Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
I closed my eyes and remembered the male bodies on display, none of them nearly as sexy as Jett’s.
Why him? Why fucking him of all men?
“Talk to me, Johnny,” she murmured.
“I’m in love with someone,” I said, not shocking myself at all, even though the confession itself was a surprise. I’d already admitted it to myself a million times since he’d left.
“Who? And why do you sound so miserable about it? Is she married or something? Is that it?”
Concetta kept her eyes down as she gathered our plates, but I felt the empathy and understanding in her body language nonetheless. She knew. The entire household staff knew. And they missed him almost as much as I did.
“His name is Jett. Or… at least that’s the name he gave me.”
“The name he gave you—Locke, what the hell?”
I started telling her the story, beginning with the Candy Bar lap dance, the way he intrigued me, the attraction I felt—although I kept that part free of details—and how I came to bring him to Italy. I didn’t mention the job proposition, only the invitation to help me out. To be with me physically at night and help host the event during the day.
“As your boyfriend?” she asked in surprise.
“No.” I inhaled and exhaled, thrusting my fingers into my hair. “I wanted to keep it a secret. It was… I don’t know. Like an experiment at first. I wasn’t ready for it to change my life or anything.” I huffed out a laugh. “How fucking ironic.”
“What makes you think he’s not who he says he is?”
This part was hard to explain without breaking confidences—both his and the Paxis Council’s.
“Because I had HR run a background check on the name he gave me,” I said shortly. “That’s not the man I knew.”
She nodded slowly. “Well, maybe you didn’t know him as well as you thought you did.”
“Maybe.” I pushed back my chair and gazed out over the water.
In a way, Celeste was right. I didn’t know Jett’s real name or his address. I didn’t know his birthday or who his mother was.
But I knew he loved seashells, and that his blue eyes glowed when he teased me. I knew how it felt when he chided me to eat healthy salad and forced me to take a break from the stress of my job. I knew how his mind worked when he assessed a Paxis board, and that he was equally kind to everyone, from my gardeners to the British king’s cousin. I knew that when I’d been floundering under the weight of responsibility, he’d reminded me that I wasn’t alone. I knew he could communicate in a million languages, including mine.
And I knew that he’d tried to take me with him when he left.
If I were judging the man by his actions…
“Mmm,” Celeste said, watching my face.
I blinked and turned my gaze to her. “What’s mmm mean?”
“It means… maybe you should track this guy down and talk to him.”
I shot her a look. “You don’t think I’ve thought of that? He’s a ghost, Cellie.”
She frowned. “Because of a measly human resources background check? You own one of the world’s most advanced satellite and navigation software companies. You have pretty much unlimited money and resources. You’d think you’d have access to a hacker at the very least.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “Like, what are you even doing with yourself, Johnny? Jeez.”
I snorted. Then I thought of my contact—the one who’d arranged for the blockade. Now it was my turn to say it. “Mmm.”
The edge of her lip curled up, and she nodded, clearly satisfied. “Uh-huh. There’s the Locke Maris I know and love. Focused and determined, not gonna let a tiny little detail like not knowing a guy’s name or location stop him. Let the hunt begin.”
Concetta had retreated out of hearing distance, so I waved her over and requested a glass of whiskey.
As soon as she was gone, I turned to Celeste. “You’re so fucking right. I am going to find Jett.”
“Damn straight you are,” she agreed. “You’ll make him tell you the truth.”
I looked out at the water and thought of Jett’s eyes.
“And I might tell him a few truths of my own.”
32
JETT
My phone battery had long died by the time I made my way to the palace and pled my case. Honestly, if the princeling hadn’t been coming back from a fucking polo match or some shit and recognized me, I would have been screwed.
“Jett?” Chris asked incredulously.
“I need help,” I said, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Even though we weren’t exactly close, we were distantly related through our great-grandfathers and had spent several kick-ass family reunions and celebrations together over the years.
He took me in and treated me like a royal guest—which I guess went without saying—but once I was cleaned up and well rested, he and his fathers demanded answers.