by Meghan Quinn
“Goldie, did you see…” Lyla stopped in place when she slammed into Kace. She looked up at him and her eyes widened. “Oh my God, who’s the Adonis?” she said while looking at Kace.
Watching closely, I saw Kace’s eyes scan Lyla up and down and a small twitch of a smile tickled the corner of his mouth as he appreciated every last inch of Lyla.
She licked her lips and gave him the same perusal that he did but spent more time looking at his crotch as if she had ex-ray vision. The heat in the room turned up dramatically as they both looked at each other, not saying anything. Holy hell, I was turned on just watching them.
I cleared my throat and said, “Uh, hello. You can eye-fuck each other later. Why are you both here?”
“Kace,” he said while holding out his hand.
“Lyla,” she said back.
“Oh, so you just give her your name as if it’s nothing but I had to agree to be a part of your little gentleman’s club world before you told me your name?”
He didn’t look at me when he answered, “It’s not my club.”
My hands went to my hips and I felt like stomping my feet to get their attention. I poked Lyla in the side and said, “Why the hell are you here?”
She slowly turned away from Kace and held out a magazine. “Just delivering the news.”
Kace’s head snapped as he reached for the magazine but I was quicker than him, for once, since I beat the infuriating man.
“Give me that,” he said sternly.
“What are you going to do about it?” I asked as I jumped up on my bed.
He walked over to me, grabbed both of my legs and pulled them out from under me making my ass fall to the mattress and my arms flail about. He grabbed the magazine from my hands, rolled it up and stuffed it in the back of his jeans.
“Hey, that’s mine!” I said while trying to gain my balance from tornado Kace that just blew by.
“Call Jett,” Kace said then eyed Lyla up and down and said, “Let her call Jett.”
“Give me your number and I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“Say nothing and I’ll think about giving it to you.”
“Good enough for me,” Lyla responded as she followed Kace out of my door.
“Traitor!” I shouted as they shut my door.
I grabbed my phone but kept it plugged in as I turned my phone on. Sure enough, there were five missed calls from Jett.
I dialed his number and he picked up on the first ring.
“Goldie, why was your phone off?”
“It died, I forgot to plug it in. What’s going on, Jett?”
He paused on the phone, making my stomach do a flip. What was so damn bad that he had to take a second to respond?
“There were some pictures taken of me yesterday, and they were published, but I have to tell you, nothing happened.”
“What kind of pictures?”
“Pictures with Keylee Zinc.”
“The kiwi?!”I shouted into the phone. “What were you doing?”
“I was helping her pick out a dress for tonight. I didn’t want to go but I had to, to keep up an image. Please believe me…”
“What were you doing, Jett? What’s in the pictures?”
He took a deep breath and said, “It looks so fucking bad, but she asked me to help her get out of a dress she was caught in and before I knew it, she was topless…”
“Topless?” I paused and thought about it. “They’re fake, aren’t they?”
“Wh-what?” Jett sputtered.”
“Her tits, they’re fake, right?”
“Um, well I don’t know. I didn’t touch them if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I’m asking if they’re fake, Jett. I don’t think it’s a very hard question to answer.”
“Goldie, please…”
“Are they fake?”
“God…yes, they’re fake. Jesus, why does it matter?”
“I knew it. You know, I looked up Keylee in Urban Dictionary and it said bitchy girl with fake breasts.”
Jett paused for a second before saying, “Does it really?”
“After I get off the phone, it will.”
“Goldie…” Jett breathed out. “Can you please listen to me?”
“I get it, Jett,” I interrupted him. “You have to do what you have to do. It’s a tough situation you’re in and I know that you’re doing your best to take care of things. I trust you,” I said while trying not to grit my teeth as realization hit me.
Jett would do anything to protect me, even if that meant being caught with another woman. Well, fuck that! I was over this Jett trying to protect me thing. It was time that I took matters into my own hands because right now, the only thing Jett was able to accomplish was push us further and further away from each other. I was done, if we were going to be apart, we were going to at least accomplish something.
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Jett. One more night, right?”
“Hopefully,” he responded with not much confidence. And that right there, that was my cue, this was no longer Jett’s problem, this was ours.
“Are you coming over tonight?”
“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Good, I will see you then. We can talk about this then.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“No, Jett. I’m not. I respect the fact that you’re doing the best you can for the both of us.”
We talked for a little bit longer but I hung up the phone once my stomach started rumbling. I left my phone to charge and headed down to the kitchen. I was on a mission.
Diego was making a sandwich when he turned around and saw me.
“Hey, sleepy…”
He didn’t finish his sentence because in one swift movement, his nipple was my prisoner as I held it in a death grip and looked him dead in the eyes.
“What the fu…” He tried to pull away but I just gripped tighter and spoke sternly.
“You listen closely, you motherfucker. We’re going to sit down at this table, I’m going to eat that sandwich you just made and you’re going to tell me every last fucking thing you know about Lot 17 or else I will pinch your nipple off so hard that it will look like a goddamn cherry tomato when I’m done with it.”
“Jesus Christ,” he said as he pulled away.
I grabbed his sandwich, took a big bite and pointed to the table. His hands found his nipples and put up a protective shield when I made a pinching motion at him. I followed him with my pinchers until he sat down.
I took the seat next to him and drank from the cup he had set down for himself.
“Now tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Goldie, I told Jett…”
I lunged at him with my fingers and he backed off while saying some obscenities.
“Damn bitch, you’re crazy!”
“Test me, Diego. I swear to God, go and test me because you have no fucking clue what crazy is. Try sleeping with me hovering over you with a bloody rat dangling from my hand and a knife in the other.”
“Holy fuck,” he exclaimed while he scooted back some more.
“Are you going to tell me?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Not if you like your dick.”
His hands quickly went to his crotch as his eyes widened.
“Well…”
“Fine.” He took a deep breath and said, “Lot 17 is a piece of property that Jett has been keeping his eyes on for a while, he plans on using it for the local Boys and Girls club and building a park in honor of them and for them.”
My heart warmed from that information. Why did he make it seem like it was such a bad thing?
“The only thing standing in his way is his father,” Diego added.
“His father?” I asked, confused.
“Yes, the man is in the same business as Jett but he isn’t as successful as his son because he’s not honest and he’s very distrustful. He uses people to get what he wants and he won’t let anything stand in his w
ay when he sets his eyes on something he wants, even his son.”
“Oh my God, he’s the one threatening Jett?”
Diego nodded his head.
“Why wouldn’t he tell me this?”
Diego gave me the “are you stupid” look. “Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to have a father who would rather destroy you than love you? He doesn’t want to get you wrapped up in that bullshit.”
“Too late,” I mumbled. “Why does he want Lot 17?”
“He wants to make some kind of high rise in the area that will destroy the atmosphere of the quaint part of the city and it’s right next to the Boys and Girls Club and apparently what he has planned for the building is not the most kid friendly situation.”
“What does he have planned?”
“Not quite sure on the details but Jett was discussing it with me the other day. It’s some kind of sex club, I guess, but an illegal one. I asked around yesterday and he’s not the only one who’s involved.”
“Who else? Please don’t say Kace.”
Diego laughed. “No, Kace is one hundred percent loyal to Jett.”
“Then who is it?”
“Rex Titan.”
As if I was in a soap opera, I gasped as I held my sandwich out mid-bite.
“That makes no sense, why would—”
“They have a common goal in life…to take down Jett Colby.”
“But…doesn’t Jett have enough power to take out Rex and his dad?”
“Not like they have over him. They know about you, you’re his weakness and that is just one thing he can’t fake.”
“But what about Rex and his dad. If his dad is such a bad person, why doesn’t Jett have material to hold over his head?”
“That’s what he’s working on but Jett can’t seem to get anything concrete on him, rather than he said, she said bullshit, which won’t hold up in court.”
“But—”
Diego cut me off. “That’s all I have for you. Can I leave?”
I sat there stunned, wondering what to do next.
“Isn’t there a big event tonight?”
“The Mayor’s Ball.”
“You’re going, right?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m going to help Jett.”
“You’re taking me with you.”
A laugh escaped Diego’s mouth, a deep and guttural one. “Okay, crazy.”
I stood up and charged after him, his hands covered his nipples as he crossed his legs to cover his junk.
Leaning in while reaching for the butter knife behind me, I held it up and threatened him. “Butter knives are much worse when it comes to castrating someone than let’s say, something sharp or serrated. I would hate to have to use this in the middle of the night.”
Okay, crazy was probably an accurate assessment but I was done. I was sick of people treating me like a goddamn delicate flower. I could hold my own and I was about to. I was not letting anyone push me around anymore. I was going to take care of Jett for once.
“Be ready by eight?” he said. “Wear something fancy.”
I patted his face with the flat side of the knife. “Good boy. You’re making smart decisions today, Diego. Give yourself a pat on your back.”
I tossed the half-eaten sandwich at him and brushed my hands off. “I’ll see you around eight.”
As I walked toward my room, I thought about how there was some packing I needed to do and some phone calls to make. I had a party to attend and a man to save.
Chapter Thirty Six
“Say You Love Me”
Jett
The flowery scent of Keylee’s perfume was way too overpowering to be trapped in a small vehicle with her. It was a scent that your grandma would wear on her only fanciest occasions and it was just dreadful.
The dress she showed up in was a deep purple, sweetheart top that hugged her waist and draped over her hips. There was a slip that rode up the center of her legs, showing off quite a bit but concealing just enough that the dress wasn’t considered slutty, unless you were sitting next to her in a car, that was a different story.
She crossed her legs and leaned over to me, directing my attention to the slit that rode dangerously close to her underwear, at least I was praying she was wearing underwear. Given her track record, she probably wasn’t.
“I’m so excited about tonight.” She leaned in and wrapped her hand around my arm. “Is my dress all right?”
“You look very beautiful,” I said, trying to keep the little devil calm. Just a couple of hours, that’s what I kept telling myself.
“Thank you.” She pressed her chest up against my arm.
I refrained from flicking her off me and looked out the window. Life would be so much easier without the complication of my father. Goldie would be in my arms instead of Keylee, she would be going home with me and she would be sleeping with me every night. I wouldn’t have this aching feeling that took place in my stomach every night and I wouldn’t wake up feeling lonelier than ever.
I took a page out of Goldie’s book this morning and talked to my mom at her gravesite. I talked out loud because I thought that maybe if I vocalized my thoughts, she would hear me better. Even though I didn’t have her as a present contributor in my life, I still missed her more than anything because just like Goldie, she saw me for who I am, not who society wants me to be. Being without my mom was hard and add the fact that Goldie wasn’t in my life either made it that much harder.
It was like the shadow of my father would never really leave. For a while, I was doing fine, I was living my life, free of any kind of emotional worry or care and then Goldie came along and stole my heart right out from under me. She flipped my world upside down and it burned me that I couldn’t live my life like I wanted to because I knew the moment that I let my guard down, that I showed Goldie off as mine, my dad would win because he would use my feelings for Goldie against me. Hell, he used my friendship with Kace against me.
The thought of losing Kace was almost as painful as losing Goldie. We might fight, we might call each other some of the crudest names but in the end, we were there for each other. We would do anything for each other and my dad knew that. That was why he went after Kace as well.
My hand ran over my face as I shook my head. What a damn clusterfuck. All because my dad was suffering business wise. He pissed off too many people and was now feeling the loss of those connections. With Lot 17, he was convinced that he would be able to revamp his standing but I knew better. Once you tarnish an image, it’s practically impossible to make it shiny again.
Keylee’s small hand ran over my thigh. “You’re so tense. Do you need me to take care of that for you?” Her hand ran up the inner part of my thigh. I stopped her right before she got too close. She pouted, such a turn off, and huffed.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want me to pleasure you, Jett? Isn’t that what your girls do?”
“Yes, but you’re not my girl, Keylee. You’re a friend and I don’t think it would be right to cross that line…yet.” I added yet at the end so she didn’t storm out of the car and leave me hanging. Even though she was a little touchy and pushy, I still needed to dangle a little piece of me in front of her.
“Mmm, I like the sounds of that…yet. Well, if it was up to me I would have that dick of yours in my mouth, sucking you dry.”
Jesus.
“We’re here,” I said as I straightened my tie and sat up in my seat.
The driver pulled up to the drop off zone and came around quickly to our door to let us out. I was by no means ready for this but it was time to get it over with. A couple of hours of kissing ass and then I would be stripping Goldie naked and holding her in my arms.
Lights flashed as I stepped out of the car. I held my hand out to Keylee who eagerly took it and we walked in tandem, down the red carpet that seemed a little extreme, took pictures together and then headed into the grand hall.
The walls were covered in gold and green wallpaper and I couldn’t help to think
how ironic the colors were given my situation. I needed to take note from my own damn words. I needed to have faith that this was all going to work out, that the honest will prevail. One could only hope.
We made our way through the throngs of people, paid our respects to the mayor who was delighted to see two of the elite pedigree walking hand in hand together.
When we walked through the crowd, it was as if Prince William and Kate were walking through the room. People were delighted, excited and too damn happy to see Keylee and me together.
“Oh, Jett Colby, I knew that was you,” came the voice of Mrs. Steevers who was wearing the most god-awful headpiece I had ever seen. It was like she took a dead raccoon, turned it inside out and plopped it on her head.
“Mrs. Steevers, what a pleasure to see you. You look well.” I greeted her with two kisses on her cheeks. “You remember Miss Keylee Zinc, don’t you?” I asked while pulling Keylee forward.
“Of course I do. I just knew that you two would find each other one day. You’re just too perfect together.”
“I think so too,” Keylee added while wrapping both hands around my arm and pulling in tight.
“How long have you two been dating?”
“We—”
Keylee cut me off and said, “Just off and on for a little bit but just last night Jett pledged his commitment to me. It was so endearing.”
Mrs. Steevers clapped her hands in glee as I glared at Keylee for lying. Commitment? To her? The only commitment she would be getting from me was a kick to her lying ass.
“Do I hear wedding bells?”
A sickening cough floated through my throat from the mention of being married to Keylee. Hell no!
Keylee rubbed my back but still spoke to Mrs. Steevers, “Oh, I don’t think so yet but we’ll see. We’re happy enough, that’s for sure.”
“Excuse me, I need to get a drink,” I said while motioning to my throat.
“Oh please do, dear,” Mrs. Steevers said. “It was so good to see you two.”
“You too, Mrs. Steevers.” I gave her a hug goodbye and made a beeline for the bar. I needed a bourbon and I needed one now.
I heard Keylee trailing behind me, trying to catch up and I made it a point to take a deep breath before addressing her.