Page 42 of Jay

“Battered and bruised. I fucking hate seeing her like that, Dex. She’s hurting becauseofme.”

“How did it go?” mybrotherasks.

“So-so. I explained about Rachel. So, I can only hope that she forgives me. How was she?” I say as I pull the little box out ofthecar.

“Good as gold, mate. Do you think itwillwork?”

“I fuckinghopeso.”

“Text me when you need alift,yeah?”

“Will do. Later, man.” I carry the box into the house and see that Cassie is sitting in the same position. Our eyes lock as soon as I come around the corner. It’s like she was waiting for me to return, and that shit right there makes me feel ten feet fucking tall, knowing that she iswantingme.

“What’s that?” sheenquires.

“Oh this?” I reply, lifting the box a little. “This is something that will show you how in love with you I am. How committed to you I am. As you know, babies should not grow up without a mummy or daddy. Am I right?” She nods her head, but doesn’t say anything. I sit on the coffee table in front of her and set the box on the floor at my feet. A whimper comes from inside the box, and shegasps.

“What is in there, Jay. Please, tell me that you didn’t steal a baby.” I burst out laughing at her question, and shake my head, before I lean forward to remove the precious gift in the box. I lift the little thing up, and Cassie gasps. Sitting back, I hold the present in my arms and watch as Cassie’s eyes fill with tears again, but the smile reassures me that she isn’tupset.

“Ohmygod, she is adorable, Jay. Gimmie. Gimmie. Gimmie” I can’t help but chuckle. I lean forward, ready to hand over the pup, but stop and lean backagain.

“I will hand her over on one condition.” Cassie pouts, and I laugh again. “Move inwithme?”

“No,” she states withouthesitation.

“What? Why?” My heart sinks intomyfeet.

“Because.”

“Because, what?” I prompt.Don't leave me hanging here, baby,I think tomyself.

“Because I have the bigger garden for the dogs to runaroundin.”

“Wait. What?” Did she just say what I thinkshesaid?

She shrugs. “I said, I have the bigger garden. Maybe you can move in here.” She holds her hands out for the pup. “Now gimme the baby.” I finally hand over the eight-week-old Dalmatian puppy. I sit back and watch as Cassie fusses over the little black and white pup. I look around for StarkandMJ.

“Ummm, where are thefurbabies?”

“Oh, they’re over at my parents’ house. Stark was getting antsy because he couldn’t jump up ontomylap.”

“Fair enough. She is pretty cute, huh?” I lean in and run my hand over the pup’s head. Her smooth fur feels soft and silky under myfingertips.

“She is perfect, Jay.Thankyou.”

“My pleasure, baby. I know that you asked me to move in with you because of the dog, but I need you to want me to move in here because you love me and wantmeto.”

“I do still love you, Jay, I never stopped. But you hurt me, and that may take some time to get over, but this little girl helps. The texts you sent… I see now that they were truly from the heart. I loved them, by the way. We have a lot to talk about. About our future. That little tattoo image you sent me was so pretty.” I look down at my wrist and play with the cuff of my shirt. I peek up through my eyelashes and see that I am no longer the center of her attention. I smile at her fussing over our new furbaby. That word feels so girly coming from my mouth, but shelovesit.

“It wasn’t just an image I found, Kitten.” I lift my cuff slightly to show her my new tattoo. It sits in line with my thumb, on mywrist.

“Oh my God, Jay. I love it. I want it,” she demands. I chuckle, knowing she would want one. This tattoo links me and hertogether.

“We’ll get it sorted soon, babe. Now, do you need anything? Painkillers? Somethingtoeat?”

“Nope. I’m fine. But we do need a name for thislittlegirl.”

“That we do. So, what do yousuggest?”

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