Fight, Jamiee - Ellie R. Hunter Page 0,58

bathroom for a shower, I dress in the suit that’s been laid out for me. I hate wearing a tie, but I button up my shirt, covering as many tattoos on my neck as I can. I can’t help the ones on my hands, or the star above my eyebrow. I just hope the judge doesn’t decide my case on my appearance.

I’m running a comb through my hair when she steps into the room, wearing my robe, and her hair tied up in a towel.

“I want to put down roots,” she blurts out. “I know how I feel about you. I need stability, and I need you to want the same.”

“It’s all I want. You want roots, I’ll buy you the house of your dreams. When I’m old, I want all my memories to be of us. You know I love you. Whatever you want, it’s yours—I’m yours.”

She exhales slowly. How can she be worried I don’t want the same as her? It’s all I’ve been saying for weeks.

“No more messing around?” she urges, just to be sure.

“What do you need to believe me?”

“Nothing. I just can’t stop worrying about today, and Deacon will be there. I don’t want…”

“Go shopping for a house. Pick your favourite three, and we can go and look again tomorrow when I’m by your side. I’ll get Alice to go with you, and by the time you’re done, I’ll be home, and you can tell me all about them.”

She visibly relaxes. Those were the words she needed to hear. “I can do that.”

“Good. Now, get dressed. We’ve got about thirty minutes before I have to leave.”

Damon and Alice are both ready to go when we venture downstairs, and Alice hands me a cappuccino to drink on the way.

I hope this isn’t my last. I dread to think what prison coffee is like. “There’s been a change of plan. Jamiee isn’t coming to court. Instead, she’s going to look at some properties for us. Damon, it’ll just be you and me.”

Alice goes to stand beside my girl, and wraps her arm around her. “Sounds like a positive distraction.”

This makes Jamiee smile. “Get that from your book?”

I have no idea what book she’s on about, but Alice makes her smile, and I’m all for that shit.

“Maybe.” They both laugh, and then Jamiee’s joy slips away.

I put my coffee cup down. “Can you give us a minute?”

“Sure. We’ll meet you outside.” Alice tucks herself under Damon’s arm, and they both head out.

Once we’re alone, Jamiee doesn’t need to be told to come to me. Like a moth to a flame, she crosses the kitchen and is in my arms, wrapping hers around me like she’s never going to hold me again.

“This is all going to work out, I promise.”

“You can’t make such promises, Freddie.”

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “I can, because whatever happens today, we have each other, and we know we’re forever. We’ve got this.”

Pulling away from me, I don’t let her go far, and find she’s smiling. “You’re right. We’ve got this.”

Which would be all well and good if I didn’t know she was lying through her teeth, putting on a brave face.

I leave her to her lie.

Walking outside, the place doesn’t feel the same anymore. It was the ultimate party house when we got it, and now one of us is in the hospital, about to venture off to rehab. One of us is married, and me? I’m in fucking love.

It all seems like a lifetime ago now. The parties, the excessive drinking, the women, the anarchy attitude. Nothing about it is the same.

Alice waits by one SUV, and Damon the other. Before I let go of Jamiee’s hand, I have to feel her lips once more before we part ways.

Always so soft, but firm. Always inviting, and hungry for mine. I seriously can’t get enough of this woman.

A throat clearing behind me has us grinning.

“As much as I’d like to stand here and witness this shit, we have to go, Fred.”

I walk Jamiee to her car and wait for her to climb in beside Alice. Leaning inside, I press my lips to hers one last time before slamming the door shut.

There will never be a time it feels right to say goodbye to her, so I’m not going to.

Getting into our car, we pull off behind the girls.

“You good?” Damon asks.

“As good as I can be.” The farther away from the house we get, the more real it becomes. “If I