Jordan's Justice: A New Adult Sport Romance (Tessa and Jordan Book 2)

by T Christensen

  Fuck, it hurt him to say the last part, but he was desperate. If he didn’t convince her now, Jordan knew she would walk away and hide forever. This was the only bargaining chip he had.

  Tessa searched his face and his eyes. Jordan let her see it all. His determination and his resolve. He wasn’t going to back down.

  After what seemed like hours, Tessa’s jaw firmed and she slowly nodded. “Sixty days, and if it doesn’t work, you’ll give me a divorce?”

  There would never be a fucking divorce, but he knew better than to voice his thoughts out loud. “Yes. You can have whatever you want.”

  She searched his eyes again and finally gave him what he looked for. “Okay, but I don’t want Jordis or me to see your mom.”

  “Done.” He wasn’t talking to his mom, so it wasn’t an issue.

  “I’m not sleeping with you, Jordan.”

  He could see her resolve. “We’ll sleep together, but we won’t have sex unless you ask me for it.” And he would do everything in his power to make her beg for it.

  “No sleeping together.”

  He would not budge. “Yes. We need to feel that connection. You can’t run from your feelings anymore.”

  Her stubborn jaw was set. He could be stubborn as well, and declared, “That’s part of the deal, or no divorce.”

  Anger radiated from Tessa, but he didn’t care.

  “Fine,” she snapped, and he roared with success on the inside.

  “I’ll pick you and Jordis up tonight.” He saw her conflicting emotions in and added, “If you run from me again, Tessa, I will come after you. I let you have your time because I was a shithead, but this time I’m fighting for what is mine.”

  Jordan brushed his mouth across hers and dropped his hands. “Tonight. I’ll be there at six-thirty.”

  He forced himself to walk out of her office and the building.

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  Chapter 43

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  As soon as the door shut behind Jordan, Tessa’s shaking legs could no longer hold her up. As she slid to the floor, her mind whirled. Her chest felt like someone was stepping on it, and she hung her head.

  She’d been doing so well holding onto her anger and righteousness, and then like a stupid idiot she’d allowed him to storm her senses. Her fingers lifted to her throbbing, tingly lips. It had always been like this. From the first time Tessa had seen him at the party, she’d been drawn to him.

  As soon as they were in the same vicinity, it was like she was a romanticized wolf. Her body felt like it’d found its mate, and she was drawn to him, regardless of the circumstances. While it had been a little frightening in the beginning when they were in college as she'd tried to navigate her unfamiliar pull to someone, it had been exciting when she’d realized Jordan would never hurt her and she’d stopped fighting it.

  Tears sprang up at her college naivete. Someone who had that strong a hold on you could also be the person to crush you like no other. And she had just agreed to move back in with him.

  Tessa threw her head back against the wall but stopped herself from repeatedly banging it. It wouldn’t knock any sense into her. She would work to distract herself. When she was done with work, there would be plenty to do to get ready for Jordan’s arrival. She had made her decision, and now she had to follow through.

  _________________________

  “What the hell, Tessa?” Lindy’s screech of disbelief filled the room that they had once shared.

  Tessa allowed herself a small smile, a spark of something other than dread filling her gut. Her phone was on the dresser with the speaker on. It was already six o’clock. Despite her tendency to stare at the clock on her computer rather than actually work, the day had sped by.

  She had called Lindy to tell her what was going on so she wouldn’t have to fret about Jordan’s impending arrival. Tessa clung to the hope that she’d made it through months of marriage with Jordan, so sixty days would be a piece of cake.

  The worry churning in her gut was because of his resolve when he’d been in her office. She’d been blackmailed into marriage, and the determination she’d seen in his eyes did not bode well for her. The only sense of consolation was that Jordan would be gone a lot. He still had games to play and practices to attend.

  Tessa had looked at his basketball schedule online and subtracted his game days from sixty. By her estimation, she only had to hold on to her resolve for a divorce for thirty-two days.

  She would use that time to look for a place of her own and scour secondhand stores for everything she would need for it. Her end goal was still the same, to divorce Jordan and become self-sufficient.

  “Tessa!” Lindy’s bellow echoing in the room brought her back to their conversation.

  “I’m so tired, Lindy.”

  Tessa turned to the phone and poured her heart out like it was actually Lindy standing there.

  “I’m so tired of fighting. I just want to take the path of least resistance and get through this. I don’t have the money, and I no longer have the—” Tessa’s voice cracked, “—will to fight with Jordan.”

  “Dammit,” Lindy softly exclaimed with an unsteady voice. “I should’ve stayed. I shouldn’t have believed that you were okay.”

  More than anything Tessa wanted Lindy there, but it wouldn’t happen. It wouldn’t matter if she was here. She truly believed this was the best way to end it.

  “This would’ve happened whether or not you were here, Lindy. I only have to live with Jordan for sixty days, and then I can start to live for me.”

  There was a long silence, and Lindy reluctantly agreed, “Okay, Tessa. Promise you’ll call every day.”

  “I promise to call.”

  “Okay, love you.”

  “Love you too, Lindy.”

  Tessa grabbed her phone. She only had fifteen minutes until Jordan arrived, and she was out of things to do to distract her from the rocks churning in her gut. Most of her things were still at the house, so there wasn’t much to pack.

  There wasn’t a reason for her to still be in her old room, but she was delaying going out to the family room. The moms used every opportunity to try to convince her that she didn’t need to go. They were pissed at Jordan and ready to read him the riot act.

  Normally this is something she would love to see, but she didn’t want them coming to her rescue. She’d made her choice. The moms didn’t have to be happy about it, but they would support her.

  The determined, solid knocks on the door reverberated through the tiny apartment, and the rocks in her gut dropped. Jordan had arrived. With one last nostalgic look around, Tessa ignored her nerves, picking up her bag and wheeling the suitcase down the hall.

  Jordis was perched in Jordan’s arms, informing him about her day. Thankfully, she was oblivious to the glares the moms sent his way and the angry vibes swirling around the room.

  Without stopping, Tessa went to stand by Jordan. “I’m ready,” she told him, thankful her voice wasn’t quivering like the rest of her body.

  “Tessa.” Her mom’s stern voice made her turn toward her. “We have made it through numerous obstacles and come out on top. You can stay. We can make it through this as well.”

  Sophia stepped up by her side. With a voice of steel, she backed her. “Together, Tessa. You’re not an island. We can do this.”

  Tessa could feel Jordan stiffen behind her, and Jordis’s chattering had stopped. This is what she didn’t want. Jordis was in the middle of the conflict. She was determined that she be free to love without guilt. Before she could say anything, Jordan did.

  “Tessa, take Jordis down to the truck. I need to talk with Sophia and Jessica, and then I’ll bring the bags down.”

  No one was looking at her. Tessa looked between the silently battling parties. Instead of objecting like she had opened her mouth to do, she did as Jordan asked. The moms needed to say their piece or there would never be peace.

  Tessa walked over and folded both moms into a
hug. When their arms came around her, she whispered, “Remember, this is my choice.”

  Without waiting for a response, she walked over and took Jordis from Jordan. “Here we go, Jordis.”

  She waved her arm enthusiastically. “Bye, Nanas.”

  The severe looks melted away as Sophia and Jessica came over to say goodbye and give Jordis a kiss. As Tessa walked by Jordan, he pressed the key fob into her hand and said, “Don’t worry.”

  A long anxiety-filled fifteen minutes later, Jordan strode toward the car and slid into the driver’s seat. He smiled at her and then Jordis.

  “Ready to go?”

  Tessa tried to read his expression. She didn’t see any tension or anger. “How did it go?”

  Jordan turned to her and pried one of her wringing hands from her lap.

  “Jessica and Sophia have every right to be concerned and mistrustful. I simply assured them that I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

  Tessa knew him hurting her was inevitable, but he wouldn’t do it consciously. She looked down to hide her emotions and nodded.

  She could feel Jordan staring at and studying her, and she got the feeling he wanted to say something but resisted. Luckily, her impatient daughter broke his regard of her.

  “Can we go?” she whined. “We here forever.”

  They both looked at Jordis, and Jordan grinned. “Your wish is my command, princess.”

  Tessa made a mental note to have Jordis around as much as possible when Jordan was in town. It might make her a bad mom, but she didn’t care. When Jordis was there, there wouldn’t be any serious talks. Tessa intended to use every tool at her disposal to avoid him, even if it was her daughter.

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  Chapter 44

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  As the days progressed, Tessa’s bunched-up nerves slowly relaxed. She never let her guard fully lower, but she didn’t jump every time Jordan came close. And he seemed to always be close.

  If his broad chest wasn’t at her back, she could smell his spicy scent somewhere in her vicinity. He would frequently put his hand on the small of her back, but only for short periods of time. It was long enough that her skin would burn after his hand had left.

  She often had to take a step away from him. Tessa needed the distance to take some breaths and try to rein in her body’s reaction to him. When she had fortified her defenses, the process would start all over again.

  They didn’t talk much. Both of them focused on Jordis. Today Jordan had surprised them with a trip to a local carnival. They were all tired, so he’d stopped at a restaurant to get carryout for supper. Instead of going home to eat it, they’d gone to a park and had a picnic.

  They were back at the house, and Tessa was reading a bedtime story to Jordis. After so much activity Jordis’s eyelids closed before she’d finished Brave.

  She lingered a few minutes, savoring a peaceful and still Jordis. It also gave her a few fortifying minutes before she had to face Jordan. Realizing she would never be completely ready, Tessa stood up and kissed Jordis before quietly leaving the room.

  She wanted to avoid Jordan, but she didn’t want him to know she was avoiding him. Tessa wandered into the den’s doorway where he watched SportsCenter.

  “It’s been a long day, so I’m just going to go up to bed.” Tessa smiled softly while saying it despite her anxiety. Her heart stopped beating and slid up her throat when Jordan got up and shut off the TV.

  “I’ll go up with you.”

  She should’ve just gone directly to bed. Now she was stuck walking with him, and darn it, he had put his hand on the small of her back.

  And why wasn’t she expecting the intimate contact? He’d done it all day. Tessa covered her sharp inhale by stepping forward and saying, “You don’t have to come up.”

  “I know. I have to leave tomorrow for a road trip, and I want to spend some time with you,” he said as they stepped into the master bedroom.

  “Why?” she blurted out without thought.

  Damn, now he was frowning at her. She tried to cover her blunder. “I mean, I’m just going to sleep.”

  Jordan took a step toward her, and Tessa braced herself for the impact his nearness had on her. Just as she thought he would pass, he tugged on her hand and led her to the end of the bed. As soon as she sat down Jordan followed, and her body prickled at his closeness. She crossed her arms in front of her.

  “Tessa.” Jordan said her name like he dreaded what was coming. When she turned her head, she saw his determined face.

  “I only have sixty days, fewer with all of my traveling. I plan on spending as much time as possible with you and Jordis. There has always been this synergy between us, and I’m going to use that to my full advantage.”

  Tessa kept her face neutral, even though she was surprised at what he’d just admitted.

  “But I would never force you to have sex with me. You understand that, right?”

  The furrow between his brows told Tessa he was intent on making sure she believed him, and she did. Jordan had hurt her in multiple ways, but he’d never forced himself on her. He didn’t have to. Jordan was right. The synergy between them made it so she wanted him as soon as he was in the same room as her.

  “Yes, I believe you.”

  “Good.”

  Before she had time to move, Jordan reached his hands up behind her neck and pulled her toward him. She didn’t protest. It was right to have his lips on hers. She returned the kiss. When they began lowering toward the bed, Tessa jumped up and scurried to the bathroom.

  “I have to get ready for bed.”

  Jordan chuckled. “You do that. I’ll be here waiting.”

  She leaned against the bathroom door and reminded herself of her promise to not get intimately involved with Jordan. Her bedtime routine took twice as long as usual. Right before she stepped out of the bathroom, Tessa said a quick prayer that he would be sleeping.

  Quietly opening the door, she did everything but tiptoe to the closet. After a quick glance at the bed, she groaned internally. Jordan was still up, browsing through his phone.

  Tessa scoured through her pajama choices. They were all too skimpy. Abandoning her side of the closet, she reached for one of Jordan’s T-shirts and a pair of his joggers. After looking in the mirror, she deemed herself frumpy enough to go back and climb into bed.

  She stopped short when she saw Jordan had chucked off his shirt and lounged in basketball shorts. His legs were sprawled out in front of him with his ankles crossed. The sight of his chest had Tessa licking her lips. When she realized that she was practically drooling, she clamped down on her bottom lip.

  Luckily Jordan was too involved with his phone to notice her brief lapse. While his attention was elsewhere, Tessa scurried under the covers, careful to stay as close to the edge of the bed as possible.

  Jordan looked up and quirked his eyebrow, but he didn’t comment on her attire or how far away she was.

  “Is it okay if I give Tyrell’s wife Kiki your number? I thought you would like to get to know a player’s wife who has kids. They have a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy.”

  Tessa wasn’t sure what to say. All the wives she’d met had snubbed her. She was hesitant to put herself in a position for that to happen again.

  “I’ve met Kiki, Tessa. She’s down-to-earth and a great mom. The girlfriends and wives in the box are a different breed. I wouldn’t set you up with someone who would knock you down.”

  “You knew the women in the box weren’t nice to me?”

  “I didn’t know until my dad said something.” Jordan looked away and then back. “And honestly, I don’t know if I would have done anything before this had I know.”

  Tessa felt the jab in her heart, and she looked down to hide it. Jordan hadn’t even cared enough to help her in his world, a world that had been new to her in more ways than one.

  “I’m sorry, Tessa. My self-righteousness got in the way of helping you.”

  Tessa’s
head popped back up in surprise. It was rare for Jordan to apologize.

  “I really think you’ll like Kiki.”

  What did she have to lose? If she turned out to be a bitch, Tessa just wouldn’t see her anymore.

  “Okay,” she breathed out.

  Jordan went back to his phone, and she took advantage of his distraction to snuggle down under the covers and close her eyes. Even though her back was to him, she could feel him watching her. She lay there hardly breathing with her eyes squeezed shut like it made it believable that she was sleeping.

  Eventually Jordan turned his light off, throwing the room into blissful darkness. Just as Tessa started unlocking her muscles, he hovered above her and placed a lingering kiss on her head.

  “Good night, Tessa.”

  She didn’t respond. Tessa didn’t want to break the unspoken awareness that she was not going to make love. She scoffed at herself. More like they weren’t going to have sex tonight. In an effort to forget where she was and more importantly who was beside her, Tessa made a mental list of what she needed to do at work.

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  Tessa was having the best dream. She lounged on a sun-filled, white sandy beach, the warmth saturating her skin and warming her insides. Tessa stretched luxuriously, and when she felt a cool breeze, she looked down. Where was her bikini top? Oh well, the sun warmed her up again, so she settled back down in her lounger.

  It wasn’t long before she felt the need to take off her bikini bottoms. The sun was getting more intense. She lifted her hips.

  “That’s it, babe. Let’s get those cumbersome pants off.”

  Where did Jordan come from? She squinted her eyes open in the darkness.

  “Jordan, what are you doing?”

  He chuckled and crawled up toward her until they were face-to-face. “I’ll let you figure it out.”

  With no further words, Jordan plunged into her. Tessa groaned at the unexpected pleasure. He was on his elbows, looking down at her.

  “Should I keep going or should I stop?”