Chapter 38
JETT
It takes a while for my breaths to calm down. I’m still feeling loose all over. “You’ve bewitched me,” I murmur.
She moves away from me and props herself up on one elbow. I love the smile that pops up on her face. “You … Cari Summers, have captured my heart.”
She rolls her eyes. “Trust you to say that after a blow job.” Then she scoots off as if she’s going to leave.
I grab her wrist, not willing to let her go, because I have other plans. “That was fucking amazing … amazing … but we’re not done yet. The night is still young.” I waggle my brows, making her giggle as I pull her back into my arms.
“The night is still young—” she starts to say, but just then my cell phone pings rapidly. Notifications of messages or emails coming through. I don’t want to look at it. I’ve managed to block out the world, and now it intrudes again.
“Jett,” Cari whispers, her hand resting softly against my chest. “Get it. It sounds urgent. The reason you came here was business.”
“And to spend time with Brooke.”
“Yes, but your father … I know how demanding he can be. How hard he is on you all.”
“Why are you so afraid of him?” I ask, surprised by her words.
“I’m not afraid of him. I fear for you. I know he unsettles you.”
“He’s a bully, and a demanding prick.” I pause. “I’m a lot like him.”
“You can be. But you have a heart, Jett.” She presses against my lips. “I’ll be back. I need to shower because I’ve got salt in all my crevices.”
“I’ll happily lick it off,” I volunteer.
She flashes me a smile. “I would love for you to lick it all off.” She bites her lower lip, “but let me shower, and you can check your messages. I’ll be back.”
I reach for my phone and see a whole heap of emails. I’m not going to look at them now. This has been heaven, a much needed break. It’s been bliss. Sheer paradise. It’s everything I could ever have hoped for and more, and I don't want to go back home or into the office. I want to stay here forever.
***
I wake up slowly, disoriented, my mind struggling to grasp what day it is or why I feel so damn content. The bed is empty beside me, and for a second, I’m seized in panic.
Then I remember Cari and last night. What she did for me. The memory hits me like a tidal wave. The way she cared for me, her soft mouth, her lips, her gentle touch. I had plans for more, but we must have fallen asleep, and she never returned to my bed. Or she did, and I was asleep by then so she left me.
My phone rings. It’s a sharp, rude awakening that jolts me back to reality.
“What are you doing?” Dex’s voice booms the second I answer.
“Sleeping,” I growl, my voice rough.
“You’ve been suspiciously quiet. What’s going on?”
He’s on my back again? Nosy bastard. He means well, but this—whatever Cari and I have started—is too new, too precious for his meddling. The last thing I need is Dex poking around. But now I’m beginning to wonder if something’s brewing back in the office.
“Like I told you, I’ve been busy. Spending time with Brooke,” I say, and it’s not a lie. I’ve spent the last few days reevaluating my life, realizing that the people I love are what matters. Not just chasing deals for the next empty high.
Dex snorts. “Read your damn emails. You can’t be that busy.” He pauses. “You met someone, didn’t you?”
I ignore him and pull up my inbox, scrolling through a flood of emails. One subject line stands out like a flashing neon sign. My blood boils as I skim the threads—an angry exchange between my father and the legal team.
“What the hell is this?” I snap, already knowing the answer.
“It’s a problem.” Dex replies. “A big one. The acquisition deal with Pinewood is about to fall apart.”
I sit up and take notice. This is a high-profile deal we can’t afford to lose. Knight Enterprises is attempting to acquire Pinewood, a company based in Florida, because it’s a strategic fit for our portfolio. They represent a major opportunity for growth—they own beachfront luxury developments perfect for our high-end brand. “Why’s Zach not dealing with it?” Real estate, luxury goods, and hotels are his domain.
“Because it’s an acquisition—and that’s your forte,” Dex reminds me.
So it is. Sometimes it feels like I deal with way more than my brothers do. They all have their compact little niches, and sometimes we overlap, but anything related to legal or financial, or mergers and acquisitions is my problem. No wonder I’m always so damn busy.
“This acquisition could turn into a liability because a whistleblower’s made allegations of financial mismanagement, and the SEC’s flagged their books,” Dex continues.
“Fuck.”
“Are you serious about her?”
My lips purse together. This brother of mine is psychic. It’s unnerving how he can glean so much across the wires. But I’m not telling him anything about me and Cari, not before I talk to her.
“I’ll take care of it,” I snap, ignoring his question. This isn’t something I can take care of over the phone. It’s something that requires my presence in Florida for a few days.
“It’s something you championed,” Dex reminds me. I did. Zach brought it to my attention, and when I looked into it further I thought it could be a great asset to the company. If it falls apart, it will reflect badly on me. “Father’s been trying to reach you, but you’ve been hiding.”
“I’ve been handling things here, while spending time with Brooke—”
“But it’s a working vacation,” Dex interrupts. “You need to fix this before it blows up.”
I grind my teeth, the pieces clicking together. Our rivals are circling, ready to pounce if this deal falls apart. The SEC needs answers, and it’s clear this isn’t something I can handle remotely.
“I’ll take care of it.” I cut Dex off before he can pry further. I fire off a reply to my father’s email. I’ll fly out today.
Throwing on shorts and a T-shirt, I head to Brooke’s room to find that Cari is there. She’s brushing Brooke’s hair, her movements soft and loving. I lean against the door jamb, silently observing. Cari loves my little girl as if she were her own, and Brooke? Brooke has always adored Cari. I get goosebumps when I look at these two together.
The world around me can go to shit, but as long as I have Brooke and Cari in my orbit, things will be fine. They are my North Star and my safe haven.
I want this to be my life .
Cari moves, still focused on Brooke’s hair, but the sunlight catches her curls giving it golden highlights. Her skin is all aglow.
I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and something shifts. I could have this forever. Cari looks up, catching me staring.
“You okay?” she mouths, just as Brooke notices me.
“Daddy! You’re up!”
My little girl launches herself at me, and I scoop her up, burying my face in her hair. She smells like lavender, fresh and sweet.
“Can we go to Horses Bay? Zara told me about it.”
“Horseshoe Bay,” I correct with a smile.
“That one!”
I set her down gently, my mood sobering. “Not today, sweetheart.”
Brooke’s face falls. “Why not?”
I glance at Cari, who stands slowly, her eyes filled with worry—for me, not herself.
“I have to go away for a few days.”
Brooke’s lip trembles. “Where?”
“I’ll be back soon, I promise. It’s just meetings—boring stuff.”
Cari frowns, her assistant instincts kicking in. “What’s going on? Where do you have to go?”
“The Pinewood acquisition. The SEC flagged some financials—nothing catastrophic, but enough to cause a problem if I don’t handle it personally. I’ll need to meet with their CEO, regulators, and lawyers to straighten things out. So, I have to go to Florida.”
I hear the gasp she lets out. “Florida.”
I nod. “It sucks, I know.”
“Do you need me to pull files or set anything up?” she asks.
“Just keep things running smoothly here, the way you always do.”
She gives me a soft smile. “Don’t worry. Brooke and I will be fine.” She turns to Brooke. “How about we visit Zara this weekend, or ask her to come here?”
Brooke’s eyes light up. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Why don’t you go down for breakfast, sprout,” I say to Brooke. When she skips out, Cari stays behind, clicking the door shut. She steps into me, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Thank you for last night,” I murmur, brushing my lips against her hair. “But I was supposed to take care of you.”
She tilts her head up, a teasing smile on her lips. “I came back to your bed, freshly showered, and in need of attention.”
Heat stirs in my belly. God, I wish I could stay. I’d take care of her right now.
“You really have to go?” Her voice is soft, tinged with disappointment.
“The SEC flagged irregularities. If I don’t act now, the whole deal could collapse. Our rivals are already circling, waiting for an opportunity to swoop in.”
She nods, but I see the sadness in her eyes.
“How long will you be gone?”
“Three days. Four, tops.” I press a kiss to her forehead, wishing I could promise more.
She tightens her arms around my waist, her touch grounding me. “Hurry back.”
“I will.” For a moment, we stay like that, holding on as if the world outside doesn’t exist.