Chapter 13
JACK
Once we’re done talking business, Alex and I rejoin the girls.
Stepping into the living room and seeing Gracie holding baby Alice does something unfucking natural to me.
The kind of thing that makes me want to take her to the nearest room with a lock and ensure she doesn’t leave until I’ve knocked her up.
“Olivia needed the bathroom,” she explains, looking out of her depth, and outnumbered by the two children she’s been left to care for.
“I hope she wasn’t too much trouble?” Olivia appears from behind us, relieving Gracie of her duties when she takes back her little girl and kisses her little head.
“So when should we expect this wedding, Jack?” She looks eagerly towards me.
“Three weeks. I spoke with the priest this morning.”
“Three weeks!?” Gracie’s eyes double in size.
“I asked him for his next available date. I don’t see any use in us delaying.” Moving over to stand beside her, I rest my hand on her shoulder.
“I thought having a date might have been something you mentioned to the bride.” She smiles through her teeth at me.
“It was my intention, but we just keep getting preoccupied.” I lean over her to make a fuss over the baby in Olivia’s arms, who’s starting to stir.
“These two men should never have been allowed to meet.” Olivia rolls her eyes at Gracie. “I’m expecting an invite to this wedding.”
“Oh, I should hope so…I’m Jack’s best man.” Alex perches on the armrest beside his wife.
“This is all…Three weeks?” Gracie looks up at me to check she heard me right.
“Three weeks.” I nod, assuring her that there's nothing wrong with her hearing.
“So, what were you and Alex talking about?” she asks once we’ve pulled away from the Hatherly estate and are on our way home.
“Just normal guy stuff.” I shrug, pulling the sleeves of my quarter-zip jumper up my bicep.
“I’m assuming you inherited the club your father bought from him a few years ago, along with everything else?” She narrows her eyes. “I figured you’d be asking for management tips.”
“More of Selena’s research?” I question, trying not to look unnerved by her knowledge. The fact that she knows so much about things that, up until last month, I was oblivious to, makes me feel at a disadvantage.
“One of the girls used to work there; apparently, things got tough after Alex sold it.” She’s holding something back, I can tell from her nervous hand fiddling.
“I’m hoping all that has been fixed. Alex has recommended someone who can manage the place accordingly and shares my vision,” I answer
“And what exactly is your vision?” Gracie tests me, crossing her arms and giving me a judgemental glare.
“That all women have a choice; those of them who wish to use their assets to make money should be able to do so in a safe, respectable environment.”
Her mouth moves to speak, but she manages to hold her tongue when she absorbs what I’ve just said.
The thought of her ever being in that kind of situation puts a sour taste in my mouth.
“I’m nothing like my father or my brother,” I tell her for clarity.
“Alex sold The Residence to my father, thinking he would run the place the same way he did. We have both learned that for some, that was a costly mistake. Believe it or not, he feels bad about it. It’s why he’s being so helpful. ”
“You know, your brother would force the girls there to do such humiliating things. He used them to entertain his friends without paying them.” I can hear the anger in her words.
“I’ve heard the rumours about Thomas’s behaviour, and I’d be happy to compensate your fri–”
“You can’t compensate for basic human rights.” She talks over me.
“Of course not.” I reach across and take her hand, hoping she believes that I understand.
“What Sophia was doing at that club is no different from what I’m doing here with you.
” Her eyes turn tearful as she turns her head to look out the window.
“We all do what we have to for a chance of a better life; not everyone was born into money.” She drags her hand from under mine so she can wipe away her tears.
“Hey.” I quickly pull over when I see a gateway, cutting the engine and angling my body towards hers.
“I get it.” My hand grabs hers again. “I get that in the majority of cases, the girls working in the club don’t have any other options.
It’s the whole reason I haven’t closed the damn place down.
But, regardless of the situation they are in, it doesn’t mean they deserve to be treated with any less respect.
I’m sorry about what your friend went through.
And this,” I wave my finger between our bodies, “this is not the same.”
“Then what is it?” She stares up at me, looking a little helpless.
“This is two people taking what they need from each other.” I slide my hands up to hold her face. “Don’t cry, I hate it when you do that.”
“Why?” Her lips raise, and she breaks into that sweet, little laugh.
“I don’t know, it makes me feel useless and…” I stop myself before giving too much away. “Listen, I can see how passionate you are about the girls, and I promise that anyone working at The Residence will be taken care of from now on.”
“I believe you,” she whispers with pretty eyes full of trust.
“You know, you did pretty well with that baby today,” I tell her, releasing her so I can restart the engine and get us home.
“I held her for two minutes while her mum went to pee.” She plays it down. “Don’t worry… I’m not going to go all crazy on you and change my mind. I understand that the child I’m going to carry will never be mine.” Her face turns serious.
“That doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be welcome to be part of its life. I’m sure we could figure something out,” I suggest, starting to wonder what type of mother she would make.
“That wouldn’t be fair. Once this is all over, I’m leaving England, and I’m never coming back.” She smiles like all her dreams are within touching distance, and I mimic it while her words crush me from the outside in.
“I guess we’ll have to figure out what you’ll tell everyone when the time comes for me to leave.
A woman, up and leaving her husband and a newborn behind, is scandalous, but a duchess?
” She laughs, making a very valid point.
Up to now, I’ve been so focused on convincing her to go through with the plan that I haven’t given her departure story much thought.
“I think there's only one way,” she continues, with a dangerous smile on her face. “I’m going to have to die.”
My foot slams to the floor, making the tires screech as I turn my head and stare at her in shock.
“What?”
“You promised I’d be getting a brand new identity, and I need to make a clean break. It’s the perfect plan. I’m sure, between us, we could orchestrate something as tragic as it is convincing. You’d be a widow, Jack… there's no scandal in that, just sadness.”
“But, Gracie, if you die…you can never come back.” I hear the sadness in my own voice.
“Have you not been listening to a single thing I’ve said? I have no intention of ever coming back. I’m getting as far away from my old life as I can get.” She laughs to herself as she rests her head back against the seat.
“I get my freedom, and you get your heir. You also get the perfect excuse as to why you never remarry. I mean, who could possibly replace me?” The sarcastic laugh she makes has me wanting to punch my steering wheel, but I manage to compose myself.
“Sounds perfect.” I smile at her convincingly as I continue to drive home.
“You're upset with me.” Gracie steps warily into my gym room, where I’ve spent the past few hours trying to avoid her.
“Whatever gave you that idea?” I pick up a heavier dumbbell and start lifting.
“I can just tell; you’ve been trying to avoid me since we got home from Alex and Olivia’s.” She steps in front of me so I’m forced to give her my full attention.
“I’m sorry if I came across as harsh with what I said about your brother, but—”
“You can say what you like about him, it’s true,” I snap back, reminding myself to keep calm as I scrub my hand over my face.
“Okay, then maybe you thought I was comparing you to your father, and I promise I wasn–”
“It’s not that,” I talk over her again, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth. “Just drop it, okay?” I go to pick up my towel, but she quickly snatches it out of my hand.
“No, I want to know why you're so mad at me.” She gets a little more serious.
“Gracie, I’m not mad. I just want to be alone, right now.” There's no way that I’m going to admit that the thought of her leaving this house, let alone the fucking country, is sending me crazy. I barely know this girl, how is it possible for me even to consider that I’d miss her?
“Jack…If you don’t tell me what I’ve done, how am I supposed to fix it?” She throws my own words back at me with a clever smirk on her face.
“You’ve done nothing,” I growl, snatching my towel back before heading out of the room.
“Come back here and fuck me, then!” My feet freeze when she calls out after me, and when I slowly spin around and see the devilish look in her eyes, all my blood rushes straight to my cock.
“You sure you want that?” I warn, tossing my towel on the floor and marching back towards her, not stopping when we’re toe to toe and forcing her to step back.
“Positive,” she tells me when her shoulders hit the mirrored wall behind her.
“Fine.” I take her by surprise when I spin her around so she’s facing our reflection.
Then, reaching around her waist, I pop the button on her jeans and force them, and her panties, roughly to the floor.
She smiles like the devil's daughter when I take out my cock, gripping her throat with one hand and guiding myself inside her warm, tight snatch with the other.
I watch that instant relief take over her eyes as I slowly push inside her, squeezing my fingers tighter while her palms stretch out against the mirror.
“Like this?” I question, staring deep into her eyes through our reflection.