Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
You know how they say be careful what you wish for? I wanted to be alone. I wanted the quiet. But now, standing in the penthouse with a fresh cup of coffee, I’m completely alone and this place is too quiet.
That is until I hear someone shuffling their feet along my marble floors.
Peering around the corner, I spot CJ and groan.
This is not the kind of noise I want to wake up to.
I don’t really know what it is I am looking for in life, but waking up to my half-naked brother sauntering into my kitchen isn’t it.
“Why are you here?” I grumble. “What if I was naked or something?”
“Gross, Jazzy. It’s too early for disturbing shit like that. You knew I was staying here. I told you yesterday morning when we dropped all your shit off,” he says, rubbing a hand over his face.
“I was hoping you forgot.” I also didn’t hear him come in. “Why didn’t I hear you come in?” I ask aloud.
“I’m good at getting into places unnoticed.” My brother shrugs.
“How was the party last night?” I sit down at the counter. “And I want pancakes.” I nod towards the stove.
“It was insane, and I’m not your chef,” CJ grunts, as he digs through the cabinets and pulls out a frying pan.
I smile into my cup. I’m getting those pancakes and we both know it. Am I a little spoiled by the men in my family? Yes. But it’s their fault. They choose to give me everything I want.
“Insane how? What happened? Oh god, there aren’t naked women in my guestroom right now, are there?”
“Fuck no. I wouldn’t bring anyone here, Jaz,” CJ says. “Aiden got wasted. I threw him in a suite and waited for him to pass out before I came up here. Alone.”
“Aiden is eighteen. Why was he even at a party with you?” I don’t mention that CJ isn’t exactly legal enough to drink yet either. He’s a lot closer to that age than Aiden, though.
“I can count,” CJ mutters. “You want blueberries or chocolate chips?” He opens the fridge and starts pulling out ingredients.
“Blueberries, thanks.”
“I don’t know how you manage to stay so thin when you eat this shit every day.”
“Good genes.” I smile.
“What’d you get up to yesterday?”
“I had lunch with Brad, then went to the cemetery to visit my mom.” I leave out the part of my day where I busted into Jake’s office with a gun. I also leave out that kiss.
What the hell was that? I spent all night tossing and turning, recalling that moment in the elevator and how much my body loved it while my mind hated it.
And then there was that awkward encounter with Simon Carnegie. I have no idea why Jake told him we were working on a project together. It was instinct to just go along with it. We used to be so in tune that we could finish each other’s sentences. Now, I don’t even know him.
Yes, you do, a little annoying voice in my head says.
CJ and I talk throughout breakfast. He leaves the stack of dishes in my sink and goes to shower. As I’m cleaning up the mess, a thought comes to mind. Jake’s watching me. Where is he watching me from?
I look around the room and then shake my head. There is no way he has cameras in here.
After showering and dressing, I find CJ lurking around in my living room. “You’re still here?” I ask, surprised he hasn’t left yet.
“Aurelio and Daniella De Bellis will be arriving in fifteen minutes. Dad asked me to meet them and make sure they have—and I quote—the best suites,” CJ says.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me they were coming?”
Aurelio and Daniella are childhood friends. Our parents do business together. I guess Aurelio is part of that business now. The one he says isn’t a place for women. They’re from Australia. And, well, the De Bellises are very easy on the eyes.
He keeps tabs on you. Bradley’s words repeat in my head again, and an idea forms. I smile.
“I need to change. Don’t go down without me. I want to see them,” I tell CJ before running back to my bedroom.
I strip out of the very sensible business suit I had intended to wear and dig through the closet for something a little more… revealing. Finding a red bodycon, I grab a pair of black Louboutin pumps and then pick up my phone, dialing Brad as I get dressed again.
“Miss me already?” he answers, sounding surprisingly alert at this hour of the morning.
“Always. Tell me… you said he keeps tabs on me. Is he watching me through the cameras in my casino, Bradley?” I wouldn’t put it past Jake to hack into the system.
“I cannot confirm nor deny,” Brad replies.
“He is. Asshole,” I groan. “Well, you might want to tell your friend to switch his creepy monitor on, because I’m about to make it very clear how much I don’t think about him.”
“The very reason for your call is to talk about Jake. You sure you’re not thinking about him, Jazzy?” Brad mocks.
“Not at all. Gotta go. I’m meeting a friend downstairs—a tall, dark, and handsome kind of friend,” I say.
“Well, now, you’re just playing with fire.” Brad chuckles.
“It’s a good thing I love the heat then,” I retort, and cut the call.
I reach for the tie currently holding my hair in a ponytail and pull it out, letting the strands fall around my shoulders. When I walk back into the living room, CJ looks up from his phone screen.
His eyebrows draw down. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
“A dress.” I look down at myself.
“Why?” he asks.
“Because I like dresses. Come on, let’s go meet these De Bellis siblings.” I smile innocently at my brother.
“For the love of God, tell me you do not have a thing for Aurelio De Bellis,” CJ grunts.
“Ew, of course I don’t. But I do plan on taking him for coffee, so you’re going to have to entertain Daniella for a bit on your own. Something I’m sure you won’t struggle with.” I laugh.
It’s a well-known fact that CJ and Daniella have been crushing on each other since they were about ten. I don’t think either of them has ever actually acted on that crush, though. Who knows? Maybe now’s their time.
I think back to prom, the one night it was my time.
Mine and Jake’s. The only night I’ll ever have with him.
Because I’m not stupid enough to fall into that trap again.
I won’t be made a fool of. It’s not that, though.
It’s more that I’m scared I wouldn’t recover from him breaking my heart twice over.
My lips tingle as I remember the kiss he gave me yesterday. Why did he have to do that? I was fine, pretending I didn’t remember what his mouth felt like. Now that memory is freshly seated in my mind.
Fuck him. I hate him. I wish I never bothered to see him yesterday. I should have just disposed of his little listening device and left it at that.
As soon as CJ and I get to the lobby and my eyes land on Aurelio, my smile widens. It’s a genuine smile because I do like seeing my friends.
I pick up my pace, and when I’m close enough, I jump and throw my arms around his neck. Aurelio doesn’t miss a beat, catching me as his arms tighten around my waist.
“Pretend you’re here just for me and you’re really, really happy to see me,” I whisper into his ear.
I feel his smile against my neck as his lips press into the groove. “Who are you trying to piss off? Or are you just wanting me to get riddled with bullet holes?” He chuckles as he lifts me higher.
My feet leave the ground as he spins me around. He settles me back down, and his hands move up to my cheeks.
Aurelio’s eyes fall to my lips and his face leans in closer to mine. “I fucking missed you, beautiful.”
“I missed you more,” I whisper back.
There’s a spark in his eyes. Humor. “How far are we taking this?” he asks low in my ear.
“How far are you comfortable with?” I counter.
“Babe, I could bend you over one of the card tables and fuck you in front of everyone and not be uncomfortable.”
My cheeks flame. “Okay, not that far.” I laugh and then, before I know what’s happening, his lips press against mine. His thumb caresses my cheek.
“You really have a fucking death wish. Get your grubby hands off my fucking sister, asshole.” My brother shoves at Aurelio.
“CJ!” I gasp. “Don’t be an idiot. Go and show Daniella to her room. Aurelio is taking me for coffee.”
CJ glares at Aurelio as if he’s ready to kill him right here in the middle of the lobby.
“Come on, I need a shower.” Daniella pulls at CJ’s arm, which seems to snap him out of his stare-down with her brother.
“Perfect. I’ll help scrub your back.” CJ smirks, the remark clearly aimed at Aurelio.
Aurelio smiles. “Go for it. Enjoy it, though, because it will be the last fucking shower you ever have.” He then turns to me. His arm wraps around my shoulder. “Come on, baby, I need caffeine. Flying across the world is tiring, but I’d do it a million times over just to see you.”
I laugh. “You are going to make a woman very happy one day, Mr. De Bellis.”
“God, I hope not.” His face screws up. “This pretend thing I can get onboard with, though. Who are you trying to make jealous?”
“Not jealous. I’m just making a point that I don’t… well… I don’t know. I just know he’s watching me and I want him to see I’ve very much moved on.”
“So, Jacob then,” Aurelio states.
I nod my head. “I saw him yesterday.”
“And how’d that go?”
“He kissed me,” I mutter under my breath.
“Argh, how horrible for you. Was it better or worse than the kiss I just gave you?”
“Better.” I laugh. “So much better.”
Aurelio’s hand lands on his chest. “Ouch, that hurts my ego.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I laugh again. Aurelio didn’t even use tongue. But he was sure to make it look like he did.