Page 13 of Mic Drop (Passionate Beats #3)

Bennett

I watch my avatar die, yet again, in Asteroids Deluxe. Paying less than half attention to the game, everything whizzes by me. Another kill shot. Game over. I play another. And another. “Benjamin Howell” isn’t in danger of setting new records today.

Jenna took a cheap shot at my relationship with my mother. Yes, it does suck. Her lashing out at me stung. Rather than calling her out—because she’s hurting over her own mother’s situation—I left. More heated words between us aren’t the answer.

Faith’s words about not rushing to judgment with her daughter ring true. Jenna’s angry, but that doesn’t mean malicious. She only wants her mother to be healthy. Frustrated she can’t make this come true.

How am I going to make her see reason? No matter how much she wants to, Jenna can’t control everything.

Like how the graffiti artist is going unchecked around here—like how Michelle hasn’t been caught.

If we could bend the world to our whims, things would be.

..utter chaos. I need to make Jenna see this.

I have no idea how much time has passed, but footsteps coming down the stairs catch my attention. In the game, loser music plays. Whatever. Not my focus.

The object of my true focus stops next to me.

I want to reach out and pull her to my body, but I resist. We need to talk about what she said. And why she said it.

Old me would’ve tossed her words into her face and found a replacement bed warmer in under five seconds. But I’m not that guy anymore. Not when I have someone as precious as Jenna in my life. If only I could make her see things the way I do. The way her mother does.

My mouth clamps shut. Her words cut, yet she came down here. She has to be the one to make the first move. I don’t have long to wait.

“How’d you do?” Her chin motions toward the arcade game.

Might as well be truthful. “Sucked ass.”

She clasps her hands in front of her waist. “Sorry.”

“Are you really?”

“I am if I was the cause of your poor performance.” Her hands squeeze together.

We’re getting closer. I need to let her know how much she hurt me. I’ve never gotten close enough to another living being to allow their comments to make a dent in my armor. Goes to show how deep Jenna is under my skin. All the way to my soul.

“Not going to lie, your zinger hit its mark.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “But I know you slammed me because you’re mad at yourself for not being able to dictate your mother’s health.”

Silence.

She doesn’t try to argue with me.

She doesn’t defend herself.

She doesn’t say anything.

Was I too harsh? She needs to understand this truth so she can move forward. Coddling her isn’t the answer, no matter how much I want to pull her into my body and absorb all her pain.

The pain to come.

She takes a step forward and faces me. “You’re absolutely right, Bennett. The person I’m mad at is my mother for not seeking medical intervention sooner. Not you. You didn’t deserve what I said.”

“Thank you, Sweetheart.” I can’t resist any longer and drag her into my arms. With my nose buried in her hair, I add, “You’re wrong, though.

Your mother is fighting very hard in the only way she knows how.

She’s fighting to be with you, fully with you, for as long as she can.

” I kiss her lips, salty from her tears.

Jenna comes undone in my arms. I let her cry out her pain, holding her trembling body to mine.

When her breathing returns to normal, she says, “I hate this. I hate the gods that gave her cancer. I hate everything about her situation.” In my arms, she shakes.

“But you’re right. She gets to live out her life the way she wants. ”

“I’ll be here for you as much as possible. If I can’t be here in person, I’m only a phone call away. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone.”

She hugs me tight, “I love you.”

Her sweet words sink into my bones. “Love you too.” Because I got her mother’s blessing, I ask, “Will you marry me?”

In my arms, Jenna goes rigid. She pulls back. “What did you say?”

“I know there are a million reasons why now is probably the worst possible time for me to ask this, but I love you so much. I want the world to stop calling you Black Widow.” I take a breath. “I want your mother to be at our wedding.”

Her mouth flies open.

Now I’ve made this decision, I barrel forward. “I’m sorry I don’t have a ring. But I’ll get you one. You can pick out the prettiest one at Tiffany’s.”

Her head bounces. “I don’t know what to say.”

I whisper, “Do this for us. For your mother.” My hands cup her cheeks. “Say yes.” I kiss her. “Marry me.” My tongue joins the kiss. “Let me be your partner for today and tomorrow and forever.”

“Bennett, I have so many other things to concentrate on—my mother, my businesses. Oh, and this new interview with the Record News . I can’t bother my mother to help me plan our wedding.” She steps backward. “Ma! I can’t imagine how she’ll react to this.”

I grin. “She already gave me her blessing.”

She blinks several times. “What?”

“Told me she’d be honored to have me as her son.”

Her head shakes. “After we went out to dinner, Ma was singing a different tune.”

My eyebrows rise. “Really? I thought she loved me back then.”

“She was being polite.” She tucks her hair behind her ear, which springs from its confines almost a second later.

“Well, I talked with her today and she was all too happy to dump you in my lap,” I tease. Her face still registers disbelief, so I add, “Once she confirmed I loved you, of course.”

“You want to marry me? After how awful I was to you?”

“I’ve been an ass too. We’re even.”

“My head is swimming.” She swipes her forehead as if to prove her point. “You really want to get married? When?”

“Whenever you want. We can do it next week so your mother can be with us. Or next month. Or we can wait for a year. I don’t care so long as you agree to be mine.”

Her hands connect behind my neck. “I came down here to apologize for being awful to you, and you proposed?”

“Seems that way.”

She straightens. “I also came here to tell you about the interview I just watched on TV. It was Lissa. She told quite the tale about how you sang a song to her a capella during your fake junior prom. The one you and she took on your own because neither of you could afford to buy the proper attire. Where you took each other’s virginity. ”

“First of all, I never sing without music since Mom put her hand over my mouth when I was rehearsing a song for Father’s Day, saying my voice could make my sister roll over in her grave.

I was five.” I huff. “As to Lissa, she was still a virgin when I got out of town, at least by me. So was I until a nice groupie relieved me of the nuisance. ”

Her face scrunches up. “A groupie?”

“Hey. I was a seventeen-year-old with a bunch of chicks hanging off me because of the band. I also had been dumped by my high school girlfriend, lost my dad, and didn’t want anything to do with starting up something serious again. Groupies came in handy.”

“I bet.”

A wolfish grin takes over my face. “Will you be my groupie-wife?”

“A what? No!”

“Fine. Then how about simply my wife?” She hasn’t answered my very important question yet.

Her gray gaze roams over my face. “Yes.”

I capture her lips in a kiss, trying to take away some of the pain of her mother’s situation as well as celebrating our love. Talk about living in divergent universes. After too short of a time, I break away. I need to get to the airstrip soon, meaning there’s no time to get revved up.

Something she said before clicks. “Did you mention something about the Record News ?”

Her fingers spring over her swollen lips. “Huh? Oh, yes. Court texted that this reporter, Jeremy Davis, wants to meet with me about the whole Black Widow ridiculousness.”

“He’s a good guy. Are you going to do it?”

“I think I might.”

I kiss her once more. “At the risk of pushing my nose where it isn’t wanted, the UC PR team is at your disposal.” I hold my breath, hoping for a better reply than the last time I suggested this.

She plays with her hair again. “Aren’t they going to have their hands full with Lissa’s story?”

“They can multitask.”

“You won’t think any less of me if I take you up on your offer?”

Relieved she’s actually weighing my offer this time, I rush to reply, “No way. I’d think you’re even smarter by considering help. With your mother, you have a full plate. ”

“Maybe I’ll reach out to them.”

I know how much this has to cost her. I’m kissing her as my phone alarm goes off.

“Jenna, I would stay here if I could. Please know this. I have to get to the UC show in New Orleans, where I’ll ask the PR team to get in touch with you.

Spend as much time with your mother as you can.

” We kiss again. “And don’t forget to let me know what happens with Jeremy Davis. ”

“Thank you, Bennett. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

“You will never have to.”

After I lock up, I walk her to her car and make sure she’s all right to drive. After one last lingering kiss, she leaves and I duck into the car service, which takes me to UC’s private jet. I’ve never been this grateful to have a jet at my disposal.

“Hello again, Mr. Hardy. We’ll get you to New Orleans in no time. Our pilot told me we shouldn’t have any turbulence, so sit down and enjoy the flight. What can I bring you to drink?”

I confirm my recollection of her name with her nametag. “Thanks, Ashley. Please call me Bennett. I’d love a Manhattan, if you can make one?”

“Of course. We’ll get underway shortly, and I’ll bring it right over.”

Following Ashley’s advice, I sit in the leather chair and buckle my seatbelt for takeoff. My mind bounces through all of the events of today. One thing is for sure—this was the most productive trip I’ve ever taken.