Once we’re in my apartment, I guide Jake into the kitchen. “Sit here,” I instruct as I head to the bathroom and retrieve a first aid kit. I then settle the kit on the counter in front of him. “Why didn’t you fight back?”
“What?”
“You didn’t even try to block my father’s punches. Why?” I’ve seen Jacob fight when we were at school. He knows how to defend himself.
“I deserve a lot worse than this for what I did to you,” he says, his voice quiet, his gaze locked on mine.
My throat constricts. I open my mouth to say something when I hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps. And then Aurelio enters the kitchen.
“Babycakes, you ditched me.” He walks over and places his hands on my cheeks.
“Babycakes? Really?” I scrunch up my nose, not able to hold back my laughter.
“Sweet cheeks? Honey bunny?” Aurelio suggests.
“Jazzy is fine,” I tell him. A throat clears, and I look across to a very pissed-off Jacob. “Aurelio, this is Jake. Jake, Aurelio, my… friend.”
“Do all your friends give you stupid fucking pet names, Jazzy?” Jake sneers.
“Only the good ones.” I shrug.
“We can revisit the pet name options later. When I have you naked and spread out underneath me,” Aurelio says, nothing but humor in his eyes.
“You really want your sister to have to take you back down under in a body bag?” CJ’s voice enters the kitchen.
“When the hell did my place become the drop-in center?” I ask my brother.
“Mom called and told me to come check on you.” CJ looks from me to Jake and then smiles wide. “That’s an improvement, Westmead.” He then turns to Aurelio. “Get your hands off my fucking sister, asshole.”
“But she likes my hands on her, and my tongue, and my?—”
I reach out and cover Aurelio’s mouth before he can continue. “Stop. He’s joking,” I tell my brother.
“It’s not funny,” CJ deadpans.
“Speaking of sisters? Where is mine?” Aurelio asks.
“In her room, naked in the shower where I left her,” CJ says, and now it’s Aurelio’s turn to sneer.
“Okay, you two, out! Now!” I order them.
Chapter Ten
It takes about five minutes of Jazzy arguing with her brother and this asshole friend of hers before they both leave. She’s now staring at me, not saying a single thing.
“What?” she finally huffs.
“You’re not fucking that guy.” I’m pretty sure the only thing she’s fucking is with my head.
“It doesn’t matter who I’m… sleeping with. All that matters is that it’s not you.” She gives me that sweet smile, the one I want to kiss right off her pretty little face.
“Do you really regret it that much?” I ask, unable to stop myself. I need to know the level of hatred I need to thaw out when it comes to winning this woman back. Wait… Do I even want to win her back? Her father was right. I have no business being anywhere near her.
“What did my dad mean? When he said you were supposed to keep your shit away from me? What shit, Jake?” Jazzy counters, clearly ignoring my question.
My jaw clenches, and pain radiates through my face. Fucking hell, my entire body hurts. I deserved it, though.
Jazzy shakes her head and opens the first aid box that’s sitting on the counter. She pulls out a bottle of antiseptic and some cotton balls. “This is going to sting, and I hope it stings extra hard,” she says as she brings the now-dripping cotton ball to my face.