Page 37 of Her Filthy Mistake

I wrinkle my nose as long as he’s not still pushing this dating thing between Ethan James and me. That’s not going to happen. I’m not dating anyone but Jace. He’ll restart his music career, my father’s objections will be moot, Mom and Landon will learn to accept us, and we’ll fall madly in love, get married, and have babies. It’ll be perfect.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jace

What in the hell did I do? I slump on the sofa and stare blindly at the wall. But instead of white paint and teal window treatments, all I see is Zoe’s eyes as I repeatedly drove inside of her. It was pure bliss but also my ticket to hell.

No, it’s her ticket to hell.

I rake my hand through my hair and smack the back of my skull against the cushion. The cushions are thick and stuffed with extra padding, so it doesn’t hurt. Which is both a relief and an irritation. I need something to knock some sense into me.

What do we do now? Pretend it didn’t happen? Do it again? Adrenaline rushes throughout my veins as my gaze catches the notepad on the coffee table. I know what answer I want, but that’s borne out of selfishness. Zoe’s mother will disown her. Hell, my brother will send me on a one-way ticket back to Vegas. And Fletcher, Zoe’s father? He’ll castrate me. He’s already made his disdain for me clear.

I straighten on the sofa. I’m not that person anymore. I’m not strung out. I have a steady job. I’ve managed to save nine months of salary, so I’m far from destitute. My condo is clean and tidy. There’s nothing he could find in my recent past that would be a red flag. I’ve been celibate for almost three years. Zoe’s face floats in front of my eyes again until now.

After snatching up the resort notebook, my heart races. The second the pen is clasped in my fingers; I jot down a string of words as notes play in my head. I haven’t felt the pull to write lyrics since the last time I saw Zoe. The words poured out of me then, just as they are now.

Maybe it wasn’t sobriety that stopped the flow of words. Maybe it was giving up half my soul to stay away from her. The vibrant side that saw pleasure and pain. That felt emotions. That ached to be with her and claim her as my own.

The words fly onto the page until I sit back and smile. It’s rough, but it’s a song. One that doesn’t sound like the vibe I used to write. It’s softer. I tap the end of the pen on the pad. An acoustic version would be smoking hot.

Shit. I toss the pen down and slump back into the cushions. It doesn’t matter. I’ve propositioned every recording studio around with no results, and if I want a chance with Zoe, returning to the music industry would be the nail in my coffin. Fletcher would use it to claim I wanted Zoe only for a career.

Let it go, man. This isn’t for you.

My phone rings. It’s Everleigh. I snatch it up while crumpling the piece of paper and tossing it into the trash. “Hey, boss.”

“Jace, I’m so sorry. I know I promised not to disturb you on your vacation.”

“It’s fine. I needed a break.” And a trip back to reality. When I get off the plane, I’ll be in the desert heat working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. while keeping the lightweights from doing something they can’t leave in Vegas. I don’t have to work that many hours, but overseeing and supporting my staff is important to me. “What’s up?”

“Adrian has come in late the last three days.”

“How does he look?” Adrian Coleman was a guy that spoke to me on a soul level. Another starving artist that wallows in self-pity. I interviewed him three months ago and until now, he’s been on the straight and narrow.

Until I wasn’t there to keep a thumb on him.

I rise off the sofa and pace in front of Zoe’s bedroom door. She left with her mom as soon as we arrived back on the mainland, and I haven’t seen her since.

My eyes dart to her door. Is she avoiding me? Does she regret having sex with me?

Of course, she regrets having sex with you. Or maybe she’s so proud of your island fuck that she can mark it off her bucket list. Stop making something out of nothing. You were on a private island, half-naked, and you banged. End of story.

But if she wants more? Yeah, there’s no way I could say no. There’s no way I’d want to say no. I’d find a way to change her father’s mind no matter how long it took.

“I think he looks strung out. Dark circles under his eyes. Jumpy. Arguing with other staff. And disappears for 20-30 minutes to the bathroom two or three times a shift. Now, he’s showing up late.”

“Right.” My shoulders stiffen. He’s not just coming in after indulging the night before, he’s using on the job which is something I won’t tolerate. “I’ll call him.”

“You don’t have to. I can call him. I just wanted you to know what was going on. I’ll call him in on his next shift and let him know that we’re not tolerating this type of behavior. I didn’t want to wait until you came back to tell you and have you get blindsided.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” As much as I regret that my career didn’t take off like I wanted, I love working for Everleigh and her husband, Victor. They both have brilliant minds and have treated me with dignity and respect. Even when I was struggling to keep the demons at bay without indulging, they took a chance on me and kept pushing me until I’m now the head of their security at Everleigh’s hotel and nightclub.

“You’re welcome.” She covers the phone to speak to someone. Likely Victor. “Sorry about that.” She laughs as she returns to our conversation. “You know how it is. There are constant fires to put out at this place.” The faint cry of a baby breaks through the connection, and my heart clutches. I always wanted kids. Does Zoe want children?

Okay, slow your roll. You’ve spent one afternoon together.

“Yes, I know.” I chuckle in response as I envision her seated in the high-backed leather chair surrounded by papers, suite mockups, and baby toys. They have a toddler and another baby on the way.

---