Fighting For A Goddess

I Feel Them

Jade woke up Monday morning feeling happier than she’d ever felt. Max had taken her and Aidan to a Hibachi restaurant where their food was cooked in front of them. It was amazing and all of the food was delicious. Aidan was so captivated it made her giggle. After dinner, Max drove them to Fairview’s historic main street. There were dozens of eclectic shops and they checked out a few as they walked along the sidewalk. There were dozens of lights hanging in the trees and all along the shops lighting the path, it made her feel like the main character of a romance movie.

Aidan was running ahead of them and would run into each shop a full minute before they could catch up. He disappeared into the third dessert shop when she felt Max slip his hand into hers. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Is this okay, Jade?"

"Yes," She felt her face flush a bit as she looked up at him. He gave her a smile and pulled her hand to his mouth kissing her knuckles softly. She felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

"Guys come on!! They have cookies as big as my head in here!!" Aidan yelled as he poked his head out of the bakery. A deep laugh erupted from Max's chest as he followed after the little boy. Jade couldn’t think of a sexier sound.

She’d learned a lot about Max last night. Her heart clenched as she remembered the moment Max told her about losing his parents when he was young. She pictured Max as a little boy, all alone in the world. He’d been raised by his only living relative, his paternal grandfather. Max had a genuine smile on his face when he’d spoken about him. His smile grew even wider when Jade agreed to meet him next week. Jade could tell the two of them were incredibly close. They’d been running the family business together since Max turned 18.

“Wait, let me get this straight… You’re an orphan who was raised by a man named Alfred.”

“Yes. My grandfather’s name is Alfred.”

“And you're a billionaire?”

“No, not a billionaire. A multi-millionaire,” Max corrected.

“Same thing,” Jade said, waving her hand dismissively.

“And you save people.”

Max didn’t know how to respond to that one.

“So, basically you’re Batman. My boyfriend is Batman,” Jade repeated, more to herself than anyone else.

“Say it again,” Max smiled.

“You’re Batman.”

Max rolled his eyes, “No Jade, the other part.”

“My boyfriend... " Jade's eye widened as realization dawned on her. "I'm so sorry... I... I didn't mean to imply anything," She said quickly as she felt the heat of embarrassment warm her cheeks.

Max’s face broke out into a sexy smile.

“Does that make you all mine?” Max spoke into her ear. She felt insecurity wash over her. She had nothing to offer this god of a man. If anything, she was a huge burden because she and Aidan were a packaged deal.

"Don't... don't do that," Max said sternly as if he knew what she was thinking.

"You don't know how amazing you are, but I'm going to show you."

Jade’s phone alarm broke her out of her memories of last night's movie scene romance. She wanted to do something nice for Max. And for the rest of them. She decided to skip running so she could make everyone breakfast. She'd noticed that since they'd moved in no one had cooked any meals. They all just ate take-out or protein shakes. She wanted to make them something delicious and home-cooked.

But, before she did that she sent Lindy a quick message. She was missing her best friend and couldn’t wait to tell her everything that had happened this weekend.

I have so much to tell you! I miss you.

Lindy responded instantly:

OMG, I can’t wait! See you in a few hours :)

Jade tiptoed into Aidan’s room, he was sprawled out on his giant bed, snoring and looking adorable.

She quickly showered and lotioned her body. She dressed in black high-waisted ripped jeans, a grey crop top shirt, and her faded white converse. She dried her hair before pulling half of it up high on her head. She grabbed her bag and headed to the elevator.

Jade went to step out of the kitchen when a hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. She let out a small shriek.

“It’s alright… It’s just me, Angel,” Eric said.

Jade turned around and smacked his arm.

“You scared me,” she chided him.

“Where are you sneaking off to all alone?” Eric asked.

“I want to make everyone breakfast, I need to go to the store. I figured it was okay to run a small errand by myself,” she answered, placing a hand on her hip.

“Sorry, Jade. But, you can’t step foot out of the house without one of us,” Eric said apologetically.

Jade’s perfectly shaped eyebrows knit together. She knew why they were all protective, but this felt like overkill.

“I’ll take you,” Eric grabbed keys off of a row of hooks by the door with dozens of car keys on it.

“Alright,” Jade grumbled, realizing there was no point in trying to convince him to let her go alone.

“Thank you,” She added a few seconds later, making Eric laugh.

“No problem. I know it’s frustrating, but everyone just wants you safe.”

She nodded at him and gave him a small smile.

…….

“Max…”

“Max… Max wake up. I can’t find Jade.”

Max sat up and looked at the cute little boy with messy dark hair. He was wearing astronaut pajamas.

“It’s alright, buddy. We’ll find her,” Max rubbed the sleep from his eyes and picked up his phone. He had 3 messages from Jade.

Good morning, Batman. I’m going to the store to buy groceries for breakfast. Be back soon!

Don’t worry, Eric took me.

In the kitchen making breakfast. I just came to check on Aidan but he was still sleeping. If he wakes up, please bring him down.

“Your sister’s just downstairs making breakfast. Should we go help her?”

The worried look on the little boy’s face fell away. Max thought the kid was doing well, all things considered. But, he could tell that Aidan was still very anxious when it came to Jade.

“Yes! She makes the yummiest food and I always help her,” Aidan stated proudly.

Max chuckled and took the little boy’s hand. He didn’t bother putting on a shirt as they made their way to the kitchen.

Jade had made several pounds of bacon, and a large pot of scrambled eggs. She’d put Eric to work slicing strawberries for the fruit salad and was just getting started on the French toast when she heard someone walk into the kitchen. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Xander. He had a disapproving look on his face.

Xander gave Eric a look, but Eric just shrugged his shoulders at him. “Don’t look at me… I tried to pay for the groceries but angel over there can be scary when she wants to be,” he fake shuttered.

Jade glared at him. “Snitch,” she huffed under her breath.

“See!” Eric pointed to Jade.

Xander walked up close to Jade and leaned his elbow on the counter. “Jade, I don’t want you slaving away. That’s not why I brought you here…. I…”

Jade interrupted him, “Xander please, I just wanted to make breakfast for everyone. I don’t have a lot to offer all of you for everything you’ve done for me and Aidan. So just let me do this. Plus, you know I enjoy cooking.”

Xander sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“You don’t have to eat it,” Jade teased, knowing full well that Xander had always loved her cooking.

Xander threw his hands up in surrender. “Fine, you can cook whenever you want… but, I’m buying the groceries. Deal?” He held his hand out to her.

Jade had a spatula in one hand and a bit of cinnamon on her cheek. Xander couldn’t help but smile at her.

“It’s called a compromise, Jade,” Xander smirked.

“Fine, deal,” she grumbled, placing her hand in his.

Jade gasped and pulled her hand back when she felt a pleasurable wave of electricity travel from her palm up her arm.

She looked up into Xander’s eyes. The kitchen was flooded with natural light and she could see that it wasn’t a trick of the light… Xander's dark blue eyes were coal black.

She stepped back just as Aidan came running into the kitchen and straight into Jade, wrapping his arms around her.

“There you are!” Aidan exclaimed.

Jade looked down at Aidan and gave him a squeeze before he took off into the dining room. She looked back up at Xander and saw that his eyes were their usual cobalt blue. Her brows pulled together in confusion.

Just then Max walked in shirtless, shattering her focus. Jade’s eyes traveled from his messy dark hair to his muscular tattooed arms and chiseled abs. Jade had to stop herself from salivating. Max caught her staring and gave her a sexy wink before he wrapped his arms around her. She felt sparks dance everywhere his skin touched hers.

I am seeing and feeling things that couldn’t possibly be real Jade thought to herself.

“It smells amazing in here,” Max said into her neck.

He released her and grabbed an apron. Putting it on over his bare chest. Jade had never seen anything sexier.

“How can I help?” Max asked.

“Ummm… can you stir the syrup please?” Jade said a little breathlessly. Mentally scolding herself for sounding like a lovesick puppy.

“Sure thing, love,” He answered.

Jade turned back to the french toast cooking on a large electronic grill. She took a few steadying breaths to get herself together. She dared another glance at Xander, he looked upset. She watched Monica snake her arms around Xander from behind and quickly turned away. The sight of Monica kissing Xander’s neck made her feel a pit in her stomach.

Aidan pushed a chair from the dining room into the kitchen where Jade was. He climbed up and helped her flip each one of the 50 pieces of french toast. As she was cooking more and more people began flooding into the dining room.

Elijah and Logan came in from the gym and greeted Jade and Aidan with a group hug. All the food was brought into the dining room where Xander was seated at the head of the table with Monica in his lap.

There were at least a dozen guys she’d never met, and several attractive women. They were all friends with Monica. She was introduced to two of them, a pretty redhead named Tess and a busty blonde named Kim.

Jade wondered if she had made way too much food, but by the time the meal was over, there were only a few crumbs left. She got so many compliments on her cooking that her cheeks were permanently red. Aidan also got his fair share of compliments on helping with the french toast and a big grin plastered on his face. Max had his arm casually around Jade’s chair the whole meal.

After dinner, Elijah, Logan, and several other guys started cleaning up and doing dishes. She and Aidan went to go help but Elijah threw her over his shoulder making her yelp.

“Put me down now, Elijah!!!” She protested. He chucked and carried her to Max.

“She wouldn’t stop cleaning,” Elijah told Max as he finally set her down on her feet.

Max chuckled as he pulled Jade down on his lap and trapped her with his arms. She felt so embarrassed sitting on him like this. She never sat on a guy's lap before. In her attempts to wiggle away from him she felt something hard between her butt cheeks. Feeling unusually brave she leaned forward and wiggled slightly. She dared a look back at Max and saw that the muscles in his neck looked tense and his mouth was in a firm, straight line as he tried to pay attention to the conversation the guys were having. He brought his hands to her hips and gave them a firm squeeze. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “You’re going to pay for that."

Jade felt a wave of desire crash through her body. Max’s grip on her hips tightened. "Fuck... you want me to punish you,” Max growled in her ear. Jade felt her face heat up with embarrassment. She felt someone’s gaze burning into her, she turned and locked eyes with Xander. One of his hands was gripping the table so hard his knuckles were white. Monica reached up and placed a kiss on his neck making him peel his eyes away from her.

Jade stood up and all but ran out of the kitchen. She told herself that it was because she needed to get Aidan ready for school, but the truth was she was overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of feelings she was having whenever she was close to Max and Xander.

She helped Aidan get dressed and tamed his messy hair while he brushed his teeth. Max came in as she was helping Aidan with his shoes. She couldn't look him in the eyes just yet but she swore he had a smirk on his face.

“Would it be alright if I drove you guys today?”

“Yeah!” Aidan answered excitedly.

Max held out his hand for Aidan and the little boy grabbed it without hesitation. Jade followed along to the parking garage. Just as they'd left the house, Xander called out to them.

“Jade, can I speak to you alone? It’s about Aidan’s school,” Xander asked.

“Okay,” Jade walked over to Xander as Max stood a few feet away with Aidan.

“I just got permission for Aidan to go to the school in our neighborhood, it’s just down the road. Can we go on a tour to see what you think?”

“That’d be great. I’d like him to be closer, now that we’re living here. And, he’s had a lot of trouble with the kids at his school,” Jade admitted as she looked back at Aidan.

Her gaze fell on Max’s face. She could see him clenching his jaw. He started walking over to her, still holding Aidan’s hand.

Xander ignored Max as he spoke to Aidan, “Hey little man, would you like to go see the school I went to when I was your age?”

“Ummm… okay. If it’s okay with Jade,” Aidan answered.

“Yes, sunshine. I’m coming with you,” Jade smiled at him.

“Oh! Well then yes!” Aidan brightened up.

Max gave Xander a hard look.

“Can I have a quick word?” Max asked him.

“Jade, here are my keys. Why don’t you and Aidan go get in my truck. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Jade took the keys and nodded, turning to Max.

“Are you coming?” She asked him.

Max’s smirked at Xander, “No, but I’ll see you both later. Logan’s going to be at your school today. He’ll try to stay out of the way, but he might check in with you. I’ve also put his number in your phone so you can reach out to him if you need anything while you’re there.”

“Oh, alright,” Jade sighed. They were definitely taking her protection way too seriously. She took Aidan’s hand and walk away. As soon as she was out of earshot, Max unraveled.

“What the hell are you doing, Xander?”

“I felt the sparks today. They were faint, but I think Jade felt them too. Which means I need you to start backing off now,” Xander stated.

“That can’t be true,” Max said, folding his arms in front of his chest.

“And why is that?” Xander questioned.

“Because I feel them,” Max said matter-of-factly.

Xander glared at him and ran his hand through his hair, “How is that possible?”

A look of irritation crossed Max’s face. He’d always respected Xander, even if the guy did practically keep his wolf neutered. He knew Xander wouldn’t be lying about feeling the mate bond with Jade.

“Since neither one of us can answer that, we’ll just have to wait until Jade turns 18,” Max grumbled.

“Yeah,” Xander nodded. “We’ll know soon enough. But, in meantime, I’m going to need you to tone it down. Wear a f*****g shirt and keep your hands to yourself,” Xander growled.

“f**k you,“ Max replied as he turned away from Xander and walked back to the house. He knew deep in his soul that Jade was his other half. If Xander keeps this s**t up after Jade’s birthday he’ll just let Obsidian have a go at him.

It’d be my pleasure Obsidian hissed.