“I haven’t chatted with him yet. I’ll talk to him when he and Cassandra get here tomorrow,” Rachel answered.
Belle opened her mouth but Jack got there before her.
And when he did, he simply said, “Belle.”
She closed her mouth and turned to him.
When her eyes met his, Jack went on, “I thought I explained you were leading the pack.”
He watched Belle wet her lips but she didn’t reply.
Therefore he repeated yet again, “Fucking hell.”
“It’ll be just fine,” Rachel reiterated nearly the same exact words her daughter said to him the other night while they were sitting in the window of her room.
“Do I need to get involved in this?” Jack asked.
At the same time, both Belle and Rachel exclaimed, “No!”
Jack approached their huddle, got very close to Belle and put his hand to her jaw.
When she’d tipped her head back to look at him, he demanded, “You be safe.” Then, not taking his hand from Belle, he turned his head to look at Rachel and warned, “You keep her safe.”
“Of course!” Rachel snapped, “You don’t have to tell me that.”
“I feel better doing it,” Jack replied.
“Why?” Belle asked and Jack looked back to her.
“Because when you two make the mess I’ve the feeling you’re going to make and I’m forced to extricate you from that mess, I’ll be able to feel superior and say, ‘I told you so’,” Jack answered, feeling his lips twitch.
Belle’s eyes dropped to his mouth and he saw her lips form a small smile.
Before any more could be said, Joy rushed into the hall.
Her eyes were glued on Jack, they looked worried and her face was pale.
Jack’s body tensed, he dropped his hand from Belle’s jaw and turned to his mother.
“What is it?” he asked.
She stopped close but looked to Belle swiftly before her eyes flew back to Jack.
“Miles just pulled up,” she answered.
The air in the hall changed. Jack felt fear coming from Belle and his mother, undoubtedly for different reasons, and anger coming from Rachel.
To make matters worse, Lila chose that moment to descend the staircase and she did this quickly.
Her eyes were on Jack and for once they didn’t look filled with dislike or rebuke. He didn’t spend much time assessing her look but the time he did it looked like she was silently offering him moral support.
Therefore, he knew that she also knew Miles was there.
He also knew that somewhere along the line he’d earned Lila Cavendish’s acceptance and, possibly, her regard.
Jack didn’t have time to consider Lila’s acceptance or regard nor did he have time to make it to the doors and intercept his brother.
One was already opening so Jack moved to Belle and got close, curving an arm around her shoulders and tucking her front to his side. She immediately wrapped her arms around his middle.