Page 143 of Jack

A shout, and just like that, the man lurched off her. She opened her eyes, spotted him on the ground, rolling with another man.

In a tux.

Dark hair, big, strong, and . . .

Angry.

Jack hit Kyle once, then again, and then Conrad was there, pulling him away as Stein grabbed the man and rolled him over, subduing him.

Jack stumbled back, breathing hard, his hair wild, his expression wrecked as he looked at her.

She pushed herself up, also breathing hard.

Then he walked over and dropped to his knees in front of her. “No one gets to hurt my girl.”

She launched herself into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. His arms went around her, crushing her to himself.

“Please be okay. Please. Be okay.”

She leaned back, caught his face in her hands. “I’m okay.”

His eyes glistened. “I’m so sorry. I’m not really mad about the story—I’m just . . . I don’t want to screw this up. I don’t want to hurt you?—”

“Then don’t,” she said, and kissed him.

And he was every bit her superhero as he caught her up and kissed her back, his mouth desperate on hers, his arms crushing her to himself.

She held on as he scooped her up, then stood up, , still kissing her, as if afraid to stop.

And she drank him in, tasting, letting her heart, her dreams, believe.

He finally leaned back, breathing hard, his eyes on hers, fierce, bold.

Big Jack was back.

She smiled.

“Totally Fabio,” Conrad said from behind them.

Jack kept holding her gaze, but he smiled. “You liked that, huh?”

She wasn’t sure who he was talking to. So she nodded.

“Yeah, well, pay attention.” He looked at his brothers.

“What? You’re going to lead by example?” Doyle said, giving him a look.

He waggled his eyebrows.

Wow, she’d missed him. This Jack. The Jack that knew how to charm his way, over and over, into her heart.

He addressed Stein. “Secured?”

“Yep.”

Kyle was on his feet, his hands cinched behind him with Stein’s belt. In the distance, sirens whined.

Jack didn’t put her down. “We have a reception to attend. I hope you weren’t going anywhere important.”

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