Page 91 of Breaking
Troy swallowed hard, cupping her cheek. "I love you so much."
Jenna smiled; her voice soft. "I love you more."
They shared a slow, tender kiss, Hunter squirming between them.
Chapter 69
Troy and Jenna were returning from a long gander around Castell Cawr to Abergele, bundled up against the chilly weather. The remnants of the Iron Age hillfort stood stark against the sky. Hunter, their growing pup, trotted eagerly beside them, his nose buried in every scent along the path. They had been training him to walk without a leash, and though he was still curious and excitable, he was learning. He loved playing fetch, bounding after sticks with boundless energy, tail wagging furiously as he returned each one. The path had been steep in parts, winding through ancient earthworks, but the view from the top had been worth it. A panoramic spread of the Welsh countryside lay beneath them, rolling green hills stretching out to meet the distant sea. The wind had whipped around them, crisp and bracing, but Jenna had found herself relishing the sense of space, the wild openness of the land.
After the walk, Jenna asked Troy to drive up to the house where she had lived with her parents. It was in a council area, and as they pulled up, Jenna sat quietly, staring at the small, familiar building. A young mother played in the front yard with a small girl, their laughter ringing through the air. They seemed happy. Troy didn't break the silence, simply reached over and held her hand. After a long while, Jenna let out a sigh and said, "Let's go home."
As they made their way back toward Abergele, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows, there was a companionable silence. AsTroy stepped into the house, he chuckled "And let's be honest, freezing our arses doing the walk of shame at night isn't exactly ideal."
The conversation had turned to the latest renovations.
Troy had finally managed to get the council's permission for some modifications to their semi-detached home. He had ambitious plans, but Jenna had been firm in keeping the homey feel of Sasha's house. In the end, they compromised. With the advice of an architect, they had installed large glass sliding doors through the common wall between the two houses, creating a more open space while still maintaining some sense of separation. Troy had wanted to do more, but Jenna had resisted. She didn't want to make any massive changes to Dani and Dylan's lives, especially as they were still recovering from Sasha's death. She also enjoyed the freedom of having her own space, her sanctuary amidst the chaos of blending their lives.
One evening, as Jenna organized her art supplies in her studio, Troy leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "You know," he began casually, "you could move all this into my part of the house. There's plenty of space."
Jenna glanced at him. "Isn't it enough that I moved my clothes?"
Troy chuckled, stepping inside. "I just figured we might as well make things easier. Less back and forth."
Jenna shook her head, secretly knowing that Troy enjoyed his own space as much as she did. It gave them both the ability to retreat, to reset, and though they spent their nights together, maintaining that little bit of independence wasn't a bad thing. Jenna shook her head, secretly knowing that Troy enjoyed his own space as much as she did. It gave them both the ability to retreat, to reset, and though they spenttheir nights together, maintaining that little bit of independence wasn't a bad thing.
Not long after Jenna had put her wedding rings back on, Troy had taken her out for a date night at a cosy Mexican restaurant. Over drinks and spicy dishes, he had slipped a box across the table to her.
"What's this?" Jenna asked, raising an eyebrow as she picked up the small box.
"Open it and see," Troy said, smirking as he took a sip of his drink.
She flipped open the box and gasped. Inside was a stunning trinity ring-yellow, white, and rose gold intertwined, encrusted with diamonds. It was bold, beautiful, and entirely too extravagant for daily wear, especially for someone like Jenna, who was constantly painting.
"Troy, this is too much. I'll ruin it with paint," she protested, shaking her head.
"You won't," he said firmly. "And even if you do, I'll get it cleaned. Just wear it, Jen."
She hesitated, but under his unwavering gaze, she slipped it onto her finger. "Fine. But if this gets paint on it, I'm not responsible."
He just smiled with a strangely calculating gleam in his eye.
The reason became clearer the next day when Adam showed up for Dani's final match with Wrexham's girls' team. Jenna had been amused when Troy had insisted on coming along, taking the seat on her other side.
"You sure you want to be here?" she asked, watching him as he adjusted his ear pods.
"I'm fine," he replied, but she could see the way he clenched his jaw at the crowd's noise. Still, he stayed right next to her, one hand restingpossessively on hers. Hunter was curled up at Troy's feet, tired after a long run, his big tongue lolling. Troy went nowhere without Hunter.
Adam approached them with a friendly smile. "Hey, Jenna."
"Hey, Adam," she said, smiling back.
Troy, however, didn't move. His grip on her hand tightened, and he gave Adam a curt nod. "Hey."
Jenna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Later, when they were back in the car, she turned to him with a teasing glint in her eyes.
"So, do you want me to tattoo 'Property of Troy' on my forehead while we're at it?"
Troy glanced at her, the corner of his mouth tilting up. "I don't mind if you tattoo it on other parts of your body." He slid his free hand under her butt, squeezing lightly, his smirk deepening.
