“I want you to come more than anything,” she said against his neck. She peered up at him.
“I’ll come,” he said.
“Thank you.”
He shouldn’t ruin this moment, but he drew in a breath. “What if your parents … don’t tell you the truth?”
His side was the truth. He’d lived it.
“I love you,” she declared passionately. “You are my other half, ‘bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.’ I won’t give up on us.”
He studied her and knew this was difficult for her. She was choosing him over her parents. It meant the world to him, but it was still hurting her. “Thank you, Bee.”
The words weren’t nearly enough. He kissed her. It was a soft, tender kiss, not typical for them, but he felt like a softy right now, so it fit.
“Jag,” she murmured against his lips.
He gave her a bit of space so he could look into her blue eyes. “Yes?”
“Will you pray for us to reunite soon, and will you pray to forgive my parents?”
Did that mean she truly believed Jagger and not her parents? She’d chosen him. She’d said she trusted him, but there were still a lot of unanswered questions.
“I’ll pray,” he conceded.
He didn’t know if he could forgive her parents. How could he and Bee be together and not have contention between them if he loathed the people she loved so much? She claimed she chose him, but he hated to do that to her, to rip her from her parents’ love. He had no parents on earth, and he didn’t want to break her away from hers, no matter what they’d done. But could he forgive and be around Pastor Sheldon Ralphs? Especially if the man never owned up to his lies, which Jagger could see him doing.
“Thank you.”
She kissed him again. It was full of fire and sweet, sweet honey.
Please, let us be together soon and somehow work everything out.
Jagger was praying, but there wasn’t a lot of faith in his prayer.
He focused on the kiss and Bee in his arms. Soon, he’d have neither.
Chapter
Eighteen
Belinda was nervous to walk into her parents’ house. That had never happened before. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” she said aloud. Then she opened the door and called out her usual from the story of Job. “‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate!’”
Her mom came racing from the kitchen into the living area. “Yay! You’re back and you won!”
She’d texted them that she won the money and the people she’d been with had been incredible, but not much else.
Hugging her mom tight, she felt her gut lurch. How could this devoted, unselfish mother of hers lie to her? Maybe only her dad knew. But Jagger claimed her mom had been the one who opened the door.
The office door flung open, and her dad grinned at her. “She’s here! Congrats!”
“Thanks.” She left her mom’s arms to hug her dad. He held her tight, his big strong arms around her. Could these arms really have beaten Jagger in a fight? Could her safe spot with her dad be a place of betrayal?
She pulled back and her mom said, “Well, come into the kitchen. I’m sure you’re starved after all that travel.”
“No. I need to talk to both of you about something. Something serious.”
“Oh.” They exchanged a look. No guile there—just two people who’d been married a long time wondering what their only daughter needed.