Page 70 of The Trade
So, I have to face this head-on. Picking up my phone, I shoot West a text.
Jade
ace just left. can I come over?
West
yeah, of course. the boys aren't home rn
Jade
see u soon
West
xo
It takes me less than ten minutes to reach his house, and as soon as he opens the front door, I’m pulled into his embrace. His strong arms envelop me, offering a sense of comfort and security that I’ve come to crave.
“Jade,” he starts, voice thick with emotion. There’s an urgency in the way he grips me, pulling back to look me in the eyes. “About last night . . . I’m really sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” I say, doing my best to lighten the mood. “I told you it’s okay. My brother actually ended up liking you . . . he said he’d like to see you next time he’s in town.”
An incredulous look replaces the tension in his eyes. “Wow, really?” He laughs softly, his lips stretching into a warm grin that reaches his eyes. “That’s fucking awesome.”
“Yeah, so stop freaking out.”
“I’m mostly freaking out because of Cass.”
A hot prickling sensation creeps up the back of my neck, and I shift on my heels. “Yeah?”
“Look, I need to tell you—”
“Hey, I get what she was implying, and I know it’s bullshit.”
A flicker of surprise flashes across his face. “You do?” He scrutinizes me, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“I mean, it doesn’t even make sense,” I push on, voicing the thoughts that had been eating at me. “Why would you fuck Shan’s roommate just to get to her?”
His eyes widen, taken aback by my blunt words. “Jesus Christ, Jade.”
“No, I’m serious. You said you didn’t date Cassidy. So, I’m assuming you were just fucking her.”
A grimace stretches across his face, a reaction to the harsh reality of the words hanging in the air between us. “We were sleeping together, yes,” he admits reluctantly. “Nothing more.”
“Okay, and with us . . . it’s more?”
He gives me a dark look. “Is that a serious question?”
“Just answer.”
“Of course it’s more. I thought it was clear how I feel about you.”
“I thought so, too.”
His brow furrows. “Jade, you’re the one who didn’t call me your boyfriend last night. You know, when you introduced me to your brother?”
“Well . . . he was already mad. I didn’t want to poke the bear. Also, I just—I didn’t know.”
