Page 88 of Savage

I climbed into the car and he closed the door, watching me with a fond expression through the glass before he walked around and joined me.

On the journey, I was sorely tempted to tell Jaxon about Molly and her hissy fit and ask how she knew about the hotel but I chickened out. Jaxon was being so attentive. Considering we had spent such a long time at each other’s throats he was now just naturally easy to talk to. I didn’t want to spoil things.

We had an amazing time at the coast, walking along the beach together hand in hand. We even took our shoes off and I enjoyed the way the sand felt against my feet. It was breezy and there were only a handful of other people there, mainly dog walkers.

Jaxon kissed me as the waves crashed in the distance; the smell of the salty sea air made me feel so fresh.

“So, how did Molly take the news?

“She already had an idea. Heard me venting to Nixon on the phone,” he replied dryly, stoking back a hunk of hair which the wind had blown over my face.

“What about me?”

He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Yeah, I was pissed off after that night at the hotel and then seeing you with dickhead. I told him about what happened in our room and what started off as an intention to comfort you, blew out of control pretty fucking quickly.”

I didn’t really digest his words fully at that point, and I raised my eyebrows. “Dickhead; you mean Dominic?”

Jaxon lowered his hand and shot me a look. “Nope. I mean dickhead,” he grumbled. “She also said she’d guessed by my dick behaviour towards you.”

His words surprised me. “Really, she said that?”

Jaxon nodded, staring down at me with a strange expression. “Yeah, I was a dick to her too when she and her mother joined the family. As I said, Wynter. I’ve been here before many times.”

“What do you mean you’ve been here before? Do you mean in the same position as we are in now?”

“What? No. I mean with women and their offspring coming in and out of our lives. I’d had enough at wife three. When Dad met Daisy, I just thought here we go again. But after a couple of months of knowing her and then meeting you, I knew things were different. More cemented. It freaked me the fuck out and I didn’t want to let you in but you snook in there anyway. Got under my skin.”

“So, what about Molly?” I couldn’t help myself.

“What about her?” I liked that he didn’t say the word us.

“You said you were the same with her when you first met. You were a dick to her and then you weren’t. So did you get close like we’re close?”

“No, it wasn’t like that. It was still a strained relationship, but I could see how she affected my dad and gradually accepted her as a sister. I was younger then. We all were.”

He paused, briefly looking out at the ocean before turning back towards me. “Anyway, enough about Molly. Come here and that’s an order.”

Jaxon then tugged me into his arms. “Let’s go. The sooner we break the news, the sooner I can be inside you.”

*****

We returned home in time for dinner. I must admit, I was nervous. Once everyone was seated and Marcus had spooned out the casserole that my mother had attempted, Jaxon explained that we were seeing each other.

My mother and Marcus exchanged knowing looks, Chris didn’t look up from the text book he was reading and Molly sat there like a stuffed owl with a mouth full of food.

“We’ve known for a while darling. We may be old, but we’re not stupid,” my mother said, spooning some of her freshly made suspect brown goo into her mouth.

Jaxon and I shot each other a look and he shrugged. “Cool, that’s that then. I must admit, I thought you’d kick off.” He directed this at his father.

“The thought of you guys getting together was never far from my head and you’re both adults. You do what you want.”

Jaxon raised an eyebrow and shot me a saucy look, blatantly winding his father up who added, “Within reason son, whilst you’re living under my roof.”

Molly was painfully silent and I flicked her a glance as the discussion at the table changed to the usual chit-chat. Our revelation was now old news thank goodness.

Jaxon squeezed my knee under the table and delivered me a dazzling smile.

“I’m done, I think. Feel a bit sick. May I leave the table Daddy?” Molly suddenly said, her cutlery clattering onto her place. Why she still called him that when she lived with her real father was mind-boggling. Did she give them a number?

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