SWNOVELS Acts of Grace: Part 1 – Chapter 15
Iclutch my mug with both hands as I walk to the family room. It’s been one hell of a week and with it being the day of the twins’ birthday party, I need all the caffeine I can get.
When Titus said I’d be on kid duty, he wasn’t kidding.
Aiden woke up from his coma, which you think would be great news, but it turns out he’s basically a vegetable. We’ve been praying and waiting for him to come out of his current condition, where he can either remain in a persistive vegitative state or move on to talking and having actual cognitive functions.
Needless to say, Bella was a mess.
I’ve been watching over the twins and Harper twenty-four-seven, leaving me feeling like a windup toy at the end of its pull.
Taking in another long sip of coffee, I ask myself how in the hell Bella pulls this off on a regular basis. I love my niece and the twins are a ton of fun, but holy hell. Let’s just say I’m glad Bella is back in charge for today’s festivities.
“Agh,” I choke on the hot liquid when I catch an eyeful of William thrusting his hips into Bella’s ass. Quickly turning on my heels, I wave a hand in the air. “My bad, didn’t know y’all were busy with that.” I’m about to walk back to my room when I hear my brother call out.
“It’s okay, Ashley. You can turn around now. There’s nothing to see. I was just helping Bella with the finishing touches for the party, but now that you’re here…” he grins maniacally, “You can help.”
Bella chimes in, wiggling her fingers as she walks out of the room. “Actually, both of you can help. I’m going to shower before the kids wake up and I need to get them ready for the day.”
As soon as she’s cleared the threshold, I turn toward my brother. “What the hell was that?!” I whisper-shout. “You know her father and Ren would’ve murdered you if they were the ones to have walked in on you like that.” A pang of guilt hits me knowing he would kill Titus if he knew what we’d been up to.
I try and justify that our situation is different. Titus and I are just physical. We know our relationship won’t move past that, so there’s no need to inform everyone else of our agreement.
William and Bella are different. This past week they’ve grown closer, falling deeper down the rabbit hole of love. If they want a real relationship, he needs to come clean. Not only with her, but his best friends.
“Settle down, Ashley. I’m going to talk to them about it eventually. I’m just waiting for the right time.”
My mouth goes slack, and the feelings of guilt are overtaken by stabbing jealousy. William is willing to risk everything to be with Bella. His feelings for her are so great that he’s willing to put himself out there with his best friends and business partners.
Before I know what’s happening, my big green monster takes over my lips. “Oh yea? And how do you think it will go when you tell someone who’s still recovering from a brain injury, or another specific someone who is extremely overprotective of their niece? I can’t imagine it will go well, can you?”
“I get it, Ashley. It’s a delicate situation and I promise I’ll handle it with kid gloves.”
“Kid gloves.” I snort, unable to hold back laughter at the unintentional pun. “How fitting.”
“Quit talking and help me set up this damn table.” William motions to the table he and Bella were working on when I walked in.
“Okay. But hey, just so you know…” I look at him, hoping I can convey how sincere I am. “I really like Bella. She’s a good woman, and even though she’s only eighteen, I think she’d make an amazing partner.”
William smiles, and I know he can see I really mean what I’ve said. “Thank you. I think so too. Now let’s get to work. This isn’t going to set itself up.”
“Yes, sir.” I giggle, remembering Titus and I the other day.
I can only hope that if our physical relationship develops into something more, my brother would be accepting of him too.
Here we go again.
I hadn’t seen Titus since Aiden first woke up. I was busy with the kids and he’d flown back to Dallas for work.
But here we are, in the same damn room and he won’t even look at me.
Dejavú vibes from the jet make my stomach roll.
Here I was, not two hours ago, hoping that maybe our relationship could move past something physical. That he would feel for me even a tenth of what William feels for Bella.
I shake my head. Foolish girl.
Heading to the kitchen, I bump into Bella who’s carrying a tray of cupcakes.
“Oh my god!” I help her balance the thing, avoiding a frosting disaster. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know where my head is at.”
Bella’s eyes light up and her lips purse to the side. “I think I have an idea.” Her gaze falls behind me and I know who she’s looking at.
Covering my face with both hands a grumble. “God, am I that obvious?”
“No.” Bella places a hand on my shoulder as I hear the clanking of the cupcake tray rest on the marble countertop. “I know because I’ve been around you both for a while. Observing. Ugh, gosh. Not in a creepy stalker way. More like in a curious way. Agh. Not that you’re like a sideshow experiment or anything. More like… umm, forget it.”
I look at her flustered face and laugh a full bellied laugh. She always goes on rants when she’s nervous. “Don’t worry. I get what you’re saying. I tipped you off on our girls’ night that was so rudely interrupted. We need to resume that by the way. Maybe we can turn it into a weekly thing.”
“I would love that. Oh before I forget, there’s someone I want to introduce you to.” Bella grabs my hand walking me over to a handsome man standing by the door, talking animatedly to two little girls. “Ashley, this is Jackson. He’s our neighbor and father to Lilith and Lauren.” The twin girls beam up at me, their eyes blinking rapidly.
“Wow, you’re so pretty. Wanna come over to our house and play dolls with us? You can have Elsie.”
The man chuckles, “Wow, you must be very special, Ashley. They don’t even let me play with Elsie.”
“I’d be honored.” I look down at the girls, my cheeks hurting from how hard they have me smiling.
“Yaaay!” They cheer as they high-five each other before giving one another mischievous smiles. “Maybe you can stay for dinner and a sleepover too!”
A deep voice rumbles from behind me. “There will be no sleepovers.”
Titus steps forward, his hands balled up into fists as he stares daggers into Jackson. “I’m sorry to inform you that miss Ashley can’t do sleepovers.”
My jaw drops at his audacity. It wasn’t even Jackson who asked for the sleepover, yet Titus is over here looking at him as if he’s the one who’s tried to lure me away.
“Please excuse him. He has no manners.” I smile at Jackson before lowering myself to the girls. “Thank you for the invite, I would love to come over and play dolls but I’m afraid I’m needed here during the night.”
Bella hops in, trying to diffuse the tension. “Yes, sometimes I need to go see my dad and miss Ashley helps me by watching Matt, Max, and Harper. Speaking of, have you seen them yet? They’re out back in the bouncy house.”
The two blonde girls jump up and down as they screech, “Bouncy house! Can we go, daddy?”
Jackson nods, “Of course. Be sure to take your shoes off before you go inside!” He’s yelling after them as they run toward the French doors that lead to the back yard.
Bella looks between Titus and me, smirking as she heads to pick up the tray of cupcakes she’d put down earlier. “Right, well it looks like the two of you have some talking to do.” She snickers as she steps between us and through to the hallway, leaving us alone in the kitchen
My eyes quickly find Titus’ stoic face. Not one shred of emotion to be found after his outburst minutes ago.
“So are you going to explain what just happened?” I cock a brow, placing a hand on my hip.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His tone matches his facial cues, aloof and uninterested.
“Are you kidding me? You’ve been ignoring me this whole time. You didn’t even greet me when you got in.” I lower my voice and look at our surroundings. “You haven’t even texted me all week. Then when I’m talking to the neighbor and his daughters, you come in like some sort of caveman, beating your chest and controlling my schedule.” I lower the pitch of my voice, imitating his, “‘There will be no sleepovers.’ What the hell was that all about?”
“You won’t be sleeping over any man’s house. That’s what that was about.” His tone is steady, never wavering from the cool aloofness his face portrays. But his eyes. His eyes hold a silent fury, waiting to unleash with the write push. The right word. The right provocation.
“Jesus, Titus. It wasn’t even him inviting me. It was the girls.”
“It doesn’t matter. I saw the way he was looking at you.” The fire burning in his eyes turns molten, his body pressing closer to mine until I’m up against the wall. “You’re mine, Ashley. Don’t forget that.”
My heart is beating rapidly, feeling as if it were going to beat right out of my chest. This is the closest we’ve been since he left my bed six days ago.
I may be angry with him, but my body can’t help but react to his. It wants him. It craves him.
Thank god, I still have my brain because my stupid heart would acquiesce without question.
“Yours?” I scoff. “You sure have a funny way of showing it.” I’m about to walk away when his arms lift to my sides, caging me in.
His tongue peeks out, licking the shell of my ear before whispering his threat, “You’re mine just as I am yours. If I ever catch you entertaining the idea of a sleepover with a man, I will spank your ass so raw you won’t be able to walk for a week.”
My mouth opens but I have no words. I’m left gasping for air as he pins me with his heated gaze before he turns and walks out of the room.
With my back to the wall, I let myself slide down.
What have I gotten myself into?
There’s no kidding myself. I’m his. But if he’s to be believed, he’s also mine.
Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath.
Words, they are just words. I can’t let myself fall for a man whose words are at opposites with his actions.
His faux love will not be my demise.