18. Jet
Chapter 18
Jet
“You’re still doing that in this heat?” Ava eyes my skipping rope as I walk back into our air-conditioned overwater villa.
“I skip every morning. You know that.”
I close the sliding glass door that leads out onto the private decked terrace with jacuzzi and loungers and place the rope down onto the top of some wicker drawers. I turn to face her, but her attention is glued back on her laptop screen. Her pouty lower lip is sucked into her mouth as she types.
“You never did tell me what you’re working on.”
I walk toward the table she’s sitting at, but her shoulders tighten, and she closes the lid before I get close enough to read anything.
“Nothing I care to share.” Her nose wrinkles as she slides her eyes away from mine.
“Noted.” I walk past her to the giant glass wall. The sheer drapes are open, so I can see right along the length of the coastline and to the scattering of other private villas like this one that extend out into the crystal blue ocean.
“Callaghan hasn’t checked in early if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“How would you know?” I narrow my eyes as I study a person walking along the beach. “You’ve been working on your non-sharing project for the past two hours.”
She retrieves a bottle of fresh grapefruit juice from the fridge and breaks the seal.
“Since when were you so interested in what I’m working on? I’ve been staying at your father’s house for weeks now and you’ve never shown an interest.”
I turn, lifting the towel that’s slung over my shoulder to dry my chest. Even at 6AM, Krabi feels as hot as the devil’s ball sack.
“Never said I was interested.”
She scowls as I walk over to her and pluck the bottle from her hand. “Want me to fetch you a glass?”
I neck half the juice, then hand it back to her. The bite of citrus hits my tastebuds and I savor the tang it leaves on my tongue. Grapefruit juice is growing on me.
“Ha-the-fuck-ha.” She frowns before drinking the rest of the bottle.
She’s barely said two words to me since we fucked in my shower. I cleaned her up after, kissing her bratty lips. Then she went to her own room to pack. We caught the flight over here, switching onto a private seaplane transfer for the final part of our journey. That’s the one that rattled her. She managed the takeoff out of London with little more than some heavy breathing and tense armrest gripping. But when we took off in that tiny seaplane that bounced around on the breeze, she grabbed my hand like her life depended on it. And I can’t lie; the way she murmured my name as I held her against me and told her she was safe, had my chest swelling with something primal.
I took control, and it calmed her.
I cross my feet at the ankle and curl my hands around the edge of the counter. Ava settles beside me, following my gaze across our luxury two-story villa and out over the beach. I rented the largest, most private villa because its location means we can see as much of the luxury resort as possible from this position.
“What’s the plan, then?” She pulls her hair tie free and re-does the messy bun on top of her head. My eyes drop over her white bikini top and frayed denim shorts. We arrived late last night. Too late to look around the resort properly. Ava headed straight into her room with a cursory good night flung in my direction.
My palm itched to spank her ass bright red for it. But the entire reason I’m here is for Callaghan. I can’t get distracted now. I’ve already allowed our games to taint my focus. I’m running out of time.
“He checks in this morning. I’m going to make sure I’m in reception when he does. ”
Ava rolls her eyes. “Let me guess, you don’t need me to do anything.”
“Good girl, you’re a fast learner.”
The pulse in her neck flutters at my words, but she avoids my eyes.
“Fine. In that case, I’m going to go and work on the deck. I might as well get my work done, seeing as you won’t let me help you with yours.”
She pushes away from the counter, but I grab her wrist. Her eyes drop to my fingers circling around it.
“Why do you tell my father what you’re writing about, but you won’t tell me?”
I curse myself the second the pathetic tone carries the words from my mouth. I drop her wrist and fold my arms.
Her eyes narrow, sweeping over my face. “What happened to, ‘ I never said I was interested? ’”
“I never said I wasn’t, either.”
She holds my gaze, the two of us locked into one of our silent battles.
The corners of her lips lift.
My palm twitches as I picture bringing it down onto her ass.
“You answer me a question, and I’ll answer you one. A truth for a truth.” She steps closer, looking at me from beneath her lashes.
I allow my gaze to soak in her breasts beneath the thin fabric of her bikini. Her nipples are tight little peaks, straining against it.
“Fine. You first. ”
Her eyes light up. “Why are you the way you are? Why all the games, all the control? Don’t you ever just… Have you ever had a relationship where things were equal? Have you ever been in love?”
“That was four questions.”
A deep groove etches between her eyebrows as she huffs. “Suit yourself. I knew you’d never answer anyway—”
“I’m like this because I want to be. I have to have control because I hate feeling like I have none. All relationships I’ve had have been a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties, and I won’t ever allow myself to fall in love.”
“Mutually beneficial?” She snorts. “Sounds more like a business contract than a relationship.”
“I suppose it is.”
“What?”
“I like things a certain way, Ava. When people want more, things get complicated. I make sure they know what they’re getting, and what they’re not, before we start anything.”
“That’s so…” she screws her face up, “… clinical.”
“It’s necessary.”
She shakes her head. “And you never want to fall in love? Ever?”
“No one has control in love. I refuse to play that game.” I roll my neck, cracking it.
“That’s bad for—”
“My bones, I know. ”
“—your heart, Jet.” She looks at me sadly. “Don’t you ever want to throw caution to the wind and give up control for once?”
“No.”
She waits for me to say something else, searching my eyes with an eagerness to understand that is like a vise grabbing onto my lungs and forcing the air out.
“When control is lost, it all goes to shit. The doctors lost control of my mother’s cancer, and my father and I were forced to stand by in some soulless hospital and watch as it stole her from us in a way that no one should ever have to suffer through,” I spit.
“Jet,” she whispers.
I hate the pity in her eyes, hate the way it scrapes at my insides, leaving giant welts there.
“Don’t you ever—?”
“No, I don’t.”
“But—”
“But nothing.”
“Jet, listen to me. What about—?”
“Stop!” I yell so loud it echoes off the walls.
The memory of my mother’s dying body is too much to bear. The way her hands that once pulled me into a hug were too weak to lift from the mattress when I held them those final days. So thin and fragile, withering away as even talking became a source of exhaustion to her.
“You’re a good man, Jet. I’m so proud of you. And I love you more than anything.”
Ava’s eyes widen as I step forward, crowding over her.
“Stop talking. Don’t lecture me about control.” Blood rushes in my ears, zeroing my vision in onto her blue eyes and nothing else. “Don’t try and fucking psycho-analyze me with bullshit theories.”
“I wasn’t,” she snaps, squaring up to me.
She isn’t frightened of me in the slightest. But she should be. I could ruin her before she even realizes it.
I lower my voice to a menacing growl, putting everything into making sure my words wound her, make her keep her distance. “You might be a great fuck, Ava. But don’t mistake my short-lived addiction to your cunt for knowing anything about me.”
Whack.
My head snaps to the side as her slap makes my eyes bug out.
“Was that one hard enough? Or did I go too easy on you?” she snarls.
I bring my eyes back to hers and am met with a fire burning so brightly that it reaches into my gut and brands me.
“Careful, baby, you’ll make me hard,” I spit. “You know I like it when you fight back.”
“What the hell has gotten into you?” She glares at me. “You’re being an even bigger asshole than usual.”
“You’re the one with the attitude that I should fuck right out of you.”
“I’m not making that mistake again,” she hisses. “Besides, we never talked terms.” She gives me a condescending smile as she flicks her fingers back and forth between us. “So whatever this was, it’s over now.”
“Suits me,” I snap, something gnawing at my gut. I never did lay down any rules with her. I just thought with my dick. Too fucking keen to get a taste of her. I should know better. I do know better. This deal with Callaghan, the axe hanging over my head to save the airline, it’s turned me into a fucking idiot.
She steps closer, shaking with rage. “You’d better do whatever the hell it takes to get this deal with Callaghan. Because I can’t wait to get back to England and then never have to see you again.”
“Makes two of us.”
She glares fire at me, then exhales, spinning away from me.
“Ava?” I call after her. “You want to be useful?” I rub my throbbing jaw. “Go get some more fucking clothes on and come find Callaghan with me.”
Satisfaction glitters in her eyes as she glances back. Then she turns and stalks off.