"Can you just put one on and come out so that I can see it? We're wasting time." Jesse called to Sasha impatiently, tapping her foot as she glanced around the elegant yet casual little shop Jax had brought them to.
"Just give me a second, I'll be right out," Sasha called out, but Jesse ignored it just like she had the last eight times Sasha had told her that. Choosing to focus instead on Jax, who seemed oddly at ease in his feminine surroundings as he casually browsed through the dresses. Seemingly not noticing all the attention he was getting from the other patrons.
All female.
Jealousy rose up in the bottom of Jesse's stomach as an extremely pretty woman purposely brushed past Jax, drawing his attention long enough for her to flutter her eyelashes and pout seductively at him. Jesse took a step forward, ready to drag her away from her man by the hair and scratch her eyes out for even daring to try her flirtations on him. She stopped abruptly when Jax turned his head towards her.
All thoughts of jealousy flew straight on out the door when a slow smile curved his lips. The look in his eyes told her every dirty thought that he was having about her.
She didn't even notice the nasty looks she got from the other women there as she answered his smile with one of her own. One that told him that she was ready for anything he wanted to do to her, adding a little eyebrow wiggle with it which had Jax throwing his head back and letting out a loud laugh.
"What do you think?" Sasha asked, stepping out of the curtained changing area, drawing Jesse's attention.
Jesse felt her eyes widen, threatening to pop out of her eye sockets as she took in the skimpy black material barely covering her friend's voluptuous body. There was a piece that looped around her neck, separating into two strips over her breasts and coming together at her waist, far under her navel. Her back was bare and there were two slits going up her legs, ending just above her hips.
"What? What is it?" Sasha asked, panicked when Jesse did nothing but stare. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to think of something to say that wouldn't be too insulting.
"Is that the dress you're wanting to wear to the ball?" Jax asked Sasha as he pulled Jesse into his arms from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder when she relaxed against him to critically look the dress over.
"Yes, why? Is it too much?" Sasha asked, turning back to the mirror.
"More like too little." He told her honestly as he slid his arms away from Jesse to search through the shelves close to them. "You have a great body but too many curves for a dress like that. You need something that covers a bit more skin but still screams sexy. A dress that says that you are comfortable with what you have while making the men at the ball wonder just what exactly it was that you have. If there is something else, something that you weren't letting them see. Men love a good mystery, especially when it comes to a woman's body, so we need to find you something that makes them want to uncover all those secrets."
Jesse and Sasha stood side by side, avidly watching Jax as he took out one dress after another, all of them gorgeous in their own way but putting them back each time.
"Are you sure you weren't a woman at some point?" Jesse asked with a tilt of her head, earning herself an amused smile from Jax.
"No, but I was my mother's shopping buddy when neither one of my dads wanted to brave the shops with her. She taught me all the ins and outs of women’s clothes and of the wonders of bargains-slash-sales."
"Hold on, Dads? As in, plural?" Sasha asked.
"That's right. Identical twins like Dev and I are."
"Really? So the whole sharing thing runs in the family?"
"Something like that," Jax said, giving Jesse an inconspicuous wink which had her smiling in response as he pulled another dress from the rack. "This is it."
"This?" Sasha asked incredulously as she let him hold the dress up in front of her.
"Definitely. Trust me, it will look great once you have it on."
"Okay, but only because you've given Jesse such an amazing wardrobe." She told him as she took the dress and disappeared back into the dressing room.
"Aren't you going to find yourself a dress?" Jax asked Jesse as he stepped back up behind her. He locked their fingers together over her stomach as they patiently waited for Sasha to put on the dress he had picked for her.
Jesse shrugged.
"I'm usually not very picky about what I wear, so I'll be quick with finding something. Besides, I know that, with you and your brother around, I can wear anything I want to and you'll still manage to find a way to make me feel beautiful." She told him, tilting her head up to give him a shy half smile that had his heart doing somersaults in his chest and the words describing how much she meant to him slipping to the tip of his tongue.
But he held his silence even as frustration at not being able to say the words filled him. Made worse by all the matching emotions coming at him over the link he shared with his brother.
He now properly knew exactly how Devon had felt all those months ago. Luckily for him, however, he didn't have to wait all that long to tell her how he felt. So with a small secretive smile, he lowered his and gently kissed Jesse on the lips.
Jesse hid a smile at the look in his blue eyes before he kissed her but couldn't find a way to let it bother her once his lips touched hers. Melting against the wave of soft emotion breathing through her through their kiss and she couldn’t help but sigh happily at being so close to him and knowing that when she got home tonight she could cuddle up to both him and Devon.
"It's perfect!" Sasha cried excitedly as she threw back the curtains of the dressing room. She rushed towards the mirror, ruining the moment completely.
Not that Jesse minded all that much when she turned her head and saw how beautiful her friend looked in the dress or how her green eyes sparkled as she swirled around, allowing Jesse to properly see the black dress which suited her perfectly. It covered a lot more skin than the other one had and gave her an air of innocence while still hinting at something wicked lying underneath the surface.
It was surprising since the dress hadn't looked like much hanging on the rack.
"You look gorgeous," Jesse told her friend honestly as she walked up behind her, giving Jax's hand a light squeeze before letting it go.
"I know, right?" Sasha said, and she smiled brightly as Jesse and Jax laughed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she chanted happily, running over to Jax to give him a crushing hug.
"I told you it would look good on you." He told her as he accepted her hug with a chuckle.
"Hey, hey, hands off! Get your own man!" Jesse told her friend jokingly once Sasha let Jax go to admire the dress in front of the mirror again. She gasped overdramatically and put her hand over her heart as she grinned over at Jesse.
"You mean you won't even share with your friends? You have two of those for yourself!"
"And? I still need both of them, though I don't mind sharing from time to time." She told her friend, winking at Jax, who just smiled and shook his head.
"Good, because I think I just found my new shopping buddy."
"Oh no! I had enough of that growing up. The only shopping I'll be doing now is for Jesse, which reminds me. We still have to find you a dress." He told her turning away to get back to searching, looking for the perfect dress to match with a special evening.
"Something white," Jesse called to him absentmindedly as she also started looking.
"Oh, I know." He muttered with a smile as he thought of the night he and his brother had been planning since they had realized how much Jesse actually meant to them.
Or more him than Devon.
Devon had never been good at the romantic things but Jax was happy with him at least throwing in a few suggestions here and there. Making so that their surprise had a touch of both of them in it.
Excitement and anticipation tightened his gut.
He couldn't wait for the night of the ball.
"I just got off the phone with Sasha and she says that everything is set up and ready. Most of our people are also there and, I quote, "Looking good enough to eat"." She told Devon with a chuckle as she walked into the bedroom, her white dress that they had found at the boutique a couple of days ago swirling around her legs.
"Not as good as you." He told her softly as he looked down at her smiling face, as she helped straighten his tie which he had a rather sloppy job of tying since he was so nervous. His palms were actually sweating and that hadn't happened to him since college!
And it was all because of this tiny female who had captured his heart so completely.
"You don't think it's a bit too much?" She asked nervously as she finished with his tie and smoothed her hands down her sides. The white silk material was tight around her waist and flared out enchantingly from her hips. The sleeves cupped her shoulders in sheer lace that ran down to the cleavage of her breast that was pushed up by the corset-like ribbing up her sides.
"Never. You look beautiful." He told her truthfully, even though it did not even begin to describe how she looked to him.
He forgot about his nervousness as he cupped her face between his hands and kissed her. Breathing in the sweet scent that seemed to wrap itself around her as she sighed and leaned into him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to pull him closer to her.
A cough from the doorway had them pulling apart before the kiss could get too carried away and Devon glared at a grinning Jax for having interrupted them.
"I hate to break you guys up, but we should leave now before we're too late." He told them, pushing away from the doorway he was leaning against. "You look ... amazing." He told Jesse softly as he kissed her lightly on the lips. The love he felt for her swelled up from deep inside his gut. Combining with that of his brothers to create something even more beautiful.
A feeling so potent that he felt as if he could burst with it.
"Thank you.” She said, eyes still half closed as she just savored the feeling of being between her men and loving how protected and cherished she felt as they both touched her in some way. She could honestly spend the rest of her life just like that with them there.
"Let's go," Devon said, but not before brushing his lips against her cheek as he moved past Jesse to pick his jacket off the bed and slip it on.
"I'll just get my bag and wrap. I'll meet you at the door." She told them as she walked out the door, adding a bit more of a swing in her walk as she felt their eyes on her ass. Smiling to herself as she thought about just how much she had changed in the last month, how much happier she was. It was easy to see in the permanent sparkle that she had in her eye and flush in her cheeks. She even had a little bounce in her step, for crying out loud!
She caught sight of herself in the bathroom mirror and paused a second to look herself over. Liking, for the first time in a very long time, the woman staring back at her.
And it was all thanks to Devon and Jax.
The two men who had become everything to her and she could now honestly admit to herself that she couldn't live without them. Either of them. She wasn't afraid that they might hurt her or bring her down as Luke had done. She knew they would do anything within their power to give her whatever she wanted, even if she didn't know what that was, and that she was happy.
Because that was what was most important to them.
She knew they would never leave her for anyone else because they cared about her. Deeply. It was there in their every touch, every word, and every look. Hell, they had fixed her broken soul and made it into something even more beautiful than it was before, even though she had fought against it. They completed her in a way no one else ever could, and she knew that she would be completely lost without them.
Either of them.
And she was going to tell them tonight, she thought with a firm nod even as a flutter of butterflies exploded in her stomach. Feeling incredibly nervous about laying her heart so open to them.
"Jesse, are you coming?" Jax called, jolting her back to reality.
"Yes, I'm on my way." She called back and quickly slipped the wrap Jax insisted on her getting and grabbed her silk clutch bag. She paused long enough to let out a shaky breath and then, with an encouraging thumbs up at herself, she left the bathroom.
Her heart started pounding loudly in her chest as she approached the men, unable to believe that she had caught their interest.
Both of them wore matching tuxedos that fitted closely to their bodies, almost as if they had them made specifically for them, with a white tie and black shirt. The lightness of their blue eyes seemed even more pronounced as they watched her with identical expressions that had the butterflies in her stomach multiplying by a hundred.
It was a look she had caught on their faces more than once in the last few days, but she never had enough time properly analyze it.
"My lady?" Jax bowed with a grin before holding out his arm for her to take.
Jesse laughed as she looped her arm into his and allowed him to lead her out the door, giving Devon a brushed kiss as she passed him by. Earning her a half-smile that had her heart softening even more, especially when he bent down and gathered the small train of fabric following her into his masculine hands and held it from the ground to prevent it from getting dirty.
She also couldn't help but feel like a fairy princess as they both deposited her into the car. Handling her so gently that it was almost as if they were afraid that she would break.
Which was ridiculous after everything they had done together and that she definitely wanted to do again and again. She was even thinking of asking them to try out some things that she had wanted to do during her college days but never trusted anyone enough to bring it up.
Until now.
She trusted them with her heart and wanted to do anything and everything with them.
Jesse's heart beat so hard in her chest that she had to glance at the men to see if they could hear it but both of them seemed lost in their own thoughts just like her. Probably going over their proposal and making sure that they remember everything.
Too soon they found themselves at the venue of the ball and Jesse couldn't help but gasp at how beautiful it looked.
The building sparkled in the white light shining on it from concealed spotlights. The path to the door was littered with twinkling fairy lights that matched those of the dark sky that acted as a natural backdrop.
"You like it?" Devon asked, sounding slightly nervous, but Jesse didn't notice, as she was too entranced by the sight in front of her.
'It's gorgeous." She whispered as they came to a stop.
Devon felt the tension knotting his shoulder slowly disappear at the wonderment on Jesse's face and felt the same happen to Jax over their link.
So far, so good.
Jax slid out the back of the car and quickly moved to open her door before she could do it herself, holding his hand out for her to take so that he could help her out of the car. A mischievous smile stretched over his face when he realized that she was still staring at the scene in front of her. Before Devon, who had caught the look too late, could warn him not to, Jax tugged Jesse towards him just like he had done before. He chuckled softly as she screeched at the sudden movement and stumbled over her feet, falling gracefully against him.
"Jax dammit!' Jesse swore as she hit him over the shoulder, frowning up at him as she straightened up again.
"I'm sorry Baby. I just got jealous that you weren't staring at me anymore." He told her with a fake pout. The laughter in his voice made her lips tug up reluctantly.
"You're an idiot." She told him and before she could step away he cupped her ass and pulled her up against him to whisper, "I know," against her lips. He set her back on her feet before she could blink and she couldn't help but scowl at him for not giving her a kiss.
Devon scowled at his brother over Jesse's head before placing his hand on the exposed half of her lower back to lead her toward the building.
"Let's get you inside before you catch a cold or something." He gruffly told Jesse, smiling to himself when he felt her shiver at the feel of his thumb rubbing circles on her soft skin. What he did next he could probably blame on his brother, but he couldn't resist letting his hand slide down just a bit to caress her ass, making her jump slightly.
Jax laughed at the outraged look on her face.
"Behave!" she hissed at them as she walked into the front door.
"Yes, ma'am," Jax said with a grin as he stepped up beside her and took her arm in his, waiting for his brother to do the same on the other side before walking. Greeting the people they knew with nods but not stopping for anyone because they didn't want to give Jesse enough time to properly take note of them.
Or what they were wearing.
It was once they entered the ballroom that they felt her hesitate, pulling away slightly when she saw the sea of black in front of her.
"Uhm, Dev ... I think we got the dress code wrong." She whispered up at him, licking her lips nervously even as she smiled at everyone turning to look at them. She felt so exposed being the only one wearing white and she had to fight the urge to turn around and walk right back out. But that was what the old Jesse would have done. The new Jesse straightened her spine instead and silently dared anyone to give her funny looks or comment on what she was wearing.
She looked pretty dammit and she wasn't going to let their opinions bring down her mood.
"That's it, Baby." Jax whispered against her ear, making her shiver.
"No, Sweetheart, we got it exactly right," Devon told her, kissing her on the forehead before looking up and catching sight of a familiar redhead barreling their way. "Sasha's coming our way and it doesn't look like she's going to slow down any time soon." He warned and stepped back with Jax just as Sasha burst from the crowd and flung herself at Jesse.
"You look amazing!" She cried as Jesse stumbled back at the impact.
"Thank you. You look good enough to eat yourself." Jesse told her friend as she pulled back to look her over. Loving how she had pulled her hair in an elegant bun to go with the dress and done her eyes up with green to make them appear larger and brighter.
"I feel ready to be eaten up too." She whispered to Jesse with a wiggle of her brows before she turned to Devon and Jax, not mentioning the white dress as she shared a look with the brothers. Letting them know that she knew what they had done.
They will one day learn that nothing ever goes by her.
Especially when it comes to her friends.
"Don't you two look nice tonight?" She said and kissed them both on the cheek. Her nervousness about being so friendly with the boss had all but disappeared after she had found out just how sweet he actually was under that gruff exterior of his.
She graciously accepted their compliments before turning back to Jesse.
"Come with me to the bathroom? I want to do a few touch-ups before everything starts."
"Sure," Jesse said, and quickly kissed Jax and Devon, not even giving thought to all the people who could see them as she did so. She had to show the other women there that they were off-limits anyway. That they belonged to her.
"We'll be with Mrs. Branbell," Devon told her as she moved away from him, his eyes shining down at her and she nodded, feeling oddly tongue-tied.
"So just start your search for us at the bar," Jax said with a grin as she laughed, knowing that he was referring to the fact that everyone knew that Mrs. Branbell had a weakness for alcohol and was known for carrying a flask of the stuff around with her wherever she went.
"I will. Good luck." She called to them over her shoulder as she headed towards Sasha, who was motioning with her hands to hurry up. Jesse laughed at how eager she looked and shook her head but something, or rather someone, caught her eye over the heads of the people around her and Jesse felt her insides freeze.
What the fuck was Luke doing there?