Payback

I stared, my heartbeat accelerating as the full import of what Jameson was saying sunk in.

“What?” I gasped, my hand covering my mouth as I tried not to cry. He loved me? Then why did he fucking abandon me! “You have a fucked up way of showing up, Jameson Reed,” I shot back, choking on tears.

I was angry.

I was elated.

I was a mix of the two that was wholly confusing.

Still holding Frankie, Jameson met my gaze. I saw an ocean of bare, naked emotion rolling behind his dark eyes. I saw pain, vulnerability and a desperate hope that I wouldn’t reject him.

How could I?

I’d fallen for him hard.

In the most unlikely of pairings…I’d fallen for the least lovable person I’d ever met.

And found my soulmate.

“Let Frankie go,” I told Jameson, my eyes brimming with tears. “I can’t have my two favorite men trying to kill each other.”

Jameson released my brother. Frankie rose to his feet, his face ashen from aggravating his wounds.

Breathing hard, Frankie looked between us, his gaze darting as if trying to make heads or tails of what he was seeing and hearing.

“Are you kidding me, sis? A cop? And not just any cop…but this guy?”

I lifted my shoulders helplessly but nodded.

Frankie eyed Jameson. “You’re not good enough for her.”

“You’re right,” Jameson shocked us both by agreeing but he followed with a humble, “but I aim to spend my life changing that.”

And that’s when I lost it. I couldn’t hold back anymore.

Tears flowed down my cheeks and I ran into Jameson’s arms, feeling as if I’d finally come home. The solid strength wrapped around me was like a cocoon of security and I melted against him.

“I love you, Jameson,” I cried, burying my face against his chest, inhaling the spicy scent that was all him. I clung to him like a spider monkey, so overwhelmed with emotion that I couldn’t manage coherent thought except to ask, “Why’d you leave?”

“I needed to get my head on straight,” Jameson admitted. “But my place is by your side. I promise you, it’ll never happen again.”

I believed him. But I still had to bust his chops a little.

“It better not,” I said with a watery hiccup. “Or my brother will kick your ass.”

The low rumble of Jameson’s laughter filled my soul with joy. I pulled away but linked my fingers through his, turning to Frankie.

His expression was wary…but his grimace said he was less than happy about this new development.

“If you hurt her…”

“I never will.”

“But if you do…”

“I fully expect you to have something to say about it.”

“Damn straight.”

I smiled through my tears, hopeful. “So does this mean…you’ll be friends?”

Both Jameson and Frankie made identical faces, which was a resounding hell no, but I knew they’d stop trying to kill each other, which was a start.

I released Jameson to hug Frankie gently. “I love you big brother,” I said. “Thank you for watching out for me all those years.”

“You really love him?” Frankie asked, wanting to be sure. “He’s not making you say that or something?”

I shook my head. “I really do.”

Frankie conceded with a heavy exhale. “Well, fuck. I guess that’s all that matters. Your happiness means everything to me.”

“Thank you.” I rose on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll pick my car up later.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Frankie said, waving me off and walking away with a limp like an old man.

I returned to Jameson and said with a smile. “Let’s go home.”

Jameson didn’t hesitate and scooped me up in his arms to carry me to his car. “I’ve gone three days without being inside you…feels like a lifetime,” he admitted, his voice low and rough and entirely sensual.

A shiver danced beneath my skin. “What are you going to do about it?” I dared him with a coy smile.

His returning smile was devilish…and sexy as hell. “Oh baby girl, you know exactly what I’m going to do about it. And when I’m done with you…”

The sensual threat hovered between us and I knew what was in store.

And I couldn’t wait.