Page 32 of His Sacrifice

I watched her disappear into her bedroom before turning to put on my shoes. The room felt empty without her, but I knew I needed to give her space. I grabbed my jacket and walked out the door, making sure to lock it behind me, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

I got into my car, but I didn’t leave immediately. Instead, I pulled out my phone and texted Jax.

Ten minutes later, Jax pulled into the parking spot next to me. He got out of his car and walked over to my window.

“Sir,” he nodded to me.

“She’s in apartment eleven. Stay with her, Jax. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“You’ll have nothing to worry about, sir,” Jax assured me.

I knew with Jax keeping an eye on her, I didn’t have anything to worry about. I was sure Candace was watching, and having someone watching Jada meant she was important to me. Jax being here was sending the message that Jada was mine.

“Call me if anything happens,” I ordered.

Jax stepped back from my car. “You’ll be the first to know, but I’m sure it will be a quiet night.”

I rolled up my window and drove in the direction of my penthouse. I wanted to stay with Jada, but I didn’t want to scare her. She had gone through enough today without me completely barging into her life. My time with her was going to be the calm before the storm because I knew as soon as Candace came out of the woodwork, it was going to be an all-out war.

As I drove, I couldn’t help but think about the day. Seeing Jada with her mom had stirred something deep inside me. It wasn’t just about protecting her anymore. I cared about her. And I was going to do everything in my power to make sure she was safe and happy.

When I finally reached my penthouse, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Candace was a threat, and I knew she wouldn’t back down easily. But I was ready. For Jada, I would fight any battle. And I knew she was worth every bit of it.

I walked into my apartment, the silence enveloping me. I poured myself a drink and stood by the window, looking out at the city lights. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Jada had become more than just a part of my plan. She had become someone I genuinely cared about. And I was determined to show her that.

As I sipped my drink, I thought about our kiss. It had felt right, natural. I wanted more of that. More of her. And I was going to make sure I had it. No matter what.

Tomorrow was a new day, and I was ready to face whatever came our way. For now, I needed to rest and prepare. The storm was coming, and I was going to make sure Jada and I made it through together.

Chapter Fifteen

Jada

The store was pretty dead today.

Days like this worried me that the shop was going to go under. Maybe physical books were becoming a thing of the past.

The bell above the door dinged, and I smiled. “Or not,” I whispered.

A group of young women walked in and headed straight to the romance section to the right of the door.

I called to the women, letting them know to give me a shout if they needed anything. The bell above the door dinged again, and my stomach did a somersault this time. Creed walked in, his eyes sweeping the shop as he pushed his sunglasses on top of his head.

How was it fair for a man to be so handsome? He was wearing a crisp white shirt with the top button undone, revealing just a hint of his tanned skin. His charcoal gray trousers were perfectly tailored, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, giving him a casual yet undeniably stylish look. His brown leather shoes looked brand new, and a sleek, dark belt completed his business-casual ensemble. Man, he was just straight-up gorgeous. He always called me gorgeous, but he was the word’s true definition.

The women in the romance section looked up as he walked in, and a hushed chorus of admiration rose up from them. Creed nodded to them, acknowledging their stares, and then made his way directly to me.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he called, his voice smooth and confident.

I was behind the counter, my hands braced on the register to keep me from falling over. His eyes were heated, and it was unbelievable that he was headed right toward me.

“Hi,” I chirped, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

He stood on the other side of the counter, a smug look on his face. “How’s your day been?” he asked.

“Uh, it’s been kind of slow, but things seem to be picking up.” I nodded toward the women, who were now glancing at Creed while loading their arms with books.

Creed nodded. “Good, good.”

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