Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
JAXON/JAX
Now
Slippery Surrender & Tender Truths
When you know you should walk away, but the lie tastes sweeter.
I’ve been here at the office since six this morning, trying to catch up on work I can’t concentrate on. It’s now three hours later, and my staff is filtering in.
Natalie opens my door and peeks her head in. “Good morning. I was checking if we’re staying on schedule today, or if you’ll be putting your meetings off again?”
“Good morning, Natalie.” I rest back in my chair. “Why don’t you say what you actually came in here to say?”
“If you insist.” She approaches me with a mug of hot coffee and places it on my coaster. “I figured I’d disarm you by brightening your day with some much-needed caffeine.”
“You know me well.” I smile to show her I’m open to hearing her out. “Sit and tell me what you’re in here to discuss.”
She moves one of my side chairs closer to my desk, takes a seat, and peers at me. “How blunt can I be?”
“As blunt as you need.”
“Very well.” She straightens her back. “I know Livianna needs help right now and you want to be the one to do that, but Jaxon…she’s taking up too much of your time. It’s overkill if you ask me.”
“I didn’t ask you. You’re volunteering your opinion.” I hold Natalie’s stare. “How much time would you give someone you’ve mentored after an accident threatens to take everything they’ve worked for?”
“Is that the only reason you’re helping her?”
“Why else would I be assisting her?”
Natalie tilts her head and gives me a knowing look. “Jaxon, I’ve worked for you for years. I know when you’re being strategic and when you’re being reckless.”
“And which am I being now?” I lift the mug to my lips and take a sip.
“Both.” She crosses her legs and folds her hands in her lap. “You’ve cleared your schedule to be available for her.”
I place my drink down. “And?”
“And you spent an entire day yesterday walking her through her business operations. You’ve been distracted, short-tempered with clients, and this morning you snapped at Andrew for asking a reasonable question about the Malaysia debacle.”
“So, you’ve been speaking to Andrew?”
“Yes. He called after you hung up with him and asked me what was wrong with you.”
“And just what did you two talk about?”
Her voice softens, but doesn’t waver. “You’re running yourself into the ground for a woman who doesn’t even remember you exist beyond being her mentor.”
The words land like a knife between my ribs. My throat constricts and I swallow the pain of acknowledging that.
“She needs support during her recovery. I’m providing it as someone who’s invested in her success.”
“Jaxon.” Natalie leans forward, her expression shifting from professional concern to something far more personal. “I know you were involved with Livianna.”
The air leaves my lungs. My spine goes rigid and every muscle in my body locks into place. The silence stretches between us, heavy and damning.
“Natalie, I don’t know what you’re—”
“Please don’t insult my intelligence.” She holds my gaze without flinching.
“I’ve worked alongside you for years. I know when you started mentoring her, you spent more time with her than anyone else.
Way more time than you ever have on any other mentee.
And it has only increased over the past two years. ”
“Natalie, you’re mistaken.”
“The blocked-out evenings and weekends with no explanation? Those only happened after you two got close. Or how about the way your entire demeanor changes whenever she’s mentioned? What about the fact that you moved back to the States within a week of each other? Did I misunderstand all of that?”
I curl my fingers against the armrest. Heat crawls up my neck even as ice settles in my chest.
“You’re making assumptions based on circumstantial—”
“The day of her accident, you left early to take care of something personal. You’ve been a mess since.” Natalie’s gaze remains gentle but unyielding. “When you came back, you looked like someone had carved out your heart and left you breathing, anyway. I’ve never seen you like that, Jaxon. Ever.”
My throat burns, and I glance toward the window, unable to hold her stare any longer. Our conference line lights up. It’s an incoming video request from Andrew.
“This should be interesting.” I connect and he comes into view on a large screen on one of the walls in my office. “Andrew, Natalie and I were just speaking about you.”
He pulls back with wide eyes. “Me? Why?”
“Natalie was just telling me you two spoke this morning.” I stand and gesture between the two of them. “Why don’t you explain to me how I came down on you this morning when we were going over the Malaysia details?”
“I was just wondering what was wrong. It was nothing more than that.” He shifts closer to the camera. “But then she asked me if I knew about Livianna’s current circumstances.”
“You must have heard about her accident.” I huff out a fake laugh. “You follow Mayhem, so you must know everything.”
“But I don’t. I’m halfway around the world, fixing a shitshow of a deal you left for me to handle.
” Andrew shrugs out of his jacket and places it on the back of his chair.
“Jaxon, we’re on your side. And trust that the knowledge Natalie and I have remains confidential.
We both know what your privacy means to you. ”
Natalie gets to her feet and places her palm on the side of my arm. “We’re not trying to expose you and what you want to remain private. We’re just letting you know we’re here for you.”
Andrew’s gaze softens. “We both know you care about Livianna deeply, so we were just…talking about how you must be feeling.”
“It doesn’t matter what I feel.” The admission scrapes out of me. “She doesn’t remember me. She doesn’t remember us. And even if she did, she’s with Cash now.”
“Is she?” Natalie sends me a gentle smile. “Or is she with the version of her life she remembers?”
I turn my back to them. “What are you asking me to do? Tell Livianna the truth and risk her mental health? Destroy what fragile stability she’s built over the last few weeks? I won’t do that to her.”
“We’re not asking you to do anything except be honest with yourself about what this is costing you.” Natalie places her hand over her heart. “You’re allowed to grieve what you lost, Jaxon. Even if no one else knows it’s gone.”
Cash’s voice cuts through. “You might wanna close your door if you’re having a group conversation about your relationship with Livianna.”
I spin around. Cash’s lips press into a hard line as he takes in Andrew and Natalie’s shocked expressions.
I glance between them. “If you two will excuse me, Cash and I need to speak alone.”
“Yes, sir.” Natalie dips her chin and leaves the room.
Andrew shifts as if he’s about to disconnect. “I’m going to bed now, but I’ll reach out in a few hours when I get up.”
“I’ll be around.” The screen goes black, and I give my attention to Cash. “What do I owe the pleasure of your presence?”
“I just dropped Livianna off and wanna see if you have anymore information about who did this to her.”
I close the door behind Cash and turn to face him. My jaw tightens as I calculate how much he heard and how much damage control this will require.
“How long were you standing there?” I move behind my desk, reclaiming the territory.
“Long enough.” Cash crosses his arms over his chest, his leather jacket creaking with the movement. “Long enough to know your assistant and your business partner are worried about you losing your shit over my girlfriend.”
The word girlfriend cuts deep. I press my fingers against the mahogany surface to keep them steady.
“Say what you came to say, Cash.” I lower myself into my chair with deliberate control. “I assume you came here to compare notes.”
His expression hardens, and he shifts his weight forward. “Someone’s following Livianna.”
“You know I have a team on her.”
“This is different. On the drive home yesterday, I noticed a black SUV tailing us. The same vehicle was parked in the lot outside just now when I dropped her off.” Cash pulls out his phone and swipes through photos. “I got the license plate number.”
He slides the phone across my desk. I study the image, my mind already running through the database of threats I’ve been monitoring since my life went sideways.
“You’re certain this is the same SUV?” I hand the phone back.
“I’m certain.” His tense glare locks onto mine. “I know the difference between surveillance, Jaxon. Someone’s watching her and I think it’s the same guy who hit her the first time.”
My pulse speeds up because Axel didn’t clock this.
“Have you told her?” I lean forward, my elbows bracing against the desk.
“No.” Cash shakes his head. “She’s already dealing with amnesia and trying to rebuild her life. The last thing she needs is to be having anxiety attacks about some stalker.”
“Agreed.” I pull out my own phone and send a quick message to Axel. “I’ll have my security team investigate.”
“I figured you would pass the details on.” Cash hovers above me with his gaze heavy on me.
“Is there anything else?”
“Yeah.” He shoves his hands into his jacket pockets. “Livianna remembered something last night.”
I’m on my feet in seconds. “What?”
“Don’t get all excited. She just remembered a brief conversation she had with her friend Quinn.”
“And?”
“It was at Coachella. Livianna remembered being backstage and telling Quinn she was getting something to eat with me.” He shifts his weight from one leg to the other. “It wasn’t anything huge, but I thought you should know.”
“So, she can only recall things about you.” My chest caves in. “Thanks for the information. I’ll let you know what I find out.”
“Great, but before I go, we should discuss how many people know about your past relationship with Livianna.”
I lean on the edge of my desk. “Natalie and Andrew won’t talk. They understand what discretion means in my world.”