Page 20 of Wrapped Up

But she just turns and walks away with a small smile on her face. “Trust me, sweetie. Listen to him.” And then they disappear into the kitchen together.

I stand there in disbelief, feeling utterly betrayed by Anna's sudden change of heart.How could she switch sides so easily? What did he say to her?

Before I can process this new betrayal, Jack shifts his focus back to me. The intensity in his eyes hits me like a tangible force, instantly transporting me to that stairwell.

No. I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of desire that threatens to cloud my judgment. I won’t let him manipulate me again.

“Whatever game you're playing,” I hiss, backing away, “I'm not interested.”

But Jack doesn't back down. He takes a step closer, his voice low and husky. “No games, Princess. Just the truth. If you'll let me explain.”

My back hits the wall, and suddenly he's there, caging me in with his arms. The scent of him—spice, pine, and man—overwhelms my senses. I'm trembling, caught between the urge to knee him in the groin and the traitorous desire to pull him closer.

“Why should I believe anything you say?” I whisper, hating how breathless I sound.

A dark intensity fills his eyes, and for a moment, I feel the familiar pull of desire that consumed us both that night.

“Because,” he murmurs, his lips mere inches from mine, “I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that night. And I'm pretty sure you haven't been able to stop thinking about me either.”

I scoff, trying to ignore the way my heart races at his nearness. “Thinking about you? Please. I erased you from my memory the moment I caught you with your girlfriend.”

My words come out harsh, but I don't care because he crushed my last bit of hope in finding an honest man.

“So stop with the lies,” I snap, pushing against his chest. “You're only upset because you lost your easy lay.”

His hand shoots out and grips my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Don't ever call yourself that. What we had that night was real. Every. Damn. Second.”

I scowl, trying to ignore the shiver his touch sends through me. “Real? My ass.”

The sudden smirk tugging at the corner of his lips catches me off guard. “Speaking of your ass,” he murmurs, “it's one of the many things I can't forget about you. Along with those little sounds you made when I—”

“Shut up,” I hiss, heat flooding my cheeks.

We fall into a tense silence, our eyes locked in a wordless battle. There's something in his gaze that throws me off-balance, something that makes my breath catch in my throat.

“I looked for you that night,” he says softly. “When you didn't come back, I searched the entire club. Three times.”

For a split second, I almost believe him. Almost. But I've learned the hard way not to trust sweet words and intense gazes.

“How sweet,” I drawl, sarcasm dripping from every word. “Did your girlfriend help with the search party?”

“She probably wouldn't have,” he says slowly, “if I had a girlfriend. Which I don't.”

“Liar.” I try to break away from him. But his arms are like iron bars, keeping me caged against the wall.

“Jennifer. Please, just listen to me.”

“Listen and succumb to your lies again? No thanks.”

“Dammit,” he growls, his face inches from mine. “What happened between us that night wasn't fake. It was real, raw, and fucking incredible.”

“How can you say that after what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears?”

Confusion crosses his face as he furrows his brow. “What exactly did you see and hear that convinced you I have a girlfriend?”

The question sets me off again. He thinks I'm the fool here? Fine. Let's spell it out for him.

“You want a play-by-play?” I snarl, my voice dripping with venom. “After our... encounter, I ran into Anna. Told her about the nice man I'd met.” I laugh bitterly at the memory. “Then I went to find you, like you'd asked. And where do I find you? At the bar, with your back turned to me.”

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