Reclaimed by Terri Anne Browning

my gut, but it also set flame to my anger.
    What did she expect? What did any of them expect? It had felt like no one—not one damn one of them—had cared if I was around or not. I wasn’t the kind of female to beg for attention from anyone. I’d left because I’d needed to for my own sanity and wellbeing.
    From the couch, Bash pushed to his feet and stepped toward me. His electric blue eyes were full of understanding.  I lowered my eyes to Toby who sat contentedly at my feet. “It’s late. It’s been a long day for everyone. No one’s temper is stable when you’re tired. Get some rest and we’ll welcome Flick home in the morning like we should.”
    “Yeah, let’s do that.” I nodded and glanced at Colt. “Do you mind driving me to my mother’s house?”
    “You’re not going to Marcie’s,” Jet said, quick to stop me. “You’re home, as in this house is home.”
    My eyes widened in surprise. “You have got to be kidding me.” Seriously, he had to be. There was no way I was sleeping under the same roof with him. “That’s not happening. I came back with you, be thankful for that much. There is no way I’m sharing a roof with you. I can barely stand to share the same air with you, let alone a house.”
    His eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to me. Feeling my sudden tension, Toby stood and growled at the big man. Jet ignored the dog. “You will be staying here, Flick. In this house. In my room. In my bed. There will be no negotiation, no compromise. This is where you belong and it’s where you’re going to fucking stay. Don’t like it, too damn bad.”
    “You can’t make me stay here,” I shot at him, practically shaking with the anger making my blood boil. “I’m not some prisoner, Jet. You told me I had to come back with you. Not once did you mention that I had to live with you.”
    “If I had would that have changed your mind? Knowing you would have to share the same house with me, the same bed, would you have walked away and risked me telling the world what I’ve done for you?” He had the gall to grin when I remained quiet. He knew fucking good and well that it wouldn’t have changed anything. I wouldn’t have risked Emmie. If he’d said he wanted me to join the circus as a freaking trapeze artist, I would have complied.
    “Didn’t think so,” he said with a smirk.
    “I hate you.”
    The smirk disappeared and his jaw tightened. “That’s okay. I hate me too.”
    It looked like I was stuck there. I clenched my hands into fists and glared at him with all the hate that was burning through my chest. “Fine. I’ll sleep in your bed. You can take the couch. No negotiation. No compromise.” I pushed past him. “If you step foot in that room, I’ll scream this place down. Pretty sure you don’t want me waking up the kids.” I started up the stairs.
    “Flick…” I paused on the second step at Raven’s voice and glanced back at her. She looked as if she were at a loss for words for a moment and then she blew out a long breath through her nose. “I’m glad you’re home. I really have missed you.”
    “I missed you too, Rave.”
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
     
    J ET
    M AX’S SQUALLING WOKE ME THE next morning. I grunted and turned onto my stomach, pulling the pillow I’d gotten out of the linen closet over my head. I’d had to sleep on the couch the night before. Flick hadn’t been kidding about putting me there. When I’d tried to go into my bedroom, the door had been locked.
    I could have broken the door down but didn’t want to chance waking Lexa and Max. Raven would have done a lot more damage to me than Flick would have and it was for that reason alone that I’d camped out in the living room rather than try my luck with my own bed.
    My nephew was really letting the world know just how strong his lungs were this morning. My pillow was doing nothing to block out his screams. Grumbling, I threw my pillow across the room in my frustration and tossed back the