Loving Jacob (Breathless 5)

“Don’t say that Jacob. The Turners are not losers,” she said, seeming to mull over everything I just t

old her about Justine. Though she gave face like she was keeping it together, I could see the layers beneath her trembling. I had even more facts for her that would strengthen the wedge between our mother-son bond.

“The heir to the Turner Enterprise will be lost. I’m going to be subjected to being a weekend father, when my father and grandparents didn’t do that to me. I will have muddied the Turner waters.”

“Muddied the waters…you can say that again,” Mom murmured underneath her breath.

“You know,” my heart slammed against my chest as I growled at my egg donor and incubator. “I gave you chance after chance to be decent because you are my mother, and it took me too long to believe that I could come from someone so vile. But I should have known from the beginning that all your reconciling and asking for forgiveness was fake. I should have protected Destiny better from you and Justine.”

“Jacob, you’re the one that needed protection from Destiny. She’s the one that came in here broke and trying to steal a small fortune by becoming your wife with no prenup contract, and now she has a baby. Look at the writing on the wall. Can’t you see that she set herself up for a nice win at your expense?”

“I want her to have every penny she wants to take from me. I’m willing to give it to her freely. No one is forcing me to give Destiny anything. I give to her because I want to. To be able to give the woman I love everything her heart desires is what the money is for.”

“You and your father are so much alike,” she sprang to her feet and stood in my face, barking as spittle flew from her mouth. “Always thinking with your heart, your peckers, and what you think means something to you. You should know that what means something is family and the upkeep of our name and enterprises!”

“Being like Dad is a compliment, because right now what means the most to me is to get you out of my life, so Destiny and I can start over for the final time building on solid ground with no distractions.”

Mom gasped. “Distraction? Jacob, I gave you life, and you stand in my face calling me a distraction? I have never done anything but what was right for you.”

It hurt to say something so damning to my mother, but it was the truth, and the truth hurts. “By disrespecting the very woman who gave me a second shot at true love, you have hurt me more than you know. I love that damn woman, Mom, and I love the baby growing inside of her with all that I am as a man. I wanted to believe that you had changed. When I thought about what got me and Destiny to this point, I realized I can’t let you continue to damage my relationship or our child because you are damaged. I wish you a good life mother, but that’s why I came by today, to let you know to your face that I will never be speaking to you again.”

I wanted to add ‘unless she gets her act together and is genuinely ready to treat Destiny like a human being that I cherish with all my heart.’ But I’d watched my mother play games with people’s feelings all my life. She was about status and appearances. None of that was about to change. I wasn’t willing to give her anymore leverage to sprinkle hate over my marriage that I was determined to keep.

“You can’t mean that,” Mom said as I turned the handle on her front door to leave. “You just need some time to cool down and get over your feelings for her. Then, maybe find someone who can make you happy.”

“No, Mom. I know where my happiness can be found. I just hope that you spend some time finding yours.” And if that be with her upscale lifestyle that she fought so hard over the years to uphold, then so be it.

With Justine being locked up, Mom made two toxic people out of my life. I didn’t care who would be next. I had tunnel vision to get my woman back, no matter what it took.

Chapter Nine

Destiny

Just Me and You

I stepped outside to get the morning paper and the misty morning air greeted me. Fury raged inside my heart at the sight of Jacob sitting on my porch stairs. Yet, my heart still skipped a beat. The apologetic look on his face, when he stood to face me, made it hard to hate him. I could kick my own ass for still loving that man.

“Good morning, Destiny,” he said presenting me with a bouquet of pink roses.

“Thanks, but you shouldn’t have brought those here. I don’t want them,” I said and turned to walk back inside. “You shouldn’t even be here.”

“Wait.”

“What do you want, Jacob?”

“To talk.”

“Too late for that.”

“Can I come in?”

“Again, what do you want, Jacob?”

“You,” he said, while clasping his hand around my arm and gently hauling me to him. He leaned down to capture my lips, but I moved my face and his kiss landed on my cheek.

I reared my hand back to push him away from me.

He took hold of my wrists and held me steady in front of him. "We need to talk, Destiny."