Dark Destiny (Dark Brothers Book #4) (3 page)

I’m running out of ideas. It’s time for some fresh faces and some new ways to pull my man from his dark place.

The guys are the best possible solution for that. I’m almost sure of it.

CHAPTER 2

WILLOW

“Oh! I missed you so much!”

I smile at the feeling of Ava’s arms being around me. I’ve missed her more than words can say. She went away for an entire month and it’s been lonely without her. I squeeze her tight, letting her jump us both up and down with the excitement of being home and seeing each other again. When she pulls back, I grin and grip her face. She looks truly radiant, like she’s refreshed and ready to start all over again. Her cheeks are pink and her eyes are sparkling. Ava is truly happy. I know that has a lot to do with Angel.

“I’ve missed you too,” I say, letting her face go and grinning over her shoulder at the blonde haired, blue eyed man standing behind her.

“Angel,” I say, stepping around her to embrace him. “It’s good to see you.”

“Dark sister,” he murmurs, using his very new nickname for me. “It’s good to see you, too.”

“We’ve missed you two,” I say, pulling back and looking over both of them.

“Oh,” Ava sighs. “It’s so good to be home.”

“Aunty Ava!”

We both turn to see Cody charging down the hall. He leaps into Ava’s arms and she laughs, spinning him around.

“Cody, my boy, look at you. You’ve gotten bigger!”

She kisses his cheeks and he grins up at her. When she puts him down, he runs towards Angel, wrapping his tiny arms around Angel’s legs.

“Hey little fella! Ava’s right, you’ve gotten so big.”

I smile. “He grows every day, I’m sure of it.”

“Where’s my little Leila Belle?”

I roll my eyes and hook my arm through Ava’s.

“She’s sleeping. You and I have so much to talk about.”

“Jagger at work?” Angel calls.

I stiffen and Ava notices, but I quickly cover it with a smile.

“He is, but Ace has organized all of you to meet at the bar later.”

“Sounds good. Babe, I’m going home to unpack. I’ll call you later.”

Ava flashes him an award winning grin. “Ok, later studley.”

He grins at her, and gives Cody a high five before leaving. Ava turns to me when he’s gone, and her face goes serious.

“What is going on?”

“First, did you just call Angel, studley?”

She giggles. “It’s a long story.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re crazy, but god I’ve missed you.”

“Ok, so, tell me what’s been happening with you and that handsome brooder?”

“Seriously,” I say, nonchalantly. “It’s nothing.”

“Really?” she says, raising her brows. “You’re going to pretend it’s nothing? I felt you stiffen when he spoke about Jagger. Are things not any better?”

Sighing with defeat, I let my shoulders slump. Ava won’t let this go and she knows me almost better than I know myself sometimes. I can’t keep this from her.

“No, things aren’t better.”

“Oh, Willow, tell me what’s happening.”

“Everything, Ava. I can’t keep up with him anymore. He hardly talks to me. We are just two people living in a house. There’s no passion. Heck, he doesn’t even kiss me on the damned cheek anymore.”

“Oh honey.”

I swallow and look over at her. She grips my hand, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“I don’t know how to help him. He’s sinking and I don’t know how to make it better.”

“I thought things were okay with you two after what went down with Mick. I know things have been getting worse, I just didn’t think he’d gotten so bad.”

I nod, and look away for a moment. She’s right. Things were ok for a while after Mick, I guess we were living a fantasy, because clearly Jagger wasn’t ok inside and now it’s just showing more and more.

“I think it was because things happened so quickly. I got pregnant, we moved houses, got married, he got a job and things were just going a million miles an hour. Then we settled in here and it slowed down. After the massive fight between Maggie and him, it really began. It’s like suddenly he realized what had happened. He started having nightmares. Then he started pulling away from me. We stopped sleeping in the same bed because he didn’t trust himself next to me. Then eventually, sex became less and less, until it got to the point we haven’t had it for over two months. Now…he hardly speaks to me.”

Ava stares at me, a little shocked but mostly hurt.

“Aw honey, I can’t imagine how that must feel. Have you tried to talk with him?”

“I don’t know how. I’ve spoken to the guys, and most of them say he just needs time. He just needs to deal. I guess they’re right, so I’ve just let it go. I haven’t pushed him or asked him why he doesn’t even look at me anymore. I just let him do what he needs to do, but, it’s killing me slowly Ava. I don’t know how much longer I can be with him, and have him look at me like I’m no more than a house mate. I’m losing him. Slowly, but surely, he’s pulling away.”

Ava looks pained for me. She takes a moment, as if deciding what the best thing to say is, then she slowly speaks.

“Maybe you need to talk with him. Sometimes, when someone is in his situation, things can get a little blurred. Sometimes, all they need is for someone to bring them back to reality. Perhaps that’s what you need to do, bring him back to reality.”

“I don’t know how to do that.”

“Stop treading around him, Willow. Stop being careful about what you say. Stop babying him. He needs to face this. He needs to face you. This is his family too, it’s not just up to you to make this work. Stop doing what he says, in fear of hurting him. Go back to being the loud mouthed, stubborn Willow we all know and love. Stop letting him wallow in something that can’t be changed. Maybe time is what he needed, but you’ve given him time. If he doesn’t want to talk to you, Willow, all this stepping around him won’t help. Go back to reality, and bring him back with you.”

I nod, feeling my body shudder. “And what if he doesn’t want to go back with me?”

“Then he doesn’t deserve you.”

My eyes well up with tears, and Ava gently wipes them away. Before she can say anymore, the front door opens and Jagger walks in. He’s holding his hand, which is wrapped in a bandage. I get to my feet quickly, scrambling over, but he takes a step back. I stop abruptly at his jerky movement, not bothering to step any closer.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Cut myself, it’s fine. Stitches. Nothing major. I can’t work for a few days.”

I stare at him, hurt. Once again he’s brushing me off. Ava’s words come to my mind, and I square my shoulders. Today, at least, I am tired of feeling like this. If he’s home, then he can bloody well do something productive.

“Well, then, you can help me here with the kids. It won’t kill you to pull your finger out and do something with them.”

His eyes widen, and for a moment, he actually looks shocked.

“I help you enough.”

I turn, not bothering to show him any concern for his finger.

“Getting up once or twice in the night is not helping, Johnny. So, if you can’t work, then you can stay here with them while I go out with Ava. We’re going to have dinner here tonight, with all the boys. You can’t go to the bar if your finger is sore. So we’ll bring it here. I need to get food.”

Ava is looking between Jagger and I, but I can see the pride on her face. I walk past her and begin down the hall.

“Leila isn’t awake yet, so you can sort her out when she gets up. I’m just going to get changed.”

“Willow…” Jagger starts, but I don’t turn.

When I get down the hall, I hear him say to Ava.

“Did she just call me Johnny?”

Ava is quiet a moment, then she says. “Yeah, I think she just called you Johnny.”

Smiling, I quickly get myself changed. Maybe Ava is right, maybe letting Jagger behave like this isn’t doing him any favors. I pull my hair up and tie it quickly, then I wash my face and pull on some shoes before heading back out into the kitchen. Jagger is standing, talking quietly to Ava. His face is expressionless, and I’m fairly sure she notices it. When I walk out, they both turn. Cody comes running out of the television room and when he sees Jagger, his little face lights up. It pains me that Jagger isn’t being the dad he should be. I know he loves them, he would die for them, but he’s just so vacant.

“Cody, buddy,” he says, but his voice isn’t the same as it used to be when he spoke to his son. Luckily for us, Cody doesn’t notice. He idolizes Jagger.

“Daddy!”

I walk over, leaning in to brush Cody’s cheek with my lips. “You and daddy are going to hang out today, big fella. Mommy will be back in a few hours ok?”

He nods, happy to be spending some time with his dad. I reach across the counter and grip my keys. Jagger looks at me, and for a long moment, our eyes hold. Then, I do something I didn’t think I would have the guts to do. I lean over, grip the back of his neck and pull him closer. I press my lips to his, it’s nothing passionate, but it’s the first time I’ve felt his lips in months. He stands, completely in shock, and when I pull back his eyes are wide and confused.

“Have fun.”

Then, I grip Ava’s hand and turn, walking out the door. When we get outside, Ava turns to me and her eyes are lit with excitement. She contains it until we’re in her car, then she squeals loudly and reaches over to hug me.

“Oh my god! That was epic! You should have seen his face! He didn’t know what hit him.”

“And it actually felt good, just putting it on him like that.” I giggle.

“He didn’t know what to do, I honestly think you put the man in shock. When you kissed him, I am fairly sure he nearly dropped Cody.”

I laugh. “Well, maybe he just needs a firm hand. Thanks Ava, for doing this with me. I know you’ve probably got enough to do today.”

She shakes her head and waves her hand, then she starts the car.

“After that show, my day is yours!”

When she pulls out, we both begin giggling again.

It could be an interesting day.

~*~*~*~*~

JAGGER

Fuckin’ hell. She did not just do that! I feel a twitch of anger in my chest, which is a first, but mostly it’s shock. Ava is back in her ear, and so she’s clearly gotten cocky. I move my hand to stretch my throbbing finger, fuck, my mind just isn’t with it today. I nearly cut my god damned finger off. This shit is fuckin’ getting bad. I look down at my boy, he’s staring up at me with a hopeful expression. I reach down, lifting him into my arms. It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with him and Leila, but fuck, Willow was just being an outright bitch.

“Hey Code’s, would you like Shayla to come and play with you?”

“Yeah!” he cries.

“Awesome bud, daddy will call her soon ok?”

Shayla is our babysitter. Willow didn’t honestly think I’d fuckin’ stay here just because she told me to, did she? I walk down the hall to Leila’s room. I can hear her gurgling, when I peer in, she turns her head and looks over at me. She’s cute as a button this girl, Willow claims that she looks like me, but all I see when I look into those green eyes, is her momma. I lift her from her crib, and she wraps a chubby hand around my chain. Both my kids found a fascination with that chain, fucks me why.

“Hey little flower,” I say to her, my voice monotone. “Want a bottle?”

She gurgles again, which I assume is a yes. I take her into the kitchen and slide her into her seat, then I prepare a bottle. My phone rings just as I hand it to her, I look down at the screen. Fuckin’ aye, this is just what I need, a way to fuckin’ piss her off for leavin’ me here with the kids. I know exactly what she’s doing, I also know it won’t work.

“Yeah, I am comin’,” I say, answering the phone. “Meet you there in ten.”

I hang up, and I search the fridge for the babysitters number. When I find it, I dial. Shayla answers on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Shayla, it’s Jagger. Can you watch the kids for a few hours?”

“Of course, when?”

“Now, if you can.”

“I’ll be right over.”

She lives three houses down, and sure enough, ten minutes later she’s at my door. I let her in, and watch her cheeks flare with color as she watches me. God damn women, they think they aren’t obvious, but they’re fuckin’ see through sometimes. Honest to fucking god.

“Willow will be back in a few hours.”

“Ok,” she says, walking over to Leila and patting her soft hair. “Hi little girl!”

I ring and let them know I’m on my way, and I turn my back to Shayla so she can’t hear my conversation. When I’m done, I kiss my kids once more, then I head out the door.

Yeah, let’s see how well this goes down.

~*~*~*~ *

WILLOW

Ava and I shop and laugh all day. By the time I look down, it’s past four in the afternoon. Knowing Jagger has probably had enough by now, we head home. Ava drops me off and promises to come back in a few hours with the guys. I pick up my bags and head towards the door, and that’s when I notice Jagger’s truck is gone. Wondering if he’s taken the kids out, I unlock the front door and step inside. I am greeted by my son, and for a moment, my blood runs cold. Then I see Shayla, our babysitter, comes out from the kitchen holding Leila. Now, my blood boils.