Page 10 of Cursed Fox

"No, I asked Wes for help finding out who is threatening Jimmy."

"I'll protect you," Lex strangely replied. "I want to see the rest of the letters you've received."

"My agent has them. The only reason I kept that one was because it threatened my mother. I was going to have a private investigator look into it."

I scoffed at the idea. "You know damn well Wes and his teams are better than any private investigator."

"Yes, I know that. Wes is amazing as always, but I didn't want you to know about this."

Something about the way Jimmy said Wes's name was off. Usually he adored the man, but right now he almost sounded pissed. "Why did you say Wes's name like that?"

"No reason." Jimmy looked away as he answered.

"Didn't we just talk about lying. You suck at it, so fess up and tell me the truth."

This conversation was becoming more aggravating by the minute. I thought this type of stubbornness ended after the teen years. I didn't expect to be dealing with it with my twenty-four-year-old. And to be honest, I didn't have the patience for it. I’d used that all up when they were younger. Now I was just a sexually frustrated middle-aged woman with a short fuse.

"Fine." Jimmy sounded equally as exasperated as I felt. "You always talk about how amazing Wes is and how much he's helped our family, but where is he now, huh? He sent this guy instead." He threw his arm out at Lex.

It was in that moment that I realized what was going on. Jimmy’s father had left at a critical time in his life, and he’d looked up to Wes like a father figure since the day they’d met. Jimmy wasn't pissed at Wes. He was hurt that he wasn't there to help.

"Oh, Jimmy." I softened my voice. "If Jennie wasn't battling cancer, you know damn well Wes would be here. He's always looked out for us, but his family needs to come first."

"You always said we were like family to him."

I had said that, and now I wished I hadn't. I built Wes up to be this great protector, and the one time we needed him, he couldn't be there.

This was my fault. Not Wes's. He made the right choice when he chose Jennie, and I respected him more for that.

"Wearelike family to him. But Jennie is his wife, and right now she needs him more than we do. Wes didn't just write us off. He went against all my wishes and contacted Lex so we would have someone. He still cares. It just looks a little different this time."

I watched as several emotions flittered across Jimmy's face. I let what I said sink in and gave him time to come to his own conclusions. I couldn't force him to accept the situation. He would either understand Wes's predicament or he would stay mad at the man. My hope was the first.

"You're right. It's selfish of me to think these threats should overshadow what Jennie's going through. I'm sorry."

I walked over to my son and gave him a hug. It was so strange to lay my head on his chest when it should've been the other way around—me comforting him.

"You don't need to be sorry. I understand this is hard, but we'll get through it together. And without you leaving the NFL."

Jimmy groaned. "I don't want to put you in danger, Mom."

I merely chuckled at his frustration with me and stepped back. "I'll be fine. I can protect myself. And I doubt Lex is going to leave me alone."

Lex didn't hesitate to add, "Nope."

"See." I glanced from my son to Lex, and frowned. He was focused a little too intently on the piece of paper in his hands. I shook my head and turned back to Jimmy, whose attention was also on Lex and the note. "There's nothing to worry about. You can focus on your game and know I'll be safe.”

Jimmy finally looked back at me and responded with a cryptic, "We'll see."

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lex

The threat against Nancy pissed me right the fuck off. I couldn't take my eyes off the words.

Or your mother dies.

What kind of sick bastard threatened the mother of a grown man all because he had a crappy season.

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