“What are you doing, Rob?” Jessica questioned, her own eyes narrowing in confusion. He looked as though he was hiding from something. No, not something, but someone. It was then she saw him for the coward he really was. What was going on with him?
“I wouldn’t turn around if I were you,” he advised. “If he sees you, we are both dead.”
He shouldn’t have told her not to turn around, because her curiosity and the urge to do the exact opposite of what he said was too much. Turning her head around in the seat, her face suddenly dropped. Jake’s once soft chocolate pools were now hard and resembled iron. He was mad; she could tell from the twitch niggling at his jawline. His broad shoulders squared, preparing for an attack.
“There’s Jessica.” Ciara pointed. The giggling blonde waved in her direction.
Out of all the places to bump into Jake, she did it sitting for coffee with the ex-boyfriend that instead of flowers, used to treat her to monthly visits to the hospital.
Jessica felt her pulse quicken and pound beneath her skin as he made his way towards their table.
“Well, look what we have here. Little reunion, is it?
“Jake!” Jessica warned, looking up at him under long lashes. His mouth set into a hard line.
“What the hell are you doing, Jess?”
“Nothing. We bumped into each other and had a chat.”
What was she doing? She didn’t need to explain herself to him.
“A chat? I really hope you are joking, Jess.”
“This is none of your business, so just keep out of it, Jake.”
But he ignored her warning, turning his head to look at Rob, who was doing nothing to back down from this confrontation. He was indulging in it. She could tell from the hint of a smile threatening his lips.
“I thought I made it pretty clear to you the last time to stay the hell away from her. Are you looking to get hurt?”
Shit, Jessica cursed. This isn’t good at all.
Ciara had stepped away from the situation, breathing in the scene playing out right in front of her. Jessica already knew what the daily news at work was going to be in the morning.
“Jake, you always were such a tough guy. Always doing your best to protect poor Jessica. Right now, she doesn’t need your help, so back off!”
Rob planted his two feet firmly on the ground below him, standing up to edge closer to Jake. Jessica watched as his hand balled into a fist at his side, ready to pounce when he needed it.
“Okay, will you two just stop it?” Jessica begged. “There is no need for this, and we were just leaving, weren’t we, Rob?”
She darted a quick glance at him, hoping he would agree with her so she could get the hell out of there.
“Yeah, we were,” Rob agreed.
The relief lifted a ton of weight from her shoulders. Rob picked up his black jacket from the chair; not once releasing his tight stare from Jake’s eyes, then brushed past him and out of the coffee shop. She could tell by the raging expression on Jake’s face that it took every ounce of his power not to punch him right there and have him plastered to the floor. Jessica rushed out after him, not even daring to look at Jake. She couldn’t handle the guilt he would bring on her. She was a coward, but in times like this, she didn’t mind.
“Rob, I think you should leave. I’m glad to hear you are doing well, but you and I meeting here, and talking should have never happened and you know that. Please go before any of this gets worse,” she told him as she stepped outside onto the damp street. The mist was refreshing against her skin.
“If that’s what you want, then I will go.”
“It is.”
She didn’t need Rob in her life anymore, in any shape or form. It was too dangerous. He was too dangerous.
He had disappeared when her name called out again, echoing through her eardrums.
“What?” she barked. She was getting sick of being wrapped in cotton wool.
“Don’t you dare do this to yourself again?”
“We weren’t leaving together, Jake. Rob left by himself. Now if you don’t mind, I am going home, and you can go back to screwing the blonde in there.”
“Jess,” he began, but she cut him off before he had a chance.
“Drop it, Jake. I know what you are going to say, so forget it and let me deal with it. I’ve had enough of this crap to last me a lifetime.”
She stormed off, crossing the road to her car. He was still standing there, watching her as she drove off.
By the time she reached her apartment, her whirlpool of emotions had subsided to waves. She was angry, but had she the right? She was embarrassed and frustrated and extremely confused. She didn’t know what to think anymore.
She gulped down a glass of water and closed her eyes for a moment, leaning her hands against the sink. The adrenaline from the past half hour had kept her going, and it seemed to be still pumping through her blood. Or maybe it was the coffee.
Three loud bangs from behind her and her eyes shot open again, a fresh surge of energy running through her. It was her front door.
“Ugh, what now?” she grunted to herself. She rushed to open it, not even thinking that it could have been someone dangerous. But as she would soon learn, the only danger she would face tonight was Jake as he barged into her apartment, his arms waving in the air.
“Where is he?” he blurted.
“You have got to be kidding me?” Jessica threw her head back in frustration. “He’s not here.”
“What the hell were you thinking to let him sit there with you like that, after everything he did to you?”
“Don’t you think I know that Jake?” she defended herself. “He hurt me enough. I wouldn’t let him do that again.”
“You were just sitting there, laughing with him. It’s sick to even think you would say hello to the scumbag but to entertain him with a conversation. I thought you knew better.”
“How dare you? You don’t know the first thing about what happened tonight, and you don’t know shit about what I was thinking. What? You think after what he did to me, I was going to greet him with open arms. He scares the life out of me, Jake. I couldn’t say no to him. Don’t criticize me for something you know nothing about.”
Tears were dusting her eyes, and she found herself having to bite down on her lip to stop it from trembling.
“Why didn’t you call me if you were scared?” he questioned, as if it should have been the most obvious thing for her to do.
“I don’t need you to protect me, Jake. I am a grown woman. I can do things all by myself. I don’t need you to hold my hand,” she retorted, raising her voice a little, hoping it would get her point across.
“You would have left with him if I hadn’t arrived. I could see it in your eyes.”
What was he talking about? She had no intentions of going anywhere with him.
“After all this time, you still can’t resist him, can you?”
Her breath caught in her throat then, and her heart tightened inside her chest. She didn’t realize words could hurt so much. She looked up at him, her blue eyes looking like oceans under pools of tears. If she blinked, they would slide down her cheek; she could feel their heavy moisture.
“Get out!” she ordered, her voice weak as she let out a long breath.
“What?”
“Jake, get out of my apartment.”
“Jess?” He approached her, reaching out towards her.
“Get out!” she screamed, feeling her sobs boil in her throat. “And this thing, whatever it is, that we have going on. It’s finished. We can’t keep hopping from bed to bed. You want to wrap me up and you also want to have sex with me. You can’t protect me and screw me at the same time, and to be honest, I don’t want you to do either. So, please, just get out of my apartment, and stop worrying about me for Christ’s sake.”
“I can’t stop. I don’t know what it is with you, but I can’t.”
If Jake Williams had said that to any other woman, their hearts w
ould have leaped right out of their chest, but not Jessica. She hated being cradled by people, especially Jake.
“I shouldn’t have said what I said but Christ, Jess, seeing you with him is making me go insane.”
“Jake, please,” she begged, gritting her teeth in anger. “It has taken me enough to build up the power to do this. Please don’t test it because I will crumble and give in to you, and I’ll hate you for it. Please.”
Her energy was failing, and she knew that if he questioned her once more, she would succumb to him.
“Then hate me because I’m not leaving. Not tonight.”
“Get out!” she shouted repeatedly, but instead of walking out the door, he walked towards her, wrapping his arms around her trembling body. She fought against him so hard, but he wouldn’t let her go, and she gave in to his strength because she knew she needed it.
“I don’t want you to hate me, sweetheart.” His expression was somber, his eyes were soft and the long kiss he placed on her forehead was tender.
Her sobs took complete control of her body and she was letting out words that weren’t making sense.
“I’m sick, Jake,” she cried, but quickly realized the effect her words would have if she were to explain the full story.
“You’re sick?”
“Of this fighting,” she shortly corrected.
Her chest was rising and falling at frantic rates as her breathing was coming in heavy pants. His brown eyes melting against her ocean blue orbs, and the spark exploded again. She recognized the longing in his eyes. It was one that mirrored hers.
She lowered her voice somewhat and found the courage to speak the words she so desperately needed.
“Kiss me.”
Jessica bit down on her lip before he willingly obliged her. His lips crushed against hers, moulding together perfectly. He laid her gently on the rug beneath them and locked his fingers tightly with hers as he raised her hands over her head, trapping her against him. She moaned against his kiss as his tongue explored her mouth, taking her in without even the slightest consideration for the fact that she was falling to pieces right there in his arms.
Chapter Ten
Jessica abruptly woke to what seemed to be a loud buzzing noise. Her unconscious brain did everything it could to block it out, but it just continued and continued until it dared her to open her eyes, haunting her ears with the cheap musical sound of sheer annoyance. She grunted loudly, pushing herself from Jake’s warmth, reaching towards her bedside locker, and hoped she would not fall out of the bed. Lazily, her hand fumbled around, trying its best to find the irritating, flashing object without having to open her eyes.
She pressed the button to stop it from ringing, and without even saying a word she put it to her ear, waiting for someone to say something.
“Hello, Big Boy.” A seductive voice was on the other side. “Want to play?”
Jessica’s eyes shot open. The gasp catching in her throat made her cough violently until she had to pound her palm against her chest.
“Excuse me? I’m sorry, but I think you have the wrong number.” She swallowed.
“Ah, no, I don’t,” the voice demanded, sounding extremely annoyed. She recognized that soft, high-pitched voice, but her tired mind wouldn’t let her think.
“I’m sorry, but this isn’t a hotline,” she snapped. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep.
“Jessica?” the voice hushed, hesitantly saying her name. “Oh my God, Jessica Connors, is that you?”
“I should think so. You just called my phone. Now, who is this?” she commanded. How could someone be so stupid? Of course it was her. Who the hell did they think it was?
“First of all, it’s Ciara, Jake’s secretary.”
Oh, so she did recognize the voice; she wasn’t going totally mad. But why was she calling Jessica?
“And second, I didn’t call your phone. I rang Jake,” Ciara stated bitterly.
Jessica could feel her jaw drop and blood rush to her cheeks. Christ, how the hell was she going to get out of this one?
She sprung her shoulders in the air, hearing Ciara give an impatient cough.
“Jessica, how is it you have Jake’s phone?” She could hear the anger in her voice. “Do you often swap phones?”
Shit! Shit! Shit! You idiot. How can anyone be such an idiot?
“No, he… He left it here,” Jessica lied, stuttering over her words.
“Don’t give me that shit! I saw the way he ran after you earlier. He pushed me into a cab and took off after you. Is that something he often does; take you on the side like some skank?”
Now Jessica was getting mad.
“Okay, you listen here, Miss Peroxide. Yes, Jake came to see how I was, and yes, he left his phone here. Jake and I have known each other for a long time. It’s only natural. But to be honest, this is none of your business, so I would appreciate it if you would keep your fake nose out of my life,” Jessica spat, suddenly feeling awake.
“None of my business? I think it’s my business. We slept together.” Jessica cringed at her words. She didn’t want images of Ciara and Jake rotating like a slideshow in her head. No, thank you! “I think I have a right to know if he is sleeping with someone else. We committed,” Ciara screamed.
Jessica tried awfully hard not to choke with hysterical laughter. “Commitment? Ciara, sweetie, word of advice; don’t put ‘commitment’ in the same sentence as Jake’s name. It offends him. Besides, did he say anything about you two going out?”
The line went silent for a long moment, and Jessica already knew the answer.
“No, not exactly,” Ciara stammered, unable to find a coherent sentence.
“Ciara,” Jessica began, but she cut her off.
The line went dead.
For a minute, Jessica just laid there with her ear still stuck to the phone. She felt sorry for Ciara. She didn’t deserve to be thrown around like a rag doll, and no one deserved to get hurt.
She switched off his phone and placed it on the locker, again mentally cursing herself for not opening her eyes before she had answered it.
She contemplated waking Jake just to tell him what happened, but it was still dark out. Jessica turned to look at her clock. It was 2:30 a.m. She moved her body around to face him, and the look on his face as he slept told her she couldn’t wake him. He looked so peaceful and handsome, lying there as still as a marble statue with a body to match.
Quietly, she leaned over, kissed his forehead; embracing the moments where she could make believe he wasn’t just with her for the sex or the excitement. She was smiling as she closed her eyes to sleep again; the picture of his face engraved in her mind.
“Jess,” she heard him whisper. Jessica opened her lids slowly, feeling guilty for waking him. But when she did, his eyes were still closed.
Did he just say her name in his sleep? No, he wouldn’t have. No, not Jake.
For a moment, his face began to wrinkle under what looked like concentration. Then his eyes fluttered open, a wide smile gracing his lips when they finally opened, staring straight into her soul.
“Now, there’s a sight for sore eyes,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. “Hello, beautiful.” He winked with tired eyes as he backed away, resting his head on the pillow.
“Hello,” she breathed, her eyes widening, taken aback by his spontaneous gesture. Then he did it again. She laughed to herself, wondering if he was still asleep.
“I should try that more often.” He smiled that breath-taking smile, the one that caused her breath to catch in her throat.
“Okay.” She beamed back, still looking astonished.
“You know what?” He grinned.
“What?” she answered, searching his face for some evidence of what he was talking about.
“I’m going to do that again,” he whispered, sounding serious.
Then he leaned in towards her and kissed her. This time, he stayed there with his lips locked on hers. As they moved together, he mo
ved closer to her, so that she moved onto her back; his muscular arms caged her in at either side of her waist. She could feel his warmth hover above her, making her want him even more. And as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, he deepened the kiss. Their passion radiating between them in a connection so powerful she was falling down a spiral of boiling lust. His tongue grazed her bottom lip; the intensity in his kiss caused her to lose herself in him until she didn’t know who or where she was. She wrapped her arms tightly around his broad, muscular shoulders, keeping him there for support; in fear, her entire body would turn to jelly. Jessica moaned as his lips left hers, travelled down her neck and back up again, kissing every inch of her face apart from her lips. It felt like her heart was leaping from her chest; he was kissing her so.... so different. Jake always kissed her passionately, but this felt completely foreign to her. It felt like he was cherishing every inch of her body until she completely succumbed to him. When his kisses stopped, she opened her eyes. He was staring down at her, both of their breathing frantic.
“Where did that come from?” she finally asked, out of breath. He stayed silent for a long moment, looking away from her for a split second.
“I had this dream,” he confessed, his eyes filled with pain. “I had a dream about you. I dreamt you left.”
Jessica had to swallow hard to get rid of the lump forming in her throat. She wanted to say something, to assure him she wasn’t going anywhere. But how could she make false promises?
“You’re not going anywhere,” he stated. “I won’t let you.”
She closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. Then she pulled herself up on her elbows. They were so close she could feel his breath on her face, capturing her closer to him.
“If you say so,” she whispered, and then she kissed him softly, permitting him to carry on where they left off.
*****
That morning, as Jessica put French toast onto a plate, Jake emerged from the bedroom.
“There you are.” He nodded at her. “I thought you sneaked off again.”
“Nope,” she chimed, smiling at him. “I had a craving for some French toast.”
His eyes lowered to the plate in front of him.
Watch Over My Life: Emotional Love Story (What Will Be Book Series) Page 8