by Sienna Skye
Knowing You
The Jersey Series
Sienna Skye
Copyright © 2020 Sienna Skye
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblances of characters to actual persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of quotations in a book review. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Dedication
To the wonderful group of family and friends who read the early scribblings of this book, gave their advice, picked up on mistakes from late night writing sessions, and most importantly, blessed me with their support.
~Thank you for helping me to chase my happiness~
Prologue
Jace
Situation FUBAR. That’s what this was. I refused to open my eyes. Seeing the four walls of the hospital room was enough to make me crazy. Bad enough I could hear the sounds, smell that hospital smell.
I recognized his footsteps walking down the hall. Of course, they would call him. I listed him as my next of kin on all my paperwork for the Corps. I really didn’t have any family left and Morgan was my brother from another mother. I shouldn’t have been surprised he would show up, but he did have a wife and three kids at home. The twins were still babies.
He walked into my room but didn’t say anything.
“I’m not sleeping,” I told him.
“Then what are you doing?”
“I like the view better this way,” I said unconvincingly.
“I don’t know, I saw your nurse at the nurses station. She looked like a pretty nice view.”
I popped one eye open and looked at him. “Aren’t you a married man?”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t still be your wingman. Speaking of, Jules would have been here too, babying your ass and doting all over you, but the boys are still nursing…”
“They must be pretty great.”
“They are freaking exceptional. I am a very lucky man.” A stupid ass grin spread across Morgan’s face as he spoke.
“I wasn’t talking about the boys.”
“Neither was I.”
We both laughed. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I needed that. I opened both eyes this time.
“Thanks for coming, man.”
“Of course. It wasn’t even a question.” There was sincerity in Morgan’s voice.
He pulled over a chair and sat down. He spread his legs wide, rested his forearms on his thighs, and clasped his hands together. For a few beats, he just sat there staring at his hands.
Ah shit…this was going to be serious.
He blew out a slow, long breath. Oh yeah, definitely serious.
I waited quietly while he worked up the nerve to say whatever it was he wanted to say. Finally, he looked up at me. Those, make women go stupid, green eyes of his looked unsure. I quirked an eyebrow at him.
This time an inhale.
Then finally…
“What’s your status, Jace? What happens from here?”
“Are you going to try to tell me that you didn’t find all that out at the nurses station already? That you didn’t put to good use the fact that I signed off for you to receive medical updates? That you didn’t put that semi-genius brain of yours to quick work while you were walking down the hallway so you could figure out what to say? Because you would want to be direct and Julia threatened to kick your ass if I got upset?” I couldn’t even try to hold back the chuckle that bubbled up.
He lifted one corner of his mouth in a smirk and shook his head. “I hate how you can do that. Can you blame me? You know how scary she is when she’s mad.”
We both laughed at that. It was a needed moment of levity before the heavy discussion that was about to happen. I rubbed a hand over my face. “They are offering me medical discharge.”
“I think you should take it.”
“The Corps is all I know—”
“That’s B.S. You’re a smart guy and you have instincts like nobody I have ever met. You’re always one step ahead of…well everything. You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about what you would like to do. That is not the Jace I know.”
“I have toyed with the idea of starting my own security firm.”
“Thought about it or already have a business plan in mind?”
I laughed. “Now whose instincts are on fire?”
“Nah, man. I don’t have your intuition. I just know you. Maybe as well as I know myself. We may not be blood, but you are every bit my brother.” His expression was serious.
“Doesn’t matter, though. I don’t have the kind of money it would take to start something like that up.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. I knew what was coming next.
“Jace. I could put the cash up for you. What good is it for me to have all the money I do if I can’t help my family?”
I put up my hand to stop him. “Look, I know you make millions—” I stopped short when I saw the wise ass expression on his face. “Damn. That much, huh? It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer.”
“Think of it as an investment. Hunter and I already own the software company and the gym. Consider this another business venture. I could be a silent partner. Or, I could design a state of the art security software program."
The man’s eyes always lit up when he spoke Nerd.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I appreciate the offer. But, I can’t do it. I need to do this myself. You know that.”
“Then let me make another suggestion. Come work as a trainer at Stepping Stone. We need to take on new trainers. Membership has skyrocketed. That’s thanks to my wife mentioning the gym in her column. You’d be helping me out while you work toward your goal.”
“You know I have months of physical therapy ahead of me before I can even walk on my own.”
Somebody needed to say it.
“But you will walk on your own again. And then the job is yours.” He spoke his words with conviction.
I glanced out the window before turning back to him. “Let me get through therapy and then we’ll talk.”
“Ah well, here’s the other thing. As soon as we get the go ahead from your doctors, you are coming home with me. We have more than enough room and I will make sure our home gym is equipped for all of your therapy needs.”
The offer did not surprise me. I tossed the idea around in my head. Morgan must have sensed my pause as reluctance.
“The kids would love to see their Uncle Jace. And you know I would love to have you around.”
“And Julia?”
“Whose idea do you think it was in the first place? I was given very explicit instructions not to return home without you.”
Well then. I guess the decision was made.
It took a little bit of time before I was discharged. Morgan would stay a few days and then fly back to Jersey for a few days to check in on Julia and the kids. I spent the time working my tail off in therapy. I wanted to regain as much strength and independence as I could before moving in with the Stone clan. The last thing I wanted was to be a burden to anyone. I knew with absolute certainty they would never feel that way. Still, it was important to me. I had known Morgan since Kindergarten, Julia since we were teenagers.
I really was looking forward to spending time with them. I just wished it was under different circumstances. Morgan and Julia had made a great family life for themselves. I was happy for them. When they were kids, they each lost a parent they loved dearly and were each stuck with a poor excuse for a parent. By some bizarre stroke of luck,
their parents found each other and got married. It was a match made in hell. The only good thing that came out of it was Hunter, Morgan, and Julia had each other. The shit hit the fan when it was discovered that Morgan and Julia were involved. It snowballed from there and they were separated for years. Julia moved down to Virginia to live with her aunt and it just so happened that I was stationed nearby. We toyed with the idea of dating, but nothing ever came of it. You could say there were a few reasons for that, but honestly there really was only one that mattered. Morgan and Julia belonged together. And together they had three great kids who I loved and would protect until my last breath.
I was lost in thought when Morgan knocked on the door. “Are you ready to go, Monroe?”
It amused me that he called me by my last name. It wasn’t something he typically did, but he picked it up while spending so much time with me and the military staff.
I frowned when I saw a transport person walk in with a wheelchair. Rules were rules and I knew better than to argue. The transport guy was followed by one of the nurses. After giving me instructions, she had me sign some paperwork and then wished me well.
“I have no doubt you will continue to recover nicely. You are too damn stubborn to do anything else.” There was no harshness to her voice. “Just remember, if you are driving back to New Jersey, you shouldn’t drive straight through. Stop and get out and move around a bit.”
“No worries. We are flying. It’s a quick trip, but he can get up and move around if he needs. It’s just us.”
“It’s just us? What did you do, buy out the plane?” It wouldn’t have surprised me in the slightest if he had.
“No dude, I came down in our corporate jet.”
I turned and spoke to the nurse. “Look at this guy. Billionaire. His own jet. Too bad he is so damn ugly.”
“Yeah, I’m sure small children run screaming in horror when they see him.”
I saw the smug amusement written all over Morgan’s face. I pointed my finger accusingly at him. “Married.”
He held his hands up in surrender while he laughed. “I didn’t say a word.”
The nurse shook her head. “Go on you two. Get on out of here before you disturb my whole floor.”
***
Let me tell you. Private jet is the way to go. Morgan was deep in thought, tapping away on the keys of his laptop. I was pretty sure he was working on TechStone business. TechStone was the software company Morgan owned with his older brother Hunter. The company which apparently made them billionaires. I knew he had been away from work quite a bit while he was waiting for me to get cleared to go home, so I felt bad interrupting him. He glanced up and read my expression.
“Is something wrong? Do you need something?” He looked like he was ready to jump up and get whatever I needed.
“I’m fine. Just wondering when I will be able to get my things sent to your place.”
“It’s already done. I packed your stuff up and had it sent back to Jersey. Jules already has a room set up for you. She didn’t want to go through your things without you being there, so she said she would help you put it away when you get there.”
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me,” I said to him.
“You’re welcome, but there is no need to thank me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Besides, I owe you for when you saved Jules’s life in that car accident.”
“That is a gross exaggeration. I just stayed by her side.” And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
“Still.”
“So, what is life like in the Stone household?” I asked.
“Busy. Noisy. Everything runs smoothly, though. But, that is all Jules. She’s much better at keeping things from falling into chaos than I am.”
“And you’re sure I won’t be the straw that tips the scales?”
“Positive. We are going to love having you there. I don’t want to hear another thing about it.”
As soon as we walked into the house, Sophia was standing there with a big “Welcome Uncle Jace” sign. Julia obviously did the lettering. It was signed by all three kids. Sophia’s name being spelled out carefully in her five year old handwriting. I assumed the two scribbles were autographs from Sawyer and Wyatt. Sophia had drawn pictures all over the sign. A big sun, butterflies, flowers, and the house. Standing in front of the house were six people. There was a little girl, two small boys, and three grownups. I was obviously the one with crutches. Julia must have prepared Sophia so she wouldn’t be afraid.
“Hi, Uncle Jace! Welcome home!” Her smile reminded me of her mother, but those green eyes were all Morgan. The kid was the perfect blending of her parents.
“Hey, Princess! I love the sign you made me. It’s a great surprise.” Normally, I would have squatted down, scooped her up, and carried her around while I blew raspberries on her cheeks. That wasn’t happening at the moment.
“Come here.” She waved me over to the couch and promptly climbed up so she could whisper in my ear. “I hid some chocolate under your pillow. Just in case you need a snack.”
“Thanks for looking out for your Uncle Jace, kiddo.”
She gave me the thumbs up while she winked at me; her mouth wide open from all the effort she was making. Before she climbed down from the couch, she looked over at her father.
“Hi Daddy. Thanks for bringing Uncle Jace home.”
Morgan chuckled. “I see how it is. Daddy takes a back seat to good old Uncle Jace, huh?” He ruffled her hair before placing a kiss on her head. “Where is your Mama?”
The words barely left his mouth when Julia came rushing into the room. She had a twin on each hip and promptly handed them off, one at a time, to Morgan.
“You’re home!” She hurried over to me, pausing for a second before she threw her arms around me.
“Dang, I really do take a backseat,” Morgan grumbled.
She never broke the hold she had on me. “Hush, you! I am so happy you are here. You should be with the people who love you.”
She leaned back then and looked at me. Really looked at me. She was trying to read me. Trying to figure out if I was in pain. She should have known better. She should have known I would have anticipated what she was doing and that there was no way I was giving anything away.
Julia narrowed her eyes and I heard the slightest little grunt of frustration. She pulled gently on my arm. “Come sit down. I’ve been cooking all day. I made all of your favorites for your welcome home dinner.”
“Julia, I don’t want you making a fuss.” I really didn’t.
“Don’t even try to fight her on this. You won’t win.” Morgan’s voice took on a serious tone.
“Seriously, guys. You are letting me live in your home. I can’t thank you enough for this. But you both have your careers, not to mention the kids, and I don’t want you feeling like you have to dote all over me.”
I glanced over at Morgan first, but the wide eyed expression on his face made me follow his line of sight. Uh oh. I could see the fire in Julia’s eyes.
“I made a welcome home dinner. I’m Italian. That’s what I do.” She took a step closer to me and jabbed her finger into my chest. “You are not going to tell me that I can’t cook dinner for my family. You, Mr. I Know Things, should have anticipated this. Or are you losing your touch?”
I bit my cheek so I wouldn’t laugh. I sure as hell didn’t want to piss her off any further.
“Jace, if it were me…or Julia…in the same situation, wouldn’t you be pulling out all the stops to help us?”
“You know I would.”
“Then let us do the same for you,” Morgan insisted.
“You already helped me when I needed it,” Julia added.
“Morgan already mentioned the car accident. I didn’t do that much, Julia.”
“I’m not talking about that. I mean when I ran a-w-a-y when Morgan e-n-d-e-d things and needed a place to s-t-a-y. You were my rock then. You made my life so much easier when I m-o-v-e-d to V-i-r-g-i-n-i
-a.”
I looked over at Morgan and saw the uncomfortable expression on his face. Even after all this time, even after they got their happily ever after, that time still pained him. I wanted to lighten the mood.
“I see I will need to brush up on my s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g if I am going to be staying here.”
Sophia piped up then. “Yeah. There is a lot of spelling here.”
Morgan and Julia both snapped their heads around to look at her. Morgan arched an eyebrow at Julia who shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head.
“I am going to get appetizers.” She glanced at Sophia. “I’ll try to figure out the rest of this later. Why don’t you come help me in the kitchen, Sophia?”
Pain was setting in a bit and I decided to take that seat on the couch. Julia looked at me and I smiled at her. Silly woman. I did have to admire her determination. She frowned and headed out of the room.
Morgan walked over sat down next to me. He handed Sawyer over to me. The boys may have been twins, but it took no effort to tell them apart. Sawyer looked like his mother. Dark brown hair and big deep blue eyes. Wyatt was all Morgan with his black hair and emerald green eyes.
I turned Sawyer around to face me. “Hey buddy.” He smiled a big four toothed smile at me. I tossed him up in the air. Hey, my arms were fine. Better than fine. They were stronger than ever. Sawyer let out one of those infectious baby giggles. I tossed him up in the air again. That caused Wyatt to wiggle out of his father’s arms and crawl on over to me.
“You want a turn, big guy?”
I handed Sawyer back to Morgan who promptly put him down on the floor.
“I am going to go help Julia in the kitchen. You okay with these two?”
“We’re good,” I said as I tossed Wyatt up in the air.
I looked around at what was my new home. Truth was, I was happy to be there. My world got turned ass over elbows and while I was making progress, I was in more pain than I was letting on. Being with them filled that nagging void that was starting to grow. It was not a feeling I was used to. Or comfortable with. Even when I was in uncontrolled situations in the Marines, I was still in control of my body. That was no longer the case. I didn’t like it. Not one fucking bit. But Morgan, Julia, and the kids helped to ease that feeling. I didn’t have any other family. I never knew the man who fathered me. My mother took off when I was eight, leaving my grandmother to raise me. She was the one responsible for the man I became. I lost her a few years back. Missed her presence every single day.
