Shattered Hearts A MFM Love Story

~ ~ Jackson ~ ~

What was that saying?

Sometimes life tosses out curveballs. Some we dodge, but others landed just where you wanted them.

Well, this curveball landed me right where I wanted to be.

Getting married...to Maddy Lockwood.

“Sonofabitch!” grumbled my brother, staring at his reflection, yanking on the knot of his tie. He hated them.

And honestly, I wasn’t fairin’ much better. “Riley Jo will spit feathers if she sees you yanking on that thing.”

Riley Jo had organised our entire day from start to finish. As well as picking out our outfits, which granted, these suits she had us wearing were real fine. Mine matched the colour of our eyes, she said.

Where Logan’s was a darker grey tone, and he wore a blue shirt with a pink tie to my white shirt with a dark blue silk tie.

I was thankful they weren’t identical. Yeah, being twins was fine an’ all, but wearing matching clothes—nah, we hadn’t done that since being five years old.

But that wasn’t what sold us on them... Maddy would love them, she said. So no matter how uncomfortable we felt in them. We both wore them proudly.

That, and it was only for one day. We could suck it up.

But that wasn’t all. Riley Jo had been like a tornado these last few days, tearing through our normally quiet well-run ranch, transforming it into a wedding venue fit for royalty.

I’d never seen so many people mulling around, looking at us like we were the ones that shouldn’t be here.

Now normally, I would have said something about her barking out orders like some kind of Drill Sergeant, but Adam told us they just found out she was pregnant again and her hormones had kicked in much earlier than the first time. And he gave warning that if we valued our lives, we should just smile and nod.

Maddy was both thrilled and a little sad upon hearing the news of her sister expecting another baby. I think she hoped she would be pregnant by now and even though we’d been making up for lost time since the shooting, she still hadn’t got caught.

Well, when I say making up for lost time, that had been true until a week ago when she had declared herself ‘off-limits’ till after the wedding.

Me and Logan had no clue why she suddenly wanted to wait, but when she threatened to sleep in her own room if we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves, then we begrudgingly agreed.

So this past week had felt more like a month, and we had both been walking around with a serious case of blue-balls and I was getting so backed up, I was ’bout ready to bust a nut... literally.

Even right now my damn dick was being a nuisance, sitting up every time I had a thought about tonight—our wedding night and our first night as husband and wife.

With a resigned sigh, Logan raked his hand through his thick hair. “I tell you as soon as you say I do... then I’m taking this damn thing off and giving it to Adam.” A smile tugged at his lips. “He can use it to tie her up with, later.”

I laughed. “I don’t think they have that kind of relationship.” But what did I know? “I think it’s more likely Riley Jo carries around his balls in her pocket.”

Now Logan laughed. “What? And Maddy doesn’t lead us around by our balls?”

Yeah, true. Not that I would bitch about that. She owned my balls, heart and soul, too.

We both turned our heads on hearing a rap of knuckles on our door. It opened and a familiar face popped her head inside. “Y’all decent?” our aunt Jody asked with one hand covering her eyes.

“Decent enough,” I said.

She dropped her hand and a smile spread across her face. “Oh, heavens to Betsey. You boys look a picture.” Planting a hand across her chest, she moved into the room, coming to stand to in front of us both.

“You boys nervous?” Her eyes jumped between us.

“Nope.” We both answered at the same time.

It’s a day I thought would never come. Nerves didn’t play a part in it. Excited and eager to get started was the way I was feeling.

Jody stepped closer and raised a hand to each of our cheeks, cupping them. “I can’t believe it. Y’all grown up and ’bout to be married.”

Her eyelashes fluttered and the emotions thickening her voice caught me off guard, but she took a breath, looking like she had something else to say.

“I know there’s that nature versus nurture argument and I’m not your mama.” She swallowed and me and Logan shared a glance. “I never cared that I didn’t bring you into this world, but believe I had a part in how you both turned out and I need you to know how proud you both make me.”

“Jody...” I tried to cut in.

“No. Let me finish.” She drew a breath. “You’ve both overcome a lot to get here and I’m not just talking ’bout your illness, Jackson.” Her gaze rested on mine briefly. “And I know your Pa. God rest his soul, did his best, but he never got over losing your ma and sometimes that led him to not treat you as well as he should have done.” She sighed out. “But he loved you both and I know he would be proud of you, too.”

“Thanks, Jody,” said Logan with a catch in his voice.

She was wrong if she thought I didn’t think of her as my ma. I did. We both did. She’d always been there for us. And she was right in saying she had a hand, sometimes a firm one, as my butt could attest to, in how we turned out.

“C’mere,” I said, wrapping her in a hug. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head before letting her go and Logan did the same.

“As far as we’re both concerned, you are our ma,” said Logan, repeating my thoughts. “And we’re both grateful for everything you did for us growing up,” he quickly added on, “still do for us.”

Jody sniffled and wiped at her nose. “Damn. I said I wasn’t gonna cry none.” She sniffled again, shaking her head from side to side before pulling her shoulders back and straightened her outfit and laughed. “Right, enough of all that mushy stuff. You boys get out there and make an honest woman outta her!” Staring at us through watery eyes, she gave us a final brusque nod of approval before turning and heading out.

Logan clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “You heard the woman. Let’s get this show on the road!”

We both grabbed our suit jackets and headed outside.

Damn. Once we were outside the balmy July breeze slapped me right in the face. And at this rate, I would be sweating like a sinner in Church—and it was only touching eleven!

I dug a finger into my collar and tugged, thankful we’d agreed to get married earlier before the sun reached its hottest. At least this way I could shed the jacket and roll up my sleeves some.

My eyes scanned across the view. They had transformed the outside as we made our way around the side of our sprawling ranch house.

To our left was one of those fancy marquees. And over yonder to the right of it were rows of benches, set up to look like a makeshift aisle. Shaded by large overhead canopies. A band was already warming up and flowers were everywhere. I didn’t think I’d ever seen so many. But it looked pretty, and Maddy would love it.

“Well, colour me happy.” Our heads turned to see Riley Jo heading our way. “Damn.” She hummed with a small smile curving her pretty mouth. “You boys scrub up nicely.”

She flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder and strutted toward us with her eager green eyes speculatively assessing us. “Yep. Exactly as I pictured. Perfect.” Coming to a stop in front of us.

Riley Jo placed one hand, flat, square on my chest, doing the same to Logan with the other.

“Right,” she started, her face growing serious. “I’m giving you both fair warning.” Her eyes bounced between us. “Seein’ as our daddy ain’t here to give you this talk. I’m gonna do it.”

I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but neither me nor Logan opened our mouths.

“You both know I’m good with a gun, right?” Her eyebrows arched some.

I side-glanced Logan, who wore the same confused look.

“So I don’t need to tell you—either of you, that if you don’t do right by my sister, then I’m gonna live up to my reputation.”

You wouldn’t think a woman could stand there looking so sweet, smiling so innocently and, at the same time be threatening your life. The two didn’t marry up, but it didn’t stop me from running my mouth off. “Anyone ever told you—you can be quite scary sometimes?”

Logan laughed at that. “I’d be careful with that smart mouth of yours, Jackson. She might have a gun hidden under that pretty dress she’s wearing.”

I don’t know why but I pictured Maddy holding a gun and the strange thing was, there was something seriously hot about a sexy woman with a pump-action shotgun. Provided it wasn’t aimed at me, of course.

Riley Jo laughed. “You should listen to your brother,” patting our chests. “Good. Now that’s out of the way. There is something I need to tell you both and this one y’all gonna like.”

Dropping her hands, she was full on grinning now, like the cat who got the canary.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspenders,” prompted Logan.

“I didn’t tell anyone ’bout this until I got confirmation two days back.” Her head flicked over her shoulder and my eyes followed.

There was a man I’d never seen before walking down the makeshift aisle dressed in a crisp white suit and black shiny shoes.

“C’mon.” She started walking backwards, flicking her chin up so we would follow. “We can walk and talk. I want you to meet someone.”

Logan answered with a half shrug and we followed, walking in step, flanking our soon-to-be sister-in-law.

“Because y’all live in this poly set-up,” she started.

“Poly what?” Logan piped up.

“A polyamorous relationship, the three of you. That’s what it’s called.”

It never crossed my mind that it had some fancy name. I just called it what it was...sharing.

“I found a minister that can marry the three of you.”

My steps faltered, but Logan’s stopped in their tracks and Riley Jo turned.

“What? You mean she can marry us both?” asked my brother.

Riley Jo held up one hand. “Not in the legal sense. No. Only one of you can sign the licence today but in regards to the ceremony.” She smiled smugly. “Then yeah, you both get to claim your woman in front of family and friends.” Her hand waved around. “Exchange rings. Vows. Y’know all the usual stuff that you do at weddings.”

“Seriously?” Logan blinked. Looking at me and then eyes back on Riley Jo. “You ain’t pulling my leg?”

“This isn’t something I would tease ’bout, Logan Reilly.”

“And Maddy knows—she’s okay with it?”

I thought that was a pretty stupid question to ask. But I was always the smarter twin. And better looking too.

She threw him a don’t be so stupid face.“Duh! Of course, she knows. I told her first.” Smiling now. “And trust me, she’s excited.”

Logan swept her up and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Riley Jo. That’s the best news.”

She giggled. “Told y’all would like it... but you can put me down now, you’re wrinkling up my dress.”

He set her down and then his eyes went round as saucers. “Oh, shit. I ain’t got no vows. What am I gonna say?”

Some of the colour drained from his cheeks. “Chill, Logan. You got this.” I hadn’t prepared a damn thing. I was gonna shoot from the hip, wasn’t sweating it at all.

I was also better with words than Logan.

Hell, let’s face it. I was the better twin.

Logan cut into my inner musings. “Easy for you to say, brother, and what’s with the smirk?”

With a quick head-shake. “Nunthin. Just happy is all.”

He grumbled something I didn’t catch.

“Logan.” Riley Jo tutted, fixing her small hands on her hips. “Maddy don’t need anything fancy. Just speak from the heart and you will be just fine.”

She dropped her hands. “Now, c’mon. Time is moving faster than we are!”

It was nearly time.

Not twenty minutes later, standing around waiting with fifty of our closest family and friends. The band started playing and me and Logan flipped around.

There she was.

Christ. The sight of her was damn near enough to take me out at the knees.

She was beautiful and my heart stuttered in my chest and yeah; I felt pressure building behind my eyes and I blinked it back because I wanted nothing impeding my view of her.

She was wearing a champagne-coloured dress that fluttered around her ankles. Her long blonde hair sat in waves, spilling over her shoulders, all soft as it framed her face. Ballet slippers were on her feet and the expression that was looking right at us was one I’d never forget.

Pure happiness.

“Damn,” said Logan, his breath slamming to a halt in his lungs.

And my smile was so wide, it would put the sun in its shade.

With the band playing something by Taylor Swift? She walked toward us with a blush creeping up those pretty cheeks of hers.

No one was giving her away. Maddy said she didn’t need anyone to do that job. She was quite capable of giving herself to us.

Those sparkling blues trickled over me and Logan as she stood within reach of us both. “Don’t you both look good enough to eat,” she teased in a coy tone.

She thought we looked good? Hell, I was trying my best not to slobber all over myself seeing how she was looking.

Logan pressed a kiss to her cheek. “We’ve got nothing on you, beautiful.”

Smooth brother. I’d give it to Logan, he was besting me on keeping his cool.

Maddy slid her fingers into mine. The electric spark that ignited from the contact went straight to every erogenous zone in my body... as well as blood heading south.

Damn. The last thing I needed to be worried about was my dick threatening to break the zipper, but thankfully, we turned back around to face the minister and I tried thinking of him naked.

It worked. My dick deflated.

And with Logan on Maddy’s left and me on the right, we both held her hand and the ceremony got underway.

Now, I would love to tell you I listened to every word, but my eyes kept falling onto Maddy, drinking her in, inhaling all of her sweet scent.

“Jackson...”My head flicked back to the minister.

Shit. The vows. And my mind went blank.

I double blinked and as Maddy moved to stand in front of us, Logan nudged me as he shifted closer, so we were standing shoulder to shoulder again.

I pulled my wits together and as Riley Jo came to stand beside us with a fancy silver platter thing that was decorated with our rings, I was back in the driver's seat.

Thank Christ.

Logan and I picked up the rings we’d chosen for Maddy. Mine was gold and his was made of platinum and diamonds.

I went first.

“Maddy, I know sometimes I’ve been difficult and some might say a bit of an idiot” I still felt bad for how I treated her. “And I know it hurt you when I pushed you away.” Her eyes softened, and I saw no trace of bitterness.

“But I need you to know what you did for me, how you stood beside me, fighting for me and our love.” I breathed in. I didn’t like to remember being ill, but it was important to me that today, on the day she chose me, she knew.

“—It meant everything to me. You found me when I was lost and held on tight. You loved me when I didn’t even like myself. You were my strength. And I need you to know I love you. I love you so much, baby.”

She squeezed my hand. “I’ll always find you, Jackson.”

I nodded, carrying on despite the thickening lump in my throat. “You’ve been a part of me... in my blood since the very beginning. Me and you, this, was always inevitable. And I’m promising you right now, I will never stop loving you, or fighting whatever is put in my way that might stop us from being together, because you, Maddy, are my everything.”

I slid my ring smoothly onto her finger.

“Thank you, Jackson. Now, Logan...” said the minister, and I heard Logan suck in a breath and swallow hard.

He was so nervous, I could almost taste it.

“Maddy, I ain’t real good with words but I can say, I believe my soul tied itself to yours from that very first kiss and then I was sleepwalking, waiting, until the day you gave me a chance and now it's like free-falling and my heart just can’t get enough.” He sucked in another sharp breath. “I know that giving you your dreams is my whole damn world and I’ll be here loving you till my lungs give out.”

Damn, for not being prepared, he did good.

Maddy’s eyes glassed over as her eyelashes fluttered. “Those words were beautiful, Logan.”

Now it was Maddy’s turn as she picked up our rings.

“Y’all know how indecisive I can be, but one thing I know with utter certainty is that you—the both of you are the men that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Even when I didn’t realise what love was, you both showed me exactly the type of men you are. You anchored me when I was afraid, never letting me forget how beautiful and amazing you think I am.”

Her eyes filled with emotion. “Both of you are the reason I am who I am today, blossomed into the woman I always hoped I’d be and for that, I thank you both.” Pausing, she smiled. “My love is everlasting and I’ll never willingly let either of you go and I will be proud to wear these rings and take your name and make it my own and be by your sides loving you both for today, tomorrow, and every day after that.”

In turn, she slid our rings onto our fingers.

“And now, with all the blessing I can bestow, Logan, Maddy, Jackson. You are all tied together for an eternity and you may now seal that future with your first kiss.” He nodded toward me and Logan. “You may kiss your bride, gentlemen.”

Logan pulled a fast one and nudged my shoulder, saying. “Being the oldest gives me some perks.”

And he pulled our wife toward him and kissed her, and everyone started clapping and cheering.

I laughed, shaking my head.

And then Maddy brushed up against me, her hands sliding up to my face, her soft, cool fingers brushing against the day’s worth of stubble on my cheeks moments before she pulled my head down evaporating the gap. I started by kissing her lightly, then completely ignoring where we were and had an audience of our family and friends, I kissed her with all the passion I’d restrained in this past week. And when her tongue teased mine, a storm brewed, all my suppressed desires roared at full throttle and my hands moved to her slim hips and dug in a little.

The clearing of a throat had us springing apart. We both started grinning as another round of whooping and cheering whipped up around us.

Logan clapped a hand on my back and leaned toward Maddy. Pulling her closer to us both as he whispered, “Our beautiful wife.”

Wife...

She was ours. And I’d be damned if we were ever letting her go.