Don't Let Go: Deleted scenes & Extra's

Ex's and Oh's

There had only been two other men within Jackson that had any previous sexual relations to his now wife, two relationships that seemed to have ended quickly and bluntly from his understanding. The first had left Jackson off his own accord just after Joel had arrived- absolutely nothing of his doing what so ever and then there was Lewis fucking Burns... He was tall, dark with piercing blue eyes, in his mid- thirties... oh and a complete and utter wank stain of a man. A rather envious man that was seemingly still bitter about his and Ava's break up- even now, over two years later...

Joel had heard the gossip from around town, the stories that the piece of shit spread as he caught onto the notion that Ava had moved on. The rumour that Joel had stolen 'his girl' from beneath his nose... it was laughable really. Immature. Ava was soon to set the record straight, reminding him that they had ended their short lived relationship four months prior to her even meeting Joel after seeing one another for only two months. Perhaps if he treated her with the respect she required instead of as an object- a trophy, he wouldn't have lost her...

Ever since, it had been a mirage of snide comments and sharp narrow eyed glares that had been fired at Joel whenever both men found themselves within the same space. He didn't care for the childish behaviour, he was too old for such drama and so he'd usually let the snarky comments and envy laced stares glide off of him like water off a ducks back to prevent him from snapping the younger man's neck but my fucking god, an entire week of this blokes bullshit? Now that was a tough fucking task.

After enduring the first couple of days, it had almost become a form of entertainment to watch Lewis seethe silently at each time her name was brought up. It was a well known fact that the blonde was now Joel's girl, his wife in fact. If he wanted to talk about her, then he fucking well would.

It was on the journey home when the five of them were huddled around a small fire, one of the younger guys of the group piping up and breaking the silence to ask 'what is the first thing you're gonna do when we get back?'. Most answers consisted of something along the lines of 'take a shower' or 'eat a decent meal' and in any normal circumstance, Joel would have opted to respond with something similar, never being one to divulge into his personal life but he couldn't help himself, his brain unable to pass up on the opportunity to rub salt into a still seemingly open wound as he shrugged nonchalantly with the same stoic expression he usually wore and responded with "my wife." A not so discreet glance in Lewis's direction was more than worthwhile to see the vermilion of his broken ego seep out across his face with bouts of steam billowing from his ears among the bemused snorts and approving chuckles of the others- a priceless expression.

Joel found himself smirking smugly just at the mere recollection of the moment, another sip swigged from his glass as he gazed vacantly into the flickering flames ahead. His attention suddenly piqued by the quiet creaks of the staircase, his head turning toward the sound as he anticipated the assumed presence of the dog coming to greet him... but it didn't sound like the padded thuds of his paws. Instead, it was Ava that sauntered around the corner and into room. Her movements fluid and calculated as she meandered over to him without breathing a single word, dropping the baby blue cotton night robe she had wrapped around her figure into a heap at his feet to reveal the dusty pink satin nighty beneath. The black laced hem just brushing the tops of her plush thighs as she climbed onto his lap. The warm orange glow of the fireplace being the only source of light illuminated each of her soft features, the innocence and serenity of the atmosphere shifting into something less virtuous.

"Hey, baby..." He murmured lowly as the tip of her nose brushed his, his palms gently but instinctively finding the swell of her hips that straddled over him.