He snorted. “Plastic surgery is exactly the same as improving oneself with therapy.”
“When I was hired, you said you were glad I’d never had plastic surgery because neither had you.” On the offense, Jade continued, “You said you were glad my hair color was natural and that you’d never dye yours.”
“Mateo forces me to dye my hair!” Franco quickly took on a pitiful appearance. “Is it the age difference?”
So much more than that, Jade thought, trying to absorb the lies. Squaring her shoulders, she said, “Outside of my professional contracts, I don’t feel any personal connection to your brother or to you.”
“Does it matter to you that I do?” he demanded, neither addressing nor apologizing for any of the lies. “You are the epitome of natural beauty and grace. No plastic surgeon could ever achieve such an exquisite result, which is the very essence of you. YouareVenus, Jade.”
“Hardly,” Jade said calmly, recognizing the glimmer of madness in his dull eyes.
“Hardly?” Franco was incredulous. “Look in the mirror!” he insisted. “Doesn’t a goddess,” splaying his hand toward her, he then swept his hand down his narrow chest to indicate himself, “need a—”
Jade raised her brows as if she didn’t understand. “A what?”
“A god to meet all of her needs.”
Chocolate brown hair under a black cowboy hat? Eyes of royal blue like in the American flag? Tall and muscular? Handsome and strong? Charming and funny? Oh, so sexy and sensitive too? Such an irresistible man would certainly meet her needs. Jade rubbed her forehead, wishing with her entire being she could remember.
“I may be seeing someone.”
“No, you’re not!” Franco blared sharply. Grabbing her right arm, he twisted it, painfully digging his fingers into her wrist. “It’s not allowed!”
“No, of course not.” What happened to treading lightly? “You’re hurting me, Franco. Let go. I’m feeling,” she wanted to say pressured and imprisoned, but curbing her tongue, she finished with, “confused and anxious.”
Franco released his grip on her and nodded to her cup of tea. “Mateo says valerian tea boosts the neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid, which will reduce your stress and allow you to rest.” He picked up her cup and handed it to her. “Drink.”
She could use some stress relief after being in Franco’s presence all day and suffering through various versions of this same strenuous conversation. Having literally handed her an easy way to escape him by resting, she sipped her tea. At his urging, she took a bite of the tiramisu but thought of cherry cobbler. Praying these glimpses and flashes were possible memories, she finished her tea and left the rest of the tiramisu.
“The tea worked,” she said and yawned.
“Come along, dear lady.” Franco stood, reached down, and took her hands. His hands were soft and small. Not the hands she’d want in a man. “I’ll see you upstairs.”
A little dizzy, she allowed him to pull her out of the chair to her feet. Wearing her three-inch, red stilettos made her the same height as Franco. His face came forward, and she turned her head just in time to take his kiss on her cheek and not her mouth. She pretended she hadn’t noticed he’d tried to kiss her as his slender arms locked around her. It was his first try at a full-on hug, and she knew he expected her to kiss him. She didn’t. She stood stiffly, arms hanging at her sides as she tolerated his straitjacket-within-a-prison confinement.
“I feel ill.” Jade pushed out of his arms and took two steps back.
“I will get you some medicine.”
“You don’t have the medicine to take away this pain.” Jade turned and headed toward the glass door. “Goodnight, Franco.”
“I’ll escort you.”
Jade didn’t slow down, but Franco caught up with her and latched onto her arm. He steered her through the open door into the alcove. She crossed the living room, completely ignoring the ridiculous framed painting over the fireplace.
“I can make it upstairs on my own, Franco.”
“I’ll escort you, my dear.”
There was thatmy dearagain. She wasn’t his. That expression, along withdear lady,was totally outdated, and she felt controlled, not dear. It grated on her. He grated on her. Jade pulled her arm free, grasped the banister, and started up the stairs. Of course, he followed her, but she kept moving, and when she reached the bedroom she’d slept in the previous night, she was about to close the door as he caught up with her again.
“Goodnight, Franco,” she repeated firmly.
He looked like he’d just sucked on a lemon. “Goodnight, dear lady.”
Jade shut the door and almost instantly heard Mateo’s voice. He addressed Franco in a whisper. She couldn’t make out the words, but it sounded like Mateo was admonishing Franco. She heard a female voice and recognized it as Margo’s. She and Katy suspected Margo and Mateo were involved. As the voices moved down the hall, ever so carefully, Jade eased the door open a crack. Margo wore a nightgown, and Mateo was in pajamas. So, theywereinvolved.
“Don’t say I haven’t warned you,” Mateo said more loudly and in an aggravated tone as he stalked away from Franco with Margo on his heels.
