Page 26 of Challenging Jayce

"I can wield a gun just fine. Care for me to remind you of that skill?" Caden fired back.

"Enough!" Monica cut off the banter with the same tone Kennedy was sure she used in the boardroom. "There will be no spilling of blood in Jayce's new home.”

"What about in the yard?" Ryker pushed.

"Amelia? Can't you control your man?" Monica huffed.

Ryker put his arm around Amelia and smiled. "We all know there's no controlling me. Besides, Amelia loves my attitude. She wouldn't change a thing about me."

"I wouldn't go that far," Amelia grumbled, and everyone in the room laughed.

So far Kennedy liked this group. They were funny and didn't have a problem harassing each other. It was a good dynamic and something she could use in one of her future series. Banter was popular amongst her readers.

"I brought you guys here to see the place because you wouldn't shut up about it, not so that you can annoy the fuck out of each other. You could do that back at the office." Jayce shook his head in frustration.

"We could've, but then we wouldn't get to see you finally grow up and get your own place," Ryker teased.

"I've always had my own place, dickhead."

"Uh, no," Ryker argued back. "You had a shitty apartment in a shitty building that should've been condemned years ago."

"It was still my own place."

"Potato, poh-ta-toh. This is what I consider having your own place. That other thing was nothing more than a shoebox for drug addicts."

Ouch. Kennedy hadn't seen his other place but that seemed harsh. Except Jayce wasn't arguing back, so maybe his apartment was that bad.

"Are we here to critique my living situation or are any of you going to tell me how you plan to help?"

Everyone in the room started to talk at once. Discussions about sheetrock and framing flew around. Then plumbing and electrical. She didn't have the slightest idea who knew how to do what but it appeared Jayce would have his bases covered with this group.

"You've been awfully quiet since you walked in," Monica slid up beside her and remarked.

"Just taking it all in. I'm not sure why Jayce asked me to be here today."

"I thought that was obvious. He likes you and wanted you to meet everyone."

She looked at Monica with a confused expression.

"I don't think that's true."

"Don't take my word for it. God knows trying to decipher Jayce is the hardest thing I've ever done. I was convinced the first time I met him that he couldn't stand me. Amelia thought the same when she met him. But Luke promises me that's not the case. He was also the one to tell me why we're all here. If anyone knows Jayce, it's these guys."

"How long have they known each other?"

"Twenty years, I think. Maybe more. Maybe less. I know they knew Jayce when he was married to Jasmine but none of them talk about that time, so it's hard to know for sure."

She could understand why none of them wanted to discuss Jasmine. Fifteen years she had known the woman and she wished she could forget her as well. The only good thing to come out of that time in her life was Michael.

"Jasmine was a bitch," she said before she could think better of it.

Monica laughed. "So I've heard. It's a good thing I never met her. I'm not exactly known for hiding my feelings, so I would've given her a piece of my mind. I can assure you it wouldn't have been nice."

It was her turn to laugh. "She would've deserved it. I wish I could've done the same, but if I wanted to see my nephew, I had to play nice."

"Luke and I have talked about meeting him. It's a shame what Jasmine did to Jayce all these years."

Kennedy was angry all over again at the situation. After spending time with the man, she could one hundred percent say he deserved better than what he got.

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