Page 44 of Fight for Me
His eyes widened as he stepped back instinctively, throwing an anxious glance at Lexie, who was studying the contents of her cup as if they foretold the future.
“She doesn’thaveto do anything! And thelastthing she needs right now is a man with a hero complex trying to run her life!” Olivia declared.
Jake locked eyes with Olivia, who looked madder than he’d ever seen her, and he was suddenly very concerned about his own well-being. He wouldn’t put it past her to take a swing at him, and he couldn’t bring himself to hit a woman.
The knuckles on his right hand throbbed, and he flexed his fingers cautiously. Nothing seemed to be broken, but the last three were an ugly purplish color that had only grown darker in the last hour. He just hoped he’d left a similar mark on the side of Colt’s face.
“Why would I waste another second dealing with you when I could have anyone I want? There’s nothing that makes you special!”
Jake had heard those words from the hallway, and everything after them was a blur of noise and motion.
The door that had cracked against the drywall when he’d shoved it open.
The jolt in his arm when his fist had connected with Colt’s jaw.
The lurch in his stomach when Colt had shoved him backwards over an office chair.
The twist of panic when Lexie had slipped to the floor.
His first thought when he’d walked in was... Well, it was bad. Jake’s stomach rolled just remembering the way Colt had beenbraced behind Lexie’s small body, holding her down against the table. He looked at her now, sitting silently on the couch, and the anger in his chest began to ease. Olivia was right; he couldn’tmakeLexie do anything. He could only support the decisions she made for herself.
“Yeah, okay,” he said, casting his eyes toward the floor.
“Stand down, cowboy,” Olivia added, her voice softer this time, though she held her ground. “Go home.”
Jake bristled again at the thought of leaving. “I’m not going—”
“Yes, you are,” Olivia interrupted, and her tone left no room for argument.
Jake looked at Lexie again before heaving a sigh that left him drained and exhausted. With a glance at Olivia, who shrugged as if in consent, he stepped around her and made his way across the small living room. He reached the couch and sank to the floor in front of it, bringing himself eye level with Lexie.
“Lex?” he started, waiting for her to look at him, but those beautiful green eyes stayed fixed on her drink. He grazed his fingertips along the left side of her jaw before lifting her chin in his direction. Her eyes followed by degrees, finally finding his and holding on. “Anything you need, Lex. Whatever you decide, you’ve got me, alright?”
She nodded, and though it was only a few millimeters of motion, he felt it.
“Do you want me to go?” he asked.
Another nod, the smallest movement that somehow chipped away a piece of his heart. He wanted her to reach for him, to need him, to want him to stay. He’d thought maybe something had shifted earlier, before everything had unraveled.
But maybe he’d been wrong.
He gave a small nod of his own, trying hard to understand.
“Okay, then,” he said, rising to his feet. On the way, he threw caution to the wind and leaned down, brushing his lips across the crown of her head.
It wasn’t a kiss. Not really. But it would have to do.
“I’ll check on you tomorrow” was all he said as he crossed back to the door, passing Olivia on the way out. He ignored the knowing look in her eyes, choosing instead to keep the moment tucked away as if it were his alone.
“Jake,” Olivia said as she stopped him with a hand on his arm. She glanced back toward Lexie before lowering her voice even further. “Just be patient.”
Jake sighed again, wondering if being patient would be the thing that killed him.
Jake texted Lexiefirst thing in the morning.
Jake:Hey, how are you doing?
Lexie:I’m fine.
