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As for the others, they should have been smart enough to reel him back in. How could they think that coming here tonight was a good idea? Clearly, they’re all aware that I don’t want anything to do with them otherwise I would have responded to their constant calls and text messages. They all need to back off and give me a chance to catch up with everything that’s been going on.
With a heavy heart, I let Colton lead me back up the stairs and as his arm slips over my shoulder, I listen to the soothing tones of his deep voice. “Are you alright?”
“I should be asking you the same thing,” I murmur. “How the hell did you learn to fight like that?”
Colton scoffs. “You don’t grow up as a Carrington without learning a thing or two about defending yourself. But I wasn’t asking about you physically? They’re just bruises. You’re strong and they’ll fade. I’m asking about on the inside. Are you alright?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I honestly don’t know. Nic is supposed to be my best friend. He’s supposed to be the guy who has my back and always wants what’s best for me, but over the past few weeks he’s become a stranger.”
“He’ll come around,” he promises me. “It’s a guy thing. He’ll realize that he’s fucked-up and he’ll make it right. You just need to give him the time to figure out how to do that and work up the courage to admit that he was wrong.”
“And when that happens?” I question. “Are you going to get jealous and force him away?”
“Why would I do that? You’ve already told me how much he means to you. If having them in your life makes you happy, then that’s where they need to be. But don’t get me wrong, they’re going to have to make up for their bullshit and don’t expect me to let them anywhere near you until they’ve magically earned your trust back, but we’re going to have fucking problems if they can’t get on board with you and me being together because I’m not about to give you up.”
I stop at the top of the stairs and turn to look up at him. “You really mean that?”
“Yeah,” he says. “I want you to have the world, Jade, and if I have to kick each of their asses to make it happen, then I will.”
I press up onto my tippy toes and brush my lips over his and as someone opens the front door and walks around us, we hear the music pouring out from the ballroom. “Do you want to go back to the party?” he asks, pulling away only a fraction.
I shake my head. “I’m not exactly in the party mood anymore. Nic killed my vibe.”
“Okay,” he says. “Should I take you back to the pool house?”
I shake my head again, meeting his eyes, and just like that, his hand slips into mine and he leads me back inside the mansion. We walk through the long hallways, listening as the music from the party gets quieter and quieter the further we walk.
Colton leads me upstairs but when we pass all the bedrooms, I find myself looking up at him and hating the redness on his jaw from Nic’s punch. “Where are we going?”
The corner of his lips twitch into a small smile and when he looks back down at me, I see nothing but awe shining down at me. “I want to show you something,” he murmurs, gently squeezing my hand and making the butterflies soar in my stomach.
My brows furrow but my curiosity is too great and I allow him to pull me along until we reach two massive double doors on the top floor at the opposite end of the house to the library. Colton pushes through the wide doors and I stare in wonder at the open living space with floor to ceiling windows the whole way around.
The room looks over the front of the property and I can see for miles, looking over the whole of Bellevue Springs. “Woah,” I say, walking into the room and taking it in. “How have I never been in here before?”
“Dad liked to keep this room private. I had the den downstairs and he had this.”
“Geez, I don’t blame him. If this was my place I’d keep this all to myself as well.”
Colton chuckles under his breath before taking my hand and pulling me along. “You haven’t seen the best part.” He leads me over to the window and just like downstairs, presses a few buttons, and watches as the windows sink back into the main part of the house and open to a wide balcony that spans nearly the whole length of the mansion.
“Wow,” I breathe, walking right to the edge and peering over to get the best possible view. I look out and watch as people walk down the massive drive to their cars after having an incredible night. I watch the moonlight sparkle in the many pools and watch as the soft evening breeze sweeps through Charles’ prized gardens. “This is incredible.”
