Page 95 of His Jersey

“Talk to your father. Tell him the truth. I’m done with the lies.” She closes the door the rest of the way.

Imaging her packing up and exiting my life, I pace a short circle on the plush carpet, feeling heavier with every step. Aston smiles like she got the last laugh and won the war over my father.

I rally and pull out my phone before sending a quick text to Carlos.

Allain Bouchelle, never one to dally when it comes to business because time is money, says, “There’s something else. Smedley found footage from Jewel Island.”

I was afraid this was going to happen.

37

JACK

My father dropswhat he thinks is the security footage bombshell. Aston practically vibrates with anticipation.

Then, it all becomes crystal clear. She views me as the competition for the money she anticipates she’ll get when her “Sugar Daddy” croaks—yes, she’s called him that. This means Ella is automatically on her hit list. She’ll do anything to come between my father and me, especially when it comes to the inheritance.

My father continues, “Smedley revealed that Ella, or Jasmin, was one of our resort employees. I have reason to believe that she scoped you out and created a scheme to?—”

I hold up my hands for him to stop. Doubt tries to pierce what I thought Ella and I had, but maybe it’s just one-sided. Perhaps, like Aston, she is after my money and hides it better. Could I have been blinded? My heart pounds. No, but she nearly was by a nasty lawyer who answered his hotel room door naked.

I turn away from the video. “Tell Smedley that US indecent exposure laws apply at Jewel Island. Anyway,I first saw Ella when I visited the resort the year after Mom died. She was a guest and I’m aware of her employment there later on.”

The door to her room opens. “I saw you running on the beach the next year,” she says, voice small but giving me a little hope that we can salvage this.

“She was just biding her time and living there illegally. We saw her sneaking into suites, stealing room service food, and showering in the cabana storage building with the hose the workers use to clean the chaise lounges,” Aston says with disdain.

I narrow my eyes and I want nothing more than to protect Ella from these monsters.

Aston explains, “We visited the resort, and Yvonne at the front desk mentioned the Jewel Suite had recently been occupied.”

I raise my eyebrows. I hope my hunch is right and my phone beeps with a message from Carlos soon. “Interesting that you’re so practiced when it comes to video footage, Aston. Maybe you’d like to explain the party the other night.”

She shrugs like she’s above being caught but not framing someone.

I say, “Another year passed and Ella found me stuck in the sand with the Commando.”

My father’s eyes dart my way.

“Joy ride,” I say by way of answer to what he’s surely wondering about what I was doing out there with it. “And one of the best nights of my life.”

“She made you into a common criminal, sneaking into the pool after hours,” Aston says.

I hate that she saw us because kissing Ella for the first time was special and I want it to be our memory alone. Like a wick burning down to a stick of dynamite, my anger sizzles hotter.

“That was none of your business and technically, I own ashare of the resort so I can use whatever pool I want, whenever I want. This also begs the question, did you have permission to view the security footage?”

Aston sniffs.

My father lets out a long breath. “What you’re saying is that your relationship with Ella isn’t fake.”

My brow furrows. “No, not at all.” Not for me.

“But—” Ella starts.

“The period of time when those recordings were made, I wasn’t in a good place. She wasn’t available. I waited.” Deep down, that’s the truth even though I was operating as I’d always done, but there was a reason I’d hide from the puck bunnies and it was a woman with big brown eyes and long flowing hair.

“What about all the other women?” Aston asks in agotchatone.

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