Written in Ink (Montgomery Ink #4)(40)

Jake relaxed as the others started to talk about ink and not about kink. Griffin kept his eye on the other man, though. It seemed they all had secrets. Ones that once opened to the world might hurt more than just themselves.

He stayed silent as the others spoke, unsure of what he wanted to say. He didn’t know where he was in life, who he was, not anymore. He was just now figuring it out after all these years. Things changed, people changed, and Griffin was learning to change with it.

Instead of his book filling his thoughts like it should have, though, it was Autumn.

The woman would hurt him. He knew it. Hurt him and scar him like no other.

Yet it was all he could do not to go see her, to feel her under him.

Things had changed all right, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to see the result.





JAKE


Jake sipped at his beer and wondered how the f*ck he’d ended up here. By here, he meant sitting at his brother Graham’s house while his other brothers Owen and Murphy played air hockey in the other room, cursing at each other while keeping the score tied as usual. Neither one of them could get a leg up on the other.

He hadn’t planned to come over for a family meal since he’d just had one with the Montgomerys, but as much as the latter wanted to adopt him, he still had a family of his own.

Of course, the reason they wanted him over wasn’t just Jake’s sparkling personality.

The real reason currently sat snuggly next to him on the couch, laughing at something Graham had said.

The Gallagher brothers laughed when they felt like it, brooded more often than not, and didn’t care much about what people thought. They were big, bearded, and tattooed much like the Montgomerys, but sure as hell not as large. Plus, there weren’t any sisters to add estrogen to the pool, so they were a bit gruffer.

At least that’s what Jake thought.

Maya usually brought in the estrogen when she visited, but she hadn’t come with him that day.

Instead, he’d brought Holly.

His girlfriend. The one he actually truly liked and who liked him back. He had a feeling she was well on her way to loving him, and if he gave in to what wouldn’t happen with…well with… He stopped. No, he wouldn’t think about either one of them. He could see himself falling in love with Holly if he gave in. He just had to give.

“I’m going to go use the ladies’ room,” Holly whispered before kissing his cheek softly. “I’ll be right back.” She smiled at him before heading to the hallway.

“She’s nice,” Graham said smoothly as he leaned back in his leather chair.

“Sweet even,” Owen said as he walked in, Murphy on his tail.

“Too good for you,” Murphy said with a grin.

“I can’t argue with any of that,” Jake said and tipped back his beer.

“Why didn’t you bring Maya, though?” Graham asked. “I thought you two…”

Jake shook his head then drained the rest of his drink, already needing a second. He wouldn’t indulge though since he had to drive. And after seeing Alex Montgomery fall…well…it was just better not to.

“Maya and I are friends. And I figured we’d still be friends as I date Holly. She’s not here because you said you wanted to meet the woman I’m dating and that’s Holly…so, well, you get the idea.”

His brothers studied him and he did his best not to think about why he felt on edge, why he felt like he was losing something he’d never had.

Holly was perfectly nice.

Nice.

Perfect for him.

Because, really, he’d done the tortured and chaotic shit before and it didn’t work. He needed something smooth and easy. Holly would work for the life he wanted.

While she wouldn’t.

And he didn’t want Jake.

So that was that.

His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket, the name sending a sharp spike down his spine.

“I need to answer this,” he said as he stood up, setting the empty bottle down on the coffee table. His brothers stared at him, but he didn’t care. They were always trying to figure him out, and once Jake figured himself out, then maybe the other three could, as well.

He closed the back door behind him and blew into his hands, the cold leeching the warmth from him quickly.

“Hey,” he said when he answered. He didn’t know what else to say, after all.

“Hey.” The deep voice on the other end made Jake’s mouth go dry, but then again, it always did. It wasn’t the first time Border had called. No, the man called every other week or so. Jake would have thought after all this time he’d get over…this.

But he wouldn’t.

And the sweet girl in the room behind him would have to help Jake get over the shit that wouldn’t just bury itself.

Because Jake Gallagher wasn’t going to keep making the same mistakes he always did. He wouldn’t let his wants take over the needs he felt he should have.

So, he’d finish this phone call and put it behind him before going back in to Holly and seeing the future he knew would be okay for him.

Nobody ever got exactly what they wanted in life, so maybe Jake would find a way to make do. Because Holly would be good for him, and he’d be damned sure to be perfect for her.

She deserved that and more.