"Once the ceremony is over with, you guys can change out of these dresses, but as for now, stop complaining. It isn't my fault that y'all gained weight and all of a sudden it's too tight for y'all." Monica snickered as she admired her dress in the mirror.
Listening to Monica's friends, sister, and cousins joke and laugh as they sipped on wine, Selena swallowed down her water, silently forcing herself to enjoy the short time the bridesmaids had before the wedding began.
All she wanted to do was find a new kidney, before her time was up. And the two people closest to her, weren't a match which meant she'd have to get on the list and it was no point, because then she'd never get it.
And she didn't want Monica to go through with the wedding, but what could she do? Selena almost feared to even see Leon ; just getting a glare from him sent chills up her back because Selena knew what he was capable of and being physically weak at the moment, she wanted to avoid him as much as she could.
A phone chimes and vibrates on the vanity. Selena took notice that it was hers and grabbed it, seeing Adam's name at the top of the screen. Excusing herself from the room, she went outside and into the church's tight hallway then answered her phone.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Hey, how are you doing?" Adam's deep, but soft voice came over the phone. "I heard about the divorce."
"Yeah, who hasn't." Selena grumbled, rolling her eyes and leaning against the wall, never getting used to the fact that her love life with Jack will always be in the public whether they liked or not.
"I just want you to know that I'm here for you and if you ever need anything then just ask. I want you to be okay and be happy like you deserve to be."
Selena knew what Adam was up to. She wasn't blind nor stupid. He was probably doing backflips when he found out about the divorce, but as long as he tries nothing with her until she's ready for someone else, she doesn't care.
"Thanks and thanks for calling to check on me." As Selena thanked him, Jack walked out of the church's sanctuary with his hand cupped over his mouth and the cigarette hanging out of it, with the lighter at the end of the stick.
Once Jack noticed Selena and stopped in his tracks, she ended the conversation. "It means a lot, but I have a wedding to attend, so I'll see you at work, bye." Before he could say goodbye, she ended the call.
"Adam?" Jack guessed, moving his mouth to the side then blowing out the smoke as Selena nodded. "What'd he want?"
"Just called to check on me."
"For what?"
"For the divorce. He wanted to make sure I'm okay."
"No. He just wants to be with you, that's all." Jack chuckled and shook his head. "Remind me to sign the papers when we get back to the house."
Ignoring what Selena mumbled under her breath, Jack continued outside so he could smoke his cigarette.
He couldn't remember the last time he was in a church. He was surprised that he and his brothers didn't burst into flames when they walked in. But now, maybe this was the place to be for Jack.
With the drug addiction, his depression, and all the pressure from the media, this was the place to find peace and he was starting to think it was time for him to go back to church and pray more. Jack knew it was time to have a closer relationship with God.
Flicking his cigarette and putting it out with his foot, Jack turned around and walked back into the entrance seeing Selena was no longer there.
Not paying attention, Jack bumped into a hard shoulder that was covered in a tuxedo. He seen who he bumped into and rolled his eyes at the groom.
"Nice to see you're finally out of prison, Jack." Leon chuckled. "You can take the man out of Detroit, but you can't take Detroit out of the man, huh?"
Jack didn't laugh. He didn't even crack a smile. He knew Leon was mocking him and what he wanted to do was just tell him to fuck off, but he was in church and none of it was even worth it.
Staring at Leon with cold and rigid eyes, Jack said something that he needed to say before the wedding started. "Listen, you better not ever put your hands on Monica again. If you're gonna marry her, then at least have the decency to not make the rest of her life a living hell. And if I do find out that you hit her or whatever else that you do to hurt her, I will fly out to Detroit and will make you regret it."
Red in the face and clearly pissed at Jack's threat, Leon snarled and took a foot closer, "Don't make me choke you like I did your bitch."
Forgetting where he was, Jack balled his fist up and drove it into Leon's jaw with full force.
It rocked him, making him stumble back then he steadied himself. Leon's eyes were deep and dark. He didn't talk; instead, he tackled Jack to the ground.
The both of them on the floor, arms and legs entangled ; Leon's fists sunk into Jack's stomach and Jack's fists collided with Leon's face.
They fought for a good minute until Jack heard a familiar voice. "Woah, woah! Y'all are in church. Don't y'all think y'all should've taken this outside?" Jerry advised as Angel and Bobby pulled them apart.
"He shouldn't have said what he said." Jack said, feeling a bruise bloom on his cheekbone.
Leon snickered as he used his thumb to wipe blood off the corner of his mouth. "You're lucky I'm getting married in five minutes."
"Nah, you're lucky you're getting married in five minutes. Otherwise we would've kicked your ass our damn selves." Bobby threatened him.
Leon nodded his head. "Bet. I got people coming for y'all if that's what y'all really want. The Mercer brothers ain't shit no more. So if you want it, then I got it."
Angel stepped closer to Leon, sizing him up. "Bring it then. Cause it looks like you forgot who you who dealing with."
Leon menacingly smirked. "I gotta get married, but me and my boys will see y'all soon." He looked past Angel and eyed Jack up and down before turning around and entering the sanctuary.
After Dylan walked down the aisle carrying the rings on a red pillow, Naomi dropped pink petals along the aisle, pausing in the middle to wave excitedly at Jack who smiled and waved back before she continued, getting small giggles from the people around them.
Then everyone looked back to see the atrium doors open where Monica appeared in a radiant sleeveless mermaid gown. She slowly made her way to the alter, and the vows began.
Bobby nudged Jack in his rib, making him jump to the side and flicker his eyes at Bobby. "What?" He asked, in a hushed, but harsh tone.
"Why didn't you tell us about the divorce?"
Angel leaned forward and looked past Bobby to see Jack. "Ever since you moved here, it's like you can't even make time for your own family anymore, can't let us know what's up or nothing. We too ghetto for you now?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "No. I've just been dealing with my own problems lately. A lot of stuff has been going on and I have to handle it on my own and alone."
Jerry did the same as Angel and leaned forward to look at Jack. "But what's going on with the divorce? Where did that come from?"
Jack shrugged. "It was bound to happen. We couldn't last even if we wanted to. Our relationship is toxic. She's no good for me and I'm no good for her, and it's just time to let go and go our separate ways."
The guys laid off and the ceremony continued, ending in their exchangement of rings and vows, Leon and Monica were married.
After everyone giving their toast to the newlyweds, everyone ate their meals, popped the champagne, and danced.
As a slow melody played, everyone swayed back and forth with their partner. Jack scanned around the room, his eyes landing on Selena who was dancing with Monica's cousin, Marcus, and noticed that she had changed out of her bridesmaids gown and into a simple velvet cocktail dress.
Jack picked Naomi off his lap and set her in the chair next to Dylan who was enjoying his piece of cake. "I'm gonna go talk to your mom. I'll be back. Stay here, okay?"
Both Dylan and Naomi nodded, as they continued to eat their dessert.
Jack walked across the dance floor, cutting in on Selena's and Marcus's conversation and dance. "Can I have a minute with her, if you don't mind."
Marcus politely smiled and nodded. "Of course." He looked back at at Selena. "Nice seeing you again."
"You too." Selena responded, waving at him before Jack wrapped his arm around her waist and took her right hand in his left.
"Did you not like the dress that Monica had you guys in?" He chuckled.
Selena shook her head. "It's not that. I gained weight cause of my lupus. My weight is so complicated now. One day I'm thin as a pencil, and then the next it looks like I had a milkshake and four cheeseburgers with extra fries."
Jack frowned, taking a quick step back to observe her body. "You look okay to me. You have nice body. As long as you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, everything is okay."
Selena nodded, still feeling insecure about the complicated weight she'd be losing then gaining again.
Jack drove away from that conversation and towards another. "Why didn't you tell me about Leon putting his hands on you?"
Catching her off guard, Selena's brow quirked up. "How do you know? Did he tell you? When did you even talk to him?"
"Don't worry about how or when. Why didn't you tell me about him choking you?"
"You were in prison. What were you gonna do?"
"I would've done exactly what I did."
"What did you do?"
"We fought, but since we're in church, I can't do everything that I wanted to do, but don't let no man put their hands on you like that again and if they do, then you let me know."
"Didn't think you cared, that's why I let it go."
"You're my children's mother, of course I care, just like how you care about me. We have to be here for Dylan and Naomi, that's it. You don't want them growing up without me and I don't want them growing up without you."
"Yeah." Selena said, her attention then getting caught by Bobby's daughter, Riley, and Angel's son, Cory.
They were on a white sofa against the wall - Riley was pretzeling Cory's arm behind his head ; her knee digging into his back as he's face first into the cushions, his other arm swinging for help and attention.
"Maybe I should go pull them apart." Selena attempted to pull away from Jack, but he refused to let go of her hand and pulled her back to his chest. "Sofi has them."
He nodded over to the three of them where Sofi was scolding them, saying God knows what.
"Selena, I wanted to thank you for helping with everything the last few days, and I wanted to say sorry that I couldn't help you. I really wanted to be a match and I would've gave you my kidney, but I guess it wasn't supposed to happen...I really do hope you find someone who is a match though." He didn't want to ask but he knew he had to. "How long do you have?"
Shrugging loosely, Selena's eyes fixed on the floor, not wanting to talk about it, but it was reality. "A few months. My family is going to get tested though, so I think I still have a chance, but if not, then all I can do is fight or wait."
Jack drew in a deep breath and nodded, now regretting that he asked her about it.
"Damn." Selena cursed under her breath, releasing out of Jack's hold. "Nye spilled something on her dress. I'll talk to you later." She said, rushing off to clean Naomi's dress.
"Nye, go put your pajamas on and bring me the dress so I can wash it." Selena told Naomi as the both of the kids dragged their feet upstairs.
Jack leaned against the door and Selena crossed her ankles and folded her arms as she waited for Naomi to return with the dress.
"So..." Selena began. "You can sign the papers tonight and before we get the judge to finalize everything, we tell Dylan and Naomi. Sound okay?"
Jack nodded. "I'll go do that now. Goodnight." He pushed himself off the door and walked up the stairs where Naomi was coming down with her pink dress in her hands.
"Goodnight Daddy."
"Goodnight, baby."
Naomi jumped off the last step and handed Selena her dress. "I didn't like it anyways." She revealed, spinning back towards the stairs.
"What? You're the one who picked it out, babe."
"I know, but that's only cause I hate shopping. I wanted to play kickball with Riley, Dylan, Cory and Jaimie, so I just picked that one so we could leave."
Selena let out a sign. "Okay, but you're keeping this. You might have to wear it some other time for a just in case situation, but you can go to bed now." She leaned down and kissed Naomi's head. "Love you."
"Love you too." She chirped, running up the stairs.
Selena walked into the laundry room, not bothering to flick on the lights, thanks to the moonbeam that filled the room - splashing against the walls and ceiling - letting her see everything she needed to see.
She threw Naomi's dress in the washer and then slipped out of her own dress, throwing it in the washer with Naomi's. She pulled a tank top and shorts out from the dryer and dressed herself in those.
Reaching over to start it, she felt warm hands slide up her side, making her smack the hand away and turn around to be chest to chest with Jack, who was making sure she couldn't go anywhere.
With her back against the machine, she had no escape. Her eyes boring into his, Selena's body tensed as his hand slid underneath her shirt. "Jack...What are you doing?" She asked.
He took a long moment to answer. "Just tell me you want me to stop..." His lips began to leave a trail of soft kisses down her neck. "...And I'll stop."
Selena felt a lump grow in her throat as she felt his bulge press against her. She needed to tell him to stop, because this wasn't supposed to be happening, but she didn't want to. She wanted him right where he was.
Jack's hand then came from underneath her shirt to remove it, revealing her breast. He then placed a sweet kiss on her collarbone before removing her shorts and tossing them aside.
Selena helped Jack undress and throw his clothes in the pile with hers. He lifted Selena up onto the machine, and placed himself between her thighs, kissing her deeply as he entered her.
The pleasure of Jack and the machine she was placed on top of was driving her insane ; her moans were uncontrollable and her nails dug into his skin.
Once his thrusts began to grow harder, he held her closer as he kissed and sucked on the sweet spot of her neck.
Selena let out a silent scream, not having a chance to get any moans out - the only thing she could do was claw at his skin.
Realizing she was quiet and pinching his skin, he came to a stop to take a look at her. "I'm not hurting anything, am I?"
Selena nodded eagerly. "Yeah, everything's fine."
Any other time, Jack knew it was a good thing when she was like this, it let him know he was doing a good job, but with her failing kidneys, he wanted to be sure she was okay.
Jack massaged her ass, helping her desperately approach her climax that was also inspired by the vibrations of the machine. Her forehead fell onto his shoulder as he continued to thrust into her, following her lead and releasing his own climax.
For a long two minutes, no words were spoken and neither of them moved, too caught up in what just happened and not wanting to move on to see what happened.
Jack removed his face from the crook of her neck and pecked her on her cheek before pulling out of her. He pulled on his boxers and pajama pants and silently left the laundry room, leaving Selena more confused than she was before.
Fourth book coming soon