Jacked (Trent Brothers #1)(156)

Maybe I’d have to add “delivery of a baby in a restaurant” to my resume before this day was f*cking over.

Sherry was all business. Jen had been somewhat starry-eyed until she eased into the real purpose for this meeting.

Jen glanced at her watch. “We have to speed this up as she’s meeting us here soon.”

Just hearing that Erin was on her way made a strange ache develop in my chest.

“We’re going to look at a few apartments with her after lunch,” Jen continued.

“She’s moving?” I don’t know why this detail surprised me, and hurt.

Jen became somewhat indignant. “Someone shot up her house. She won’t even go back to pack up her stuff.”

Cherise raised a hand. “Now hold up. Before everybody goes blaming Adam again, I’ve been a cop’s wife for years and this situation is very unique.”

Sarah leaned in. “Erin hired a moving company to do it.”

My guilt was crushing. I rested my head in my hands; it was hard to face all of their reproachful stares. “I’m glad she has all of you looking out for her,” I muttered. “I can’t fix it so why bother trying.”

“Unh ah.” Cherise cracked me in the back of my head—hard. “You love her, you fight for her. None of this ‘I’m giving up’ crap. You hear me?”

I rolled my gaze over. “Entire city heard you.”

She scowled and then smacked my shoulder for good measure. “You want her back?”

“Isn’t that why we’re all here?”

Cherise turned meaner. “I said, do you want her back?”

My head was close to exploding. “Yes, of course I do.”

“Well then.” Her face softened. “Here’s what I suggest we do.”





CHERISE’S PLAN PRETTY much involved random forms of kidnapping, which didn’t sit well with me at all. Forcing Erin’s hand was never going to work, and each second that ticked by made this latest play seem like an equally bad idea. My mouth was dry, like I’d been sucking on cotton balls for the last hour.

I never wanted a drink so bad in my f*cking life. My nerves were shot, sending tiny shakes down into my fingers. My hands were sweating, making me question the differences between love and losing my f*cking mind.

The second she slipped through the door, the sunlight at her back, the air seized up in my lungs.

With perfect precision, the three from Erin’s team surrounded her, leading her like a sacrificial lamb to the waiting lion.

The bloody bandage was ripped off when Erin’s smile crashed down into irritation.

“Nope.” Sherry body-blocked her from retreating. The pain in my chest turned into agony, knowing with absolute clarity that Erin didn’t want to be here, facing me.

“You’re going to talk. You’re going to listen,” Sherry said, laying down the law to both of us.

“You two love each other,” Sarah said with a knowing smile.

“And as your best friends,” Jen added, “we all agree that this has gone on long enough. You’re miserable without each other, and any man who has the guts to ask us for our help deserves a second chance.”

I don’t know why I stood. Part of me was ready to chase after her should she decide to turn and run. And I was acutely aware of my shoulders and ribs and the muscles and bones in between.

“You going to sit?” Sherry asked her.

Erin’s magnificent blue eyes were locked on mine, wavering in her resolve. I could see that a part of her wanted this, which gave me hope. Her friends were poised to argue, which left her without much of a choice.

“I have an appointment at two,” Erin muttered over to Jen, but her stare was pointed at me.

“Hear him out,” Jen said. “We took a vote and decided unanimously that Adam’s offer is better.”

“Adam’s offer?” Erin questioned, confused.

Sherry grabbed a chair, steering her by the shoulder. “Just sit and hear him out. FYI—the pregnant one is prepared to take you down if you bolt.”

I stifled my grin. Erin’s friends were f*cking awesome.

Erin sat roughly. “You have an offer?”

“Move in with me.” I held my breath.

Erin twisted in her seat, ready to stand, until Sherry smacked her in the head. This intervention was turning into a no-nonsense smack-down.

“Ow!” Erin squealed.

“Cherise cracked Adam in the head earlier and figured it worked so,” Sherry shrugged. “looks effective.”

Erin rubbed her scalp. “You met Cherise?”

“Yep,” Jen answered. “Woman is fierce. We’ve adopted her. Oh and we’re all going to her house tonight. You should wear those new boots you got. With the lacy dress and blue sweater? You looked so cute in that. Josh is taking our boy to his grandmas.”

“Jen—” Erin frowned.

“What? It’s Saturday night and she’s making margaritas… and you looked adorable in that outfit. Now you have a reason to wear it.”

Erin’s questioning gaze flashed back to me.

“It’s poker night,” I said with a shrug, wishing her hands were near the tabletop so I could hold them.

“Doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice,” Erin growled reluctantly through her teeth.