Page 36 of Just You & Me

I did nothing. Why didn't I go to her?

"You son of a bitch, this is your fault!" Marcus has rounded the table before I know what's happening. I watch in shock when his hands grab the front of Jackson's shirt as leverage before shoving him into the wall.

Jude and I trade a wide-eyed glance. "Do we do something?" His question is filled with bewilderment.

I sigh. "No, this has been a long time coming. Want a beer?" I don't wait for his response, grabbing two from the fridge, anyway. "Couch?" Titling my head, I hand over his beer just as Jackson shoves at Marc's chest.

"Yeah." Exhaustion permeates Jude's sigh as he follows me into the living room. My gut swoops with pleasure and nervousness when he sits close enough to press his thigh against mine. I suck in a sharp breath when I feel his arm rest on the back of the couch behind me.

"You scared her, Jackson!" This time when I take in their positions, Jackson has his forearm holding Marcus against the wall by his throat. Jude hums in the back of his throat, a thoughtful look on his face as he watches them.

"She's running from something, Marcus! How are we supposed to protect her if she won't stop lying to us?!"

"You want to protect her?" Marcus stops fighting the hold JJ has him in.

"Of course I do! Both of them! How can you not want to?" Jackson seems flabbergasted at the assumption Marc doesn't want to be in their lives. "How can you not want to dig deeper and figure out who hurt those beautiful girls? They have nobody!"

This is it. Jackson's heart is showing. Sure, we can read him like only family can. We know him inside and out, but he’s finally expressing his emotions.

With his hands on Jack's hips now, Marcus murmurs, "I want that too, Jackson. We all do, but you weren't paying attention to her. She was crying and moving away from you. I only meant to make you see reason before you sent her into a full-blown panic attack."

"I-You, what?" Jackson's hold loosens, his voice softening.

Their misunderstanding and miscommunication would be hilarious if I couldn't feel my world warping and changing. I hold my breath, refusing to say anything and ruin the progression I think is about to happen.

My boyfriend’s gaze turns tender. "Leo and I want Rylee and Layla to be a part of our lives, Jackson. We want you and Jude. We want to be a family finally, and those two girls have wormed their way into our hearts. Of course, I would do anything for Rylee and Layla, even if that means kicking your ass for upsetting them. I would pummel you even though I love you just as I love Leo. Even if my soul is wilting as it waits for you to decide whether or not you want me. I would sock your handsome face if you hurt them."

Marc gulps, and I just know he is about to ask the question that will change the course of our lives. I stiffen at the same time Jude does. "What do you want, Jackson?"

Shit on a stick.

"I-You-What-" I take the fact that Jackson isn't moving away as a good sign. The silence is so deafening my ears ring, with only Jude's gulp breaking through the space between us.

My heart lodges itself in my throat when Marc's eyes find my own before he releases his hold on JJ. His eyes fill with sadness. "Time's up, guys. What do you want?"

The longer both Jude and Jackson are silent, the more my chest aches. Without saying a word or even looking up from my lap, I stand and move away from the men breaking my heart.

"Leo..." All I hear is fucking pity in my golden boy's voice. Nope. Not mine.

Tears spring to my eyes, and I can't help but silently plead for Marcus to take me home. Rage and sorrow fight for dominance in his eyes when he hears my choked whimper.

"Leo—"

"Enough!" Marc's arms snap out, shoving Jackson out of his space and rounding on Jude. "We are leaving. The silence was enough."

"Marcus—" JJ steps forward, fear written in his wide-eyed expression.

"No! Both of you, just stop!" A tear leaks from Marc's lashes, but just as his fingers brush my arm to take me out of here, he's ripped away.

Jackson has him pressed against the wall once again, his hands framing the stubbly, tear-streaked cheeks of my man. "Just fucking listen, damn it! My choice? What I want? I want all three of you to have everything you want in the whole damn world. I love each of you with every fucking fiber of my being, and I'm so scared I will ruin what we could be. You're asking me what I want. I want to be yours." His pleading eyes find Jude and me before returning to Marc. "I want to be all of yours if you will have me as I am. I'm not perfect. You have seen my scars inside and out. I'm a fucking asshole, and I will piss you off, but I will give you everything I have. If you will have me?"

Marc is looking at him like he hung the damn moon while I'm still warding off Jude, who's trying to get closer to me. I can barely enjoy the speech from Jackson that I've been waiting for, for years. I don't want to see the look of rejection from the fourth member of our family.

I whimper again. The stress and anxiety of everything is battering against every fiber of my being, sending me into a tailspin I'm too overwhelmed to correct.

I can't do this.

ChapterNineteen

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