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When Ian arrived back at the hotel room last night, he made me promise if Jade showed up today and took the job offer, she and I were to never hook up. I told myself that repeatedly as I gawked at her.
“Hi.” She displayed a flawless white smile. “You must be Luke?”
Nodding mindlessly, I set the coffee down on the table. “Nice to meet you, Jade.”
The rest was history. Over the years, I worked at another office until Ian talked me into putting all my efforts into our investments. Before then, I only worked Thursday through Sunday, and we became great friends. I managed the club. She assisted both Ian and me. One night, we crossed the line and from then on, we couldn’t keep our hands off one another. By the time Ian found out, the rule was long gone.
I didn’t give a shit what Jade’s birth name was. I loved her regardless. Kitty Dior was a little silly in the real world, so I was relieved she didn’t go by that off stage, but I would’ve still worshiped her.
After getting her brother and his family settled in a guest room on the third floor only for the night, I sauntered into her bedroom, closing the door softly behind me. “I’ll get them situated over at my place tomorrow.”
She was perched on the edge of the bed, her body shaking while she sobbed. I rushed over to her, gently pulling her to stand, encircling her in my arms. She melted into me as her tears soaked into my shirt. Jade wasn’t a crier. So, whenever she did shed a single tear, it was meaningful for her.
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”
I kissed the top of her head and held her arms, peeling her off me. “Why are you apologizing?”
She peered up into my eyes, nothing but sadness in hers. “I just never thought I needed to tell you guys my birth name.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her cuteness.
Pursing her lips, she blotted the corner of her eyes with her fingertips, trying her best not to smear her still flawless makeup from work. “What?”
“Baby,” I stroked her arms up and down, “I can speak for both Ian and me when I say we don’t care about your birth name. I mean, it’s pretty and I’m happy to know that about you, but you’ll always be Jade to me, regardless.”
She nibbled her bottom lip for a moment before offering a slight nod. “And my brother?”
“Who am I to get pissed about you not telling me about a sibling? Especially if you haven’t spoken for years.”
She rolled her eyes, dabbing them with her robe sleeve. “Is security really necessary for them when they’re staying in the house?”
“Baby,” I sighed, “I love you and Maddie too much to risk anything right now. I know you trust him, and I love that about you.”
“But you don’t trust him.” She bobbed her head. “I get it. But head of security, really?”
“James insisted. He said he had nothing better to do tonight.” I chuckled. “Your family were such good sports for having to pack bags and flee in the middle of the night.”
“Runs in the fam, I guess,” she snorted.
Taking her hands in mine, I guided her to sit on the bed. “But you’re right.”
Concern filled her eyes.
“I don’t trust him right now.” She opened her mouth to reply, but I continued, “As I said, I love you and Maddie too much to risk anything right now and I’ll spare no room for error.”
Her fingers were fidgeting in her lap, something she rarely did.
“What?” I arched a brow.
“Do you think one of the security guys is a spy?”
The question tore through my brain like a wildfire as she confirmed my recent thoughts. “Who?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have any one person in mind, but it just seems like someone’s spying. Paris might be gone, but something doesn’t feel right.”
Her words struck a chord with me. It’d felt like something deeper was going on at Euphoria lately. I hadn’t been able to shake the feeling there was a rat among us, but I assumed it’d been Paris since she was killed.
Jade wasn’t innocent in the least, but she didn’t need to be weighed down with our responsibilities. Not when she should be sleeping soundly in my arms, not fretting about work. I made a mental note to bring it up with Ian. But for now, all I wanted to do was hold her close while we both drifted off to sleep. The soft rise and fall of her chest against mine was a comfort that drove away all else.
