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Almost.
Instead, I said the first thing that came into my mind. “You had to have flown here.”
Not exactly the words I would have chosen for my big reunion with Jack, but the reality was surfacing. He had flown to get here. Something he had sworn he would never do and yet here he stood before me.
“Did you think I wouldn’t come for you?” He stepped closer to me. Closer than he would have in the past, back when his goal was to keep as much space between us as possible.
“I was counting on it, actually.” I wanted the words to hurt. He was still so devastatingly gorgeous. I’d hoped that, with the time away, I would have been able to notice any flaw, any little piece of him that wasn’t perfect. Now that he was standing in front of me, I knew that was a foolish hope. He was everything I remembered him to be and more.
Worse, I could feel so many things from him now. More than I had before. There were things I felt that scared the hell out of me.
“There’s nothing that could stop me from coming for you, Claire.” He took another step closer. He wasn’t even feigning an attempt to keep his distance. Three more steps and we would be pressed together.
This time, I was the one who took the step back. I sensed the shudder of disappointment roll through him as I did. Part of me felt vindicated. So many times, I had been the one to feel that disappointment each time he had stepped away from me.
“Not even an ocean and a plane ride could keep me from you.” His voice was so deep and low that I felt it in my belly. The baby was only a twinkle at that point, but I swore I felt it spark inside me, the life in my belly already recognizing the voice of her father. I nearly sighed at the thought of that before I caught myself.
“I suppose if there is anything that could get Jack Beaumont to travel on a plane to find me, it would be the promise of his child growing inside me.”
I knew it was a low blow, but I couldn’t help but feel that the pregnancy had changed everything. I’d waited years for Jack to come around and finally acknowledge me as his mate.
“There’s no denying I want to be a part of this baby’s life.” He took another step forward. “I want to be with you through every step of the pregnancy. But that’s not why I’m here, Claire. I’m here for you.
“I’ve always known that you were my mate, Claire. Every time you were in trouble, I was always there. Surely you had to realize that it was because I felt every time you were scared. That you were sick.
“Remember when you got the flu?”
The sudden change in the conversation’s direction caught me off guard as I searched my memories for that week I’d been so sick. Witches, contrary to popular belief, could still get sick with human ailments. The sickness might not be as severe, but it still wasn’t fun.
I’d been at my worst. Maggie had been in middle school. Otherwise, she likely would have been my nursemaid. As it was, Mom was the one who was at my door with soup or whatever I needed. I didn't know what this had to do with the topic at hand, though.
“I spent my off-duty hours in my patrol car at the end of the street, watching your house,” he said, taking me by surprise. “I didn’t know what I could do. I would see your Mom come with food or other things, but I knew you wouldn’t want to see me. That was during the time we barely spoke to one another.”
I thought back to that time. It hadn’t been long after I’d returned from Academy and seeing Jack was like reopening a festering wound. I’d taken the job at the Gazette and did my best to avoid him whenever I could.
Eventually, there would be no avoiding him because I wasn’t able to stay away, no matter how much I tried.
“So, I did the only things I could think of. I stood guard, watching over you from afar and sending all sorts of stupid shit I thought might at least make you smile.”
The sudden memory of balloons and stuffed animals and other random items came to mind. I’d thought they had all been Mom or Dad. I’d never asked. I’d just tossed them in the corner, too concerned with sore throats and congested sinuses.
“I watched as you went on assignments I thought were dangerous. Made sure that someone at the diner always saved you the last cheese danish. Put the fear of the Gods into Carlton when I found out he made you cry over a botched assignment.”
My throat felt tight. I felt woozy but tried to remain stoic as Jack advanced another step toward me. I didn’t feel like I had the energy or steadiness to take that necessary step back.
“Godsdammit, Claire, I never meant to hurt you. I was trying to do everything but that. I’ve wanted you since you presented for me, but I could never make myself believe that you would have presented for me had it not been for the drugs.
“You presented for me in a dirty old cabin after being abducted and hurt. I wanted to make sure you were safe. The love for you never went away. I was certain that was on me because I was positive that there was no way that a gorgeous, intelligent, vibrant witch like you could belong to me. Even if I’ve always known that I belonged to you.”
One step closer. Our bodies were touching.
“I was ready to give you up if I had to, in order to see you happy, but know this, Claire. I knew that when it happened, I would die. Which would have been fine because there was no life without you.”
A sudden swell of love and longing enveloped me as Jack pushed all those emotions toward me. I stumbled under the weight of them, but Jack’s arms came around me, holding me to him.
“Claire?” His tone was so concerned that it only seemed to make me feel weaker. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to feel what I feel for you.”
“You’ve been feeling that for me this whole time?” I was shattering in his arms beneath the weight of all those feelings. Longing, love, lust, fear of losing me, the need to make me his. He’d lived with this for years, just as I had.
