Page 142 of The Price of Forever

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

JORDAN

“I got my small recorder…the tiny recorder…the anal beads recorder…” I muttered to myself as I rushed around my living room, checking and double checking that I had what I needed for Eli’s party. The anal beads recorder wasn’t actually for sticking up someone’s ass, but the way they hung on the slender cord looked a lot like a gift in somebody’s sexy toy party bag. I slipped them around my neck, opting to mask them among my other silvery, glittering necklaces.

Perfectly hidden.

Trojan sent Liam to pick me up, planning to meet up with me in front of Eli’s house before we went in. I checked my phone—it was almost eight p.m. Instead of heading to the club on a Friday night, I was heading into the lion’s den. Nervousness churned inside me. I was worried about what “more” he would request from me tonight and whether I’d be able to dodge it and still get the information I wanted.

My brothers were a common conversational topic in elite circles, but it was mostly gossip and speculation. Eli hadn’t blatantly confessed to interfering in their case since that first party that Seven attended with me. I tried not to get too frustrated that Eli hadn’t opened up with the same amount of detail since then, especially since I’d been recording every breath, grunt, and fart. I knew it was just a matter of time. And I hoped tonight’s house party would be the turning point.

Even though Seven won’t be there with you.

I had grown to love Trojan—but he was no Seven. My body and my heart still craved Seven, even if he was content to act like nothing ever happened between us. I hated how much it hurt me. I hated that I’d let him in at all.

Trojan said Seven missed me, too. But talk was cheap. If Seven really missed me and believed we had something, then he’d have shown me by now.

I tried to push these thoughts out of my head before I got into a sadness spiral. I needed to be on point for this evening at Eli’s, and starting it off moping about Seven was not the way to shine. I made one final assessment of my purse—microphones, lipstick, and phone in place—and headed downstairs to meet Liam in front of my building.

Outside, it was already dark. Liam was in the SUV at the curb with his hazard lights flashing. My teal heels clicked against the sidewalk as I hurried to slip into the back seat, tugging my curve-hugging slate gray dress down over my thighs.

“Hi, Liam.” I buckled up as he pulled into traffic, then smoothed my high ponytail, a strategic choice, in case Eli wanted me on the pole tonight. “Back on chauffeur duty, I see.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He grinned at me through the rearview mirror. His charming good looks were always a mild surprise when I saw him. “Just doing my time before I get a fun assignment, like guarding you.”

“Oh, you think you’ll be assigned to me?” I executed a haughty hair flip. “Gonna have to train a little harder to keep up with this mess.”

He laughed as we worked our way through the stop-and-go traffic. “I wouldn’t mind the excitement.”

“I’m sure Seven won’t keep you doing the boring stuff for long.” I settled back into my seat, watching the world creep past the tinted window. “The Fairchilds always have something interesting going on.”

The mention of my brothers made me think about Cora. She had left my text unanswered for two days now. I could physically feel the rift that had cracked and spread between us. And that unexpected distance between my bonus sister and me was even harder to deal with since I’d also lost Seven.

My phone vibrated with a text. I slipped it out of my handbag.

TROJAN: I used the pickax.

I frowned down at the screen for a minute then stuffed my phone back in my purse, mulling over his comment. I was so tired of missing Seven, of thinking about him, of craving him. Even if I wanted to try to force Seven to let me in, when would I have the chance?

Liam pulled up in front of Eli’s house. Per protocol, I waited for Trojan to escort me from the car to the front door. I unclicked my seatbelt, giving myself a once over before heading out.

The back seat handle clicked; the door swung open. I slipped out of the car, swinging my gaze up to Trojan. But as I did, a few things registered as off.

The hand waiting for mine was rougher than Trojan’s. The stature, much taller. The outfit, much sleeker.

It took a few seconds for my brain to catch up with my eyes. I tipped my head back, drinking in the dark gaze of the man I’d been longing to lay eyes on.

My mouth parted, and my voice completely evaporated.

“Jordan.” Seven’s deep rumble lit a fire inside me at the same time it soothed my every aching nerve. I used his offered hand to step onto the sidewalk. He pushed the door shut behind me, tapping it once. Liam pulled away.

I swallowed hard, looking around us on the sidewalk. Trojan was nowhere to be found. I pulled my leather jacket tighter around me. And that’s when I found my voice. And my anger.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped.

“There was a change in plans,” he said simply, his heavy gaze not wavering from me for even a second. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking behind that neutral mask he wore. But I ached to know.

“Where’s my guard?” I asked, glowering at him. “I’d hate to waste your time with something so frivolous as me.”

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