"Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes." ~Hugh Prather~

Misty stood frozen in place. A mound of dirt to her left, a plain pine wood casket sat above the deep hole in front of her. Her daughter sat on her hip. "Sometimes life just takes an unexpected turn."

"Don't I know it." Jackson's deep, baritone voice grumbled next to her. His crutches squished into the mud. "Let's go home."

Misty nodded and left behind the monster who had created a hell on earth. Jackson had grumbled for the last three weeks about not being able to strangle the bastard to death. All the while, he himself had bounced from life to death back to life. Every time he drifted back out, Misty would cry and her heart would break. And every time he came back to her, she had been so happy. The rollercoaster of emotions had made her wary of Jackson. She found herself losing her temper with the man more often than she should.

Misty drove the truck back to the house. Jackson held Autumn in his lap and let her play with his hands. He chuckled at Autumn and leaned over to kiss Misty's cheek. He grinned at her when she shot a glance his way. His smile disappeared when he saw Colten's truck outside of their house and a sense of foreboding filled him. "Now what does he want?"

"Probably just wants to talk." Misty hopped out of the truck and reached for Autumn. Jackson grumbled as he clamored out of the cab. His crutches clinked as he quickly made his way to the house. Colten sat inside on the couch.

"Hey Jack."

"How the hell did you get into my house?"

"I have a key remember?"

"I need to change the locks." Jack mumbled. "What do you want?" Jack perched on the arm of the opposite chair.

"I don't want anything, I was just making sure everyone was okay."

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well hell I don't know." Colten rubbed his neck as Misty entered the room. "Anyways the real reason I came out is- I got a phone call today. Some man by the name of Shaun demanding that I tell him where a Misty Lee Rundell was residing."

Misty gasped. "Shaun's my big brother! Did you tell him? Is he coming?" Misty bounced around excitedly.

"I didn't tell him anything." At her crestfallen face, he continued. "I wasn't sure who he was to you."

"Can we call him?"

Colten shifted restlessly. "Maybe you should talk to Jackson about that." He took note of the worried expression on Jack's face.

Misty turned watery, pleading green eyes on him. Jackson sighed. "Maybe we can talk when we're alone."

"Jackson, you have no idea how happy I would be to see my family." Jackson lowered himself down into the chair completely.

"What if they take you away?" Jack's voice was barely a whisper.

"What?" Misty frowned in confusion and scrutinized his face.

"Colten, will you leave?" The young Sheriff nodded before walking out the door. Jackson heaved a sigh. "I'd like to meet your family. But if for one moment, it sounds like they will hurt you in any way. They'll have to leave." The stubborn Deputy refused to show that she held power over him, that woman held his heart in her hands, and she didn't even realize it.

"Jackson, they're my family!"

"I know dammit, but you need to think about our daughter."

"Like I said when I first got here. You can't keep me here." Misty stormed away, only to come storming back. "My family is coming whether you like it or not!"

"Misty-" She slapped him across his still bruised mouth. Hurt flashed in his coffee brown eyes before he covered it up with a scowl.

"Don't try to tell me what I can and can't do, Jack. I haven't seen them for nearly four years!"

Jackson looked away from her, squaring his jaw. When she didn't get a response, she stormed off again.

Jackson sank down further into the chair. He didn't know what he was going to do.

#

Misty fairly bounced off the walls when it came time for her family to arrive. She hopped around the kitchen and rushed around the house cleaning. Jackson grumbled as he sat in the living room with a heat pack on his leg. He still gimped around on his crutches nearly five weeks after the incident. But that wasn't what had him grumbling the most.

Misty had refused to let him stay with her in what he thought of as 'their room'. He had been exiled to his library on the main floor.

And he hated it.

"Mr. Silverman," he hated that even more than not being able to hold her "will you please answer the door! I need to pull the rolls out of the oven." The knocks coming from the door were getting more impatient by the moment.

Jackson grumbled even more when he got up to answer the door. He swung the door open and scowled at the six people in front of him. "You must be Mr. Silverman?"

"I sure as hell ain't the butler." He ground out. He turned away from them and hobbled inside. He towered well above all of them, even when hunched over . "They're here!" Jackson's deep voice boomed. He flopped back down onto the couch, wincing slightly.

Misty stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an old apron. She squealed and ran to her mother and father. Jackson could feel her brothers glaring at him. Jackson heard Autumn crying upstairs. He sighed and struggled to his feet once again.

#

Shaun hugged his little sister tight. "Sis, you need to get away from that man. What if he hurts you, or takes advantage?"

Misty snorted. "Silverman would never hurt me. The worst he's ever done is bump into me in the hallway. And there was that time he chased me through the house with a dead prairie dog."

"Misty. He isn't the kind of man you need." He glanced at the stairs. "How could he have chased you through the house with crutches?"

"He got shot while protecting me and our daughter."

"He got you pregnant?!"

"No, he adopted my daughter."

"You had a baby?!"

Jackson hobbled back down the stairs with little Autumn clinging to his neck. He made his way over to his couch. Autumn sat in his lap facing him, giggling and 'talking' to her papa.

"What is it Sunshine?" She shoved her chubby little fingers into his face. Jackson kissed her chubby palms, smiling that goofy smile of his. He kept her entertained, tickling her and giving her raspberries on her cheeks. Her laughter rang through the air.

Jackson almost pouted when Misty took Autumn away. He was back to having a glaring contest with Shaun and Samuel, even Kaden. Amanda, Steven and Connie were in the kitchen with Misty and Autumn. "If you have questions, ask."

"Why'd you bring her here?"

"To protect her."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Next to her, yes. She was beat up pretty badly and needed 'round the clock care."

"I mean did you take advantage of her?"

"I never took advantage of her. If she wanted what I could give her, she asked." Jackson shrugged. "I aim to please." He smirked, but it soon disappeared. "Don't worry that ship sailed weeks ago."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, is that if she wants to leave, so be it. I can't stop a grown woman from making her own decisions."

"So you'd just let her go. Are you going to pay her for her services too?" Shaun asked sarcastically. "You're just going to use her and then toss her away?"

"I respect your little sister a helluva lot more than you do. I was prepared to die for her and that baby."

"Oh really? I just thought you were trying to get out of holding her hostage while some psycho was hunting for her."

"I'm Deputy Sheriff of this county! Don't you think I'd protect a woman from danger as best as I could?!"

Misty ran into the room. "Jackson James," she scolded, "don't be yelling at my brothers."

Jackson's anger soared as he shot to his feet. He pointed a finger at her. "This is fucking ridiculous!" He jabbed that same finger against his chest. "This is my goddamn ranch, my goddamn house and if my loyalty and my credibility is being questioned by strangers, I have every fucking right to tell them to piss off!"

Jackson said to hell with his crutches as he limped out the door. He slammed the heavy oak door behind him hard enough to knock the pictures off of the walls.

Misty stood rooted to the ground. She'd never taken the brunt of Jackson's anger before and she'd never had his cursing directed at her. She bit her trembling lip between her teeth as she turned to her brothers. "Just what did you guys say?"

"We were asking him if he had ulterior motives for moving you out here and not letting you leave."

"He was taking care of me and protecting me. That man loved me."

#

Jackson made it just inside the barn when his leg gave out. He fell to the floor. He punched the concrete as said ever cuss word he had ever learned. He had never lost control like that before, especially not in front of Misty. "Whoa Boss. Do you need some help?"

Jackson shook his head as he dragged himself over towards his office. Johnny hooked his arms under his boss anyways and helped the man stand up. He helped his stubborn boss into the office chair. "Misty's out lookin' for ya. Do you want me to distract her?"

"Jack?" Her voice called from inside the barn.

"Speak of the devil." Johnny stepped out of her way. Misty trotted over to his side.

"Oh Honey." She wiped the dust from his face.

Jack slumped forward. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you." She kissed the top of his head.

"I'll leave you guys alone. Holler if you need help with anything."

Misty nodded and finger combed Jackson's forever messy hair. Jack looked up at her with bleak eyes. "Misty, don't leave me. I need you and my daughter here with me. I don't want to be the man I was before."

"I don't want to leave you. But can you please try to get along with my family? I already talked to the boys about it, they'll be on their best behavior."

"I'll do my best." Jackson sighed. "I guess we should go back inside." He scrubbed his face with his hands. He grimaced as he stood. "Come on Miss Rundell." He helped her to her feet and brushed the dust from her backside. Misty kissed his cheek before he could pull away. She looped an arm around him as he limped toward the house.

Once inside, Jackson kissed her hair. "I'm gonna go rest my leg."

"Supper will be ready around 6:30 or 7." He nodded his understanding as he gimped to his room.

#

Jack lay stretched out in bed, his hands were folded behind his head and his ankles were crossed. He stared up at the ceiling. Misty slept directly above him and he was stuck downstairs in the bedroom next to the one shared by her brothers. Three miserable nights of hearing them plot against him and how to take Misty away.

A soft knock on his door had him getting up to answer it. Did he care that he was only wearing his boxers? Nope. He swung his door open to find Misty near tears. Instantly he was concerned. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to be alone anymore." She flung herself into his arms. "All I could see was you getting shot."

"Shh- Everything's alright. Shoot the hole is damn near closed up." He kissed her hair as he hugged her tight. He closed the door gently. "I'll never leave you, not until I'm old and gray."

Misty stood on her tip toes to kiss him. Jackson groaned and deepened the kiss. He slipped his arms under her and carried her over to the bed. "Will you stay with me tonight?" Her arms tightened around his neck. Jackson smiled against her lips as he set her down in the center of the bed.

"Your leg-"

"Will be fine." Jackson didn't waste another moment. Misty's hands threaded through his hair, his lips traced her jaw and down her throat. She moaned his name as he continued his assault on her senses. Jackson gently pulled her nightgown up over her head before dropping it to the floor.

"Jackson, oh my, please hurry up."

"But I'm having so much fun." He tasted her lips once more as his hand slipped between her legs. Her shocked gasp made him chuckle. Jackson shucked his shorts. There was no going slow or taking it easy. They couldn't get enough of each other.

Jackson knew she was getting close, but he wanted to make love to her all night long. When she climaxed, he slowed down fractionally. He kissed her shoulder as her nails dug into his skin. Misty turned into him and pushed him onto his back. Jack smiled up at her as he gripped her hips. She struck up a slow rhythm, angling her hips just so. It was Jack's turn to moan her name.

She knew how to turn him to mush and she definitely knew how to drive him crazy. It took one innocent touch and one incredibly hot kiss and he was gone. Jackson pulled her down into his arms. "You should have the top more often." He kissed her brow gently.

"With the rate you were going, we could've been here a week."

"Hey now, I was going for a personal record." They continued to tease each other until neither one could keep their eyes open.

#

Shaun lay wide awake. Sam and Kaden had covered their heads with their pillows to drown out the noise. Shaun instantly hated Jack more than he had before. It was obvious that the man was taking advantage of Misty. They weren't married and yet they were having late night rendezvous. His baby sister deserved better than that. He heard her giggle, "Jackson, please stop. That tickles!"

Come morning, Shaun was still fuming. He barged into Misty and Jackson's room, with the excuse that it was time for breakfast. He found Jackson curled up with Misty wrapped tightly in his arms. She had her arms tucked between them and Jackson had obviously made sure that she was well protected from the chilly air, for the blankets were tucked around her shoulders.

Connie appeared next to him. "Shaun, get out of there and let them sleep."

"He's going to hurt her."

"Didn't sound like he was last night. Now get out of there this instant."

"Mom-"

"Don't 'mom' me. Now come." Shaun knew if he didn't leave, his mother would drag him out by his ear.

Connie knew her daughter was a grown woman and could make her own decisions. The poor girl was probably gun shy of many men. If sleeping with Jackson and living with him was what she wanted, then so be it. Just as long as Misty was happy, Connie didn't care.

Connie closed the bedroom door softly. She was going to have to talk to those boys of hers.

Misty stretched against Jackson's long, hard body, a smile upon her lips. Jackson's arms tightened around her. "Good morning." His voice was groggy and muffled as he dropped a kiss to her hair.

"Morning." Jackson tilted her head up.

"I could get used to waking up like this." He gently kissed her smiling lips. "We should probably get some breakfast."

Misty entered the kitchen wearing Jackson's t-shirt and a pair of his boxers. Jackson was wearing his white t-shirt and his wranglers, figuring he should get dressed for the day. Misty floated around the kitchen- smiling and laughing with Jackson, who was doing his best to distract her even just a little. Jack held his baby girl close and had her giggling. Connie and Steven happily watched them and Autumn. They had agreed earlier that Jackson was a good man, even if he was a bit grouchy, and had decided that if he made Misty happy, then they would gladly welcome him into the family.

"Hey Jack?" He looked up at Misty.

"Yeah Misty?"

She stirred the oatmeal on the stove top. "I need to go to town today to get some groceries."

"The pickup keys should be in my coat pocket or on my dresser. And my checkbook should be in the console."

"Don't you want to come with?"

"I would love to, but I need to get the ranch moving."

"Just don't hurt yourself."

"I cross my heart. " Jackson flashed her a smile. A loud, thunderous knock came from the front door. "I'll get it." He handed Autumn over to Steven.

Jackson, with his hair sticking up here and there, un-tucked t-shirt and bare feet threw open the door. In front of him stood the worst woman he had ever met and slept with.

*

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