Page 146 of Teacher's Pet

I blink, the words rearranging themselves in my head, my brain short-circuiting as I process them.

“Wait.” My voice comes out slower this time, all previous flirtation gone as I push aside the prostitute part to focus on the only thing that matters. “You told me your last name was Antonov.”

Jake smirks, but Noah?

Noah glares.

“I kept the family name,” Jake sighs, swirling the bourbon in his glass like this conversation exhausts him. “Big brother over here decided Ackerman was more fitting.”

Beside him, the woman clinging to Noah tries to pull him back into her drunken orbit, pressing her lips against his jaw. He barely acknowledges her before nudging her aside, his focus locked on me.

“Ana, I think you should go-” Noah starts.

“Oh, now you care?” I scoff, cutting him off. My gaze flicks to Jake, the pieces snapping together in real-time. “You wanted to see what all the buzz was about?” I repeat his words mockingly. “As in, what your big brother told you? Like I’m some fucking whore you can pawn off... like her?”

The woman merely shrugs, unfazed by the insult, already batting her lashes at the bartender like she’s found her next mark.

“Oh, no, Ana dear,” Jake drawls, grinning like he enjoys my fury. “Unlike my brother, I know how to do things properly. One night with me, and you’d forget all about how much of an asshole he was.” He claps Noah on the back, the action more patronizing than affectionate. “I told him you were a keeper. All he had to do was rejoin the family business.” Jake exhales, shaking his head like he’s disappointed. “But no. Seems he thought breaking things off with you and keeping his respectable little teaching job was the better choice before starting with me again. Pity. You really are fucking gorgeous.”

A lump forms in my throat, but I force it down, narrowing my eyes at Noah.

“So let me get this straight,” I say, voice tight. “You told your brother about me? And now you’re wrapped up in some kind of family business?”

“My business,” Jake corrects smoothly. “Could’ve been his, but…” He shrugs, lazily swirling his drink again. “Didn’t quite have the stomach for it.”

Fucking hell.

Everything inside me screams to walk away, to let this moment be the final nail in the coffin of whatever the hell I thought Noah and I had left.

But I don’t.

Instead, I stay.

And I push.

“So you do have the stomach for it?” I purr, shifting my attention to Jake, dragging my fingertips along the scar that cuts across his cheek. “Is that how you got this sexy little thing?”

“Ana-” Noah’s voice is sharp.

“Shut up, Noah,” Jake interrupts, his smirk widening.

He leans in slightly, his voice dropping into something smooth and dangerous. “I am the financial advisor to my family business,” he says, watching me like he’s waiting to see how I’ll react. “I can make anything happen. Anytime.”

“Anything?” I hum, trailing my fingers down his collar.

“Baby,” Jake grins, flashing perfect white teeth, “I can make anything go away.” His gaze flickers briefly to Noah before he adds, “Including my dumbass big brother, who is clearly being rude to his guest.” His attention shifts to the woman, his expression turning ice-cold.

“How the fuck did you even get in here?” Noah growls, his voice tight with frustration.

“Fake ID.” I scoff, rolling my eyes.

Then, lowering my voice, I tilt my head just enough for my lips to nearly brush his Jake's ear.

“Are you gonna tell on me?” I whisper, a slow smirk forming.

Noah exhales sharply. Jake just laughs.

And me?

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