Chapter 3
"I cut my hair today" I announced to my working husband as I arrived home, taking off my shoes.
He was saying bye to someone on a Zoom call and my head went back to what Ashe told me the other day.
Ever since my fiancé came back from his business trip, I have been too scared to ask him if he was dying.
I heard his headphones clatter on his desk and I knew he was done with the call. I walked barefooted today to meet him from the closet to the bedroom.
Jacob's head slowly turns as he takes in the sight of me before him.
And then he cranes his head back, staring up at me with his mouth hanging open.
I imagine it's one of the few moments where this man has looked unattractive. But to me, it's the most attractive he's been this entire night.
He's not concerned with controlling his face and movements, nor does he practice and follow a script. He's just a man in awe of the woman standing in front of him.
"Damn," he mutters finally, his voice deep with wonder. He turns his head back to me, the edges of his eyes round with delight.
The windows were opened, and the soft breeze fanned my new layered red wolf cut hair I just got.
The blue pools in his eyes are glimmering with an emotion I can't put my finger on. It wasn't until that mask slid back over his face that I realized he looked sad.
Melancholic.
Was it because he knew he was going to die soon?
My heart ached, and my tongue itched to ask him.
And I want to know why, but with the way his eyes are heating like a burner on the stove now, I know the opportunity has already passed.
"You got something special here," he says quietly, standing up and prowling towards me. The stars have long since faded, the moon shone brightly and the only thing he can't seem to look away from now is me.
He came to me, took my hair in his hand, letting it drop and run in between his long fingers.
Jacob held my face and took in my scent.
"Strawberry" he said with his handsome smile and I chuckled.
"How did you know that?" I asked, laughing.
"I do" he simply said.
In a flash, my head added town and two together. He was a werewolf, an animal, and he could smell distinct things.
But how do I ask him?
If I did would he kill me to keep his secret?
"I love it" he said, "but not as much as I love you", he said, and kissed me slowly.
It warmed my heart and I knew I wanted this feeling forever.
Forever.
So when he broke the kiss, my mouth opened quickly.
"Are you dying?" I asked, and could feel his hands freeze on my face.
"Who told you that?" He asked me quickly.
"You have a brother. He told me", I said again, I can not control my mouth now.
"You met with the infamous Ashe. It's been years, and He still doesn't know how to respect boundaries. Typical of him, he is my cousin, by the way. Not my brother", he muttered the last part, and pulled away from me.
"No Jake". I held his hand and pulled him back to me. "He told me something about your family and I want to hear all of it from you. Please" I pleaded.
Jacob nodded and held my hand, took me to the bed and sat me down.
He pulled a chair for himself and sat down in front of me.
Jacob held my hand before he started talking.
"I'm from the family of a cartel, some of us wanted the high and excitement that came with it, I just wanted to enjoy life and have peace." He said.
"I was once one of them," he added.
"Once?" I asked
"Yes. I cut off from them a long time again and have no affiliations with them whatsoever again" he said.
"What happened?" I asked.
"It involved a killing with our fathers" he said while softly caressing my hand.
"Who died?" I asked eagerly.
"Ashton's mother" he paused. "His father killed her and my father was part of it," he deadpanned.
Expletives spilled from my mouth in the five seconds it took to wrangle my little hands away from him.
"Hey, relax" he held me still.
"How can I relax? You kept this from me" I said, tearing up.
"I still have time" he said, referring to his disease.
"How long?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"You don't need to know that. Please, I want you to be at peace, not checking in on any countdown to my death" he said.
"Jake" I wanted to refuse, but he held my face.
"I'm still here with you" he said, and I nodded.
He leaned in closer and put his lips on mine, gently pushing his tongue into my lips, asking for entrance to my mouth.
He glided his tongue across my bottom lip, I waited until his taste had completely stained my lips before I opened my mouth.
His hand left my face and ran down my legs before he fist the soft fabric of my dress and hiked it up until it was pooled around my thighs.
"Stop it," I pant, but he doesn't listen. I tried to hold his hands, but he caught them first. My tiny hands are no match for his.
"We're still talking baby" I said, and he chuckled before breaking the kiss, smiling and leaning back into his chair.
With wicked intention - I could see it in his eyes-, he stood up and knelt before me, both of my hands still in one of his and another of his hand in the crease of her thighs to jerk them apart.
My hands snap to hold his forearms, gripping tightly as if to stop him. But that was not my aim, I needed support for what he was going to do for me, so I spread my thighs so far apart, each leg rests on either chair behind us.
"You're welcome" I said to him, breathing fast and staring at his creeping hands with trepidation.
He chuckled lightly, "Tell me about your day" he said, before lowering his head in between my legs.
"Where's Andre?" I asked about my son, trying to distract myself from the bubbling anticipation inside of me.
"Out balling with Amanda" he said.
I felt his hot breath on my bundle of nerves.
"Tell me, which stars do you like? The ones up there or the one's I make you see?" He asked.
I looked outside the windows to see the stars were back.
Once again, I'm reminded of why I'm engaged to this man.
I chose the latter.