When billionaire and self-proclaimed heartless Jack suffers his first loss in the boardroom his confidence is shaken. Adding to the flames, he just strike out with the fiery Solana, server at an off the strip club in Vegas. She maybe the first perso...
To be so close to Solana and not touch her was torture. From this distance, the faint scent of her orange spiced shampoo teased his senses. She was right there. Inches away.
Not his.
Ximena hadn't played fair. First, she'd sent Ethan over with her home cooking, then she'd called with her request.
"Bring our Heart and Sol home."
He'd explained how he was the last person Solana who could convince her of anything, how she was ignoring his calls and texts, how she obviously didn't want to see him, but Ximena ignored all reason.
"I know my granddaughter. Better than you think. I don't know where I went wrong, but she's under the impression that she has to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Has to sacrifice her happiness for others. And on the rare occasions where she does attempt something for her own benefit, fate has been cruel to her and yanked her hopes out from under her feet. But fate also brought her you, Jack. You're unlike the men in her life who use her and leave her. You won't disappoint her, right?"
Ximena's words were a gauntlet thrown and an arrow to his heart. He was the one let down. He was the injured party. But doubt crept in. One call to Wolfe's investigator and the address where Solana was staying would be his. He thought he hadn't asked because if he knew, he'd go to her. But that wasn't true. He hadn't asked because he was too afraid to stand in front of her and be rejected yet in person.
"Bring her home, please." Ximena's voice pierced his heart. "I'm willing to bet she's scared."
Jack had laughed at that concept. Nothing scared Solana.
Yet, here in this stairwell, Solana's body language implied fear. Not of him, that much he hoped. But maybe because of him. His fingernails pressed into his clenched fist, and he took a deep breath. More orange scent filled his lungs. "I promised I'd never hurt you." Jack leaned in. "And unlike you, I keep my promises."
"Until the board asks you not to." The statement flew out of her like a shot out of a cannon. The barb hit its mark, the middle of his chest and Jack stumbled back a step. Internally, he cursed himself. He hadn't paid enough attention. This was about her conversation with Wolfe that day. How could she possibly believe he'd set her aside because of her past? He'd been selfish, no self-centered and hadn't considered her perspective.
But that would change now. He closed the gap between them again and tucked his index finger under her chin. She jumped like his touch was an electric shock, but he didn't release her. Instead, he gently turned her face to him, ignoring the tension stiffening her jaw. "Solana. I don't give a damn what anyone in this world thinks about our relationship."
His heart slammed against his ribs, pounding out the seconds Solana didn't meet his gaze. One... Two... C'mon, sweetheart, he silently begged. Look at me. Three...
Her eyes raised, and at last the dull mixture of brown and green he desired focused on him. Jack's pulse froze. He poured every ounce of conviction he had into his words. "Except for one person."
Solana blinked. Then blinked again. Her jaw relaxed and if he'd dropped his eyes to her mouth, he would have seen her lips part. But his gaze remained locked in place, witnessing the tiny red bloom that appeared. A bastion of hope burst into flame in his chest, the warmth seeping into his heart, letting it beat again with renewed vigor. This was for him.
The rouge tinting her gaze receded, and Jack's grip tightened. He wasn't losing her now. Or Ever.
"But the report—"
His middle finger joined the other on her soft skin. "Means nothing."
"Wolfe—"
He cupped her cheek. "Doesn't matter."
"He said..."
Her gaze began to fall, and Jack brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Ignore him."
A line formed between her eyebrows. "Then why the contract?"
"What contract?"
The crease deepened. "You didn't know?" she whispered.
"What contract?" An avalanche of hot coals tumbled in Jack's chest and a drum beat in his ear. In a life ruled by contracts, the concept from Solana's lips unlocked a beast he didn't want to acknowledge.
She laid her palm over his and her lower lip trembled. "Wolfe... offered me a hundred grand to end our—"
"You took the money?" The coals combusted into a raging fire, charring the new feelings he'd nursed these last few weeks. He wrenched his hand from her grip as the voice in his head mocked his silly imaginings of hope and twisted away, unable to stand the sight of her. Of course, this was about money.
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Hi all. D L here. I know, this was a short one. I was a bit distracted this week. To make it up to you, here's my distraction:
A whole, complete, short story for you to read. It's called White Knight and its a day in the life of one of my side characters, Sophie.
If you'd like to read it, I'll leave the link in this comment. ---->
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