All the Wrong Places

by Jerilee Kaye

  Jin concluded that River Jefferson was clean. He had money. He was smart and decent. And the worst part was, he seemed keen on winning Julianne’s heart—along with her son’s.

  Fucking hell!

  Jin told himself that he shouldn’t care. But the emotions inside his chest were getting more and more difficult to control. The heart he’d forgotten he had skipped a beat every time he saw her.

  Damn her for leaving me all those years ago! Damn her for cheating on her fiancé with me!

  Damn her for introducing Jared to another man!

  He hoped that she hadn’t dated many men seriously and introduced them all to Jared. The boy did not deserve to have false hopes of finally having a complete family over and over again. But on the other hand, if River Jefferson was the first man she introduced to Jared, then it was worse than what Jin expected.

  Their relationship could be getting serious!

  Jin made a frustrated sigh. He reached out for the pack of cigarettes that Justin left on the table and then he lit a stick. He puffed a smoke and stared into space, still lost in his thoughts.

  He didn’t know how long he was sitting there, looking mad and about to hit something. He didn’t care. Justin and his sister were used to him being rude, ruthless and forgetful of his manners once in a while.

  “I wonder when Jin will come back to us.” He heard his sister say to her husband. Or at least that’s what he thought she said.

  He inclined his head sideways and raised a brow at her. But instead of being intimidated, Adrienne only smiled at him widely. “Oh, you’re here!” She beamed at him. “I didn’t know you smoke.”

  “I don’t,” he muttered.

  “Really? What you’re doing now looks smoking to me,” Justin said in a teasing tone.

  Jin puffed a smoke and stared into space again.

  He heard Adrienne stand up and come up to him. She put a tender arm around his shoulders. “Sweetheart, what’s up? What’s eating your non-existent patience away?”

  He continued smoking the cigarette. He sighed and said, “I love you, Yen. But please I beg you to let me be.”

  Instead of being offended, he felt his sister lean down and kiss him on the head. “I love you too, Jin. And you know we’re just here for you. Anytime you want to channel that anger into a more open, healthy conversation, we’ll be there.” Then she sat back on her seat beside her husband.

  They were quiet for a while and Jin just continued to smoke.

  “I am so glad that River and Ian are hitting it off,” Adrienne said, finally cutting through the thick silence.

  “Yeah. I haven’t seen Ian laugh in a long time. And she’s smiling more often these days,” Justin said. It was obvious in his voice that he was pleased. If Jin had to guess, it was Justin who set up River Jefferson with Julianne.

  Damn him!

  “What time do you think you they’ll be home tonight?” Adrienne asked. “I can’t wait to talk to Ian.”

  “If I had to guess, just as the sun was about to rise,” Jin butted in sarcastically.

  Adrienne stared at her brother in shock. “I didn’t know you were interested in gossip, little brother,” she teased lightly. “But what made you so sure? They haven’t been seeing each other that long.”

  “Why? Some women sleep with a guy on the first date,” Jin said sarcastically.

  Adrienne cleared her throat and then she gave her husband a knowing look.

  “Why, Jin? Do you judge a woman that way?” Justin asked. He gave Jin a warning look and there was an edge to the tone that he used. Clearly, he was annoyed with Jin’s comment.

  Jin sighed. “I don’t know your cousin. So, I can’t judge her.”

  “Exactly!” Justin muttered. His tone was hard but when he looked at Adrienne again, there was only gentleness in his eyes. “Do you mind leaving us for a while, honey?” he asked her.

  Adrienne hesitated a little bit, but then she gave her husband smack on the lips and said, “I’ll go and check up on our kids. See what chaos they have concocted this time.”

  Once they were alone, Justin stood up and took a seat beside Jin. He took a cigarette from his pack and lit it.

  “What’s the deal, Jin?” he asked. “Clearly, something is bothering you and you’re taking it out on the women in my life.”

  Jin took a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t tell Justin what was going on with him and Julianne. For sure, she hadn’t told them how she met him seven years ago. As far as their family knew, they have no connection to each other.

  “I’m sorry if I said something offensive. I’m having a really… really bad day.”

  “No offense taken. I know you’re going through some things you didn’t want to tell us,” Justin said. “Honestly, I don’t even know you anymore, bro. You used to be the most charming guy I have met. Then something must have happened to you that changed you. We love and respect you and we have learned to accept the new you. But lately, you have been acting weird. Well… weird-er.”

  Jin took a last puff of his cigarette and then put out the light. He stood up from his seat and then he looked at his brother-in-law apologetically.

  “I apologize for my actions. But sometimes, some things can keep you chained for life no matter how hard you’ve tried to get away. I don’t know if you get that.”

  “That woman,” Justin said quietly.

  “What?”

  “That woman you spent years chasing around the world. Is it still her?”

  Jin looked away from him but didn’t say anything. How could he tell Justin that the woman he was talking about was his cousin?

  “I thought you were going to marry Vanessa Bernard,” Justin said. “A few weeks ago, when Adrienne was trying to talk you out of it, you weren’t listening. I didn’t meddle because I could tell when you’re not going to change your mind about one thing. And I know that you were hell-bent on going through this marriage of convenience. But now… I can tell… something changed your mind.”

  The man was right again. Justin wasn’t just smart. He’s good at reading people too. And the more Jin opened his mouth, the closer Justin would be to guessing what he was going through.

  “The Bernards are getting impatient,” Justin informed him. “Pierre was on the phone with Adrienne this morning. He was wondering why you were extending your stay here in the States. The Bernards are demanding a meeting with you and your father to discuss what happened at that failed engagement party. They’re willing to give you another chance. Vanessa was persistent.”

  Damn!

  “I’m going back to Paris tonight,” Jin replied curtly.

  “Good,” Justin said. “You want me to arrange for the Adams jet to take you?”

  “Gatwick can arrange for my flights. Don’t bother.”

  “I’m just offering you a faster way out,” Justin told him. “Why didn’t you go back earlier? Were you avoiding the Bernards?”

  “You know I took care of business at White Rock,” Jin replied.

  “And yet you’re still here,” Justin countered. “Come on, bro. This is me. You used to tell me everything, ask for my advice about business. And your engagement to Vanessa Bernard is not a matter of the heart. It’s a matter of business.”

  Jin sighed. “Unfortunately, big bro, you cannot help me this time. I admit, the thing with the Bernards is something I need to face sooner or later. But right now, I just can’t wrap my head around it yet. I have more important things to attend to.”

  “Okay, I respect that,” Justin said. “But you know, we’re just here for you, right?”

  “I know.” Jin nodded. “And I appreciate that.”

  “I know that there was a woman who did a number on you,” Justin said carefully. “Maybe it’s time you open your heart up. Maybe your engagement with Vanessa Bernard need not be about business at all.”

  Jin heaved a sigh. “Some of us may be capable of loving only one woman in our lives. You are lucky you managed to hold on to yours.” And then he s
tood up from his seat and walked away.

  Jin waited for another three hours in the Adams Mansion. In five hours, he needed to board the plane back to Paris. His father had been calling him non-stop about the Bernards. It was not fair that he was letting his father face the problems he created. He needed to go back. But damn! He can’t go without seeing Julianne once again. Maybe talk to her one last time. And if he’s lucky, maybe even steal a kiss or two.

  He paced on the balcony, looking at his watch every five minutes. It seemed like the longest day of his life. His mind was reeling with a lot of unwelcomed thoughts. Thoughts of River Jefferson holding Jared’s hand, teaching him how to skate and then laughing and kissing Julianne afterwards were driving him crazy.

  Fuck!

  He hated the thoughts in his head. And he couldn’t help imagining how it would feel to be River Jefferson right now. He didn’t know how much he wanted that feeling. Not until now!

  He heard voices from under him. He looked down and saw River carrying Jared piggy-back style, the boy was squealing in laughter. Julianne was behind them. She too was laughing, and a memory flashed in Jin’s mind.

  She was holding his hand. They were walking the streets near the Louvre.

  “Do you want to go in?” he asked.

  She smiled.

  “Who wouldn’t want to go in once they are in Paris?” She looked at the long line of people waiting to get in. “But I think we’ll be wasting hours waiting in line. So maybe on my next visit.”

  He smiled and leaned down to give her a kiss on the lips. “You’re right. I hope, The Louvre is not the only reason you’re coming back to the city.”

  A hint of emotion crossed her face and he couldn’t make out what it was. She averted her eyes, making it more difficult for him to read her.

  He touched her cheek gently. “Hey… I hope… this thing that we have will go beyond your holiday.”

  She took a deep breath. Then she raised a brow at him. “We’ve only met four days ago, Monsieur. What made you so sure you’ve already captured my heart?”

  He grinned at her. “If I haven’t done so already, then I have a week more to work on capturing your heart, Mademoiselle. For you have surely captured mine.”

  She blushed a beautiful shade of pink. She was growing more and more beautiful to him.

  “See?” he said. “I make you blush. It means I’m close to achieving my goal already.”

  He felt her pinch him on his left side and then she laughed. “You’re cute, Jas Mathieu,” she said. “But you’re a bundle of conceit, aren’t you?”

  “Determined is more like it,” he replied. And he knew he meant those words when he said them. For years, he had his way with women. Nothing was serious, all was just part of life, of growing up. But this one… this one was different.

  He had never fallen in love with any of the women he’d been involved with. But this one… he fell in love with her at first sight, and he fell for her more and more each day he spent with her. He could drown in the blue of her eyes forever and he would live to hear her laughter for all eternity.

  Jin shook himself back to reality. Many things have happened after that memory. He was younger then, he was stupid. He gave his all to one woman in the two weeks he spent with her. He didn’t leave anything for himself. He fell for her charms without knowing her well enough.

  She was soft, and innocent. She was everything he had dreamt of all his life. She had everything he was looking for in every woman he had met in the past.

  But she wasn’t real!

  She didn’t even share with him her real name and when she left him, she had no intention of being found. If it wasn’t for a lucky accident and a twist of fate that they were related by the marriage of Justin and Adrienne, he wouldn’t have found her at all—in spite of the highly-paid investigators he hired to search for her.

  “Uncle Jin?” A small voice called behind him, interrupting his thoughts.

  He turned around and immediately his heart softened at the sight of the little man in front of him.

  “You are still here?” Jared asked.

  Jin approached the boy and knelt in front of him. “How was today?”

  “It’s great! I can skate now! I wish you saw me! I was good! I can’t wait to ask Mommy for my own skates.” Then the little boy hesitated.

  “What’s the problem, sweetheart?” Jin asked.

  “Mommy may not buy me my own skates. But we can always rent.”

  “Why won’t Mommy buy you your own skates?”

  “I think it’s expensive. Mommy works very hard. I don’t want her to work too much because the skates are expensive.”

  Something deep inside Jin’s guts twisted.

  Arabella’s family was rich. She’s an heiress to the Sanders’ family businesses. Why was she depriving Jared of the things she grew up having? Wasn’t she going overboard with teaching the boy the value of money?

  “Don’t worry,” Jin said. “I will get you your own skates, so you don’t have to worry about your Mom working too much for it.”

  Jared’s eyes widened. “Really, Uncle Jin? But Mommy will get mad at you.”

  “Let me handle that, okay?” He smiled brightly at the boy. He couldn’t help it, he pulled Jared in his arms and gave him a tight hug. When he pulled away, he said, “I’m going away for a little while.”

  “Where?”

  “Back to Paris,” Jin replied. “I’ll be back after a week. When I come back, I will take you to the mall. We’ll get you your skates. And then I’ll teach you how to play hockey.”

  “Really?!”

  Jin nodded. “But you can’t tell your Mommy yet, okay? We’ll… er… surprise her.” More like shock her!

  “Okay,” Jared smiled excitedly.

  “Meanwhile, I have something for you,” Jin said. He reached for his pocket and handed Jared a blue slim phone.

  “What’s this?”

  “Your new phone.”

  “Mommy gave me a phone for when I travel,” Jared said.

  “Well, this one, you can have all the time. So I can call you anytime. You can call me any time too. Press the number one and the call button and it will connect you straight to me,” he said. “Make sure you always bring this, especially if you go out.”

  Jared nodded. “Okay, Uncle Jin. Does it have games?”

  Jin chuckled. “Some. But not much. Mommy will not like it if you spend so much time playing your phone.”

  “Okay. You’re the best, Uncle Jin!” Jared threw himself in Jin’s arms.

  Jin hugged the boy back. Then he stood up and carried him to his bedroom. Jared’s nanny was there waiting for the boy.

  “You go get ready for bed, okay? I’ll see you when I get back,” he promised the little boy.

  “Okay. Bye Uncle Jin.”

  He turned to Jared’s nanny. “I placed the box of the phone on his bedside table. Make sure you charge it every night and that he takes it with him all the time, especially when he’s going out.”

  The nanny nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  After kissing Jared goodbye, he went back to the balcony. He saw River Jefferson getting in his car and speeding away.

  When River was walking away to his car this afternoon with Jared and Julianne, it took all of Jin’s energy to fight the urge to go after them, tell the guy to disappear, so he could take his proper place beside her, making her laugh and sharing every moment of raising Jared.

  Arabella may look like an angel, but she plays games… she made you fall madly in love with her and then she left you alone and bleeding.

  She came back to where she came from, thinking you would never find her again. You were not the only one breaking inside at the sight of this woman. McAllister was broken and revengeful too.

  This woman may not want your money. She was born with it too. But she’s a heartbreaker and she seems proud of it. You don’t want a woman you couldn’t trust. You may end up hurting each other in the end!

  River J
efferson was a good-looking man for sure. And clearly, he was enchanted by Julianne. He remembered he was like that seven years ago, maybe even more besotted. And look at him now.

  When Julianne left him, he lost his trust in all women. He didn’t trust them well to begin with. But she made him worse. She brought him inconsolable pain, and deep inside, he wanted her to know and feel how much he’d suffered because of what she did.

  Jin went to the guestroom that he usually occupied whenever he visited. He needed to calm his nerves. He was full of emotions he could barely handle. He was proud of himself for having extreme emotional control. He had mastered the devil-may-care attitude well all these years. Sometimes, he even came across as thoughtless or rude to people because he didn’t show much affection or compassion to another human being. But now…

  Now, I need a cold shower!

  He showered with ice cold water, hoping that it would calm his nerves and make him gain control over the twisting knots inside his chest.

  After dressing up in a fresh pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, he went out of the room. He needed to be in the airport in less than an hour.

  As he walked the quiet, dimly lit corridor, he passed by Julianne’s room. By now, she must have been back in her bedroom, getting ready for bed. He wouldn’t see her until next week.

  He stood in front of her room, placed both his hands on the door frame, deciding what to do next.

  Walk away, Starck! Go to the airport now!

  He took deep breaths. The thought of not seeing her again seemed unbearable. He remembered how easily she melted in his arms, how she gave in to his kisses.

  Their bodies melded together like interlocking pieces of a puzzle. She fitted him like no other woman ever had before, like she was specifically created for him. There was no doubt in his mind that they’re sexually compatible. In bed, he shared a passion with her which he had never felt with anyone else.

  Jin must have been staring at Julianne’s door for about five long minutes.

  You don’t need to fall into this again, Starck! You have responsibilities to your family. And she’s a temptress created to derail you from your goals.

  One second, two seconds, three…