“Dylan!” she cried, running to his side. “What is wrong with you, Jude?” She turned to look at me with disappointment and confusion marring her pretty face.

“Outside,” Mace said in a deathly stoic voice, reminding me for the last time I was sure.

“Jax, go ahead outside with Mima for a bit, buddy,” Jude soothed his son. He looked confused and a little scared with all the commotion. The last thing I wanted was for him to be upset by my stupid actions. I hadn’t even thought twice about decking that asshole when he’d insinuated I wasn’t concerned with being a good father. The truth hurts sometimes and he’d called it straight on me being a selfish prick.

The blood roared in my ears once again as I watched Jaxson wander out the sliding glass door, before I followed Mace out the front away from everyone. I hadn’t even descended the steps before he was on me like white on rice.

“You hit your head or something?’ Mace crossed his arms over his chest.

“He’s a jackass. I—”

“You’re being a jackass. I told you no bullshit. You want Ma to come in and whoop your ass?” He cleared his throat. “You know damn well what she’d have done if she caught you fighting in her house.” I dropped my head slightly. Ma didn’t deserve disrespect and that was what I’d done, regardless of that douche deserving it or not.

I raised my head and threw my angriest glare directly at Mace. “He’s not good enough for her. He doesn’t deserve her and he’s a cocky son of a bitch. You gonna stand there and tell me she should be bringing that fuckstick in here?”

“I don’t give a good god damn if you think he’s not good enough. I don’t either, but I’ll sort that out myself, and you will keep your bullshit testosterone in check while we’re here, asshole!” Mace gave me no option to argue, turning his back and storming back inside. I hung around the front of the house for another few minutes before I headed inside and collected up the kids and our stuff. With much argument the boys, they finally made their way to the truck and we waved as I pulled out of the driveway and headed home.

Haven

“I’m so sorry, Dylan,” I apologized again. “I should have known he’d pull something stupid.”

“Stop, sugar.” He reached over and grabbed my hand, holding it in his. “You don’t apologize for that. I’m alright. He got it off his chest. It’s fine. “

“How’d I manage to find the world’s sweetest guy?” I sighed, lifting my feet up underneath my legs on the passenger seat. I reached in the glove box and grabbed a napkin. "Your nose is still bleeding." I reached across the console to wipe his face. "Are you sure you're okay? Should we go to the hospital?"

"Nah. I'm good. Nothing a little TLC from a beautiful woman can't fix." He looked over at me from the corner of his eye, a slight twinkle to go along with his smile. It caused a stirring in my belly that I never thought I'd feel again.

Butterflies?

"You know, we didn't get to eat much. Are you hungry?" Dylan kept both eyes on the road, his hand reaching up to mine, taking the napkin and finishing the job of cleanup.

"I'm not too hungry, but I could definitely use a drink." As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. The last thing I needed was a drink…drinking lead to other cravings I’d rather not have.

"Okay, sugar. Point me in the right direction. I could probably use one too." He smiled out the windshield. "Maybe we could work our way up to a full meal."

There was a hint of humor in his tone. I couldn't believe he actually wanted to hang around after how awfully he was treated.

"Yeah." I looked away, suddenly feeling shy. I had thought shy was a thing of the past for me, Dylan and I had been seeing each other for a while and we’d gotten to know each other quite well. Well enough that I’d taken him home with me at least. "I would like that very much."

We drove in companionable silence, a mellow look of tranquility on Dylan's face as we made our way to the closest bar possible. He had reached over toward me, as if he were afraid I would disappear if he wasn't touching some part of me. His hand was warm and soft as it enclosed mine. He’d romanced me with dates, and gorgeous surprise lunches, picnics and sweet moments of handholding, but for whatever reason, we hadn’t advanced past that. At first, it was him putting the breaks on us sleeping together; now it was me. I hadn’t pinpointed what was holding me back, but it certainly wasn’t him. He’d done all the things a gentleman could, yet here we were, still courting as such.

"What are you thinking about, Haven?" His velvety voice washed over me, warming me like a soft blanket.

"Nothing really, just about today." I didn't elaborate about what exactly.

"You don't have to share if you don't want to. I understand the need to keep some things to yourself." Dylan's voice trailed off as if he were in a deep thought of his own. "We all have secrets, sugar. Maybe one day, we can share with each other.”

Unease flickered through me at his words. A moment’s unease that he may be hiding something sparked my fight or flight instincts, but I squashed it just as quickly. Who was I to judge? I had the worst secrets of them all.

"Yeah, maybe." That was all I could say. I couldn't bear to look into his eyes and tell him about my demons. My secrets … the ones only Jude knew about. There was no way anything he could be hiding from me or the rest of the world could change how I felt about him in that moment.