Home > Take a Breath (Take #1)

Take a Breath (Take #1)
Author: Jaimie Roberts

1

 

 

She’s staring at him again.

The woman with zero compunction and fingers like talons.

It’s seriously nauseating, the way she gazes at him so longingly like he’s the center of her universe. I should be the only one allowed to gaze at him like that.

Horrified, I snap my head away. These thoughts shouldn’t be filling my head. I wish they would all just go away, but I crave this man. He is the only man I have ever yearned for, and I’ve adored since the very first day I met him. Although I’ve always wanted him with a passion, he’s done his level best to ignore me. He has been the center of my universe for far too long, but I can’t seem to shake him—no matter how hard I try. I know I can’t have him, so I wish I could just rid myself of this obsession. Oh, and for one other major reason: Jake is getting married to my mother.

The sickest part about it all is that she doesn’t deserve him. She’s just using him like she used all the others. She targets men and seduces them in to falling for her both physically and romantically. Then, once she has what she wants, she leaves, dragging me along with her only to repeat the same cycle all over again. Unfortunately, it’s been that way for as long as I can remember. Jake is Mum’s latest target and her boytoy since he’s only thirty-three against her forty-one years.

Despite the odds, I really hope that she will stand by Jake and settle down this time. It kills me to think of him being with anyone else, but I just want him to be happy—even if that means being with my own mother.

I stare out the window from my seat at the breakfast island, trying not to look as sick as I feel. It’s a beautiful day outside, and the garden and pool are glistening in the sun. We live in a “picture perfect” family home. It has five bedrooms—all en-suite—a gym, a basement, which has been converted into an awesome game room, and last but certainly not least is my personal favorite: a very well-stocked bar in the dining area.

The only unfortunate part about this house is Jake’s bedroom is the first room off the landing, so I have no choice but to pass it every time I go to mine. Naturally, I think of him every time I walk by. It only aids fuel to the fire of my already jumbled mess of hormones. To add insult to injury, I’m painfully aware that my mum spends some time in that room as well. Thankfully, she’s taken to sleeping in one of the other bedrooms down the hall more often than not lately. She says it’s because Jake snores too loudly, but I’m not convinced. I have never heard any noises of that sort coming from his room. Although their sleeping arrangements don’t exactly bode well, at least I’ve been spared imagining what is going on at night when his door is closed.

As for me, I seem to finally be coming out ahead as a result of my mum’s love life. She and Jake were starting to get pretty serious around the time I acquired my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Before an education can yield financial independence, it first has to be paired with a career and then given some time to allow experience to develop. At least, that’s what Jake told me when he extended my mum’s invitation to move in with him to me as well. That was nearly eight months ago, and taking him up on his offer is definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made—even with that pesky, nonstop-longing-for-a-guy-I-can’t-have thing. For the first time in my life, I finally feel like I’m home.

And as for Jake, he inherited his parents’ estate, including this house, his family’s entire fortune, and their accumulated assets when his parents died in a tragic accident three years ago. Due to his wealthy status, there is obviously no real need for him to work. Even so, he continues to go in day after day because he truly loves his job. He works in law enforcement, and I think doing so gives him a sense of purpose. He says he’s always known that it is what he was meant to do with his life.

“Are you ready, Ana?” I shiver at the sound of his voice. Just hearing him call out my name gives me goosebumps.

As I pop the last bite of toast in my mouth, I get up to gather my things. “Yep. I’m good to go.”

He kisses my mum on the cheek, and she smiles her sickly-sweet smile before saying goodbye. Just before going into the garage, Jake turns back to my mum. “As long as you have no objections, I should be home around nine tonight.”

I briefly wonder why he’s planning on coming home so late, but that thought soon disappears when I check my watch and see that we have to get going. We live in Northern Virginia and have just over thirty-five minutes to get from McLean to Fairfax, which is a bit of a tight time frame given all the traffic and construction between the two.

“That’s fine, Jake. I have things to take care of later anyway.” She then turns to me. “Bye, darling. I hope you have a good day.” Waving back, I shout my my goodbyes as Jake and I get in the car.

Once on the road, I try my best not to stare at his perfect form. But it’s so hard not to. Naturally, he catches me looking, and he smiles before a concerned frown takes its place and is joined by the furrowed brows which are beginning to form on his equally perfect forehead.

“Are you okay?”

I nod my head vigorously. “Sure am. I think I’m still just a little bit sleepy. I bet it looks like I just got out of bed.” I say it with a chuckle, but then I notice Jake gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. As I watch, his muscles tighten underneath his shirt, and the situation with my already jumbled mass of hormones gets a lot worse, which I honestly wouldn’t have even thought possible. But in my defense, he is wearing those tight black trousers with that damn white shirt again—a combination which makes me nearly orgasm on the spot when I catch sight of it.

With his jet-black hair and intense, sparkling green eyes, Jake is the ideal female fantasy. I myself have completely lost count of the number of times I have pictured his chiseled face, rock hard pecs, and intense gaze while touching myself. It doesn’t take much. Even that sexy five o’clock shadow of his can make me come within just a couple of minutes. The fact that he has power doesn’t hurt either.

Jake is the captain of the Fairfax County Police Department, and he is in charge of their Major Investigations Unit. He’d managed to get me a job there back when we moved in with him. In the end, my status as a recent graduate had gotten me an invitation to move in as well as a job interview. Jake had already been looking for a new analyst, and my degree happened to be in the right field. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I absolutely love my job.

Determined to never follow in my mother’s footsteps, I’d set out to better myself from an early age. I pushed and pushed as much as I possibly could to get myself a decent job which would enable me to settle down as soon as possible. I’m only twenty-two, but after having spent so much time running just to keep up with my mum and her poor choices, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more than the ability to lead a normal life.

What’s even better about my current situation is that I’m not the only offspring in the picture. Jake himself has a son called Matthew. He was only sixteen when his son was born, but even though he was young, he took on the responsibility of raising him as a single parent because Matthew’s mother just couldn’t cope. With the help of his rich parents, Jake brought Matthew up with all the love that any child could ever wish for. Naturally, knowing all of this has only made me want him more.

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