Page 89 of The Jaded Notes

She peels the lid back and gasps, her delight cutting through me sharper than I expect. The earrings catch thesunlight, dangling diamonds with a subtle shimmer engineered to look like ordinary indulgence, even though they’re anything but.

Her hand flies to her mouth. “They’re… God, Jax, they’re incredible.”

“They’re yours.” My gaze doesn’t leave her face. “Happy birthday, firecracker.”

She stiffens, eyes snapping to mine. “You… How did you know?”

“You think I wouldn’t take the time to figure that out?” A faint smile ghosts over my lips. “You didn’t tell me because you didn’t have to.”

Shock gives way to something wilder. She doesn’t thank me. She launches into my lap, straddling me before I can catch my breath. Her laughter collides with my chest, warm and alive.

“God, I love yo—” She freezes, panic flashing in her eyes. She hurries through her words. “I mean them. I love them. And I love that you’re so thoughtful. They’re beautiful.”

Her cover is clumsy, but I don’t call her out on it. Not when the words I want to give back scrape the back of my throat like broken glass. I’m not reckless enough to let them slip.

Instead, I cradle her hips, steadying her. “You deserve them.”

Her fingers trace my jaw as if she’s searching for what I won’t say. Her touch lingers, gentle but demanding. I can’t look away because I want her to know how I feel through what my eyes are trying to say.

What I don’t tell her, what I can’t tell her, is that those diamonds aren’t just meant to shine. Embedded within them is tech I trust with my life. A frequency scrambler, threaded into the setting so discreetly that no one could guess.

She’ll think they’re just jewels. But if anyone tries tophotograph her with me, her image will blur. Her identity will fracture in the lens the same way mine does.

The world can stalk me all it wants, but it won’t touch her. She said the media has always hated her, and now they won’t be able to get a glimpse of her.

I wear that tech every time I step outside, every time I step into the fire of cameras and hands that don’t deserve to reach me. And now, she’ll have the same shield.

Diamonds, yes. But armor too.

Her smile softens into something that feels like worship. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“You’ll believe it,” I murmur, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Every time you wear them.”

The three words I’m holding back tighten in my chest until they’re like chains wrapping around my heart.

I let the unsaid words stay there because giving her the gift is dangerous enough. And because once I speak those words, there’s no taking them back.

She presses her lips to mine, then she pulls away. “I’m going to wear them every day I’m with you.”

Perfect.

“In that case, let me take you out tonight. Dinner, then dancing. You pick the venues, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

She glances away and bites down on her lip. I know that hesitation. I reach for her chin, but she angles it away.

“What’s going on, Livianna?”

“Nothing.” A beat passes, then she gives me a worried grin. “I just forgot to tell you my parents are in Paris. I need to leave to meet them at their hotel at one o’clock.”

Her admission hits colder than it should. “You just forgot?”

“I wasn’t hiding it, Jax. I just…didn’t want to spoil our time together.”

My stomach hardens. Not only am I disappointed I can’tspend the day with her, but there’s a reason she didn’t mention this to me until now.

I guess she needs my confrontation. “I hope that means you’re ready to talk to them about Lehlani Rose.”

She shakes her head. “Please don’t do this, Jax. They’re only here for a few days. I don’t want to…”