Sizzle (Bad Boy Rockers) (Volume 1)(31)

“We need to talk about the wedding and the fact that I don’t want, you know who, standing for you.”

I gulped the rest of my beer down and slowly put the empty bottle on the floor at my feet while I watched her. “I need to talk to you about the wedding.”

“I’m waiting.”

Sighing, I asked, “Do you love me, Mia?”

She opened her mouth to reply then shut it again. “What kind of question is that?” she finally asked, standing up and flickering her keys in agitation.

“A simple yes or no will do.”

“Well, do you love me?” she asked me with one of her come-hither looks, which I seemed to be immune to.

It was now or never. “No, I don’t.”

Her face fell as she fussed with her bag.

“You still haven’t answered me.”

“We’ll start to love each other. What does love matter? Now about your...friends.”

Fuck.

“Let’s not discuss my friends; they are not open for discussion. They’re more than friends; they’re like family. Do you want to marry me?”

She hesitated. “Jack, stop asking stupid questions. Of course I want to marry you. You’re just being silly.”

Sitting up, I rested my elbows on my knees and stared at her. “I can’t marry you Mia.” I’d said it, now to face the music.

“Yes well, we both know the wedding will be going ahead, so I suggest you get any fantasies you are having out of your head, because this wedding will take place in four weeks. Now as you’re unwilling to cooperate about guests, mainly the two you want to be part of the wedding party, I’ll leave you alone to do whatever it is you do up here,” she said without missing a beat, leaving me stunned on the porch.

“Don’t just sit there, go after her and finish this,” Donovan said, walking out onto the porch.

Shit. I shot up from my chair and rushed after her, only to watch her put her foot down and shoot down the lane.

I was an idiot. Of all the reactions to my ‘can’t marry you’ statement, I hadn’t expected her to completely ignore what I’d said. Standing on Donovan’s drive I wasn’t sure who the biggest idiot was. Me for letting her go and not reacting sooner, or Mia for not listening to any damn thing I said.

Donovan walked up to me and slung his arm around my neck. “You, my friend, are a f*ckup. What was so wrong with saying ‘Mia the wedding is off, get over it’? How the f*ck could you stay sitting there and let her go. What’s wrong with you?” Letting me go he stomped inside.

The fact was I’d planted the seed in Mia’s head, so hopefully, I prayed, she’d start to think about what I said, otherwise I was going to have to go through with this whole charade thing. I couldn’t see any other way out of it without Mia’s cooperation. At least if she cooperated things might settle back down pretty quick, but something that still bothered me was why did she want to marry me, when there was no love lost between us?

I needed to head home, because I was running out of clothes and I missed my horse. Kayne, one of the trainers, had been looking after Trigger for me. I also hoped to see Thalia and see her smile.

“Either go and f*ck her or stop grinning like an idiot.”

Reece had appeared from where, I’d no idea, but he was standing about ten feet away waiting for my comeback. He was going to be disappointed.

“Tell Donovan I’m heading home for a bit.”

Climbing into my car, I knew I was making a mistake going back, but I’d stayed away too long and soon my so called fiancée would hopefully come to her senses and realize there was more to life.





Chapter 24


Thalia


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It was five-thirty in the morning and I couldn’t get back to sleep. I needed the bathroom for one, but didn’t want to wake Jack up. Jack. He’d come home last night while I was sitting on the porch with Liam. If it hadn’t been for Liam, I would have gone running to him. He’d climbed out of his car and walked towards me with a grin to match mine until Liam had made him aware that he was sitting with me, witnessing how happy we both were to see each other again.

I couldn’t get enough of him and my eyes ate him alive. He’d seemed to pull himself together and then walked straight past us both and into the house. I hadn’t seen him since and wasn’t sure what to make of his behavior.

The wedding was still on as far as I knew, and I was sure the whole town would know if it had been cancelled.

Every time I thought about Jack, my heart would pound and my stomach would flutter with butterflies.

My bladder desperately needed to be relieved so I threw back the covers and slowly made my way to the bathroom, hoping Jack was still asleep. He gave me enough heated looks when I was fully clothed. I had on my favorite baggy sleep shorts with teddy bears printed all over them; they hung from my hips and a tank top in pink. So basically my outfit didn’t leave anything to the imagination.

I slowly pushed the door open and sighed in relief when I didn’t see Jack, although I did feel a slight disappointment, which was stupid. Annoyed with myself, I quickly, walked across the bathroom and slid the lock into place on Jack’s door – I sure as hell didn’t want him to catch me having a pee.