Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jake walks into my bedroom. His steps are quick, his strides long as he approaches me. His hands cup my face and then his lips are on mine in a breath-stealing kiss.
His tongue pushes into my mouth. Seeking. Circling. I’m a panting mess by the time he pulls away. I smile stupidly up at him. “Well, hello to you too.”
“I fucking love you, Jasmine Bianchi,” he says.
“Right back at ya, Jacob Westmead.”
He lets go of me and heads into my closet. I follow him. Curious as to what he’s doing, I watch as he pulls down an overnight bag. And then starts opening drawers.
“What are you doing?” I ask aloud as he rummages through my underwear, placing a few pairs of panties into the bag.
“Packing you a bag. I’m taking you home.”
“Seriously? I get to leave this house?”
“You get to come home, Jazzy.” The way he says it tells me he’s not talking about Aces.
“Home? Where exactly is this home, Jake?”
“Wherever you want it to be. You want to go to the estate or my penthouse?”
“What about my place?”
He stops what he’s doing, turns, and looks at me. “You want to live above a casino? I mean, we can. I’m not sure it will be all that suitable when we have kids.”
My mouth hangs open. “If this is your way of asking me to move in with you, you really need to work on your delivery,” I tell him.
“Jazzy, we’re going to live together. The where doesn’t matter, as long as you and I are sharing the same space,” he says, and I swoon a little.
“What if I don’t want to live at your parents’ estate or at your penthouse?”
“Then we can stay somewhere else temporarily while we shop around for a new place,” he says.
“Just like that. You want to buy a house together?”
“I want to buy a house for you, Jazzy. I want you to have everything you’ve ever wanted. I want to be the one to give you everything.”
I can’t help it. I launch myself at him. My arms wrap around his neck. “I don’t need you to buy me anything, Jake. The only thing I’ve ever wanted is you.”
“Right back at ya, Jazzy,” he repeats. “I told your father I was taking you home with me.”
“And you’re still alive?” I laugh.
“I told you he loves me now.” Jake chuckles, his chest rumbling against mine.
“Okay, take me to your apartment. I can’t wait to see this bachelor pad of yours.”
“I don’t have a bachelor pad, Jazzy. I’m spoken for.”
“Pfft, you’ve been the country’s most eligible bachelor for the past four years. Or is it five? I forgot.”
“They were wrong. I was never eligible, because I’ve always been yours,” he says, and there go the damn butterflies again.
After packing a bag, we head downstairs. My father just happens to be loitering in the foyer. He looks… torn.
“Is everything okay?” I ask him.
“Mhmm.” He nods. “I just…” He glances from me to Jake. “I want you to know that no matter where this asshole takes you, this is always your home, Jazzy.”
I smile. Move towards my dad and wrap my arms around his waist. “I know. You will always be my daddy, no matter how old I get,” I whisper before stepping out of his hold.
“You do know she doesn’t actually live here, hasn’t for over a decade.” This comes from Aiden, who appears behind us.
“Shut up,” Dad grunts. “Your sister will always live here.”
“Sure. Tell yourself that when she starts popping out little billionaire heirs.” Aiden laughs.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Dad looks at me.
“No. If I were, you’d be one of the first to know. I promise,” I assure him.
“One of? I should be the first,” Dad grumbles.
“I kind of think that should be Jake, Daddy. You’ll definitely be right after him.” I laugh. “I’m not planning on getting knocked up, though.”
“Neither was your mother. But we got you out of that and you’re the best thing to ever happen to me,” Dad says.
“Still right here!” Aiden mutters.
“Don’t act hard done by. You’re the baby. You’ve had a silver spoon in your mouth your whole life,” I remind my brother. “And I love you.”
“Aw, sissy, I love you the most.” Aiden hugs me. “If he fucks up, let me know and I’ll kick his ass.”
“Noted.” I laugh. “Okay, now everyone stop acting like I’m leaving town. I’m literally going to be just down the road. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll be at work,” I tell Dad.
“Right,” he says.
Taking Jake’s hand, I walk out of my parents’ house. “I’m sorry they’re so over the top.”
“They love you. It’s a good thing.”
“Most of the time,” I agree.
Walking into Jake’s apartment, I suddenly feel… out of place. I expected it to be fancy. I’ve gotten used to living my father’s lavish lifestyle. But Jake’s wealth is unlike anything even I’ve experienced. “I’m almost too scared to touch anything.”
“Why?” Jake asks.
“What if I break something?” I pick up a crystal vase. It looks very intricate. “How much is this worth?”
“About eighty grand,” Jake says.
My eyes bug out of my head as I very gently place it back down again. “Who the hell spends eighty grand on a vase? One you clearly have never even had flowers in.”
“We are the type of people who spend eighty grand on a vase, Jazzy. Get used to it. And I don’t care if you break anything.”
“I care. I’m not… wasteful,” I tell him.
“You act like a pauper, when you’ve been a literal millionaire since you were six,” Jake tells me.
“I’m aware. Don’t laugh at me,” I scold him.
“Baby, I’m not laughing. I just… You’ve known me my entire life. You’ve always known we had money and never cared before. Why now?”
“Because I wasn’t your girlfriend before. I don’t want you or anyone else to think I’m just trying to snag myself a billionaire to have billionaire heirs with.”
“I have never thought you were friends with me because of my money, Jazzy. We were six when we became best friends. We didn’t even know the extent of what money could do at that age,” Jake says.
He’s wrong, though. I did. I could see the difference in how my dad lived, how I lived with my dad compared to how I lived with my mom. She tried her best, and she loved me. So much. If she hadn’t died, I would have been happy growing up with her—although I wouldn’t want to not meet my dad.
She was so young when she died…
“My mom was younger than I am now when she died,” I blurt out, the reality of it hitting me.
“Uh-huh.” Jake nods his head.
“What if…What if I’m going to have the same fate? We don’t even have kids yet. Maybe we should just have them now, so you won’t be left alone,” I tell him.
Jake smiles a little. “That’s not a reason to have kids, Jazzy. And you’re not dying.”
“It snuck up on my mom too. She wasn’t sick for that long,” I say, not that I remember. She had cancer and couldn’t afford the treatment. But I didn’t find that out until later, when my dad looked into it. “She had breast cancer. I could get it too.”
“I’ll give you breast exams every day.” He smirks. “And if anything like that ever happens, we have the best doctors in the world at our disposal, baby. Your mother didn’t have that option.”
“I know. I just… If I do die, you’re probably going to be sad and I think having a kid will make you less sad. A little mixture of you and me.”
“Still not a reason to bring a kid into the world. And nothing would take away the grief of losing you. Nothing.”
“I’m sorry. I’m ruining the moment.” I shake my head. “Okay, give me the tour of your apartment.”
“Our apartment,” Jake corrects, interlocking our fingers as he starts guiding me farther into the open living room.
“Just so you know, if you ever want to have a child because you want to raise a family with me, I will impregnate you right then and there. I want kids with you, Jazzy. I want them for the right reasons.”
“So do I. But I would like to be married first.”
“This is Vegas. We could be married within hours.”
My eyes bug out of my head for a second time. “I used to daydream about our wedding, you know. When we were teenagers. I had it all planned out in my mind.”
“Yeah? What did it entail?”
“My dad walking me down the aisle. I would wear a huge princess-style gown.” I smile.
“I want you to have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. You will have it. Are we talking spring? Summer? Maybe a fall wedding?”
“Spring,” I say.
“Done.”
“You still haven’t asked me,” I remind him.
“I know. Through here is the kitchen. The staff stocks the fridge. If there’s anything you want, just write it down on the notepad on the counter and they’ll get it for you,” Jake says, leading me into the next room.