Page 25 of Bound by Destiny
The name alone leaves a horrible taste in my mouth. Sure, it’s in the past, but sometimes things that happen in the past carry on into your future, no matter what you do to make them go away.
Lisa is one of those instances that I wished never came up again. In high school, we fooled around together and I fell hard for her. When the captain of the football team showed Lisa interest, I thought nothing of it because I knew she was mine. Lisa and I didn’t have a label on us, but everyone in the school knew we were together.
Little did I know that football asshole was making moves when I wasn’t around. Lisa went for it hook, line, and sinker.
I’ve never been the man who would share his woman. Never. And she knew that she had to make a decision and fast.
She shed so many tears saying that she loved us both, that she couldn’t choose. In the end, I got the short end of the stick.
Too bad for her, considering she got knocked up by an asshole, who doesn’t help her one bit because he’s out tapping every ass he can find and none of it hers.
I don’t wish bad shit on people, but it’s karma, and she’s a raging bitch. It still hurt, though, and it’s a life lesson that I don’t want to repeat.
I just shrug.
“Look at me, Jacks,” she orders, and slowly I turn my gaze to her.
“You think she’s going to choose the other guy? Why?”
Fuck, I hate feeling like this. It’s a vulnerability that I’ve kept locked up for years, never wanting to revisit it.
“Every fuckin’ body in the club talks about Emery and Micah. How they are like Emery’s parents and destined to be with one another. They’ve known each other since they were kids, and I’ve let it fuck with my head.”
“What, just because they had some bond when they were little? That means shit, Jacks, and you damn well know it.”
“Erin, hell if I know anything about it. I just know history is damn sure not going to repeat itself.”
“So you’re just going to let him have her? That doesn’t sound like my brother one fucking bit.” She releases me and leans back on her hands. “Cut the bullshit. Since when are you a quitter? You want her—go get her, Jacks. There is no better man than you. And if she’s smart, she’ll see it. If she’s a dumb bitch, then it’s better you’re not with her.”
Leaning my elbows against my knees, I sit there looking at my sister, wondering when the fuck she grew up so damn fast. “You know you’re the same age as her.”
“Robbin’ the cradle. Nice.”
Shaking my head, I respond, “Nah. I’m not that fuckin’ old.”
She laughs. “You’re older than me.” Her laughter calms. “Seriously, Jackson. Even if this turns out like before and the woman chooses the other guy, don’t you want to know that you gave it your best shot possible? That you didn’t try? To just walk away because you don’t want to get hurt again is bein’ a pussy.”
A growl rumbles deep in my chest. “Screw you, Erin.”
Her laughter comes back as she shrugs. “You are, and you’re not the brother I thought you were.”
Her words cut even if she is joking around with me, trying to lighten the mood. We at Ravage never back down.
I’m not going to start now. Get ready, Emery, I’m coming for you.
10
Emery
“What in thehell am I going to do, Austyn?” I ask, pacing my room, thumbnail in my mouth biting. This is insane. Okay, not insane, but come on. One guy tells me he loves me, the other kisses me, taking me out of the friend zone, and bam—here I am caught in the middle of this mess.
My head spins like a damn tilt-a-whirl, nothing making much sense.
On one hand, I have Micah—the guy I’ve loved my entire life. One that I’ve pictured being my future way too many times to count—just told me that he loves me. Then another man, who has made my life so enjoyable over the last few weeks, that I can’t stop thinking about. He kisses me and pulls me totally out of the place I had compartmentalized for him, because I didn’t think he saw me that way.
I’m a fool. Even when I didn’t want to admit it, I knew something was growing between Jacks and me. But I didn’t think he thought of me as anything but his brother’s daughter. How wrong was I? Shit.
“You do what the hell you want to do, Emery. You don’t owe anything to anyone. You want to be with Micah—be with him. You want to be with Jacks—be with him. No one is going to make the choice for you. And if you don’t want to be with either of them—then don’t be.”
