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“I needed space to think. Then when I saw you two at the club earlier, I figured some confirmation was a good idea. For all I knew, Amy was lying.” Ben is seemingly more accepting of this situation than Jake, but it’s most likely because he hasn’t had months of Marissa badgering him, arguing, and digging her claws in.
There’s something so … Jake-like in Ben … old Jake. It’s in his mannerisms and alarmingly similar face something disconcerting about his presence and authority. Only Ben is less fiery and calmer, as Hunter appears to be. Jake always seems like he has something hot brimming under his surface, a sense that you know he’s capable of pouncing. Changing from laid back to crazy aggressive in an instant, but Ben doesn’t. He seems to be a calmer and more relaxed person than Jake.
“No better time than the present.” Jake’s already on his feet, pulling me with him, that spark simmering, highlighting what I was thinking. I wonder if it’s the hot Italian blood Sylvana likes to boast about.
Uh oh.
“Jake. Wait until tomorrow, or maybe I should go home?” inner panic sets in, and a wash of fatigue. I don’t want to get into an all-out screaming match with Marissa again. As much as the last one ended in happy tears, this one might not.
“No. I want you with me, baby. I swear we won’t need to stay long. I’m sure Ben will want some time alone with her to talk when we’re done, then I’ll take you home. I want you to witness this too.” Jake leans in, kissing me tenderly, his hand grazing my face softly, and I catch Ben’s eyes on me. Jake doesn’t want to be with Marissa without me being there. Always in the back of his head that I won’t trust him. I would rather he went without me in this.
“This is a better fit,” Ben says suddenly, nodding at me, “You and Emma. I see what Marissa always wanted with you and never got. It’s obvious how much you love her; it was never obvious with Marissa.” He drops his chin to his chest. “I don’t have that with her either … I don’t think I ever will, even if the kid is mine. I can’t trust the bitch anymore.” He lets out another deflated breath.
Ouch.
Ben lifts his head and gets to his feet, showing seriousness on his face, and we all head out. Jake all but has to drag me out into the crisp dawn air on a mission I want to be no part of. Jefferson appears as though by magic, and I wonder where he’s been hiding all night.
Surely that isn’t what he has to do? Sit around and wait for us?
We slide into the car, and Jake pulls his phone out and dials it before sticking it to his ear with a look of sheer determination and a somewhat sardonic expression. It rings for a few minutes before she answers him. I can almost make out her sensual purring on the other end of the receiver, even from my distance.
“Marissa, it’s Jake. I need to see you. Where are you?” He sounds deceivingly sexy as he tries to keep his tone even. I know he wants to make her think he’s begging to see her for something she may actually like.
I shiver with jealousy but bite it down. He sounds like the guy from the office who used to call dates and arrange casual hookups back when I was his assistant. Casanova in full control.
“Stay there. I’m on my way.” He slurs a little, trying to make sure she thinks he’s coming to see her for a booty call in the middle of the night or early morning, whatever it is, believing that she’s getting a drunken Jake and some sort of reunion. He’s making sure she’ll open the door to him alone. I know it’s pretending, but it still hurts me emotionally. I look at my lap and instantly feel his mouth against my temple.
“I love you, baby,” he whispers in my ear, brushing my hair back, his eyes finding mine reassuringly with a small tender smile.
Always so in tune with me.
I smile up into his adoring face and melt.
“Still a clever fucker.” Ben smiles, and Jake pulls me closer, an arm around my shoulders between the two men, as he helps me get my seat belt on in the black Lexus. Ben is still on the pavement at the open door, leaning in.
“Much smarter than you ever were, Benny-boy.” Jake smiles back, and a moment of friendly sparks suddenly fills the air. It’s weird yet strangely comforting.
“That’s true. You saw through her shit and got the fuck away … I kept getting dragged back, repeatedly, it seems.” Ben sighs and climbs in beside me. I notice that Jake has no qualms about sitting me between them. Jake of yesterday would’ve put me on one side away from Ben, guarding me possessively from the guy he hates so much. But, in the last hour, something has changed between the two men, some sort of truce and forgiveness in such a simple conversation.
* * *
Getting into her apartment is easy enough; all Jake needs to do is bark two words into the intercom.
“I’m here,” and she lets us in without hesitation.
Whore.
She is shocked when she answers the door in nothing more than a lace bra and panties under a see-through robe and is faced with two angry men and a seething little blonde girlfriend. All I can do is balk and take in her slutty attire. She truly believed he was coming to fuck her.
What planet is she from?
Marissa visibly steps back, mouth gaping, before recovering her equilibrium, making no attempt at covering herself. She glances swiftly at Ben, noticing him seems to knock the wind out of her sails, and she pulls her robe across her protruding bump.
“What the fuck is this?!” She snaps. Jake pushes past her dragging me, quite confidently, by the hand into the large, expensive apartment. It’s a loft apartment and is decorated in an almost industrial style. I don’t want to know if he’s ever been here with her, even when they were teens.
“What does it fucking look like, Marissa?” Jake growls, taking me to a low couch, sitting me down gently, plumping a couple of cushions up behind my back, and running a finger across my mouth as though to ground me, trying to help me relax. His attention is always on me.
“We came to party.” Ben breaks in sarcastically. He wanders to the mini bar, and I notice how he starts fixing two drinks, acting equally as cocky as Jake. He seems a little too comfortable in here as well. I guess this is an apartment they’ve both known quite well, and it makes me feel a tad sick.
“I want you all to leave. I don’t know what this is, but …” She starts with hands on her hips, nastily pouting.
“Cut the shit, Marissa,” Jake snaps and walks beside Ben to lift a glass, downing it in one go. I cringe at every drink he takes, knowing it’ll fuel his less-than-reasonable side. Jake is more capable of ferociousness when he’s consumed alcohol.
“Were you ever going to tell me that your baby has two possible fathers, Marissa?” He glares at her icily, all hostility on show.
Ben seems immersed in cracking ice for his drink and pours Jake another without question. He is irritatingly cool, laid back, and almost smiling. I wonder if this is why they used to get on so well. Jake was the hot head, and Ben was the calm one. Hunter is that for Jake now, sometimes.
It’s weird to see them so buddy-buddy, side by side at the drinks bar while impressively intimidating the shit out of her. Both are scary in the full-blown scowling-alpha mode in entirely different ways. I can see why she has a hard time picking between the two when they’re like this, so effortlessly alike, domineering in their own way. But to me, Jake is far more beautiful. I like his impulsive fire way more than Ben’s cool mood.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I know which one of you is the father.” She lifts her chin nastily, with no hint of remorse and no hesitation.
Interesting.
“Sorry … How can you tell who the father is when you fucked two men within twenty-four hours of one another?” Ben remarks, snapping at her, and I catch a tiny flicker of something appearing on Marissa’s face.
Not knowing her well, I assume it’s a tiny flail in her perfected bitch stance. She’s lost her confidence, but Jake’s sharp eyes swoop right in.
“What the fuck was that?” Jake snarls viciously, and I jump at the temper only moments ago, I was admiring.
“Hmm?” Ben looks up, a little clueless, completely non-phased by Jake’s outburst.
“That look … That tiny little falter on her calculating face.” Jake raises his empty glass like a pointing tool and Ben is now staring intently at her. She moves her hands to her hips.
“You can stop the double act and get the fuck out before I call security,” She walks toward me, and Jake grows a little taller, bristling if she dares come anywhere near me. She sees it in the corner of her eye, halts, changes direction, and goes to the chair near the door. It seems like she knows enough about that Carrero temper not to be sure how he would react to her getting so close to me. At last, she realizes I mean more than life to him, giving me a sudden sense of calm and control, old Emma moving in, making me a little taller.
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