Page 86 of Blinded By Hate

Nicole licks the inside of her cheek and crosses her arms over her chest. “You really care about this girl more than yourself or your own life?”

“Yes.”

God, I love her.

I’ve never loved or been so protective of someone before. But Jaclyn, she was always it.

She was never and never will be just some girl.

She is the girl.

My girl.

Nicole scoffs. “Pathetic. Watch her run away like last time. Like you told me, she doesn’t even know who you are. You aren’t the same guy I met five years ago. You weren’t ruthless or controlled. You were impulsive and easy to read. No one knows what you’ll do or what moves you’ll pull.”

“People change and I happened to change for the better.

“Yes you did,” she says while giving me a once over. “You aren’t that weak boy you were when Killian and Rowan found you. What will Killian think? His best friend betrays him for a girl? Gonna be one hell of a show.”

“I know how to handle him.” I get up from the chair. “I’m done now. You can enjoy your breakfast and the rest of your trip. I only needed to tell you that. I’ll take care of canceling everything and it will be as if this wedding and trip was never meant to happen.”

“My dad will ruin you and then he will destroy Killian right after he’s done with you,” Nicole says with a straight face.

I almost laugh because she has no fucking clue.

I put my hands on the table and lean close to her. “Do you know who Killian’s family is? Who his father is? What he and his family can do to you if you simply disrespect them? If they heard what you just said right now, you would have been dead a minute ago. Keep your mouth shut. Understood?” Nicole’s face goes red again and she clenches her fists on the table. “Do you understand, Nicole?”

“Codice di verità,” Nicole mutters.

“Good,” I say before turning around and leaving.

Thirty-Six

Jaclyn

Present

“How’s Italy treating you?’ Brandon asks over the phone.

Junior is still sleeping and I’m not surprised because it’s Saturday so Junior always sleeps in and gets up around 8 or 9.

It’s 11am over here in Italy and since Hayden is out doing whatever it is he has to do, I decided to call them now.

I call Brandon and Junior every morning so that I can see Junior’s face and so he can tell me everything he wants to tell me. And when he gets home he calls too because he wants to tell me about his day.

Brandon told me he cried a few times and had a tantrum recently because he missed me and it made my heart hurt.

I told Junior over the phone that I’d be home soon and right when I get home we can get cinnamon rolls from this really good bakery down the street from the apartment.

He loves cinnamon rolls and every time he does good in school or just whenever we want a sweet treat, we’ll go to the bakery.

Saying we’ll go there put him in a much better mood for sure and made things a tad bit easier for Brandon.

Brandon has learned to handle Junior’s mood swings and tantrums. He has a temper just like his dad and it’s funny because they’ve never even met.

“It’s good. Definitely getting a good tan, that’s for sure,” I say as I sit on the bed and stare at the view out of my window.

It still smells like Hayden was in here because you can smell his lingering cologne and scent.