His words hurt her more than she would ever admit to him, but she was also powerless to fight him anymore. She’d already agreed to marry this man, and her future was in his hands. One thing that she had confidence in was that, at least for a while, the two of them would be able to please each other well. The fire that burned so hot didn’t appear to be running out of fuel.
Jewell covered up her sadness by reaching for his head and pulling him down to her, by being the one to initiate the kiss this time. When he groaned into her mouth, she felt her sense of emptiness begin to ease. Yes, their relationship was nowhere near perfect or conventional, but it was working, and Jewell knew she was already in too deep to make it out unscathed if he should leave her. So she really had nothing to lose by giving herself to him completely.
“I want you, Blake,” she said, instead of saying what she so desperately wanted to say.
Blake didn’t reply. His body joined with hers, and he loved her again until the early hours of the morning.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Tyler and Byron looked at Blake and Jewell with varying expressions on their faces. Jewell shifted nervously on her feet, looked up at Byron’s black eyes, and then down at the floor. She had always thought Blake was intimidating. Well, Blake seemed to have nothing on this little brother. Byron was terrifying.
When she next looked up, she found Tyler beaming at her, and then before she could even think of stopping him, he rushed over, took her from Blake’s arms, and wrapped her in his. “Congratulations, Jewell. I’m delighted to welcome you to our family,” he said. He then bent down and gave her a loud, smacking kiss.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Blake grumbled as he pulled her away from his overly enthusiastic brother.
“Aw, come on, Blake. She isn’t married yet,” Tyler said with a laugh, and Jewell had to cover her own smile when she saw Blake’s eye twitch. She rubbed his arm, and he turned his look from his brother to her, and then she watched a miracle happen — his shoulders relaxed and the sparkle returned to his eyes.
“Sorry, Jewell, I know Tyler is doing it to get a reaction from me, but when I even think of another man touching you, it fills me with rage, so think how I feel when I have to stand here and witness it.” With a rueful smile, he brushed his lips lightly against hers.
“I am going to tell you a secret,” she said quietly, and he leaned closer. “I love that you are possessive. Just don’t be ridiculously so,” she added, and gave him a kiss. There was protective and then there was psycho. She didn’t want Blake to cross over the line into boiling bunnies on her kitchen stove.
“I knew it was going to happen anyway. Blake has been a mess since meeting you,” Tyler said.
Blake stiffened. “I am not a mess, Tyler,” he said indignantly.
“Sure, brother,” Tyler told him. “It’s okay; really it is. Even the hardest of asses fall eventually.”
“I don’t see that it’s funny to mock a man who’s under the thumb of a woman,” Byron said. Then he turned his eyes on Jewell and she felt singed to the spot.
“Back off, Byron,” Blake warned his brother. “This isn’t about you.”
“It sure as hell is about me. Anything to do with our family is about all of us,” Byron said. Jewell watched as both brothers’ shoulders stiffened, and she grew scared as sin as they tried to stare each other down.
“Oh, come on, guys. This is a special occasion,” Tyler said, and Jewell noticed how he moved just slightly so he was standing between his two brothers.
Was fighting a normal thing between them? And did Tyler often break it up? She was too afraid to even speak as the tension continued to mount despite Tyler’s attempt at intervention.
“And when is the happy day?” Byron practically sneered.
Jewell wished she weren’t standing there now, because the fireworks were just about to really start. But Blake’s arm was wrapped around her, and she really had no choice but to witness the explosions when Blake answered Byron’s question.
“Tomorrow,” Blake said.
“Tomorrow?” Byron practically thundered.
“Do you have a problem with my wedding date?” Blake asked tautly.
“Why in the hell are you rushing this?”
“I don’t see why that’s any of your business.”
“It’s my business,” Byron told him, “because I don’t understand why you’re allowing yourself to be snatched up by some woman who is obviously out to get whatever she can from you.”
Jewell’s mouth dropped when Blake released her so fast she nearly tripped, and then she was watching his fist come up and knock Byron in the side of the jaw. She had no idea what to do. There was no doubt in her mind that Byron would retaliate. Men and their machismo…
Instead, after turning his head and spitting out a bit of blood, the man looked straight at his brother, who was staring daggers at him. “I’ll let that one pass, Blake, since you’re obviously screwed up in the head right now,” Byron said.
“Who in the hell do you think you are?” Blake shouted.
“I’m the brother who has been with you through thick and thin, and I’m the one you normally would listen to. Don’t you realize this woman has you so messed up that you’re choosing to please her even if it upsets the balance of your family?”
“Look, guys, emotions are high right now, but we really don’t want to say something that can’t be taken back later,” Tyler interjected.
“I don’t regret anything I’m saying,” Bryon said.
“No, because you’re a complete asshole, Byron. Jewell will become my wife tomorrow, and I’d like to have you there, but if you can’t be, then I understand that.” Blake took a step back.
Jewell was finally able to gulp in a breath of air. It looked like the fight might be over.
“I’ll be there, Blake, not because I support this marriage, but because you’re going to need me when you realize what a mistake you’ve made,” Byron said, and then he looking back at Jewell and piercing her with his brutal gaze.
“I’m sorry you’re so bitter,” Jewell told him. “But you’re wrong, Byron. I don’t want to take anything from your brother.” It was a moment before she even realized she’d spoken.
“Ha. A woman always has a plan,” Byron replied, dismissing her words as easily as he was dismissing her.