Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“But she’s going to be upset that she’s not with the men she loves.” Ben sounded like he’d been thinking about the situation. “She’s angry with Jensen for leaving her again.”
“I thought I was protecting her,” Jensen said.
“You should still do that. I can offer you a ticket to Europe since the whole witness protection thing isn’t going to work out for you,” Chase offered.
Jensen’s gaze focused, and he flushed slightly. “I was trying to keep her safe. I might have done it in a stupid way, but I love her. I love her so much I chose her over my revenge. I know that sounds dumb, and I wish I had made different choices, but I’m here now. I know you won’t believe me but I made the decision to call her after I turned over what Jack needed. I was going to ask Niall and Harlow to come to Dallas and be with me when the feds interviewed me. I was going to beg forgiveness. You were right. I didn’t think I was worthy of her. Hell, I don’t think I deserve the support and friendship Niall has given me, but I want to try. I want to change and be good for them.”
Chase sobered. “Changing for someone else… It’s a starting place.”
Ben nodded. “A good intention, but it won’t work until you decide to change for you. Another person can make you want to change, but in the end you have to love yourself enough to do it for you.”
Chase stood at the foot of Jensen’s bed and stared him down. “So this is how it’s going to go. Your car is outside. When we spring you from this place, you’re going to The Club. There’s a hotel there, and you have a room for however long you need it. You’re going to work as a dungeon monitor but only after you pass all of our tests. I’m going to warn you. I will be strict. It’s part time, so I suggest you find another job, too.”
“I’ll ask some friends around town,” Niall promised. Something was happening, and he was starting to think it was good. “I might be able to get him a job at a gym.”
“He can work at yours,” Ben suggested.
“I don’t want to make Harlow uncomfortable,” Niall replied.
Chase seemed to think about that for a moment. “What are you willing to risk to give her what she needs?”
An easy question to answer. “Anything.”
“Then it’s time to top her,” Ben explained. “She doesn’t have to accept Jensen right away, but keeping him in your life is important. Seeing him and understanding that he’s not leaving this time will go a long way to fixing the situation.”
“You’re going to help us?” Jensen asked.
That was wrong. “They want to help her, and our gorgeous princess is stubborn. She’s capable of burning her own house down when she gets mad, but what she needs is to meet the brick wall. My brick wall. The one that doesn’t move or shake when she’s upset or loses her cool. The one that won’t crumble or fall. I’m not letting her spend a single night without me.”
Ben gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s how to roll, Niall. If you let her sleep on it, she’ll tell you she wants a break and she’ll overthink things and let her fear and pride keep you apart. Jensen is a different story. She does need a break from you. She needs you to show her you can change, that your priorities are different this time, and that means loving her from afar for a while. You want her happy?”
Jensen nodded. “So much I was willing to give her up.”
“How about you? You want to be happy, Wiley? Do you deserve to be happy?” Chase asked, and there was no sarcasm in his tone this time. He was serious and open, and this was the father Harlow loved.
“I don’t know,” Jensen replied with quiet honesty. “I know I want to be happy, but I’m not sure I deserve it.”
“Then we’ll work on that,” Chase said. “Niall, you’re going with Ben. I’ll take Jensen to The Club, and I expect you both to be there in a couple of days. We have a group that plays basketball twice a week.”
“We’re playing basketball?” Jensen asked and then nodded. “Yes, we can play basketball. Niall, are you okay with this? I left you, too. I left you alone to take care of her and I just… I’ve been trying to leave you on your own for years now. I don’t want to. You and Harlow are everything to me.”
He let go of his anger. It was a surprisingly easy thing to do since he’d figured out a long time ago that he did deserve happiness. There was only one way for him. Sharing Harlow with his best friend. “I’m okay with getting our girl back and making her happy. And somehow I don’t think it’s just going to be basketball, man.”