“Well, okay then. Good night, Riku.” At this point, there’s nothing else I can say. Did I really need him to explain my sister’s security detail? No. Honestly, I think part of me just didn’t want to separate from him. He’s attractive, but there’s part of me that says it’s more than that. I don’t know what I want from him yet. I guess that’s a problem for future Jacinta.
“Good night, Ms. Summers. Sweet dreams.” His voice is velvety smooth, and his goodbye is like a benediction. He waits for me to close the door on my wing.
Breathing out a sigh, I lean against the door once he’s out of sight. Having that man as my security is going to be a study in not sexually harassing my employees. I’ve never felt attracted to anyone working for me before. Well, apart from Jace, but he doesn’t really count because we have a friendship as well. And Alex and Shane don’t technically work for me, justwithme, kind of. But Riku is going to be working very closely with me, guarding my body, practically my shadow. I need to remember to keep it professional because he’s mouth-wateringly gorgeous, and I bet when he does finally let go of the overly formal, stick up his ass security guard persona, he’s like fire. Still waters run deep and all that jazz.
Pushing off the door, I make my way to my second-floor bedroom, exhausted and ready for bed. Today was fun and a lot easier than I thought it was going to be thanks to my secret stash. The coke really helped me keep my shit together, but I know I have to be careful not to rely on it. I won’t need it tomorrow because I’ll be at work. Since it’s familiar territory, nothing will cause me to feel anxious. The interviews will be a piece of cake, and with Nana, Molly, and Emma’s help, we should be able to find a good fit for our branch of the company. Maybe I’m a fool, only time will tell, but I’m optimistic that I can make it through the day without needing that extra help.
Stripping off my dress, I use the bathroom before climbing into bed. It feels amazing. I find my body relaxing with the familiarity, and before I know it, I’m out.
ChapterNine
Jace
“Do you think we did the right thing?” I look back over my shoulder as the car heads down the driveway. In the dark, I can just make out Jacinta walking back toward her house. “I think she was surprised. Maybe she’s not ready. She could still be traumatized.”
“Of course we’re doing the right thing,” Alex admonishes me. “What better way to get over what she went through than to get under someone else?”
Shane snorts. “I’m not sure that’s quite how the saying goes,” he rumbles quietly, his eyes on the road.
“Even if it isn’t, it’s how it should go. I’m sick of waiting. I’ve been patient. I stepped back like you suggested, Jace, after you came back from Prague, but everything is out there now. I couldn’t care less about her money before, and I couldn’t care less now even though she’s got more. I wanther, preferably between the three of us, and I’m not waiting any longer. I want to sweep her off her feet and show her that she belongs with us.”
Alex’s hands have been flying through the air with enthusiasm, and he just about smacks Shane in the face. Shane snatches it out of the air, kissing his hand before placing it back in his lap.
“Settle down, Romeo. You don’t have to convince the two of us. You know we feel the same way, but I think we need to approach this carefully.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, leaning forward a little so Shane’s eyes can meet mine in the rearview mirror.
“We have to be careful how we approach this. Jacinta seems… skittish. Like one wrong move could send her running.”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Alex turns around in his seat so he can see us both.
“Babe, I love you, but you can be self-involved,” Shane says gently.
I think back to our interaction today, and now that he mentions it, she did seem off. “You know, you’re right. She wasn’t as carefree as she normally is. It kind of felt like she was putting on an act.”
“Oh? Do you think she wasn’t happy about all the pregnancies?” Alex does this thing where he purses his lips when he gets all gossipy. Shane tells him his lips look like an asshole, and Alex usually replies with something like, “Well, I guess you won’t mind kissing them then.” He’s got that look on his face now, except I trust him enough to know this is just relationship gossip. Ya know, the kind where you and your partners sit down and dish through everything you’re thinking about the party you just left or whatever scandal your friends have gotten involved in. It stays within our little group, so it’s harmless, and it feeds the beast that is Alex on the trail of a juicy story.
“No, I don’t think so. She seemed genuinely happy about all of that, and she was telling me about the shirts Harlow bought her. Says she can’t wait to wear them or decorate the baby’s room at Willow Castle.” I think back to one of the conversations we had at lunch today. “She even mentioned something about needing to expand Couture to include children and maternity lines.”
Alex claps his hands. “Yes, that would be so cool! I could model in the ads with the kids. I’d make an awesome father.” He puffs out his chest a little, and I raise my eyebrows.
“You want kids?” I’m kind of surprised, though not unpleasantly. Alex is sweet and funny and kind despite any of his flaws.
“I want a hundred of them!” he announces, and Shane chuckles when he sees my face.
“Alex is an only child.” Well, that’s not hard to see. “And he feels like his parents did him a disservice by not providing him with childhood company.”
“Well, I would debate that. I wouldn’t have minded being an only child,” I mutter, but Shane still hears me.
“Oh, some days I feel the same way, especially when my brother calls me to ask if he can borrow money for his latest get-rich-quick scheme.”
“My sisters aren’t that bad, but the two of them are always sticking their noses into my life. Setting me up with their coworkers is like their sole purpose in life apart from their own families. The two of them are so blissfully happy, and they want me to be too, but they have terrible taste in potential partners. They must have used up their one good decision with their own partners.”
“See, that’s what I want. I want a house filled with noise and laughter, not one that’s cold and unfeeling where the only noises you hear are the servants going about their daily tasks.”
From what I understand, Alex’s family is upper class, and he was raised by nannies. They think he’s wasting his life modeling, so they basically disowned him. It’s so far removed from my life that I have no clue how to relate to it.
When Harlow first introduced me to Alex and Shane, I admit I was a little bit starstruck. Alex Winters and Shane Silver are one of the powerhouse couples in the fashion industry. I thought they were doing Harlow a favor by taking little ole country bumpkin me under their wing. I’d stay a night or two, then find my own place, and that would be my brush with fashion royalty.
