CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Watching Leilani withhis family was making him feel all kinds of things he hadn't prepared for.

Even Blake looked less pissed.

Mostly.

He'd never had any concern the Dufort women wouldn't take her under their wing—they were all amazing—but seeing his princess fit in so easily? Well, yeah, it made him happy.

And fucking terrified.

Then he remembered she was clenching her pussy around his sex beads and in just over an hour, he would be licking them clean.

Carter and the girls at Sailors would love this kind of mental foreplay.

Tonight, Leilani was all his. Her heated glances had his cock twitching and obsessed with sinking inside her. The top she wore had done very little to hide her hard nipples. Not that he wanted his family seeing them, but he had a little exhibitionist in him to not care.

He wondered how Leilani felt about it.

She could have refused, but so far had played along like a good little girl, and Jacob was sure she would like it. He knew she'd like what was coming when they were alone.

Alone.

Jacob rubbed his jaw.

Tell Blake I'm fine and have no expectations. I won't quit because his brother broke my heart.

Of course she wouldn't.

At least he knew Leilani wasn't here after his money. Not that he had thought that for a second.

He'd asked for her help, and she'd seen an opportunity to get her mom care while she had a holiday. Hell, he'd been impressed with the way she negotiated it.

Jacob was trying really hard not to like her for more than her pretty tits and sweet pussy, but she was making it really difficult.

The way she kissed him.

The way her sad eyes got under his skin, and he wanted to know what was going on in her life.

The way he was both excited to get her in that king size bed all to himself while also apprehensive about how he'd feel at the end of the weekend.

It seemed so fucking stupid.

He was concerned he'd like her a little too much, while Leilani was very clear she would not feel anything for him.

Story of his life.

And yet, as he watched her through the window and winked at her, he had to wonder if she was really that bulletproof.

Or at least her heart.

In saying that, it was clear something serious was going on in her life. Her mom was ill. But how ill he didn't know. Enough to need a nurse, so it didn't sound positive.

Jacob wondered what else he could do to help her.

Jacob had delivered his part of the deal and arranged for the nurse. She was set up at Mrs. Kai's house this morning with instructions to send him updates, which he'd share with his princess.

His princess.

"I didn't know you were dating," Logan said, handing him a glass of whisky as they stood outside to the large yard.

The large pool was the main feature, along with a tiki bar, huge barbeque, and an outdoor dining area with an enormous, long table to fit...well, the entire Dufort family.

Loungers surrounded the pool with sun umbrellas, and on the lawn was a pink tent which Jacob figured was for the little girls to play in.

That and the scattering of toys.

It was the sort of home he had never seen himself owning, but the moment they landed in the chopper and he saw the white mansion, Jacob wanted one immediately.

Quite how he connected the dots of his life, frequenting a sex club—which he owned—to having a family home like this with children of his own, he wasn't sure.

Logan was still waiting for him to answer.

"Yeah, it's new," Jacob said. "Leilani works for Blake, so...we connected."

"She seems like a nice girl. Well done," his cousin said, sipping at the glass of chilled beer.

Well done?

Like he'd passed a fucking test or something.

"Just dating. Don't get excited." His shoulder lifted as he snorted out a laugh.

Logan studied him. "Have you spoken to your father? I'm sure everyone has been blowing up your phone, but I wanted to give you some time before checking on you."

Fuck.

This was exactly why he'd invited Leilani and, stupidly, he'd let her go off with the girls because he had been more focused on wanting her to fit in and have fun.

And squirm with that toy inside her.

Jacob should've realized Logan would be the one to bring it up. Being the eldest, he'd always been more like one of the adults than a kid to Jacob.

Fletcher tossed some steaks on the grill, and they began to sizzle. He lifted his eyes as if he'd overheard the question and was also waiting for a reply.

Which left Jacob no choice.

"Yeah, we spoke last weekend," he said, taking a large sip of his whisky. "I love these glasses Fletch. They crystal?"

Logan lifted one of his brows, seeing right through his poor distraction tactic.

Goddamn it, he needed Leilani here.

Fletcher took a sip of his beer. "Yeah. You want a house like mine and a set of my glasses?"

Jacob laughed. "And the pool. Gotta have one of those. What are the dimensions?"

Fletcher glanced at Logan and handed him the tongs. "No idea. Shit, I forgot something inside. Watch the steaks."

Logan took the metal utensil and nudged at the steaks. "So, how did it go?"

Fucking hell Logan. Read the room.

"Listen, I really don't want to talk about it. Not yet." He shook his head. "It was a huge shock and I'm still processing it."

Logan studied him, then flipped the steaks.

"Let me guess. Because he's Blake"s father-in-law you feel like you have to be okay with it. Must have him in your life."

Jacob nodded.

Yup, that was exactly it. Like he should smile and accept all of the Montgomery's with open arms, ignoring how it affected him.

But he wasn't okay.

He was angry. He wanted answers from his mother why she thought something this huge was okay to keep from both him and Ward.

He wanted Ward to yell and say he was just as mad.

But they fucking weren't.

And if ever that was done, he wasn't sure he could just wake up and accept he had a father now and do whatever the fuck it was that fathers and sons did.

Love one another?

Ward had hinted at that and Jesus fucking Christ, how was that not pressure? He was supposed to love some grown man just because they shared DNA?

Jacob wasn't sure if he did.

Or didn't.

But he needed time and for people to stop talking to him about it.

"Yup, and I'm fucking mad at Mom. She should have told me. And Ward," Jacob said suddenly.

He wasn't surprised.

Logan had always been the big older cousin that was almost one of the adults while he and Blake had been growing up. Aidan and Amelia had been younger and more playful...and not at all sensible.

"I don't want to sound like a dick, but adults make stupid decisions. You're a man at the start of your adult journey. I've made mistakes, so did your mom. A big one," Logan said.

Jacob wanted to roll his eyes.

Why was this what everyone said when someone fucked up? Forgive, but don't forget. Move on and let it go.

Bullshit.

Were there no consequences for choices made?

Kids were taught from the moment they could understand that if they did something wrong, they would get into trouble.

But adults? It was if they tossed out the rules and went, oh well, we pay taxes now, so change of plans.

"So just forgive her?" Jacob asked irritably.

"No. Tell her you are mad, if you haven't already. She will have to live with that for the rest of her life. But don't let that anger dictate a relationship with your father. Anger makes you blind to possibilities."

Jacob blinked.

Wow, that was kind of profound.

Logan turned the steaks again and they sizzled once more. The juicy aroma wafted his way, and his stomach grumbled.

What did he want?

Every time he thought about moving past this mess, Jacob wasn't sure how.

Or if he wanted to.

He loved his mom, and would never want to hurt her, but if he was being honest with himself, he thought she deserved to be unhappy right now.

"I don't know how to stop being angry," he finally said.

Logan looked up. "Yes, you do. Reshape how you look at the situation. Segment it out like you would in business. Then start analyzing how you want to deal with each part. Your mom. Ward. Your half brothers. One piece at a time."

Jacob nodded slowly, letting that all sink in.

That might work.

He was analytical.

"And by the way, being angry is not a bad thing. Just don't stay there. Get it out of your system and then choose to let it go. That's how you do it, Jacob. Choice."

"Man, you know, if you fail at this liquor thing, you could become a shrink." Jacob smirked.

Logan owned one of the largest liquor distributors in the United States. Dufort Liquor. He was set for life. But like all the cousins, if you could get a dig at someone, you took it without blinking.

"Smart ass." Logan laughed as Fletcher turned back up with a plate of ribs, tomatoes, sweetcorn, and asparagus.

Blake and Hunter joined them as he tossed the remaining food onto the large, triple-plate grill.

"So," Fletcher said, nudging at the food with the other tong. "I fucked up."

"Yeah, enough with that Macallan whisky. Start buying my stuff." Logan laughed.

"Yeah, nah." Hunter shook his head slowly. "No offense."

"You need some marriage advice?" Blake asked.

"You've been married for thirty seconds." Jacob kicked him in the buttocks and the two went flying on the lawn, their drinks flying.

"Nothing's changed." He heard Logan snort.

As they tumbled on grass and Jacob held his big brother down, the two of them laughing and panting, he grunted. "Marriage is making you soft."

"Then you need some lessons in the birds and the bees, because that's not how marriage works." Blake barked out and then he flipped him.

"No broken bones!" Olivia called out the window, and the two of them jumped up and dusted off their clothes.

"Stop." Fletcher said as Sammy and Sienna came running out.

The girls froze.

"What Dad?" Sammy asked.

"I'm on it," Hunter said, and the next minute he was pulling out a hose. Then he sprayed the area where the two of them had been playfighting and spilled their alcoholic drinks.

"I'll get a couple more," Blake said, heading inside.

"So what did you...fluff up?" Jacob asked, darting the little girls a glance.

"Nice save," Fletcher laughed. "The email to your, shit, Bella's brothers only got to Knox. Atlas and Levi only heard about the weekend yesterday."

"Yeah, I get it. My brothers." Jacob sighed and, as he went to look away, he caught Logan"s eye.

Shit.

This was what he didn't want. He didn't want things to be awkward, but he didn't want to have to put on a fucking happy face and pretend they were all one big happy family.

Because it didn't feel like Ward, Knox, Atlas, or Levi were his family.

And he wasn't sure what to do about that.

"Only Knox can make it, but not until Saturday." Fletcher added. "I apologized to Bella."

"Ah, well, I'm sure she will understand," Jacob said.

"I hope it's not awkward for you," his cousin said.

"No, it'll be fine," Jacob lied. But that was why Leilani was with them.

Blake walked out with their drinks, laughing at something someone inside was saying.

"What's fine?" Blake asked.

"Your brother-in-law arriving on Saturday," Jacob said, as Blake nodded.

Then the awkward silence was broken when they heard another helicopter approach.

"Just in time," Fletcher said, pulling some of the meat from the BBQ.

"We're here!" Harper cried out from inside the house a few minutes later.

"You don't need to announce our arrival. They can see us," Daniel said, then stepped outside to join them. One of the staff handed him a drink. "Boys, how are we?"

Jacob clasped his hand and spotted Leilani inside, leaning her hip on the table behind him.

Fuck, she was gorgeous.

He was glad she was here. Despite the awkward conversations with his family, when he saw her face, a warmth lit him up from the inside.

Perhaps he needed to stop being so scared of that.