Come to Me Softly (Closer to You #2)(59)
Author: A.L. Jackson

Because that’s what she was. My shelter. My balm.

“But will you?” He looked over at me. Dark eyebrows almost touched he had them drawn so tight, concerned lines cutting all over his worried face.

Pretty sure I preferred the ass**le over all the psychoanalytical bullshit.

“What do you want me to say, Christopher? I can’t change anything that happened in my past.” All I was doing was trying to build a future.

He blinked like he didn’t know how to break through to me. “You need to stop pretending that past didn’t happen. One of these days you’re going to have to face it.”

Stark images of the family I’d destroyed flashed.

My mother.

My father.

My sister.

Christopher might as well have kicked me in the gut.

A harsh breath rushed from my nose, and I slammed my eyes shut, shoving it all back down, lost to the darkness somewhere deep inside. “Just drop it, Christopher.” My voice was hard. “It’s done. Over. I love her, and that’s all that matters.”

I had to believe that.

Christopher tapped his empty on his thigh. His expression turned grave. “I’m not worried about how much you love my sister, Jared. I’m worried about how much you hate yourself.”

My throat thickened, and I rushed a shaky hand though my hair. Agitation prowled like a beast in the pit of my stomach. I felt caged. Blips of that old rage battled for a resurgence.

Shifting, Christopher blew out a heavy breath. “Sorry, man. . . . You have to know I’m not trying to attack you. I’m just worried. That’s all.” He yanked his fingers through the tousled mess on his head. “Probably could’ve picked a better time and a better place to approach you about this.” Self-contempt flowed from him. “Apparently I’m not so great at keeping my thoughts to myself, especially when it has to do with the people I care about.” Christopher’s regard jumped all over the room, skidding from one indistinct face to the next. “God knows there aren’t many of them,” he said almost too quiet for me to hear.

My attention cut in his direction, trying to make sense of him. Resentment flickered on the outskirts of my consciousness. It struck up a war with the margin of truth he spoke. I got it, knew exactly what he was saying because he was speaking straight to those sins I would never outrun.

But he was wrong when it came to Aly.

She was enough.

When she touched me, all those scars didn’t hurt so bad.

Christopher cracked a smile, the wiseass set firmly back in place. “You should take it as a compliment.”

Interest widened his eyes, his gaze suddenly distracted. It aimed somewhere over my right shoulder. “Oh, you’re going to love this.”

I jerked my attention to where he looked. It landed on Aly, like it was trained to seek her out. Then it wandered to the left.

Possessiveness surged, darkened my sight like the coming storm. My pulse took off at a sprint, pounding blood so hard through my body I could feel it in my ears.

I forced myself to breathe.

Gabe stood in front of her. He dragged his fingers through the flip of brown hair hanging in his pompous face. He smiled like an arrogant jackass when he brushed it back, intruding on the conversation Aly was having with the tiny girl.

That girl hugged Aly quickly and waved a good-bye as she gave up her spot. Dickhead didn’t hesitate to take her place.

His lips moved with unheard words as he edged forward, that cocky smile planted on his face when he pulled her into an overbearing hug. Aly hugged him back, her face disappearing somewhere in his body.

My jaw clenched.

He seemed reluctant to release her, but for his own safety he finally stepped away. Still, he kept hold of her hand, letting their arms swing between them. The same hand wearing my ring.

Dickhead didn’t even notice.

He just stared at my girl, eyes tracing her with hunger, murmuring something I couldn’t hear.

Fuck no.

I was most definitely not okay with this, not okay with him. My leg bounced with the nerves prodding my anxious feet.

“Dude, you should see your face right now.” Christopher’s voice cut into the upheaval brewing up chaos in my mind, the words offhand but his eyes narrowing just as tightly as mine.

Aly nodded, her mouth moving slowly as she answered whatever Dickhead said. I could feel it radiating off Aly, too, this shock of discomfort that had chased away all the ease she’d been wearing before.

I knew he’d texted her, that he’d sought her out in the months I’d been gone. Knew he wanted.

I also knew the ass**le had trouble taking no for an answer.

There was no question now he’d ever give up on the fascination.

She ran her free hand tenderly down her stomach. That bright smile again resurfaced on her face. Her shirt hugged the little bump. Aly cradled it, talking while she showed it off.

Then she tugged her hand back, not hard enough that he let go, but enough to draw attention to the ring on her finger.

Blatant shock rocked his expression.

Fucker had apparently missed the memo.

He dropped her hand like a stone. I watched him squirm in discomfort. I couldn’t help but get some kind of morbid satisfaction out of it.

Still, he stayed, talking to her. Aly blinked, and I was doing my best to decipher their conversation, because I couldn’t imagine one thing Aly needed to say to him.

What it was about him, I didn’t know, except for the fact he wanted my girl.

Hell, half the guys here wanted her. I knew it. I could see it written all over their faces, the way their fingers would twitch and their throats would bob whenever she came near.

She was a f**king knockout.

Gorgeous.

I doubted there was a guy here who hadn’t had thoughts straying that direction.

But something about Dickhead made me crazy with jealousy.

Just because he hadn’t gotten that far didn’t mean he hadn’t been anywhere. And the thought of anyone else’s hands on Aly made my blood boil. His mouth had been on what was mine. He’d touched and explored and hoped he’d have half a chance with her.

I bet the ass**le spent half his time stroking his dick, thinking about her.

“What a douche bag.” Incredulous, Christopher continued, watching them as closely as I was. “The guy is more shameless than I ever gave him credit for. Aly with a ring on her finger and a baby in her belly, and he’s still looking at her like he wants to eat her.”

Yeah. And I’d knock all his f**king teeth out.

Christopher laughed. “You’d better go on and get your girl before you crawl right the f**k out of your skin. Last thing I need is to drag your ass out of here after you incite a brawl.”