Page 148 of The Bitter Words

“I don’t rely on fake news.”

“Which is another reason I find you quite fascinating.”

“There’s not that much to know about me, Livianna. If you spent any time with me, you’d find that out real fast.” He reaches over to the coffee table and pulls a black leather folder off it. “Would you like to order some breakfast?”

Well, isn’t he being welcoming? I thought he’d be in a hurry to get me out of his suite.

“Thank you for the offer.” I pull my legs up and bring them beneath me. “Food and coffee sound perfect.”

“Here, you choose what you want and I’ll call room service when you’re ready.” He hands me the folder. “The menu is inside. While you do that, I’m going to go into the bedroom and get some clothes on.”

I take it from him and he leaves the room with the blanket wrapped around his waist. I stare at his muscular back andbroad shoulders as he strides away, then disappears when he closes the door behind him.

He’s got to be one of the most in-shape men I’ve ever seen. He’s trim and chiseled like he was cut from stone.

I fan myself with the folder. “You are one attractive man, Jaxon Crowne. If only you would let your guard down with me so I could have a taste.”

The shower turns on. I realize I have a few minutes to find what I want to eat and grab a bottle of water.

Surprisingly, I don’t feel as bad as I should. Throwing up and getting rid of the alcohol in my stomach probably helped, but I am dehydrated.

Once I’ve done all that, I get my purse and check the messages on my phone. As soon as I power it on, text alerts start to ding.

I glance at the screen, bracing myself for the worst. One after another, Callum’s messages stack upon each other. The constant burn in my heart scorches me to the bone.

I hesitate to open them as I stare at his name listed as The Cheater and chew on my thumbnail. These texts are either him giving me hell or begging for forgiveness.

It doesn’t matter. He told me this is the year he’s moving on, so why read any of them?

I swipe across the pile and delete every one without reading them. I notice a text from Gia.

Gia:I know you’re with Jaxon, but I wanted to make sure you’re okay. Let me know when you get this.

Me:I’m doing better than I deserve. I just woke up and we’re getting some breakfast. Plan to see me in a couple of hours. Hopefully, you’re still sleeping since you worked all night. Oh, Happy New Year. Sorry I missed celebrating with you.

I plunge myself into the corner of the couch and consider what I want in this upcoming year. My business comes to mind first.

It’s doing well, but I’d love to take it to the next level. Maybe asking Jax for some guidance about how to do that would help.

My stomach growls. I get up and scour through his minibar. I need something to settle the little bubbles in my tummy.

Once I find a bag of chips and a soda to sip on, I go back to look over the menu. A few minutes later, Jax comes out of the bedroom.

“I thought you might want to change into something more comfortable. I know your dress is silk and…if you want to wear these, you can.” He holds out a sweatshirt and some shorts. “These have a tie so they won’t fall down.”

“Oh, that’s sweet of you.” I stand and show him my snack. “Sorry, I raided your minibar for food. I hope that’s okay.”

“That’s perfectly fine. Hunter comped the room, so don’t worry about it.”

I take the clothes and wander into the bedroom as I continue to speak to Jax. “How does he make any money if he’s giving suites away?”

“He owns casinos. This room means nothing to him other than a way to keep high rollers here longer,” Jax hollers back to me. “I’ve advised him on a couple of personal investments before. It’s his way of saying thanks.”

“That’s considerate on both your parts.” I place the stuff down that I have tucked under my arms and in my hands and proceed to change.

As I’m putting the sweatshirt on, his warm, smoky, and leathery cologne floats into my nose. Butterflies swirl around in me.

Jesus, that gets me every time. His scent causes my sexual desire to rise in an instant. I swear his pheromones short-circuit me.