The Secret (10 page)

“Too late,” Jack mumbles under his breath as he reluctantly steps into the living room.

“We just gotta grab a couple more things and we’re good to go,” Chase says, pushing the door shut behind us and making his way into the house.

While I know I should be talking or doing something, anything, I can’t. I’m completely speechless at what’s happening in front of me. I know how hard this has been for Chase to deal with, so the fact that he’s so selflessly making
such an effort to make Jack comfortable in his home,
our home
, has me completely lost for words.

“
Beautiful Girl,” Jack says softly, pulling me into his side for a hug as he gently kisses me on the temple.

I don’t miss the subtle linger of his touch that drives
a slight chill up my spine and guilt through my heart.

“Hey,” I finally manage in a soft voice, giving him a small smile.

“Which of these did you want to take?” Chase calls from the living room, holding up a jacket and a sweater.

“I don’t think I need one,” I say after clearing my throat awkwardly
, willing myself to snap out of it. “I’m a little warm.”

“Babe, it’s about two
fuckin’ degrees outside,” he smirks. “You’re taking one of these. Which one do you want? You know what? Nevermind. You’re taking both of them.”

“Two degrees,” I roll my eyes dramatically, causing both of them to chuckle.

“You want a drink or something man?” he says, looking up at Jack like he’s known him for years.

“No, I’m good, thanks,” he says quietly.

Chase doesn’t answer him, just makes his way to the kitchen where we hear him grabbing things from the fridge.

“So, this is where you live now?” Jack asks, looking down at me after taking in the space in front of us.

“Yeah,”
I start quietly before my brain comes back to life. “Oh! I have something for you!”

“Really?” he smiles, surprise and curiosity bright on his face.

“Yes! Come with me, please,” I say, grabbing his hand and heading for the kitchen to my purse.

He follows me, slowly taking in the house as we make it our way to the counter. Looking down into the abyss, I pull out the item I’d been searching for while both men watch me.

“Here,” I say, handing him the key ring.

“What is this?”

“The keys to your truck,” I tell him with a small sigh. “I filled it up with gas yesterday and just got an oil change so you-”

“
Soph,” he cuts me off, shaking his head as he pushes the keys back into my palm. “The truck is yours, Babe.”

“
That’s crazy,” I argue, stunned. “Jack, I’m not keeping your-”

“
Not my truck,” he says quietly as he gently places his hand over my mouth, stopping my argument. “Check your title.”
What the hell is he talking about?
Before I can ask him, he leans over and kisses me sweetly on the cheek and heads towards the front door. “I’ll go let Ana and Drake know y’all are about ready.”

Without answering, I make my way over to the garage, throwing it open and making a beeline to the truck.

Attached to the envelope containing the title I’ve never bothered to look at, I find a note, Jack’s still familiar handwriting, but faded.

My Beautiful Stubborn Girl,

I know I’ve said it a million times, but before I met you, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted out of life. You surprised me though, turning it all upside down in the most beautiful, amazing way.

This morning when we left
for the dealership, I knew exactly what I wanted, too. This trip was never about getting something for me. I just wanted something for the beautiful girl who ruined all that planning.

When I saw how your eyes lit up when the salesman showed us this pickup
, I knew I’d hit the jackpot. Since you’re giving me hell about buying you a car, you’ve forced me to take extreme measures. Drive safe and please don’t be mad when you find this note. That Honda is a piece of shit and you need it. Even if you’re pissed, it’s worth every penny to see how hot you look behind the wheel and how happy you got when I “let you” drive us home.

I love you
.

Jack XO

Pulling the title from the paper envelope
, my eyes are blurred with tears, but I see it plain as day.

Owner:
Sophia Paige Ryan
.

Ana

“God, he’s just a mess, Drake,” I say in a quiet voice as I watch my brother walk towards the door. “I know Chase is your cousin, but I just have to say it. I can’t believe Sophie’s doing this to him.”

Turning to face him, I catch his conflicted gaze as he lets out a sigh.
I can tell he’s trying his best to be supportive of both Chase and I. It’s got to be a hard spot to be in for him, but I can’t help the way I feel.

“
I understand that she loves Chase,” I continue. “He’s helped her through a lot, but what about all the shit my brother went through for her? What about the four years she spent with him, waiting for him to come home? I know better than anyone how much they loved each other. He’s given up so much for her, for us. Choosing
anyone
over him is just a slap in his face.”

I don’t care how great Chase
is, Sophie was supposed to pick Jack.

“I know you’re upset about her decision, Love,” Drake starts as he tightens his hold on my hand. “But it
is
her decision to make and like it or not, we can’t get involved.”

“How can I not get involved when I see how much pain
he’s in? He’s my brother, Drake!” I start, frustrated tears coming to the surface already. “Not only that, he’s a good man, he doesn’t deserve this, especially not from her.”

“Chase said she was really upset about everything,” he offers. “I know it’s not been easy for her
either, Analise.”

“Yeah,” I scoff
as I roll my eyes. “I’m sure it was just as hard as hiding and waiting in a warzone to get back to the one you love for over a year.”

“
Analise, do
not
roll your eyes at me,” he warns. “I know you’re upset and I’m sorry for that, but this will
not
affect our relationship. Am I understood?”

“
Yes, Sir,” I say softly as I face him. “I’m sorry.”

“Come here,”
he says, leaning towards me. Gripping the back of my neck, he pulls me in for a chaste kiss. “We’re spending our first Christmas together with people we love, regardless of how infuriating they may be,” he smirks. “I’m sure you can find something to smile about this week. Don’t obsess over the other shit, Baby.”

“Yes, Sir,” I whisper
, trying my best to reign my anger in.

“Good girl,” he says, teasing my lips with his own. “Besides, I think I saw a box back there with your name on it. It looks like it might be pretty good. Think about that for a while.”

“You got me a present?” I say, unable to hide the excitement in my voice and causing him to chuckle.

“No,” he
deadpans, surprising me until he smirks. “I got you many presents.”

“Shut up!” I shout happily, immediately remembering myself
and blushing as I throw my palm over my mouth. “Sorry.”

“
It’s okay,” he winks, shaking his head in amusement at my outburst. “You’ll make it up to me later.”

“Yes, Sir
, I will,” I say as a shudder runs down my spine.

Sensing it, he lets out a devious chuckle as his eyes travel unashamedly over me, h
is dominant, azure gaze causing heat to build between my thighs.

“Soon,” he promises. “Your brother’s coming out. Get your shit together over there, Baby.”

As he chuckles to himself, Jack opens the door to the backseat and slides in with a shiver.

“Well, that wasn’t awkward at all,” he says, sarcasm staining his voice.

“Sorry, Jackie,” I say, turning to face him. “I offered to go. You should have let me.”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I need to get used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” I say under my breath and immediately feeling Drake’s disapproving eyes on me. “Sorry,” I mumble to them both. “I just don’t want you to torture yourself.”

“I’m fine,” he lies, refusing to face me. “She’s happy. That’s all that matters, Ana.”

Unable to say anything without shouting how pissed off I am, I choose to remain quiet. Less than five minutes later, the garage door lifts open and Chase’s truck begins backing out of the driveway causing my anxiety to flair.

Sophie’s been my best friend for years, but Jack is my brother. Regardless of her reasons, I disagree with what she’s doing. I don’t know how I’m going to spend the next week with her without telling her as much.

Chase

About a half hour outside of Camden, I can feel the tension rolling from her shoulders again. Resting my hand on her inner thigh, I squeeze her there gently, trying to reassure her.

“You okay?” I ask.

“No,” she says honestly. “I don’t want to go. I changed my mind. Let’s turn around and go back home.”

“Sophie,” I sigh
, knowing it’s not even an option. “Baby, if you seriously don’t want to go, you know I won’t make you,” I tell her. “But it’s going to be okay. I’ll do my best to make sure this week isn’t horrible for you. I promise.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,”
she argues.

“I know,” I admit
, squeezing her thigh. “But I also know that JT is waiting for you and you don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”

“No,” she sighs, leaning her head back on the seat behind her. “Damn you and your thoughtful, good points.”

Unable to hide the slight chuckle, I lean over and kiss her on the side of her head quickly, keeping my eyes on the road.

“Put on some music,” I tell her. “Play something for me, Babe. Try and chill out before we get there.”

“What do you want to hear?” she asks as she picks up the mp3 player connected to the stereo.

“I don’t care,” I tell her. “Anything you want.”

“I better make it something good,” she says letting out a frustrated breath. “I’m sure I won’t get to listen to anything while mommy dearest is around.”

Stifling a
nother chuckle at her unintentional joke, I wait as she searches through the playlists. I’m assuming she’ll pick some John Lennon, Queen or Alicia Keys like she usually does. When she lets out a devious snicker and makes her selection, I can’t help the belly laugh that leaves me.

“Take that,
Mother
!” she scoffs as 2 Live Crew’s ‘Pop That Pussy’ fills the cab of my truck.

My fiancé listens to 2 Live Crew.
All my dreams have officially come true.

Shocking me further, Sophie begins singing along, not missing a single word.

Oh my God, that is so hot!

When she makes it to the
second hook flawlessly, I can’t stop the groan from leaving my chest. Watching her blonde strands brush the top of her chest while filth flies from her lips is making me so hard, I can barely focus on the pavement in front of me.

Don’t pull over.
We’re already running late and people are following us. Don’t pull over.

Seeing the look on my face, her cheeks redden and she stops singing.

“Sorry,” she says quietly.

“
For what?” I ask in surprise.

“I’m sure that’s not very attractive,” she laughs nervously, obviously still embarrassed.

“Baby, you couldn’t be more wrong if you tried,” I say, grabbing her hand and placing it over the raging hard on she’s given me.

“
Holy shit
!” she gasps, her eyes bulging as she bites down on her lip, causing me to let out another low groan.

“Yeah,” I manage with a dark chuckle. “You sing tha
t song all you want to, Sweetheart. You’ll never hear a complaint out of me…” Glancing down at her, I let out a deep breath. “
Jesus
.”

Ten minutes later when we pull up to the hotel, I’m a mess of arousal and nerves. Although Sophie had been suckered into staying with her mom at Deb’s, we knew she’d eventually j
oin me at the hotel for the days following Christmas. It would be the first time in a long time we hadn’t shared a bed every night and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy for either of us.

Sophie’s aunt Deb had been nice enough to offer to stall her mother long enough for us to get settled. After a quickie in the room, we got dressed and made our way to Lucy’s where we’d be meeting up with everyone else.

As we pull up to the house, JT makes his way across the yard in a rush of excitement. As usual, Sophie jumps from the truck to greet him, making me smile.

“My Aunt Sophie!
My Uncle Chase!” he yells excitedly, throwing his arms around her neck as she bends to catch him.

“My
beautiful Sweet Pea!” she beams, hugging him tightly. “Oh how I missed you!”

“I missed you, too!” he grin
s, pulling away from her. “Are you going to be here for Santa?”

“Yes,” she smiles, tickling him playfully as she lifts him into her arms and makes her way over to me.

“Hey Little Man,” I say grinning down at him.

“Hi
Uncle Chase,” he grins, holding his hand out for a high five and giggling when he smacks my hand and I feign injury.

“Where’s your mama?”
Sophie asks, searching the yard and not seeing Lucy anywhere.

“Inside with Miss Debbie and that mad lady,” he says nonchalantly, causing Sophie to let out a low chuckle. “Can you let me down?”

Setting him on his feet, she glances over to me and lets out a long sigh before following him to the door.

Seeing Drake, Ana and Jack all
standing by the door with sympathetic looks on their faces only causes more anxiety to build in my chest.

This is going to suck
.

Sophie takes a deep breath and reaches for the handle on the screen door before closing her eyes briefly.

“Here we go,” she says to herself as she pulls the door open.

As we walk into the living room, I see the woman who has caused my girl so much pain for the first time in my life. I can tell Sophie takes after her father in so many ways, but physically, there’s no way to deny the petite, light-haired woman sitting next to Deb is her mother.

I hear Sophie’s intake of breath as she stands to face us, slowly making her way over. Giving Sophie’s shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance, I can’t ignore the subtle tremble in her small frame. I’m about to attempt to ease the transition by introducing myself when the woman begins to speak.

“Sophia
Paige,” she addresses her in a cold tone, leaning forward to offer her cheek. As Sophie leans forward to give her a kiss, I can feel the discomfort, the hurt.

“Hi Mom,” she says quietly. “How was your trip?”

“Long and arduous, but over now, praise God,” she offers dramatically. “I’m ready for a nap, but I told you I’d be here at three so I waited.”

Looking down at her watch, she raises her eyes disapprovingly when she sees that it’s now a quarter to four.

“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Sophie says quietly. “There was more traffic than we’d anticipated.”

“You allow
for
traffic, Sophia Paige,” she scolds. “When you’ve made a commitment, an obligation, you keep it. You’ve been taught better than that, haven’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Sophie says apologetically, keeping her head lowered
slightly. This side of Sophie isn’t something I’ve ever seen and honestly, I don’t ever want to see it again. She’s already visibly miserable, shrinking into herself. “Again, I’m very sorry.”

“Very well,” she says dismissively as her eyes find me, standing next to Sophie as I silently watch their exchange. “And I suppose you’re the man who my daughter has been
…
living
with?”

“
Yes,” I say, managing my most polite tone while biting my tongue at her distaste. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She looks like shaking my hand is the last thing she wants and irritation floods my chest. Sophie’s trembling frame beside me is the only thing keeping me from telling this lady what I really think of the way she’s treated her daughter.

Sophie lets out a long, quiet sigh, the frustration and embarrassment at her mother’s rude behavior obvious.

“Mom, this is Chase Mitchell,” Sophie says in a low voice before turning to face me with
a silent apology written all over her perfect face. “Chase, this is Grace Ryan, my mother.”

Sophie

Although I can’t say I’m surprised, I couldn’t be more embarrassed at how impolite my mother is being towards Chase. She’d been the same way when she
met Jack, too, though, hence my lack of surprise.

“Hello Mrs. Ryan,” Chase offers again. I can feel the irritation coming from him, but he loves me too much to let it show.

“Mr. Mitchell,” she nods in his direction, ignoring his outstretched hand as she turns away from us.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper up at him and he shakes his head, giving me a small smile.