Uncomplicated(21)

"Mathis," I growled in reply.

"I'm not sure what you heard. But hear me out." His clipped tone was  soothing now. Almost as if he was pleading with me. "Let me tell you  first, since that dinner, Jude has contacted me a number of times. All  of them regarding you. Threats trying to get leverage over me to have  you for another night. This isn't about business, it is about him  fucking you again, and the mere thought of it has me fucking seeing red,  Jennifer."

I wanted to laugh in his face. Leverage over him for a night with me?

"Well, Mathis. First off, that's not gonna happen. He will never get  another night with me. He was a client, nothing more." I tried to  continue, but he cut me off.

"Are you sure he was only a client?" His jealousy was written all over his face.

I was completely taken off guard at his question. What would give him  the thought that there was ever anything more than a professional  relationship between us? "Why would you even think that, Mathis?"

"I saw the way you looked at him over dinner. The way he looked at you.  There was more." He was angry, jealous. I loved it when he was jealous.  It got me all fuckin' hot and bothered. I would never tell him that,  though.

"Mathis. I thought once upon a time that he would sweep me off my feet. I  didn't know him. I didn't know how much of a vile asshole he was,  either. I don't want him. I don't want anyone but you. How many times do  I have to tell you that? What else can I do to prove that to you? I've  given myself to you in every damn way I can, Mathis. Please, believe me  already!" I was pleading with him by the time I finished. I crossed the  room and cradled his face in my hands. Our eyes stared into each other's  souls, but neither of us wanted to make the first move.         

     



 

"I'm sorry, Jenny. I'm so sorry." His lips pressed gently against mine  and his kiss apologized for ever questioning my commitment to him. It  might have been fresh and new, but it was as strong as two people could  be connected.

"Stop worrying, Mathis. If I had known, I would have pulled out my  client file on Jude." I shrugged it off, knowing I had more dirt on Jude  Emerson than he could ever have on me or Mathis combined. "It is a  non-issue, Mathis. I keep client files on every single client I have  ever taken on. I have dirt on every last one. Shit they would never want  to meet the public eye, including pictures. I will handle this. Have  Dean get me a security detail for the day and I will pay Jude a visit."  Before I could finish my sentence, he was cutting me off again.

"I will come with you."

"No, Mathis. I don't want you going all fuckin' caveman on him. You  won't come. This is something I have to do alone." I watched his  internal battle wage.

He was trying to talk his possessive self down and do what we both know was the right thing.

"Yan, my brother will go with you as your security detail."

"That is fine. Now, baby, come back to bed with me." I gave him a wink  and threw a little extra sway into my hips as I walked away.







My palms were sweating, my heart was racing, and I felt like I wanted to vomit.

Yan stood by my side, as we flew floor-by-floor in Jude's building. I  didn't want to confront him, I honestly wished he would just fucking go  away.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened with Jude standing  front and center. His floppy blond hair I once found attractive  disgusted me. I no longer cared for his surfer-esque charm. I compared  every inch of him to Mathis in my mind. His eyes were too pale. His  smile was too bright. His charm wasn't charm at all. It was  cocky-douchebaggery. The way I once fawned over him disgusted me. I  disgust myself thinking about the hours I fantasized about being under  him again as he used my body for nothing more than his own pleasure.

"Jenny, always lovely to see you. I must admit, I was more than excited  when you called." His hand rubbed his hardening cock through his pants  and I wanted to punch him in the dick. But that would involve actually  having to touch him, which I had no plans of doing.

"Save it, Jude. I'm here on business. I fear you have violated a big  stipulation in your client contact. I have contacted my lawyer about  this, but I am here to give you a bit of a chance before I release this  information on you." I waved the brown file folder in the air.

His demeanor changed from cocky to concern.

"Jude, you should have known this would be coming. My husband has told  me how many times you came to him with your empty threats. What is your  problem? After all these years we have worked together, why would you  now decide to be like this?" It was an honest question. We had always  had a flawless partnership. He had always treated me with respect, which  was why once upon a time I could have pictured being his Mrs. Emerson.  Shitty to think about now and I knew all-in-all it would have never  actually happened. But, I couldn't help but wonder why he stooped to  this level.

Yan continued to stand off in the distance, watching every movement Jude  made. Giving privacy, but also being his brother's keeper. I knew  everything that took place would be reported back in detail to Mathis.  The fact of the matter remained, I had nothing to hide. I was there for  one reason and that was to get Jude Emerson to leave me and my husband  alone. For good.

"I don't know, Jenny. All these years. I just..." His fingers ran  through his blond locks and I couldn't help but see how conflicted he  looked. Hurt almost. I wanted to pity him, but I couldn't. "I thought  that would've been me one day. You know. Me and you, a shitty Vegas  wedding. I know I never acted like I wanted more, but I kept coming back  to you as a client because it was the only way to have you. All those  other women over the years never compared to you. Especially Lily.  Seeing you with her that night made me realize how much it was you I  wanted."

I wanted to run because I knew this wasn't going the way I thought it  would. I expected a fight with him, but all I saw was a broken little  boy. Hurt because the favorite toy he liked playing with was broken.  Unavailable. No longer his. The big kid on the playground stole it.

"I'm sorry, Jude. I am genuinely sorry, but you can't act like this. You  can't threaten my husband or me. You are lucky I chose to come to you.  Had Mathis come, this would have been much more painful. But Jude...I  won't come again. This is over. If you make good on any of the promises  you made to Mathis, I will release these pictures. This file will go to  every last business associate of yours, and your father's. Don't mistake  my pity for weakness, Jude. I give one chance. That is all." As I  turned to walk back toward the elevator, I stopped. "And Jude?"         

     



 

He nodded in my direction as his shoulders slumped and his hands dug deep into his pockets.

"I'm not out of the business. I got new girls. I could set you up with my newest. I think she would be just your style."

Like that, Yan and I made our exit and I could see the wheels turning in Jude's head as the steel elevator doors closed.

"Good job, sis."

The first words Yan ever spoke to me. Sis?





Chapter Twenty-Two

Family Bonding

Mathis





"Where's your beautiful wife?" Yan asked me as we headed to my dining room table.

I cracked open two beers and handed him one of the brown, ice cold bottles. "With her friend, Nora."

"Is this Nora single?"

I smiled and sat across from him. "Not at the moment." I didn't know  what her relationship was or if you could even call it a relationship,  when it came to her and Dean. I did know, though, that whatever it was,  it was solid. For the moment anyway.

"Hmm … too bad. She's a hot little thing," Yan said as he took a swig of his beer.

I did the same and placed the bottle in front of me. It was weird  sitting there, at my table, talking, when we hadn't seen each other in  over fifteen years. The past couple of days we had bonded over helping  Jenny with Jude, but other than that we never really talked about what  our true issue was. "Why are we here?"

Yan's gray gaze met mine and he sighed before drinking the rest of his beer. "I … I'm an asshole and fucked up when we were kids."

I scoffed. "Well, our dad didn't make it easy for either of us."

"This is true, but … " He huffed. "This is going to make me sound like a fucking pussy, but I've missed you."

I choked. If I was drinking something, it surely would have been spit out all across the table. "Excuse me?"

Yan rolled his eyes. "Don't act so surprised, jackass."

"Well, I am. You've always hated me. Ever since we were kids."

"I didn't hate you. I hated our father for always comparing us. I joined  the fucking military because of that dickhead. I still have nightmares  over the shit I've seen," he explained, his voice going gruff.