Page 627 of The Tempted

The last couple months I’ve been lying through my fucking teeth to him.

And to myself.

I walked into the visitor’s room and spotted Jack instantly, the patch we worshipped stitched proudly into the back of his cut. I should’ve turned around and denied the visit but I’m a glutton for punishment and man, did I deserve my punishment.

I walked to the table, dropping into the chair in front of my president and slowly lifted my eyes to his.

Get your game face on Blackie.

“Christ, you look like shit,” he growled as his eyes raked me over.

“Good to see you too,” I retorted, dropping my head into my hands because it felt like it weighed more than my neck could hold.

“Are they fucking with you in here?” he asked as he glanced over his shoulders at the correction officers guarding the room.

I spread my fingers across my face and pierced him with my dark eyes.

“Why are you here?” I questioned, wanting the visit to be over before it even began.

“I’m here because you’re my fucking brother. You saved my daughter from getting raped,” he hissed, meeting my gaze as I dropped my hands and leaned back in the chair. “If you hadn’t been there…well, I don’t think I have to tell you, we both know what would have happened.”

Fuck.

Don’t thank me. Don’t fucking thank me.

I didn’t do it for you.

I did it for me.

“She okay?” I asked, tearing my eyes away from him.

It’s been driving me crazy that I left her to deal with the repercussions of that night by herself. She’s all I think about and I’m going mad thinking that prick hurt her before I managed to get to her.

“She’s a fucking mess,” he hissed. “She blames herself for you being in here.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous,” I snapped, turning my eyes back to him. “Make her cut that shit out,” I demanded. “She didn’t ask for that cocksucker to take advantage of her.”

He stared at me for a moment and I held his gaze, watching as the wheels in his head turned round and round.

“Anyone would’ve done it. She was crying, begging for help, anyone with a fucking conscience would’ve done what I did,” I ground out.

Lies.

The truth was, no one would’ve went to the extreme I did, another man, would’ve made sure she was safe and left well enough alone. Maybe he would’ve roughed the son of a bitch up but he wouldn’t have crushed his skull against the ground. Only one other man would’ve done the same as me and I was looking at him.

She was his before she was mine.

“Something came to light,” Jack said finally, scratching the scruff lining his jaw.

I knew the facial expression he was sporting, and I knew it well. He was contemplating his words, choosing wisely and feeding off my expression to see which way he goes.

Don’t let the mental shit fool you.

Jack Parrish knows how to play you.

He’s smart and calculates his every move, backing you into a corner when he’s got something over you.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

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