Chapter 36

Jay put his truck in park. He opened the door and steeled himself. He wouldn't let Jess see how much pain he was in. He slowly managed to make it down from the height of the truck.

Jess reluctantly got out from the passenger side and looked at Ruzek's building. She met Jay's eyes. "We're not going in there."

Jay ignored his sister's protest. He headed toward the building. He hit buzzers until someone answered.

"Pizza delivery," he said. The door unlocked and he went in without looking to see if Jess was following him. That was fine. She didn't need to be there. He could set Ruzek straight on his own.

He heard Jess' hushed voice and glanced over his shoulder as he punched the elevator button.

"I have no idea," she said. "But you need to get here…Nothing good can happen. It's Jay and Adam."

Jay didn't care who she was calling. He got in the elevator and let the doors close while she had her back to him, talking on the phone.

He made it to Ruzek's floor and gritted his teeth against the pain that made it hard to breathe. With a the side of his fist, he pounded on the door until it opened.

Ruzek looked like hell. His bloodshot eyes made it clear how little he sleeping. He obviously had given up shaving, and his hair fell across his forehead.

Good. He deserved to be miserable for what he was putting Jay's sister through.

Using his arm that wasn't trapped in a sling, he gave Ruzek a hard shove, then hissed in a breath at the sharp pain that knifed his side.

Ruzek stumbled off balance, landing against the door frame. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Jay pushed Ruzek's walker back, showing no mercy when Ruzek gripped it tighter to keep from falling over.

"You're an idiot," Jay said.

"Jay!" Jess burst through the door. She immediately went to Adam's side, steadying him before he could fall over. She glared at Jay. "What are you doing?"

"You want to break things off with Jess?" Jay demanded. "You want to just ignore her?" He took a limping step toward Ruzek and gave him another push, not able to hold back the groan of pain that escaped at the movement.

Jess caught Ruzek again, but her eyes were filled with worry as she scanned Jay for injuries.

"You're an idiot," Jay said again. "My sister is the best thing that ever happened to you, and you're going to toss her aside?"

"I'm not—" Ruzek paused, lowering his voice. "I'm not tossing her aside." He looked at Jess. The tender look he gave Jess made Jay want to pound him. He clenched his fist at his side and reminded himself he was here for Jess, for what she needed.

Ruzek tried to straighten up and looked directly at Jay. "I'm doing this for her. To make things easier on her."

"You think this is easier on her?"

"Jay." Jess turned her attention back to him, her mouth a tight line. "Stay out of this."

Jay shook his head, matching the stubborn set of her jaw. "I'm going to set Ruzek straight on a few things."

#

Jess closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wishing Jay wasn't already injured so she could break his ribs herself. She could feel Adam tensed alongside her, the fury radiating from Jay.

"Let's go, Jay," she tried again. She reached for his arm, wanting to tug him away from Adam. Wanting to get them apart before she had to hear Adam say again that he didn't want her, before she had to hear Jay tell Adam he was no good for her.

Jay jerked his arm away from her. "Ruzek, my sister is too good for you. Strung out on drugs and living on the street and she was still better than most people I know. She's got a good heart and she's probably wasting it on you."

"Jay," she snapped.

"She probably is," Adam agreed sharply. "Why do you think I've been telling her to stay away from me? You think I want her wasting her time with a cripple? With a cop who can't work?"

"Adam," she tried, turning toward him, but he refused to look at her.

"So this is what you're going to do? Just shove her away when things get bad? You weren't committed to her?" Jay's voice rose and he grabbed a hold of the front of Adam's shirt.

Adam shoved at Jay's shoulder, glancing a blow off it and causing Jay to fall back, still holding Adam. He stumbled back, dragging Adam off balance over his walker and they both went down.

Jess didn't know who to go to first, but she couldn't get close anyway. Neither one let go.

"I'm committed," Adam ground out, jerking Jay sharply.

Jay landed a hit to Adam's midsection. Adam grunted and swung back.

"Stop it," Jess ordered. She tried to grab the back of Adam's shirt and pull him back. The scuffle was slow and painful to watch, both of their injuries limiting their movement and speed. It was like watching a brawl in a nursing home. "Get away from each other," she said through gritted teeth as she tried to pry Jay back.

"Committed?" Jay said. His breath whooshed out when Adam got a punch against his broken ribs. "Committed isn't telling her to go away," he wheezed.

Jay started to stand, but Adam got a hold of one leg and pulled him off balance. "I'm trying to do what's best for her."

Jay kicked at Adam and Adam grunted in pain. "And she's supposed to wait around for you?"

"I want to take care of her," Adam ground out, fighting against the one armed hold Jay tried to get around him, wrestling him over onto his back.

"Then why don't you marry her instead of tossing her aside?" Jay demanded.

"That's what I want to do!" Adam's frustration finally broke the hold he had on it and he gave Jay a half strength slam back against the floor.

"Then do it!" Jay yelled back, rolling away and clutching at his arm in the sling.

"I will! I'll marry her today!" Adam shouted back, fighting to sit up, face tight with pain.

His announcement rang in the apartment. Jay and Adam both looked to Jess.

"What?" she said, her voice shaky.

With a groan, Adam got himself upright and reached for her hand, pulling her down next to him. "Marry me," he said. "Today. Now."

"What?" Jess asked again. She couldn't look away from Adam. He held her eyes, reaching both hands up to her face.

"Marry me," he said. "Your brother's right. I'm an idiot. But I'm less of an idiot with you."

Jess clamped her lips together to try to stop the trembling. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm sure," he said.

A sound of disbelief escaped her lips. Jess glanced over at Jay. He was still on the floor, holding his side. But he gave her a smile.

Jess nodded, not able to get any words out. Adam pulled her closer to him and she closed her eyes, his hand threading through her hair as he kissed her soundly.

"So, everything's ok?" Will's voice broke in.

Jess and Adam broke apart. Jess looked up to see Will looking from her and Adam to Jay on the floor.

"They're getting married," Jay said.

Jess looked at Adam, hearing the words sent her heart into overdrive. He pressed another kiss to her lips.

"I just need to get off the floor first," he said.

Jess laughed and linked her hand with his. Outside the window, the putty gray clouds parted and a beam of sunlight made it into the apartment.

#