“Pregnant?” I whispered back when she pressed her lips together in a tight line.
Her eyes begged me to be quiet. “Please don’t say anything. I was waiting to tell him as a Christmas gift.”
“My lips are sealed,” I promised.
“Jags,” Shaw called my name, and I lifted my head. “Want to help me save my worthless brother’s life?”
“What’s in it for me?” I teased her.
“Saving your best friend’s life?” she offered hopefully.
“Not good enough, sorry.” I turned back to Mia, concerned with how pale she was. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I whispered.
She nodded. “I just got a little dizzy. Go on before someone gets suspicious and I have to announce this baby. I don’t want to mess up your plans.”
I didn’t want to leave her, but she was insistent, and I turned just in time to hear Violet’s laugh. “Get Barrick to help. I don’t think Jagger has the muscles to assist you.”
“Hey,” I protested. “I can take either of them.”
“Yeah, okay,” Violet snorted.
“Don’t believe me?” She shook her head, and I fought back a growl, knowing she was playing me but unable to stop the need to prove her wrong. “Fine. Let’s go, Shaw. I’ll save the asshole.”
I started toward the door without her, only glancing back to make sure Mia was still okay. She gave me a bright smile and a thumbs-up, so I went to save Cannon.
Not that he didn’t deserve the beating Luca was going to dish out. Luca hadn’t gotten the chance to take care of Cannon after what happened to Violet at that party. Cannon should have known he couldn’t go through life without facing the consequences Luca would inflict.
“Hurry,” Shaw urged, running up behind me.
I opened the door, and we stepped outside just as I heard an agonized shout. Luca had caught Cannon mere feet from the front porch. Cannon was on the ground, his face already bleeding, one arm wrapped around his chest, as if he’d taken a shot to the ribs.
But before I could move to intervene, Jenner put Luca in a headlock and pulled him back. “Calm down, Mr. Thornton!” Violet’s bodyguard yelled.
“Release me,” Luca roared. “I’m going to kill the motherfucker.”
“I can’t do that, sir. Mr. Sawyer will fire me if I let you go to prison for murder.”
Shaw and I shared a look, and I couldn’t help but wonder why Remington would give a shit if Luca went to prison. If you asked me, I was sure it would have made his life easier in the long run to have the football player behind bars.
After struggling for a while longer, and realizing he wasn’t getting free of the bodyguard’s hold, Luca finally lifted his hands. “Peace, peace. I give, man. Release me. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
“Baby, help your brother up,” I instructed, moving so I was between Luca and Cannon, who was still lying on the ground. I didn’t want to turn my back on Luca and put Shaw at risk if she got in the way. Luca wouldn’t mean to hurt her, but as enraged as he was right then, I knew he wouldn’t even see her as he tried to get his hands on Cannon again.
Jenner didn’t immediately release Luca, and for that, I was thankful, especially when the Bryants and Nialls walked up the driveway. Asher and Piper were in front of their parents. Seeing Cannon on the ground, Asher burst out laughing, but Piper screamed and ran over to help Shaw.
“Fuck,” Uncle Liam muttered as he and Aunt Gabs took in the scene, causing the six people behind them to stop.
The large group of newcomers pulled Jenner’s gaze their way as the Niall quadruplets moved forward to see what all the commotion was about. The three boys laughed at the sight along with their cousin, while Doe’s eyes widened. But her gaze wasn’t on Cannon lying on the ground.
It was locked on Jenner. And Jenner was looking right back. I couldn’t remember when I’d ever seen Doe in a dress. Normally, she was in jeans, some kind of pretty-colored flannel, and cowboy boots. Even at Ma’s Christmas Eve party, she wouldn’t normally dress up. This year, however, she was wearing a crimson dress that molded to her curvy body. She was wearing flats, but she was almost as tall as Shaw, so she didn’t need heels. Her thick, dark hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and she had on just a touch of makeup.
A new tension filled the air as the two of them stared each other down, and Jenner’s hold on Luca eased. It wasn’t much, but it sure as hell was enough for Luca to break free. With Shaw still trying to help her brother to his feet, I didn’t even think. I tackled Luca to the ground.
“Fuck!” he roared as his head bounced off the ground. “Get off me!”
It was difficult to keep hold of him, but Jenner helped me. Still, Luca was like a wild beast, trying to get free until we heard the pissed-off voice of the rage monster himself.
“Boys, take your mother and sister inside,” Uncle Wroth instructed. “You two, get the hell up.”
I didn’t hesitate to do as told, and Jenner quickly complied once he saw the look on my face. As soon as we were off Luca, he jumped to his feet, but when Uncle Wroth stepped in his way, Luca gulped and planted his feet.
“There are too many girls out here for you to be acting like this, kid,” Uncle Wroth growled. “You put my wife and baby girl in danger, and I’m going to put your ass in the ground. You feel me?’
“Yes, sir,” he muttered.
The huge rocker shifted his gaze to Jenner. “You. I don’t know you.”
“Name’s Jenner, sir. I work for the Sawyers.”
Uncle Wroth nodded. “One of Barrick’s men?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Take this guy for a walk.” When Luca started to argue, it took only a look from Uncle Wroth to shut him up. “Now, kid.”
I waited until the two of them were down the block a good distance before walking over to my girl, while Uncle Wroth walked up onto the porch with Aunt Gabs and Uncle Liam.
“What did you do this time, dumbass?” Piper demanded as she pulled one of Cannon’s arms around her shoulders and took some of his weight as he got unsteadily to his feet.
Breathing hard, blood running down his face from the gash over his eye, Cannon groaned. “Are you the angel of mercy or the angel of death?” he slurred as he frowned at her.
“Depends on what day it is,” Asher said, following his mother onto the porch.
“Piper,” Liam Bryant called out. “If you’re going to the hospital, make sure to stay close to Jagger.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she called back, but her gaze remained on Cannon. “How many of me do you see?”
“Three,” he slurred, then laughed. “Three beautiful little angels.” The laughter abruptly ended. “I don’t think I can handle three of you. I can barely keep up with one. Fuck, my head hurts. Maybe one of you is the angel of healing. Can you make this headache stop, angel?”
“The hospital, it is,” she said with a sigh. “Ugh. You’re getting blood on my dress.”
“Buy you another one, beautiful angel,” he said with a drunken grin.
“No thanks,” she said with a roll of her eyes as she and Shaw finally got him on his feet. “Angels don’t take things from fucked-up idiots like you.”
“You’re right,” he whined. “I’ll never be good enough for you. I’m such a fuckup, Pipes.”
“I’m not going to argue with you,” she assured him. “Lean on me a little more so I can help you to the car.”
“We’ll take Jagger’s,” Shaw told her.
Groaning, I pulled out my phone and texted Mia what was going on as I followed them, making sure to keep myself between the girls and Luca, who had stopped and was now looking back in our direction.
Looked like I was going to have to find a different way to propose.
When we got to the hospital, the place was surprisingly crowded. Cannon wasn’t the most critical patient needing a doctor, so we spent over two hours in the ER waiting room before he was even taken back to a triage room. He had a mild concussion, need
ed five stitches in his eyebrow, and had to have his ribs wrapped because two of them were fractured.
By the time he was released, it was late, and I only wanted to take my girl home. Figuring it was safer for Cannon if he didn’t go back to the party, we drove Piper home and then took Cannon back to our apartment.
He passed out in the extra room as soon as he face-planted in the bed, but we’d been instructed to wake him every two hours because of the concussion.
Sighing, Shaw closed the spare bedroom door and walked toward me with a pout. “I wanted to go to bed. Now we’re going to have to babysit my idiot brother.”
I patted the couch, the remote to the television already in my hand. “Since we’re going to be up all night, I say we watch cheesy holiday movies and make out.”
Her baby blues brightened. “I think I like this plan. But only if I get to suck your cock.”
At those words, my cock swelled to the point of pain, and I reached for my belt. “Baby, if that’s my only Christmas present this year, I’m fucking okay with it.”
Chapter 38
Jagger
Since Shaw had a photo shoot that had been scheduled in Paris months in advance, I decided to go with her. She thought it was because I was just being a possessive boyfriend and wanted those French models she was going to be doing the ad with to see who she belonged to. That was true, but it was also our first Valentine’s Day as a couple, and after not getting to propose Christmas Eve, I thought Paris on Valentine’s Day would be the perfect place.
While she was busy with work the day before, I stayed in constant contact with Ma to make sure everything was still planned out to the last possible detail. The next morning, I woke up Shaw with breakfast in bed. Our hotel room overlooked the Eiffel Tower, and our bed was positioned so that all she had to do was look out the window and see the iconic landmark in the distance.
I’d made love to her the night before with it lit up in the background, and I wanted her to wake up with that memory fresh in her mind.
I placed the tray on the foot of the bed and kissed Shaw awake.
“Mm,” she moaned, fisting her hands in my hair. “Love you,” she mumbled sleepily when I forced myself to pull back.
“I love you too, Dimples,” I breathed at her ear before picking up the tray again and placing it beside her. Pastries, yogurt, fresh fruit, and juice were laid out for two, and I picked up a croissant and tore off one end before touching it to her kiss-swollen lips. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
She chewed and then smiled while keeping her eyes closed. “I think I like this holiday a hell of a lot more all of a sudden.”
I was hoping to make her love this particular holiday by the end of the day, but I kept that to myself as we had our breakfast in bed.
After breakfast, I took her shopping at some of her favorite stores, then we returned to the hotel to shower and change. I’d made reservations for us, and after dinner, we were going to walk over to the Eiffel Tower, where everything was already set so I could propose.
Holding all of her bags in one hand, I opened our hotel room door and dropped all her new clothes and shoes on the floor. Turning, I grabbed her and tossed her over my shoulder. Shaw squealed and giggled as I carried her to our bed.
As soon as I had her on her back, I started stripping her. We had plenty of time before we had to go to dinner, and I needed a taste of her.
Once she was bare, I dropped to my knees and covered her pussy with my mouth. “Oh God,” she cried, her fingers thrusting into my hair and holding me in place. “If this is another present, I’ll take two more every day for the rest of eternity, please.”
Grinning against her flesh, I teased her clit with the tip of my tongue. If she considered me eating her pussy a present, I’d give her as many as she wanted every day.
With her release dripping down my chin, I shot to my feet and started working on my belt, only to have her phone and my own start going off at the same time. “Ignore it,” she pleaded, opening her legs a little wider to entice me to hurry.
I was all for giving her what she wanted, but something in my gut told me to answer the phone. “Two seconds,” I promised her as I pulled my phone from my pocket. Seeing that it was Ma, my gut only clenched harder. I knew she wouldn’t call me today of all days unless something was wrong.
Something on my face must have told Shaw it was going to take longer than two seconds, and with a heavy sigh, she reached for her own phone that was on the floor where it had fallen out of her pocket while I was stripping her.
“Ma?”
“Jagger.” The sound of her voice did nothing to calm my sudden anxiety. I wasn’t sure, but I thought maybe she was crying, or had been recently. “Get Shaw to the airport—now. I’ve got her booked on the first flight I could, and it leaves in an hour. Someone from security will meet her at the entrance and make sure she boards without delay. I’m sorry, but there was only one seat left. You’ll have to take a later flight. But I need Shaw home. Immediately.”
“Mom, why are you crying?” Shaw demanded. My head snapped up at the distress in my girl’s voice. She pulled on a robe to cover her nakedness, listening intently on her phone, as Ma explained to me what was going on at home.
Remington had died. Even though it was nearly dinnertime in Paris, it was early morning back home. Remington had passed sometime during the night, but apparently it wasn’t unexpected to either Violet or her bodyguard. Ma didn’t really have much more to tell me, other than I needed to get Shaw to the airport.
Promising her I would, I hung up so I could console Shaw.
“I-I have to hurry,” she sobbed as she stumbled forward, but after opening her case, she glanced around as if she didn’t know where to start.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her head to my chest. “Shh, baby. I’ve got you.”
“I-I could hear Violet crying in the background,” she whispered brokenly. “She sounded so shattered.”
“No one will let anything happen to Violet,” I assured her. I guided her over to the bed and then dressed her in fresh clothes. Once she was covered, I packed her smallest case and promised her I would bring the rest of her things with me.
“You’re not coming with me?” she asked. Seeing the lost look in her eyes when she was normally the strong one broke my heart.
“Ma couldn’t get us on the same flight,” I told her. “But I’ll be there as soon as I can, baby. I promise.”
She gave a nod, but her chin trembled, and she grabbed hold of my pants and buried her face in my bare abdomen. “Oh God. She was such a mess after breaking up with Luca. She wanted to kill herself, Jags. How will she handle losing Remington like this?”
Crouching down in front of her again, I cupped her face. “She’s got a baby to think about this time, Shaw. She’ll be strong because she has to be, if for no other reason than that little girl. But we’ll help her too. I swear to you, nothing will happen to Vi. I won’t allow it.”
My vow helped dry her tears, and I got her to the airport in time to catch her flight. She had a layover to deal with as well, but I knew Ma had done all she could to get Shaw home as quickly as possible. I hated that she was traveling alone, especially as upset as she was, but I knew she could take care of herself. Shaw was resilient. She could handle anything thrown her way, and that was only one of the millions of things I loved so much about her.
I returned to the hotel to pack my own bags and grab the rest of Shaw’s. I remembered the proposal and had just enough time to cancel everything before there was a huge spectacle in front of the Eiffel Tower for no reason.
As I boarded my flight later that night, my heart felt heavy. For Violet and her unborn baby. For Shaw. And selfishly enough, for myself. I was leaving Paris without my girl—and without my ring on her finger.
I was starting to wonder if it would ever happen.
Chapter 39
Shaw
Getting Violet through the next few weeks following the death
of her husband was my top priority. I told Gina to cancel all of my contracts until I told her otherwise. My best friend needed me, and I wasn’t going to let her down.
Luca’s presence was a surprise, but not necessarily an unwelcome one. Remington had the right idea. No one—not even me—could have gotten Vi through the devastation of losing him like Luca could. Because whether she wanted to admit it or not, Violet still loved Luca.
She’d loved Remington; I would never doubt that for even a second. But Luca was her soul mate. She would always need him, and Remington had known and accepted that. He’d loved her so much that he’d ensured she—and their baby—would be in the best of hands.
With Luca there to pick up Violet’s broken pieces, it made it easier to accept the job when Gina texted saying that one of my usual clients needed some new shots with their best-selling products. I wasn’t their only spokesperson, but apparently the latest ads featured an actress and were under fire because the woman had gone on a racist rant on social media, and the client was pulling all of her ads and commercials.
Violet had a doctor’s appointment later in the day, so I told Gina to make sure everyone knew I needed to leave the shoot by a specific time so I could make the appointment with Vi and Luca. So far, I’d gone to every appointment with her, and I wasn’t about to miss the first one following Remington’s death. That love bug was my goddaughter, and I wasn’t ever going to let her or her mother down.
Jagger groaned as I crawled out of bed. “Where are you going?”
We’d been staying at Violet’s since the funeral, and it had started to feel a little like home because of the length of time we’d been there. I’d taken over one of the guest rooms, but the thing was even bigger than our bedroom at the apartment, and that was without counting the connecting bathroom. Being there made me think about what kind of house we would call our own one day.
Not that I was going to rush Jagger into committing to buying a house together. He wasn’t even ready to propose. But I wasn’t going to push…even though I’d been dropping hints since Violet and Remington’s Vegas wedding. He’d been so patient with me over the years while I was scared of loving him, and I needed to be the patient one now.
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