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With that, he storms out my front door, my heart clenched in his fist.
Fighting back the roar that wants to escape me, I turn with my jaw clenched harder than it's ever been. I find Jude on the staircase with tears lingering precariously on his lashes. We lock eyes, and for once in my fucking life, I don't look away when I feel the familiar hum of pleasure his focus ignites in me. If I focus hard enough, I swear I can see a thread of love trying to weave itself together before we can rip it apart with a shrug and scoff.
"JJ?" he breathes, one tear making a path down his cheek. Jude never cries. He's the pretty boy. The one who laughs and fucks like a playboy, never giving a shit about anything but what trouble he can get up to.
My own eyes burn, and I don't know what to say. Marcus was right about him and Leo, but he was also hinting at my feelings for Jude.
I need to think, but Jude makes it so much harder to get my head on straight when he walks down the stairs. When he's a foot in front of me, I can't get any words out, swallowing furiously.
Instead, I brush a wild curl off his forehead and allow my hand to trail along his jaw. I nod, and he offers me a watery smile. He steps back gently, my hand falling between us. The loss of his touch makes my fists clench.
"Don't make us late," he murmurs before brushing by me softly with a small smirk in place.
Every. Single. Dynamic. Just blew the fuck up. I don't know what’s going to happen, and my controlling side is clawing at my insides. The only thing I know for sure is I will do anything to keep the men I love in my life.
No matter how fucking terrifying it is to pick up the damn pencil.
Now, to draw or erase?
* * *
"Oh my Christ, no way!"
I thought the beach might be awkward after everything that went down a bit ago, but between Jude's yell and Marc's cackles, I think we’re fine for now. What really draws my attention is Leo's sucked-in breath, followed by a choke. You can always tell when that man is shocked by something.
I follow their line of sight, telling myself to keep low today since I got my ass handed to me. "Shit." Holding her little girl in her arms, Rylee is swimming circles around Gabby. All three of them have wide smiles on their faces, and I just fucking know that when Rylee sees us, her grin will evaporate.
"Did you know our girls would be here?" Marcus nudges Jude with a grin. There he goes again, claiming them like we have any right.
"I actually didn't. Gabby just said family time at the beach."
"Think Rylee knows?" Leo asks, a contemplative look on his face as he gazes out at them in the water.
"Let's find out!" Just like that, Jude's shirt is being thrown into Marc's face and he's sprinting into the water. The ripple of his back draws my attention, and I wonder if he remembered to put sunscreen on.
A smile graces my lips at the sound of Layla's squeal of joy when she sees Pretty Boy splashing towards them. Without hesitation, she reaches for him, and he swings her around in his arms with her toes skimming the surface.
Rylee's laughter reaches my ears and gives me pause.She's not mad?With my shirt off, I plop into Gabby's bright pink chair and study the surprise lighting up Ry's face.
"I don't think she knew," Leo murmurs, dropping onto his beach towel a foot away from me. Marcus is next to bound into the ocean, splashing Gabby without remorse. We both sit in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the view of the five of them laughing and splashing around in the Saturday sun.
"I don't think she's mad about it, though," I murmur. I’m entranced by the beautiful sight of the little miss clinging to Jude with her momma chasing them through the shallow end. "She seems happy." It's an observation that warms my heart.
I've seen Rylee as many things already. Terrified and shaky. Annoyed and dismissive. Protective and demanding. Even during dinner last weekend, she had fortified her walls, and dodged each question we asked her. Fuck, I don't even know what she does for a living.
Now though, Rylee is... free.
I feel like this is the closest we have gotten to the real Rylee, and that terrifies me. It scares me enough to ask about last night. "What was she like last night, Leo?"
He doesn't look at me like I do him. A frown tugs at his pointy features. "She was in control. Not controlling, but I don't think she truly let go. I heard her tell Jude she trusted him." He tilts his head, thinking about what to say next. "When Jude went to clean her up, she said, 'no thanks' and went to the bathroom instead, then said she was ready to go home."
"Really?"That's fucking shocking.
He huffs a humorless laugh, still watching them play. "I think Jude was hurt. Us too. It was such a nonchalant dismissal. Like we didn't matter."
"Are you supposed to matter to a fling?" I hate upsetting him, but I think they are striving for something that won't happen. "Jude said she said no strings, so what’s the problem?"
A high-pitched scream makes me whip my head back toward the water. I find Marcus with her over his shoulder and diving further out. Closer to us, Layla is being twirled around Jude's legs by his hands.
