Page 90 of The Jaded Notes

“It’s your birthday. Do what you want.” I gently slide her off my lap, and my walls go up in her place.

Even as I say it, I know the wrongness of my tone. It tastes like distance, not care given to someone on their birthday.

She moves over to her chair with her present cupped in her palm. “Jax… Please don’t be like this.”

“Like what?”

“You’re shutting down on me. Please don’t.”

“Then next time, consider giving me more than scraps of your honesty.”

Her shoulders tense. “That’s not fair.”

I push out a short laugh. “One thing I’ve learned in life is that it’s anything but fair.”

The silence cuts between us, heavy and criminal. She blinks down at the earrings as though they’ll explain away the tension.

She whispers, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Livianna. We can talk about Lehlani Rose another time. But you know it has to happen soon, otherwise?—”

“Why do you always do this?”

“What?”

“You switch to business as soon as things start to feel too intimate.”

She has a point, but…

“Livianna, you need to speak to your parents if you want your business to succeed.”

Her face reddens. “I’m not talking about Lehlani Roseand what I need to do around that topic. I’m trying to say I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” I stand and retreat inside my penthouse, leaving her on the balcony with diamonds in her hands and stillness between us.

But the truth follows me in, harsh and unrelenting. I let my own pain bleed into her birthday. A day that should’ve been only light and only hers.

Instead, I make her carry the weight of my guards. And the worst part is knowing I don’t know how to fix it.

Chapter Twenty

LIVIANNA/LILY

Then

Disguised Crashes & Hotel Encounters

When your past and present collide, nothing is safe.

“Livianna, you seem to be glowing.” My mom admires me across the table.

We’re at a high-end restaurant in their hotel having dinner to celebrate my birthday. We came back here to drop off all the items my dad bought during our birthday shopping spree.

I’m pretty sure he spent more on her than on me, but that’s fine. I’m just glad they’re here visiting.

“Thanks, Mom.” I place the napkin on my lap. “That glow reflects how happy I am that you guys are in town. I’ve missed you both so much.”

“Darling, we’ve missed you, too.” My dad’s smile beams my way. “When do you think you’ll move back to the States?”