AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cadence nodded. “I can see that. Okay.” She straightened up and repeated. “Okay. We’re in the same Crew now, and it’s just you and me for the girls. There’s going to be times where I need you. Where I’m sick of the boys’ shit and I just want someone to listen and tell me, ‘men, am I right?’”
Jenna dropped her head and chuckled. She nodded and met Cadence’s eyes. “I’m not good at being loud and involved, but if you need someone at your back?” She smiled. “I’ve got you.”
She could see the gooseflesh lift on Cadence’s arms. “I came in here to ask you what you need, and I think you just told me what I needed.” She inhaled deeply. “Okay, spill it. What’s up with the kiss?”
“Swear you aren’t mad?”
“Listen to the truth in my voice. I don’t give a fuck. Have a trillion babies with him, I don’t care. That man is not mine.”
Truth, truth, truth.
Jenna rubbed her nose and leaned back onto a workbench, crossed her legs, and pulled the entire welding mask off. “I don’t let myself get close to anyone. Scary.”
“But you let your guard down with Lucas?”
Jenna nodded.
“And he fucked it up?”
Jenna swallowed hard and shook her head. “It feels like I did.”
Cadence didn’t respond, she just was silent, so Jenna filled the space with her feelings. “I’m not good with people, and most of the time I don’t understand them. I feel like I’m always doing something wrong, or weird, or awkward. And over the years, I’ve tried so hard to work on the shy parts of me, you know? I try. But I panic when I get into a conversation, and I back away because I have this little voice telling me everyone is more comfortable if I’m not around. And sometimes I know that’s wrong to think, because I’m okay. I work hard and I’m a good teammate at my job and I’m dependable. But as much as I tell myself I’m worth it, there’s this part of me that is heavy and tells me I’m not. Sorry.” She dropped her gaze. “That’s a lot.”
“I think the first thing you need to do is work on your apologies. Those only come when you do something wrong. You existing, or having feelings, or talking about something deep isn’t doing something wrong. Usually people who apologize like that are abuse victims who have been trained to apologize for having feelings about how they are treated, but I know your parents, and I know your Crew. I’m guessing no one has hurt you.”
Jenna shook her head. “Never.”
“So where does it come from? That insecurity?”
“From my personality. I’m shy and submissive in a mountain full of dominants. Explaining how it is for me is…well, it’s pointless. No one can understand.”
“Maybe, but I can try. It doesn’t bother me at all that you are submissive.” She shrugged. “I think it’s cool.”
“Being submissive is cool?” she asked, wiping her burning eyes. Talking about this stuff was hard.
“You’re different, Jenna. You’re a badass, and quiet, but strong. You are looked up to more than you know.”
Her heart was all jammed up right now, and she panted as she tried to hold back her tears. “Lucas said he can’t kiss me because I’m Jenna Brown.” She dashed her gloves across her cheek. “Feels like an insult, and even worse, the insult feels right.”
“Oh girl,” Cadence murmured softly. “You have a vision problem.”
“What do you mean?” she squeaked out.
“You can’t see yourself. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes for just a few seconds, and then you would understand. Your insecurities would be gone.”
She didn’t know what to say. She only knew her heart felt ripped wide open.
“Do you know he went after you?” Cadence asked.
“Lucas?”
“Yeah. I watched him swim to the other shore, and he ran out onto the bank like he was on fire. Torren said he found your bathing suit and one of your feathers, and he had never seen such a raw expression on a man’s face since Vyr learned to control his dragon. Said it ripped him up to see that look in Lucas’s eyes.”
“He found one of my feathers?” she asked softly.
Cadence nodded. “And then he agreed to a fight with Torren.”
“Mess,” she said.
