Jayden will land at some point, he always does, but with whom and in what… I have no idea.
‘So, the nights are going to be kind of busy with the show, but is there anything you want to see during the day?’
She sucks on her lower lip, deliberating. ‘I’d love to see the Grand Canyon.’
‘Consider it done. What else?’ It’s weird thinking like a tourist for a change. Normally I avoid attractions at all costs for fear of getting mobbed.
‘A couple of nice dinners, something we don’t usually have in the castle would be nice…’ she muses.
‘You’re easily pleased.’ I shoot her a wink.
‘Easy when you know how.’ She licks her lips.
I take her glass from her hands before reclining her chair.
Fourteen hours later, we’re eventually through airport security and my own security has arrived to accompany us to the hotel. And they aren’t the only ones to welcome us.
Jayden lounges against the limo outside the airport sucking a lollipop as if he’s nine, not twenty-nine. The winter sunshine pleasantly warms my face as I step forward to greet him.
His coal-black hair is shorter than the last time I saw him, which reminds me mine is in serious need of attention.
‘Just couldn’t wait to see me, hey?’ I go in for a man hug, but he sidesteps me and lunges straight for Sasha, sweeping her into an over-familiar embrace. The way his hand lingers on her waist a few seconds longer than appropriate sets my blood boiling. From the glint in his eyes, it’s deliberate. He’s testing me.
‘Sasha, welcome to Vegas, baby.’ His megawatt grin serves purely to annoy me, I’m certain of it. He might be a massive shit-stirrer but he’s built a thriving career around his reputation for being the most aggressive agent in LA.
If he signs an act, it’s their golden ticket to stardom. He’s fucking brilliant at what he does. His tongue cuts through bullshit like a brand-new machete and he drives a brutal bargain. If he’s in your corner, no one will fuck with you, be it a record label or the press.
‘Jayden.’ Sasha’s wary eyes light with surprise at the welcome.
She’s right to be wary. He’s my brother and I love him to bits, but I don’t trust him. Especially not around her. Not that I expect he’ll leap on her, but he has an annoying tendency to wreak havoc for his own amusement. And no doubt he’s intrigued by our reunion, probably because he can’t actually fathom being in love with anyone but himself.
‘Okay, okay, that’s enough.’ I swipe his hand from her body and shoot him a look conveying,I will actually kill you if you fuck this up for me.
‘What’s wrong, baby brother? You worried your woman’s going to want a real man, now she sees one?’
Sasha snorts. ‘Firstly, I’m my own woman. Secondly, I’ve been enjoying your brother’s unmistakable masculinity daily – multiple times. The kind of masculinityyouradiate reminds me of a neutered chihuahua dry humping a table leg.’
Deep throaty laughter bellows from Jayden’s chest. He hangs onto the stick of his lolly so as not to spit it out. Finally reaching out to me, he shakes my hand firmly. ‘Congratulations, brother, you’ve got yourself a feisty one.’
‘She can take care of herself, for sure.’ I don’t add she’s had no other choice but to do exactly that.
‘How’s Cindy?’ Ushering Sasha into the back of the limo, I slip in behind, to stop Jayden cosying up next to her. The air con feels deliciously fresh inside.
‘We broke up. For good this time.’ Jayden smirks as he removes a bottle of champagne from its cooler and pops it without bothering to ask if we want any. He must be satisfied with the new material I sent over, because normally it’s always business first.
‘She kept going on about the trip to the beach house to meet her family and I continued to be brutally honest about my intentions, or lack of intentions towards her. And that was that.’
‘At least that put a stop to you shagging in my car.’ I roll my eyes.
Jayden bites his lip. ‘Yeah, about your car…’
My chest tightens in annoyance as I wait for the punchline. ‘My car that I specifically told you not to borrow, yet you took it anyway and had sex in.’
‘Yeah, that’s not the worst part. Cindy went mental after our little chat and keyed the side of it.’
‘What the fuck? Could you not have broken up with her in your own fucking car.’
‘Relax, bro, it’s in getting fixed as we speak, okay.’ He holds his hands up like it’s no big deal. I suppose it isn’t when you live the lifestyle we do. It’s the principle of the situation that irritates me.
