The List: One Year, One Adventure ✔️

Chapter 27: Will You Decide To Fight?

Dean

I jumped to my feet, peeling my tuxedo jacket off and throwing it on the bed behind me. I began to roll my sleeves up on my crisp back shirt until Sarah placed her hand on my arm and begged me to not pummel her brother's face in.

"Dean, please calm down so we can find her." She flashed her best set of puppy dog eyes at me, pleading for me to rethink my decision.

"Alright, but if I'm not gonna kick his ass, I have a few things to say and I plan on doing it in my best I'm gonna kick your ass voice!" My voice was guttural and commanding as my hand found its way up, pointing in Jack's direction. "What the hell made you think that, hey let me place my mouth on a girl who isn't my girlfriend, was a fantastic idea? Scratch that, I know why you did it. Well, you won, Jack! For your information, I never knew Jezabelle was engaged and I never saw her again. I even refused her advances afterwards. There wasn't a need to pay me the hell back!" I was shouting now, my hand violently pointing in his direction, issuing a warning that at any minute it could be my fist launching his way.

"Do you really think tonight was payback? I never pegged you for a stupid guy, Andrews. Tonight was about my feelings for a girl who knocked me on my ass. Someone who I honestly believe I am utterly in love with. I love Arina more than I could have ever loved Jeza." Jack's southern accent was thick and his voice tried to equal mine in terms of commanding presence.

"I warn you, Jack Parker, if you even let the words love and Ari out in the same sentence, I'll end you where you stand! You have no idea who Ari even is. You think because you spent several days with her that you're an expert on all things her? I've spent seven years with the girl and every day's still a mystery!"

Sarah began to advance in my direction, but I growled at her, causing her to sit back on the chair where my carryon bag once rested, the velvet box still in her hands. She gripped it like it was a life vest and the only thing able to shield her from impending death.

"I'm sorry, Andrews. I get it, how could you not love her, but you haven't exactly been an upstanding guy where she's concerned," Jack fired back.

"I never cheated on Ari, ever! I won't deny that I love women. I love the feel of them underneath me, but the minute Ari and I became us, it was all done. Everything with all other women was done. Ari's the only star in my sky." I started to tense up and knew I was losing my cool with every passing moment. I was worried beyond belief, not knowing where she might be and if she was even alright. That paired with Jack's voice made my anger boil beneath my skin even more.

"I know you don't want to accept this, but I do know Ari and I know how badly your actions in Vegas wounded her. I was there to pick up the pieces when you crushed her so badly that she fled that city like it was on fire." Jack leaned his weight on the doorframe, crossing his arms at his chest.

"You don't know anything about Ari! What's her favorite color? Lime Green. What's the song that she listens to when she misses her dad? David Bowie's "Heroes" because it was his favorite song. What's her favorite word in the world? Petrichor, the earthy smell after the rain. What's her biggest fear? Chickens, don't know why, but they freak her the hell out. What did she wish for on her thirteenth birthday? To be able to live one more year! I can keep going all night, but the truth is that you don't know shit about her! You also don't know that I love her more than anything in the world and because of that I'm not allowing her to sign a prenup after I ask her to marry me. Everything that I have is already hers, for as long or short as she'll have me. It's all hers."

Jack just stood there in silence as I spoke. I divulged all these revelations, but when I mentioned money, it was the language that he spoke.

His face shifted as I made my final revelation, "My biggest fear is that my heart will shatter beyond repair the minute she dies, whenever that may be. It could be tomorrow or in thirty years. I don't know."