Whereas Mason was more vocal in his approach. “You’re fucking dating him?” he asked incredulously.
“Jesus, Tara.” Clay’s lips flattened into a thin line of disapproval. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
She stared at him as if he were an idiot. “Are you seriously asking me that question right now, after the shitty way you’ve acted toward Jackso
n?”
Clay glanced at both of his brothers, a silent message of concern passing between them—one they didn’t seem willing to share with her. When Clay returned his attention to the women out on the deck with Jackson, a worrisome look straining his features, something inside of Tara detonated.
“Stop staring out the window like Jackson is some kind of mass murderer and you’re worried he’s going to slaughter your wife,” she snapped heatedly.
Clay and Mason looked from her to Levi, that silent communication seemingly flowing between the three of them again.
She didn’t like the uneasy vibe settling in the air. “What’s going on?”
Levi scrubbed his hand along his jaw and expelled a deep breath, as if what he was about to tell her was difficult for him. “Tara, there’s something you should know about Jackson. I know you’re not going to be happy about this, but I had a friend run a background check on him, and he was charged with assault a few years back . . .”
She stiffened, feeling as though she’d been jolted with a live wire. Okay, she hadn’t seen that coming. Granted, she and Jackson were in the beginning stages of getting to know one another, but physical violence and aggression didn’t match up to the Jackson she knew.
“Assault for what?” she asked, giving in to her curiosity.
“The charge was dropped, so the reason isn’t on record.” Levi pushed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, his gaze direct. “But the fact that he might have a temper concerns us.”
Tara stared at Levi in disbelief. This from the brother who was the most sensible and levelheaded of the three. “For God’s sake. Mason has a temper and nobody has shunned him! Have you forgotten that he was the one to beat the shit out of Sarah’s ex?”
“You know what we mean, Tara,” Clay said, trying to be rational.
No, she really didn’t understand. She pursed her lips at Levi. “Did you find anything else on his record that might concern you?”
He hesitated a few seconds before answering. “No.”
She arched a brow. “So it could be an isolated incident?”
“I suppose it could be.”
“But you’d rather think the worst of him?” She looked at each brother and was somewhat gratified to see different degrees of guilt and contrition on their faces.
“We were just being cautious,” Clay said gruffly.
“What happened to innocent until proven guilty?” Her voice grew softer as her anger ebbed away. “We all have a past, and we’ve all done things we’re not proud of. I’m certainly not squeaky clean, and I would hate to think that any of you would judge me for being addicted to prescription drugs six years ago, or because someone I cared about died of an overdose when I was high myself.”
She swallowed past the tight knot gathering in her throat as she brought up that dark time in her life and the shame that came with it, but she had Clay’s, Levi’s, and Mason’s attention, and that’s what mattered to her. “You don’t know the reasons surrounding the assault charge, so how about you give Jackson the benefit of the doubt until he gives you a reason to worry? If you knew what he’d been through in his life, you wouldn’t judge him so harshly.”
“You’re right,” Clay said quietly.
Levi nodded his agreement.
Mason begrudgingly gave her a look of acknowledgement.
“Just . . . be careful, okay?” Clay said, unable to completely let go of that protective trait he possessed when it came to the people in his life.
“I can take care of myself,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been doing it a long time.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t worry about you,” Levi said.
She’d said her piece and felt as though she could breathe easier now that she’d gotten everything off her chest. “Jackson is your brother. All he wants is to get to know you guys, so at least give him that chance without holding anything against him.”
Clay gave her a sincere look. “Fair enough.”