One year later…
I pull up to the small, southern-styled house and look down again at the address Cooper gave me to check that I’m at the right place. Getting out of my truck I take in my surroundings and look over the place. It’s a nice house, even with needing some fixing up. I can see Julia here, I just hate how secluded she is. Even though it’s only 3 minutes from town her closest neighbor is a mile down the road and with so many trees you can’t even see the house. If she was ever in trouble no one would hear her call for help… Don’t go there man, you have enough shit to worry about when it comes to her. Shaking my head I walk up the front porch and knock.
“Come in!”
Stiffening, I glare at the door. What the fuck? What the hell is wrong with her? She has no idea who’s at her door and she just yells at them to come in? Feeling pissed now, I let myself in and hear Julia yell from upstairs as I’m closing the door.
“I’m sorry, I must have got the time wrong. I thought you said 7:00. Go to the kitchen and grab yourself something to drink. I just need a few minutes, I’ll be right down.”
Hearing the sound of her voice after being gone so long stirs up emotions I haven’t felt in a long time.
Obviously she’s expecting someone. Glancing down at my watch I see it’s just after 6. Great, I have less than an hour to plead my case.
I walk straight ahead finding the kitchen and see cookies on the counter. They’re still on the baking sheet warm from the oven. Snatching one I pop the whole thing in my mouth and I want to groan at how good it is. Damn, Margaret taught her well. I take one more and go sit at the kitchen table.
I wonder if she’s expecting Kayla, maybe I can ask Coop to keep her with him. With that thought I grab my cell phone and start texting Cooper when I hear Julia come down the stairs. Standing up I take a deep breath and brace myself for the shit storm that’s about to hit.
I can’t believe I got the time wrong, I could have sworn he said 7:00. Thank goodness I started getting ready early. I looked down at myself, loving the new yellow strapless sundress I bought. It’s perfect for the hot weather we’ve been having. I walk down the stairs with the vase of flowers he sent me today and step into the kitchen with a smile. “Thanks so much for the flowers you…” I stop, every part of me freezing, including my breath. I stare at the person standing in my kitchen and swear I’m hallucinating.
“Hey Jules,” Jaxson’s gaze roams down my body as he leans comfortably against my kitchen counter with his arms crossed, looking arrogantly determined.
The vase slips from my shaking hands and shatters all over the floor by my feet, but I still don’t move, I can’t.
“Jaxson?” I ask quietly and unsure.
“Fuck! Don’t move!” he strides around my kitchen looking in my cabinets for something.
“What are you doing here?” I ask stunned. When I take a step toward him he rushes at me picking me up around my waist.
“Goddamn it! I said don’t move.”
I look down and see glass crunching under his boots.
“Where’s your broom?” he asks while setting me on the counter. When I don’t answer he grabs my bare calf lifting my foot to examine it. “Are you okay? Did you step in any?” Feeling his warm touch on my bare leg starts to snap me out of my shocked state.
Why is he here? Why now?
“Goddamn it Julia! Will you fucking answer me!? Are you hurt!?”
My gaze snaps to his and I shake my head. I open my mouth to say something then close it, not knowing where to start. I have so many emotions running through me right now. Relief, sadness and most of all, anger. Clearing my throat I try again and this time get words out, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you.”
I stare into his ice blue eyes that I haven’t seen in 6 long years and try to gauge any emotion from him. There’s something in his gaze that wasn’t there before, something harder. But I can’t see anything else- no remorse, no apology, nothing.
Feeling irritated now, I push him away and hop off the counter. Grabbing my broom from the pantry I start cleaning up the glass. He comes up behind me and tries to grab the broom, “I’ll do it.”
Not letting go I rip it back in my direction. “No! I’ll do it!” He backs off at my tone but I can tell he’s annoyed. I turn back sweeping, “Did Cooper not give you my message a year ago?” I ask coolly.
I feel him staring at my back when I lean over, sweeping the glass up in the dust pan.
“Ya he did,” he says, clearly not caring.
Walking past him to the trash I dump the glass in and notice cookies missing off the baking sheet. I turn and glare at him, “If you think I wasn’t serious Jaxson then you’re very mistaken.”
“Come on Julia,” he says as if I’m being irrational.
“No, you come on! How dare you think after what happened a year ago that you can waltz right into my house like nothing is wrong and eat my cookies.” I point at the missing cookies on the baking sheet, “These are for someone else, not you!” I know I sound childish but I’m so damn mad that I don’t care.
“Actually, I didn’t just waltz into your house, you fucking invited me in, not even knowing who was at your door. What the hell is wrong with you? I could have been anyone.”
“Obviously I thought you were someone else. Believe me Jaxson if I knew it was you I wouldn’t have invited you in.” I give him an extra hard glare hoping to hide the lie.
“I don’t give a shit if you were expecting someone or not, don’t ever do that again Julia,” he commands pointing his finger at me.
Oh the nerve I slap his finger away when I really want to slap the arrogance right off his sexy face. “Just who the hell do you think you are? You have no say on how I answer my door Jaxson. You have no say in anything I do in my life. Not anymore. So you can take your arrogant ass and get out of my house!” I go to storm past him but he grabs my arm and pulls me to him so his face is only inches from mine.
“I don’t think so baby. We have unfinished business and you’re not going anywhere until you hear me out.”
His gaze is full of determination and I hate it when I catch myself staring at his mouth. I take a step back, not trusting myself so close to him.
“Fine you wanna talk, let’s talk. Let’s talk about the fact that before Germany I hadn’t seen you in 5 years. Five fucking years Jaxson! I got short phone calls, but that’s it. Then I spend almost all of my savings to come see you and you refuse me. I went through a lot to be there for you, it’s not like you were just in the next state!”
Some of the hardness leaves his expression: “I’ll pay you back for…”
“I don’t want your fucking money! This isn’t about money!” I scream at him finding it harder every second to hold on to my control. I take a deep breath and say the one thing that hurt me the most, “When I got that phone call from Kayla, saying you were hurt, my whole world stopped because nothing mattered to me more than you. Even after you stayed away from me for so long you still mattered to me. Do you have any idea what that did to me when you made Cooper get rid of me? It was a shitty way to find out I didn’t mean anything to you anymore,” my voice cracks and I will myself not to cry. I swore a year ago I would never shed another tear over him again.
“Fuck Julia!” his voice is rough as he starts towards me but I put my hand up, stopping him. I know if I let him touch me I’ll give in and I can’t.
Then I ask the one question that will make or break this conversation: “Are you sorry at all? Do you regret it?”
He runs his fingers through his hair roughly and my heart clenches with pain at his tortured expression.
Stay strong Julia.
“I’m sorry I hurt you Jules, more than you will ever know. But I don’t regret my decision to send you away.”
I guess I’m not surprised by his answer, but it still hurts. Looking down at the floor I shake my head sadly, “Then we have nothing more to say to each other.”
“Goddamn it! Would you try to understand? I didn’t want anyone to see me like that.”
“Even me!?” I yell hurtfully.
“Especially you! How can you not fucking understand that!?”
We stare at each other in silence while hurt and anger swirl between us, then before I can say anything else my front door opens and I hear Kayla yell in a panic: “Julia where are you?”
“In the kitchen,” I call out quietly, still staring at Jaxson.
“Jules you’re never going to fucking believe who’s ba…” Kayla stops short, her gaze moving from me to Jaxson. “Uh never mind, I guess you know.”
I look over at her and nod.
Then she narrows her gaze at Jaxson. “Everything ok in here Julia?”
Jaxson glares over at her in annoyance, “Everything is fine Kayla.”
“I wasn’t asking you, I was asking Julia,” she bites out.
I have to say Kayla can be pretty intimidating when she wants to be. Of course not to Jaxson, but I don’t think anyone intimidates him.
“I’m okay,” I say softly, trying to reassure her.
“Are you sure? Because I’ll fuck him up if you need me to,” Kayla says, completely serious.
Jaxson grunts at this like it’s ridiculous.
“What you don’t think I can? I’ll have you know Coops been showing me some stuff. So I’d watch yourself buddy.”
I try to suppress my smile, “Really Kayla, everything is ok, but you’ll be the first to know if I change my mind.”
Kayla takes a step back then looks me over. When she smirks, I know immediately she’s up to something.
“Looking good Jules, you ready for your hot date?”
My heart speeds up knowing what she’s trying to pull. I glance at Jaxson and see his eyes narrowed at me. Crap! I don’t need this right now. If he finds out who I’m going out with tonight then things are going to get way more ugly than they already are.
Hoping they both get the hint I say, “I will be once you guys leave.”
Kayla walks over and hugs me, “Of course, I’m out of here. Don’t come home early, if you know what I mean,” she winks at me and I feel myself turn red.
Then she looks over at Jaxson smugly: “See ya around Jaxson.”
He doesn’t acknowledge her, he just continues to stare at me.
Kayla leaves chuckling, looking proud of herself.
Great, this is awkward.
“So that’s who you thought I was, your date?” Jaxson asks easily when his gaze is anything but.
I nod, “He’s going to be here right away so you should go,” I say feeling guilty… Stay strong Julia you have nothing to feel guilty about.
“We aren’t done talking yet.”
“There’s nothing left to say Jaxson.”
“Bullshit! There’s still lots to say.”
Great. I can tell he’s not going to leave easily and my heart speeds up with trepidation. I have to get him out of here before Wyatt shows up. I look at the clock nervously and see I have 5 minutes.
Jaxson notices, “Who’s your date? Is it someone I know?” he asks suspiciously.
Trying to avoid the topic I stare at him coolly. “What do you care?”
He shrugs, “I’m just curious.”
“Are you that shocked, Jaxson, that someone might actually want to date me?” I know I’m just starting another fight but I’m hoping this will piss him off and make him leave. Of course I should have known better.
“Watch it Julia, you don’t want to play this game with me,” he says warningly.
Glaring at him I give in, “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, you know who he is.”
“Who is it?”
“I just said, it’s none of your damn business!”
“Fine. Then I’ll stay and see for myself.”
“Oh no you won’t, you’re leaving right now,” I grab him by the arm trying to pull him out the door but he doesn’t budge. Ugh! I stomp my foot childishly then feel embarrassed.
“Just tell me who it is and I’ll leave,” he says amused, knowing he has the upper hand.
“You promise?” I ask doubtfully.
When he nods I back up a bit because I know he’s going to be pissed. Then really quietly I mumble: “Wyatt.”
“What? Speak up, I didn’t hear you.”
“Wyatt,” this time it’s loud and clear.
My breathing is heavy from the anxiety racing through my system and when I look up at him he’s staring at me with a calmness that terrifies me.
“That’s not funny Julia.”
I swallow nervously, “I wasn’t kidding.”
He grabs my arm and yanks me to him roughly. My throat goes dry from his expression which is filled with a rage I’ve never seen before, and I’ve seen him pretty damn mad. “You fucking promised me. You promised me you would stay the hell away from him! What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”
I rip my arm out of his hold, feeling my own anger spike. “And I kept that promise Jaxson. For 5 years he’s asked me out and I always declined because of you… for you. But that promise went out the window a year ago when you threw me away.”
I don’t share with him that this is only going to be the third date and probably the final one. The more time I spend with Wyatt the more I realize I just don’t have those kind of feelings for him. But I wanted to try one more time, just to see if there’s something, anything, I can build on. He’s asked me out for so long I feel bad.
“Christ Julia I didn’t throw you away. I’m sorry I hurt you but don’t do this, don’t do this because you’re mad at me.”
“This has nothing to do with you, this has to do with me,” I scream back, “I don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life.” I immediately regret letting that out.
“I’m not telling you to be alone for the rest of your life, I’m telling you to stay the hell away from him. He’s fucking dangerous Julia. I thought you understood that.”
“Listen Jaxson, I don’t know what went down with you guys years ago, but whatever you think of him you’re wrong.” Before I can finish my sentence he interrupts me.
“Have you fucked him?”
I flinch, my gaze snapping to his, “None of your business,” I seethe. “Actually none of this is your business. I don’t owe you any explanations.”
When he takes a menacing step towards me, I back up and bump into the fridge. He puts his arms on either side of my head caging me in. He leans his face in, only inches from mine. My heart races for a whole different reason now. “You are my business Julia and you always will be. Whether you like it or not.”
Shaking my head I whisper sadly, “Not anymore Jaxson.”
Suddenly I hear Wyatt’s car pull up and the car door slam. Shit!
“Julia, you here?” Wyatt yells walking in my front door.
Jaxson tenses and I see so much rage in his eyes that I consider calling Cooper before he can kill Wyatt.
“Please don’t Jaxson,” I plead with everything I have.
“Julia!” Wyatt calls again impatiently.
“I’m coming, I’ll be right there.”
I duck under Jaxson’s arm and walk out to meet Wyatt before he comes to find me. As soon as he sees me he knows something is wrong.
“There you are, what’s going on? Whose truck is that out front?” he asks suspiciously, then his gaze fills with fury and I know Jaxson has come out behind me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Wyatt moves his angry gaze to me, “What the hell is going on Julia?”
Before I can explain Jaxson starts towards him. “I should be asking you that question Jennings. You don’t listen very fucking well. You must not value your life much.”
Oh god I need to get them away from each other right now. I stand in front of Jaxson before he gets any closer.
“She’s no longer your concern Jaxson, she’s mine now.”
Wyatt’s arrogance ticks me off.
“Both of you stop right now! Or I’ll call Cooper and have him throw you both in jail. And for the record I am no one’s concern but my own.”
Wyatt pulls my arm so I’m standing beside him.
“Let go of her,” Jaxson voice is dangerously low. I move my arm quickly from Wyatt’s grasp to reassure him that I’m fine.
“Wyatt, please wait for me in the car. Before this gets out of control. I’ll be right out, I promise.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with him.”
I step in front of Jaxson as he moves towards Wyatt again. “We both know I’m not the one she needs to fear.”
“Wyatt, please, I’m asking you to do the right thing. Jaxson would never hurt me. I swear, I’ll be right out.”
I’m surprised he listens but I can tell he’s not happy about. He slams my door making me jump.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, feeling emotionally exhausted.
“Don’t do this Julia. Stay, let me explain.” I open my eyes and stare at Jaxson. His gaze is so full of anguish that my heart squeezes painfully in my chest.
“I’m sorry, I’m not doing this to hurt you,” I whisper softly trying to hold back my sob. “Please, if you leave now I promise we will talk, alright? This is all so much for me right now. I need some time Jaxson. I’m begging you, please don’t cause a scene?”
He walks towards me slowly and surprises me by taking my face in both his hands. Leaning down he places a familiar kiss on my forehead. A kiss that I feel through my whole body. My breath hitches and I close my eyes again before he sees the tears, but I can’t stop one from escaping.
He leans his forehead on mine: “This isn’t over Julia, I’m not giving up on this,” and with that he lets go and walks out.
I stand there a few seconds, still feeling his lips on my forehead. Then I hear him shout… “I’m nowhere near done with you Jennings. If you hurt her in anyway tonight I will fucking kill you.”
Oh no! I run outside quickly and feel relief when I see Jaxson climb in a truck that I assume is his, which makes me wonder where his bike is. When he starts up his truck he guns the gas, speeding out of my driveway, purposely spitting rocks at Wyatt’s $80,000 BMW.
Great!
“Fuck! That son of a bitch!” Wyatt yells, checking his car.
I get the familiar urge to stick up for Jaxson but then I tamp it down. I know he has a right to be mad about his car. I walk over and get in the car silently. When Wyatt gets in he slams the door.
“What was he doing here Julia? I thought you guys weren’t friends anymore.”
“I was just as surprised to see him as you were Wyatt. I didn’t know he was in town. I haven’t spoken to him in a year.”
“What did he want?”
“He said he wanted to talk about what happened between us, said he wanted to explain himself.” I shrug tiredly, “We didn’t talk much, he wasn’t here long before you showed up.”
Wyatt knows Jaxson turned me away when I went to see him in Germany, but nothing else. It’s not my place to say what happened. Heck I don’t even know the extent of what happened.
“I’m telling you now Julia, I won’t put up with it. If you’re with me, then you won’t be seeing him.”
I turn on him in surprise, anger taking over my exhaustion, “Don’t Wyatt. Don’t make me choose, because if you do, it won’t be you. This is our third date, we aren’t even official. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Jaxson, but no one tells me who I can be friends with.”
I can tell he doesn’t like my answer. He glares back angrily at me but it’s an anger that causes a shiver of apprehension to run through me. I’ve never seen him like this before.
“Look maybe this is a mistake, maybe we should do this another time,” I say nervously. When I go to get out of the car he grabs my arm.
“No wait. Listen, I’m sorry Julia. He just really gets under my skin. You know we have a past, but you’re right, I shouldn’t tell you who you can be friends with. I will leave that up to you to decide. I just hope for your sake you’re smart about it. It’s only a matter of time before he leaves again.”
I sit in silence for a minute feeling irritated with his last comment. Then he grabs my hand gently in his: “Listen let’s not let this ruin our night, ok? Let me take you for that drink I promised you. I’m sure you can use one and hopefully I can help get your mind off your troubles,” he smiles charmingly at me and the weariness I was feeling earlier disappears.
I want to say no. All I feel like doing is going to bed and crying myself to sleep. But instead I give him a small smile and agree, “Alright.”
I really do feel bad that I don’t have feelings for him. He’s attractive, has a good career being a lawyer and has money. It always surprised me that he wasted so much time asking me out when he could have his pick of women.
“Great,” he says looking relieved. He presses a soft kiss to my hand and I wait for that spark. The one that I feel through my whole body, the one I get when… No don’t go there Julia. Damn who am I kidding, I’m so screwed.
I race through town, my muscles wound tight with a dangerous rage. “Fuck!” I slam my fist down on the steering wheel. I expected a lot of shit but not this. What the hell is she thinking?
‘I don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life’, thinking about her painful admission causes my chest to tighten.
I need to stop this before something happens to her, she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. The thought of that mother fucker getting his hands on her makes me sick to my stomach.
I fly into Cooper’s driveway and barely shut off my truck before I’m running up his front steps. I pound on the door and decide if it doesn’t open in 10 seconds I’m going to kick it in.
“What the fuck!” Cooper shouts opening the door. I grab him by the shirt catching him off guard and throw him into the wall. “Why didn’t you fucking tell me!?”
Cooper shoves me back, “Get the fuck off me man, what the hell is wrong with you!?”
We both tackle each other and land on the floor, causing chaos all around us. Something smashes…
“Oh my god, what the hell are you two idiots doing!? STOP!” Kayla shouts.
Coop and I continue to roll around, throwing punches while trying to pin the other. “How could you let her date that piece of shit?”
“Goddammit what the hell are you talking about?”
We start to tire out and my common sense begins to kick in, making me realize that I’m wasting time. We sit up breathing harshly and both wipe blood from our mouths.
“What the fuck is wrong with you man?” Coop asks looking at me in outrage.
“She just left with Jennings,” I say feeling sick.
He looks at me in confusion, “Who?”
“Fucking Julia!” I can tell he doesn’t know but I find myself asking anyways, “You didn’t know?”
“No goddammit! I would have fucking told you if I did.”
Shit! “I’m sorry, I thought you knew.”
We both look towards Kayla, she’s standing there wide-eyed, looking nervous as hell.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Cooper asks her angrily.
She clears her throat and straightens her shoulders as if ready to take us both on. Normally I’d find this amusing but right now I’m too pissed off.
“Because it’s none of your business, it’s especially not his,” she yells pointing her finger at me.
I stand up and try to make her understand. “She isn’t safe Kayla, she’s in danger with him.”
“Just because you don’t like him Jaxson doesn’t make him dangerous.”
Cooper advances on her, “Goddamn it, that’s not what this is about. Jaxson and I know shit about him that you girls don’t.”
“Tell me where they went Kayla,” I try to say it calmly but it comes out demanding.
She scoffs, “As if I’m going to tell you. You think you can just roll back into town and dictate who she dates after what you did to her. Just who the hell do you think you are Jaxson? If you’re so worried about her then where the hell have you been for the last 6 years!?”
I try not to let the truth of her words cause guilt to overtake me.
“Easy Kayla, you don’t know the whole story,” Cooper pipes in.
“I don’t need to, I know enough. I was the one there for her when she cried her eyes out, because he fucked her then never saw her again!”
I tense and look at her in surprise.
“What? You think I didn’t know?”
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised she told Kayla. Girls talk about shit like that. “I’ve made mistakes Kayla and I’m going to make it up to her, I swear. But you have to listen to me, Jennings is not right in the head. I’m dead serious when I say she’s in danger.”
Kayla starts looking more unsure now but she’s still too pissed to let it go. “What kind of danger are we talking about here? Danger as in having her heart broken? Because that’s no different than what you have done to her.”
“No goddamn it! I’m talking about physical danger. Coop and I have seen the bruises he’s left on girls. If you want to protect her like you say you do then you will stop picking a fight with me and tell me right now where the fuck they went!”
I can tell I’ve gotten through to her because she looks seriously shaken up. “He’s never laid a hand on her, I’m sure of it. Julia would never allow someone do that to her,” she whispers worriedly.
“How long has she been seeing him?” Cooper asks and I feel sick waiting to hear the answer.
“This is their third date.”
“Then it’s probably because he hasn’t gotten the chance yet.” I know he means it’s because they haven’t slept together… thank fuck for that.
“It’s still 3 dates too many. We are wasting time, tell me where the fuck they went!”
“Hold on, don’t answer that yet,” Coop says cutting in. I glare at him feeling ready to take him down again. “What the hell are you going to do Jaxson? I don’t like this anymore than you do, but you going and causing a scene isn’t going to help. It’s going to piss Julia off more and force me to arrest you. As pissed as I am for what you just pulled I really don’t want to have to do that.”
“I’m just going to go and keep an eye on her. I won’t cause a scene unless I have to. You can’t expect me to sit here and do nothing Cooper, we both know what he’s capable of.”
Cooper looks back to Kayla, “Where did they go baby?”
“They’re at the Oceanfront Tavern,” she whispers guiltily.
I start walking towards the door when Coop grabs my arm, “Hold up. I’ll come with you.”
“Me too,” Kayla pipes in.
Coop turns on her quickly, “No, you stay here.”
“No way. Julia’s going to know I told you where she is. If shit goes down I need to be there for her,” she says grabbing her purse.
“Dammit Kayla.”
“Save it Cooper, I’m going. So either I drive with you or I drive myself.” She takes off out the door then stands on the steps and looks at us impatiently, “Are you two coming or not?”
I look at Coop and shrug.
“That woman doesn’t listen to shit,” he says shaking his head in frustration.