Misbehaving(23)

“Stay out of this, Dewayne. Ain’t your shit,” Hank growled.

“I’ve been looking for a reason to smash your face in for a year now. Go ahead and piss me off,” Dewayne replied, walking past us and toward Hank.

“Please, piss him off. I’d love to see him beat your ass,” Preston drawled as he walked up to us. Amanda must have gone and told him what was going on. The playboy smirk that he always wore was gone. His eyes were locked on Hank. “Your boy’s crying. Best take care of that.”

“Hank, please, come on,” Carrie begged, pulling on his arm. Her ugliness toward me was gone now that they were sandwiched between two of my cousin’s best friends.

“Ain’t over, Jess. Won’t ever be over, baby. You know that,” Hank said, staring straight at me.

I straightened my shoulders and glared at Hank over Jason’s shoulder since he wouldn’t let me get around him. “It’s been over, Hank.”

He shook his head. “We’re endgame, baby. Remember. We are fucking endgame. Always have been.”

I had told him that once. Back when I was young and foolish. Back when I thought he really did hate it when he hurt me. Not anymore. I didn’t want that life. And I didn’t love him anymore.

“No. He’s your endgame,” I replied, pointing to the little boy now in Carrie’s arms. “Let’s go,” I said, tugging on Jason’s arm. I had no doubt he was going to want to take me home now and drop me off. This wacked-up mess with Hank would send any guy running from me. But I wanted to leave anyway. I couldn’t stay here.

Jason nodded and turned around, still holding my hand tightly in his as we walked back to his Hummer without a word. I wanted to apologize, but how could I explain that? Admitting that I had once been in love with that insane man didn’t say a lot about me.

He opened my door and helped me up before closing it and walking around to get in the driver’s seat. When he got in and closed the door, he didn’t reach for his seat belt. Instead he looked over at me. I braced myself for his brush-off. I could handle it. I was used to it.

“I wish I’d gotten a chance to see his truck after you beat the shit out of it,” he said.

I sat there and stared at him. What? I was confused.

A small grin tugged at his lips. All the worry and stress that had me wound tight released. I let out the breath I had been holding.

His expression had softened. “I want a good burger. You good with that, or do you want something else?”

He wasn’t taking me home. I leaned back and smiled at him. “Burgers are good with me.”

“You’re the local. Where do I get a good burger?” he said as he started the engine and shifted the gear into reverse.

“Pickle Shack,” I replied.

“Put on your seat belt,” he said with a wink, then pulled out onto the road.

My heart did a little fluttery thing. Startled by my reaction, I reached for the seat belt and put it on.

“You want to talk about that back there?” he asked.

He didn’t sound angry, nor was he demanding it. I wasn’t sure what to do with him. He was so different. I didn’t want to explain Hank to him. I never wanted him to see Hank again. That part of my life was embarrassing. “Not really,” I replied honestly.

Jason nodded. “Okay. How do you feel about night swimming legally?”

I studied his profile for a moment. Was he really just going to drop this and not ask questions? I had been prepared for him to try a little harder, but he was changing the subject completely.

“I’m good with staying on the right side of the law if possible,” I replied, wondering where he was going with this. I didn’t do night swimming in the gulf, though. But then again, he might possibly change my mind.

“So you would be up for coming back to my brother’s place after we eat? He’s got a heated pool.”

His brother’s place. As in Jax Stone’s vacation home? I was nervous. Over a guy. For the first time in my life, a guy was making me nervous. He was asking me to come to his place. Not the back of his Hummer. “Yeah, I’d like that.” I hoped he hadn’t heard the small stammer. I wasn’t used to this.

“I’d offer to take you back to your house so you could grab a swimsuit, but I like the other option better,” he said, sending my heart pounding faster in my chest.

JASON

It had been that small shudder when I held her behind me and faced off with her insane ex that had done me in. She’d been scared. It was like someone had flipped a switch in me. I had decided that she came with too much baggage and drama when Hank had sent her bolting out of her seat, ready to leave. I didn’t like drama, so I had been preparing myself for how I was going to back out of her life just as quickly as I had stepped into it. That had all changed, though, the moment the terrified tremble had gone through her. All I could think about was protecting her. I wasn’t letting the asshole near her.