Chapter 21 #2
She looks at me with wide eyes, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel. “I don’t know if I should be happy or concerned.”
“Why would you be concerned?” I rinse the soap from my hair before stepping out with her, eyeing the curves of her body.
We could get back in the shower, or I could take her home and fuck her until we’re both too tired to move.
Jade shrugs and gets dressed in some clean clothing from her gym bag. “I don’t think I ever know what to expect with you. You leave me guessing more often than not, and the second I start to think I know how you are, you go and change things again.”
“I’m not trying to change things if that makes you feel better.”
She shrugs and wrings out the wet clothing before tossing it in the bag. “Should it? Don’t you ever feel like you don’t know who you are?”
“Does anyone really ever know who they are?” I press a hand to the small of her back, guiding her out of the gym and into the busy New York streets.
Horns honk, and the scent of hot dog water carries on the wind down the street.
I turn toward the direction of her surprise, wondering if she’s going to lose her shit or be excited. It’s more likely she’s going to give me hell, but I think it’s going to be worth it.
Jade considers what I said for a moment before shrugging. “I guess some people do.”
My hand drops from the small of her back, but her hand finds mine, her fingers slotting into mine like they belong there. “I don’t think they do. I think most people think they know who they are, but how could you know every single day that you’re the person you were the day before?”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re getting too deep here. I think you need to look at it from the point of view of who you are at your core. Do you know that person?”
I tug her gently down another street, heading to a busier section near Central Park. “I don’t know who that person is a lot of the time either. There are some days I look in the mirror, and I don’t know who is looking back at me.”
She looks at me like she’s trying to figure me out.
I want to wish her luck. I don’t know if it’s going to be possible, but if she wants to spend the rest of her life trying, I would happily have her standing there and analyzing me with that interested look in her eyes.
We stop in front of a black brick building with paned windows and a weathered door.
I key in the code to the lockbox, getting out the key and unlocking the building.
“What’re you doing?” Jade asks as I step inside, holding the door open for her to follow me.
“I told you, I have a surprise for you, and I want you to see it now.”
She says nothing, following me inside, the worn floorboards creaking beneath her feet.
The windows overlook Central Park, and there’s a staircase to the right that leads up to the second floor.
“What’s this?” She is already climbing the stairs.
“Well, this building used to be a restaurant about ten years ago. It’s been sitting empty for the last five, and I have a realtor friend who happens to think this place could be turned into something pretty special if the right person comes along and wants to fix it up.”
Jade strides over to the towering windows and looks down at the park before turning to look back at me. “You’re going to run a restaurant?”
“No.” I tuck my hands in my pockets, looking at her. “I was thinking you might want to, one day, and I have a realtor who’s willing to work with you. And a talented chef who would be willing to give you a crash course on renovating and running it.”
Her eyes are glassy as she looks between me and the view, taking in the spray-painted brick and all the graffiti and broken glass that would have to be dealt with before she could even think about turning this place into something special.
But it could be.
I see the potential here just like I saw the potential when I looked at her for the first time.
Jade shakes her head. “This is too much. You didn’t have to arrange that for me.”
“Contrary to what you might think sometimes, I want you to be happy, and I don’t want to be the one standing in the way of your dreams.” I nod to the building. “You once told me that doing something like this was your dream.”
She crosses the room and pulls me into a tight hug, her face pressing into my chest. “Thank you. I need time to think about this but thank you. I didn’t expect this and it’s a lot.”
I hug her back, not sure if she’s going to go through with it, but if she is, I’m going to be there every step of the way. All I want is for my love to figure out she’s more than the family backing her.
And maybe I need to figure that out for myself too.
I let out a slow breath, kissing the top of her head. “I want this to be more than me being obsessed with you. I don’t know how or when, but you became something more for me, and I hope you feel the same way about me.”
She looks up at me, that slow smile spreading across her face. “You infuriate me, and I’m still pissed at you for kidnapping me and holding me hostage, but I think this is more than an obsession too.”
I kiss her then, losing myself in the feeling of her lips against mine. The way her body presses into me as I cup the back of her head, trying to make sure I never have to leave her again.
At least, not until I need to take a breath.
My phone starts ringing as I pull back from her.
I swipe to accept the call, hating the sight of Noah’s name there. “Yes?”
“Last-minute fight tonight. The warehouse. Be there in an hour.” He ends the call before I can reply, leaving no room for argument.
I sigh and slip the phone back into my pocket, turning back to Jade. “I’m going to take you home, and then I have to go to a fight tonight.”
The color drains from her face as she looks up at me. “You’re going to fight with everything going on right now?”
“I don’t have much of a choice. Either I show up to the fight, or he tracks me down.” I reach out and tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It’s going to be fine. Noah still needs me too much to kill me.”
“You have to promise me that you’re going to come back home.”
Though I don’t want to make her a promise I know I can’t keep, I don’t want to risk her coming after me and being close to Noah again either. I cup her face in my hands, kissing her quickly.
“I’m going to come home.” Now I just have to find a way to keep my promise.