Whiskey Rebellion - Toni Aleo Read online

  “That’s what I’ve been saying for ya to do, madam.”

  I flash him a grin. “Eh, I don’t listen well. I apologize.” I look to Jackson, and a grin is resting on his lips, his eyes burning such a lovely, warm shade of brown as he stares at me. “I’ll be outside.”

  “I’ll be out there soon, I hope,” he says, his gaze cutting to the officers before coming back to me. “Wait for me?”

  “Absolutely.”

  I start for the doors just as he says, “Hey, Lena.”

  I glance back at Jackson. “Yeah?”

  “I’m proud of you.”

  My heart soars, the tears rolling down my cheeks as I nod. I am proud of me too, but it’s all because of him. He found me when I had fallen, and he helped me rise. But I can’t tell him that right now, so in a whisper, I say, “Thank you.”

  Hell, I want to say so much more.

  But we have all the time in the world for that.

  When Jackson gets in the car, I know something is wrong.

  Leaning over, I kiss his cheek softly, but he doesn’t lean into it like he usually does.

  “I’m so glad yer okay,” I say and he nods.

  “It was nothing.”

  His face is red, and the papers he’s holding are crumpled in his hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, nothing,” he says dryly as Tony takes off. “Just have a huge cut in my face, and I have to return in a month because that bastard pressed charges. What a fucking pussy.”

  “Did you press charges?”

  “No. We’re men, we got it out, and we’re done. Fuck.”

  I don’t understand why he is so upset, but I don’t want to ask with Tony in the car. Jackson’s obviously angry, and I don’t want Tony knowing why. It’s none of his business. Plus, I’m sort of hoping this doesn’t get back to my ma. I know it’s stupid to hope for, but I didn’t see any media tonight. So, I may get lucky.

  When we stop in front of the house, Tony gets out first, and I’m surprised when Jackson goes out the other side without waiting for me like he usually does. When my door opens, I take Tony’s hand before stepping out, my gaze locking with Jackson’s as he comes around the car. His shoulders are tight, his eyes wild as he shakes his head.

  “I’m gonna head to bed.”

  I hook my thumb to the house. “I thought we were heading that way.”

  “No, my bed.”

  I just blink. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. I need to think.”

  My gaze narrows. “What in the world is wrong with ya?”

  He looks down at the gravel, kicking a rock as he lets out a curse. “You make me fucking crazy.”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah! I’ve never in my life wanted to rip a man limb from limb. But tonight, I was ready to do it for you, and I didn’t even think about it. I just wanted him dead for hurting you. For touching you when he shouldn’t have. Fuck,” he yells, and my eyes are as big as quarters.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “Damn it,” he snaps, covering his face with his hands. “I had no choice. I couldn’t walk away from him without feeling the crack of his bones under my knuckle. Fiona tried to call me to her. But I refuse to allow someone to touch the person I love, even if it was years ago!”

  The person I love. He loves me?

  Breathless, I watch him as he goes on, “Now I have to come back in a month to face a judge, when I don’t have a clue what will be going on at the time. What if my new job doesn’t allow me to leave like Fiona does? What a fucking asshole! Fuck, it’s so inconvenient.”

  I’d stopped listening, though. The person I love.

  “Ya love me?” His eyes cut to mine as I take a step toward him. “Ya said, the person you love. That’s me?”

  He lets out a long sigh, his eyes locking with mine. “Baby, you know I love you. Surely, you know that.”

  I reach for his hand, lacing my fingers with his. “I love you too, Jackson.”

  My heart is soaring, and when his shoulders fall, I fully expect him to take me in his arms. But instead, he says, “Man, I wish you hadn’t said that.”

  I don’t understand. “Wait, what?”

  Looking at the ground, he closes his eyes. “’Cause it’s going to make leaving even harder.”

  He looks over at me, and surely, I’m hearing him wrong. He just told me he loved me. “What? Yer still leaving?”

  He looks so pained. “You knew I was.”

  “But…” I pause, holding his gaze. “But things are really good between us. We love each other!”

  “But my three months are up.”

  “So! Stay longer, then we can go.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Ya can!” I yell, my hands striking my hips. “That’s so stupid. So what, yer gonna leave, and that’s that? I thought we said we’d work it out!”

  “That was before your mom needed you, and you sure as hell aren’t leaving now. We’re both going in different directions, Lena. I can’t settle down.”

  My jaw drops. “Are ya fucking kidding me?”

  “I told you I was leaving.”

  “But that was before ya fell for me!”

  He shakes his head. “I knew from the beginning that you were going to be important to me, but I can’t stay here. I want you to go with me, but even then, you’re going to want to settle down, and I don’t know that I can.”

  My jaw still hangs open. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. I’m not asking for yer forever yet—”

  “But you’ll want it, and I don’t think I can give it to you.”

  “What in the hell? Why?”

  Running his hands down his face, he lets out a huge sigh. “I can’t be anywhere longer than three months.”

  I still don’t understand. “You were with yer ma for longer.”

  “And it messed with me. I hated it, but she would guilt me into staying. When I left, though, I knew I’d never go back.” He looks at me, exhaling shakily. “I was only supposed to stay at my dad’s for three months. That’s what they all said when my mom left. Only ninety-one days and I would be back with my mom. But then he didn’t let me go.”

  Staring at him, I slowly shake my head. “My heart breaks for that boy, Jackson, but you cannot let that fear ruin us. I’m not going to trap you. Ya want to leave, leave.”

  “I am.”

  “So ya want to leave me?”

  “No, I want to take you with me. I want to love you for the rest of my life, but I know you can’t go the way I want to go. I want to leave all the time. I need to go to different places, but you have your responsibilities here. You can’t go.”

  I can’t. I know I can’t, but how can he do this? “Jackson, this is insane. Yer gonna throw us away for something that happened so long ago? Something that will never happen again? Jacks, ya know that, right?”

  He nods. “I do, but I have this itch, and I gotta keep moving.”

  “Even if it means losing me?” When he looks away, my heart stops. What in the hell is happening? Taking a step toward him, I grab his wrist, urging him to look at me. “Ya told me to let it go. Not to give him any power. Do the same, Jackson. Don’t let him ruin you, us.”

  “It’s not that easy—”

  “Who ya telling? I know, but don’t you see? I want to move forward with you,” I urge, tears clouding my vision. “Ya want to travel, fine. We’ll go on holidays all the time—”

  “Until when? You want to get married?”

  “I do.”

  “And you want babies.”

  “I wouldn’t mind, but not now.”

  “But you will.”

  “Jackson, this is insane,” I yell, shaking my head. “How can ya say ya love me but not want to be with me?”

  “I do want to be with you, but I worry I can’t be the guy you want.”

  “But ya are!” I exclaim, tears falling down my cheeks. “You say you’ve gotta go. But, Jackson, ya live in my heart, so surely it means yer my destiny. And this is something w