Forbidden Love with the Marine(45)

Just as quietly as he’d entered, Blade left the dim bedroom and headed for the living room.

Biting on her bottom lip, Jessica joined him, asking lightly, “Would you like a beer or something?”

He let out a harsh breath and she became all too aware of the tension in his tall, muscled frame. Jessica had to bite down the pang of regret she felt every time she looked at him. Even after so long, it still felt like she was being showered by shrapnel every time she thought of what they’d once shared.

It had been nothing but a few months of passion but Jessica had convinced herself that they might have stood a chance if she’d worked harder at keeping him.

And she didn’t think it was too late to try again.

“No, I don’t want a beer,” he enunciated with clipped words. “Jessica, its two f*cking a.m. You called me saying Jamie was having a crisis again.”

“Well, you should have seen him five minutes ago,” Jessica said defensively, stalking to the kitchen. She needed to stall so she started to clatter with the tea things, trying to get hot water on. She yelped in surprise when Blade’s fingers closed around her upper arm and yanked her round to face him.

“Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing.”

“What?” she snapped, eyes wide with innocence. “You said you’d always be around when I needed you. Well, I needed you. But then he stabilized before you got here so I put him to bed.”

He let her go with a disgusted sigh, turning with his back to her and his hands on his hips.

Jessica smiled smugly to herself, saying aloud, “Being there for Jamie is more than putting a check in the mail or looking in once in a while. You know Jamie sees you as a father and since Thomas isn’t here...”

“Don’t you f*cking mention his name,” Blade said through gritted teeth as he spun round and shoved his face into hers. Jessica gulped.

“Thomas was my friend. He was a damned good soldier, a man of honor. And you f*cked up that memory when you told me what happened between you two. But I never blamed him because you and I were not even together anymore and I know you practically threw yourself at him. But you keep him out of this conversation.”

“Why? Because you think I’m the devil’s incarnate and he was some saint?” Jessica asked with equal fury. “I know I seduced him but he didn’t have to go along with it if he hadn’t wanted to. Thomas had a choice, Blade. And he took what he wanted because he’d wanted it before. He’d always wanted it.”

“What the hell are you talking about now?”

Jessica exhaled sharply. “That night we met. When you were with your guys from the Teams and I was with my girls at that bar. Hank saw and approached me first. He was all over me but then I caught sight of you and I decided you were the one I wanted. He backed down gamely but I knew he never stopped desiring me.”

“Oh, f*ck.” Blade turned away again, shoving his hand through his hair and then clutching the short strands like he wanted to pull them out.

“I know you don’t want to hear this about your best friend, but maybe he wasn’t all that reluctant when the time came to claim what I offered so temptingly,” Jessica said with a shrug. “I mean, he didn’t have to drive me home, but he did. He could have just put me in a cab or something. He didn’t have to come up into my front door either. He probably knew I was using him after you dumped me but he didn’t seem to care. Not until the broad light of day when he suddenly decided he was messing with fire for sleeping with me. Because he figured you’d hate him if you found out.”

“Why are you telling me this now?” Blade said, speaking through teeth so tightly ground she could see the muscles hardening in his jaw.

Jessica hugged her arms around her, viewing him with softened eyes. “Jamie needs a family, Blade. He’s growing up so fast...and with all he’s been through almost since the day he was born, I can’t help but wish I could give him a better life. With parents who love him and will stick around.”

Blade laughed, surprising her by the sound. It was light and not too loud but jarring enough to make her purse her lips.

“What’s so damn funny?” she spat, her fists clenching at her sides.

“You are.” Blade suddenly sobered, his laughter wiped off his face as he regarded her.


“You’ve always been manipulative, Jessica. Right from the start. You tried to manipulate me when we were dating because you were so sure you could convince me to take things deeper. And when I left you, you tried to manipulate me by sleeping with my best friend. But worst of all was when you tried to trick me into thinking I was Jamie’s real father. If that isn’t unbelievably manipulative then I don’t know what the hell is.”

His lips curled derisively. “The only reason I’m standing here right now is because of that little boy sleeping back there. I love him as much as I did when I thought he was mine. You didn’t even tell me about him until Thomas was killed in the helicopter crash. When you sent me that letter telling me I had a son, you caught me right where you wanted-in your web of deceit.”

“I’m not like that,” Jessica breathed, staring at him with shimmering eyes. “You always make me feel like a piece of trash.”

Blade shrugged. “If the shoe fits...”

Jessica’s eyes hardened. “It’s because of her, isn’t it?” she suddenly sneered. “That uppity new girlfriend of yours who’s got you wrapped around her little finger. I can see you two have a lot in common – you both act like you’re better than everyone else.”