Page 6 of Shattered

“I’m sorry,” he whispered in my ear.

“Don't do it again,” I choked out, letting the worry bleed through my voice. Stepping out of his embrace, I asked, “Where were you?”

“Lola’s,” he muttered.

“Okay, so why didn’t you reply to any of my seven thousand text messages then? Why the secrets?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me, Jett.”

His shoulders tensed momentarily then he averted his eyes to a space behind me. Hands on my hips, I stared at him for several seconds, hoping and praying he’d finally open up, when the clearing of a throat reminded me, we weren’t alone.

How in the hell had I forgotten Koen was in the room?

“Jett, why don’t you give your sister and me a few minutes to chat.”

The rumble of his baritone voice sent shivers down my spine; my body's involuntary response to his close proximity. It was always the same whenever he was near. Hell, who was I kidding? The mere thought of him was enough to invoke a reaction.Stupid hormones.

Without answering, Jett rearranged the backpack, which was slung over his shoulder, higher up then shuffled out of the kitchen, likely headed for his room. When I heard the clomp of his secondhand sneakers on the stairs, I knew I was right.

“Angel.”

A shudder rolled through me at the nickname.

“Stop calling me that.”

He chuckled. “Never.”

Spinning around, I went back to the counter and gathered the bowls of toppings I’d prepared for our meal, spreading them out on the dining room table. Koen followed close behind, lifting the cast iron pan filled with meat off the stove, then setting it down on top of a potholder.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?”

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. If my hands hadn’t been full, I’d have slapped myself.

“Jade—”

“Forget I asked. I’m sure you already have plans.”

“Jesus, woman. Can you stop for a minute and look at me?”

Sighing, I lifted my head, only to become mesmerized by the way his emerald eyes studied me. Almost as if they saw straight through my defenses.

“I’d love to stay.”

“Okay.” I huffed out a breath.

“But afterward, we need to talk.”

Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I nodded.

We worked in tandem to get everything on the table and after I hollered up to Jett, the warm hand wrapping around my elbow had my heart thundering in my chest.

“It’ll be fine, Jade.”

“I hope so.”

2CONSTIPATED OR CONFUSED

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