41 #2
Sometimes, I think he acts absurd to lighten the mood or take the heat off others by directing it at himself. Most of the time, his antics are entertaining, but Aurora doesn’t find the threat of other women funny.
Unlike with him, she hasn’t got my ring on her finger as security. All she can rely on is my word.
And whose fault is that?
With that thought, I drop into my seat and rake my fingers through my hair.
I release a heavy sigh and lift my head to meet his gaze.
“What did I tell you? If you have a problem, come to me. I’m not stepping out on this family.
Ever. I was with Aurora because something happened, and instead of focusing on that, we’re focusing on you . ”
“Do I even matter? From the looks of it, you had no intention of including me.”
Reece straightens in his seat and adjusts Aurora on his lap. “That’s my fault. I asked him to come without you. I didn’t want to ruin your game.”
He isn’t as touchy-feely toward her as Jax and I are, perhaps because we’re in the room. She simply sits on his thigh, his hands resting on the arms of the chair.
Seeing her with him doesn’t bother me. I don’t feel jealous or possessive, but I also don’t have that warmth in my chest as I do when she’s with Jax.
The announcer comes over the speaker, and I glance at my watch. Fifteen minutes until warm-ups. “Fuck, we have to go. You need to get changed. Did you see Doc?”
My captain gets to his feet. “Yeah, I was leaving his office when I saw you walk out the door…” With Patty.
I grab my suit jacket from the back of the couch. “I was coming here. I got a text from Reece.”
As I slip it on, he juts his chin at Aurora. Without a word, she comes to him and wraps her arms around his waist.
He cups her face and stares down at her. “What happened?”
She peers over at me, and he redirects her attention.
“Look at me. I’m not leaving until you tell me.”
Lips parted, she searches his eyes. “Later, I promise.”
His breathing picks up, his chest heaving. This is precisely what I was hoping to prevent.
“Aurora,” he snarls, his tone laced with warning. “You hiding shit from me is only making it worse.”
Reece rises, fists clenched and muscles bulging. Fucking great. The last thing I need is these two trading blows before Jackson’s first home game after his suspension.
I step forward then hesitate, deciding it might not be best to touch him right now. “Can you please take the crazy down a notch? Fuck. We care about you. We’re only trying to help.” I glance at Reece. “Explain. Quickly.”
He maintains his scowl until Jax’s grip on Aurora relaxes.
“Hugo followed us to a café in West Hollywood. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t say much. His intention was to make his presence known and expose me as an agent. My team is reviewing nearby surveillance and traffic cams to pinpoint where his tail began. Charlie is watching the house.”
Jackson’s focus never wavers from Aurora. He blinks repeatedly, and his Adam’s apple bobs. “I’m sorry,” he exhales.
She grasps his wrists. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Really. I’m only worried about you.”
“I had this gut-punch feeling in the locker room. I should’ve known it was about you and not fucking Patty.” He rests his forehead against hers. “I’ll take care of it,” he says, his voice strained. “What did he say?”
“He called me Mrs. O’Reilly and told me to tell you hello. It rattled me. That’s all.”
Rising to his full height, he takes a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “I’ll handle it,” he repeats with conviction.
“ We’ll handle it,” I interrupt, not wanting him to do something impulsive. “In the meantime, she stays with one of us.”
Eerily calm, he nods in agreement and draws Aurora into his arms. “I cleared this suite. Nobody but the caterer should enter.” He lifts his chin at Reece. “Thanks for being with her. What did he say to you?”
“He addressed me by my full title and name to prove he knew who I was, something I already considered, based on Kyle’s texts. He wanted to taunt us, to send the message he could reach Aurora. He can’t. She’s safe with me.”
“Okay,” Jax says before kissing Aurora goodbye. “Don’t go anywhere alone.”
And that’s it. Even in the elevator, he remains oddly mellow, his gaze fixed straight ahead, a faint smile playing on his lips.
With only a few minutes together, I break the awkward silence. “You know I would never touch Patty, right?”
He doesn’t so much as glance at me. “You know being overly nice and pretending to be single hurts those who love you, right?”
The doors open, and he exits, leaving me baffled.
I stride after him into the long corridor to the locker room. “I’m not pretending to be single.”
He faces me, still wearing that stiff grin. “Really? So it wouldn’t feel wrong if it was Aurora sitting outside your office watching your behavior and listening to Patty giggle?”
It would. It did . I just didn’t know how to respond.
I say nothing, and he continues. “It’s you hurting her, not me. What you blamed me for is exactly how she’d react if she saw you. I might be crazy, but at least no one questions my loyalty.”
My chest aches, buthe’s not done driving the knife through my heart.
“What are you going to do? On game days, when your son is here, are you going to ignore him? Pretend he’s not there? He’ll know you’re his dad. He’ll be watching you and wanting your attention. How does that not excite you? How are you not dreaming of the day you get to show him off?”
The walk to the car is quiet, only the sound of our footsteps in the empty parking garage. Jax is still pissed at me. He didn’t speak to me the entire night, communicating in grunts and nods.
Reece and Aurora left an hour ago. Jax had a hell of a game, coming close to another hat trick. He ended with two goals and three assists, busting his ass until the very end to secure an overtime win.
The arena was packed and loud with excitement. Robert, the owner, was in attendance and also fired up.
“We have a real chance at the playoffs this year,” he said, sitting in my office while Jax took an ice bath in the training room. “Well done.”
It didn’t feel deserving, and I only mumbled, “Thanks.”
“Are you still babysitting him?”
“He doesn’t need a babysitter. If you’re asking if we’re staying together, yes.”
He crossed and uncrossed his legs. “Good. It’s obviously working. Keeps him out of trouble.”
“His father is dead, and he’s married to the woman he loves. That keeps him from relapsing .”
Robert failed to notice my correction. “And she’s pregnant, I hear. That’s perfect.”
A spark ignited within me. That was my chance to disclose our relationship and the baby.
I tapped my pen against the desk. “Robert, there’s a reason Jax and I are so close.”
“I know.” He dismissed me with a wave of his hand. “You don’t have to tell me. Actually, I’d prefer you didn’t. Not that I’m biased. My grandson is gay, but I’d rather have plausible deniability. Get me?”
Heat radiated from my face, and I knew my skin was bright red. “We’re not…” I trailed off. Maybe if I let him believe it, he’d spread the word, and it’d stop Patty from interfering. “It’s more complicated than that. His wife is carrying my child. The three of us are together.”
His brows nearly hit his hairline, and he blinked several times. “That does complicate things. I’ll have to discuss this with legal and PR.” He stood and smoothed the front of his dress pants. “You could publicly be the child’s godfather or uncle.”
I shook my head adamantly. “I won’t hide this.”
He released a heavy sigh and headed for the door. “We’ll work it out. This is the best I’ve seen the team in over a decade. Give me a few days.”
The beep of the car unlocking echoes against the cement walls. Jax and I open our doors simultaneously and settle into our seats. He gazes out the passenger window, and I stare at his profile.
I set the key fob in the cup holder but don’t start the ignition.
“I fucked up. I’m sorry.” I grip the bottom of the steering wheel, the leather squeaking as I rotate my fists.
“I didn’t know how to respond to Patty. If it was one of you, I would’ve pushed you aside and told you to get your ass off my desk.
I actually hoped you’d come in and do it for me.
I figured any minute, you’d barge in and interrupt. ”
“I should have.” He continues to face away from me. “But then, I’d be called crazy for doing so.”
“I like you crazy,” I blurt.
He side-eyes me, his lips pursed in disbelief.
“It’s true. You feel things deeper than I do. You’re always one step ahead. I’m emotionally broken.”
He scowls, and his mouth twists into a frown. “No, you’re not.”
“I am. I learned to shut off my feelings a long time ago. You and Aurora are the exception. But you’re right. I won’t be able to ignore my son, and I don’t want to. I’d be miserable.”
I reach out, intending to weave my fingers through his hair, but he pulls away. Hurt and irritation hit my stomach in waves, and I clench my jaw.
“Seriously? You’re that mad at me?”
He shifts his entire body toward the window. “Let’s just go home. I don’t wanna say some stupid shit right now.”
“Like what?”
He doesn’t answer.
I jab the start button, and the car comes to life. I hate being ignored. My mood plummets and I grind my molars.
We leave the arena, and he reclines into the seat and closes his eyes.He’s exhausted, and why wouldn’t he be? The world is on his shoulders, his demons coming back to haunt him, and he still gave me one hundred percent on the ice tonight.
It’s hard to take my eyes off him. He’s honestly as beautiful as everyone teases him for being. Pure perfection in male form. Softer than me in appearance and emotion, yet so damn strong.
There’s no explanation for our relationship or my draw to him. I’ve been protective of him since the day Kyle waltzed into my locker room and Jax was outwardly uncomfortable.It’s more than that, though.I want him in a way that’s unfathomable.