“Girls like you never last. He always comes back to me when he’s done.” And just like that, she confirmed my suspicions.
I turned a sharp eye on her. “If you were so special, he’d stay. You wouldn’t need to wait for him to come back.”
She furrowed her brows and shook her head. “He’s not your average guy. He has too many demons to commit to anyone. You’ll see.”
I wanted to tell her to fuck off, but I held my tongue, and just as she was preparing to say something else, Devlin appeared.
“Go home, Jess.”
She looked up at him, then back at me.
“Now.”
She gathered her clutch and phone, and quickly left the table. I was a little flabbergasted she so quickly followed his order.
What did their relationship consist of? Why was she so quick to adhere to his command?
It made me very uncomfortable, and as I watched her walk across the ballroom in her glittery white evening gown, I didn't miss the moment she glanced back and frowned at Devlin.
Tyler stepped up to the table and gave Devlin a look that expressed his feelings on what had just happened.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was an order, and judging by the look on Devlin’s face, he was going to follow it. It seemed the king had someone he respected, looked up to, and dare I say... obeyed?
“It was nice meeting you, Juliana.” He took one of my hands in both his and bowed his head.
“The pleasure was mine.” He nodded before he departed.
Devlin made small talk for a short while. It was almost like he didn't even notice me, but even though I never actually saw him look my way, I felt him watching me.
“Juliana...” Jackson picked up his jacket and shrugged into it before he reached for my hand and brought it up to his lips, planting a kiss on the back.“Whenever you’re ready for a man with more experience, you come looking for me.” He winked, and as he tried to pull his hand away, I held on.
“Wait.” I tugged him closer.“Can I ask you a question?”
He glanced over his shoulder at Devlin, and once he realized he had his back turned to us,he responded.“Sure. What do you want to know?”
“How long has he known Jessica?”
He smiled and shook his head.“Of all the interesting things I could tell you about him,you ask about her.” He chuckled.“Women.”
He sat in the chair he'd occupied earlier and scooted closer.“Jessica wormed her way into Devlin's life under false pretense about five years ago. Let's just say it didn't end well,though she sticks around waiting for her opportunity. It will never come. Devlin doesn't open his heart to anyone.” He paused because I must have reacted to his words.“Yet.” He lifted an eyebrow, leaned in, and planted a kiss on my cheek before he rose.“Goodnight.”
“Thanks, Jackson.”
Not long afterward, Devlin and I exited the manor and went straight to the chauffeured car.
“What was that back there?”
Devlin ignored my question. He stared out the window as if he were alone in the car.
“You have nothing to say. You invited me here, then embarrass me, and I get no explanation?”
“What did she say to you?” He sounded calm, but the tension was thick and he still refused to look at me.
“What did who say?”
“Jessica. What did she tell you?”
“She assured me you’d return to her once you were sick of me.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
“If you two have such a significant relationship, what am I doing here? You spent the entire night engrossed in her.”
“Jessica and I have a complicated past. Family links that can’t be broken, but there is only friendship between us. Sometimes not even that.”
“It looked like more to me.” I crossed my arms and took up staring out the window also. After several silent minutes, I glanced at him. “Maybe we should end things before we go any further.”
He finally looked my way, his simmering anger out full force. “What do I need to do to prove to you there’s no one and nothing that can compare to this thing between us?”
“Your words don’t mean shit. You need to open up and show me. I need to know you feel this, too.”
He pulled me abruptly so I was lying across his lap, his face pushed into my personal space. “I don’t know how to do that. But just know I’ve been a slave to you for longer than you know. And I need a return.”
“What does that even mean?” He was no slave to me. He gave me morsels of himself, just enough to spike my interest and keep me coming back for more.
“It means you affect me. You change me. You make me feel when no one else can.” He grabbed my hand and placed it over his crotch. He was rock hard, and the heat of his desire seeped through the material of his trousers. “It means when you’re near me, my cock is hard, my head aches, and my heart pounds. I need you that fucking much. And I need you to prove you feel it, too. Is that open enough for you?”