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“Hayden Marks is the best there is,” Jet snaps. “You have nothing to worry about. Yourminorityshares will continue to bring you healthy dividends.”
Carmichael visibly shrinks in his seat. Dinner just got more interesting at least.
The conversation continues with Jones grilling Jet, while Jet deflects every question easily without actually answering any. The two men have had enough wine that they don’t even realize he’s not told them anything new for the past twenty minutes.
“Where’s that pretty young waitress?” Carmichael swings his head around. “I need a refill.”
I catch Jet looking at me from beneath his dark brows, his eyes traveling over my face and narrowing like he’s worked something out.
A spark ignites low in my core, traveling up my spine until my whole body feels like it’s tingling.
I got closer to him than ever before on the staircase earlier. I don’t know what came over me. Relief at having finally stepped onto a plane again, maybe? Orthe comedown from all of the memories and emotions it dredged up? After we got back, I went straight to the pool house to work. I wrote more in a couple of hours than I have since the day I arrived at Rochwell house. It’s like the lid was finally lifted off and things started to flow. I can only attribute that to the fact that for the first time in a decade, I took a flight. Something I once loved but has been the source of indescribable pain to me for so many reasons.
Jet’s softer eyes are still on me as I sip my wine.
This isn’t right. We can’t suddenly start getting on. He might think he understands me better since that flight, but he doesn’t. No one knows everything. Not even Gramps.
The thawing in his gaze makes me yearn for him to look at me with disdain again. I don’t want him to feel sorry for me. I’d rather he reprimands me for not using a glass and calls me a delinquent than feel sorry for me.
This isn’t right. Everything about the neutral position of his lips is wrong. He’s lacking the signature scowl I’m used to. It’s unnerving, and it makes my throat scratchy.
An idea hits me that’s sure to piss him off and provoke a reaction. I make my excuses and head to the ladies’ room.
When I slide back into the seat beside Jet, I reach into his lap beneath the table and lean in close.
“All these tough questions being fired at you, and you’re doing so well, but I thoughtyou still might appreciate a talisman. They aren’t my luckiest pair, but maybe they’ll work for you.”
He freezes, a muscle in his jaw tightening as my breath dusts his ear.
His fingers curl around mine beneath the table as I deposit the tiny scrap of lace into them.
I sit back in my seat and lift my wine glass to my lips with a smug smile. Jet’s listening to Jones as he talks, but the miniscule roll of his jaw tells me he’s grinding his teeth. A vein bulges in his temple, and he nods swiftly, pushing his chair back from the table.
“I’m sorry to cut this short, gentlemen.” He signals the server and passes over his card. “Ava and I flew in this morning. The missed sleep is catching up on us.”
The men’s faces fall as Jet pays and stands, pulling my chair out for me.
“But it’s still so early,” Jones complains.
“And there’s a cab waiting outside to take you for a nightcap and some entertainment,” he says smoothly. “All with compliments from myself and my father, of course.”
Carmichael’s brows hitch. “Well, then. We should go if it’s all organized.”
Jones nods in agreement, and Carmichael manages a final, parting leer of my breasts as we say goodbye.
Jet marches me to the exit of the restaurant with one arm around me, his hand gripping my elbow.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he snaps, taking me around the corner of the restaurant into a small alleyway.
“What do you mean?”
“These!”
He yanks my cream lace panties from his pocket and brandishes them in front of my face. I step backward into the wall as he moves closer, pinning me between his body and the brick.
“Oh, those. Pretty, aren’t they? I bought them in New York.” I admire the tiny strip of lace dangling from his finger. The golden flecks woven into the fabric glint in the moonlight.
His eyes bug before he closes his fist around them.
