Page 116 of Wed to You

“I’m not here for you. I’m here because of Chelsea. I know you feel what she did was a betrayal, but if not for her, you’d be in jail.”

Jagger looked away. He knew it was the truth, but his heart still ached at what she’d done. Why hadn’t she run with him? He’d give her anything. He’d tried to give her all she wanted.

Mitch leaned forward. “I get it, Jag, I really do. I felt like Sydney stabbed me in the heart too. But the anger I carried, all it did was make me a bitter man who missed out on life. When I think of all the years we didn’t have together because I was too pigheaded, it kills me. Don’t be like that. Forgive her and get back to living.”

“You were right about us, you know.” There was no sense in hiding anymore. He was sort of surprised Chelsea hadn’t told him of their marriage deal already.

“What?”

“Us. This marriage. It was a sham. All done to look good to the judge.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Jagger laughed derisively. “You never believe me about anything.”

“I’ve seen you two together. I see you now. I see her. You’re both miserable and brokenhearted. You can fix it. Jesus, Jagger, a perfect life is sitting right there, all you have to do is reach out and grab it.” Mitch made a grabbing motion with his hand.

“I’m telling you, it was a marriage of convenience.”

Mitch sat back. “If that were true, you wouldn’t look like this.”

Jagger’s gaze was red hot. “I lost Kaden.”

“No, you didn’t. He’s right out there.” Mitch pointed back toward the big house. “So this pity party you’re throwing can’t be about that. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life if you don’t fix this. Trust me on this, Jagger. I nearly lost out, but I got a second chance. You may not get another chance at the happiness I know you’ve been seeking all your life. Go to Chelsea.”

Jagger didn’t say anything. He knew Mitch would keep harping on him, but it would be a waste of breath.

Mitch studied him a little longer. He stood, disgust etched on his features. “Then why couldn’t you have left her alone like I asked you to? You’re a selfish jerk, you know that? How much loss can one woman take?”

That last statement sent a pang of guilt through Jagger. Chelsea had lost more than her fair share. Her brother. Her mother. But Jagger couldn’t let the guilt affect him. Finding his inner bastard, he turned his cool gaze on Mitch. “She still has the house.”

If Mitch was ever going to punch Jagger, that moment probably would have been it. His fingers balled into a fist, and his green eyes turned dark and hot. “You’re an ass.”

“So you’ve said.”

“And a coward.” Mitch gave Jagger one last glare and then stormed from the cottage.

Jagger should have felt relief at Mitch’s departure. Instead, he felt guilt and agitation. He was seriously rethinking the drink.

The truth was he wanted to go to Chelsea. He wanted...no, needed her. He knew she’d be able to support him through this change of custody. She’d distract him from his feelings of failure that he’d let Kaden down. But he couldn’t learn to rely on that. All his life he’d longed for love. To be a part of a family that genuinely cared for each other. For a short time, he, Chelsea, and Kaden had had that. That was until it imploded.

She’d betrayed him, but he knew, deep down, that was only part of what kept him away. He could forgive her and maybe they could forge a real relationship. But what happened when she betrayed him again for some other reason? Or maybe he’d betray her. The truth was, while love was nice when it worked, when it failed, it cut through the very soul. He didn’t think he could risk that. He’d put everything he had into caring for Kaden. Into keeping him as his own. By the end of their sham marriage, he’d begun to think of it as real. Now both were gone. No. It was easier to not love. To not risk.

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