Novel Palace
53
“You think that’s going to help?”
I stared at my brother, honesty ripping at my chest. “It’s certainly not going to help, but it’s fucking necessary.”
And that became the theme for the next three hours until Dominick and I stumbled out of my office. My driver was waiting outside to take us to the restaurant where I’d told Ford to meet us since there was no reason to go back to my place-we needed food and much more booze.
“You’re both a fucking mess,” Ford said as Dominick and I sat at his table.
Fifteen minutes late.
We were lucky we’d made it here at all.
“It’s Jenner’s fault,” Dominick slurred. “He poured, and it continued to go downhill from there.”
“Downhill?” I chugged the water in front of me and then grabbed Ford’s water glass and drank his too. “Uphill, brother. Way fucking uphill.”
“What’s he saying?” Dominick asked Ford.
Ford shook his head. “It’s going to be a long night …”
The server approached our table and said, “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have whiskey-”
“He’ll have water,” Ford said, interrupting me. He then pointed at Dominick and added, “He’ll have water as well, and you can bring me a scotch. Make it a double.”
“We just got denied by our baby brother,” I told Dominick.
“Whose ass we had to fucking babysit when we were in Vegas,” Dominick said.
Ford slipped off his jacket and placed it on the back of his seat. “Sometimes, we have to sit out a round. When we get to the club, you can resume the whiskey drinking.”
“You’re taking this”-Dominick pressed his thumbs against his own chest-“to the club?”
“I might need to rethink that idea,” Ford admitted.
I nodded toward Dominick. “I’m not as fucked up as him.”
“Yes, you are,” they both said at the same time.
I laughed so fucking hard that I almost spilled Ford’s water.
The server returned with Ford’s drink and a basket of bread that I immediately reached for.
“This is delicious.” I moaned, chewing the sourdough. “What club are we going to?”
“Why?” Ford asked. “Is someone eager to hook up?”
Mid-bite, I replied, “Fuck no.”
“No?” He took a piece of bread and handed the basket to Dominick. “Why? Suddenly feeling … taken?”
“Ahhh.” I tossed my napkin at him. “I see where this is going.”
“Do you?”
“Fuck, don’t you start with me too.” I got up from my chair, holding the wooden frame, and said, “I’m going to the head. When I return, no more Jo talk. Understood?”
I flipped them off when they laughed and stumbled toward the back of the restaurant in search of the restroom. Once I got inside, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I took it out, the screen showing a notification from Instagram that Jo had posted a new photo.
At some point, I’d set those up.
And I never stopped them.
Why the fuck did I do that to myself?Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
The alcohol flowing through my body caused me to slide my finger across my phone, pulling up the picture. She was standing near the water, a set of keys dangling from her hand, looking at the Miami skyline. The caption read: Until next time, Miami.
Damn it, she was fucking gorgeous. That body-that perfect, delicious, curvy body-was in a pair of cutoffs and a tank top, sneakers and a baseball hat.
She made casual look as sexy as naked.
“Mmm,” I moaned as I stared at her, my dick getting hard, my hands clutching my phone, wishing it were her instead.
I knew her move date was coming up.
And I knew the next photo she posted would be in LA.
I didn’t want to see it.
I didn’t want to be tempted.
That girl was my weakness, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t forget her.
But still, I needed more.
I pulled up her last message and read it again.
Jo: No, that’s what you believe. I believe in us.
My thumbs were hitting the screen, and suddenly, I was pressing Send.
Me: If you believed in us, then why did you do this to US?
Jo: Would it have changed anything if I’d told you sooner? Wouldn’t the outcome be the same? You’d still want nothing to do with me. I’d still be heartbroken over you.
Me: You should have told me before I touched you. Not after.
Jo: That’s what you want to take back? How loud you made me scream? The way you ravished my body? Jenner, you could barely keep your hands off me. But if that’s the part you wish you could do over, then good luck with that.
She was right.
I fucking hated that.
That despite how many women I’d slept with, none of them compared to her.
That even if I had known she was Walter’s daughter, I didn’t know if I’d have been able to stop myself. Because from the moment she’d sat next to me in the sportsbook, I had known I had to have her.
And the moment my lips touched hers, I knew I couldn’t stop with just a kiss.
I’d needed to taste her.
I’d needed to touch her.
The same way I needed her right now.
Me: Why are you Walter’s daughter?
Jo: Don’t say it like that. Don’t make it a bad thing. It doesn’t have to be.
Me: Bullshit.
Jo: Stop being afraid that my father will fire you.
Me: I feel like a shady motherfucker who stabbed him in the back. He trusts me, Jo, and this would ruin that.
Me: Do you know what my other clients would say if they found out? Jesus, the whole fucking town would be locking up their daughters. I don’t want my reputation to be hit that way.
Jo: Really? Because I’m pretty sure you’ve already slept your way through LA, and you weren’t worried about your reputation then …
Me: You should have been a lawyer.
Jo: My smart mouth is one of the things you love about me.
Love.
Was that true?
Is that what this is?
What I felt?
What was fucking eating at me?
My thumbs stayed on the screen as I tried to come up with a reply.
But I had nothing.
No answer.
All I wanted was to tell her to get her ass to this restaurant right now.
But I shoved my phone back into my pocket instead.