Page 88 of The Kings of Kearny

I let her lead me out the slider.

“Mind if I join you?” Jennifer asked.

“The more, the merrier,” Gran said.

I saw Liam step forward out of the corner of my eye like he wanted to come too, but Jennifer turned toward him with a look of warning, her expression openly hostile, and he thought better about it. Clearly she wasn’t ready to forgive him yet either.

You reap what you sow, asshole.

If, by some miracle, Jakob did manage to forgive me, there would still be the issue of his father. My parents taught me some hard lessons early on, and I thought the phrase “Blood is thicker than water” was complete bullshit. Every time I heard someone say it, I wanted to set something on fire. It kept people tied to toxic family members that they were much better off without. Liam’s actions might be rooted in his love for his son, but they were so twisted that I knew I would never trust him again, even if I eventually found a way to forgive him.

I didn’t want to be around him, put myself in his path, but he was Jakob’s father, a big part of his life, which meant I’d probably have to find some way to deal with him. It would be a struggle. I had no problem cutting ties with family, knowing I was better off without them, and it was hard for me to wrap my mind around a man as strong-willed as Jakob exposing himself to Liam’s manipulations. But that wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t his baggage; it was mine. I needed to be more empathetic, more understanding. The problem was, I had an overprotective streak a mile wide. Say whatever you want to me, but hurt someone I care about, and I will nuke you from the orbit.

After what Liam already put Gran and Jakob through, I needed a hell of a lot of plutonium for the bomb he deserved.

“So much for your good mood,” Gran said as she sat.

I blinked, coming back to myself. My face must have given away my homicidal thoughts. I plastered a grin on it and took the chair beside her. “Sun was in my eyes.”

She harrumphed. “Sure it was.”

I shoved my dark thoughts to the recesses of my mind and turned my attention to the view. It was early enough that the sun had barely cleared the horizon. A storm passed through late last night, and the lingering clouds were set on fire by its rays, bathed in vibrant pinks, oranges, and purples. Beneath our feet, the slate pavers were still wet, water droplets glistening in the golden light like a thousand glass beads had been spilled across them.

It really was beautiful here.

A gentlewhooshsounded behind us: the slider opening. Jennifer turned in her seat with a hard look on her face, but it softened immediately. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Jakob ambling toward us. He wore a pair of sweats and a loose T-shirt. His hair was still mussed, and his long fingers wrapped around a mug. Steam rose from it. He slowed his steps and lifted it to his lips, blowing on it before taking a careful sip. Something about the simple domesticity of the sight made my stomach flutter.

His eyes met mine over the rim of the mug and darkened, and my mind went right back to last night, his fingers spearing into me, my hand pumping his thick cock, both of us panting with need. He must have seen the thoughts flitting over my features because he pulled the mug away from his mouth, and, my God, the grin that curled his lips wasnotfit for public consumption. Anyone looking at him would see the sex in his smile.

I glanced toward Gran and Jennifer, but they’d already turned back around in their seats. Jakob was chuckling when I returned my gaze to him.

He leaned down when he reached me, whispering, “Your face always gives you away.” From his tone, he liked that it did.

My stomach fell, and I steeled my expression against letting my feelings show now. This was what I risked. The way he sent my pulse pounding with a look. The way he riled me up because he liked how I reacted. The way he somehow made me want him and want to throttle him at the same time.

“Good morning,” Jennifer said.

“Morning,” Jakob responded, dropping into the seat beside me. He took another careful sip of coffee.

“I’m surprised you’re up so early,” Jennifer said. “You and your dad had a late night.”

Jakob shrugged. “I woke up, and Krista was gone.”

I shot him a look through my lashes, curious. I was gone, and he’d gotten up to what? Make sure I was okay? Check that I was still here? Or just because he wanted to see me?

Jennifer smiled, looking between me and her son, her expression a dead ringer to the approval that lit her face last night when she said I must really care about Jakob. Apparently she thought he really cared about me too.

I looked away from her, my heart falling. I’d warned her that Jakob might not want anything to do with me after I made my move, but the truth was, neither would she. That thought hurt because I liked Jennifer. Maybe that was because she reminded me of her son. Maybe it was because of how well she’d taken care of Gran. And yeah, maybe even a little bit because of how angry she was with Liam over what he’d done.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I looked down to see a text from Nick.

Boarding a plane now. We’ll be ready by noon.

Roger that,I texted back, falling into military speak before I could catch myself.

Roger, Roger,Nick responded.

Smartass.

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