Hooker(66)

When I see tears well in her eyes again, I feel like a prick for making light of this situation. I hate that this has hurt her. I could fucking strangle Clarissa.

‘Jade,’ I say, cupping her face.

‘Get your two-timing hands off me.’

This time I manage to repress my amusement. I can’t lose her over this. ‘I’m not engaged. I never have been, and I never will be.’

‘Tell that to your fiancée,’ she snaps.

‘Clarissa is not my fucking fiancée, goddamn it.’

‘Oh, but you know who I’m referring to without me even mentioning her name.’ She tries to push out from underneath me, but I hold her firmly in place.

‘Because she’s a psycho bitch, that’s why. Our fathers are friends. They’ve wanted us to get married for years. I can tell you right now, it’s never going to happen. I can’t stand that woman. Do you really think if I was engaged to her, I’d be here tonight with you?’

‘She told me you had an arrangement.’

‘There’s no fucking arrangement.’

Her green eyes lock with mine as she tries to absorb what I’ve just told her. Fuck—I hope she believes me, because it’s the truth. ‘Please believe me,’ I plead as my hands settle on her shoulders. I’ve never had to beg anyone like this before. I never wanted to, but she isn’t just anyone—she’s Jade.

‘I’ve told my father—and Clarissa—numerous times that I have no inclination to marry her. I’m not the marrying kind.’

‘You’re not?’ she asks, and I see a flash of hurt cross her face. My thumbs tenderly caress her cheeks. Marriage has never been on my agenda. My parents haven’t set a great example in that department.

‘No, I’m not, but if there was one person on this earth who could change that, it would be you.’ And that’s the truth. Having her staying at my home has opened my eyes to the possibility. Well, it’s planted a small seed, anyway. I still don’t think I have it in me.

‘Me. Really?’ she breathes as a small smile plays at her lips.

‘Yes, you.’ Closing my eyes, I exhale a large breath. It’s not until my forehead is resting against hers, that I open them. I can’t believe I’m about to admit this out loud.

‘I think I’m falling in love with you, Jade.’



JADE

I gasp at his words. Taking a moment, I give myself time to let them sink in. The way he struggled when saying it makes me believe he meant what he said. I’m not sure if it’s hearing those words or if it’s just a combination of everything I’ve been through this week, but when the tears come I’m powerless to stop them.

I cover my face with my hands and I start to cry. Like, really cry. Cry as I never have before.

‘Jesus, Jade,’ he said, pulling me into his arms again. ‘That’s not the reaction I was hoping for.’

He holds me for the longest time until the tears finally stop. I feel foolish for crying in front of him. I hate showing anyone my vulnerable side. I’ve become a master at disguising my weaknesses over the years; I learnt at a young age that only the strong survive.

Placing his finger under my chin, he lifts my face to meet his. The look in his eyes tugs at my heart. The confident Brock I’m used to seeing is gone.

‘Do you really think you’re falling in love with me?’ I ask. My heart rate accelerates as I wait for his answer. I don’t usually allow myself to hope, but that’s exactly what I’m doing now. Hoping it’s true—hoping he really means what he said.

Using the pads of his thumbs, he wipes the tears from my cheeks. ‘I’ve never felt like this before,’ he admits. ‘I’m consumed by you, Jade. I’ve never been in love, so I can’t say with all honesty that I know what it feels like, but if wanting to be with someone every minute of every day, feeling like a part of you is missing when they’re not around, not being able to imagine your life without that person in it, or finding it hard to function properly because all you can think about is them, then yes, I’m in love with you. Because you make me feel all of that and so much more.’

Tears rise to my eyes again. ‘Nobody has ever told me they love me.’

‘Oh sweetheart,’ he whispers as he holds me tight. ‘You’re such an easy person to love.’

I’ve always imagined what it would feel like to hear somebody say those words to me, but I can’t even put into words how wonderful it is to finally be loved.





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE


JADE

Thankfully, Brock didn’t want to go back to the event. He did offer to go and confront Clarissa with me though, which helped me believe he was telling the truth about not being engaged. The more I thought about it on the way home, the more I realised how unrealistic her claims were: Brock’s been with me the whole time; there were no visits, no phone calls; and the fact he introduced me to his parents as his girlfriend. Maybe that’s why his father was such an arse to me—he’d been pressuring Brock to marry that skank.