Until Her

Chapter 12-1

Chapter 12

The ride home was taking too long. Anna had upped the ante. She was doing everything she could to twist Jackson up.

It was working. He was good and twisted.

He pulled his truck into Treat’s drive and wasted very little time getting Ava out of the cab. She’d fallen asleep on the way home. Joey had already agreed to watch her for the night. The sun was barely setting, and all he could think about was that he had the whole damn night to feast on Anna’s skin. He wasn’t allowing either of them time to come up for air.

“Anna. Shower, dress, killer f**k-me shoes, and whatever s**t goes underneath.”

To that, she grinned, made a quick retreat up the staircase, and set about following his request. His body was strung too tightly, and he felt like he may actually f**k s**t up—which he couldn’t allow to happen.

Joey was in the kitchen making Ava’s chicken tenders.

“Where’s your man?”

His sister scrunched her face up. She only did that when she was pissed or upset.

“William’s back in town.”

That was all she had to say. Treat’s father was a giant d**k. He also owned one of the largest corporations in the U.S.. Don’t get in the way, he reminded himself. Treat liked to handle his father on his own and wouldn’t want Jackson butting in.

“We can stay home,” he offered.

Damn, he was really looking forward to taking Anna out, but Joey was family, and if she needed him, he’d have her back.

“It’s all good. William Cavanaugh doesn’t scare me.”

“Glad to hear it. Treat was requested, or went on his own?”

“A little of both, I think. Either way, I’m ready. You go out and show Anna a night she won’t forget.”

He planned on showing Anna a hell of a lot more than the night. Jackson placed Ava on the couch and kissed her head before going back to his sister and tugging her into his arms for a hug.

“Love you, Josephine.”

“Love you, Jackson.”

He’d made reservations at a Brazilian Steakhouse that served the best f*****g steak. He’d just stepped out of the guest bathroom when he heard the music. If he had to put money on it—and win—he’d say Ava was up and acting crazy. He grinned to himself as he got dressed. He didn’t need to style his hair, but he made it look presentable. He completed the grey slacks and button-up shirt with a tie. He grabbed his phone, rounded the corner, and stopped. He wasn’t going to last the night. Annabelle was a vision.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Joey teased.

Jackson didn’t deny it. He’d fall again and again if he were walking up to the beauty standing in front of him. Anna had pinned her hair on top of her head. She was wearing a beautiful orange-red empire-waist dress that started off orange and slowly turned red until it rested in waves against her shoes. How the f**k did he know it was an empire-waist dress? Easy, his mother, his sister, and every other woman he’d ever dated would gush about how the dress accentuated their non-existent curves. Anna had curves going on for days. Ass, legs, voluptuous breasts, and her hips, her f*****g hips were in every sonnet ever f*****g written about women and their shapely figures. But what really drew him were her glossy lips, it was a mouth a man could nibble on and never tire of. She was gorgeous.

Neither of them said a word. But words weren’t necessary. Their eyes spoke of their devotion to each other as they looked their fill. He’d been struck dumb. Speechless. His entire life flashed before his eyes in hyper-speed. The highlight reel. Their wedding. Their first baby, second, then third. Their home and all the laughter that would fill it. First days of school. Recitals. Football and baseball games. Graduations, college, grandkids. He saw it all, and all of it was with Anna.

“Annabelle.” Damn, his voice sounded shredded. He was feeling entirely too much. He swallowed the sound jammed in his throat and stood straighter.

“Jackson.” Her eyes were warm and reflected the kind of love he knew made him the luckiest bastard alive. The evidence of the slow simmer of her need had him taking a step closer. Her chest rose rapidly with each shallow breath she took as they eyed one another. She needed him just as much as he needed her. If not more.

“You two are gonna make me sick with all your sweet. Go have dinner and enjoy each other. I’ll see y’all in the morning,” Joey said, breaking the spell. They needed to get moving. Jackson held out his hand, and Anna walked right to him. If he kissed her now, they’d never leave, and he needed to feed them both. They were going to need the fuel. He planned on keeping her up until morning, and time was wasting.

“Be good for your Auntie Joey.”

“I will, Daddy.”

“Thanks for watching the ladybug.”

“Don’t mention it. I plan on enlisting y’all soon, and activating the Godparent lifeline,” Joey said, patting her swollen belly.

Jackson wasted no time getting them to their destination. The restaurant was packed, but because he’d called earlier in the day, they were seated a few minutes after they arrived. The waiter stopped by and asked for their drink orders, and Jackson told him they needed a few more minutes. They were cuddled up in a booth, sitting next to a fireplace and enjoying a secret conversation. Jackson wrapped his arm around Anna’s shoulder and pulled her closer.

“One drink maximum. Want to f**k you sober. We’ll have plenty of time for drunk s*x later,” he said against her lips.

Anna’s hand crawled up his chest where she laid it over his heart, her eyes clear and free of any secrets. He saw his own version of heaven in her eyes. His future was sitting right next to him. Damn, she had him hooked. Whipped. Strung out like a goddamned junkie, jonesing for his next hit.

“I don’t even need the first drink. We have plans to get me knocked up do we not?”

“You really gonna put me on the spot? I can’t perform under your task master conditions,” Jackson joked. He lifted her chin and placed a light kiss on her lips. “We’re gonna make those babies, but I want you tied to me first, baby.”

“I’m in knots over you already, Jackson.”

That’s what he wanted to hear.

“Good. Tonight, if it happens, it happens, but you and Indi need to speed up the plans.”

“How much speed are we talking?” she asked, serious.

“No more than a month. Make it happen. I’ll pay for everyone’s tickets. People need passports? I’ll get those, too.”

She wanted to argue, he could see it in her eyes, but when she opened her mouth to protest, he swooped in with a harsh kiss. When he pulled back, her eyes were glazed over.

“I’ll tell Indi. Have them clear out their schedules. But I still don’t have a dress.”

“Don’t give two shits about your dress. Show up in a bag. Don’t care. I’m marrying you in thirty days.”

“Okay.”

The waiter came back. Jackson ordered a beer, Anna got an ice tea. They both ordered the same steak. Jackson got two servings, and Anna one. She watched him wide-eyed.

“Seriously, Jackson?”

“Plan on making love to my woman all night, I ain’t f*****g around.”

“Well, alrighty then.”

Jackson winked before nodding in her direction.

“Gonna look at the plans for the new house tomorrow. You want to come?”

“Can’t. Got a wedding to plan. I’ll go next time.”

“Fair enough.”

“Well, look who we have here,” a very annoying voice said.

Vivian and Jackson’s mother had walked over to their booth. Why wasn’t he surprised? Jackson cursed beneath his breath and gently untangled himself from Anna before standing and greeting his mother and Vivian. Damn manners. It was ingrained in him.

“Mother. Vivian.”

“You gonna invite us to sit?” his mother asked.

Hell no, he wasn’t. He had manners, but he wasn’t going to be that hospitable.

“No, Mother, Anna and I are spending some time alone tonight.”

“Well, where is Ava?” Vivian asked.

Like she cared.

“She’s fine. She’s with Joey.”

“You should have brought her back to her mother,” Corrine scolded.

“Well it’s a good thing I don’t have to do anything except what I want,” Jackson said back to his mother, who stuck her nose up in the air at his comment. He hadn’t been paying attention to Vivian, and he should have. He didn’t anticipate her trying to attack Anna. But she did. Reaching out wildly with her hand past Jackson, she yelled obscenities in front of the entire restaurant.

“You’re in the f*****g way, cunt!” Vivian yelled.

Even Jackson’s mother had the good sense to be concerned.

Jackson wrapped an arm around Vivian’s stomach to hold her off, and like a wild animal, she began screeching as she tried to claw her way free.

“He’s mine, b***h, not yours. Take that f*****g ring off your finger,” Vivian wailed.

Two male waiters were there, helping Jackson subdue Vivian. His mother did nothing but excuse herself from the embarrassing scene. Figures. Corrine didn’t want her good name dragged into the pit with Vivian’s. Too late for that, Mother. Jackson pulled out his cell and called the station.

“Send a unit to the steakhouse. We have a situation.”

The two waiters, along with one of the cooks from the back, were now holding an irate Vivian. Anna remained calm the entire time.

“I’m not taking this ring off,” Anna said quietly, and Vivian turned her gaze towards Anna once more. “I won’t ever take this ring off. Jackson gave it to me, not you, Vivian. You had your chance. Had a chance to be with someone who would have given you the world had you let him. But you ran, you took the chicken s**t route because you’re a greedy b***h. Now that I have him, I’m not letting him go. I’ve loved him longer than anyone, and he knows he isn’t going to find anything sweeter out there than me. And that’s not to get you riled up, it’s just fact. We belong together. End of story. Stop wasting our time. If you truly loved Jackson, you wouldn’t be trying to cause him so much trouble. You’d want him to be happy, accept that he’s moved on, and wish him well.”

Jackson took that moment to interrupt.

“There are officers on the way. The judge is going to know about this incident. If you wanted to see Ava, you should have called the house, we could have arranged something.”

“Not here for Ava, Jax. Here for you. She’s”—she gestured wildly to Anna—“not who you want,” Vivian said, turning pleading eyes in his direction. He didn’t know why, or even how he knew, but he could see that Vivian meant every word she was saying.

“She is, Vivian.”

“No,” Vivian whispered. “You told me you loved me and we were meant to be.”

Jackson shook his head. He felt sorry for her. She was the mother of his child, and somehow, she was broken. He really hoped he wasn’t the cause of it. He hoped it was something he had yet to witness due to their short time together. Eventually, it would have come out he was sure. Because there was no way she could be this messed up, this quickly.

“Vivian, I was young. We both were. I don’t, nor have I ever, loved you like I love Anna. Christ, I tried to make it right, but it wasn’t what either of us needed. You need to find peace, learn how to love yourself before you can love someone else.”

Vivian looked around the restaurant. Her skin blushing from head to toe as she seemed to come out of her crazed stupor. She’d exposed herself. She may have liked being in the limelight, but only if it was shone on her in a favorable way. Her shoulders sagged, and her chest deflated. As if all the fight had left her. Jackson turned to look at Anna, who sat in stunned silence. No one in the restaurant said a word. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Himself included. Anna stood, came to stand next to him, and placed her hand on his.

“She needs help, Jackson.”

“I know, baby.”

“Find her some, then, because I don’t think she’ll do it on her own.”

“I will.”

“Vivian. I know somewhere inside you have to care for Ava. You need to forget about Jackson and focus on yourself. Be a better mother and woman for Ava. She’ll be looking up to you for advice when she gets older. Do you really want to give her the wrong impression? She needs you to be strong. Not weak. I’m not Ava’s mother, and eventually the novelty of calling me Honey will wear off, and she’ll have questions. Real questions. Don’t you want to be there to answer them?”