Page 51 of Bitter Confessions

She didn’t respond, but made her way over to the kids, smiling even though she was dying inside. She sank to her knees between Kye and Bailey’s chairs. She didn’t have to ask for a hug. Kye immediately wrapped himself around her—arms around her neck, and legs around her waist. She sat back on her heels, rocking him from side to side, soaking in his presence since she wasn’t sure when she’d see him again.

“You be a good boy, okay?” she murmured.

Kye nodded and scooted off her lap.

She turned to Bailey, who had tears in her eyes.

“You’re leaving?”

Her astute niece was going to make her lose her shit. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes.”

“You don’t have to go,” Ariana said from somewhere behind her. “I’ll make sure to keep the kids away from him so there won’t be any accidents.”

As her face crumpled, she dragged her niece into her arms and buried her face in Bailey’s fine, silky hair. Roth’s only aim this evening had been to accompany her to her family gathering and experience his first Thanksgiving. He’d been cordial, respectful, and on his best behavior. Still, he’d been labeled as strange and dangerous—someone the kids needed protecting from because their ditzy aunt couldn’t see him for the monster he was. In her experience, kids were the best judge of character and would have given Roth a wide berth if they’d sensed he was evil. Instead, they’d been all over him.

Although Ariana had a right to feel uneasy about Roth, every fiber of her being vehemently rejected the idea he was capable of harming a child. His actions tonight—the way he’d backed away from Kye when they arrived and his instinctive need to give Bailey space when she’d plopped between them on the couch—showed he was very aware of how fragile they were and was terrified he’d inadvertently harm them.

Roth was unapologetically himself, unwilling to put on a false persona to make her family, who were used to shallow social interactions and polished facades, feel more comfortable. The way Roth watched the children with such rapt attention that freaked Ariana out so badly was how he analyzed everything—with complete, unwavering focus.

She wouldn’t allow her sisters to vilify her partner, especially when their husbands weren’t innocent florists. All of them had something to hide, yet Ariana was quick to condemn, arrogantly assuming no one would uncover her sins and that Rami had none. Her sisters refused to look past Roth’s worst moment to the good. No matter what he did to redeem himself, her sisters would see only what they wanted to.

And they were conveniently ignoring the fact that Roth had every right to be vindictive. Dad had fucked him over for years and galvanized many of his contacts to do the same. Despite that, he had shelved his plans to destroy Hennessy & Co. and was helping to rebuild an empire that had done him no favors. He was getting her sisters back on track, and his efforts were already having a positive effect—not that her sisters would admit it. Ariana was actively looking for pitfalls and hadn’t found one, yet she still wouldn’t give Roth the benefit of the doubt. If only her sisters knew Roth had a similar low and distrustful opinion of them.

“I’ll see you soon,” she said to Bailey before she rose.

She didn’t look at her sisters as she passed. Her chest was tight with the need to argue, but she knew that would accomplish nothing. It wouldn’t make her sisters see things from her point of view or change their minds; it would only reinforce their image of her as a petty brat. Colette had tried to stop Ariana from voicing her opinion, not because she didn’t agree with what was being said, but because she was trying to keep the peace. Once again, Jasmine was an outcast in her own family. So be it. At least she had Roth, who accepted her for who she was, faults and all.

“Jasmine, wait.”

She ignored Colette’s call and swiped at her eyes before entering the grand living room. Roth took one look at her face and got to his feet, making Rami and Lyle wheel around.

“We’re leaving,” she said.

Roth’s eyes flicked over her shoulder before he started toward her.

“What happened?” Lyle demanded.

“Nothing.” She went up on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for having us tonight.”

“But—”

She gave Rami a fierce hug. “It was good to see you.”

She reached back and felt her equilibrium steady when Roth’s hand closed around hers. Colette and Ariana stood side by side in the hallway. Colette nervously fingered her pearls, while Ariana’s restless hands smoothed over her suit.

She didn’t meet their eyes as she said with quiet dignity, “Happy Thanksgiving.”

The irony of that statement wasn’t lost on her.

Colette reached out to her but stopped before she made contact. The awkward moment was broken by the housekeeper, who appeared with their coats. Jasmine didn’t stop to put hers on but draped it over her arm and strode to the elevator. Before they turned the corner, she heard Lyle say, “What the hell happened?”

She pressed the button for the elevator, her stomach in knots. Roth was on the phone, but she couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her blood racing through her veins. She accepted the good and bad in all of them, but it didn’t go both ways. She wasn’t to be trusted because of her choice in partner, yet their dad had chosen their spouses, and where had that gotten them? Rami was his own brand of villain, and Lyle... She rubbed the throbbing space between her brows. He could be the worst of them.

The elevator opened. Terry’s professional smile vanished when he spotted her. Apparently, her mask needed work. He braved Roth’s wrath by patting her on the shoulder. No one said a word as the elevator traveled down. The moment they reached the lobby, she marched toward the doors, but Roth stopped her.

“I want to leave,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Mo’s two minutes away.” He took her coat from her and helped her into it.

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