AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Huge tears welled in her eyes, and she sniffled. “I promise I didn’t mean to do something wrong. I was texting this girl who I became friends with while I was in California. She was like a sister to me.”
“You were communicating with someone who isn’t on my approved list of contacts, darling?” He looked up at the ceiling and back down while he waited for her answer.
“Yeah, but I really thought it was okay. She seemed really sweet in the beginning! A few days ago, she sent me a photo of her and Chet,” Tiana cried, streams of tears falling down her cheeks. “She told me she hopes I rot in hell.”
“What?” Tanner jabbed his fingers through his hair. “You didn’t think that resembles a threat?” He swallowed hard. “I’m upset with what you’ve shared, buttercup. We can’t protect you if we don’t know what’s going on.”
Tanner said out loud what I hadn't shared. At least we were on the same wavelength. I grabbed a box of tissues and held them out to Jesse, who accepted them and wiped her eyes.
“I didn’t want to worry anyone.” She hung her head. “I’ve messed everything up from the minute I laid a foot in our town. I’m doing my best even if it doesn’t seem like I am. I’ll figure it out alone. I’m good at that.”
“You are not alone.” Jesse tugged her to follow him, getting a dustpan and broom from underneath the kitchen sink. “If someone threatens you, even if you think it’s not serious, you need to tell me.”
“I understand, Jesse, and I will. I promise.”
Together, they cleaned up the broken mug and righted the stool while Tanner and I watched. She wordlessly helped, wiping up the splashed cocoa from the counter and the floor. I hated feeling helpless, but there wasn’t much I could add at the moment.
“So, what do we do now?” I asked the room.
“We’ll move up the party,” Tanner suggested. “Tatum is home this weekend, and we’ll come up with a story. Add more security, whatever measures we need to. Until then, it’s a waiting game.”
“Hang on,” I shot a questioning look at Tanner. “Did you just ruin the surprise part of the surprise party?”
“No, I did that,” Tiana sniffled. “Just like I’ve ruined everything else.”
“Jesse, fill Dane in with the rest of the details. I’m going to be occupied for a while.” Tanner crossed the room to Tiana and picked her up in his arms. “You and I are going to have a talk, little girl. I won’t have you spiraling anymore tonight.”
“Sorry, Daddy,” she whispered and buried her head in the crook of Tanner’s neck. He left the room, and I heard him walking up the steps.
Staring at Jesse, I wasn’t even sure where to start. They had clearly left me in the dark about more than one thing. “And the award for being fucking useless goes to me.”
Jesse had lifted his mug as if he’d been about to take a sip. He immediately set it back on the counter. “Throwing shit on yourself will not help the situation.”
“Then what will help the situation, Jesse?” I sneered, though I had no business giving him an attitude. “Tanner obviously doesn’t trust me enough to tell me the whole truth, and now Tiana is throwing a fit. If I can’t throw money at it, what good am I?”
His jaw clenched and released as he stared at me. Damn it. I was submissive to a point, but the look he was throwing my way definitely made me wish I had thought out my retort a little better.
“Do you want all the details, Dane, or would you rather stand in the corner until Tanner comes back downstairs? It sounds like you need a minute to process whatever is going on in your head.”
“You don’t have any authority to send me to the corner.” Jesse, whether knowingly or unknowingly, flexed his Dom muscle, but sometimes it hit me differently. He and I didn’t have an agreement in place, but he typically cut through any bullshit thrown at him, no matter who was speaking.
“No, I don’t, but it still seems like it might help you dig through the crap you’re unloading on yourself.”
I scoffed, drinking the rest of my coffee in one gulp. Unfortunately, I tried to answer Jesse while I did it and wound up coughing. He moved to my side, but I held up my thumb to let him know I was okay. After a few minutes, the ringing in my ears settled and my breathing evened out. Jesse handed me a water bottle. I uncapped it and took several small sips.
“I’ve wanted to be the perfect Daddy for Tiana since the moment Tanner mentioned she was home. I feel like I’m failing her! She doesn’t see me the way she looks at you and Tanner.”
Jesse sat on the stool nearest to me. “No one is perfect right out of the gate. Tiana is learning boundaries and testing her limits while figuring out how she fits in. This role is completely new to you, but the way she looks at you is the same way Marissa looks at me. Tiana adores you.”
“You don’t think she’s viewing me as less than Tanner because I follow his rules?”
“No, I don’t think so. Tate was worried about the same shit with him and Ris. It’s going to take a minute to balance, especially with the amount of crap hitting all three of you.” Jesse shook his head. “I don’t have all the answers, and I’m not privy to all the details in your relationship, but I think you should tell Tanner about what’s bothering you.”
“I guess.”
“Did you ever discuss it with Tate? He sure loves to talk about himself.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Despite the serious topics hanging over our heads, the last statement made me laugh. We both knew it was true. “I like Tate a lot. I never thought about asking him about his role in your relationship. I don’t want to be seen as some sort of pushover.”
