Filthy Crown by Eleanor Aldrick
“Pen!” A little blonde whirl of emotions comes barreling into me, followed by our solemn brother, Alex.
“Hey, guys.” I crouch down, pulling them both into my arms. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
Amanda pulls back enough so she can see my face, her big green eyes wet with tears. “You left, and you were gone for so long.”
“We thought you weren’t coming back,” Alex whispers into my hair.
Jesus. My heart. It feels like it’s breaking into a million little pieces.
“No, guys.” I squeeze them tighter. “I’d never leave you. I promise.”
I know that’s not something I should do. Nobody could promise forever. But hearing their words full of so much raw fear and sadness, I can’t help and indulge. It’s not like I have any intention of leaving them anyway. They’d have to pry me from them and even then, I’d find a way to come back.
“It’s late, but how about we let your sister change and then she can meet us in the study for some hot chocolate.” Jack is ruffling Alex’s hair, his hand outstretched to Amanda.
She’s beaming up at him, batting her lashes. “Can we have whipped cream and marshmallows too?”
Jack chuckles, “Of course. Let’s go ask Mary where she’s hiding them.”
“Behind the oatmeal,” Jace offers, making Matt snort.
“Of course you’d know where the marshmallows are.” He’s shaking his head when the kids finally release their death grip around me.
I don’t mind the love and affection. In fact, I soak up every second of it. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and forever isn’t real. But Jack is right, I need to change.
Since I had no panties, I ended up wiping off his spend with the underside of my dress. To say that I’m uncomfortable would be an understatement.
Though the thought of walking around marked by Jack is appealing, I’d really like a hot bath right about now. Pressing a kiss to both kids’ heads, I give them my promise that I’ll join them soon. “Save me some marshmallows. Don’t let Uncle Jace eat them all.”
Amanda giggles while Alex is stone cold serious. “I promise, Pen.”
My little man. He’s such a good brother. I just hope that everything we’ve been through hasn’t scarred him for life.
With a sigh, I turn and walk up the stairs, taking them two at a time. There’s a walk-in shower that’s calling my name.
A wicked thought springs to mind as soon as I hit the landing. I have no freaking clue what Jack and I are, if we’re anything at all, but seeing as how I’m still covered in him, he shouldn’t begrudge me getting cleaned up in his bath.
He has a massive walk-in shower that doubles as a sauna and I could definitely use a steam right about now. The fear of not knowing if the cartel threat is still alive and well gives me a bone-deep chill.
Even now, as I step into his room, a shiver wracks through me. His room is so masculine, in deep shades of gray and white. It’s stunning. My eyes land on his king-sized bed, decked out in this cloud like comforter that begs to be jumped on.
Shaking my head, I walk toward the shower. That’s where I’m going, not his bed.
Stepping into the all white space, I turn the shower on and hit the dials for the sauna. I’m so excited I can barely stand still. I’m about to start stripping when I realize I haven’t brought anything with me, and despite what Jack and I did in his truck, I still don’t feel comfortable walking out of his room in just a towel. I’d be mortified if his brothers or Mary saw me.
Leaving the water running and the shower steaming up, I turn and open the door to the bedroom, my entire body freezing at the vision before me.
A buck ass naked woman is lying on Jack’s bed. Legs spread wide for me to see. “What the actual fuck, Georgina!” I shriek, my voice coming out like some daemon possessed serpent. Red is all I see. This bitch must’ve thought it was Jack in the shower.
Oh my god. Does this mean they do this regularly?
I’m still standing at the bathroom entry frozen when the bedroom door flings open and men pour in. All four brothers stop at the foot of Jack’s bed, their eyes in various states of surprise.
It’s not until Jace cackles that Jack speaks. “What are you doing, Georgina?”
This bitch finally has the decency to cover up with a silk robe she must’ve brought with her. “I… I thought it was you in the shower.”
All eyes fall on me, the bathroom entryway behind me as steam billows out all around me. I give them all a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t feeling good, so I was going to use the sauna.” I hitch my thumb back, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world to use your uncle’s shower instead of your own.
Jack blinks a couple of times before his eyes travel down my body, undressing me with his eyes. A full blush comes over me, the heated moment only being broken by Matt’s growling and shoving of Jack.
Jack looks back toward Georgina, his brows pushing together. “I think this goes without saying, but I’ll make it clear just the same. This is extremely unprofessional, Georgina. I don’t know what gave you the impression that this,” he waves a hand over her. “whatever this is, is okay. I’ve done nothing to ever give you the impression that I like to shit where I eat.” Jace snickers and Matt grumbles, but Jack continues. “Frankly, this lack of judgment is not acceptable, and I can’t have that around Pen and the kids. You’re terminated. I’ll give you until tomorrow to collect your things and leave. You’ll be given a severance package and that should be enough to get you wherever you need to go, but you’re no longer welcome here.”
“But Jack, I just wanted to make you feel good. You carry so much stress on your shoulders, I wanted to alleviate it.”
My body is vibrating with rage. The irony that I told Jack pretty much the same thing not twenty-four hours ago also isn’t lost on me. It’s taking everything in me to not claw her face off. He’s mine. Jack is mine. Only I get to make him feel good.
Is he though? Is he really yours? A little voice in the back of my head fights my anger, trying to inject logic into my emotions, but I’m not having it.
With clenched fists, I take a couple of steps toward her, ready to enact my kind of rationale. I’ve almost reached her when Hunter’s strong arms come around me, pulling me back into his chest. “No, Princess. Let Jack handle this.”
Jack’s eyes cut to Hunter and then drop to where his arms are, the realization pulling a growl from his lips.
Georgina notices and releases a cackle that is so disturbing it belongs in a horror movie. “Oh, so that’s what this is? You don’t want a real woman, you want a little girl and I’m not young enough for you.”
My face goes red as Jack’s jaw clenches. “What I need is not your concern, Georgina. All you need to know is that you’re no longer welcome here.”
She sniffs, flicking her hair off her shoulder. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see she was using your shower, and the look on her face says she’s jealous of all this and what you could have if only you’d let yourself.”
My body jolts forward, reacting to her taunts, but Hunter keeps me held back firmly against his chest.
The room is quiet, nobody daring to confirm or deny any of her accusations. Georgina raises a brow as she gets off the bed and saunters over to Jack. “Go on and deny it. Tell me you feel nothing for that little girl. That it’s all a one-sided crush. Some sick teenager lusting after her uncle.” She turns to me, a wicked smile playing on her lips. “Because she is only seventeen, and you’re far too old for her. It’s practically illegal. Oh wait, it actually is.”
Jack snarls. “Pen is my niece. Nothing more. She’s a child and your accusations are fucking sick. Now, get the fuck out of my room and pack up your shit before I throw you out right this second.”
His words sting, gouging deep fissures in my chest. I feel myself crumble against Hunter, his arms the only thing keeping me upright. Logic tells me he’s lying, but just like before, my mind pays it no mind and my heart takes his words as truth.
“Mark my words, Jack. This is going to come back and bite you in the ass. You should’ve taken me while you had the chance.” Georgina walks past the brothers, not sparing me another glance. Fine by me because I have no fight left.
Jack’s words cut me down, taking me back to the rejected little girl waiting by the window for a man who never came. But I suppose that’s what I was made for. Leaving. I owe that nugget of truth to my father. The very first man to ever let me down, and apparently not the last.
