Page 124 of Finding Hope

“Ummm…” Gritting my teeth, I turn my face into the back of the seat. “Hey, X.”

Jack snorts. “I’m sorry, Bambie. I tried to stop him.”

The flashlight leaves my face, then Alex’s eyes snap up and glare atJack. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford one, I will happily provide you with the dumbest piece of shit I know…”

Fuckkkk.

27

JACK

A DINNER DATE

“Oh my God.” Nervously opening her front door, Britt bites her plump bottom lip and bars my entrance. “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Okay.” With a shaking hand, she brushes her hair aside. “This is really happening. Shit, Jack.”

Laughing, I lean in close and press a kiss to the corner of her lips. She takes my offered bouquet of flowers, but doesn’t even look at them, she’s freaking outthatmuch. “It’s fine, Bambie. Everything will be fine. I promise.”

I eat her up with my eyes. She’s looking Miss T today, not Bambie. In tight jeans, but an elegant top that showszeroboob. Elegant hair, minimal mascara, but she’s wearing her new bracelet, so all is right in my world.

She’s wearing me on her, even when she hasn’t seen me in eighteen hours. Even when the last time she saw me, her brother was cuffing me. Even though we didn’t even get to say goodbye last night, except me tossing the keys to my Mustang so she could get it home for me. Despite freaking out so much she looks like she wants to spew, she’s still wearing me on her.

She’s so beautiful, my body is painfully reminded I didn’t get to come last night. Leaning forward, I press a second kiss against her lips again until she sighs and her lashes flutter against my cheek.

“Alex is here.”

“I know. Relax.”

“I’m not sure dinner’s such a good idea anymore.”

I step further into her space, and shuffle her back until I’m at leastinsideher house.

It’s dinnertime. Time to meet the family.

Again.

“Relax, Bambie. I promise it’ll be okay.”

“Allthe guys are here, Jack.”

I laugh, though I smother it just as fast as it comes.

I expected they’d be here. It’s what we’d do in our family, too. It’s all in, face the gauntlet, or go away. Not to mention, there are several too many cars parked out front. And a couple motorbikes.

I take her jaw in my hand and lower my face so I’m only an inch away. I whisper, “It’s fine, Bambie. I promise, everything will be okay.”

“What if they gang up on you? What if they beat you up?”

I laugh arrogantly.

“Oh, shit. What ifyoubeatthemup? They’re not fighters, Jack. I mean, they could probably hit people and make it hurt, but they’re not you. They don’t hang out in a gym all the time.”

“Stop.” I throw an arm over her shoulder and pull her in until the smell of strawberries floods my lungs. Home. “Let’s just get it done. Rip it off like a Band-Aid.”

“I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“I’ll hold your hair any time you gotta spew, Bambie. I’ve got your back.”

“I hate when you’re too sweet,” she grumbles. “Makes it hard to hate you.”

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