Chapter Twenty-One
Jaxon
While Brianne went to the kitchen to make herself a snack, I decided that it was the perfect time to ask her father for her hand in marriage. After all the shit that happened today, I was nervous that he would tell me to fuck off, but he surprised me by being overjoyed about my plans with his daughter. Sure, it was after a few threats about taking care of his princess, but I got my first yes.
My hands start sweating and shaking as I pull out the little black jewelry box that has been burning a hole in my jeans pocket for the past few hours. Olivia’s eyes go wide when I go down on one knee. Proposing right here and now was a spur of the moment decision, this is not the way I wanted to do it but fuck it; this is happening.
My heart rate skyrockets the moment Bri turns to look my way, the shock of seeing me kneeling in front of her brings tears in her beautiful green eyes, and I’m struck speechless as she stares deep into my eyes that must reflect nothing but nerves. Shit, what the hell was I going to say? Mother freaking hell this is not the time for my brain to mouth function to short circuit.
“Well, cat cut your tongue or something? Say something, you big nerdy doofus. You can’t just kneel and stare it doesn’t work like that!” Liv says, and I can hear the excitement and impatience in her voice.
“I… Brianne Bentley can I be your wife!” I blurt out before my eyes widen. “Shit, no that’s not the way it’s supposed to go!” I mutter under my breath. Dammit, why the hell does my tongue feel so heavy?
Brianne smiles down at me while the rest of the room burst into a fit of laughter at my expense. Fucking shit, I need to try again.
“Speak from your heart son,” Mr B tells me in between his laughter.
Right, from the heart. I can do this!
“Bri,” I start. “You may not know this or believe it but I… I have loved you since we were kids.” I take a deep breath as I look up into her eyes. “Finding out that you were blessing me with twins may have been a shock, but it also made me the happiest man alive. There is no one in this world except you, that I would want a family with.” The tears shining in her eyes start to fall down her cheeks. “I’m not doing this because I have to. I’m not doing this because I got you pregnant. Bri, I’m doing this because I can’t imagine my life without you or our kids. I can’t imagine not waking up next to you for the rest of my life and most of all I can’t imagine a life where I can only love you from afar.” Her tears are now on full flow and I open the black box containing a gold, heart shaped diamond ring. “So, with this, I give you my heart and soul,” I remove the ring from the box and gently take her left hand in mine. “Brianne, will you give me your heart too and be my wife?” My question is met with dead silence and I start to panic.
“Oh my God Jax!” Brianne finally says through a soft sob. Shit, that wasn’t a yes.
“Well, answer him!” Liv says practically jumping up and down from excitement. The excitement I wish could be Brianne’s.
“Dear God Bat Girl, answer him already before the poor man bursts a vein and passes out from not breathing, and Liv starts chanting or some shit like that,” Carson says, making me realize that I have been holding my breath.
“I…” Brianne sniffs, bringing the panic rushing back. “I’d love nothing more than to be your wife Jax, so yes, yes and yes!” I finally let go of the breath I’ve been holding and grin as I slip the ring on her finger.
Catcalls and whistles fill the room when I jump to my feet and give Bri an awkward hug before locking my lips with hers. This day has just gone from fucked up to the best day of my life.
“Oh, my fucking God you’re getting married!” Olivia squeals, jumping on the spot in excitement when Bri and I finally break our kiss. “Come here, let me see that ring!” She rushes toward us and pulls Brianne out of my hold. She gasps when she sees the ring up close. “Oh my God, the devil spawn’s daddy got some taste!” She squeals again. Swear, she’s so happy it’s almost like she is the one that just got engaged.
“I swear Livie, call my babies devils one more time. I dare you,” Brianne threatens but the face splitting smile on her face tells me that she knows it’s just an empty threat.
“What, you’ve seen them move! It’s not…”
“Congratulations you two,” Mr B says bringing my attention to him and making me miss whatever it was Liv was going to say. He claps me on the shoulder before pulling me in for a hug. “Son, you have been part of this family for a long time, I’m proud to finally call you son in law, although you are more than just that,” Mr Bentley’s words almost bring tears to my eyes because I’ve wanted nothing more than to have a loving and respected family like his to accept me and love me. I guess my daddy issues run deeper than I ever realized.
“Holy shit man, we are officially going to be brothers. How fucking epic is that!?” Carson pulls me in for a bear hug, and I laugh as I hug him back.
“Can you imagine what Sabrina and Loretta are going to say? I can’t fucking wait to see the looks on their faces when they hear and see that beauty on your finger!” Olivia says gleefully.
“No, I just want those two to stay away from Brianne and me, we don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives.” I say, making my way back to my woman.
“I second that!” Bri smiles up and me as she wraps her arms around my waist.
“Never mind the wicked witches of Cali, after what happened today at Patty’s people will start to see what kind of people they are and just like us, they will be happy for the two you.” Carson says.
I don’t really give a shit what the rest of the town thinks of me and Brianne and it doesn’t matter what all happened earlier today, this day has turned out to be the best as I have gained a fiancé, the woman I’ve always wanted. Whoever has a problem with me being with the woman I love can seriously go fuck themselves. That includes Loretta and Sabrina.
After making hot love to Bri last night in celebration of our new status, she spent hours convincing me to do something I didn’t really want to do. So, a day later I’m standing in front of a hotel room door debating if I should knock or turn around and head back to the office.
I lift my hand to knock but immediately put it down again. This is a bad idea, I need to get the hell out of here. Just as I turn to leave, the door opens behind me and I freeze in my step.
“Jaxon?” Ben, my no-good father says sounding confused. Well you are not alone there, I myself am confused as to what the hell it is I’m doing here.
“Da- Ben,” I quickly correct myself as I turn to look at him. “You on your way?” I ask when I notice the duffle bag hanging from his shoulder.
“Yeah, I was just about to head back to San Francisco, but I’m glad you came by.” He says.
“Yeah well, I’m not sure what the hell it is I’m doing here,” I tell him honestly. If it wasn’t for Brianne, I really wouldn’t be here.
“Come on in; I have some time before I have to leave.” He gestures with his hand for me to go inside. I hesitate for a split second but start walking past him and into the small hotel room.
“Have a seat, would you like something to drink? I don’t have any alcohol in here, but there is juice and water,” he sounds nervous.
“No thanks, Brianne wants me to hear you out so now I’m here,” I say, getting right to the point. I’d rather get this over and done with sooner rather than later.
“I always liked that girl.” He says under his breath. “Right,” He clears his throat before speaking again. “First thing is first, I really am sorry for the way I treated you Jaxon it was heartless and wrong, and I know that now.” He may sound sincere, but I don’t think I’m buying this shit.
“Why did you do it?” I finally ask the one question that has been eating up at me since I was eleven. I could never understand what changed my father, what made him hate me and ma as much as he did. I couldn’t understand how a father and husband could just get abusive overnight.
He drops his head and sighs. “Your mother and I have always had problems, things I’d rather not discuss with you.” He looks at me before sighing again. “Remember when you were eleven and fell out of your treehouse and broke your leg?” What the hell does that have to do with the price of oil?
“Yeah, what about it?” I ask.
“Well a branch gave you a massive scratch on your leg on the way down, and you lost a lot of blood,”
“Yeah, I remember all that, I don’t get what that’s got to do with why you became a first-class jackass,” I’m starting to get annoyed.
“When we got the hospital, the doctors told us that you needed some blood and I jumped at the chance to give you some of mine,” he shakes his head at the memory. “They took my blood but then when they came back, they said that my blood type doesn’t match yours. I thought the motherfuckers were crazy, I mean how can a father’s blood not match his son’s?” He gives a humorless laugh. “So that night I told your mother about what happened, and she confirmed that you were in fact not my son,”
“I had known that your mother was having an affair with Henry and heard rumors that there was someone else too but never in a million years did I think that you were not mine. I felt betrayed and so I lost it. I went out for a drink that turned into twenty and when I saw your mother when I got home it just happened…. I hit her.” I’m speechless and don’t know what to say to that.
“Later I started resenting you and…”
“That’s when you started to beat the shit out of me too,” I harshly finish his sentence.
“I know what I did was wrong, I was weak and didn’t know how to process the betrayal.” A tear falls down his cheek. “Finding out that you were not my son was harsh, but I handled it badly and I’m so sorry that I put you through that. I now realize that I don’t care whose blood runs in your veins, you are my son and I love you, I always have!” He says, choking on a sob.
“You beat the crap out of me and Loretta because I wasn’t your kid?” I’m not sure if I’m pissed off or just disappointed that, that’s his reason for putting me through what he did.
“I know it wasn’t right son, I see it now and I’m so fucking sorry!” I stand and start walking toward the door. I think I have heard enough.
“Jaxon… son… I really am sorry, you were innocent and didn’t deserve what I did to you.”
“I get that you are sorry Ben, I get that you were hurt and felt betrayed by Loretta, really I do but you are right I didn’t deserve what you did to me and I don’t think I can ever forgive you.” With that I walk through the door and shut it behind me.
Coming here was a mistake. I seriously wish I never came. Knowing the reason why my father treated me the way he did feels worse than when I didn’t know. I make my way back to my truck and climb in.
“Aaaah!” I scream out of nowhere as I start punching the steering wheel in frustration. Why the hell did I come here? I think I now hate my father, or whatever the fuck he is to me even more than before.
When my temper tantrum finally ceases, I’m breathing hard and I feel like something inside of my chest is being ripped out. And just like that, for the first time since I was a child, I burst into tears.