Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

Jessie’s anger evaporated at what he had told her. “I didn’t know she suffered a miscarriage.”

“Only family knew. It broke her and Cash’s hearts. Not only theirs but the whole family’s. Rachel still feels responsible for it, and she’ll never get over it, but that’s not keeping her from trying again. She’s expecting now, and she’s as happy as I’ve ever seen her. That’s what the mountains do for you. You’re bred to make the most of what you have and be strong enough to keep struggling to have more.”

“I can’t. I fought for my life on that mountain, and I wouldn’t have survived without you. I don’t have any fight left.”

Dustin used his free hand to cup her cheek. “Then let me help you find it again.”

Sadly, she took a step back from his touch.

He dropped both his hands to his sides as he earnestly watched her reaction.

“I would have walked on a bed of coals for you … You know that, don’t you?”

His face a tortured mask, Dustin broke eye contact with her. “Yes.”

“Do you know that, right now, I wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire?”

She caught his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

“You fucked every whore in town. Hell, when you got drunk, you’d offer them a new car or apartment. Me? You wouldn’t give the time of day to unless you wanted to pick Logan up late.” She gave a sarcastic laugh, unaware that the pain she had gone through could be heard in her voice.

“You wouldn’t even give me a discount when I asked you to do my freaking business taxes. I wouldn’t have been a virgin for that son of bitch to steal if you had just texted me one time for one of the booty calls that you send to at least three women in town a couple of times a week. If your head hadn’t been stuck up your ass, we would’ve been married, and I wouldn’t have been living in that apartment building that night. I would have had my own damn house.”

Jessie lowered her voice, and not because she was done yelling at him, but her throat was hurting at the intensity she was using. “I don’t need you to tell me how strong I am. I know how strong I am, you jackass. I’m strong enough to put you behind me. So, you can stop coming over. If Logan wants to come over, let Holly bring him.

“You might be a hero for saving my life, but as a person, you fucking suck. Greer might be the biggest jackass in seven states, but you’re the only one who broke my heart.”

Bitterness welled up so much she couldn’t look at him any longer. Turning back around toward her house, she wanted to whomp Dustin with the trash bag again, because he hadn’t told her that her brothers had come out onto the porch and were listening.

Slowing her angry strides, she sedately walked onto the porch, brushing past them to slam the door behind her. Going to the hallway, she opened the sliding door that exposed the washing machine. Untying the bag, she was dumping the dirty clothes into the washing machine when she heard Holt and Asher come into the house.

Not paying attention to them, she started the machine. “Holt, I’m going to bed. Can you put my clothes in the dryer when it’s done?” she asked calmly.

“Sure.”

At his quick reply, she went to her bedroom. Changing into a nightgown, she burrowed under her covers before she turned off the light.

Pressing her face into her pillow, she gave in to the tears that she had held back in front of Dustin.

She was still castigating herself when she heard a ping at her window. She had to listen to three more pings before she could believe the stupid male was wanting her attention.

Turning the light on as she simultaneously jerked the blankets off, she swung her legs off the bed and stomped to the window to raise it.

“What?” she yelled at Dustin’s shadow.

“You want to go camping on Friday night?”

“You going to bring Logan?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m in.” Quietly shutting the window, she went back to bed and turned the light off. Two minutes later, she was sound asleep.

16

“Don’t forget the marshmallows,” Logan reminded him for the fortieth time.

Dustin opened the jumbo canvas bag, showing Logan the two large bags of marshmallows.

“Can I carry the bag?”

Dustin zipped the bag, hefting it onto his shoulder. “You better let me carry it this time. We don’t want to break the marshmallows,” Dustin teased his excited son.

“You can’t break marshmallows,” he said, running around the couch to open the door for him.

“Whoa! Tell everyone good night. You won’t be seeing them until tomorrow afternoon.”

Dustin indulgently watched as Logan ran to give Holly a hug and a kiss before going to Greer, who was sitting on a chair in the living room, holding Rosie.