The very opposite of mad is what I am.
When his name reappears, I answer instantly.
“Look—”
“I was hoping you’d ignore me again.” His raspy interruption makes my mouth drop open.
I swallow, trying to give my racing heart a chance to compose itself. “I—well. Yeah. I...” What were we talking about?
I chew the cuffed sleeve of the hoodie, and it centres me, reminds me. Money. Gifts. Independence.
“I really appreciate everything you’ve done. All of you. Well, except for the whole lying-to-me-about-our-bond thing...” I decide that sentence is best ended there. “But if I’m working with Kacey, I think I should be treated the same.”
He’s clearly not impressed by that sentence because there’s a long pause.
I clear my throat. “What if I wanted to buy something and—”
“We’d buy it for you.”
I roll my eyes, cheeks flushing. “Listen, I’m not going to pretend that having someone spending all their money on me isn’t a dream.”
“Not someone.Us.” His growl on that word fans the heat filling my body.
“I’ll admit, there’s a part of me that likes it. I don’t know which part, probably the one that wanted this hoodie—”
“What hoodie?”
Shit. I didn’t realise that was a secret.
“It’s just one Kane gave me,” I say quickly.
He laughs softly and I pull at the baggy fabric, suddenly feeling overheated.
“Employ me, give me a contract, pay me. Please. That’s all I want—”
“Jasmine, please can you be honest with me.” His voice switches into something firmer, more controlling, and my spine straightens. “Tell me why this is important to you. Just, help me understand.”
I chew my lip, but without him physically here, it’s easier to speak. “I want something that’s mine. Something with my name on it. Something that’ll give me freedom and make me feel more—”
“In control.”
I scowl. “Can you stop cutting off my sentences?”
“Why? Annoyed that I’m ending them correctly?”
I hear the smile in his voice, that little curl at the end of his words. And I picture him, glasses crooked, tattooed fingersadjusting them, mouth quirking into something infuriatingly attractive.
“Thank you, for being honest.” The thrill that praise gives me is dangerous. “I’ll get you a contract, Jasmine, and a bank account. It’ll be done by tomorrow.”
I let out a long breath and lean back against the wall between us. Somehow, I know he’s closer.
“Thank you.”
“We said anything, Jasmine. I suggest, next time, you think bigger.”
I smirk. “What would you suggest, hmm?”
“Anything, anything you desire.”
