Page 67 of Triple Power Play 3
“No,” I say stubbornly. “Peoplethinkwe’re both with Aurora.”
“See, there you go again.”
“You can’t flirt with me, brat. It’s unprofessional.”
“Fine, I won’tflirt with you.” He’s threatening me, some hidden agenda in his tone.
I smirk. “Are you better now?”
“No. I need a good fuck,” he says with all seriousness.
I scoff and shake my head. “Well, have fun with that. You scared the shit out of Aurora.” I rake my fingers through my own hair. “What about Reece?”
He bolts upright. “Ew! I am not fucking Reece!”
“What is wrong with you?” I can’t help but laugh at the pure horror on his face. “Not to fuck, you moron. What will help you trust him? Besides the fact that he’s protecting you.”
His answer is immediate. “Quit his job.”
“That’s a stretch and quite controlling.”
“Whatever you wanna call it. You’re the same way, so don’t start.”
He got me there. I did force Aurora to quit her job. “I doubt Reece will go for that.”
I’m not sure hecan. I’m positive there are rules or stipulations against quitting the government to live permanently with the person you were supposed to be investigating.
“You want someone in our family who comes and goes? And what about Charlie? Did Reece give him the gate code? You know how many agents Kyle had in his pocket? Now I’ll need to reinstall the entire security system.”
His speech is coming a mile a minute, but before I can dive further into his paranoid musings, the sound of light footsteps draws our attention.
“Hey.” Aurora’s voice is soft and uncertain.
Jax reaches his hands out. “Come here, babe.”
He slides over, creating space for her to fit comfortably between us. Without hesitation, she complies, and they settle in beside me.
I breathe a sigh of relief. My world is complete when they’re in my arms.
29
AURORA
“I’m sorry.” His tone is pleading but playful—classic Jackson.
I bet if I spun around, he’d give me those puppy-dog eyes I typically fall for.
Unlike him, I’m not in a joking mood. Call me crazy, but I don’t enjoy being screamed at. Plus… “Reece is leaving. He doesn’t want to cause problems between us.”
I’m struggling to pinpoint the source of my irritability. Is it the lies and secrets? Jackson’s furious accusation that Reece and I are sleeping together? It’s not the worst I’ve had to deal with from him, not by far. Maybe it’s the disappointment of Reece leaving?
I like the Viking. They keep me in the dark. I don’t know everything, but I know Reece is good for us. He allows them to focus on hockey, and we’re not so overwhelmed.
“Shit.” Ethan sits up. “Now?”
“No. After the baby’s appointment tomorrow, since I don’t have a ride.” My words come out more bitter than intended. I’m trying to be understanding, but my frustration keeps resurfacing. “He said he’ll stay in his apartment to prevent another fight.”
The guys have a morning practice and an evening game. I’ll meet them at the doctor’s office in LA. I could get up at the crack of dawn and go with them, but I value my sleep, which, lately, I’ve been getting little of. I’m no longer vomiting as much, but we’ve been traveling, and I’m exhausted.
