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“I can’t do that either.” I’m concerned this crack between him and his brother will turn into a crater, and cause irreparable damage to their relationship. “I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
“Nothing can be done about the past,” he insists.
I put down my book and sit up, turning towards him in the soft lamp light. “You can talk to Kai about it.”
“He doesn’t take responsibility, Jazz. He never has. Talking to him about it will only piss me off more. I’m just going to tell him about us tomorrow and let the chips fall.”
“Tomorrow?” I ask in surprise.
“I can’t continue facing him every day with this secret. It will only make matters worse.”
“I understand. But I thought you wanted to see how our trial relationship goes first.”
“Trial?” His eyes narrow. “Is being here a test for you?”
“No. But didn’t you suggest it to see if we’re compatible and work as a couple?”
He shakes his head. “I admit to being caught off guard by the pace at which my feelings have developed. But this is not a test-drive to see if I want you at the end of it. You’re here because I want to explore these feelings and get to know you better. Because I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”
Overjoyed, I straddle his lap and nestle into a comfortable position, aligning our bodies and faces. “I love you.”
“Jazz,” he murmurs roughly.
“You don’t have to say it back.” I trace the strong arch of his brows and the pulsing vein between them. “I just wanted you to know.”
His hand grips my nape, pulling me down for a kiss, so intense that it borders on pain. Locked in his embrace, I can feel his heart hammering against my own, his body shuddering. He doesn’t give me the words, but neither does he let me go for the rest of the night.
CHAPTER 22
Leo
KAI ARRIVES EARLY TODAY, EXUDING an unmistakable energy. I plan to give him a fair shot before telling him about Jazz after work. Only then can I express my love for her with a clear head and a clear conscience.
At 3:00, when the gym is at its quietest, Kai enters my office with his laptop. “Mr. Foster,” he jokes.
“Kai,” I respond, leaning back in my chair. “I’m curious to see what you’ve come up with.”
“Keep an open mind,” he advises as he pulls up a seat next to me and opens the presentation. The first part goes over the numbers, which I already know by heart, skewed to emphasize a specific direction.
“As you can see, we have a real opportunity to grow our female membership,” he overstates, pointing to the graph. “We have the capital, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment to blow away any competition. We just need to create a women’s only section, hire a female manager to run it, offer some classes, and make it a low-key, fun environment for those who don’t want our full Star program. We can call it Star-lite. Get it?” He grins, pleased with himself. “We’ll dominate the market by?—”
I raise my hand to stop him. “I have no intention or desire to establish a women’s only facility.”
“Why not?”
“For one, it contradicts F.!.T.’s vision and strategy. And two, it sounds like the Fab Fitness business model.”
“So?” He shrugs. “Some of our clients have gone there, and she has a strong following, which means it works. Why wouldn’t we want to replicate that?”
“Because what Jazz Legend offers isn’t just classes, it’s her. She attracts a specific female clientele because of who she is. They connect with her message about the joy of movement. We can’t replicate that, even if I wanted to, which I don’t.” Realizing what’s really happening here, I add, “this sounds like you’re trying to take away business from a woman you claimed to care about just two days ago.”
“I’m not into her anymore,” he says in an outright lie. “She portrays herself as this sweet, innocent dancer, a fish out of water in the business world. But she’s actually a shark, out to steal your clients. Competing directly with her when you know we’ll win is good business.”
“Not from where I’m sitting. Your presentation lacks clear thinking and reeks of an ulterior motive,” I say, trying to contain my anger that he brought me this garbage, and worse that his intention was to harm Jazz.
“I knew you would find a way to squash my ideas,” he accuses, pushing to his feet. “You thrive on making me the fuck-up in your perfect shadow.”
“You fuck up without any help from me. Want me to list all the ways?”
