Chapter 43
The moment Jade emerged from the back of the limo, she was a completely different person.
Gone were the nervousness, the fidgeting, and the uncertainty in her eyes.
She stepped out with confidence, and I would never have guessed she wasn't raised in this lifestyle.
She looks elegant and beautiful while still oozing the confidence that usually comes from a life of luxury.
We stop for pictures. Her hand wrapped around my arm, and I resist the urge to pull her closer to me.
The need to comfort her is strong, just like it had been in the car, and the fact that it worked only makes me want to reach out more.
But I stop myself. My arm around her could have the opposite effect, given how little we really know one another and, of course, who my father is.
Instead, I focus on smiling in the picture-perfect way my parents taught me as a child.
Jade’s smile is just as fake as my own, but anyone who doesn’t know her would have a problem believing it.
I’d heard all about her time in the rings from the guys, word on the street, and gossip around the city, but seeing her like this, she’s damn near a different person.
She created this persona to survive, carefully crafting and perfecting it until it was second nature.
It’s no wonder she was the best. Jade does nothing by halves, it would seem.
After far too many photos, I’m able to usher her inside. She drops her hold on my arm as we head through the narrow doorway, and slide my hand to the small of her back, unable to break contact. A silent I’m here while also making sure not to lose her in the crowd.
We head into the main area through another set of doors without having to stop to have our tickets checked.
Everyone knows who I am. I drop my hand once the area opens up, and the crowd thins, no longer in danger of being separated.
Jade looks back at me, and I can see the slightest bit of panic in her beautiful green eyes.
I offer her my arm again in hopes of helping. She wraps her hand around my forearm, and I can feel the slight bite of her nails as they dig into my arm through my sleeves, but I ignore it.
If this whole thing were reversed, I’m not sure I could do what she is.
My father had made my life miserable, but it was still a dream compared to hers.
She’s probably the most selfless person I’ve ever met, and tonight proves that.
She’s willing to dive headfirst into shark-infested waters with the people she hates more than anyone else in order to keep innocents safe.
Speak of the devil.
“My father’s headed our way,” I whisper in her ear so that only she can hear me. The museum is full of wonderful things to look at, and my father loves to entertain, but I don’t want him to catch her off guard.
He thrives on being the most important person in a room, but tonight he isn’t. He just doesn’t know that yet.
“Son!” His voice booms, drawing the attention of many people around us. I have no doubt that was his intention.
“I’m thrilled that you could make it tonight,” he says, giving me a half-assed awkward hug and a pat on the back. If anyone looked closely enough, they would see just how forced that was, but they don’t.
Nobody ever does.
The moment he releases me, he turns to Jade, and it’s like I don’t even exist. I’ve never cared when he ignored me in the past. I’d always been happy to be away from him, but right now, I almost wish I could hold his attention if only to save Jade from it.
“How lovely to see you again, Jade.” He snags her hand, pulling it to his lips, and presses a kiss to her knuckles. He lingers just long enough to make her uncomfortable, though she doesn’t show him. The only reason I know is from the bite of her nails on my arm.
At this rate, I’ll have crescent-shaped holes in my sleeves, but that’s the least of my concerns.
“Likewise, Mayor Ross. Thank you so much for the invitation.”
Her words are perfectly polite, but I can see my father’s eyes narrow in annoyance for a moment.
He wants to rattle her, and so far, he’s failing.
“Of course! My son speaks so highly of you, and he’s never brought a girl around before, so you can imagine my excitement when he asked to bring his girlfriend,” his smile has a wicked gleam, and while I’m sure she’s caught just as off guard as I am by his words, we knew this night would be all about control.
It’s all a game to him.
“Well, he’s a wonderful man. I’m lucky to have him,” Jade replies, looking up at me with a small smile, her cheeks dusted pink, and I have to remind myself it’s all an act. She’s looking at me like I hung the fucking moon, the same way she does with Kratos and Zander and, more recently, Rick.
Holy shit.
Calm down, Jake. I mentally scold myself as my head spins.
It’s an act, nothing more, though I almost wish it wasn’t. I can see why these guys have gone to war for her.
My father clears his throat, and I turn my attention back to him.
He’s pissed.
“Yes, well, let’s just hope he can keep you once you’ve known him longer. Unfortunately, being a single parent is hard, and I’m not too proud to admit he isn’t without flaws.”
“Flaws make us who we are, Mayor Ross. They are very fundamental parts of us,” Jade replies without missing a beat, shocking me.
Nobody has ever defended me to my father before. He’s very good at making himself look good while putting those around him down, and he has put me down for years. Most will give him pity or give me a small apology once my father is gone, but nobody ever dares call him on, well, anything.
“Come, let’s get a drink, shall we?” My father tugs her hand as if trying to pull her along with him.
“Father, I’m more than capable of accompanying my date to the bar.” I tell him with a forced laugh, as if his trying to steal my date is funny.
It’s not, not even a little, and calling him on it makes me feel like I just swallowed a fucking boulder, but I couldn’t let him pull her away from me like that. I had to try, especially after… No, I stopped him because of the mission, nothing else.
If looks could kill, I’d be dead with the daggers he shoots at me. Fortunately, we're in far too public a place for him to lash out.
“Of course, of course,” he says, patting her hand over-affectionately before he lets it drop with a smile.
“Apologizes,” he says, looking anything but sorry.
“I tend to get carried away at these events. The atmosphere is just so inviting, so…” he pauses as if searching for the right word as he steps ever closer to Jade attempting to crowd her.
“Alluring.” His eyes heat as they roam over her, and while she manages to stand tall and unwavering, I have to bite back the urge to vomit at his display.
I’d always known my father was a monster, but I never suspected this side of him.
“Who doesn’t like a good auction for charity?”
He turns and stalks off toward the bar, and I know we're intended to follow him, but neither of us is quick to move.
“Are you okay?” I ask Jade under my breath.
“Yes,” she says with a nod. I look down at her, needing to see with my own eyes. She appears mostly unshaken and better with every step my father takes away from us.
“Thank you,” she breathes the words, pressing up on her tip-toes to brush her lips against my cheek.
My brain damn near shuts down as I try to figure out what the fuck is happening.
“Come on. He’s waiting.” Jade tugs my arm forward, and I fall into step with her. My eyes catch my father's from his position at the bar across the room, and I know he didn’t miss that. Even just a peck on the cheek has him raging, and that only makes the kiss all the sweeter.
The best part of these fucking parties is that my father hosts them, which means he can’t stand around with us all night. No matter how much I can see that he wants to, he would never put his precious reputation in jeopardy like that.
He made sure he had time to get us both drinks, though. I don’t think it slipped past either of us that he also threw something into Jade's before he handed it over. The bastard didn’t even pretend to try and hide it.
As soon as the drinks were in our hands, he gave me another awkward back pat before leaning in to kiss Jade’s cheek this time.
At first, I thought he was just being a dick, trying to mark his territory, the way he had when he took her hand earlier.
But when he turns to head away, and I see Jade’s pale face, I know I’d missed something.
I guide her to one of the many tables off on the side wall, out of view of prying eyes. Setting my own untouched drink on the table, I have to all but pry hers from her grasp.
“Jade,” I whisper-shout, but she doesn’t so much as blink in acknowledgment.
“Jade,” I try again with more force, turning her face up to look at me. She looks so lost, and I don’t need to see into her thoughts to know that whatever hell she’s in right now is tearing her apart.
“Princess, please,” I say, begging her to snap out of it.
She blinks a few times, and when her eyes focus on me, I know she’s back.
“Sorry,” she mumbles before dipping her chin, her cheeks turning pink in embarrassment.
“Stop that shit.” I reach out, hooking a finger under her chin in order to force her gaze back to mine. “Don’t let him win. You have nothing to be sorry about here. Just don’t check out on me, okay?” I tell her with a wary smile that I hope lets her know I’m worried about her.
She nods, and I let my hand drop, but neither of us moves to put any distance between us.
“What did he say?”
She takes a sharp breath through her nose, and for a second, I feel like she might shut down all over again.
“He reminded me that while I might be yours for the public, after this, I’ll be his again and how much he couldn’t wait to catch up on all the time we've missed.” Her voice is stronger with every word, but she still shudders as she repeats his message.
“Fuck.”