Dark Destiny (Dark Brothers Book #4) (6 page)

“You’re a gem, Ace, anyone ever tell you that?”

“You’re the gem, kid. What you’re risking for him…”

“He’s my life. I will do whatever I have to do, to fix this. I won’t ever leave him alone. Nothing else has worked, this is our last option.”

“All right, first light I will talk to the guys.”

I nod, hoping we are making the right choice here. Ace leans against the couch, sighing loudly.

“You’ll have to call Jen and let her know.”

I turn to face him, crossing my legs on the couch.

“Is everything ok there?”

He shrugs. “Fucks me, she’s hot and cold.”

“I thought it was getting serious…”

He looks at me, then down at his lap. “So’d I. I liked her a fuck load, but it was never as serious as I thought. She’s got a completely different life than me, she’s sophisticated and perfect. I know there’s another man in the loops.”

“What?” I cry, horrified.

Ace chuckles. “Don’t chuck a fit. She never made me any promises.”

My sister is going to get a serious talking to. While she didn’t make him any promises, she never told me about another man.

“You’re a good guy, Ace,” I say, not wanting to delve too deeply into the other man issue. “You really are.”

He shrugs. “I can’t keep any of the good ones, I must suck in bed.”

I giggle, and he grins at me. “I doubt that.”

“How would you know?”

“Just a wild guess,” I chuckle softly.

“I might have a tiny nozzle.”

“Did you just call your junk a nozzle?”

He laughs, throaty and deep. “Yeah, I went there.”

I sigh and sink into his side. Ace and I have this crazy, beautiful friendship. It’s just something that has been building a long time. I’m probably the only woman who hasn’t drooled over his beauty. Probably because I have the one up on him, Jagger.

“You know, I’m probably the only woman in the world who has never tried to get a piece of you.”

He wraps an arm around me. “That’s coz you spotted hot stuff before me, and no woman ever looks back once they lay eyes on the king.”

I snort. “He’s also hot tempered, frustrating and very, very bossy. Not all he’s cracked up to be,” I joke.

He shoves me softly. “You love him to the stars.”

“I do, but you know, you will find someone who loves you that much one day.”

“Maybe.”

“No, it’s a fact. Even with your tiny nozzle.”

He chokes a laugh and tangles a hand into my hair, resting it there.

“How did we become such good friends? I’ve had a lot of friends in my time, Willow, but no girls. I’m usually shy, quiet and one who doesn’t approach girls.”

“I don’t know,” I say, remembering the first time I spoke to Ace. God, he was quiet, always the one who stood back. “I think we just fit together, me and you.”

“You think?” he murmurs.

“Yeah, I think. You guys have all become very important to me, but you the most, Ace.”

“Followed by who? Go on, tell me, I won’t tell them!” he says in a high pitched playful voice.

I laugh. “Angel, then Bull…Rusty is just so quiet, he’s harder to mesh with.”

“Always has been.”

“None of you came close to Snake though,”

Ace snorts. “That prick had it comin’.”

“He was an ass.”

“Through and through.”

I yawn loudly and Ace shifts, leaning back onto the couch. I rest further into his side and breathe him in. Most people would read this situation as me flirting with him, or us getting too close, but those people wouldn’t understand the love I
have for Jagger. Anyone who understood that love, would know Ace was no more than a best friend to me.

“Sleep, I’m good,” he murmurs.

“Thanks, Ace, as always, you’re pulling me out of shit.”

“I’ll always pull you out of shit, Willow.”

“Just don’t use that tiny nozzle…”

He laughs. “God bless your wicked sense of humor. Now sleep.”

“Aye, boss.”

I close my eyes, and fall asleep to the sound of Ace’s heart beating against my ear. It’s not Jagger’s, but it’s comfort, and that’s enough for me right now.

CHAPTER 4

WILLOW

“How did you get him out?” I say, eyes wide.

Ace organized the guys and had them get Jagger before the morning passed. Now he’s here, in his car, to pick me and the kids up, with Jagger passed out in the back. I’ll give him one thing, the man is quick.

“I knocked him out.”

“What?” I cry, opening the door and gripping Jagger’s face.

I frantically search his face, making sure he’s ok. Then, I stop, and just take a moment to see him in peace. His face is calm like this, he’s got no anger or pain in his expression. I stroke my fingers over his skin. I haven’t felt my husband like this for months. I haven’t just been able to enjoy him. I lean down, brushing my lips across his, then I turn to Ace.

“Thank you.”

Ace has his serious face on. “We agreed to help, but if it gets out of hand we’re calling it off. I think it’s a good idea, Willow, but if he becomes worse we won’t continue.”

“I agree.”

Ace nods and then grins as Shayla comes outside with the kids. She was helping me get them ready this morning. He leaps out of the car and rushes over, scooping Cody up into his arms. Cody squeals happily and I can’t help the little stab of pain in my chest. I hope this works. Because Cody really needs his dad back. When Ace puts Cody down, he rushes over to me and I smile, lifting him and clipping him into the seat. I turn and see Ace smothering Leila’s face with kisses, while Shayla blushes furiously. I guess she has never experienced a man who looks like Ace, smothering a baby girl with kisses.

“She’s so darn cute,” he grins, walking over.

“Yeah, she takes after her momma!”

Ace winks at me. “She sure does.”

“All right, let’s do this.”

The drive out to Jagger’s old house takes a few hours, in that time, Jagger doesn’t move. When we arrive at the large home, I feel an odd feeling swell in my chest. I haven’t been here since the night I ran off, and a flood of emotions fill me as I step out of the car and begin walking closer. Two cars pull up behind us, and I force my eyes away from the house to see Rusty, Bull, Angel, Ava and Jenny. I beam at the site of my sister running towards me. When she reaches me, I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, squeezing her and breathing her in.

“We have not seen each other enough, Willow.”

“No,” I agree. “We haven’t.”

“How are you?” she asks, pulling back.

“I’m getting there.”

“You should have told me things were getting this bad.”

I smile, but it’s weak. “I thought I could help him.”

“Well, let’s hope this goes well. If not, we’re going to have one hell of a party.”

I roll my eyes at her. “We will party after you tell me about Ace’s competition.”

Her face drops and she peers over my shoulder at Ace, who’s smoking by the car.

“He told you?”

“Ace is my best friend, aside from Ava, so yeah, he told me.”

“It’s complicated. I really do like Ace…”

“Then why are you playing around with another man?”

She sighs. “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later, ok?”

I frown, and then roll my eyes again. “Ok, later.”

I give everyone else a hug, release the children from the car and then turn to face the yard. To the left, I see rolls of fencing wire and a heap of toys to be put up. I turn to Ace and grin.

“You got all that for Code’s?”

“We can’t have the little man getting bored.”

I step forward and wrap my arms around him. He sighs deeply, and returns the hug with full force.

“Thank you, Ace, for this. For everything.”

“Always, kid.”

I pull back and stare at everyone. Rusty and Bull have pulled Jagger from the car, and are holding his floppy form.

“Thank you all so much for this. If keeping him out here doesn’t work, at least he has you all here. Maybe we can find a way to show him what it was he was so passionate about before.”

They all smile and nod.

“Ready?” Angel asks, dangling the keys in my face.

I swallow. “I’m ready.”

Ava is bouncing Leila in her arms, and Cody is running around like a mad child, thrilled with his new surroundings. When Angel gathers him up, much to his dismay, and carries him inside, I know it’s time to step into the past. I take a deep breath and step inside. The house hasn’t changed a bit, aside from the fact that it’s extremely dusty. I feel my heart clench as we walk up the stairs into the main living areas. I stare at the couch where Jagger patched me up, I stare at the kitchen where I tried to take my own life. So many memories. So much has happened since the days I was in this house. Jenny squeezes my hand and I give her my best attempt at a smile.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

“It’s strange to be back, but it’s the best place we can be. He loved it out here.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard him talking about it.”

“All right,” Rusty and Bull say, dropping Jagger onto the couch. “Now we wait for him to wake.”

“How exactly did you knock him out?” I ask Ace.

“I drugged him.”

I sigh in relief.

“Did you think I literally knocked him out?” he snorts, laughing.

“Shut up, Ace,” I pout. “I wouldn’t put it past you.”

He chuckles. “No, I’m far too nice. All right, you girls need to go and get some food so we can all survive out here. We need to clean the place up. Willow, I’ll leave Jagger’s room to you.”

“Yes boss,” I mock.

Ace gives me a look and then turns to Jenny. “Before you get food, can we talk?”

Jenny nods, and they disappear into the other room. Everyone else begins preparing the house to make it livable. I stare over at Jagger’s bedroom door. Well, here goes. I walk slowly over, the floor creaks under my feet. When I reach his room, I open it and step in, flicking on the light. I stare at the large bed, with its dark covers. I walk in, unable to help the smile that creeps across my face as I remember being with Jagger on this very bed. I remember it like it was yesterday.

“You know the moment in life, when everything you thought you were is suddenly wrong? The moment that changes everything? It changes who you are, who you believe you are and who you’re going to be. You’re that moment, Willow.”

He whispers these words into my ear and my whole body gives way. I melt into the mattress, and into him. He doesn’t move his body off mine; instead, he pushes into me once more; his cock sliding into my wet heat and causing a whimper to escape. He moves slowly over me, sliding his hips backwards and forwards until I am shuddering and crying out once more.

“I hate that I want you, but I can’t stop,” he whispers into my ear, “I can’t stop this.”

“I know, oh God, I know.”

“Move your ass up Willow, let me fuck you deeper.”

His words cause a shiver to run through me. I raise my ass and he grips my hips, driving harder into me. I groan and tangle my fingers in the sheets until I’m coming around him again. He brings me to orgasm with his fingers on my clit and his length sliding in and out of me at least two more times before he finally finds another release of his own.

I find myself sobbing as I remember the times we had together when we finally realized our feelings were far deeper than we first thought. I pick up one of Jagger’s old shirts, and I run my fingers over the soft cotton before bringing it to my nose and inhaling. It still smells like him and god, it makes me miss him. I miss everything about him. I miss that hard ass male that took no shit from no one. I miss the man that made me laugh, cry and scream. I miss the gentle, sweet, loving man he could be when he wanted to. The man who risked his life for me. I have to fix this, I have to help him. I owe him that much.

“Hey, are you ok?”

I turn to see Angel staring at me from the doorway.

“Hey, Angel, sorry. I’m ok.”

“It’s ok to feel the way you’re feeling, Willow.”

I stare at him, and then nod softly. “Do you think I’m making a mistake?”

He walks in, gripping my hands and sitting us on the bed.

“No, I think you’re doing what you have to do, to survive. I’m proud of you, Willow, the old you would have crumbed, but you’ve made a decision and you’ve stuck to it. You’re trying to fix your husband. You’re trying to save him. You’re trying to protect him from falling apart, it takes a brave person to risk what you’re about to.”

“I couldn’t do it without all of you.”

“What the fuck?”

I hear Jagger’s booming voice, and quickly leap to my feet. Angel follows quickly behind me as I rush out. Jagger is standing, glaring at Ace, Rusty and Bull. They’re giving him sympathetic glances. When I walk out, he spins on me and storms over, but Angel stands in his way.