Page 62 of Jesse
“Absolutely not,” I cut him off. “Preston left for Silvercrest because his work here was done. I’m not dragging him back into this when we’ve got it handled.”
Jackson’s face tightened, frustration creeping into his voice. “If I could, I’d take over your case in a heartbeat.”
I was relieved he couldn’t. Family involvement would only make things messier.
He pulled me aside, lowering his voice. “At the very least, we need another enforcer assigned. Jesse can’t handle this alone.”
That hit a nerve. I took a step back, shaking my head. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“Beck,” Jackson pressed, “this is Jesse’s first case as an enforcer. He’s untested.”
“And?” I countered, glaring at him. “He’s done fine so far. Better than fine. I trust him.”
Jackson’s expression faltered, but I didn’t stop. “You haven’t been in Pecan Pines long, Jackson. You can’t just barge in here and undermine a packmate. That’s not how things work. Jesse’s earned his place here, and you trying to jeopardize that, trying to jeopardize my safety by second-guessing him, is not helping.”
Jackson stared at me, his lips pressed into a tight line. “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“And I feel safe with Jesse,” I said firmly. “I trust him to have my back.”
The silence between us was heavy, broken only by the soft creak of Cooper’s chair as he leaned back.
Jesse, who had been quiet through most of the exchange, stepped forward, his presence grounding me.
“Beck’s made his decision,” Jesse said, his voice steady but low. “And I won’t let him down.”
I saw the tension in his jaw and the slight tremor in his hand. I knew he meant every word.
Jackson exhaled sharply, his shoulders sagging in defeat. “Fine. But at least tell Father. He has a right to know.”
I scoffed, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
“Doing enough for him already,” I muttered, my gaze dropping to the floor.
His hurt expression stopped me cold. Guilt twisted in my chest.
I rubbed the back of my neck, searching for something better to say. “I’m not done yet. I’ve got to see it through. And I trust Jesse. We’ve got this.”
Jackson’s gaze lingered on me, but he didn’t argue. I stepped back and crossed to Jesse’s side.
I touched his arm lightly. “You okay?”
Jesse nodded, the tension in his frame easing slightly. He turned to Jackson, his voice steady.
“I can and will protect Beck. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Then he glanced at me, and his tone softened. “And Beck’s more than able to handle himself. We’re a team.” Warmth flickered in my chest.
Cooper leaned back in his chair, his calm voice cutting through the tension. “Jesse’s got this under control. He’s proven himself capable.”
Jackson cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. “You should get out of that motel, though. Stay with Noah and me. It’ll be safer.”
I raised an eyebrow, barely suppressing a grin. “Stay with you and Noah? Yeah, no thanks.”
Jackson frowned. “Why not?”
“Because the last thing I need is to crash in the middle of your honeymoon phase.”
I tried not to show my satisfaction as Jackson’s face turned faintly red. He opened his mouth to protest, then seemed to think better of it.
