Page 44 of Their Virgins Secret

“He’s probably Cole’s son. ”

“You think that matters to me? That I give a shit?” Burke shot back. “We’ve shared everything since the moment we were conceived. In my heart, that is my son, and I’ll be damned if I let you shove me out of his life. ”

She was toe to toe with Burke, her face more alive than he’d seen in hours. She was flushed, her hair sliding out of its ponytail with every shake of her head. Little tendrils of red hair escaped to flutter around her face. She was so goddamn beautiful. Even when she was screaming at them, Cole was utterly fascinated with her.

Could he really let that go—her go—because he was worried he was everything she accused him of being? Was he going to let his uncle keep taunting him from the grave? Jessa wasn’t married. She’d given birth to their son. Cole still fucking loved her. She’d cared about him once. Maybe…Burke had a point.

Cole paused and really watched her. He’d been mired in his own misery and hadn’t looked beyond her beauty, her anger. But now he did. His eyes narrowed. It was as if she wanted to…provoke them. For a fight? Or something else?

“You shouldn’t be in his life at all,” she insisted.

“How can you say that, Jessa? He’s our son. We’re his fathers. ”

“You didn’t care enough about me to call and find out that you had a son, but I’m supposed to believe you’re suddenly going to be dads of the year?”

Burke gritted his teeth, clearly nearing the end of his control. “I’ve explained that. ”

“You gave me an excuse. How hard would it have been to pick up the damn phone?” She turned to Cole. “There were three months between the time you left and I returned from Scotland with my supposed husband. Three months. Ninety days in which you could have called me. Ninety days of me waiting and believing that you’d abandoned me. ”

She said it with an angry growl, but there was something else underneath. Burke continued to argue his case. Cole frowned, working to shove aside his own guilt and misery, his uncle’s destructive words. He watched her. She just kept picking at them, getting more frustrated with every one of Burke’s comebacks.

“Just admit it, Burke. You found a dumb virgin who gave you two exactly the kink you two wanted, then you left with no intention of ever coming back. You’d gotten what you wanted and you were through. And you. ” She turned to look directly at Cole, her gaze laced with some sense of anticipation, like she sought something. “You’re sick. Perverted. ”

Cole absorbed her words, but he was calmer now. Thinking. Watching. She was after something, and he didn’t think it was simply the means to let out her anger. If that was all she sought, he’d take her rage. But there was something about the way she sidled closer and stared at him that made him question the reason behind her tirade.

“Yes. I’m very sick, baby. ” He gentled his tone. If he could calm her down by agreeing with her, then he would. But his guess was that his composure would only piss her off more. If so…he’d know exactly what she needed. “I’m damaged. I’m not good for you. ”

“Goddamn it, Cole. ” Burke’s anger came off him in waves, blasting at his brother who had always been able to sense his strong emotions.

Jessa stiffened, her rage seeming to escalate, not dissipate. “Do you spank all your stupid little conquests? Poor Cole, can’t get it up without a little kink. He has to tie up women or they might run away. ”

Jessa wasn’t just spewing anger. She was painting him a picture with her words. If all she wanted was for him to admit his sins against her, he’d done that. But she kept poking.

“What? You don’t have anything to say? You just don’t care, Cole. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Under all that aggressive attitude, you give up. You back down, don’t you? You’re just going to stand there and let a girl tell you off. ” She shrugged like it didn’t matter.

But it did, and he was beginning to get the picture.

Burke opened his mouth to start defending Cole’s honor, but he stopped his brother with a shake of his head. Burke didn’t need to waste his breath. All this bullshit of Jessa’s wasn’t really about him.

“Big, bad Dom, huh?” She scoffed, baiting Cole even more.

The pieces slid together, unmistakable. She’d clung to him in the night, and for part of it, she hadn’t been asleep. He’d been able to feel her breath take on an uneven rhythm as she’d awakened, restlessly moving until he’d wrapped his arms around her to force her to be still. He’d felt her stiffen for a moment and worried she would reject him, but she’d simply melted back into him and fallen back to sleep, their arms and legs entangled. She’d woken this morning wrapped around Burke. She’d wanted comfort, but she wouldn’t ask for it.

This argument was no different. She was fighting, battling against him when he’d laid down his arms and given her the victory. Yet she still poked him, as though picking a scab she couldn’t let heal over. Because she didn’t want it to. Fuck. If he was right, then she was in a corner, wanting something from them, but having no idea how to fight past her pride to simply ask for it.

So she’d maneuvered him into taking it. She might need him far more than he’d expected.

“Not so tough without handcuffs and a ball gag, are you?” She glared with disdain.

Cole tested the waters, crossing the room to tower over her. He laced his arms over his chest and got in her personal space, leveled a dark, heavy stare at her. A thousand dirty thoughts of Jessa naked and under him, between him and Burke, crossed his mind. He let every one of them show in his eyes. Relief and arousal flared across her face. She should be backing away, but she wasn’t, because Cole could clearly see that she didn’t merely want to stir his ire. She’d been looking to rouse his dick, maybe even his heart. She wanted them. Needed them? The next few hours would tell.

This might not solve anything, but he wasn’t giving up his forever without a fight. He hoped that his uncle rotting in hell was gnashing his teeth. He was done stewing on all the swill the old man had shoved down his throat. Jessa might not love him, but she cared. That would be enough for now. It was a start.

“Jessa, turn off your mouth, or we’re going to have some serious punishment. ”

Though he’d spoken quietly, both Jessa and Burke shut up immediately. The air froze.

“You don’t have the right to punish me. ” Her breathing picked up pace. Her cheeks flushed.

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