Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Jessica’s POV

Aaron’s hand gripped my thigh, his thumb tracing small circles against the fabric of my jeans.

“Jess, relax. I’m here with you.”

I cracked my neck a little to meet his eyes.

60

We were en route to New Orleans, chasing down the reason my dad and stepfamily had been blowing up my phone all week -endless calls, texts demanding I “come home” like I owed them my presence.

Aaron had flat-out refused to let me go alone. I never wanted to get him involved in the mess of my family, but somehow he’d forced his way in, and here we were, sitting in a first-class cabin.

I seriously had no idea why he booked first class for me. I would have been perfectly fine in economy while he flew up front. After all, he was used to that life; it was practically made for him.

I know he said I owed him nothing, but with every kind thing he did to make my life easier, I couldn’t help but want to give him the world in return.

The weight of it felt like a debt I could never repay. The last thing I wanted was to betray him, which was exactly what Kennedy was pushing for.

I owed Aaron my loyalty, and probably even my life, more than anything Kennedy could ever offer.

“…and here she goes, lost in her head again.” His mumbling, paired with a slight frown, snapped me back.

He was watching me, one brow arched in mild exasperation.

I blinked and shook my head, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” I asked shyly.

He groaned and shook his head, looking back toward the window. “Never mind.”

I rolled my eyes but didn’t push it. As the plane began its descent, the change in pressure made my stomach flip. I grabbed Aaron’s hand, my fingers digging into his knuckles.

I was so lost in trying to control the urge to scream that I didn’t even realize we had touched down until the plane was taxiing toward the gate.

Aaron let out a mocking laugh. “You can breathe now, drama queen. We’re on solid ground.”

I opened my eyes slowly to see passengers already standing and pulling bags from the overhead bins in the aisle.

I shot him a glare, but he just smirked, unfazed as ever. “Not funny,” I muttered, releasing his hand with a reluctant laugh

He shrugged, standing to grab our shared suitcase from the overhead. He had insisted that since we were only staying for two days, we should share a bag. It felt strangely intimate, our clothes folded together in one space,

We moved through the terminal toward the arrivals curb, where a chauffeur was already standing with a sign bearing

Aaron’s name.

He led us toward a sleek black car, greeting Aaron with a professional nod before whisking our suitcase into the trunk. As we drove away from the airport, I couldn’t help but stare at the city. New Orleans held a massive, jagged part of my life.

Chapter 36

Iremembered my eighteenth birthday clearly. I didn’t have money for a party or a gift, so I took the initiative to walk across the city by myself, exploring the hidden corners and vibrant streets before I departed for Florida.

That walk had been my birthday present to myself.

Back then, I had wanted to break out and flee this city so badly. I eventually did, and now, returning felt like I was just a visitor, a ghost revisiting old haunts.

The car turned into my old neighborhood, the streets narrowing, houses growing more weathered. That heavy weight settled in my chest again, anxiety coiling tight.

The houses looked smaller, the air felt thicker, and the memories felt louder.

Aaron immediately sensed my anxiety and reached over, squeezing my hand to calm me down. My nerves settled for a second, but my overactive brain refused to quiet.

We pulled up in front of my father’s worn-out bungalow, the paint peeling like old skin, weeds choking the yard. The porch light flickered weakly, casting eerie shadows.

“Jess-” Aaron began, but he was cut off by the loud, sharp shrill of his ringtone. His brow furrowed at the insistent tone, and he pulled the phone out.

“Just a moment.”

He signaled for me to wait, but I couldn’t sit in that car a second longer. I wanted to go in first, mostly to make sure the house was presentable enough before Aaron saw how I really grew up.

I climbed out of the car and stepped onto the cracked sidewalk.

Every step toward that front door felt like a step into hellfire. I steadied my breathing before knocking, but there was no answer. I pushed the creaky door open myself.

The house reeked of stale alcohol and cheap cigarettes. I wasn’t surprised. Everyone in my family was a heavy drinker, especially my stepmother.

I vividly remembered trying to talk them out of it years ago, only for them to tell me that if they ever needed an organ transplant, I’d be the one giving mine up. I could still see the entitlement on my stepbrother Gary’s face back then.

“Well, look who decided to come home.”

Annie’s slurred, grating voice slithered from the dim living room, sending chills down my spine.

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13:13 Mon, Jan 12 J