“No,” he responded simply. “She prefers full-fat milk. Says it’s better for…women’s health or something. I don’t know, I didn’t really understand that part.”
I was seconds away from dislocating Maksim’s jaw. He was supposed to be her damn fucking prison guard, not president of her fan club. Not out there shopping for her and getting to know her. Not out there helping her settle in and live in some dystopian captive world I wasn’t even part of!
“Wow, Maks. You’re well on your way to becoming her bitch. Are you fucking serious right now?”
Maks said nothing, just shrugged his shoulders like he didn’t care for my words. “She’s not awful,” he added, his tone rubbing me the wrong way. “She’s been very polite.”
“I’m sure she fucking has. Get me up there.” I motioned for him to crouch down and give me a boost since there was no porch, no railings, no trellis,nothingthat could have helped her up there.
I couldn’t believe I was fucking doing this. I stepped onto his shoulder and he lifted up, helping me peek right over the edge of the roof.
“Oh my god!” Jade shouted as soon as she came into view, bolting up into a sitting position. “You’re like a Halloween lifeless head, what the hell?!”
Oh, she felt the right to accusemewhen she was making me do ridiculous shit?
“Jade,” I propped myself up on the clay tiles of the roof with my elbows, still standing on Maksim’s shoulders, “please explain to me, what thefuckare you doing up here, and also, where the hell did you get drugs?”
There was a few seconds pause when we just stared at each other, but then, Jade threw her head back andcackled, loud and full of joy. Damn, she was high as shit. Her shoulders shook in her white short dress that reflected the moonlight and she sat there barefoot, the joint bopping between her fingers and somehow…once again in control.
I was about to tell her she shouldn’t be up there and if she fell and broke an arm or a leg, I wasn’t going to take her to the hospital. I was about to tell her she was acting like a teenager, climbing onto roofs and being irresponsible. I was about to tell her I was annoyed I had to be here to talk her down, but…I said nothing.
Instead, I watched her laugh. I noticed how her eyes sparkled withhappytears. Not the tears of pain at that department store when I mentioned Knox. Not the tears of fear when we kidnapped her.
“You want some?” She narrowed her eyes at me, her smile genuine and her proposition absolutely out of line. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise,” she whispered the last words, nodding as if to convince me.
I gulped, willing my tongue to say the logical words. “You need to come down.”
But it was all futile because I knew I was going to lose. Just seeing her again was like getting a hit of a drug.
She stuck out her bottom lip in a fake pout, having precisely zero inclinations to follow my instructions.
“Why’re you always ruining my fun, hm? The club? You kidnapped me. Me getting high? Not allowed. I climb a roof? You’re here to talk me down. Just admit that you’re a boring man.”
Oh.Oh.
I was on the roof in five seconds flat. Craning her neck, Jade looked up at me with her wide eyes and then did what I was afraid of—patted the spot beside her, inviting me into her space.
All my good judgement was left on the ground. I slumped down beside her and stretched out my legs, leaning on an elbow to get closer. She smelled of weed and something sweet and delicious.
This wasn’t romantic at all—nope.Not the starry night, not the ocean waves in the moonlight, not the forbidden nature of our proximity.
Without a word, Jade passed me the rolled-up joint, but I shook my head right away. No way could I have accepted and participated.
“I can’t, I’m driving.” I looked down at the joint between her fingers, her nail polish white this time to match her angel-on-the-roof look.
“Oh, come on,” she whispered. “Just one hit?”
I shot my gaze to hers, all my soul begging me to stay and say yes.
“Are you trying to get me to break the law?” I asked, feigning concern. She smiled wider. “Aren’t you an attorney?”
Jade brought the joint closer to my mouth. “Aren’t you a criminal?” she asked quietly, all her attention on me. “What’s a little Mary Jane when you already stole me?”
Stole her.
I liked that far more thankidnapped.I did steal her. I was a professional thief, and she was the finest thing I’d ever taken.
I stared up at Jade and knew this was the crossroads. If I accepted, it would all spiral.Iwould spiral. I delayed the inevitable, drinking in every single one of her glances and sighs.
