And there she was.
My Jade.
It was just her. Everything else fell away. She floated, in slow motion, existing outside of time and space.
My love.
She strolled through the restaurant, her walk slow, her head held high, her heels threatening to scratch the floors. Her dress: just like the one I first saw her in. Her body: slim and emaciated. Her eyes…lifeless.
Glued to the bar floor, I observed the massive bodyguard follow right behind her, my blood thrumming in my temples just from the sight.
“Is that her?” Roman asked, and I nodded, having lost the ability to do anything else. Jade stopped in front of a chair and glanced back at the hulk behind her, motioning with her chin. He obeyed instantly, pulling out the chair for her.
My girl.
"Mon ange!Tu es arrivée!"Xavier exclaimed loud enough for me to hear, and the world plunged into dark colors again.
He approached, but her expression stayed repulsed and uninterested, so he leaned in and wrapped his filthy fingers around her wrist. Imperceptible, unless you knew what you were looking for—he squeezed it, just as she tried to rip it out of his claws. She faked a smile and he seemed satisfied, letting her go and taking a seat beside her.
Motherfucker Xavier would enjoy a slow death; I could see it.
Unable to rip my eyes away from her, I fumbled with glasses and bottles in front of me. Jade’s beauty was otherworldly. She was ethereal and…broken. There was just emptiness in her eyes, like she was a shell.
She sat there like a statue, motionless, staring straight ahead and not engaging with anyone. The bodyguard disappeared, leaving her with all those people, but so devastatingly alone.
I gulped, knowing that it was time. Butterflies filled my stomach as I grabbed a menu and headed for her table, barely able to move my feet. With jello legs, I stopped right beside her and cleared my throat.
“Can I get you a drink, Miss?”
She didn’t move, still living in her own world, so I bent down toward her, instantly recognizing her scent. Jasmine, her sweet skin, and light.
"What are you drinking tonight,Preziosa?"
Her shoulders jumped and she turned to me—slowly, afraid of what she would see. But she recognized me immediately, her eyes blazing with shock. I placed the menu right in front of our faces and whispered with all the strength I possessed after seeing the pain in her eyes. "Tell him to go to the bathroom and freshen up for a picture. Come four minutes after him."
As quickly as I leaned in, I was already up.
"An old fashioned for the bride," I said loudly. "Can I get you another?" I asked the closest person sitting next to Jade, trembling from those three seconds in front of her.
"Get me another too!" someone else piped up.
I didn’t linger. Hurrying as much as I physically could, I walked away from the table and dropped the empty glasses off the bar before following Roman to the men’s room.
Roman towered over the sink and washed his hands while I took my spot at the urinal, turned toward the wall and waiting for Knox.
I was shaking. She recognized me, even though I looked like a shell of the man I once was.
A mere second later, Xavier walked in and joined Roman in front of the mirror, oblivious to his immediate future.
"It's your engagement party?" Roman spoke with a big smile on his face.
"Yeah!" Xavier exclaimed. "Getting married next month!" he gushed.
Fucking piece of shit, cock sucker, motherfucking asshole! Next month! He was planning to marry her next month!My Jade! My woman!
"That's fast!" Roman really got into character. "I guess when you lock in that special one, you don't want to wait, huh?"
"Oh, absolutely! Bad attitude, but a great fuck."
