CHAPTER 5
A weird sense of trepidation flowed through my gut from the moment I woke up the following morning and found that Jay wasn’t by my side.
He always was.
He even switched his workout time so he could wake up with me.
So where was he?
Maybe he didn’t get enough sleep last night.
Or maybe something woke him up.
Or maybe it was nothing at all.
It was past ten o’clock so he was probably making breakfast. I knew he was anearly riser, unlike me who loved to sleep in.
I eased out of bed and carried my half-awake self out the door.
The entire apartment was quiet as I descended the stairs, which only made my heart thunder with every step I took.
Hushed whispers carried through the walls as I trudged down the hallway, and my stomach twisted with unease for some reason.
Maybe Jay had a guest or guests, given three distinct voices thatreached my ears .
My heart settled a little when I saw that it was Jay, Matt, and Mikey hunched down in the living room in deep discussion, their expression grim and serious.
“Jay.” My feet carried me toward him on their own accord. A disturbed look swept across his face, but his eyes softened when he saw me approach.
“Morning, sweetheart. Sleep good?” he asked as I dropped down beside him.
I nodded, waving to the boys. They were all still in their hoodies and sweatpants, so whatever caused this early morning meeting was unplanned.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, cutting straight to the chase. Ever so impatient as always.
Jay heaved a sigh, his vacant eyes glancing at me. “Dorian was found dead this morning.”
Lines formed in the corners of my eyes, and I had a minute of confusion before I understood who he was talking about. “Dorian? White’s father?”
“Yes,” Jay replied.
“But he was fine. He was just here a couple of weeks ago.” My brows knotted as I reeled back to his unwelcome visit with his daughter. “What happened to him?” I whispered.
Jay’s eyes were rooted on the floor as I shifted my gaze to Mikey.
“They are saying it was suicide,” Mikey admitted, leaning forward as he propped his elbows on his knees. “We still don’t know the details. But the news was confirmed this morning. It happened last night. ”
“That’s unexpected.” I frowned. “He didn’t seem like a man who would commit suicide.” But who was I to know anything about what was going on inside someone’s head?
The tension around the room was still charged andheavy as they all exchanged weary glances.
It was sad news; I get they were upset about finding out that someone they had worked with for years was now lost forever. But the boys didn’t hold any love or respect toward that man, so I still didn’t understand what was going on with them.
“And?” I prodded further.
Mikey clenched his fist until they turned deadly white. “And they are blaming us for it.”
“What?” Shock filled my blood. “Why?”
Mikey let out an exhale. “It’s the media. It’s what they do. One minute, he’s the enemy leeching off artists, breaking the law, and the next, he’s a great man betrayed by everyone around him so he committed suicide. To make it worse,his bitch of a daughter is suing us,” he scoffed. “For all I know, she was the one who killed him.”
“Suing you for what?” My brows furrowed. What could the boys possibly have to do with his death?
Mikey waved an exasperated hand. “For emotional distress, defamation, and slander. And whatever else she could add to her pretty list. All that bitch wants is money.”
“But wasn’t the IRS already compiling a case on him? You guys were just another artist on his label. Why is she suing you? Is it going to be a bad one?” The questions just burst out of me as a tick of panic sliced through me.
Jay’s eyes reached mine as he grasped my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. “The case won’t hold in court. She is doing this todrag us into the mud and let the media play a frenzy on us. But our team will handle it, and it’ll die down.”
“I agree. Katy is in talks with PR, and legal will handle the rest,” Matt said as he rose to his feet and walked over to the windows. “We shouldn’t fret. It will eventually be replaced with another headline.”
I sighed. I didn’t realize my week would take this turn. Only days ago, I was happy to be done with her presence in our life, but it looked like that wasn’t the case. I get the boys were used to handling something like this, but the looks on their faces told me they weren’t expecting this either. It wasn’t long before the boys bid us goodbyes, hoping things would take a better turn as they left.
A quiet moment passed between Jay and me as we stared at their disappearing backs down the hallway.
“I told you this is why I don’t like Monday mornings,” I added, trying to break the tension in the air.
And just like that, my dry humor made him chuckle as he gathered me in his lap.
“Really? Tell me more?” His previous empty eyes were now filled with nothing but love as they peered at me.
The look that he only had for me. His blues held a softness when he looked at me like that. The specks of dark azure lining his eyes felt like a blanket of the midnight sky carrying the stars. It warmed my heart.
“Do you know that we had our first fight on a Monday? Or at least it all started on a Monday?” I asked, playfully tapping my pointer finger on my palm like I was some history teacher.
“Fuck me, how could I not know this precious information?” he asked, wide-eyed and going along with me. These kinds of fun and lighthearted moments with him made me giddy like a fool.
“I’m disappointed. You deserve punishment for not knowing that important fact,” I admonished, shaking my head.
His lips curved in a lopsided grin. “Do I get to spank your ass?”
I gasped, holding my palm to my mouth. “I think it’s the other way around, sir.” But we couldn’t contain the act anymore and burst out laughing.
I sighed, rolling my head on his shoulder. My fingers kneaded the back of his neck. “Are you alright?”
He shrugged. “It bothers me more than it should for some reason. I thought we had gotten rid of her and the label for good.” He heaved out a breath. “I don’t want to deal with this shit anymore.”
“I know,” I said quietly.
He tilted my chin to meet his smoldering blues. “But this time, she won’t come between us. I won’t let her. You are mine now, sweetheart.” He leaned in, his lips brushing across mine. “I won’t let her take you away from me again. I promise.” He sealed it with a searing kiss, so full of promise and so full of love.
“Yes, Jo. I’ll get that done,” I said, smiling as the beautiful blonde disappeared from my laptop screen.
Jo was my supervisor at work, and we’d been discussing the agenda for this week. Loran House was a small publishing company that outsourced clients from big-name publishing houses, and Jo was their senior blog writer. I helped her write articles or anything publishing-related she wanted help with. She was patient, kind, honest, and, most importantly, a gifted writer. Even though I had only started working with her a month ago, I’d already learned plenty about the world of publishing.
The job was something I looked forward to instead of my previous ones, where I chased after heiresses of Manhattan who were anything but kind or nice.
In the meantime, I had also been querying literary agents for my manuscript. Some I never heard back, some outright rejected me with words that weren’t necessary, and some were kind enough to let me know we weren’t a good match.
I knew it was all a part of the process, but it felt like a dig at my competence. It felt discouraging—like I was somehow lacking. The only thing I believed in was my story, and I had to keep believing in it if I ever wanted my book to see the light of day.
I sighed as I signed off on work a couple of hours later.
The past few days had been cloudy. Both in the sense of real life and the storm waging outside. However, I must say I liked the latter better. Jay had been in a mood lately. Ever since the news of Dorian’s death and themedia running a shitstorm on the band, their PR had been working nonstop to clear their name and get them out of it.
Jay was probably used to all this. He was usually the calm one, but something seemed to be bothering him, and he wouldn’t tell me what. He was currently smashing weights at the gym, andhis usual hour-long sessions had turned into two. It was frustrating at times. I got that he needed his own space, but I wish he’d tell me what was going on inside his head.
I set my laptop aside and rose to my feet, wringing my hands overhead as I stretched out my drained bones. Needing coffee, I padded to the open kitchen attached to the living room. With gleaming gray cabinets and marble countertops, it was equipped like a chef’s dream. And my favorite part was the full-blown coffee machine. Retrieving the pink mug with tiny hearts that Jay got for me, I placed it on the stand, and as I waited for it to brew, I checked my phone.
No emails, no phone calls, just a couple of messages from our girl group.
I tried not to peek into what the media were saying about the boys but my curiosity got the better of me. I typed the band’s name into the search bar and was immediately bombarded with numerous alerts. I opened the first one from a reputable press that read the headline The Four Foxes might be the cause of late Dorian White, the CEO of Pacific White Label’s, ultimate demise .
I scoffed, reading the outrageous things they were saying, quoting internal sources and interviews from people who weren’t even involved in the matter. Does thepress these days just say anything about anyone without proper research?
Footsteps thudded in my direction, and my eyes flew from the phone to the man advancing toward me.
Tall and looming with pearls of sweat trailing down his tanned skin.
Tortured blue eyes.
The smell of wood and seawater and him was a high to my veins .
“Good workout?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned against the counter knowing very well that my nipples stood hard underneath the soft hoodie that I stole from him.
Jay didn’t say a word as he pulled up next to me and seized my lips in a breathless kiss. “I’m going to take a shower,” he whispered before heading toward the room without another glance.
I sighed, internally as I watched the empty hallway like a desolate idiot.
The smell of coffee wafted through the air, followed by a beep. I grasped the mug in my hand and walked over to the TV room.
I tried not to think too much as I curled up on the couch, draping a blanket over Strawberry and me while I played a random movie.
“You okay, baby?” I asked, scratching Strawberry behind her ears as she whined, laying her head on my lap.
The movie was about ten minutes in when I felt his presence. Jay lowered beside me, slinging his arms around as he pulled me to his chest and pressed a kiss on my head.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?” I questioned, lifting my eyes to meet his. “You’re not one to get worried about things like this.”
“I know,” he mumbled, combing his fingers through my loose hair. “And I’m not really worried about it.”
“Then what is it?” The faint sound of the TV ran in the background. “Is it what the press are saying about you?”
“No, that’s not really an issue.” His eyes absentmindedly swept over me. “In fact, it will no longer be an issue after tomorrow. Our team has advised usto put out a live statement, and with the fans by our side, I doubt any of the rumors will stand for long.”
“Then what is it, Jay?” I steeled my tone. I’ve had enough of him beating around the bush.
“I spoke with Cece,” he admitted, a line forming over his jaw.
My heart sank like a broken boat as I pushed away from him, creating distance between us. “When?” I muttered in disbelief.
He looked sheepish, knotting his fingers in his lap. “The other day. She called me.”
“And you decided to pick up,” I said as if I were arobot following its directive.
“Yes.” He placed a soft hand on my knee.
I remember now, the day before. “When you stepped outside to receive a call the other day. You told me it was your lawyer but it was her, wasn’t it?” He had been off ever since that night. She must have said something to dampen his mood.
But still, a clouded sense of deception wrapped me. Why did he have to lie?
“It was her.” He sighed. “I didn’t want to pick up at first, but she kept calling, and I got curious. She told me that she had nothing to do with this.”
“And you believe her?”
He gave me a pointed look. “Of course not. But it was weird. She was insistent. She almost didn’t sound like the Cece I used to know. She sounded broken.”
I had to bite my tongue to control the anger that was surging out of me at the sound of her name on his lips. “You know she’s a manipulative bitch, Jay. And you very well know what she said the last time she saw you at the hospital.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “But what if what she was saying is the truth?”
He couldn’t seriously be questioning her lies. “I don’t think truth and White should even be in the same statement.”
His gaze softened, surprising me. “You’ve always been adamant to call her White.”
“She is perfectly named. Have you seen her?” I mumbled, sighing. “I hate that color so much that I don’t even want to wear white at my wedding.” I stilled, realizing what I had just said when his eyes widened.
Our conversations about marriage were in the past. We made jokes and argued about the details when we were kids. We said we’d be married by twenty-five, but here we were, past that time, with no wedding bells in sight.
Jay quickly schooled his expression, leaning over as he pulled me onto his lap. “I don’t like you being too far away from me,” he mumbled, holding me close.
My mind reeled back to our conversation. “Is that why you’ve been acting weird for the past couple of days? Because you talked to her?” I mumbled, frowning, as my eyes landed on him.
“Like I said, I don’t really believe her, but what if, and that isa big if, she’s telling the truth, and someone else is doing all this? Someone we don’t know is out for the band. I’d really like to know who I’m up against, Evelyn.”
“It’s surely her or someone else in the industry who wants a go at you. Wasn’t her name on the lawsuit that you guys received? How can she deny that? ”
He huffed a breath. “She says her lawyers advised it. But other than that, she asserted that she’s got nothing to do with the rumors. Fame and power are involved, Evelyn and some people will do anything for that.”
A faint shiver ran through my body. “I didn’t realize being a singer was so complicated. It makes me wish that you were just another bar singer.”
He laughed. “It’s the amount of money we have piled in our bank account, sweetheart. Not the fact that I’m a singer.”
My nose scrunched up as I contemplated. “It can’t be that bad. What’s your net worth, seven figures?”
His lips curved into a wide smile as he tipped closer to my ear and whispered numbers that made my eyes almost bug out of my head. He couldn’t possibly be serious. “You’re kidding, right? That’s absurd.”
“It’s the truth.” He grinned. “And now it’s yours.”
“No, it’s not.” I shook my head. “It can never be mine,” I said, panicked. I wanted nothing to do with that kind of money. It only terrified me.
“But it is. I’ve added your name to everything. Your net worth is a lot more than you think.”
My heart thudded as I looked at him in astonishment. “Well, I don’t want it. I haven’t even considered the word net worth attached to my name. Even if that were the case, the only thing I would be comfortable adding to that is my Target sweatshirts, thrifted paperbacks, and my old dying laptop.”
“Now you can add four properties, stock assets, and a hefty bank account to that.”
“You’re crazy,” I mumbled before seriousness flooded my bones and I exhaled, taking in a moment. “Jay, I still don’t like how you lied tome about the phone call. And I also don’t like the fact that I had to get the answer out of you. I thought you were the one who said we would be dealing with anything thrown at us—together.”
A visible swallow worked along his throat as he regarded me. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I was racking my brain, thinking who else it could be. Maybe it’s Cece just trying to fill my mind with doubts.”
“Yeah, she is known for that. She is capable of that and a lot more. I don’t want her tocome between us anymore, and as much as I like to know about everything that’s going on, I do not want to discuss her any further than necessary. Things will probably go back to normal after the statement tomorrow.”
He nodded, sliding his thumb along my cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you more.” It still didn’t sit well with me that he talked to her and chose to hide it from me, but I let it go because I didn’t want to prolong this conversation.
My eyes drew back to the flashing lights behind me. Fuck, my movie was halfway through already.
My eyes scanned around my lap as my hand felt around the throw. I frowned. Where was it?
I scrambled off his lap and went in search of the remote. Why the fuck was the remote always so hard to find?
“What are you doing?” Jay raised a brow as I crawled over the floor on my knees.
“I can’t find the remote.”
His brows pinched as he looked around the couch. “It’s not here. ”
Did Strawberry take it somewhere? Sometime during our conversation, she vanished, probably bored that I wasn’t giving her any attention.
My palms smoothed over the soft carpet as I dropped my head on the floor. And there it was, under the couch. I wedged my hand inside and retrieved the fucking remote.
“Found it.” I raised it above my head, proud of myself.
“Good girl,” Jay whispered, tugging the escaped strands of hair behind my ears. The playfulness in his face faded as his eyes darkened.
It was only then I realized the position I was in, directly kneeling in front of him while he sat on the couch.
My eyes in line with the massive growing bulge in his sweatpants.
My breath hitched its way up my throat, and I dropped the remote, which landed with a thud on the floor.
My core warmed like molten honey, dripping with want for him. My hands crawled over his thighs, not being able to help myself until they reached their destination. I closed my fist around his thick, throbbing cock and squeezed hard.
“Fuck, Evelyn,” he cursed, dragging his hand over my hair. “Take it out, sweetheart.”
I nodded, my heartbeat growing in an erratic rhythm as I sneaked my hand inside his pants and boxers and freed his cock.
My breath hitched at his thick, long cock growing by the second.
I didn’t waste another minute as I closed my lips around his impressive length, licking and slurping the head, my head bobbing as I took him with my mouth. I could feel his length scratching my throat. I knew I couldn’t take all of him, but I did as much as I could.
My cheeks hollowed as I took in another inch of him.
He groaned, almost ripping my hair out of my roots as his hips lifted, and he started to slowly thrust into me. I wheezed in air through my nose as I took another inch of him, which made him grunt harder.
“Eyes on me, Evelyn. I want to see you,” he hissed, his thrusts becoming sharper.
My glassy eyes met his blues sparkling with desire. The taste of him and the soft hardness in my mouth made my clit throb, and mypanties drenched with wetness.
I bobbed my head up and down, my lips raw as they closed around his length, sucking as hard as I could.
“Are you ready?” he asked, his thrusts becoming frantic.
I nodded, and within seconds, I felt his warm cum coat the back of my throat. Licking my lips, I released his cock out of my mouth, swallowing every last drop.
My mind was hazy and my breathing nonexistent when he swooped me into his lap.
“Can we play find the remote more often?” he asked, hunching my dress over my hips as he slipped his fingers into the waistband of my panties.
I couldn’t even bring myself to laugh as the rough pads of his fingers glided over my wetness.
My lungs fought for air as he dipped two long fingers inside in one single plunge.
“Jay,” I moaned, hiding my head in the crook of his neck. My parted lips trailed along his skin peeking out from his tank .
He withdrew the fingers as fast as he shoved them into me. My eyes flew open, and I groaned at the loss of him.
I watched wide-eyed as he dipped the same fingers inside his mouth. “Tasty,” he said, smirking.
“Please,” I whispered, holding his gaze.
His hand lowered once again, this time sweeping over my breasts, pinching my nipples hard before he descended between my thighs.
He stroked and gathered all my wetness from my folds before he rammed them back inside my pussy.
“Fuck,” I groaned, my hips swaying to meet his rhythm.
“You’re so perfect. Just like that. Ride my fingers,” he said, keeping his unrelenting pace before he tried to add another finger inside.
I froze, my hooded eyes glancing at him. “Jay, it’s too much,” I moaned.
“You can take it. Your pussy will stretch for me, Evelyn.” He pressed a line of kisses along my jaw.
I groaned as my walls clenched around his three fingers as he drove into me so hard and fast, over and over again.
The pleasure flowed through my blood, blinding my vision, and as soon as his thumb pressed over my sensitive clit, I burst out. The orgasm rattled my body as I screamed his name.
Every inch of my body was languid from the pleasure he gave me.
My eyes almost drooped closed when he lifted me off the couch, turning off the TV as he padded upstairs.
A sudden sharp jolt of pain sliced through my knee now that the high of the hormones slowly drained from my blood .
I grimaced, wiggling my feet, but that only made the pain worsen.
I shouldn’t have been on my knees that long.
“Is it your knee?” Jay’s concerned eyes reached mine.
“Hmm,” I mumbled, drawing in deep breaths. The pain was becoming unbearable.
“Here.” He carefully laid me down on our bed, sliding a mountain of pillows to support my back. “I’ll go bring you some ice,” he said, darting out of the room.
I squeezed my eyes shut, gritting my teeth as pangs of agonizing ache burned through my leg. I rarely got an episode like this. I must have strained it a lot recently and was finally facing the consequences of it.
Jay entered the room with a huge ice pack in his hands, which he wrapped a clean, soft towel around and placed on my knee.
The immediate chill seeped through my skin, fading a bit of the pain.
I watched as he disappeared into the bathroom. The faint sound of the opening and closing of the cabinet leaked into the room.
“Aren’t these the pills you take?” He cocked a brow, waving the familiar yellow container that had my prescription.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
He handed me two pills, which I washed away with some water before lying flat on the bed.
“Is there anything I can do?” He looked worried as he took a seat by my side. The amber light from the bed lamp cast a glow on his face.
“Nothing more than this. ”
He sighed, lines etching his forehead. “I researched a bit about it. They say pain after a major surgery is expected, but plenty of remedies are available today. I found a good clinic in the city. They are the best at dealing with post-op recovery. Why don’t I take you there?”
My eyes remained fixed on a part of the jagged scar peeking from the ice pack. My heart tugged at the thought of him worrying about me. But seeing private doctors and seeking treatment would probably cost a lot.
“I know, but I don’t have that kind of money.”
He inhaled sharply. “Fucking hell, Evelyn,” he steeled, pinning me with a hard glare. “Have you been listening to what I’ve been telling you? You have a lot of money now, and I refuse to see you suffer because of something so trivial.”
My heart skipped a beat. The expression on his face was so deadly that I couldn’t help but agree. “Okay.”
His face softened as he bent forward and placed a quick kiss on my cheek. “Let me work some of that pressure off you.”
He hauled my feet to his lap before kneading fingers along my calf as he worked his way up.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my eyes never leaving his face.
“Don’t ever thank me for taking care of you.”
Acts like this made me fall in love withhim more than I thought possible.
The strength of his fingers, the numbness from the ice, and the magic of the drug all seemed to work. And soon, the throbbing pain dissolved into a dull ache.
“I’m fine now. Let’s go to sleep,” I said, picking up the ice pack and placing it on the nightstand .
“You sure?” He ran his hand along the scars marring my knee.
“Hmm, come to bed.”
He nodded, switching off the light.
I sighed when he spooned tight from behind me. His hands roamed over the curve of my body before one settled between my breasts and the other on my tummy. My head fit perfectly under his chin, my own hand gripping over his.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“No, I think I had too much coffee.”
“You always have too much coffee. I told you itisn’t really healthy. I might have to throw out that coffee machine that you are very partial to.”
“You wouldn’t dare. The only reason I spend a lot of time here is because of that machine. So if you take it away, I might have to go with it too.”
I felt his chest vibrate with a chuckle. “Fine, I won’t take it.”
I smiled, and just then, a thunder rolled out through the clouds chased by a patter of rain. “Are you alright? Are you still worried?”
“No, I’m fine now that I have my girl in my arms.”
“I love you, Jay.” My eyes drifted to the warmth of his hold despite the caffeine high.
“Love you, too.”