Chapter 5
Chapter Five
VIOLET
The buzzing of my phone rips me from my sleep.
Oh god, did I sleep through my alarms?
Wait. It’s Saturday. Why is someone calling me this early in the morning?
Did something happen to Jack?
Oh god.
No, wait. I’m at Jack’s—no, Cade’s.
Finally able to have a coherent string of thoughts, I pick up my phone and answer it.
“Lia! Is everything all right?”
“Girl, I’ve called you about thirty times.
” She sounds breathless, scandalized, and excited, all at the same time.
“Did you and Jack actually go out last night or did he totally dead fish and stink up his hot brother’s sofa with his not moving and smoking pot to give you that real anniversary feels? ”
I rub my eyes and flop back down, turning to make sure Jack can’t hear. But the other side of the king-size bed’s empty. And cold.
I frown, looking over to the bathroom.
But the door’s open, and there’s no telltale sound of the shower.
Where…?
“I never said he was hot.” I sit up and draw up my legs, my stomach fluttering.
Where is Jack? Did he remember what today is in some miraculous burst of clarity and caring and is out shopping… or at least, getting me breakfast?
“I’ve seen him, remember? I’ve been to Cade’s place. He’s no dead fish, and he’s hot. In that quiet, confident way. You know, a man who knows what he wants and doesn’t need to advertise it.” She sighs. “The real kind of hot.”
“That’s my boyfriend’s brother you’re getting all sweaty about.”
She laughs. “Soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s brother, you mean. And Cade’s quiet, but I bet those pools run deep and dirty.”
I hold the phone away from my ear, then flip it to video. Lia does the same, and I suddenly wish I didn’t.
How the hell does the girl look front cover ready at seven a.m. and I look like a banshee?
My hair sticks up in the little picture of me in the corner.
“Ask him out, then,” I snap.
She gets real close to her phone. “Not my type, and I don’t think he’s interested. He’s been nice, but he hasn’t ever given me the once-over or hit on me. Which is a first.”
I stare at her. “Is this your way of saying Jack has?”
She rolls her eyes. “No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Before you two got together, he vaguely hit on me. I will give him this, though. The moment his eyes landed on you, he didn’t look at me again. I miss that Jack.”
Shit, she’s making me miss him, too. “Jack—”
“Is yesterday’s news, Vi. Dead fish jabs aside, you’ve outgrown him or he’s stagnated. Point is, we both know you could do better and…” Her eyes narrow. “You wouldn’t be having this conversation if he was there. Where is he?”
“Maybe he’s getting me something for our anniversary.”
Her eyebrows rise. “At this hour?”
“Probably not.”
“You know it’s done.” I don’t know if I look stricken or what, but she adds, “Anyway, I didn’t call over him.”
Her enthusiasm sweeps back in.
“What’s going on?”
“You haven’t seen it, have you?”
“Seen what?”
“The ad that aired. I have it. Hold on…”
My phone dings, and there’s a YouTube video.
“Watch it and call me back!” She hangs up.
I sigh, take a sip of my water that’s next to the bed, and then press play.
And holy. Fucking. Hell.
“This can’t be real.”
But I think it is.
I’ve seen Isaac’s ad, and it’s pretty good. A picture of a caring, manly man, talking to people, listening. He’s in an apartment where he’s on about affordable housing, cleaning up the streets. All of that stuff. I know it well. But this…
It’s clever. Hilarious and humiliating. It’s even got his voice-over, with words changed, and oh boy.
I never in my life thought my boss was into strippers and hookers. I know he’s a sleaze, but this is an entirely different level.
And this kind of kink?
Good on him, I guess, but doing that where it can be leaked? Is he insane?
I wipe my eyes as the laughter dies.
Yeah, it’s fucking hilarious.
I watch it a second time. But I do wish I could erase from my mind the sight of my big, touchy, manly man boss draped in a pink feather boa wearing pink fishnets, a corset, and stilettos, with his satin pink panties pulled down to bear his ass, where he’s sucking on a girl’s nipples while being spanked with a whip by a woman in latex.
How the hell did it air on TV?
I do a quick check and apparently, it’s still airing.
How? It’s got to violate every single community standard code out there.
On my third watch, I get it.
The Ghost.
My heart starts to thump hard and fast.
The video bears his signature.
I’m betting he’s hacked the station’s system and uploaded it.
My phone buzzes again, and Lia pops up. “Did you see? It’s on all the local stations. The Ghost did it. Maybe he saw you across a crowded room and did it for you. Do you hang out at any hacker cafés?”
I roll my eyes. “No. Clearly, he didn’t do it for me. The Ghost has no idea who I am.”
“So, who did he do it for?”
“Who else did Isaac piss off?”
“This is so juicy.” Then Lia frowns. “Jack isn’t back?”
“No. He’s probably playing computer games.”
“Dump his ass.”
“Soon.” I push back the covers. “But not on our anniversary, it’s too cruel.”
“Your life.”
“I’ll call you back later, Lia.”
When we hang up, I climb out of bed and push my hair out of my face.
Shouldn’t Jack be here, waking up by my side? Enjoying our time together? My body?
How many people have a boyfriend who doesn’t want to touch them?
Even last night when he was getting all frisky, it was just to prove some point of ownership to his brother. It was never for me or even about me.
There’s a dark coldness in my chest that I rub with my fist as I wander out, looking for Jack.
The projector’s off, and the game console’s on the floor where Jack left it.
Maybe he really did go out to collect breakfast or decided to hit the gym early.
The gym his brother pays for.
I push that bit of information from my head as it feels…petty. I shoot him a text, but he doesn’t respond and usually, if he’s not near his game system, his phone’s attached to him. Actually, it’s pretty much always there.
I send a second text, asking him to get back to me as soon as possible, and then I head for the kitchen, looking for coffee to wake up.
The kitchen is on the industrial side, stainless steel, and the wood floor beneath my feet is old, scuffed wood that gleams beneath its smooth layer of polish.
But while I could see it intimidating most people not used to it, I feel at home. I know where things are, and I pull out a mug, then I hesitate and pull out a second.
Where the hell is Jack?
I text him again, but again, there’s no response.
Still, I’m sure if Cade’s here, he’ll appreciate a cup.
I set the machine, as the fancy thing isn’t dissimilar to the one in Isaac’s office, and I’m now something of an expert coffee maker.
Oh, god… Like a car crash, I can’t help but watch the video again as I wait for the coffee.
It’s somewhere in there that my senses start to snap to attention, and I straighten up, shoulders back as my stomach flip-flops.
Cade’s walked in.
I don’t need to see or hear him to notice.
Jack would be telling me to get him something, or I’d have heard the door slam, or the TV roar into life with his game.
This is silent, a stealthy invasion of my senses, and I breathe in, catching a hint of smoky woods, basil, and leather. Like church went dark and dirty.
I swallow hard.
The scent slams into something inside, pinning me to the spot, making it hard to breathe.
It curls around me, stronger now, and I look up, over my shoulder.
Cade. His eyes are almost black like the purest chocolate, and his hair’s damp, curling a little at the ends.
He raises a brow as he looks at my phone. “What are you watching?”
Wordlessly, I hold up the phone.
“Jesus.”
“Hardly. It’s my boss.”
He smiles. “But is that his second coming, or are we witnessing his first?”
A burst of laughter erupts from me. And I press replay.
Cade crowds in, the heat of him sliding against me, and I think I want to turn and breathe in that evocative scent that paints my skin.
I must smell like Jack’s sheets and probably sweat, knowing my luck, but Cade shows no sign of moving away.
“I’ve no idea, but it’s great, isn’t it?”
“Did you recommend this as a new ad campaign?” He sounds lightly amused. “It’s got shock value and real grab-your-attention vibes, but is it appropriate?”
“No.” I grin up at him. “The Ghost? You know the infamous hacker genius hacked into the TV station…stations? And he uploaded this new and improved campaign video.”
He finishes setting up the coffees and pushes the button. Soon, the aroma of fresh coffee beans overwhelms the one coming from him. Thank goodness.
Because his scent is doing things to me that it shouldn’t.
“Aren’t you going to have to fix this?”
“I’ll officially be helping to advise him on how to handle it, and I’ll look at the projected numbers…
” I stop, not wanting to give him a headache, no matter how interested he looks.
“But I don’t fix these things. If I wasn’t an intern, I’d have more say, but I’ll probably just be fetching coffees. ”
“His loss.” His fingers fly over his phone. “The ad, sadly’s been flagged. But it did air for hours before it got taken down from the stations.”
“It’s all over the internet.”
Cade laughs and pockets his phone. He’s wearing worn black jeans and a fitted black T-shirt. I couldn’t say what either brand is, but I’m betting they’re high end and from somewhere that doesn’t need to advertise their name.
There’s something quietly sexy about that.
I squash the thought, blaming Lia and her words earlier.
“I’ve got no idea who this ‘ghost’ is,” he says, “but good on him or her for calling this asshole out.”
“She? I never thought it could be a woman.”
“You didn’t? Why not?”
I frown. “I don’t know… Maybe because I’m a secret sexist…”
His mouth curls up at that.
I shrug. “Or it feels like it’s a guy.”
He goes to his sub-zero fridge and pulls out some milk and macadamia milk, holding them both up.
I point to the nut milk.
Putting the other back, he fixes up my coffee, even adding the one and a half spoons of sugar I’d always been positive no one had ever noticed me sneak into my coffee.
I take a sip.
He looks around. “Where’s Jack?”
Hell. Here I am, in his place, wearing Kermit pajamas and no boyfriend. “He wasn’t in bed this morning. I don’t know where he is.”
“You don’t know where he is? It’s Jack.” He leans against the counter. “He’s either in bed, gaming, or doing something fucking stupid with one of his college buddies. But even the last one’s low on his list of things to do.”
Heat creeps up my throat and face. “I went to bed alone last night…”
Cade doesn’t say a thing.
“Jack pissed me off when he ate most of the pizza and ignored me for his game, so I went to bed and fell asleep.” I stare down into the coffee. “And he hasn’t answered any of my texts.”
Cade continues not to say a word, but he pulls out his phone, taps it a couple of times, holds it to his ear, and then after a minute, he says, “No, I don’t want to talk to you, Jack. Your girlfriend does.”
And he holds out his phone to me.
I want the ground to eat me whole. “Jack—”
“You didn’t need to go crying to my brother. I’m just out having fun with the guys. You’re the one always on my case to go out, so I am.”
“Yes, but—”
“I was gonna call you, but it’s early. I’ll see you later at some point. Call you soon.”
He hangs up, and my vision blurs.
I hold Cade’s phone a moment longer as I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to let the sudden rush of hot tears out.
What the hell’s wrong with me? I’m not about to cry over Jack.
But here I am, not wanting to be horrible by dumping him on our anniversary and feeling like the world’s worst person, and then I find Jack’s not here? He’s out with his friends?
I didn’t expect him to remember the date, and yet… I wanted him to.
But wishes are stupid things and of course, Jack’s just gone and truly forgotten.
I hand back the phone. “Thanks.”
“Hey, Violet. Is everything okay?”
“No, it’s not. I think…I think it’s time I ended things with Jack.” The words burst free on their own, and I slap my free hand over my mouth. “I shouldn’t have…I’m sorry.”
This is his brother. I shouldn’t have said anything. I don’t need a lecture from a loyal brother.
I can’t stay here, I need to get the fuck home.
“For what?”
“I just said I want to break up with your brother and—”
“I’m shocked it took you this long to come to that decision.”
I gape at him. “But—”
“Look, I love my brother. But if you want to know, I don’t necessarily like him all the time.
He’s lazy, self-absorbed, and can be a real dick.
I know there’s good in there. Of course, there is.
” He shrugs and eases the coffee in my hand straight as I realize I’m in danger of it tipping on the floor.
I firm up my grip.
“And I especially don’t like him when it comes to how he treats you. Vi, You deserve so much better.”
His words wash warm against me. And for the first time in a long time, it’s like someone’s actually seeing me.
I take a shuddery breath. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”
“No problem. It’s the truth.”
And we smile at each other, my stomach zigzagging as his gaze dips a moment.
Suddenly, it strikes me that I’m just standing in thin, short pajamas, and my nipples are beading, pushing against the top of Kermit’s head.
What the fuck is up with that? I must look desperate or something just as bad.
I gulp down my coffee. “Thanks for the pep talk. I have to go meet my friend Lia, so I better hurry.”
He takes the cup and nods. “Enjoy your day and when you dump Jack’s ass, don’t be a stranger to me. Come around sometime and let me know how you’re going.”
“Me?”
“I’m not talking to Jesus.”
“Well, I…” But a smile blooms, and I can’t control it.
“I mean it. I’ve kind of gotten used to having you around.” And he winks.
I nod, a shiver racing up my spine.
I’m sure he’s just being polite because polite is a word I associate with Cade. Polite and nice and good.
I’ve always enjoyed the times when Jack’s taken much longer to return from drinks with friends or the gym and Cade chatted with me.
But the thing is, hearing he enjoys my company…well, it makes me feel things I shouldn’t be feeling.
Things that spark with heat and possibilities I never knew might be there. And now I do, I like.
Even if they’re all in my own head.
But I shouldn’t be feeling them, considering he’s my boyfriend’s—soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s—much older brother.