Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Aaron’s POV

Jess had slipped into a peaceful sleep, her breathing soft and even against my chest. I held her tight, feeling the way her body molded perfectly into mine, like she was made to fit there.

Everything in that moment felt right–as if the chaotic pieces of my world were finally clicking into place, one quiet exhale at a time.

The room was dim, the only light sneaking in from the hallway, casting a gentle glow over her features.

Her lashes fluttered slightly in her dreams, and a stray lock of hair fell across her forehead. God, she was beautiful.

I didn’t want to move, but I had to. I waited until her breathing was deep and even, then gently, I peeled her arm from around my waist, easing myself away inch by inch so as not to wake her.

She stirred faintly, a small murmur escaping her lips, but she didn’t open her eyes.

I grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed and tucked it against her. I watched as she instinctively hugged it closer, nuzzling into it like it was still me.

A flutter stirred in my chest–just seeing her breathe so softly, holding onto that pillow, made something warm and unfamiliar bloom inside me.

I used to take advantage of how her world revolved around me, back when we were kids, when her crush was obvious and I was too self–absorbed to care. But now? I didn’t want that anymore. I wanted to savor it, to make my own world spin around her too. Hell, it already was–I just hadn’t admitted it until recently.

Jess was like a vital substance: you think you aren’t addicted to it until you far hooked, then, you’ll realize how much you depend on it to survive.

She’d been important in my life for years, a constant even when I pushed her away, but now I saw how much I needed her. Not just as a friend or a roommate, but as the anchor keeping me steady.

I wanted to take things slow, one step at a time, so I didn’t miss out on important moments.

I needed to be sure of what I was feeling, to sort through the tangle in my chest, so I didn’t lead her on only to shatter her already fragile heart.

Today, she’d come so close to spilling her true feelings, but she’d hidden behind that word: “care.” I knew it was her way of protecting herself, building walls around a heart that had been bruised too many times.

And the way she acted around me–flushing at my touch, getting nervous but never desperate–made me respect her profoundly. She wasn’t thirsty or clingy; she knew her worth, and damn, it was worth admiring.

Leaning closer, I trailed my index finger lightly down her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin. She stirred again, her brow furrowing for a second, but she settled back into sleep.

I smiled faintly, a quiet ache in my chest. I didn’t want to leave her like this, vulnerable and alone, but I had to.

Williams was waiting–my player, the kid I’d been coaching, lying in a hospital bed after his accident. I couldn’t bail on him, not after promising I’d check in.

With a sigh, I grabbed my keys from the nightstand, slipped on my jacket, and headed out, locking the door softly behind

1. me.

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13:11 Mon, Jan 12

Chapter 31

The night air was cool as I climbed into my car, the engine rumbling to life with a low growl.

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The drive to the hospital wasn’t far, but the empty roads gave my mind too much space to wander. Streetlights blurred past, casting flickering shadows on the dashboard.

My phone buzzed on the passenger seat, vibrating insistently. I glanced at the screen to see it was Nonna. Swiping to answer, I put it on speaker, keeping my eyes on the road.

“Ron, my boy,” she replied, her voice warm but laced with that familiar grandmotherly concern. “I’m doing well, just finished my evening tea. How about you? Staying out of trouble?”

I chuckled softly. “Trying to. What’s up? You don’t usually call this late unless it’s important.”

There was a brief pause, the sound of her shifting in her chair audible over the line.

“Well, I wanted to apologize, dear. About that favor you asked for–the voice recording from your grandfather’s office. I tried, but I couldn’t get it. The security is tighter than ever these days.”

My fist tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles whitening as frustration bubbled up.

I’d been counting on her to pull through; she was one of the few who could slip past Grandpa’s ironclad rules. But I sucked it down, and exhaled slowly.

“It’s okay, Nonna. Thanks for trying anyway.”

“Why did you need it, Ron? What’s going on?” Her tone sharpened with curiosity, the kind that meant she wouldn’t let it go easily.

I hesitated, the city lights reflecting in my windshield as I merged onto the highway.

“Just… forget about it. It’s not a big deal.”

Silence stretched between us, heavy and unspoken. Then she broke it, her voice softer, tinged with sadness.

“I hope you and your grandfather sort out whatever issues you have before it’s too late, Ron. Life’s too short for grudges.”

Her words hung there, but they didn’t faze me. Grandpa and I had been at odds for years–his expectations clashing with my choices–and I wasn’t ready to bridge that gap. Not yet.

“Yeah, well… I’m hanging up now, Nonna.”

“Wait, one more thing,” she interjected quickly. “How’s Jessica? Is she doing alright?” She asked, her tone instantly warmer.

A small smile tugged at my lips at the mention of her name.

“She’s doing well. Better than well, actually.”

“Great to hear that! Ron, listen to me: treat her well. She is not Fiona. She won’t repeat the same mistakes, okay? Give love a chance, and don’t hurt that poor girl,” she warned, her voice suddenly stern.

“Yes… Nonna,” I replied flatly, staring at the road ahead.

“Also, our family summer cruise trip is coming up. I’d love if she could come along.”

I groaned. “Nonna, she doesn’t need to. You saw the way Fiona and Lena treated her last time. It was a disaster.” My brows tightened as I recalled the humiliating dinner moments, the hell they made her go through, emotionally.

“And that’s where you come in, Ron. Stand up for her. Be her backbone. I want Jessica to come, unless she has an extremely valid reason not to. Is that clear?”

13:11 Mon, Jan 12

Chapter 31

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Fexhaled, knowing full well I wouldn’t win this argument. Nonna had a way of asserting her will that even Grandpa couldn’t always override.

“Okay, Nonna.”

“That’s my boy. I’m hanging up now, I love you.” She cooed, as if she hadn’t just asserted her dictatorial authority on my personal life.

“Love you too,” I mumbled, and she chuckled before disconnecting the line.

Alone in the car with my thoughts, I kept cycling back to the same question: What the hell had happened in Grandpa’s office?

Jess had been dodging the topic like it was radioactive, her body tensing every time I brought it up.

And last night, those words she’d whispered while thinking I was asleep: “How can I do this to you, Aaron?” They echoed in my head, sharp and unsettling.

What exactly did that man compel her to do that was so heinous she felt like she was betraying me?

I guessed she wasn’t saying anything to me now out of fear of my grandfather, fear that if she didn’t obey, he’d destroy her.

Grandpa–Kennedy Tyrone–had a knack for manipulating people, bending them to his will with threats or promises.

The thought of him dragging Jess into our family’s mess made frustration claw at my chest. I didn’t want her caught in the crossfire, pulled into the Tyrone web of power plays and secrets.

I needed to save her from the Tyrones, specifically Kennedy Tyrone, but I was blocked by her fear. How could I compel her to speak? How could I get her to trust that my protection was stronger than his influence? Pushing too hard would just scare her off.

I hit the accelerator harder, the car surging forward as if speed could outrun the questions.

In no time, the hospital loomed ahead, its bright lights cutting through the night/

I pulled into the parking lot, tires crunching on gravel, and killed the engine. Stepping out, the cool air hit my face, carrying the faint scent of summer breeze on the horizon.

Just as I slammed the door shut, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out, and glanced at the screen.

An email notification glowed there, the subject line sending my heart into overdrive.

I froze, my thumb hovering over it. The world narrowed to those few words that promised to upend everything.