Page 29 of Vicious Addictions

I freeze for half a second before letting out a sharp gasp. “You’re kidding!”

“Nope.” He grins, the kind of grin that splits his face in two.

“Oh my God, Jude!” Without thinking, I throw my arms around him, hugging him tight. “I know how much this means to you. I’m so proud of you.”

His breath catches, just for a moment, as his hands settle on my back. “Thank you,” he murmurs, his voice rougher than usual.

When I pull away, my cheeks burn under the intensity of his hazel eyes. I know I’m imagining things, that my feelings aren’t returned. But sometimes—just sometimes—on moments like this, I almost believe I see something there.

Almost.

I clear my throat, needing to break the tension that my hug created, and begin to walk.

“Have you ever met Felix?”

“Once or twice. You?”

“He’s Daddy’s right hand. Of course I’ve met him.”

He hums in acknowledgment as we keep walking side by side, but my mind is still stuck on that hug—how his arms felt around me and how helookedat me to keep up with the idle conversation.

Why does turning eighteen feel like it’s an eternity away?

Argh.

Technically, the legal age of consent in the United Kingdom is sixteen, but I doubt that Jude, with his strong moral compass, would fall for that line.

Out of all the men I could have fallen for, it had to be the one with a conscience.

“Are you okay? You’ve gone silent on me,” he asks, watching me carefully, his brow furrowed.

“I’m fine.” I feign a smile. “I’m just excited about your news, that’s all.”

“So, what can you tell me about him? Felix, I mean.”

“Let’s see…” I exhale, rolling my shoulders as I think. “He’s in his thirties now, but he started working for Daddy when he was just a kid. From what I heard, his father died working for the Firm. When Daddy showed up at his door to say that Felix and his mum would always be taken care of, Felix said that he would only accept Daddy’s money if he worked for it.”

“So he has integrity,” Jude muses.

“Bucketloads of it.” I pause as something else comes to my mind. “If I remember correctly, his mom went back to Nigeria a few years after his dad died, though. I guess staying in London was too much for her.”

“Felix didn’t go with her?”

“No.” I shake my head. “I know he visits her a lot, but London is his home. He was born and raised here. Still, he was young when he started working for The Firm. Maybe sixteen or so. Like you, Daddy took him under his wing. Taught him everything from the ground up. He knows this business inside and out.”

“What’s that frown about?” he asks, pointing to my lips.

“It’s nothing,” I lie.

“Are we keeping secrets from each other now? Is that what best friends do?”

“Fine, I’ll tell you. I like Felix, I do. He’s a good man—fair, respectful. It’s just…” I let out a slow breath. “One day, I overheard Aunt Pippa telling my father that Felix is ‘husband material.’”

“For her?” Jude raises a teasing brow.

“No, Jude. Not for her. For me.”

He stops in his tracks, his eyes snapping to mine.

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