He rubs at the throbbing in his right temple, a clear indication he is bothered by this whole conversation.
“Charlotte’s my ex,” he says, as if bracing for an argument.
I narrow my gaze. “And?” I didn’t think he was celibate before me.
“I just don’t want you to be…” He trails off, and I can only guess at what he was about to say.
“Jealous?”
“More like uncomfortable with the idea of her being around, I guess.” He shoves his hands into his pants pockets.
I’m a lot of things, but a clinging female isn’t one of them. “If she’s an ex, I don’t see the problem. Unless there’s still something between you?” At the thought, jealousy begins to seep through me, and I don’t like the feeling.
“Not for me,” Jason rushed to assure her. “It’s just that she was persistent when I ended things, and I’m worried she’s goingto take the opportunity to perform as something more than a professional invitation.”
I tip my head to the side, staring at Jason. I think about the pop performer, a gorgeous raven-haired beauty who prefers red lips to my light gloss and who is much thinner than me with my curves. Charlotte is famous and seems to have it all. But Jason obviously ended their relationship, so he doesn’t want the other woman. He is with me.
Should I be jealous? Maybe. Am I? Only to the extent that any woman would be.
Jason and I have a solid relationship for what it is. I know better than to expect a future, but I do require fidelity. Given Robert Dare’s history and Jason’s reaction to his father’s behavior, I’m not worried Jason is a cheater.
I reach out and grasp his hand. “Will you be coming home to me after she performs? If so, I don’t see a problem.”
He lets out a relieved breath. “I just assumed you’d have issues with my ex performing. Just like I’m assuming she’ll still want me when, in all probability, she’s moved on. It’s not like I’ve heard from her recently.”
“You see? You’re uptight for no reason.” I have a dawning realization. “I know you didn’t like it when I came to the club with your mother, but you have to know I’m not going to miss this performance.”
He closes his eyes and groans. “I don’t want to worry about your safety while being concerned the night goes off as planned.”
I shrug. “Then leave that worry to my bodyguard over there.” I gesture to Renault, who’s returned to his corner. “And you worry about your business.”
“I just have a bad feeling about you being in the crowded club.” He meets my gaze, a plea in his expression, but I’m not going to give in.
“As long as I’m with you and protected, I’ll be safe.” I kiss him on the cheek, not wanting him to worry.
I worry enough for both of us, but I refuse to miss his big night.
***
Jason
The days beforeClub TEN29’s big concert take a lot of time and planning and keep me out late every night. It reaches the point where I barely see Faith, who is sleeping when I come home and gone when I wake up in the morning. Now that I’m back to working normal shifts, my hours are the complete opposite of hers. But I’m determined to make this shift in the club’s vision all it can be, and if that means sacrificing my personal life, so be it.
I didn’t lie to Faith when I told her I have an uneasy feeling something is going to go down on the night of the concert. Her brother can’t stay hidden forever. He won’t, not if he wants his money. He’s going to come after her when she’s vulnerable, and where will she be more susceptible than in a club loaded with people?
But I can’t keep her prisoner, which means she’ll be coming to the club. So I’ll have to split my focus in order to make sure she’s safe… and I will because, when it comes down to it, she means everything to me.
Faith slipped behind the carefully constructed walls I erected and has become part of my family, part of my life, and integral to my well-being. I never believed it could happen, and yet it did. If I lose her now, I’ll hurt as badly as I did when I lost Levi. Now that she is in, I’m never letting her go.
Levi, I think, would want me to live my life. To honor him in all ways, not dwell on the past and never climb out of the horror we experienced. Although I haven’t realized it before, I understand that now. Faith showed me I can have a future. Not one defined by Robert Dare’s mistakes or by tragic loss.
Now I just have to get Faith’s brother out of her life, and then I can tell her how I feel and hope she believes how far I’ve come.
***
Faith
Izzy calls meand invites me to go dress shopping with her and with Jason’s sister, Sienna, for Club TEN29’s big concert event. It takes a lot of arguing for me to get Jason to accept the fact that I can go to department stores and boutiques and be safe. I have to agree to have Renault trailing me every step of the way, and I feel sorry for the big man watching three women laugh their way through trying on at least fifty dresses before even hitting the shoe department in the store.
