we had the ladies’ coats on and were heading out the door, and I felt the warmth of her touch once again.
Patience slipped her arm through the crook of my arm as we headed toward the cars. “I’m nervous,” she said, as the cool night air engulfed us.
I couldn’t blame her. Not when I was feeling exactly the same, but for different reasons. She was worried about the jackass Chaz and his family, while I was worried about everyone.
It made it even harder knowing that one of the charities involved was a non-profit organization that helped soldiers with PTSD and their families.
That wasn’t the only one, of course. They were also raising money for at-risk youth and the firehouses in the area. It was quite the event, with some heavy pockets in attendance from what I’d heard.
There was no way I’d be going if I didn’t want to help Patience and support my friends, who had such a huge stake in all three of the charities involved. I just didn’t see myself ready to be surrounded by so many people yet.
“I’ll be by your side all night; there’s nothing to be nervous about, sweetheart.”
The endearment came naturally, but the girl beside me was surprised, judging by her sharp intake of breath. I felt like a heel. I’d never been in short supply of saying sweet things in the past, but lately I had been different because I was trying to keep my emotions in check.
“That sounds wonderful.”
How the hell was I supposed to keep anything in check when she said the nicest things?
All driving together, we reached Lyric’s car, and I opened the back passenger door for her. Instead of getting in, she turned, removing her arm from mine, and placed her hand on my chest.
“I know this night isn’t going to be easy for you, but I’ll be right by your side too.”
Almost like before at the condo a few weeks back, she rose up on her toes and gave me a soft kiss—only this time, it was on my cheek. My lips felt neglected, and wanted in on the action, but it felt amazing whenever her mouth was on any part of me.
Dropping back down to the flats of her feet, she smiled and then slipped into the car, leaving me there thinking…
There is no way I’m ever going to be able to give her up.
I didn’t mean as my best friend. No, that she would always be, and one day I would fix everything I’d fucked up there.
No, I was talking about her as my wife.
Because letting her fall into the arms of another man one day would gut me to my core.
Then a little voice inside me said once again, But is it fair to her when you have issues?
God, I couldn’t unhear that voice; it was so loud in my head, consistently driving home the fact that I was damaged.
But fuck if I didn’t want to silence it.
For her. For Griffin.
As I rounded the car to get in the back on the other side, I slid my hand into my pocket and my fingers brushed against something.
Shit, I’d forgotten it was there.