Being reunited with Steph had caused so much happiness in Jess, which only this woman could bring her. Everything in the world felt right when Steph was around. The pair had known one another for years and been part of each other's dramatic highs and lows. Apart from Jack and previously, Jay, no one knew Jess better than Steph did.
"We're thinking Todd has more to do with this than he is letting on." Steph answered simply and as much as Jess knew she had to consider that being a possibility, she didn't want that to be true.
If Todd was involved, that was going to hurt Sophie.
"Why do you think that?"
"He's worked with Jazmine before. The fact that he knows so much makes us think it's because he's involved in it."
"But he basically threw Jazmine under the bus by telling Matt and Jay that she's playing them. Why would he do that if he was on her side?" Jess asked, desperately wanting to find the innocence in him.
"That's the one thing I can't figure out and the one thing that's making me think he's not working with her. However, Jay thinks that it could either be part of Jazmine's plan or Todd's now trying to save himself. He could be innocent but until proved so, we have to assume he's guilty."
At the mention of Jay, Jess' heart was filled with so much warmth and relief. Even though it had been a couple of weeks since she found out the truth, she was still equally as relieved by it all.
The moment she found out that Jay was 'dating' Jazmine tore her heart in two. She hadn't wanted to believe that he wouldn't be so careless and so heartless to do that to her however, it had been difficult not to. He had been convincing.
"You okay?" Steph asked as she noticed that look across Jess' face. She knew this had been tough for her and the emotions she felt when Steph had shared the news, were still very fresh.
"Yeah... I'm fine." Jess muttered yet she was far from it. She felt full of emotions, like she could cry but she wasn't really sure why.
She guessed it was the build up of everything. She had spent the past 6 months or so thinking she had lost her best friend to her cruel sister. However, he had just sacrificed a lot of people's trust, especially hers, for the safety of his own gang and the people he cared about.
Jay had accepted Jazmine into the gang and started 'dating' her so he had full control without her knowing. He was aware that she was up to something and that she wouldn't genuinely want to work as a team like this gang did. She wanted her name remembered but Jazmine was a solo business woman and that would always remain. She was just trying to use this gang to get there, knowing there was a much higher chance of succeeding.
"Hey..." Steph reached out to give Jess' hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know it's been tough but you know that Jay would never do anything to hurt you. Ever. This gang just means he has to make shitty decisions sometimes."
"I know, I should have realised that." Jess began, feeling angry at herself for instantly just assuming the worst in him. He had been a good actor and hadn't been able to be truthful with anyone in fear of Jazmine finding out. "I just feel so relieved and emotional about the whole thing. It's pathetic really."
"No, no it's not. You thought that Jay had betrayed you and then you suddenly find out his heart is still pure... well kind of." Steph teased with a grin on her face. "It's a lot to take in."
"Is it weird to say that I'm nervous to see him?"
"Not at all."
Steph could sense the nerves radiating off of Jess. It was unusual but it showed how real their relationship was. She cared about Jay a lot and he had played a huge part in her life still to this day therefore, losing him for these past 6 months had been tough.
"Just know that he does feel guilty and that he is still stressed out by all of this. You know he hates feeling out of control."
Jess nodded her head as she could imagine the state he had been in while trying to figure this out. He had as much control over the situation as he possibly could, but there was still a lot of unanswered questions and that made it difficult.
"He's the smartest guy I know in this business, I don't think he has anything to worry about..." Jess trailed off as the doors to the bar were pushed open revealing a figure in the doorway.
He was dressed in his usual all-black attire and Jess didn't need any kind of light shone on him to know who it was. She recognised that physique and the way he held himself. It was Jay and just seeing him in person for the first time in 6 months made her heart beat so fast.
"Help yourselves why don't ya?" Jay remarked sarcastically as he came into view. His gaze flickered to the glasses in front of them before back to their faces, and when Jess captured his eyes, she saw the smile appear across his face.
It was a smile that had always managed to provide her with so much reassurance, from when she was in the gang and even now that she was out. It was a smile that shone even in the most difficult times and it made any terrifying incidents feel completely fine.
"You're slacking on stock a little, Gibson. This was the last bottle." Steph hit back, while holding the wine up in the air, causing Jay to chuckle back at her.
"Not really my main priority right now, is it?"
"A good businessman must be able to do both."
Jay couldn't help but laugh at Steph's honesty, regardless of the situation. Since he and Matt had opened this bar, she had ensured to boss him around as much as she possibly could. She knew her stuff after running one for so many years however, she would give her advice even when it wasn't asked for.
"A good businesswoman wouldn't share her tips to the competition." Jay mocked back, as Steph finally flashed him a smile which quickly turned into a chuckle. It was good to see him smile and it was good to be able to smile around him without it being tense.
They may have a long way to go but this guy wasn't letting it drag him down.
While this whole exchange had been happening between Steph and Jay, Jess had been sat in silence just watching them. Usually she wasn't one for being quiet but right now she didn't really know what to say. She didn't know how to approach Jay or how he expected her to approach him so she just remained silent. However, that silence was killing and all she really wanted to do was let him know how much she had missed him.
"Have you lost your voice or something, Jess?" Jay piped up as he shifted his attention to her.
He had clearly noticed her silence too.
"No." Jess shook her head while letting out a shy chuckle. She didn't understand what had happened to her but she needed to snap out of it before she made herself look completely pathetic. "I just don't know what to say right now..."
"How about you just come here?" Jay suggested as he opened his arms, as though to urge her into a hug.
For a moment, Jess just paused and watched him. She couldn't believe he was so open and unfazed by everything that had happened over the past few months. She had given him an incredibly tough time and told him she wanted nothing to do with him. However, now he was willing to just shrug it all off and go back to how things were.
"...don't leave me hanging and looking like a twat though."
"As satisfying as that would be..." Jess teased as she got down from the stall and made her way over to him. "I don't think I could do that right now."
In that intense, confusing yet warm moment, Jess let herself relax into Jay's arms as he wrapped them around her. This hug wasn't just a simple greeting after 6 months apart, it held so much more than that. It was an apology from her to him and him to her. It was a reassurance that everything was good between them, and it was a confession of how much they had truly missed one another.
"I'm sorry for thinking you would screw me over like that." Jess said as her face pressed to his chest. "I don't know how I could be so stupid. I was just so angry that you would get with my sister after everything, that it kind of blinded my view of the person you actually are."
Resting his chin against Jess' head, Jay glimpsed over at Steph's smiling face before leaning down to press his lips against Jess' hair. He didn't care about the things she had said to him, or what she had perceived him to be, he was just glad to be back with the two most important women in his life, and for them all to be safe. Nothing else mattered really.
"I was a little offended that you two thought I was fucking stupid." Jay teased back, bringing some light to the situation. "But it's all good. If I could fool you two, then I must be fooling everyone else."
Leaning back out of his embrace with Jess, Jay looked down to capture her eyes and that confirmed the look he was expecting. She was filled with emotions and a sense of happiness for this moment, and that was exactly how he was feeling.
"You know I've got your back, no matter what, right? Whether you're in this gang or not."
Nodding her head, Jess ran her hand up the side of his stubble face before teasingly giving his cheek a squeeze.
"You just give me so much fucking anxiety, all of the damn time!"
"Yeah, well... gotta keep you on your toes haven't I?" Jay smirked, before pulling her in for one more squeeze.
This time, he reached out a spare hand to urge Steph into the hug too. She didn't even have to consider it and immediately let her body be soaked up in his warm embrace. Everything about this moment was perfect. Being in the arms of the only two people who had really been there for her was an irreplaceable feeling.
"I've got a coupe of hours before I need to meet the devil." Jay began in reference to Jazmine. "So, how about we all have a drink together, for old times sake. I think we have a lot to catch up on."
Glimpsing over at Steph, Jess saw that genuine smile cross her face and she was mirroring it herself. She couldn't think of anything better than getting to spend the next hour with her two best friends, two people that she knew would be there for her no matter what.
She may have lost a little faith in Jay over those past 6 months, but it had now made he realise that she had been the one in the wrong. She had let emotions take over and control her rational mind. Jay was family and no matter what happened, he would always put her first, and Steph too.
This guy was a dangerous, some would say heartless being, but she knew the real him on the inside. When it came to the people he loved, he was the most selfless man she had ever met in her life. No amount of money or pride could change that.
"I think a catch up is definitely needed." Steph grinned as she turned her head to look up at Jay.
As he looked down at her, there was that love in his eyes, which had never really gone away and Jess immediately picked up on it. But before she got chance to question it, Jay leaned down to press his lips to Steph's, in a gentle, yet loving kiss, one that confirmed everything.
The person who needed catching up most here, was her and that was evident by Steph and Jay's actions alone.
...
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