Page 28 of Jordan

I carefully took the mug, not wanting to spill it on his furniture or myself. The warmth would feel good. I was still shivering from being outside. Jordan noticed. He stood and hit a button for the fireplace to come to life.

“Would you like a blanket?” he asked.

“A blanket?”

“Yes, the piece of fabric you put over yourself when you’re cold,” he said, clearly getting annoyed with me.

I took a sip of the tea and placed it on the coffee table, then stood. “No, I don’t want a blanket. I need to go home.” His attitude was driving me away. Not the kind woman trying to help me or Reghan, Raiden, whoever, standing near the elevator.

But I didn’t get far because Jordan’s hand wrapped around my wrist to hold me in place. “You’re not leaving.”

“Excuse me?” I asked. “I’m not being held prisoner here. It’s clear you don’t want me to stay.” There was no point in trying to keep the hurt from my voice. I thought we’d turned a corner after the last time I saw him. That I was more to him than just the guy who made his fucking suits.

“Hartley.” He pulled me close until he could put his palm on the side of my neck. “I’m not an easy man. It’s not natural for me to express emotions outside of anger. I get irritated quickly.”

“Is this where you say it’s not you, it’s me?”

“It would be the truth.”

As much as I wanted to sink into his touch, I resisted it. “If you don’t want me here, just say so.”

“Let Irene take care of you. I’ll call my doctor too.”

“Is that why?” I had to know if he felt guilty for getting me sick or if there was more to it.

He leaned close so his lips brushed over the shell of my ear, sending chills skating over my body that had nothing to do with the fever. “Please stay. For me.”

I waited for him to look me in the eye again. There was no resisting him. Not when his gaze said more than his lips did. He wanted me here, even if he couldn’t bring himself to admit the reason out loud.

13

VAIL

There was no doubt in my mind I needed to go to the doctor. The thought of doing so made me burrow deeper in bed. Tahoe whimpered next to me. I had to let him out so I couldn’t lay here for too long.

I started feeling sick two days ago. Now I had the flu, thanks to Jordan. Well, thanks to me. I was the one who took him soup knowing he was sick.

I was determined to bring out another side of him. It was in there, buried beneath the murderous looks and cruel intentions. But he wasn’t that way when he was with me. When we were alone, he was different, not so stiff and formal.

I was at his home preaching about eating well and taking vitamins. Where the fuck did that get me?

Groaning, I pushed the covers back and dropped one leg off the bed. It was a slow start, but it was something. Tahoe barked, then jumped from the bed, ready to go. Of course. He was tall with dark brown and black fur. One ear was up and the other was down. His tail was a weapon on its own with the way he wagged it. The lankiness he used to have as he grew was fading, and he filled out more. I kept forgetting to do the dog DNA test to figure out what he was. There was German shepherd in him for certain, but what else, I wasn’t sure.

He barked again, telling me without words I was moving too slowly for his liking. This was going to be a do everything at once trip so I could climb back upstairs into bed for a while.

I hit the bathroom quick then went downstairs with Tahoe rushing ahead of me, trying to see if he could trip me. I grabbed my coat and his leash, bundling up before I opened the door. A pair of snow boots sat near the door, so I slipped them on.

The cold air was like a slap in the face the moment I was outside. Tahoe loved it and pulled me toward the patches of grass behind the house. It wasn’t a lot, but it would have to do for now. I wasn’t about to take him for a lengthy walk down the block so he could find the perfect spot to take a shit.

Luckily, he did his business, then sniffed a few areas where a cat or some other animal must have walked. My neighbor had two cats she let out during the day and brought in at night. They didn’t mind the cold. Tahoe was always on their trail when he went out.

Back inside, I shivered and took my coat off. I should eat something, so I started rooting around in the fridge before grabbing yogurt. It would have to do. I also fed Tahoe.

The yogurt didn’t even reach my mouth when there was a knock on the back door. Most people delivering packages stopped by the front. It made me pause, wondering who it was. I was still on the lookout for my ex. He was a free man, always escaping any charge they threw his way. Apparently, beating the shit out of me repeatedly wasn’t enough to keep him locked away. At least I had the PFA against him. Because he already violated it once, I got it extended. I would give almost anything to see him locked up for good, but that wasn’t my luck.

Looking through the peephole in the back door, I found one of Jordan’s guards there. Reghan, if I remembered correctly. I glanced down at myself and really hoped Jordan wasn’t with him. I didn’t want to be seen by him like this. It shouldn’t matter, but it did. More than my sick self wanted to evaluate at the moment.

“Reghan?” I asked when I opened the door, keeping my leg behind me so Tahoe couldn’t push through. I could feel his wiggling like he wanted to get to the person outside and bathe them with kisses. “Does Jordan need something?”

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