Page 67 of Jack

“Oh, that’s not necessary. I’ll be fine,” Finley insists.

“It’s not an option, Fin,” Jay sternly informs her.

“But my family,” she cries.

“Will have to deal with it.” Jay pulls his phone out and storms out the front door to make the calls needed.

I look up at Jack. “Can we please go home now?”

“Absolutely, angel.” He presses his lips to my forehead and lingers for a long moment.

Yeah, I know exactly what he’s feeling. It’s why I haven’t tried to move out of his arms. I need to know he’s here and real, too. I just want to go home and stay curled inside his protective arms all night, if he’ll let me.

Chapter 29

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Jack

Every nerve in my body has exploded. I feel too much. I feel nothing at the same time. The darkness I try to suppress has crawled out of the corners and shadows. Lily’s in shock and hasn’t noticed. Even in her state of mind, her presence is all that keeps my darkness at bay.

Cloudy Daze and Big Papa, Bankz’s dad, lead the way through the gate at the clubhouse. I didn’t realize they were with me until they appointed themselves our escort home.

Dad wants another Church meeting. Worley Bird talked him into waiting a few hours. I need to get Lily settled at home first. Jay’s arranging the security for the five women Lily’s ex threatened. Hendrix and Bankz lead the search around Willow Creek for Joel Clark. Rodeo’s in the backseat. He gave Worley Bird the rundown of what happened at the library since I hadmy hands full taking care of Lily. It took both Rodeo and Worley Bird to convince Dad to wait.

My brothers all head to the clubhouse. I take the private driveway to our houses. Lily’s in no shape to handle the noise at the clubhouse. I drive past the guest house and take the left to my house. I promised her I wouldn’t treat her like an Ariel’s Angel anymore. I lied. Some of the aspects of the program training are ingrained into who I am now. Whether she’s officially in the program or not, she’s still a Domestic Violence victim. Our program gives battered women a safe home with stability and the start of a new life. When these women feel safe, they begin to heal and grow.

Lily’s never been to my house. I’ve always gone to her. The guest house became her safe place. I couldn’t take it from her. Mom noticed it the first night Lily was here when she and Everly stayed with her. It’s why Mom let Lily remain in the guest house after she decided to stay in Willow Creek.

I pull up to the front and toss Rodeo my keys so he can unlock the house. As much as I hate to move the angel attached to my side, I need to get her inside.

The moment I was in the driver’s seat at the library and closed the door, Lily tried to climb over the center console into my lap. It was all Rodeo and I could do to hold her back long enough for him to raise the console. She’s been under my arm the entire way home.

“Come on, angel. Let’s get you inside.”

I open the door and try to slide out. Lily stays attached to my side. One of her hands clinches tightly to the front of my cut, and her other hand to the back hem. She’s not going to let me go around and take her out the passenger door.

“Okay, angel. Hang on.”

This will be tricky, but she’s small enough that the steering wheel won’t be too much of a problem for her. I keep my armaround her and pull her across the seat with me as I step out. Once my feet are on the ground, I slide my left arm under her knees and lift her out of the truck. Rodeo holds the front door open for us. He hurries down the steps to lock up the truck once I have Lily inside.

“Let me get you settled, and I’ll make some coffee.” I lower her to the couch.

“No. No.” She claws her way up my cut until her arms circle around my neck.

Okay. New problem.

I sit and get as comfortable as I can. Lily immediately crawls onto my lap. Trust me. I’m not complaining. She can sit on my lap anytime, anywhere. Tonight, I give her whatever she needs. I need to protect her. I was slack in my responsibilities. I let her down. I failed her today.

From the stories I’ve heard and the things I’ve witnessed, Dad has always protected Mom fiercely. Jay’s dad was just as protective of his mom. Dad’s drilled into Jay and me for years that you never rest and never stop watching when there’s even the possibility of a threat against the woman you love. After losing Ariel, Dad’s protectiveness jumped up a thousand notches. He’s unapologetic and has no remorse for the things he does to protect the women in our family. I didn’t protect mine today.

Mine. Every thought and battle in my mind comes to a screeching halt. I look down at the sleeping woman in my arms. With trembling fingers, I move a few strands of her hair from her face. Her nose is swollen and bruised. Thank goodness the bleeding stopped on the way home.

Realization settles over me. Mine. This beautiful woman is mine. Dad’s words shout the loudest in my head.The women we love. It’s wrong for her. She deserves better than me. But there’s not a force in the universe that can change it now. Lily Harmonis the one woman I’ll love for eternity. She may end up hating me for what happened today and for the things that come next because of it. But she’s mine, and I do love her.

“I can make coffee.” Rodeo walks through the living room and tosses my keys on the table by the kitchen door.

I glare at him until he disappears into the kitchen. I’m going to hurt my best friend for ruining my moment. I’m grateful he snapped me back to the present, too. Now that I know without a doubt who Lily is to me and admitted my feelings for her, I understand what Dad has been saying all along. I have an obligation and responsibility to the woman in my arms.

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