Jack (The Family Simon 2)

Once satisfied with her appearance, Donovan rifled through her closet, fingers closing around a simple coral dress. Strapless, it hugged her breasts and fell into a straight line, touching the tops of her toes. She slipped into a pair of white Fendi flats and headed out to the main room.

It was almost dinner time.

She heard voices and knew that Roger and Mary must be on their way over. Quickly fluffing the pillows on the sofa, she set her guitar back in its stand and grabbed the book that was laying on the edge of the coffee table.

Aldus Huxley. The Doors of Perception.

“Yeah, that’s so not going to happen,” she said with a laugh and tossed it into the bin. Her fingers trailed over the People Magazines that were there, and for a moment, her joy dimmed. The crap that was her life rose up, and she knew that if she let it, it would consume her.

So she carefully folded the magazines back and turned, a smile on her face because she heard the door swing open.

Except it wasn’t Roger. And it certainly wasn’t Mary.

It was six feet two inches of someone wholly male. Six feet two inches that belonged to the only man to own her body and soul.

Jack.

She didn’t realize that she’d said his name out loud until she heard it echo in the room.

“You look like shit.”

She said the first thing that came to mind and her breath caught when a ghost of a smile played around the corner of his mouth.

“I feel worse.”

“How did you…” She began, but then a big wad of emotion closed her throat off, and there were no more words.

But he didn’t need them. He was striding forward, his long legs eating up the distance in less time than it took to sneeze. He scooped her into his arms and that was it. She was done.

She began to shake so hard that she felt the vibrations run up his arms as he held her.

“I’m so sorry, Donovan. So fucking sorry.” He buried his head in her hair, and she realized that she wasn’t the only one shaking. “Can you forgive me? Please tell me I’m not too late. I’d have been here sooner, but it took a week to track you down, and even then Grace was stubborn as hell.”

She’d longed to hear those words and yet, confused, Donovan moved so that she could see his face. “Jack, I don’t understand. I should be the one asking for forgiveness. That night…I don’t…I can’t explain exactly what happened but you have to know I never meant for any of it. I’ve never loved anyone but you.”

“I saw it, Donnie.” His eyes looked haunted, and she squirmed until she could get some room between them. Shame burned her skin, and she looked away, but his hands were there on her chin. Gentle. Caressing.

“You did nothing but trust someone. He…” Jack’s voice was ragged, his eyes moist. “He took advantage. Pumped you full of booze and preyed on your pain. He used you. He fucking raped you, and he’s going to pay.”

“Rape?” Donovan’s stomach rolled, and she thought she was going to be sick. Rape made it so much worse. She’d never been able to remember the details of that night but she’d thought it was her mind trying to block it out.

“But he showed me two pictures.” She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to banish them from her mind, but they were there and she whimpered.

“I watched some of the video.”

She whimpered and he hugged her fiercely. “You said no, Donovan. You said no, and I’ll never forgive myself for leaving you with that monster.”

“All this time,” she managed to say. “All this time wasted because I thought I’d betrayed you. Betrayed our love by sleeping with him. Why would he do that?”

Jack gently kissed the corner of her mouth. Her nose. And her chin. He showered kisses over every single inch of skin that he could find.

“He’s a sick son-of-a-bitch, and if he ever comes near you again…”

Jack exhaled. “I’m never leaving you again,” he finally said, resting his forehead on hers. “Never.”

Donovan fisted his T-shirt and slammed her body so close to his that she could feel every breath he took. She heard his heart beating and inhaled his scent. There was still stuff to work through, but for the first time in forever, it seemed, she was standing still, and her mind was at ease.

Eventually, she glanced up at him and then nodded toward the kitchen. “I made dinner.”