Protective Secrets (The Protective Series, Book 3)

Chapter Eighteen

Remade trailer for Protective Services can be accessed via the link above. :)

Hope you all like it, for those of you who have read this series through from the first book to this one.

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[Asko's P.O.V]

Jed wrapped his arms around my neck, kissing me roughly and impatiently. I steadied him against my torso by curving one arm around his waist, reaching for the door handle with my other hand.

He ran his fingers through my hair, deepening the kiss with such overwhelming passion that it stole the breath from my lungs. I'd missed him; I'd missed the soft sensation of his lips on mine; the way a low groan escaped him whenever I ran my hand down his back and squeezed his butt. Most of all, I'd missed tracing and exploring every inch of his toned body, revelling in the feeling only he could bring me.

"Have you got a condom?" He panted, flicking his long dark blonde hair from his soft-featured face over his back. "I don't think I have any on me."

I patted the front and back pockets of my black jeans, shaking my head from side-to-side. "Sorry, but I don't have any either. Does it really matter, anyway? I mean, realistically, how many people have you slept with since me?"

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed, looking down at the floor. "None." He answered in a small voice, cautiously raising his eyes back up to my face. "How many have you slept with?"

I felt my heart pang with guilt, looking at his clueless face. Flashbacks of Jarmo's face passed through my mind, depicting him lying over me, with his face buried in the pillow, and lastly, on his knees in front of me as my moans filled the room from the skilful use of his tongue. A feeling of nausea settled over me, and I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach.

"Asko?" Jed's voice broke through the memories. "Earth to Asko. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I lied, swallowing down the bile rising in my throat. "And to be completely honest with you, Jed, I slept with Jarmo."

The colour drained from his face, the gradual smile that'd been forming falling straight off. He looked hurt, as if he were seconds away from crying. I felt a stab of pain in my heart, and instantly wished I could undo what I had just said. I thought being completely honest with him would been the way to go, but all my actions did was cause us both pain.

"Jed," I reached out to cradle him in my arms, only for him to retract from me a couple of steps. "I'm so sorry. I never meant any of it, I swear to you. I was drunk and in a fragile state, and he was there for me."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "That's the oldest excuse in the book. Besides, it's not like you to get drunk. I always thought you were the most responsible one out of us all."

I bit the inside of my cheek, tucking my thumbs into the sides of my pockets. I didn't know what else to say to him, without adding injury to the already fragile situation. "It was a bad day. We went down to the police station to interrogate Dan, and he kind of got to me. So, I guess drinking away all my problems seemed like the only solution to me."

"Wait," he held his index finger up in the air, backtracking on what I'd just said. "You saw Dan? As in Dan Fisher, our ex manager?"

I nodded. "He was hiding out at a place we got called to. We don't know his motives yet, but he seems bent on getting revenge on us."