Page 24 of Theirs to Love

Emily nodded her head, “No more running from us, Jackson—ever!” Em tried to add a little heat to her statement but stomping her tiny barefoot on the ground only made Jack and him chuckle.

“I’m sorry, guys. I thought I was doing what was best for all of us. I fucked up and I put you both in danger. I don’t know whatI’d do if I lost either one of you. I love you both and I know that I don’t deserve to just walk back into your lives and expect you to welcome me back with open arms. I know that this will take some time for you both to trust me again but I’m hoping that you will give me a chance.” Jackson took a step back from Em and Travis as if he wanted to give them room to think about what he said.

“I’ll go and get us some food and give you two time to talk,” Jackson said, grabbing his keys off the desk where he threw them earlier.

“No,” Emily breathed. “Please don’t leave us.” She crossed the room to where he was standing and threw herself into his arms. “If you disappear it will kill Travis and me. We won’t get through that again; we barely made it through these last two months.” Travis stood glued to his spot. He knew that Emily needed Jack but watching just how much she missed him tore at Travis’s heart.

“I won’t leave you again, Em. Either of you.” He looked across the room to where Jackson stood by the door. God, he wanted to believe Jack and all the promises that he just made but he was right. It was going to take a lot more time for Travis to forgive him than just words. Travis was going to need to see the proof that Jack was with them for the long haul. Jack was going to have to stick around and show him day after day that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Travis gave Jack a curt nod, “I’ll need more than just your word, Jack. I love you but you walking away from us fucked me up. Do you know how hard it was worrying about you but having to stay strong for our girl?”

“I know that I fucked up, Travis. I was in pain too. I worried about the two of you but when I went to bed at night, I was alone. I didn’t have Em with me telling me that she loves me. You did and I’m so happy that you both had each other. I know that I’masking to be a part of everything again when I have no right to do so. But here I am and if you want me to beg, I will.” Travis shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to see the man that he loved down on his knees begging.

“No, I just need you to stay this time. Don’t tell us the words that you think we need to hear. Show us that you mean everything that you are saying by sticking around and being a part of this. Emily and I are ready for the future. We’re done waiting for life to settle down, we want to start thinking about a family, even kids.” Travis saw how Em’s face lit up when he mentioned having kids. He wasn’t sure if he was right about that but seeing her reaction told him just how she felt about having babies with him—with them. Emily wanted everything he wanted and that made him so damn happy.

“So, you want kids?” Travis crossed the small room and pulled Em into his arms.

“I do and I was hoping that you did too.” She looked torn as if worried that agreeing to have kids with him meant that she’d hurt Jackson. Travis chuckled, “Honey, I’m pretty sure that judging from Jack’s face when I mentioned kids, he’s on board too.”

Jackson nodded and cuddled into Emily’s other side, pinning her between their bodies. “He’s right, Emily. I want the three of us to be a family.” Emily wiped the tears that were once again falling down her cheeks.

“I’d like that too, with both of you,” Emily choked. Travis gently kissed her lips and watched as she turned to kiss Jackson. Seeing the two of them together again did strange things to his heart. He was afraid that having Jack around again would cause feelings of resentment or even jealousy, but he didn’t feel either of those things. Instead, he felt only peace and contentment seeing Jack kiss Em’s lips and hold her against his body. It was almost as if they hadn’t been apart these past two months.

“Can we start working on making babies soon?” Emily squeaked. “I’d like a bunch of kids and I’m about to turn thirty next week.” Travis looked at Jack, feeling a little guilty that he had forgotten that Em’s birthday was next week. When they all first met, they joked that they would have to take her out and help her celebrate her trip “over the hill”. But then everything happened with Jack leaving and someone trying to split them all apart, and Travis dropped the ball and forgot about Em’s special day.

“Well, then, we will have to go out and celebrate our girl officially turning the big three zero.” Jack joked.

“And babies?” Em’s question had them both pausing.

“We can talk about the whole baby thing after we work through some of this shit, Em.” Travis glanced at Jack and saw that he was just as conflicted about the subject of a kid as he was. Emily pouted but seemed to quickly recover when Jackson reminded her that little girls who pout earned smacks on the ass. Travis knew that if they ended up stripping and spanking Emily they would never figure out their next move which he was hoping was something to eat.

“Let’s find some food and then we can figure out what to do about Em’s father,” Travis offered. “I take it Cross is still in jail?” Jackson nodded and a part of Travis felt relieved. He knew that their problems weren’t all solved with Cross behind bars, but it was a start. He had a feeling that Mr. Jude was the bigger issue and one that wouldn’t be as easily solved.

Jackson pulled out his phone showing a picture that he saved. “My boss sent this over yesterday. Do you have any idea where this was or who could have taken it?” Travis took Jack’s phone, and Emily peeked over his shoulder.

“Oh my God, that’s us, Travis,” Emily yelled. It was them out at the ranch yesterday just before their whole fucking lives turned around and Jack walked back into their lives.

“We were out at the ranch in the northern pasture. Jamison fucked up his truck and I had to run out and look at it. This happened just before we headed into my shop, and I saw that white truck trailing us.” Jack looked over at Travis while he inspected the picture.

“I heard that you opened your place, man. I’m so fucking proud of you.” Jack pulled him in for a hug and Emily took the phone from Travis’s hand.

“Guys, this had to have been taken by one of the farmhands. Look how close the person taking the picture was. He must have been holding his phone low, look at the angle of our bodies.” Travis pulled away from Jack’s hold and took the phone back trying to see what Emily saw. She was right, the person taking the picture must have been trying to hide the fact that he was taking it. There was even part of a work glove in the picture and Travis had a pretty good idea who it belonged to. There were two new guys at the ranch, and he was pretty sure that the person who took this picture was one of them.

“Fuck,” Travis swore, pulling out his cell phone. He dialed Ash’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“You know what fucking time it is man? You wake up my daughter and I’ll beat your ass next time I see you,” Ashton grumbled with no real heat.

“Listen, man, I think that one of the new guys that you hired is working for Em’s dad. He’s the one behind all this shit and the reason Jack had to leave town.”

Ashton’s whistle on the other end said it all, “I’m sorry man. What can I do to help?” Travis knew that he could always count on Ash and Jamison. Jack took the phone from Travis and told Ash exactly what to do. Jack was always good at taking charge and barking orders, especially when it came to his and Em’s safety. Before they hung up Jackson told Ash that he would call his Captain and have him out there to question the two new guyswithin the hour. In the meantime, Ash and Jamison would need to just play it cool and not let on that they knew anything.

“Just lock up and don’t let anyone in or out of the house until I have some guys out there,” Jackson barked. Ash agreed and they ended the call. It felt damn good to have Jackson back. They needed each other and having Jack there now just proved that.

Emily stood between them and wrapped her arms around Travis, “I’m so sorry, Travis. This is all my fault and now I’ve put even more people in danger.” Emily quietly sobbed into his shirt and the sound gutted him. This whole nightmare had to end, they just needed to put their heads together and figure out a plan.

“I wish I could convince my father that you and Jackson are my life now, my whole world. Maybe if he just heard my side he’d see that you truly make me happy, both of you.” Jackson crowded into her side and kissed her head.

“There is no fucking way that you go near your father, Em. Do you understand me?” Jackson barked. “I won’t let him get his hands on you, not now, not ever.” Emily shivered at the threat in Jack’s voice and Travis tried to comfort her, running his hands up and down her back. But Jack was right, he wouldn’t ever let Em’s father anywhere near her again. Travis would die before he let that happen.

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