“Oh my God, he’s the one threatening Jett?”

Diego nodded his head.

“Why wouldn’t he tell me this?”

Diego gave me the “are you stupid” look. “Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to have a father who would rather destroy you than love you? He doesn’t want to get you wrapped up in that bullshit.”

“Too late,” I mumbled. “Why does he want Lot 17?”

“He wants to make some kind of high rise in the area that will destroy the atmosphere of the quaint part of the city and it’s right next to the Boys and Girls Club and apparently what he has planned for the building is not the most kid friendly situation.”

“What does he have planned?”

“Not quite sure on the details but Jett was discussing it with me the other day. It’s some kind of sex club, I guess, but an illegal one. I asked around yesterday and he’s not the only one who’s involved.”

“Who else? Please don’t say Kace.”

Diego laughed. “No, Kace is one hundred percent loyal to Jett.”

“Then who is it?”

“Rex Titan.”

As if I was in a soap opera, I gasped as I held my sandwich out mid-bite.

“That makes no sense, why would—”

“They have a common goal in life…to take down Jett Colby.”

“But…doesn’t Jett have enough power to take out Rex and his dad?”

“Not like they have over him. They know about you, you’re his weakness and that is just one thing he can’t fake.”

“But what about Rex and his dad. If his dad is such a bad person, why doesn’t Jett have material to hold over his head?”

“That’s what he’s working on but Jett can’t seem to get anything concrete on him, rather than he said, she said bullshit, which won’t hold up in court.”

“But—”

Diego cut me off. “That’s all I have for you. Can I leave?”

I sat there stunned, wondering what to do next.

“Isn’t there a big event tonight?”

“The Mayor’s Ball.”

“You’re going, right?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m going to help Jett.”

“You’re taking me with you.”

A laugh escaped Diego’s mouth, a deep and guttural one. “Okay, crazy.”

I stood up and charged after him, his hands covered his nipples as he crossed his legs to cover his junk.

Leaning in while reaching for the butter knife behind me, I held it up and threatened him. “Butter knives are much worse when it comes to castrating someone than let’s say, something sharp or serrated. I would hate to have to use this in the middle of the night.”

Okay, crazy was probably an accurate assessment but I was done. I was sick of people treating me like a goddamn delicate flower. I could hold my own and I was about to. I was not letting anyone push me around anymore. I was going to take care of Jett for once.

“Be ready by eight?” he said. “Wear something fancy.”

I patted his face with the flat side of the knife. “Good boy. You’re making smart decisions today, Diego. Give yourself a pat on your back.”

I tossed the half-eaten sandwich at him and brushed my hands off. “I’ll see you around eight.”

As I walked toward my room, I thought about how there was some packing I needed to do and some phone calls to make. I had a party to attend and a man to save.

Chapter Thirty Six

“Say You Love Me”

Jett

The flowery scent of Keylee’s perfume was way too overpowering to be trapped in a small vehicle with her. It was a scent that your grandma would wear on her only fanciest occasions and it was just dreadful.

The dress she showed up in was a deep purple, sweetheart top that hugged her waist and draped over her hips. There was a slip that rode up the center of her legs, showing off quite a bit but concealing just enough that the dress wasn’t considered slutty, unless you were sitting next to her in a car, that was a different story.

She crossed her legs and leaned over to me, directing my attention to the slit that rode dangerously close to her underwear, at least I was praying she was wearing underwear. Given her track record, she probably wasn’t.

“I’m so excited about tonight.” She leaned in and wrapped her hand around my arm. “Is my dress all right?”

“You look very beautiful,” I said, trying to keep the little devil calm. Just a couple of hours, that’s what I kept telling myself.

“Thank you.” She pressed her chest up against my arm.

I refrained from flicking her off me and looked out the window. Life would be so much easier without the complication of my father. Goldie would be in my arms instead of Keylee, she would be going home with me and she would be sleeping with me every night. I wouldn’t have this aching feeling that took place in my stomach every night and I wouldn’t wake up feeling lonelier than ever.

I took a page out of Goldie’s book this morning and talked to my mom at her gravesite. I talked out loud because I thought that maybe if I vocalized my thoughts, she would hear me better. Even though I didn’t have her as a present contributor in my life, I still missed her more than anything because just like Goldie, she saw me for who I am, not who society wants me to be. Being without my mom was hard and add the fact that Goldie wasn’t in my life either made it that much harder.

It was like the shadow of my father would never really leave. For a while, I was doing fine, I was living my life, free of any kind of emotional worry or care and then Goldie came along and stole my heart right out from under me. She flipped my world upside down and it burned me that I couldn’t live my life like I wanted to because I knew the moment that I let my guard down, that I showed Goldie off as mine, my dad would win because he would use my feelings for Goldie against me. Hell, he used my friendship with Kace against me.

The thought of losing Kace was almost as painful as losing Goldie. We might fight, we might call each other some of the crudest names but in the end, we were there for each other. We would do anything for each other and my dad knew that. That was why he went after Kace as well.

My hand ran over my face as I shook my head. What a damn clusterfuck. All because my dad was suffering business wise. He pissed off too many people and was now feeling the loss of those connections. With Lot 17, he was convinced that he would be able to revamp his standing but I knew better. Once you tarnish an image, it’s practically impossible to make it shiny again.

Keylee’s small hand ran over my thigh. “You’re so tense. Do you need me to take care of that for you?” Her hand ran up the inner part of my thigh. I stopped her right before she got too close. She pouted, such a turn off, and huffed.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want me to pleasure you, Jett? Isn’t that what your girls do?”

“Yes, but you’re not my girl, Keylee. You’re a friend and I don’t think it would be right to cross that line…yet.” I added yet at the end so she didn’t storm out of the car and leave me hanging. Even though she was a little touchy and pushy, I still needed to dangle a little piece of me in front of her.

“Mmm, I like the sounds of that…yet. Well, if it was up to me I would have that dick of yours in my mouth, sucking you dry.”

Jesus.

“We’re here,” I said as I straightened my tie and sat up in my seat.

The driver pulled up to the drop off zone and came around quickly to our door to let us out. I was by no means ready for this but it was time to get it over with. A couple of hours of kissing ass and then I would be stripping Goldie naked and holding her in my arms.

Lights flashed as I stepped out of the car. I held my hand out to Keylee who eagerly took it and we walked in tandem, down the red carpet that seemed a little extreme, took pictures together and then headed into the grand hall.

The walls were covered in gold and green wallpaper and I couldn’t help to think how ironic the colors were given my situation. I needed to take note from my own damn words. I needed to have faith that this was all going to work out, that the honest will prevail. One could only hope.