The Safest Hours

Chapter 4: Jackson

This is a double update. Read Chapter 3 first.

As I closed our quarter's door behind me, I realized how much I didn't want to leave. She had always been such a pretty girl, but in our time apart, she had really blossomed. Everything about her was amplified, overtaking my senses.

I was disappointed about her being on birth control, though. Because the need to see her swollen without children was ridiculous. We'd change that very soon after the wedding.

I walked down the hallway to my office, where we had her earlier, to see her father, brother, and cousin waiting for us. Apparently, their flight had come in earlier than expected, so we had her whole crew with us. I made sure to hide her friend from her, though, as I thought that might be a nice surprise for dinner tonight.

I sit behind my desk, not saying a word to any of the men. What I do notice, though, is that her brother is holding the coat she left here. And he looks furious. Perfect.

"Well, gentleman, we need to finalize some things here," I say, picking up some papers from my desk. Our contract states that the marriage would secure security in both territories from both sides. No more shootouts, serious punishment for unreasonable murder, and shared profits for any products that went through either territory. A beneficial agreement, if you ask me.

"We already signed all your contracts, Walsh. What more could you want to finalize?" He squeezed her coat, his face turning the same shade of red Eden's does when she blushes. 

"I have some questions about my wife. Is she allergic to anything?"

All three of them froze, staring at me. I didn't let my face crack, but I was enjoying their shock. For some reason, they all expected me to treat her terribly. But she did nothing wrong, and I intended to be the best husband I could be for her, even if that meant changing who I was as a person. I'd make sure my brothers were as well.

"She's allergic to apples, peaches, and cherries." Enzo finally answered, loosening his hold on her coat.

"Does she take any medication?" I looked at Mr. Amato, but it was Luca who answered. "She takes Fenoprofen just once when she's on her period, probably the second or third day, and she takes birth control once a day. Pill form." I stopped writing for a moment, and looked up for my last question.

"Has Eden ever struggled with her mental health? Was she ever on medication for it, or even just in therapy?"

"We don't believe in therapy." Her father scoffed, leaning back in his chair. And for some reason that angered me more than I could understand. I turned to Luca and Enzo, knowing they knew the answer. Enzo sighed.

"She was on anxiety medication from about 12-17. She's gotten better, and so the doctor took her off the medication, but she did go to therapy a few times when she was 15." Mr. Amato's head swung to his son and nephew, and I couldn't help the smirk forming knowing that they went over a powerful man to get Eden the help she needed.

"She still has anxiety, but it's become more manageable. She shouldn't need any medication for it." I nodded, happy with their answers. 

"Thank you, gentlemen. I'll see you at dinner." Luca and Mr. Amato stood, leaving at the blatant dismissal, but Enzo stayed behind. Still holding her coat, he looked at me. "I am probably the least violent in my family, but I need you to understand something Walsh. I will not hesitate to kill you or either of your brothers if any of you do something unforgivable to Eden. I'm not in this for the money or the connections, I'm in it for Eden. Do not hurt her." I looked at the man in front of me, seeing the sadness practically seeping out of him. I can tell he did the most for Eden just by the way he talked about her. I may not like him from a work perspective, but he seemed to be genuine in his love for his sister. And that was rare. 

"I wouldn't dream of it."

A/N: Kind of a filler chapter, but I wanted to write something from the guys POV. Jackson is the most authoritative of the brothers, and yet the sweetest in his actions. He's definitely an Acts of Service kind of guy. I also love that he showed his concern for Eden by asking her family important questions. This chapter also gives us our first glimpse of the kind of person her father is 🫢 Go follow my TikTok CamCam_2122 💚

Cameron T.