Caught In Your Chaos ✓

Chapter Eighty-Six

•An amazing cover made by krissthetic - I'm in love with all the covers you have made for this story!•

"Is there anything he isn't good at?" My sister released an animated sigh, placing the pie on the table and nudging my shoulder. My eyes followed the person in question. Jake was in the kitchen, helping mom with the turkey seasoning.

"I guess, nothing. Unless winning over mom's heart counts." My heart warmed with the smile on his face as he tossed a piece of ham to the brown furball whining around his leg. Mom rolled her eyes at him, but I could feel she was trying hard not to show her admiration. That was the happiest I had seen him in a year.

A lot had changed in twelve months. I moved out of the dorm into a new studio apartment and started working at a local bookstore. It turned out the only decent way to deal with the crazy stories in my mind was to live among them. Dad wasn't happy at first, but he didn't stop me from finding my tic.

Finally, the finals were over, and we were to start a new year the following week. We did end up going to the charity ball, and as promised, he pleasured me physically and soulfully later that night. There had been bad days, even the worst ones but all of them seemed utterly blissful with him. He was regretting less and accepting more. The pup he saved turned out to be a lost soul, and when two lost souls find each other, they end up making a home.

"She seems to like him more than I thought she was capable of showing. Although, I must say those tattoos are the only thing that makes her frown. Otherwise, they are bonding well over the cooking." Molly said, gazing at the intricate patterns of the ink visible through his rolled-up sleeves. "Damn, those tats are sexy as hell."

"Stop, eye-fucking my boyfriend, you creep." I shot her a glare and threw a napkin ball at her.

"Jesus Christ, girl," Molly propped an elbow on the table, dodging my attack. "I'm eighteen months older than you. Do you mind ignoring the f words with me? Stop behaving like a jealous girlfriend."

I tossed another tissue ball at her, but soon we both laughed at our silly conversation. We had always been more friends than sisters, and it wasn't the first time we were talking about guys, but somehow the curly-haired, black-eyed guy with tattoos was the only guy I felt possessive about.

We both shifted our attention to the kitchen, where mom was helping Jake with the salad cutting. My brother Joshua and dad struggled with the lighting decoration mom had set them. The creases on dad's forehead showed his displeasure. He preferred to help with the turkey than put up my brother's lousy behavior.

Jake was wearing the watch I gifted him with my first salary. The tux was my choice too. For someone who wasn't going to hide his tattoos, he tried hard to conceal as much ink on his skin as possible.

"How do I look?" Jake checked himself in the rearview mirror and pulled up the shirt's collar, trying to cover up his tats.

"You always look handsome, haven't I told you that before? Stop behaving like a high school student. How do you even manage as the CEO in training?" I brushed some of his black curls back in their place and straightened the lapel of his charcoal suit jacket. Maze barked twice from the back seat. "Even Maze agrees with me."

Jake had grown closer to his father over the past few months, or at least they were trying to fill up the gaps in their relationship. He surprised me two weeks ago over a fancy dinner with the news that he had finally retired from the fight club and had decided to help his father with the business. Seb had joined his company after graduation and was helping him with his role. For some reason, I didn't see the spark in his eyes, the one he has while painting, but it was better than getting wounded in a fighting ring.