Her words played over in my mind like they did ever since I walked out of her apartment as I drove to my sister’s house, worried about the unknown. I had walked around the city, up and down the mall. I could have brought flowers, chocolate, and jewellery, but none of it would matter.
I would have even gotten rid of the fucking ring and phone. None of it mattered.
I could not buy my way out of this.
Lauren was about to feel the brunt of the anger brewing inside me. I have never been so pissed at her. Aside from Jasmine, I had not been this angry at anyone for the longest time. I wanted to hurt someone, to make her know just what playing games could do. I knew she was behind all of this, and I wanted to know why. I needed to know why she thought telling Jasmine I had been planning to propose was a good idea. I had left Sienna’s apartment with no clue whether our relationship was salvageable or not.
I was almost certain we were, but nothing was sure. I had hurt her, and I needed to fix it.
My sister was on the couch with her feet up when I walked inside, glaring at her. “Where’s Paul?” I asked calmly.
“Behind you.” He spoke as he gave me a nudge in the shoulder. “Staying for dinner?”
“Unlikely…” I dryly muttered. “I’ve just come to visit. Find out why Lauren’s been talking to Jasmine.” I sat down in front of her, leaning in with my arms resting on my knees. “Well?”
“She asked about you. I wasn’t going to be rude.”
“Sienna walked in on Jasmine trying to kiss me.” I glared, my jaw tense. “Why would you tell her where I live? I don’t even understand why you would speak to her after what she has done.” Did I need to remind her about her fucking another man? “You had to fucking meddle, didn’t you?”
Lauren pushed forwards, brushing the crumbs from her bag of chips off her lap. “Don’t put that on me. Yes, she screwed up, but I don’t think she cheated on you. I heard her story, Jack. She regrets it, and I think she was just really scared.”
“I’m in a relationship. I love Sienna.”
“But you loved Jasmine.” Did she need to remind me? “I don’t think those feelings go away. Maybe if you just took the time to listen to her.”
I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. She couldn’t be serious. “Is this how you feel about Theo?” I shot back, throwing her ex in the mix for the sake of it. “I don’t want Jasmine. I don’t care if she cheated or made it up. That relationship is over, and it ended for a reason. I’ve moved on.” She needed to, also.
“Theo?” Paul caught me off guard as he walked into the room. “You’re still talking to him?”
Still? I raised a brow at my sister, wondering what the hell was going on with her and her ex. “Thanks a lot.” She glared towards me. “This isn’t about me.”
“You’re right. It’s not about you. You’re a smart bitch.” Fucking up lives and getting into people's heads.
“Hey, bro. Calm down… She was obviously just trying to help out.” Paul defended her as I stood up. “No need to come and yell at her for your fuck ups. You cheated.”
“I didn’t fucking cheat on anyone.”
“Not what Lauren came home and said. Why meet with Jasmine if you knew you weren’t over her?”
I ignored him. Who was he to talk? He had fucked up more than I ever had. I pointed a finger to my sister. “I don’t give a fuck if she got down on her knees and begged. Stay out of my fucking life and especially my relationships. You have no idea what just happened all because you told Jasmine a heap of bullshit.”
“Jack…” she called out. “I didn’t mean to—”
“No, Lauren. You meant it, like you always do. You hate anyone else happy other than yourself.”
I made a point to slam their door shut. I have had enough of this day already. I wanted to go home, but knowing Sienna was across the hall, packing and crying, tore at me. I did not want her to leave. I did not want her to cry. Yet, both things were my fault. I had not helped her or listened. I did not take her feelings into account, and now, I was possibly just as bad as Jasmine. I had not cheated, but I felt like I had done that just by letting her in my place, by letting her get so close.
I turned around the car. I could not face the apartment.
I should not have come here, but it was a day of fucking mistakes, so why the hell not?
Her car was in the driveway where I would have usually parked mine. The garden was overgrown, obviously hadn’t been mowed in weeks. It now looked dry. What once was a classy, well-kept house was now probably the worst-looking place on the street. What surprised me was the for sale sign out on the front lawn.
She’s moving? I hope so.
I knocked twice rather loudly on the door. My knuckles rapping against the wooden door felt strange, unfamiliar. I hated being back here. This was not home, and it never had been.
Jasmine opened the door, seemingly surprised but relieved to see me. “You came.”
I did not pay attention to whatever she was wearing. I just did not care. “Unfortunately,” I muttered more so to myself.
“Come in…” Her teeth bit into her lower lip, trying to persuade me of something she wanted to happen. Nothing was going to happen. There was no urge to grab and fuck her. The thought repulsed my cock.
Shaking my head, I declined, wanting to keep things civil. “No. I just came here to ask you to leave me alone. I’ve moved on. You need to move on too.”
Her smile faltered, and she cocked her head to the side with a raising brow. Her voice started off insecure, turning panicky in every second. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for lying to you.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Give me another chance… please!” Her begging would not work. I no longer gave a shit.
I could only shake my head. “I hope you find happiness, Jasmine.” Because it surely wasn’t with me. “I really hope you do, and I’m sorry we didn’t work out, but I’ve moved on. You need to do the same.” I took a couple of steps back, turning around and heading back to my running beamer on the side of the road.
“You can’t love her the same way as me.” Her words called out like an echo.
I turned, smirking. I was not sure if it was the adrenaline, or the fact I was finally doing this that made me smile. “You’re right.” When a glimpse of satisfaction sparkled in her eyes, I added, “I actually love her.” I really fucking loved her.
That night, I barely slept. I had to give Sienna the space she needed. I did not want to, but I would for her sake. Sienna had ignored my calls and texts. My mother, who kept calling, was the only one blowing up my phone, angry at me for turning up at my sister’s like I had done.
When I woke, the feeling had not gone away. If not, I felt worse than ever for what I had done the previous day. My heart raced and my stomach knotted together just thinking about Sienna moving. It made me feel violently ill.
I did not remember when I had ever felt this scared about losing something… or someone in my life.
Sienna was my life.
When I thought of the future, she was always in it. Marriage, babies, and adventures… I wanted it all with her.
Colt stayed put on the couch, whimpering now and then as I walked back and forth, pacing around the small apartment, trying to distract myself. I should be at work, but for the first time in my working career, I took a sick day.
I wore myself out so I would just fall asleep. I couldn’t sleep. Nothing would sate the urge to go over the hall and make her listen to me.
I could not go over there yet. It was still early, six am to be precise. Sienna would be sleeping. Or maybe, just maybe, she was up. I knew she would be up, possibly crying and packing. Knowing her, she would be eating cake and watching Netflix on the couch. Damn that woman.
The door was taunting me. “Fuck this.” I couldn’t stay here when I damn well wanted to be on the other room with her.
When I knocked, I was met with no answer. She couldn’t have left already, co
uld she? Digging into the back of my pocket, I found my phone and dialled her number. I could hear it ringing in her apartment, which fucking scared me. She was purposely ignoring me.
“Sienna.” I knocked, harder this time. I did not yell or carry on. My voice was quiet, but firm. “Sienna, open the door before I break it.”
My knuckle pounded hard against her door continuously. I did this to annoy her, knowing she hated it when her mother would spring a surprise on her and knock the same way. I covered the peephole with my free hand so she couldn’t look and see me through it.
“Jesus Christ, Jackson!” she hissed through clenched teeth, with a look to kill, as the door flung open. “You’ll wake everyone up!”
Her red hair was gathered a black hair tie, piled onto the top of her head, Her green eyes were big and clear but also red and swollen, matching her tear-stained cheeks. Her plump lips were full and slightly apart. She wore her ‘lazy clothes’ as she called them, yoga pants and an oversized shirt. She looked fucking sexy.
I took everything in. I wanted to notice everything about her.
“I don’t care who wakes up. They can all listen to what I have to say to you,” I stated.
“I told you—” she began, her voice cracking as she walked back inside her apartment.
I stepped inside and immediately, my hands were snaking around her curvy waist, resting on the small of her back before she had a chance to pull away. “You told me that I shouldn’t come back. Well, I wanted to. I want to be here, with you.”
Her eyes were judging me. I felt naked and raw under her intense gaze. She had that effect on me. She had the power to see me for who I truly am, it seemed. “You hurt me.”
“I know.” I fucked up. “I went to Jasmine’s.” I paused. My grip tightened when I sensed her breath quickening and her eyes glazing over. “No, it’s not like that. I went to her and told her to stay away. I’ll change my number. I’ll do anything you want.”
“What about the ring?” She glanced away, raising an arm to dab the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. “The photos?”
The ring. That fucking ring. “I sold the ring as soon as I left your apartment. I should have done it months ago when I first met you.” I would have tossed it, but well... it was fucking expensive. “As for the photos, I’m sorry you had to see them.”
“Are you?” she asked. I could tell she didn’t believe me.
With a nod, I stepped in closer, wanting to feel every inch of her against me. “I know you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but I honestly forgot about them.”
“How am I meant to just believe that? You could have been masturbating to them every night, for all I know.”
I loved how she used the proper term for jerking off. “The last woman I jerked off to is standing in front of me. Fuck, I even told Jasmine that while she and I were dating… that I was rubbing one out to you in the shower.”
Her eyes widened, a look of annoyance crossing her face. “Great, so she’s going to assume I stole you.”
“Sweetheart, you can’t steal me when I already belong to you.” Every part of me belonged to her.
She said nothing; instead, her posture slackened, and she slumped with tears spilling down her cheeks. “Did you kiss her?” I hated that I had made her cry, that I made her sob this way.
I closed my eyes, shaking my head. “No.” They opened, and the look of hurt in her face brought my own eyes to tears. I was afraid that I had lost her. “I know how badly I’ve screwed up. I put myself and you in a terrible position, and I will regret this for the rest of my life. Sienna, I swear to you that you’re what I want…” I took a shaky breath, blinking back the tears as I brought my hands up to her cheeks, stroking my thumbs against her soft skin, brushing away the tears. “I love you… No one else, just you.”3
I felt her grip tighten as she held onto my shirt. “You should be at work.”
“I’m where I need to be.” I had no intention of being elsewhere.
We stayed like this, holding each other for dear life. I held her close to my chest, terrified that when we broke apart, she would send me walking again. The familiar smell of vanilla, and berries mixed together… a smell that drove me wild. My cock stirred, swelling hard against her belly, and not just because I wanted to grab her hips and fuck her until she knew she was my only and most adored possession, but because she was impossible to stay soft around. She noticed, tilting her head back and raising a brow as if to say really. I shrugged, gazing into her green eyes. My fingers slid through her hair as I held her close.
My eyes never left hers as I searched for any sign of a chance that I still held with her. “Ok,” she finally whispered. It felt like years and years had passed since I finally heard her voice.
“Ok?” I asked, unsure whether this was a good thing, or not. I was predicting the latter.
In felt her hands slowly sliding up my chest and snaking around my neck as she leant in, resting her head against my chest. “I love you, Jackson. I love you so much.”
Relief flooded me. I held her closer, tighter. “I love you more than I have ever loved. You have no idea how afraid I am of losing you.”
I held her until our legs ached, then I scooped her up and carried her down the hall to her bedroom. The bed was unmade, a half eaten cake and Netflix on pause in sight. I smiled to myself as I lay down with her curled against my side.
Cuddling did not last long at all. My hard cock poked against her ass, and the next was inevitable.
Her moans grew louder as I slipped my hand down her bottoms, and fingered inside her, rubbing her clit as my fingers slid in and out. Her legs started to quiver as she came. Her entire body was shaking, convulsing. I took my hands away, bringing them to my mouth as I watched her come down from the high I had given her. Letting her watch as I tasted her, I drew my fingers out slowly. I could tell she wanted my tongue in her cunt.
She glared a little as I made no intention to move just yet. “I’m still mad with you.”
“No, you’re not.” I smirked back. “You’re mine.”
She rolled her eyes a little, biting her full bottom lip. I knew what my words had done to her.
I tugged her leggings and panties down. Then, my face dove right into what I wanted—directly on her clit. My tongue was out. I was starving. She moaned from the contact. I continued taking her bottoms off until her legs were both free. They instantly went up over my shoulders and around my head, opening and giving me full access to her delicious pussy. With each lick, I savoured the taste, pushing deeper and deeper inside her.
The second orgasm came quicker than the first. My tongue circled her clit and traced around her lips, going back up and circling her clit again. Her body shuddered, overcame by pleasure. Her legs squeezed my head so tight, I thought she had snapped my neck. Her fingers wound tightly though my hair, pulling me away from her soaked pussy.
“Stop… Stop…” she whispered, her body still quivering.
I did not stop. I flicked my tongue again, and she reacted by arching up and pulling my hair, trying to pry my mouth from her cunt in protest until yet another orgasm cursed through her.
I pulled down my pants and kneeled between her legs. She was spent. My cock was aching for this. I wanted to be inside her so badly.
***
“Jackson…” I heard her say as she lay in my arm. I felt her smiling against my chest as I ran my fingers through her hair after we had made love. We have had one hell of a make-up fuck.
“Mm?”
Her head raised, her arm propped up on my chest as she looked at me. Her post orgasm glow was written all over her face as her red hair framed her face in soft waves. “Aren’t you going to ask me to move in with you?”
My face exploded into a grin as I cupped her cheeks and pulled her in for a deep, longing kiss. I was ready for round two. We broke apart only a mere moment, just long enough so I could tell her what I had already planned to do. “Baby, I was taking your boxes over to my place t
he second you fell asleep.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Mum, it’s not too soon. This is what I want.” Sienna let out a long, exasperated groan as she walked into the bathroom to continue packing. The phone was held in place by her shoulder and ear as she picked up her straightener and proceeded to wrap the cord. “Mum, no. I swear I’m not pregnant. Oh, god.”
“Not yet,” I called out, chuckling to myself as I began taping up the last of her bedroom belongings. I expected her to throw the straightener at me; instead, she poked her head around the corner and stuck her tongue out.
Smirking, I shook my head and just laughed.
My smile never faltered as I bent down to pick the brown box up from the living room and carry it across to her new place of address. I pushed open my door and sat the box back down on the dining table. I heard her coming across the hall, saying goodbye to her mother for the fifth time this morning.
“I’m a little sad.” She announced.
I turned around, looking at her. “Oh?”
“That’s been my home ever since I moved here.” She stood in the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder to her door.
“Do you want to wait?” I let the question linger in the air as I watched her. Maybe she was having second thoughts about this.
I relaxed as she smiled, her ponytail moving from side to side as she shook her head. “Nope, not a chance. I have already left the keys on the counter. I’m officially living with you.”
“Roomie.” I winked, looking over at her things on the table. It was not just me in here anymore, it was the two of us, plus two rather large dogs. “Do you think everyone will fit?”
“I don’t have that much.” She walked towards the sofa and nodded at the coffee table. “Do you think they’ll notice?” she asked.
I cocked a brow, grinning. “I highly doubt it. It’s the same table.”
“No, it’s not.” She spun on her heels, walking over closer as she stated proudly. “It doesn’t have that skanks ass’ germs sitting on it anymore.”
She had one stipulation to moving in with me: the table must go. We swapped them over after taking both doors off the frame just to get the bloody thing through them. Well, worth it, though. I still held reservations about the apartment and all of us. The dogs… they needed a yard to run around in instead of hanging out on the balcony.
His Rebound Love Page 23
