Liam:Did you ask first?
Jiro:…no.
Killian:Then it wasn’t your decision.
Caleb:Glass houses.
Killian:That’s not the same.
Liam:Is it not?
Jax:oh my god
Jax:it is exactly the same
Arthur:Focus.
Jiro: She looked upset when I finished.
Jiro:I need to apologize.
Jax:Lux.
Jax:VIP.
Jiro:On my way.
EIGHTEEN
Cupcake Consequences
Jiro
Jiro left the gala the second Jax sent the location. Didn't tell his handler. Didn't change. Just moved.
Security saw him coming and stepped aside.
He scanned the VIP section. Found her. His chest tightened before he'd taken a step.
"Can we talk?"
She nodded. He offered his hand. She took it, hand stiff in his and led him toward a suite. The door closed behind them. The bass dropped to a distant thrum.
"I'm sorry," he said.
She pulled her hand back and folded her arms.
"You used me."
The corridor, the song, her face when she'd trusted him with the story—all of it surged up at once and none of it was the right answer to those three words.
"You made me famous without asking."
"I know," he said, and it came out smaller than he meant.
His hands wanted to move, wanted to reach for her. His shoulders folded in and he crossed his arms to hold himself together while he listened.
"You said I didn't have to be loud for people to hear me."
