Chapter Three
Zoe
The second I step out of the bedroom and into the living room, my skin tingles. He’s here. Shit, I’m going to be sick. His back is to me, so there’s still an opportunity to flee. But I can’t move. His hair is cut shorter than I remember. It’s barely long enough to run your fingers through, and I find myself missing the dark locks that he typically has tied back into a ponytail. Along his jaw is facial hair that’s somewhere between a 5 o’clock shadow and a beard.
He was always slender and wiry, but now, his body is more defined with muscles and harder angles. But it’s his aura that always called to me–broken, but cocky. Sexy, but wounded. The ultimate bad boy who always had a guitar in his hand, and his voice sounded like velvet wrapped in a shot of tequila–sensual, but deadly.
As if he senses me staring at him, he spins to face me. “Zoe.” He nods and stares at me with eyes sharp enough to cleave your soul.
I straighten my shoulders. “Hello, Uncle Jace.” I practically choke over the two words, but I won’t turn into a fan girl again. It’s a detached formality, or I’m on the next plane home.
“How’re you?”
“I’m great. Thank you for asking.” I smile like a clown–too bright, too big, too ridiculous. “I graduated in May, and now, I’m working full-time with my dad. I guess that probably makes me a big girl now.”
The muscles in his neck flex, but otherwise, he’s still like a statue, still like the multicolored calla lilies in the vase beside him–white, vibrant purple, bright yellow, all the colors blend together to perfection. The beauty of them is almost as painful as looking at him.
“Make it big yet?” The words are laced with venom because I know he’s not gotten a record contract. It’s my business to know. It’s childish but I can’t stop the dig from slipping out of my mouth.
“No.” He shifts his head sideways and pops his neck. “I haven’t made it big but thank you for asking.”
Lord, this is painful. What do I say next? Ask him how he likes the weather? Or the resort? It’s not like anyone doesn’t love 80-degree temperatures, luxury resorts, bungalows that sit on the water, and bright blue skies.
“How’s your sidekick?”
I wrinkle my nose. “My sidekick?”
“Daisy? Isn’t that her name?”
“Oh….” I smile warily as my head pounds from tension. “Her sister is getting married this weekend, or I would’ve convinced her to come.” And damn her for not being here. If Daisy were here, I wouldn’t have a care in the world. We could’ve spent all our time drinking and dancing at the bar, and I wouldn’t be stuck in a cabin with the last person I ever wanted to see again.
“That’s too bad. How is she?”
My teeth grind together. “She’s fine.”
Seriously? I bet he’d be all over Daisy if she were here. I stomp past him, march into the kitchen, and throw open the refrigerator door. Holy smokes. My mouth waters. I forgot how awesome an all-inclusive resort could be. Fruit. Meat trays. Champagne. Wine. Cheese cubes. Mini petite cakes. I think my ass just gained ten pounds looking at the spread.
“How’s work?”
I jump and spin on my heel, finding him leaning against the doorjamb.
“Good.” I snatch a bottle of water and twist off the top. “I’m helping set up the talent for local venues. The businesses contact us, and I find the right event performers for them. I’m also involved in talent acquisition.” I shrug. “I enjoy it.”
“That’s good.” Energy seems to snap around us with an undercurrent of anger and something else. I can’t afford to think about the something else.
Or maybe it’s only snapping from my side of the kitchen and sizzling around him. He’s likely not feeling anything because he never has. I’m his half-brother’s stepdaughter. His half-brother’s 8-year younger stepdaughter.
I take a sip of the water, but before I swallow, I choke and cough until tears fill my eyes.
“Are you okay?” He steps forward, eyes filled with concern.
“Yes, I’m fine.” I manage to choke out the words and catch my breath before he has the chance to smack my back and cause even more mortification. Lord, I’m an idiot.
Now what? I survey the room behind Jace. Where’s Zayden? At least if he was here, he could entertain Jace, and I could disappear without it being obvious.
“And you? How’s the singing going?” During the holidays, my stepfather would force him to sing everything from Christmas music to songs he wrote. I could listen to him for hours. When he sang with his band, it was fast, loud, and abrasive. But when he sang by himself, it was haunting and beautiful.
“It’s not.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. I wait, hoping he’ll elaborate to fill the silence in the room.
“There you two are.” My brother bounds across the living room like a Labrador retriever, saving me at long last. “I was hoping you’d both be around when I returned.” He slaps Jace on the back. “It’s good to see you, man. You’re looking good.”
“Thanks.” He returns my brother’s embrace.
“So, tell me everything. How’re the women out in Vegas?”
Vegas? When did he move to Vegas? Isn’t he still in L.A.? I twist the cap back onto the bottle.
“Same, man. Same as always.”
“Asshole.” My brother laughs and smacks his back again. “Always getting all the pussy you can handle. Makes a man like me jealous.”
I’m going to throw up. I swallow hard over the dryness in my throat and wish I could disappear. The last thing I want to hear about is all the sex he’s having when all the sex I’m having is lame and pathetic.
The last guy I went out with was sporting a party pickle, and the one before him would only have sex once a month, right before my period, while he shoved on two condoms to ensure there was no way I could trick him into getting pregnant. Like I wanted a baby with him.
If I’m going to get knocked up, he’s going to sweep me off my feet and treat me like a princess. Or he’s going to get lost. I’m never being treated like a worthless sidepiece again.
“Dude.” Jace flushes and avoids my gaze. “It’s not like that.”
“Ple-e-ease. I know.” Zayden rolls his eyes, waltzes across the floor, and retrieves a beer from the refrigerator. The other glass bottles clink together as he shuts the door. “When was the last time we went out? Three years ago, at Christmas?”
“Yeah.”
Three years ago? At Christmas? Bile rises in my throat as I squeeze the plastic bottle. The lid pops off and tumbles to the floor, rolling under the cabinet under the sink.
“That was quite a night. I believe it was the night we got back from Jamaica.” Zayden laughs as I fight back tears. I don’t want to hear this but it’s like a train wreck is happening in front of me. If I protest, he’ll know I care. Cared. And if I don’t, I’m going to hear some gross reenactment of some wild orgy between my brother and Jace.
I snatch up the lid and re-twist it tighter onto the bottle.
“Zoe doesn’t want to hear this.”
“She doesn’t care.” Zayden waves a hand toward me as if he’s dismissing any emotions I might have. “She’s heard my crazy stories before. And now I must relive them from the past. I can’t get drunk and screw groupies back home. I have a reputation to uphold as a law enforcement officer.”
“Then we should keep your reputation clean and not discuss it.” Jace marches to the doorway with a stiff back and returns to the living room.
My brother takes a long swig from his beer and grins. “Uncle Jace here couldn’t get hard, so I had to go in after him.”
“Jesus, Zayden, let it go,” Jace groans from the living room.
“He was too wasted for everything to work right. At least, that’s what he claimed, but I don’t know. The time before….” He marches to the adjoining room. “When was that? Two Christmases before? We were at Mom and Landon’s house. Remember that night?” Zayden swivels his head around to face me. “You were wearing that slinky red dress and got caught standing under the mistletoe with Jace. That was a fun night.”
“Yeah, it was a total blast,” I mutter as every inch of my skin burns, and I wish I were anywhere but here. That was the night I dared to pucker up and kiss his lips when he was aiming for my cheek. I’d just turned 18 and was obsessed with him.
And he ran off to fuck some random bar slut. What made her so special?
“Zayden,” Jace barks while spinning on his heel. His eyes blaze with anger. “I told you to drop it.”
Zayden cocks his head and stares Jace down. “You couldn’t satisfy that girl either. I had to–”
“Fuck off.” Jace jerks the door open, slamming it shut and causing the kitchen windows to rattle.