All the Wrong Places

by Jerilee Kaye

  “Arabella,” he whispered against her skin.

  She felt her knees start to buckle as electricity started shooting up to her veins. She bit her lip as she struggled for control.

  I cannot fall for this anymore!

  “Jin… stop,” she whispered as she pulled away from him.

  She turned around to look up at him, trying her best to appear stoic, or cold at best.

  “I wasn’t here with Vanessa,” he started to explain.

  “It doesn’t look like that to me.”

  “She asked me to dance in front of her father and some of our colleagues. I couldn’t say no,” he said.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain,” she said, turning away from him and glancing at the garden in front of them. “Do I look like I care?” she lied.

  He fell silent for a second. Then he said, “Okay, maybe you don’t care. But I still want you to know that I didn’t come here with her. And I’m most certainly not going to leave with her. That dance would be the closest she would get to me, and I wouldn’t have even allowed that if she hadn’t asked me to dance so publicly, in front of the members of Round Ten.”

  She raised a brow at him. “Why are you telling me all this?”

  “Because I asked you to wait for me, remember? I want you to know that I was holding you to that promise. I was going to come for you after the party.”

  “What do you want, Jin?”

  “You know what I want, Arabella,” he replied. He took a step towards her. Then he pulled her to him and leaned forward to kiss the base of her neck. “You. I want you.”

  He took her lips in his and gave her a hot, searing kiss. He wound his arms around her waist as he invaded her soul with his tongue. She stopped fighting for a moment and kissed him back. When it was over, he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “You’re mine, Arabella.”

  She shook her head, taking in a deep breath. “Only for that kiss.”

  “Your body responds to me like a moth to a flame, my love. Why do you keep fighting this?”

  “Because this isn’t right. This is so complicated.”

  He gave her a gentle smile and said, “I know it is. But I need you to have faith in me.”

  “Why should I trust you? You have a reputation of a heartless monster… you have no regard for other people’s feelings. All that mattered to you was getting to the top of your game…”

  “Enough, Arabella!” he said in a cold, stern voice. “You do not know what I’ve been through. You cannot judge me based on what you hear others say about me. It’s not fair.”

  “Why? Didn’t you make your own assumptions about me when you found me again? You assumed I was a cheater, a narcissist. That I get high on men’s attention.”

  Jin shook his head. “I was mad at you! I was distraught when you left me.”

  “And you aren’t mad at me now? For leaving you? For lying to you?”

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I want you. You want me. That’s all I care about now.”

  He tried to pull her towards him again but she gave him a slight push.

  “It matters to me, Jin,” she murmured. “You’re committed to another woman. And you do not know me. You want my body. But in your mind, you’ve already judged me. What we had… wasn’t meant to last. We have no future together.”

  He sighed and she sensed his frustration. She could tell that he wanted to say something but chose not to. And when he looked at her again, his voice was more controlled.

  “Adrienne told me you were moving out,” he said, changing the subject.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Why?”

  “I need to.”

  “Well, excuse me. But this isn’t just about you, is it?” Jin asked, slightly raising his voice.

  “I know. And nothing will change. I’m still going to give Jared the best life possible.”

  “He’s comfortable where he is now,” Jin argued. “And you’re safest with Justin and Adrienne.”

  “But that’s not the life I want for my son. I cannot be forever in the charity of other people. I want to teach my son to stand up on his own two feet.”

  “Then why don’t you go back to your parents’ mansion?” Jin asked. “Work for your father and Gian. You deserve to be part of your family’s company as much as your brother.”

  Julianne shook her head. How could she tell him the truth about her relationship with her father, and how her father loathed the sight and thought of her and Jared?

  “I’m happy with my job at Adams Industries,” she replied coolly. “Working for my father was out of the question.”

  “You’re happy with your job but not with the house? Did you fight with anybody in the Adams Mansion?”

  “No.”

  “Then why did you have to move out and drag Jared away from the life that he loved?”

  She sighed. “It’s the best for everyone.”

  “And you decided that… how?”

  She stared up at him sternly. “Look, Jin. I don’t need you to argue with me about this. I’m exhausted just discussing this with Justin, Adrienne and Gian! Everybody I know thought I couldn’t make it on my own! They believed I wasn’t strong enough, or good enough to be raising a kid on my own!

  “I mean… was it too much to ask for my own kitchen? Where I can cook, because damn! I love cooking and baking! Can I not have my own garden where I can grow flowers myself, and not have somebody else growing it for me?

  “Is it too much to raise my kid to be independent?” She took an exasperated breath. “I’m tired of people thinking I won’t pull this off. That I always needed to have Justin or Gian taking care of me and Jared. I can do it myself! I’m exhausted just trying to prove this to the people around me.”

  “It’s not about your capability to take care of yourself or Jared. That’s not what this is about,” Jin muttered. “This is about your safety. This is about Jared’s safety.”

  “The neighborhood I chose is safe. Police station is just a block away. It’s family friendly.”

  “But you’re still safest in the Adams Mansion. Or your parents’ house! Where there are guards and CCTVs.”

  “Which is too much some times. I want my kid to experience a normal life.”

  “Jared is far from being normal, you know that. And it’s best for him to stay where he could have the best protection!”

  Julianne drew her brows together. “Excuse me, Jin Starck! I decide what’s best for my son! Not you! And while we are on this subject, may I ask why you gave Jared a cellphone?”

  Jin paused for a moment. Then in a calmer voice he replied, “Because I want him to be able to call me anytime he needed to.”

  “Why would he need to call you?”

  Jin shrugged. “Jared is very smart. You’re busy most of the time. I wanted him to feel that he could count on a lot of people in his life. Including me.”

  “He knows a lot of people around him loved him. He doesn’t need a new cellphone for that. I’m going to return that to you,” she said firmly.

  “Don’t!” Jin’s voice was sober and the expression on his face was cold and serious. “Jared should be able to call me anytime he wanted,” he said. “Don’t take that away from him.”

  She was about to say something when they were interrupted by someone behind them. It was one of the usherettes.

  “Mister Starck,” she said. “It’s time for the ceremonial toast. Your presence is requested inside.”

  Jin took a deep breath. She could tell that he was annoyed with her decision to move out of Justin’s house, as well as her demand to return the cellphone he gave to Jared. She raised a challenging brow at him.

  He had no say in her life. They were in love once, when they were younger. After that, they shared moments of passion and a few kisses. But he was still promised to another woman and she had made it clear that they had no future together. They may have a son, but he had no idea nor interest in that. He never
asked about Jared’s father. He didn’t even know he was the first man she shared herself with.

  No. Jin Starck cannot tell her what to do with her life and how she would raise her son.

  “I need to go inside,” he said. “Wait for me. I’ll drive you home.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “I’m leaving now. I have a very early start tomorrow. Justin arranged a car to wait for me.”

  “We’ll talk tomorrow then,” he said.

  She bit her lip. Tomorrow she’d be in her new house for the entire weekend. There was no way Jin would see her until Monday.

  Jin walked back into the ballroom. She turned around to face the garden again.

  Things were getting more and more complicated for both of them. He wanted her. He had been very vocal about that. She wanted him too. There was no point denying that now.

  But he was committed to marry somebody else, who the whole world, including his family, approved of. She, on the other hand, was disinherited by her own family. He needed an heiress who could give him a business advantage. She had nothing to offer him. Just herself… and the son he had no idea was his.

  She had a plan. Get a job. Get a new house. Save up for Jared’s future. It was as simple as that.

  Why did Jin Starck have to make it so complicated?

  22.

  Julianne couldn’t wait to go to her new home. She planned to leave just before sunrise. She had a lot of things planned for the day. She had a long shopping list for her new home.

  She planned to get new decors and new carpets for her living room and masters’ bedroom. She wanted to paint parts of the house. Jared couldn’t stop talking about a Rubik’s cube themed bedroom, to match the Rubik’s cube fridge that Jin had given him. The boy had also been so obsessed with solving a Rubik’s cube puzzle since then. Julianne researched some photos on the internet and she came up with a simple Rubik’s cube inspired room.

  Adrienne had offered to lend her one of the family’s SUVs. She wanted to come and help her but with Jeffrey being injured, both she and Justin were almost tied up to their son’s bedpost. Julianne didn’t mind. She could do this on her own. She loved decorating houses anyway. Not so long ago, she dreamt of having her own interior furnishing designing company.

  The House of Arabella will remain as it was—a dream.

  She took a few minutes to check up on Jared before she headed down the house. It was not even six o’clock yet. The mansion still seemed to be sleeping.

  She ran into Viktor by the front door. “Good morning, Miss Ian,” he greeted her warmly.

  “Good morning, Viktor,” she greeted him chirpily. “I’m not gonna wake up Adrienne or Justin. Just tell them I’m off to my new apartment for the weekend.”

  “I will do so, Miss Ian. Take care of yourself.”

  “Thank you.”

  As soon as she went out of the house to head into the garage, she saw a Maserati Levante parked by the driveway. The driver’s door opened and her heart pounded in her chest as she saw Jin Starck step down from the SUV and approach her. He was wearing a pair of rugged jeans and a gray hooded jacket.

  “Good morning,” he greeted her.

  “It’s six in the morning,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

  “Waiting for you. You told me you have an early start, so I made sure I would catch you before you go,” he replied.

  “Why?”

  “I told you last night, we needed to talk, remember?”

  “I’m busy,” she muttered. “I need to do something for the whole weekend.”

  Without warning, he took the bag she was carrying away from her.

  “Hey!” she protested. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going with you,” he replied.

  “No!”

  “Why not? Is it an ‘invitation only’ event?”

  “No. But I planned to do this by myself. And I don’t need you to talk me out of it or convince me to stay here!”

  “Who said I was going to do that?”

  “You were against me moving out last night!”

  He nodded. “Yes. But I changed my mind today. If you want to have your own place, your own kitchen and garden, okay, I’ll support you on that,” he said. “And I’m coming so I can help.”

  “What?” She was shocked. “What the hell are you smoking?”

  “Come on, Arabella.” He took her hand and pulled her towards his car. “You can argue with me on the way. There’s nothing like the sound of your voice to keep me awake and on my toes,” he said in a teasing tone.

  “Jin Starck!” she protested, pulling her hand away from his.

  “Shout my name a little louder, love, and Adrienne or Justin just might come here to join our conversation,” he said, raising a brow at her. “I really don’t mind. I am, after all, getting tired of sneaking around behind my sister’s back…”

  “Shut up!” she scolded him angrily. “I was supposed to borrow Adrienne’s car. She will definitely ask why the car was still here.”

  Jin shrugged. “You can just say you changed your mind, you know. It’s easier to get a cab.”

  “There are CCTVs on the gate, they can tell we left together.”

  “Easy for me to tell them I was on my way out too, and heading to White Rock. Hyde is on the way. I could have dropped you off.”

  “That’s… hold on. How did you even know I was going to Hyde?”

  He shrugged. “Adrienne told me last night, that they were looking forward to spending this weekend with all of the kids. I asked where you are this weekend and she told me she was babysitting Jared for you, because you had to go to your house in Hyde to decorate.”

  “I’m really surprised your sister has not yet caught on your weird curiosity about my whereabouts.”

  “Adrienne is very trusting. And she’s used to me not being interested in other people’s lives, it probably didn’t click in her unsuspecting mind.” He took her hand once again and pulled her towards his car. He opened the passenger door for her and she quickly got in before anybody could see. He put her bag on the backseat and then he climbed up the driver’s seat.

  As he drove away from the Adams Mansion, Julianne asked, “Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

  He looked over at her for a moment. Then he took her soft hand in his and brought her fingers to his lips. “Because I can’t. Just as simple as that.”

  “You’re not even trying,” she accused.

  He laughed and kissed her fingers again. “Guilty as charged,” he said. “Now, you need to give me directions on how to get to your new place.”

  Julianne finally conceded and started giving him directions. Thirty minutes later, Jin was parking on the reserved slot in front of the brownstone apartment that she was renting.

  He rounded the car quickly, and opened the door for her. He took her hand in his and guided her to go down the car.

  “Is this it?”

  She nodded. “Please. You get no opinion on this, okay? I’ve already paid the deposit and three months in advance. I cannot back out now and I fell in love with this place the moment I set foot on it. I know you’re Jin Starck and you’re used to posh stuff and you own at least a dozen luxury hotels, but this is what my salary could afford at the moment…”

  Before she knew it, she was thoroughly being kissed. Right there in front of her new house.

  When he pulled away from her, she blinked back in surprise, like her mind suddenly turned blank.

  He gave her a smug smile, pleased with her reaction to his kisses. She narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a jab on the stomach.

  “Owww!”

  “Conceited!” she murmured. “Anyway, as I was saying... I don’t want to hear any negative word or any criticism about my new house. Okay?”

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am,” he promised. He held his hand out towards the house. “After you.”

  They ascended the steps and she opened the door to her house.

  Like what Janis promised, the w
hole house had been cleaned the day before. Julianne could still smell the disinfectant they used on the floors.

  “How many bedrooms is this?” Jin asked behind her.

  “Three.”

  “Two floors?”

  “Yes.”

  Jin settled her bag on the floor. He went to the center of the living room, looking around, further inspecting the house. And Julianne wondered what was going on in his mind.

  I love this house. He cannot change my opinion of it.

  Jin went on inspecting the staircase, the fireplace and the counter.

  “What?” Julianne asked when he turned to her.

  “It’s good. They used good material,” he remarked.

  “Thank you,” she said. “Now, I’m just gonna need to decorate it a little bit to make it suit my taste.”

  “This is all plain. You need an accent wall,” he suggested while looking at the walls. “Maybe brown, to match your wooden flooring. And you could get a few decors and accents to add more color.”

  “Are you offering me your expertise on interior design?”

  He shrugged. “Only if you wanna accept it. I know you have a degree in design. But in case you are interested to know, I have a PhD in Architectural and Interior Design.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that, Doctor Starck,” she teased.

  He wrinkled his nose for a second, as if he resented the title.

  No doubt, Jin Starck was very smart. And Julianne was pretty sure Architecture and Interior Design weren’t the only disciplines he studied, in addition to all the languages he could speak fluently.

  Julianne took her cellphone from her pocket and started typing the stuff she would need to buy, from curtains, to vases, carpets and frames. She would need to repaint one of the walls, probably the side where the fireplace was. And then Jared’s room needed to be painted in different colors matching the Rubik’s cube.

  Thank you very much, Jin!

  Instead of hiring a painter, she thought she would do it herself. She had the weekend and could ask Justin for an extra day off on Monday. It wouldn’t be hard. She can finish all this.

  Jin walked towards the backdoor and went to her backyard. She knew the backyard would take some work. She can do that later. For now, she can buy some outdoor furniture, a grilling system, and some outdoor decors. She added those to her list.