The Dirty Series 2(61)

Fucking asshole. “That wasn’t the deal we made.”

Charlie’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer, forcing me to step back. The only thing keeping him from hitting me, I was sure, was the fact that there were people in the coffee shop, and he can’t keep running his “business” if he’s in jail.

“The deal is off when I say it’s off.” I can see his muscles flexing, nostrils flaring. This was dangerous ground. I wanted to tell him to fuck off, that my brother doesn’t owe him anything anymore, and that he wouldn’t be seeing me, but the memory of his fist crashing into Adam’s face, more horrible threats in his eyes, made me bite my tongue.

There would be no chance to end it with Charlie—not until Charlie satisfies his own greed. Which could be never.

All I can do is tell Jett.

Which is why my hands are shaking when I go up to his office and ask his secretary if he’s busy. She looks me up and down, then makes a decision. “Go on in,” she says, her voice kind, if a little wary.

Jett is on the phone when I knock at the doorframe, and he holds up one finger, not looking toward me until he’s finished the call he’s on. When he sees me, his face brightens.

“Hey, sweet thing,” he says, a term of endearment that would make my flesh crawl if it was spoken by anyone else. When Jett says it, my chest fills with warm pleasure.

But it doesn’t last, because I know what I have to do.

He kisses me, then closes the door to his office. While he’s out, I arrange the food on his desk, hands trembling, heart jumping.

I don’t want to do this, but I have to.

I want him to keep looking at me the way he did when he saw that it was me and not his secretary at the door.

I want him to love me. It’s fucking stupid, and it’s a pipe dream, but I want him to love me...and not because I’ve seduced him, but because I make him happy.

The food I’ve brought—burgers from my favorite hole-in-the-wall a few blocks from the Sisterspark offices—stick in my throat. I don’t make it until we’ve finished.

When I abruptly put my burger down on the paper plate, Jett looks at me, his brow furrowed. “Are you all right?”

“No.”

He puts down his burger, turns to face me. “What is it?”

Just then, my phone buzzes. Hadley wanted me to be available this evening in case more news broke on the LinkLove story, which she’s also covering on her website.

“I’m—just one second, Jett.”

I slide my phone out of my purse and my heart plummets straight through the floor.

Your brother was never supposed to leave the city.

Then, Do you think we can’t find him, wherever he is?

Then, Do you think we won’t?

The blood drains from my face, my mind going into overdrive. What the fuck am I going to say to Jett? I thought Adam was safe at home, away from the city, but maybe that was another stupid assumption.

There’s no way I can tell him now, not when my brother’s life is still at risk—and Charlie is angry. If the money stops coming in....

“Angelica?”

“Yeah? Yes.” I drop the phone back into my purse.

“What’s bothering you?”

“I—”

The silence stretches out as stressful heat floods my face. In the end, I have no choice to settle for half of the truth.

“I know this is just supposed to be a fling, but...you should know that I...I have feelings for you.”





Chapter Twenty-Four





Jett



Angelica’s eyes are watery, like she’s on the verge of tears, and she’s clearly uncomfortable with telling me this, though in this moment I can’t fathom why. We’ve been sleeping together, with her staying at my penthouse, for upwards of two weeks. I bailed her out of an inconvenient situation. I’ve given her everything, including practically unlimited access to me.

This should not be a fucking surprise, but my heart thuds against my rib cage.

Are we at this point already?

My mind spins out of control. It doesn’t seem to matter that seconds ago I was thinking how terrible it would be if she were ever out of my sight. It turns out I’m still torn.

I don’t know what to say.

I stall for time.

I smile at her with a cocky confidence I don’t feel. Underneath I’m a damn tidal wave of some emotion I can’t name, that I’m not even sure I want to name. “What kind of feelings?”

She looks down at her hands in her lap. “You know.”

Her bottom lip quivers, just slightly, and I want to take her face in my hands and pull her in to me and kiss her until her smile is radiant, comfortable, secure.

My heart twists in my chest, battling against my head.