He cheated i chose two firefighters novel Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Milo’s POV

“Fuck!” Jace shouted the second we ended the call with Scar.

Rage set my muscles buzzing like live wire. I left our bedroom and headed straight for the kitchen, digging out the whiskey and two tumblers. Ice. Two pours. I slammed mine back and immediately filled it again.

A moment later Jace appeared in the doorway. I thrust his glass into his hand while I drank and topped myself off.

“What the hell do we do?” he said, voice rough. “She’s going to tear herself apart over this, even after we told her she didn’t do anything wrong. That bastard really got in her head. She was finally finding her footing again–she was doing good. This trip… it was a mistake.”

“Tomorrow when we pick them up,” I said, setting my glass down hard, “the second Gavin and Maren are out of earshot, we remind her–no, we show her–how much she means to us. We say it out loud,

too. I know neither of us planned on this happening yet, but she needs it.”

Jace’s eyes flashed. “Planned? Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading! oubts it, we tell her at sunrise,

at bedtime, and every minute between. We don’t let up. We make it real.” He paused. “I’ve got an idea,

if you’ll go with it.”

“What kind of idea?”

He tipped his chin toward the door. “Trust me. Come on.”

I let him take the wheel. He knew the destination, and with my head where it was, I didn’t trust myself

not to miss a turn–or run someone off the road. My thoughts kept snapping back to her voice.

“Hi,” our girl had said.

“Hey, Princess,” Jace answered.

“Hey, beautiful,” I’d added, already seeing the wet tracks on her cheeks.

Jace’s tone had turned instantly urgent. “What happened, baby? What’s wrong?”

She swallowed hard. “We were at Mama Cici’s–Brennan’s mom. Dinner was… it was fun. Dominoes,

wine. I got kind of tipsy, and I really had to pee, so I went to the bathroom. Only I didn’t make it. I don’t

know how he knew, but Brennan was in the room across from it and he… he…”

Her words broke and the sob that followed stabbed straight through me. Beside me, Jace had gone

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rigid. The sound of her crying did something primal to both of us–made me want to be there, hands on her, and made Jace look like he might put his fist through the nearest wall.

“It’s okay,” I’d said, forcing my voice gentle. “Take your time. We’re right here. We’re not going anywhere.”

“You will,” she’d choked out. “You’ll leave me. I… I cheated on you.”

My stomach had dropped, not because I believed her–because I didn’t–but because she did. Jace was tight, furious, barely leashed. I caught his eye, wordlessly telling him to breathe.

“Baby,” Jace had said, soft as he could make it, “I don’t think you cheated on us.”

“I did!” she’d insisted. “He grabbed me and yanked me into the room and pinned me to the door. He held me there while he… he nuzzled my neck and kissed it. Then my jaw. He tried for my mouth. His hands were everywhere–groping me.”

My fingers had curled around the phone like I could crush the plastic. I’d kept my voice low anyway. “What were you doing while he was doing that?”

“I was fighting,” she said, ragged. “I tried to shove him off, but he was so heavy. He used his weight so I couldn’t hit him anymore. I wouldn’t let him kiss me–I kept turning my head. When he grabbed my face, I grabbed his balls and twisted. I squeezed until he dropped.”

Jace and I had both flinched at that, the sympathetic wince automatic–then the pride hit, sharp and

immediate.

“Princess,” Jace had told her, firm now, “listen to me. That isn’t cheating. You resisted. You didn’t want

him, you didn’t invite it, and you sure as hell didn’t return it. You did not cheat. Do you hear me?”

“It still feels like I did,” she’d whispered. “I didn’t want him. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t owe anyone an apology,” I’d said.

Jace had backed me up without hesitation. “We’re not mad at you, Scar. You didn’t do anything

wrong.”

“Are you sure?” Her lids had been heavy, exhaustion tugging her down. Even through a screen she

looked too young in that moment–fresh–faced, scrubbed clean, broken up inside.

“Yes, baby,” I’d said. “Sleep. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“I miss you,” she’d hiccuped.

“We miss you too. Night, baby,” Jace had replied.

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“Night, Princess,” I’d added,

“Night,” she’d breathed, barely there.

The memory cut off when Jace killed the engine.

I blinked at the building in front of us. INK–our regular tattoo shop.

“You dragged me here for a tattoo?” I asked, incredulous.

Jace’s expression didn’t waver. “Yeah. I know exactly what we’re getting. And if we can convince Scar to get it too–and we will–it’s the loudest promise we can make.”

We went inside.

Hale looked up from his station and grinned. “Well, damn. Jace, Milo. Been a minute.”

“It has,” Jace said. “You got room to knock out two quick ones? We already know what we want.”

Hale flipped open his book, scanning. “I’ve got about an hour. What’re we doing?”

Jace didn’t hesitate. “Infinity symbol. My name in the top loop, Milo’s in the bottom. Where it crosses in the center, Scarlett. Left pecs. I’ve got a clean spot I’ve been saving. Milo’s left side is untouched.”

Hale’s eyebrows shot up. “You two meet someone? Like… a woman?”

I smiled, because it felt good just saying she existed. Plenty of people knew Jace and I were together; fewer knew what we were searching for.

“Yeah,” I said. “And she’s unreal. Smart. Sweet. This mix of innocence and heat that doesn’t make sense until you’re around her. She’s perfect for us–keeps surprising us.” I heard my own voice soften as I pictured her. “Tiny, too. Long black hair. Hispanic, Scottish, French. Skin kissed tan, and eyes so light brown they look like whiskey. Sun hits them and they turn amber.”

Hale made a sound like a laugh and a groan combined. “Jesus. You’re done for.”

“We both are,” Jace said, dead serious. “When you meet her, you’ll get it. But don’t forget–she’s ours.”

Hale held up his hands. “Relax. I’m sixty. I’m not chasing any young thing.”

“You’ll wish you had the stamina when you see her,” I shot back, and couldn’t help the grin.

He laughed and waved us toward the back.

Forty minutes later, the fresh ink sat angry and perfect on our skin. I stared at mine like it could anchor

1. me.

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“You think this will convince her?” I asked.

Jace’s mouth tipped. “First we say it. Then we get her naked and let her see it.”

My chest tightened with anticipation. I could barely breathe around it.

The next morning we waited with Gavin out on the tarmac, close enough to the private jet that we could watch the wheels roll to a stop. With a plane like that, we could drive right up to where it parked and stand there, ready.

The door swung open. Stairs folded down.

Maren burst out like she’d been launched, her little legs pumping as she ran straight for Gavin. She

threw herself into him; he caught her laughing, then crushed his mouth to hers and spun her around. When he finally set her down, she waved at us, and they disappeared soon after.

Jace and I kept staring at the open doorway.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, dread crawling up my spine. “You don’t think she stayed back?”

“Surely Maren would’ve said something.”

I was halfway into motion, ready to climb those stairs myself, when Scar appeared at the top.

Relief hit so hard I nearly sagged.

She came down slowly, eyes fixed on each step like if she looked up she’d fall apart. She didn’t meet

our gaze once. Devastation clung to her.

We closed the distance. The second her foot touched the ground, I reached for her and lifted her into my arms. She clung to me immediately, face tucked into my neck, and I felt wet heat soak into my

skin.

Jace pressed in behind her, wrapping us both up. Her control snapped; she started to sob again. Jace murmured nonsense comforts into her hair while I held her tighter, like I could squeeze the fear out of

her.

“Scar,” I said, steady, making every word count, “it’s okay. We’ve got you. We’re not leaving. There’s nothing you can do that makes us walk away.”

I drew a breath and didn’t soften the truth. “If you had cheated, we would’ve punished you and taught you why that was a mistake–then we’d keep going. But this? This wasn’t you. And now that we have

you, only death separates us.”

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She pulled back just enough to look at me, stunned. In her eyes, hope flickered—small trembling, real.

Jace’s voice dropped into a growl. “That’s right, Princess. Milo and I are in love with you. We’re not letting you go. Run if you want–we’ll find you and bring you back. You can’t hide from us.

His jaw flexed. “Anyone who tries to take you from us is going to regret it. And I’ve got half a mind to go to Montana and teach your ex what happens when he touches what isn’t his.”

“You love me?” she breathed, like the words were too fragile to hold.

“Yes,” I said. “All the way. You’re everything. Scarlett… I love you.”

I lowered my mouth to hers. The kiss tasted like salt and grief and relief, and my body responded

instantly, hard and hungry.

Jace took her from me with gentle hands.

“Princess,” he said against her lips, “I love you. I’m going to love you forever. You and Milo are my soul.

There isn’t anyone else for me.”

He kissed her, deeper this time, palms sliding to her ass. He squeezed, and she let out a soft moan

that went straight through me.

I exhaled, half laugh, half growl. “Let’s go home. I need to make love to my loves.”

She gave a small giggle, and something in my chest lifted so high it hurt.

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