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Richard didn’t know the specifics of his life, but Jay knew the man wasn’t stupid. In fact, he’d proven how wise he was when he’d come out on the balcony at dinner two nights ago, drink in hand.
“I’m not exactly a worldly man,” he’d said, looking out at the ocean. “I live a simple life. But I’ve always know that Stella was never destined for more, that Stella would never settle for less than extraordinary. She’s one of a kind, Jay, and I knew that a regular man would never be able to handle her. Never begin to appreciate her or deserve her.” He’d drained his drink, looking at Jay. “And you deserve her, purely because you’re convinced you don’t. Because you’ll work harder than any man to give her that extraordinary life. And I’m not talking about all this.” Richard had waved at the house dismissively. “I’m talking about the extraordinary. I see it in her eyes. Which is why I’m looking the other way about the way you make your living. And because I know you’d do anything, hurt anyone, to protect my girl.”
Richard was not a stupid man. No, he was a man who loved his daughter immensely and wouldn’t hesitate to kill Jay if he fucked this up, if Stella got hurt because of him.
Draining his drink, Jay was almost ready to do one more sweep of the perimeter, check with Karson for threats and then wait for his bride when there was a knock at the door.
He’d expected it to be Karson, but he fingered the gun he was wearing underneath his suit just in case. It was not Karson, nor was it anyone he needed to use his gun on. Though it was someone Jay knew would like him out of the picture.
“Can we talk?” Zoe asked, walking into the room before he could answer.
Her black dress trailed behind her. She was not wearing it as some kind of statement, a glaring symbol of her disapproval, it was part of the ‘theme.’
Black and white. Light and darkness.
Fucking Wren.
Zoe was pouring herself a drink by the time Jay closed the door behind her and turned. She was a striking woman. Beautiful, to be sure. But fierce. A woman Jay would not want to cross. Though to be fair, he would not want to cross any of Stella’s friends. All of them were formidable women.
Zoe liked him the least, he knew that. Jay was good at reading people, but that was not how he knew. She’d made no efforts to hide her reservations about him, which Jay appreciated. He liked honesty and liked that Stella had a friend shrewd enough to see him for what he was.
“You’re still here,” she remarked.
Jay’s expression didn’t change. “You expected me not to be?”
She shrugged. “I expected you may have some last minute, pretend, noble thoughts of leaving her for her own good.”
Yes, this bitch was shrewd.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jay proclaimed, his words an oath.
Zoe nodded. “You’d better not. You’ve hurt her once, left her once. That was the only time you’re going to do that. Because she’s committed to you. She’s like a mother fucking penguin. She mates for life. You leave, no matter what you think, there will be no one else. You may sell her short for your own piece of mind, think she’ll find someone else, someone safer and be better off, but that’s not how Stella works. There will be no one else.”
“There sure as fuck isn’t going to be anyone else,” Jay replied coolly.
Zoe nodded, oblivious to the tone that had made lesser men almost piss their pants. “That was the first reason I came in here.”
She took a sip of her drink, slowly, unhurried, in a way that told Jay she was making sure that he knew that she was not intimidated by him and was comfortable taking control of a situation. “I don’t know the specifics of what you’re into,” she continued. “What your ‘other’ job looks like. ‘Cause I’m not stupid or suicidal, which you’ve gotta be if you start lookin’ too close at Jay Helmick. But I know that’s why there are men in expensive suits packing heat, walking around this party. And I don’t give a shit why they’re here, as long as they’re keeping Stella safe.”
She put down her drink and narrowed her eyes at him. “As long as you’re keeping Stella safe. You continue to do so, keep Stella safe and happy, we won’t have problems. We’re not likely to be friends because I don’t forgive easy and because I see you for what you are, but we won’t have problems. Anything happens to her, we will have problems.”
On that note, Zoe walked out the door.
That bitch knew how to make an entrance and an exit. She also knew how to deliver a threat because Jay didn’t go anywhere. Not that he was planning to in the first place.
