Page 42 of Laila Manning
“And Zeke helps with that somehow?” Jed questioned. “He said you talk to him.” His throat clearing implied the words were hard for him to utter. “That you tell him things about your past.” He looked back up at me. “Things you don’t tell me.”
“They aren’t things you should hear.” I shook my head, believing every word wholeheartedly.
“I’m your family, Laila. Your blood. I can take it.”
“He doesn’t punish himself for my past, Jed. You do.” I stood up to pace as the topic became more uncomfortable as we dived deeper. “I have no clue what the future holds for Zeke and me. I have no clue if thereisa future for us, or if he’s just someone who stars in this chapter of my life. But I also had no idea how cathartic it would be to let some of my pain out into the universe and let someone else catch it.” I trembled as he watched me intently. “For years, no one has known my story. No one cared because everyone I met had it bad, so I wasn’t special. But now, there is a man who wants to know me. Who wants to know the bad so he can understand why I am the way I am today, and I’m tempted—” I shrugged, closing my eyes as tears threatened to spill down my face. “I’m tempted to lean on that. For even just a moment in time.”
“You’re tired.” He whispered, and I opened my eyes to see his pain. “My therapist says you’re tired because you’ve been in survival mode for decades. And now you don’t have to be, but you don’t know how to get out of it and just live.”
“You have a therapist?” I asked, deflecting from the way his words hit so true in my heart.
He smirked, onto my plan and nodded his head. “Carly made me go to one right after you came home to us.” He swallowed and took a calming breath. “She said I needed to know how to help you when you were ready to let me. And if I didn’t get professional help to do that, I’d fuck it up when it mattered most.” He cocked his head to the side, “Kind of how I did yesterday.”
“Our therapists should chat because they sound a lot alike.” I joked, feeling my body relax again as we found common ground. “I just want you to live your life without worrying about me.”
“And I just want you to have every single thing you’ve ever dreamed of before. I’d move heaven and hell for you, Laila.” He got serious again. “I’d kill for you.”
Flashbacks assaulted my mind to that night so many years ago when Jed found me beaten and barely alive after our father tried to kill me with his fists. “And you’ll never know how much you mean to me.” I smiled softly, “And how much I need you in my life, still after all this time.”
“Well, good.” He smiled, standing up and puffing out his chest. “Because I have no plans on going anywhere, anytime soon.”
“Unless you decide to push someone else through a glass window?” I raised my eyebrow at him and smirked as he rolled his eyes.
“Would it help you to know that I ended up getting more cut up than he did?” He joked.
“No.” I answered honestly, “I’d prefer if you’d refrain from going through any windows, ever again.”
“Me too.” He groaned, deflating his shoulders a bit with a boyish grin. “I’m getting too old to be so wild.”
I tipped my head back and laughed as the front door opened and Carly and Elora walked in, eyeing us.
“Well, that’s a good sign.” Carly said to Elora like we weren’t standing right there watching them.
“Better than we’d hoped for, huh?” Elora winked.
“Do they always do that weird commentary thing?” I asked Jed out loud, giving them a taste of their own medicine.
“All the time.” he joked, crossing his arms over his wide chest, and leaning against the island as Carly walked near him. “But you kind of get used to it after a while.”
“Did you guys make up?” Carly ignored me and looked up at Jed.
“If you mean, did I apologize,” He stared at her pointedly, “Then yes.”
“And did you accept it?” She turned to me.
“Yes.” I quipped.
“Good.” She perked up, like she’d been waiting for that news to go on with her life. “Because I can’t handle this kind of stress in my life.”
“Oh, stop it.” He groaned, kissing her forehead. “You've lived for this drama since leaving the clubs.”
“True.” She pouted and playfully slapped his chest. “I am quite bored with this whole housewife life.”
“And that’s my cue to go back to work.” Jed winked over the top of her head, and I looked away as they kissed and hugged goodbye. “I’ll apologize to Zeke the next time I see him.” Jed called out as he walked to the front door. “Try to make things easier for you two.”
“Thank you.” I smiled brightly at him. “But don’t go too easy on him,” I cringed dramatically, “Have you seen what he did to your face?”
“Brat.” He groaned as he walked out the door with a wave.
