Page 70 of My Fiancé's Brother 2

“She loves you, and I think you love her.”

“Just stop.”

He walked away from me, running both his hands through his hair. He turned towards me. “I’m trying so hard here, Emily, I really am.”

“Why are you trying?” I threw my hands up in frustration.

“Because we’re married.”

“We don’t have to be,” my voice was surprisingly calm.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Fuck.” He glowered. “How come you get under my skin so bad? No one can drive me fucking insane quite like you can.”

“Well just go back to perfect Harper then. You two are so in love, and you obviously miss each other so much. Just leave me out of it.”

He looked absolutely speechless for a moment. His hands were on his hips, and he just stared at me. “No.”

“What?”

“No. You and I are married.”

“Jackson.”

He pointed at me. “You committed to me. Before the court of law, you vowed your commitment.”

We stared at each other.

“What do you want from me?” he sounded bewildered. “Just tell me.”

I wanted him to love me. I wanted him to want Alien and me in his life. I wanted him to not still love Harper. I wanted to know this man who stood before me. The man who knew how to play baseball. The soldier who killed snakes in the river. The man that everyone seemed to know except me.

The silence was broken by the sound of his cell phone ringing. He momentarily shut his eyes and then picked up his phone.

“Hunter…..yup….got it….yup.”

He tossed his phone on the counter. “I just got called into work.”

All the fight went out of me. I bowed my head. “Okay.”

He walked over and sat down kitty-corner from me. “I’ll be gone two weeks max. It isn’t our mission. We're just providing tertiary support.”

I nodded. Feeling so unbelievably bad.

He leaned forward in his chair and grabbed my hands in his. “We’re not done with this conversation. I need you to be here when I get home.”

I stared sadly at him.

“Emily,” he said softly. “Can you do that for me?”

I nodded.

He let out a big breath. “Thank you.”

I remainedat the kitchen table. Then Jackson was coming down the stairs, wearing his fatigues and carrying his duffle bag. He looked impossibly big and tough.

He stood looking at me for a long moment. “Remember your promise.”

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