“Yep, let’s go.” I smirked as we walked toward the cars, remembering what Stephan had demanded of me. I said I would stay with Cassie, I never promised not to leave.
Chapter Three
Stephan
I am going to tan Jade’s hide. Why couldn’t she stay where I tell her? I turned to Scott. “Looks like you’re with us. Come on, Derick will drive us back so I can get my car. I need to get Jade from your place.”
Scott scrubbed his face with a towel. “Stephan, I don’t think you can get Jade if she’s at my place. My parents wouldn’t allow it. They aren’t like everyone here. They wouldn’t let you just take her. Jade is new and they know it.”
“She’s mine. I n—”
“Stephan, shut it.”
I glared at Derick as he narrowed his eyes at me. I knew he wanted me to keep quiet. I probably sounded like a possessive arsehole. It was the curse’s fault, and I couldn’t explain to Scott or my friends, they’d think I really was crazy. I knew people thought us Silverman’s were eccentric.
“You’ll see Jade tomorrow at the party. Right, Scott?”
Scott’s gaze went from me to Derick. He knew something was going on, just not exactly what. “Er, yeah, sure. Cassie is dying to go to one of your parties. She’ll make sure Jade comes. I’ll drive them to your place myself.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. I could wait until tomorrow to see her again. I’d call Zeck again when I got home and see what he’d found out.
*****
Scott stayed for a while and he’d help distract me. Derick took him home half an hour ago and I’d just gotten off the phone with Zeck. I sat at my computer shocked at the information I was reading. Jade was only seventeen, she was a little over a month away from eighteen. I was nineteen, so there wasn’t a huge difference in age. She was smart, not only to keep up with people a year older at school, but she was street smart. I felt like an even bigger arse as I read about her. Jade’s mother had died of a meth overdose only two weeks ago. She had no known father, and there were three different restraining orders against men her mother had been with. DoCS, Department of Community Services, had been called several times, but nothing had come of the visits. There were notes though, and he felt sick as he read one after another. Why the hell hadn’t they taken her? Jade had raised herself. She now lived with her mother’s father who was her only known relative and a drug dealer. Zeck had dug deeper finding out she received Centerlink benefits from the age of fourteen. He’d hacked into her account and I could now see how Jade spent the money, with care at the grocery store, and the cheapest clothing stores.
A knock sounded on my door and knew it would be Derick. “Come in.” I didn’t turn to him I kept reading.
“So anything good?” He didn’t need to ask what I was looking at.
Running fingers through my hair, I cleared my dry throat. “I’ve been an idiot. I knew we were lucky and spoiled, but…” I couldn’t tell him. I stood and moved from the computer. Derick took my place. I laid on my bed and tried not to come up with images of what Jade’s life would have looked like and what she’d been through.
After a while the side of the bed sank. “Fuck, bro, that’s some serious shit. What are you going to do?”
Ha, that was the big question. “I don’t know. I’m going to need help. I didn’t want to bother Mum and Dad, but I’m gonna need Mum.”
“Do you still want her?”
I sat up and snarled, “What the fuck kind of question is that? Of course I still want her, she’s mine. I just have to take it slower than I wanted.” I stared at Derick. “I’m going to give her everything, Derick. I promise she will want for nothing. I’m going to surround her with everything she could ever want, luxury, friends, family—and love.”
Derick stood. “You know I’ll support you, and Mum will love spoiling her.” He walked to the door. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to go slow and build up her trust. You won’t be able to just move her in here and expect her to follow your orders. You need to give her time to get to know you. Jade is not one of your normal women, so treat her right.” He left my room, shutting the door.
As much as I wanted to get angry at Derick for what he said, I couldn’t because it was all true.
*****
Jade
Cassie’s parents were nice, and I learned were she got her no filter—her father. He just said whatever came to mind. I didn’t think I’d blushed so much in my life and I’d definitely not had a sheltered life. He seemed like the laid back one in the relationship, were Cassie’s mother was all perfectly put together, not a hair or piece of clothing out of place.