Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Five

Brook’s POV:

He kissed me.

The same three words seemingly spun around and around in my head for hours. I sighed and turned on my side, yawning I was so tired and yet, unable to sleep.

He had kissed me, more than kissed me... and I had kissed him back.

He’d lied to Rick and I had let him. Why did I do that?

If I loved Rick, why did I let Jack kiss me? Why did I let Jack send Rick away, when I should have came down, told Rick, Jack was lying and told him about the kiss.

I turned again, the events of the day swirling around in my head and leaving me with a headache. I was unable to sleep for what felt like hours, if it was or not, I have no idea, but eventually, I fell asleep and then... I wished I hadn’t.

            “You think you can take my girlfriend away from me, you little prick?” Rick snarled angrily at Jack and my heart started pounding against my chest.

Why didn’t Jack just walk away?

“You call her your girlfriend, but she was more than happy to kiss me,” Jack taunted and Rick’s face went red with anger, his fists clenched and I tried to move towards them, to stop them, but I couldn’t move.

 I couldn’t stop them as Rick jumped at Jack and I screamed for him to stop. To leave him alone, but no words came out, my throat was closing and I couldn’t breathe!

“Jack!” I screamed but it didn’t make a sound, “Please, please, don’t hurt him, Rick, please!” tears fell down my face and yet the two men still fought, rolling around on the floor, hitting each other with powerful punches.

Someone grunted, Jack! No, no, please, please, stop, leave him alone, please!

“Brook!”

“Brook, baby, it’s ok. Brook!”

Firm hands gripping my shoulders, shaking me and I opened my eyes with a soft gasp, my face wet with tears.

“Jack?” I whispered softly; my throat raw and I looked at him in confusion.

I was sitting up in my bed, the room dark. Jack was sitting next to me with his hands still gripping my shoulders as I shook softly.

“Brook, it’s ok. It was just a dream,” he said gently and the images flooded back to me.

I couldn’t help but search his face for cuts and bruises. My hand touched his face gently as I checked him over and he let me without saying a word.

“You’re ok?” I whispered softly, relief flooding me and I closed my eyes, dropping my forehead to his bare chest without a thought. I was just so relieved I didn’t think about anything else other than he was ok.

“Brook, you scared the shit out of me,” he said now, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tighter to him.

“I’m sorry,” I said gently, my voice muffled against his chest.

“You were screaming my name, begging me to stop... I’d never hurt you, Brook,” he whispered and I pulled back, looking up at him.

“I know that, Jack,” I said softly and he nodded.

“Did I hurt you in the dream, Brook?” his voice was soft, but he pulled me back against his chest, tangling his hand into my fallen hair and rubbing my back gently with his other.

“No, you and Rick were killing each other,” I murmured now, wrapping my arms around his neck and all but clinching to him.

I could help it; I just needed to make sure he was ok, that it really was just a bad dream.