Page 21 of For the Promise (The Raider Brothers #2)
“Go ahead. Underestimate me.” ~ Jaxon
Jaxon
E ven before I open my eyes, I can sense Blossom is gone. I don’t know how to feel about her leaving. I’m relieved I don’t have to speak with her since I have no idea how to react after last night.
But I’m also angry she left without a word. Did she not feel our connection last night? Maybe it’s better if she didn’t, since we would never work together anyway.
I roll out of bed to search the chalet. I find Blossom’s purse and her phone, but there’s no sign of the woman herself.
Maybe she only stepped out for a minute. The cold sheet in the bed says otherwise.
Do I go look for her? Do I confront her about last night?
I don’t know how to react to this situation.
I do the same thing I always do when faced with a situation I don’t know how to deal with. I don my swimming trunks and make my way to the ocean. I don’t have my scull here for my usual morning rowing session, so I’ll have to settle for a swim .
When I reach the beach and spot the group huddled in a circle on the sand, I nearly turn around. Unfortunately, Miles notices me before I have the chance.
“There’s the groom now!” he shouts as he waves.
I swallow my groan and join my brothers. “What are you doing here? Isn’t this a private beach?”
Zane snorts. “A beach can’t be owned.”
Technically, it can, but my free-spirited brother thinks otherwise. I don’t waste my time arguing with him.
Kai throws an arm around my shoulders. “We’re here to support you. How did it feel to lose your virginity at twenty-eight?”
I elbow him and he flies away while cackling with laughter. “I wasn’t a virgin.”
“There’s no reason to be ashamed of waiting until you were married,” Miles says.
“How long have they been making virgin jokes?” I ask Eli.
“All morning.”
“Is this why all of you are here? To make fun of my wedding night?”
“Wedding night? Sure, it was.” Zane winks.
“I don’t know.” Kai points to my back. “He has fingernail marks on his shoulders.”
“I’m confused,” Miles says as he confirms the marks. “I thought the wedding was fake.”
“Their kiss didn’t seem fake.” Kai smacks his lips together.
Zane pushes him. “Don’t you know how to do a fake kiss? ”
Kai shoves Zane, who stumbles into Miles. The three end up tumbling to the ground. Nothing new there.
I address Eli. “You swore by barnacle, booze, and brotherhood, not to tell them.”
He shrugs. “Except for the lawsuit, they figured it out for themselves.”
“How?”
Rhett slaps me on the back. “You made us put together a wedding in an hour. It wasn’t difficult to figure out.”
I scowl at him. “Are you saying I’m not spontaneous?”
He laughs. “I’m saying you’ve never taken action without spending months planning and studying how to proceed.”
I snap my mouth shut. I have no response since he’s right.
“But you did for Blossom. You must really like her.”
I do. Blossom is unlike any woman I’ve ever met before. She’s smart and competitive. Has the most gorgeous brown eyes that change colors based on her moods. Is absolutely beautiful. And is sexy as hell. Sinking deep inside her last night felt better than heaven.
But she also talks all the time, thrives in group settings, and enjoys socializing. She’d be bored of my simple life in no time. And she’s a mainlander. They never last long on the island.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Rhett frowns. “Why not?”
“Blossom would never stay with me.”
“Why not?” Eli asks.
I roll my eyes. “Don’t be obtuse. ”
“Who’s being obtuse?” Miles asks as he returns to us covered in sand. Zane and Kai trail after him.
Eli points to me. “Jaxon is.”
Zane’s eyes widen. “Jaxon obtuse? He’s the smartest one of all the Raider brothers.”
Kai elbows him. “It’s obviously an emotional jab.”
“Oh.” Zane nods. “Understandable.”
I glare at my younger brothers. “I’m not emotionally stunted.”
“You tend not to notice the obvious when it comes to emotions,” Zane says.
“Such as a woman who wants you throwing yourself at you,” Kai adds.
I noticed Blossom. How could I not? She’s beautiful, and when she enters a room, you can’t miss it since she brings sunshine with her.
“Blossom is not the woman for me.”
Eli crosses his arms over his chest. “Except you married her.”
“To stop Alan from stealing from her.”
“Alan’s an asshole. Can we prank him?” Kai asks.
“Or beat the shit out of him?” Miles adds.
“Whoa!” I hold up my hands. “Nobody’s beating the shit out of anybody. It won’t help the lawsuit. Speaking of lawsuit.” I glare at my brothers. “If you tell anyone about it, I will unleash pranking skills the likes you have never seen before on you.”
Kai frowns. “But I’m the prank champion.”
“And I have a degree in chemistry. ”
Eli shivers. “You don’t want a person who has a degree in chemistry coming after you. Trust me. I know.”
Rhett bumps his shoulder. “You love it when Paisley pranks you.”
Eli grins. “I can get really inventive with my punishments.”
My stomach sours. I want what he has. A woman who loves me. A woman who will stick by my side no matter what. But Blossom isn’t that woman. We’re too different. I can’t take a chance on a woman who will end up leaving me the second she gets bored.
“If you’re done invading my personal life, I’m going for a swim.” I don’t wait for a response, I march toward the water.
I don’t make it far. Rhett steps in front of me and the rest of my interfering brothers surround me.
“Are you going to give this relationship with Blossom a chance?” Rhett asks.
I frown. “I married Blossom to force her ex to drop the lawsuit. This isn’t a relationship. It’s an arrangement.”
“It wasn’t an arrangement last night.” Eli nods to the marks on my shoulders.
“We agreed it would be a one time thing.”
“Let’s vote,” Miles says. “Who votes for Jaxon to give Blossom a chance?”
I roll my eyes when all of my brothers raise their hands.
“Too bad you don’t get a vote in my relationship status.” I try to push past Rhett but he doesn’t budge. “What now?"
“I want you to be happy. ”
“I am happy. I have a job I love and a family who drives me crazy.”
Eli squeezes my shoulder. “What about a woman you love?”
My heart skips a beat. I don’t love Blossom. Loving her would be a sure way to get my heart broken when she decides to move on.
“I told you. Blossom isn’t the woman for me.”
“Oh god. He’s going to dump Blossom and go back to dating Melanie types again.” Miles groans. “They’re so boring.”
“We prefer Blossom to Melanies,” Kai says.
“What part of you don’t get a vote, do you not understand?” I ask.
“The part where we’re forced to pretend to like Melanies at family meals,” Zane says.
I huff. “There was only one Melanie.”
“Was there?” Zane asks. “All of the women you date are the same.”
“Bor-ing!” Kai and Miles shout in unison before high-fiving each other.
“Blossom’s not boring,” Eli says.
I narrow my eyes on him. “You’re supposed to be the voice of reason when these three hooligans get out of control.”
“I am being the voice of reason. Blossom isn’t boring, and you like her. Why don’t you give this relationship a chance?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you saying all my previous girlfriends were boring?”
“We’re not discussing Melanie. We’re discussing Blossom.”
“I’m not discussing Blossom. I’m going for a swim. ”
I try to walk around Eli but he shackles my wrist to stop me. I slam my hand down on his inner elbow and he immediately releases me with a grunt.
“Fuck. I forgot what a dirty fighter you are.”
Naturally, I’m a dirty fighter. I have five brothers – three of whom think fighting is fun.
“I’m done discussing this. Unless anyone else wants to fight me.”
I glare at my brothers until they drop their gazes.
“Good,” I mutter as I make my way to the water’s edge.
I kick off my shoes and dive into the ocean.
As I swim, thoughts invade. What if they’re right? Maybe I should give Blossom a chance. Maybe our differences don’t matter. Maybe she’ll stay on the island.
I snort and nearly inhale a bucketful of salt water.
Enough of this contemplation. I know the truth. Blossom isn’t the woman I’m searching for.
I speed up my strokes and kick my feet faster until I can’t think anymore. Until the only thing I can concentrate on is the water and the next stroke.