Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Iwake to my phone vibrating across the wooden nightstand right next to my head. My arm reaches out. I pick up the device while rubbing a hand at my eyes, which feel like I’ve had a pile of dirt thrown into them. I slept like shit.
I was hard all fucking night, recalling the taste of Jazzy’s mouth.
The feel of her soft, pouty fucking lips against mine.
I really shouldn’t have fucking kissed her.
I couldn’t help myself. I’ve kept away for so long and then she was right there.
Right in front of me. A saint wouldn’t even have the restraint it would have taken to not kiss her.
There were also the events of last night’s Court meeting. I fucking hate those things, but thanks to one of my great grandfathers, our family is embroiled in the society. There is no way out, according to my father.
I know I’ll have a visit from him today.
I went against the grain and voted no when everyone else voted yes to a request made from Dan Van Baron.
I don’t care how much money or power these assholes have.
I will not bow down and cower to them, especially when what they’re wanting to do goes against every moral fiber of my being.
Bradley’s name flashes on my phone. I swipe my finger across the screen to answer his call. My brows draw down. Either someone died or something is really wrong. He never calls me this early. Brad is never awake this early.
“What happened?” I ask, sitting up in bed.
“Turn on those creeper cameras you have of our Jazzy. You’re going to want to see this,” he says.
“First, she isn’t our Jazzy. Second, what the fuck is she doing? Where is she?”
“If you want to see, you’ll find her,” the asshole says, and then he cuts the call.
I get out of bed and walk into my office, buck naked. Sitting at my desk, I fire up my screens and then log into my spyware. It takes two minutes to find her. Two agonizingly long fucking minutes.
“What the fuck is she wearing?” I say out loud. To the empty room. Moving my mouse, I zoom in on her. She’s in the casino lobby, wearing a thin scrap of material I’m sure she thinks is a dress.
Jazzy is with her brother CJ. How he’s letting her walk around in that state, I have no idea. Her face lights up with a huge smile, and for a split second, I let myself believe it’s directed at me.
And then I watch as she runs and jumps on a man, her arms wrapping around his neck. My jaw clenches. I have no idea who the fuck it is. The asshole picks her up and spins her around. I grab for my phone and dial Bradley back.
“You find her?” he asks.
“Who the fuck is she with?” I grunt.
“I have no idea.”
“Did she mention she was seeing someone new?” I press him.
“No, she didn’t.”
“Yeah? Then why the fuck am I watching her throw herself all over some asshole in the casino lobby?” My jaw clenches tighter when I watch the two of them talk.
He’s going to fucking kiss her. I know I have no claim on her, but she had my lips on hers not even twenty-four hours ago. “He’s fucking kissing her,” I grit out.
“Well, she is a grown-ass woman, Jakey Boy. If she wants to kiss someone, she can,” Brad says, humor evident in his voice.
“I got away with murder once. I can do it again.”
Brad is one of the few people who knows what I did and exactly what I had to do to cover it up.
I close my eyes and inhale. She does this to me. No one else ever rattles me like this woman can. I’ve never felt the need to make someone bleed, unless it was someone who was touching her.
“Okay, calm down. Don’t do anything you can’t undo. Do not, and I repeat, do not go down to Aces and cause a scene. The Court’s eyes are everywhere, Jacob. Don’t be stupid and put her on their radar,” Bradley warns, his tone more serious now.
He’s right. I can’t put her on their radar. But fuck if I’m going to sit by and watch her throw herself at some asshole. It was easier when she was on the other side of the country and I could pretend she wasn’t seeing anyone.
Now, she’s here, and this shit is right in front of my face. I can’t do it. “I’m going,” I tell Bradley.
“Fuck,” he hisses. “I’ll meet you there. Let me talk to her first.”
“If you get there before me, sure.” Cutting the call, I head back to my bedroom and get dressed.
Then I pick up my wallet, phone, and keys, and stomp my way outside, messaging my driver that I won’t be needing him this morning.
I head straight to the garage and climb into my Bugatti Chiron.
Pretentious as shit, I know. But this car is fast and I don’t care how many road rules I break to get to the Strip.
Ten minutes. That’s how long it takes before I’m pulling into the valet at Aces and handing my keys over.
“Not a fucking scratch,” I tell the young kid whose eyes light up at the sight of my car.
“Yes, sir.” He nods.
Walking into the lobby, I pull out my phone and scan every camera, looking for Jazzy. I find her in a coffee shop, still with that asshole. I know exactly where this coffee shop is located.
My feet are moving. I have no idea what I’m going to say to her. I just know I want her away from any guy who’s not me. I’m aware that, that’s fucked up. But fuck it. She has always been mine. Just because I can’t have her doesn’t mean I’m letting anyone else in this fucking city have her either.
She’s back. The rules have changed. Jazzy really never should have returned to the City of Sin, because now that she has, I’m about to show her sin like she’s never known. I just need to be careful about it, make sure they don’t find out who she is to me. I will not make her a target.
“Whoa, you look downright murderous. It’s not a good look on you.” Bradley huffs like he’s been running as he stops in front of me.
I raise a brow. “Get out of my way or you’ll find out just how murderous I am,” I tell him.
“You’re not going to kill your best friend.” He laughs.
“You’re right. I’d never kill Jazzy.” I smirk, knowing the asshole has always been insecure about my friendship with her.
When we were kids, he used to try to compete to get that coveted best friend status. At the time, I thought he was kidding around about it. As we got older, I noticed he didn’t want to be left out. Rich boy abandonment issues.
“Ouch, that hurts.” He rubs his chest. “But seriously, you need to calm the fuck down.”
“I will, as soon as I get her away from that asshole she’s currently having coffee with,” I grunt and step around Brad. I continue on my way to the coffee shop.
“You really just going to storm in there without a plan?” Brad asks, his steps meeting mine.
“I have a plan.”
“Yeah? Care to share it?”
“I plan on getting her away from that fucker she fucking kissed.” I shrug.
“Great plan. I can see you put a lot of thought into it.” Brad chuckles.
Walking into the coffee shop, I spot her right away. Jazzy’s head snaps up and her eyes widen slightly as they connect with mine. She says something to the guy and he turns to look at me as I approach the table. The fucker smirks, like he’s in on a secret I don’t know about.
“Jazzy, can I have a word?” I ask her.
“Nope.” She shakes her head.
Leaning down, I speak directly into her ear. “It’s important. Please.”
I know she won’t be able to say no. Jazzy doesn’t like to disappoint people. She never has. And if someone asks her to do something, and they say please, she really has a hard time turning them down.
“Fine. You’ve got two minutes,” she grunts, shoving me away from her before turning back to the asshole silently watching our interaction. “I’ll be back.”
“She won’t be,” I ground out, placing my hand on her waist as I lead her away from the table.