The Seduction of Jac Frost (by Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 52

aying it out there Part II

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them and Winika looked at her in shock while Jack growled at the tone Jacqueline took with his mate.

“Watch yourself Jacqueline,” Jack snarled. “She is your mother. You do not speak to her in such a way.”

“Blood doesn’t make family.” She snapped back. “God. The entire Frost clan wouldn’t understand a fucking boundary if their lives depended on it. You’re pushy and arrogant and so fucking full of yourselves you think I’m going to simply fall on my knees and be grateful that you’re even considering me your family. Has it not occurred to either of you, the more you push me like this, the more I want to run screaming in

another direction?”

“Well, no,” Winika said with a confused expression, “we are showing you that you are loved and wanted.”

“You are showing me you have no respect for me or the

boundaries which are important to me. I’m not like any of

You

I’m not some clingy fairy who feels better wher

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everyone is wrapped around her a second skin.” She tossed her bag of books and held up her hands, “this is what your constant disregard for my wants and needs does. It makes me angry. I am angry with all of you but mostly you Jack, King of the Northern Realm.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You have no control over your family. You purport to be this decisive ruler who is feared and known for his strength and the strength of his people and yet, three people in your household run amuck and you are incapable of reining it in.”

“Jacqueline,” he said softly, the hurt at her words clearly displayed on his face. “We want only to bring you where you belong.”

“Who decides where I belong? You? Her?” She flicked her

wrist carelessly at Winika. “I get it. I was stolen from you and so you’re desperate to reconnect and rekindle but I’m not. I liked my life. The life I have wasn’t fancy, or exciting. My apartment could in fact fit in Jack’s shoe closet just as he said. I don’t dress all princess–like the way Jacinta does. I’m not desperate to get wrapped in the arms of a woman who hasn’t taken a single moment to learn about me as a person. I sure as hell am not fitting in with your idea of family.” She 2/7

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threw her hands up frustratedly. “Your son came to my apartment and swore to protect me the way a big brother should and in minutes of doing so, you and your daughter,” she pointed at Winika, “attacked me. She left cuts in my back from her claws, and you ignored her behavior and scolded me for mine when I defended myself. You are missing the very obvious and you’re doing it purposefully.” She stared at Winika, “do you feel guilty that you know your eldest daughter is likely responsible for the disappearance of your youngest? She wants me gone, Winika and frankly, I’m okay with it. You have one daughter. You don’t need two. Go spend time with her. Perhaps she’ll stop stalking and harassing me if you disown me entirely and she can have you to herself.”

“Jacqueline, do you really believe she had something to do

with your kidnapping?” Jack was incensed by the accusation.

“She is your sister!”

“She hates me. Open your god damned eyes. She sees me as a threat and for what reason, I don’t know but she loathes

1. me. A fucking bear shifter figured it out in thirty seconds in her presence. You are the blindest people I’ve ever met. How the fuck you run an entire realm with such inability to see the truth when presented right to your face is beyond me.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Winika whispered and then looked at 3/7

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Jack, “does she?”

“She most assuredly does not.”

“You’re an idiot.” Jacqueline called him out boldly. “However,

I am done with this conversation. My mates are waiting for me. I appreciate you think I am going to somehow give you both closure to a challenging time in your life but perhaps it is for the best if we simply avoid one another. I’m not interested in being around anyone who would put my wellbeing secondary to their own wants.”

“But you’re my daughter. I love you.”

“You love an idea, Winika. You don’t know me. You aren’t even interested in learning about me. All you care about is It soothing your own ache and pain but at whose expense. isn’t yours or his or theirs,” she waved towards the door. “It’s at my expense. You don’t care about me as a person. You only care about what it is you want and how to fix your own pain.”

“Jacqueline, this is not true,” Jack said softly. “We want to learn all about you but how can we get to know you when every conversation turns into a fight or an argument. You keep pushing me away. You push us away.”

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“Then I suggest you sit down and figure out why it is I’m

doing that. What, in your behavior is making me want

to gravitate towards you? I can tell you right now it’s not

anything I’m doing that is making me want to run for the

hills.”

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“Then tell us what to do.” Winika pleaded, “please. I cannot

give up.”

“Stop pushing into my personal space,” she gave Winika a pointed glance. “Stop trying to force me to be with you. Keep Jacinta away from me. That’s a non–negotiable. I don’t like her. I don’t trust her. Currently, Jack is also on my shit list so keep him away from me too. If you want to talk, then I can talk but it’s talking. No invading my personal space.

No forcing me into hugs. No more putting your scent all

over me. No touching me without invitation. If you want to

foster a relationship with me, then do it by understanding

that affection for me is very different than what it is for

you. Respect is earned Winika and you won’t get mine if

you keep ignoring the fact you are all making me incredibly

uncomfortable.”

“Can we talk then? Maybe go and spend some time talking?” Jack asked seriously.

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“Not tonight. I have plans with the twins to try to see why it is I can’t feel the bond the way they feel it. I see the gold tethers. I feel the attraction but not to the depths they do. Bar suggested I have closed myself off after years of rejections from my foster family and something is telling me he’s right.”

“Bar. The shifter?” Jack asked with a snarl. “He hurt Jacinta.”

“She lunged at us. He pinned her to the counter to stop her

from attacking. He didn’t hurt her. He held her in place. I’m

guessing the events were not properly explained to you but

other than hold her to the counter, he did not hurt her.”

“She said,” Winika started.

“She lies but then you’re blind to her lies anyway. Regardless, we’re done here tonight.”

“Breakfast,” Jack countered. “Can we have breakfast with you. Just the three of us? We can talk?”

“Sure. Just the three of us. If the other two are there, I won’t be joining.”

“Okay.” Jack motioned for Winika, “come my love. Let us leave

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our daughter to prepare for her date with her mates.”

Winika pouted but let her husband pull her away.

As Jacqueline closed the door and leaned against it, she

wondered what kind of mistake she’d made in coming on this trip. She definitely had bitten off more than she could

chew. She gratefully recalled the spell Wilder taught her and protected her room from the unwanted family simply showing up to the space and then flopped onto her bed.

She needed a few minutes to get her head back on straight before she went downstairs or she was going to let the actions of the Frost family ruin her date with her mates.

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