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"She said that Jax's brother specifically said that they would do anything to get my portion of Mark's business away from me."
"So Jax and his brother did this together?"
"No." I sit again wanting to explain but not knowing how without revealing my relationship with Liz and Brighton. "They as in Jax and someone else. The brother said…" I raise my hands to empathize that I'm quoting Brighton. "They would do anything to get Mark's shares away from me."
"Ah, I get it now." He shakes his head up and down.
"It's not an exact quote mind you. Don't get me to swear that's it in a court of law."
He laughs heartily. "Do you think it's significant? Or do you think it's more a lost in translation thing?"
I purse my lips together. "I have no idea. I'd ask Brighton, Jax's brother, but I found out he's in Europe right now."
"That's okay Detective Marlow." Nathan stands and reaches for me with his hand. "I'll take it from here."
Chapter 10
"I didn't expect you to call so soon." I brush past him as I walk through the door of his apartment.
"I can't stand this." He shuts the door behind me. "I thought a lot about what you said to me."
I nod before I turn to walk into his apartment. I try to contain my excitement but I've been floating since he called a few hours ago to say he needed to see me. This is what I wanted. It's what I've been waiting for.
"Sit down, Ivy." He motions towards the couch before disappearing into the kitchen. I place my purse down softly on the coffee table and cross my legs. The black dress I chose is comfortable and crafted to hug each one of my curves. I want this night to end of all of the scattered nonsense that has been clouding the space between us. I need it to.
He returns with two half-filled wine glasses in hand. He settles in close to me and hands one to me. I take a small sip before placing it down next to my purse. Getting tipsy makes my emotions tumble to the surface and that's the last thing I need tonight. I want him. I know he wants me. I just need him to open up and tell me what's really going on.
"You were right, beautiful." He lazily rests his right hand on my knee before continuing, "someone did cheat on me."
I feel a surge of energy rush through me at the moment his hand makes contact with my skin. Stay focused Ivy. You can't get to the bottom of this if you're constantly thinking about what he can do to your body. "I thought so."
"It's still hard to talk about." He gulps most of the contents of his glass in one movement before placing it down next to mine. "I want to share."
"It will help." I rest my hand on his, stroking his index finger with mine. "It helped me to talk about what happened with Mark."
He nods and smiles softly. "I met her a few years ago. We worked together."
I feel a twinge of jealousy run through me. I wanted this. I wanted to know the truth but am I really prepared to hear him talk about how much he cared for another woman? How much she hurt him?
"She was different. Unlike anyone I'd met. Brash and direct. She made it clear right after we met that she wanted me. Most women aren't like that." He stops to lift the glass to his mouth again.
"Most women aren't like that," I repeat. I'm not like that. Was that why he was so indecisive with me?
"That's actually a good thing." He pulls me hand under his now and squeezes it. "She was nothing like you."
I nod, deciding right in that moment that I'd absorb that as a compliment. I needed to. They weren't together anymore so that meant something. It had to.
"I fell for her fast and hard." He breathes in a deep sigh before he continues, "it was bound to crash and burn at some point. I just didn't see it coming."
"What happened?" I ask tenderly. I know what it feels like to share details of a betrayal of that magnitude. I know how exposed and open I felt and I want Jax to know that I understand the depth of that pain.
"Things were going great," he admits. "I was crazy about her. It was one of the only times I've dated someone exclusively."
Again I feel the dark edge of jealousy rise within me. It's over. That's what matters. I can't think about whether she meant more to him than I do. I can't cloud my judgment with petty thoughts like that. "She sounds very special," I say weakly.
"At the time I thought she was." He looks at me before raising his hand to brush away a wayward piece of hair that has fallen onto my cheek. "I didn't understand how special a woman could really be back then."
I blush knowing that he's now talking about his feelings for me. Despite everything that has happened between us I want him to want me. I want him to need me and maybe even love me.
