36. Jake
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
jake
Itore down the gravel road away from the Carson house. Away from Caitlin, and Whitley, and the future I’d envisioned in my mind for years. The future I was within a finger’s reach of until today.
I fucked up.
My knuckles still bled, dripping down the back of my hand onto my jeans. The cuts stung, but nothing hurt worse than the idea of losing Caitlin over an impulsive decision to punch Adam.
The sad truth was I’d do it over and over again.
I knew how men like Adam operated. This was just a scheme to get Caitlin to bend to his will and scare her into submission. He was just shameless enough to use his fucking daughter as a pawn in his games.
I also knew Caitlin, though. That woman would do anything for her daughter, and the prospect of Whitley being taken away was unthinkable. If I were in her shoes, I’d be terrified, too. All I could do was pray she’d come around and realize everything Adam threatened was a lie.
On the drive back to the house, my phone rang. Colter.
“Hey, man,” I answered carefully, a bit worried he was going to rip one into me.
But he didn’t. “How is she?”
I didn’t need to ask who he was talking about. “She’s shaken up. Understandably so.” One hand still on the wheel, I scraped the other through my hair. “Fuck, Colt, what did he do to her while they were together?”
I could tell he was pacing, footsteps repeatedly tapping against the floor before a scuff of shoes and clothing signaled a pivot.
“He wrecked her, Jake. He tore her down until there was nothing left to build back up.” He paused. “I don’t know what you did after she moved into the guest house, but I started to see the Cait I recognized again.”
“And now he’s here to destroy all the work she’s put in for herself,” I thought aloud, voice low and grumbling.
A quiet moment passed between us.
“Heard you punched him.”
Without hesitation, I snipped back, “And I’d do it again.”
Colter heaved a sigh, and based on the background noise, it sounded like he stopped pacing and sat down.
“Ellison and I are going to do some damage control. I hate to say this because you’re my brother, and I truly think living on your property has been good for Cait, but I need you to lay low and give her some space.
At least until we can figure out what the hell Adam is planning to do. ”
“But—”
“As someone who thinks you deserve to be happy and knows Cait is that person for you, I’m asking you to please listen to me. We’ve all damn well known you’re the one for her, but she needs time, Jake. At least give her the rest of the day before you go into problem-solving mode.”
“I…” My words were trapped in my throat, so I cleared it. “I want what’s best for her, but I also don’t want to stand by while this all happens.”
“I know. Just trust me on this. You only risk pushing her away if you go to her now. Give her a few hours to calm down and collect herself. And you should take time to calm down, too. Nothing good comes out of reacting when your emotions are so high.”
“I know.”
“Good. Please. I’m asking as your friend.” He paused, as though waiting for me to agree.
“I promise.”
Thunder rumbled in the distance, lightning cracked across the sky, and rain poured down later that night.
Despite my conversation with Colter, it had taken everything in me not to march over to the guest house and knock on the door until Caitlin answered.
She’d come home sometime earlier in the day with Whitley, but I hadn’t seen much movement across the lawn.
I’d worked myself into knots thinking about her today. Thinking about the look on her face after I’d punched Adam, the way her voice had cracked when she told me she didn’t think a relationship was the best idea.
But Colter was right. Demanding that Caitlin talk to me after I’d messed up would make me no better than Adam. She was her own person, and Whitley was her priority. Not me.
I made a mistake, and I just hoped she wouldn’t push me away.
Before the storm started, I’d managed to eat something, forcing the food down despite the nerves churning in my gut.
In an attempt to take my mind off things, I’d turned on an old recording of a Warden Wrangler’s baseball game and plopped down on the couch.
However, not even my favorite team could take my mind off Caitlin.
With a loud boom, all the lights above me flickered out, shrouding the house in darkness. From my view out the kitchen window, I saw the power had also gone off in the guest house.
I had a few lanterns and flashlights lying around, but I wasn’t sure what the guest house was equipped with in terms of candles or flashlights.
Pursing my lips, I debated whether or not to take action. Colter had told me not to go to her, but this was an emergency, and he told me to give her the rest of the day. It was evening now.
I could just run over to the guest house, drop the supplies on the porch, knock and go back home. I wouldn’t even have to stay.
Yeah, I thought. That’ll work.
Scooping up a few flashlights and a lantern, I mentally prepared myself to go outside. Taking a deep breath, I emerged from the safety of the house’s overhang, rain and wind pelting my face the moment I stepped on the lawn.
Even though the houses were close together, I was so focused on making it to the guest house that I didn’t notice the figure standing on the grass in the middle of the downpour.
It was Caitlin in a navy-blue rain jacket, hair drenched with rainwater.
“Hi,” she squeaked out.
The front pieces of my hair clung to my forehead, and I pushed them back. “Hey.”
Her eyes dragged down my rain-soaked body then back up. “What are you doing?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” I laughed before holding up the flashlights and lantern. “I wanted to bring these over. I didn’t want you guys to be in the dark over here with the power out, and I didn’t know if there were flashlights or candles or anything inside.”
A blush creeped into her cheeks as she admitted, “Oh, well, I was headed over to your place. You’re right. There aren’t many things over here to use for light. I was going to see if you had anything. At least a flashlight so I could put it in Whitley’s room. She doesn’t like the dark.”
“Ah.” I nodded.
Neither of us said a word as the rain soaking through our clothes.
“It’s really coming down. I…here.” I started to hand over the supplies. “I should let you get back to the house. You’re going to be—well, you’re already drenched, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.” Spinning on my heel, I took a step toward the main house.
Cait’s hand pressed down on my shoulder, and I looked back at her.
“Do you want to come back with me?” she blurted. “So you can dry off, and then you don’t have to be alone. We’re also closer to mine.”
I glanced between the guest house and the main house. We were only about two feet closer to hers, and I fought back a grin.
“If you don’t want to, that’s fine, too, I just thought maybe…” Caitlin stumbled over her words.
“Do you want me to? Come over?”
Worrying her lip between her teeth, she nodded.
“Come on, then.” I threw my arm over her shoulder, water squishing between our layers.
She paused abruptly, halting before we could get very far. “Jake.”
I lifted my arm off her and turned so I was facing her. “Cait?”
As quickly as the flash of lightning overhead, the lights tumbled out of her hands onto the ground. Then her lips were crashing onto mine, fingers tangling through my hair.
My hands found her waist, and I tugged her toward me. My tongue swiped across the seam of her lips, requesting access. She opened for me, and the kiss deepened, desperate and wanting. Like my life was dependent on kissing her, and if I stopped, the air in my lungs would cease to exist.
Cupping her face with my hands, I nipped at her lip, pulling a soft moan from her.
The storm still hadn’t eased up, thunder cracking and rain pelting our faces, but neither had we, continuing to kiss like long-lost lovers reunited.
When we finally broke apart, our breaths mingled together in the air, our warm exhales a stark contrast to the bitter Montana wind.
Wandering hands clutched onto damp clothes, but neither of us made a move toward the house. With foreheads pressed together, drops of rain dripping from eyelashes and rolling down cheeks, I ran my thumb over her bottom lip, gliding over the spot I’d bitten a few moments earlier.
Her cheeks flushed and her mouth was swollen, but, God, she looked fucking beautiful. She looked like mine, if she would let me have her. Let me keep her.