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Jasmin raises her brows, maybe not expecting me to be so passionate on the subject. But pleased nonetheless as she tips her head back at Logan in a told-you-so manner.
“Where’s your brother when I need him?” Logan pipes up with a chuckle. “I’m outnumbered two to one here.”
“I don’t know. Taking care of some things he said he had to do. Besides, don’t think for one second he would support this little dick-led notion of yours.” Jasmin looks at Logan pointedly. “He knows better than that.”
“He’s scared of you, you mean?” Logan laughs, earning himself a slap around the bicep from her.
“Shut up, idiot.” She smirks. “Thankfully, my brother is more mature than this one, despite them being the same age,” she says. “Dax has always been in control, but since he got out, he’s been even more serious. I wish he would loosen up a little. He works too hard.”
“He’s just worried about the business, with him being away from it for so long.” Logan turns serious.
“I know. But we managed, didn’t we? Besides, I’m not convinced that’s all it is. I’m amazed he came for the staff night out the other week. He never comes out with us anymore.”
Jasmin’s right. I’ve already been out with her and Logan multiple times for drinks and to a club since I arrived. And the staff party is the only night Dax came, even though I’m sure Jasmin invites him every single time.
“He’s thirty-one years old, and he’s a hermit. He’s either at work or out at meetings. Being in jail changed him. He’s obsessed with the idea that one wrong move and he could be back there. So he never goes anywhere. Or does anything.” Jasmin drops her chin into her hands on the tabletop, her shoulders sagging. “It worries me. He should be doing the things he missed out on. He’s always had to be the grown up. Thinking he had to look after me. He never got to be stupid and make mistakes like most teenagers. The first one he made landed him in jail.”
“What happened? Sorry… I mean, it’s none of my business,” I say with an apologetic smile.
I don’t want to admit that I know he was sentenced to three years for grievous bodily harm with intent, thanks to Google. But the news articles didn’t tell the story behind his motive. Only that he had laid into a guy at some big business dinner event. Why would he do that unless he was provoked somehow?
“Don’t worry, it’s not a secret. But it is a complicated story.” Jasmin sighs, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “It was my fault.”
“It wasn’t. The guy deserved it.” Logan turns from Jasmin and fixes his gaze on me. “There’s a guy, Julian Young. He runs one of the country’s main import and export companies for wine and liquor. The Silver Estate didn’t bother him until Dax and Jasmin took over.”
“But since our grandparents passed and we inherited the business, things got… messy,” Jasmin adds. “He was jealous that Dax secured the sole production rights for Aunt Iris’s Blend. It was a huge contract. Julian wanted to win it and then outsource production to overseas to keep costs low.”
“Rake in the cash,” Logan snorts.
“He was always making digs at Dax whenever he saw him at business events. But Dax ignored him. Until Julian got drunk one night at an event and got a little handsy with me, then sent me a delightful selection of dick pics from the men’s restroom.”
“Gross.” I recoil.
“So gross,” Jasmin agrees. “Dax saw my phone. I was standing with him and had no idea what I’d been sent. He marched right over to Julian in front of everyone in the room and I saw Julian say something quietly to him, then the next second, all hell broke loose.”
“It was impressive.” Logan smirks.
“It was awful.” Jasmin scowls. “Dax was like a man possessed. I’ve never seen him so mad. He just kept hitting Julian over and over. Julian smashed a glass and went for Dax, and then Dax broke a chair over him.”
“Dax was awesome. The cock deserved it.”
Jasmin flashes Logan a stern look that shuts him up. “He might have deserved it. But the law doesn’t see it like that. Dax threw the first punch. He approached Julian. And Julian was the one who needed surgery for internal bleeding. Dax barely had a scratch on him.”
“Yeah, and Julian was unconscious,” Logan says.
“He tried to get Dax charged with attempted murder. He would have been gone for years.” Jasmin’s lower lids pool with water. “I’m sorry.” She sniffs, wiping them away. “I hate thinking about it. Two and a half years felt like a lifetime. The idea that… I just can’t bear to think about it.”
“I’m sorry I asked.” I wrap my arm around her, and she squeezes my hand.
“Don’t be. You work with us. You’re our friend. You should know what happened.”
“Dax served two and a half years of a three-year sentence. They let him out early for good behavior,” Logan says.
“Heisgood.” Jasmin wipes her eyes again with one hand, still holding mine with the other. “He’s amazing. Honestly, Rose. Don’t let this change the way you see him. I know he looks like this bad guy with all his tatts and moodiness. But he’s got the biggest heart. He’d just turned eighteen when we lost our parents. He had to look after me. He had to grow up fast. His whole life has been about doing the right thing and thinking of others before himself. I just wish he’d realize that he needs to put himself first now. I want him to be happy.”
“He’s lucky to have you.” I rest my head on top of Jasmin’s head, and she sighs.
“I’mlucky. I don’t deserve him.” She sniffs and wipes her eyes again with a laugh. “This sure got heavy.”
