Page 33 of Roots of the Wicked

Chapter Sixteen

Jax

After the way I sexed and abandoned Chase three nights ago at the hotel, I was sure he would never speak to me again. I didn’t want to, but I was starting to like him. We had the ability to park our sexual desire and indulge in productive conversations. Sex aside, I believe we shared a few breakthrough moments at the restaurant, and on the couch in the hotel room before my ego-driven sexcapade started.

The carefully constructed walls I had built around myself had been coming down for Chase since day one. He was also the only person, in my adult life that I had allowed to control me sexually.

My restless mind kept beating back the notion, but there was no other conclusion to make, no other truth to swallow, that something more than sexual attraction was happening between us.

The way he watched me when we were at the restaurant. He looked at me like I was the only thing he wanted to see. Always studying and observing me. It made me feel anxious… beautiful.

When he shared the bit about his father’s tough lessons, it appeared I wasn’t the only one that had been dealt a cruel hand in our childhood. And all of those charities, and secret projects he was involved in that I had found on his phone. Providing sports equipment to underprivileged kids, supplying food banks with funding, creating and providing scholarships to low income schools. He was an undercover humanitarian, but he had chosen to keep the best aspect of himself hidden from the media.

Regret niggled its way into my brain for the way I treated him, but a sinful smile formed when I reminded myself that he deserved it. He needed to be reminded that his status didn’t give him a free pass to do whatever he wanted, especially not with me.

The thought of him widened my silly grin. If there was ever a man I wished I could be with long-term, it would be him. He possessed an interesting personality hidden under the fake persona he presented to the rest of the world. I enjoyed the way he could go from being proper and dignified in front of the camera and down to earth and free spirited with me.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed being with him sexually, even when he had the control. Letting go and just enjoying myself. Not having to be strong and aggressive. No one but Chase had broken through the wall I thought was impenetrable. How? I couldn’t put a finger on what it was about him that drew me in. No one but him had made me come so deliciously hard and blissfully long. Was it the sex? I had enjoyed great sex before, so I didn’t think that was it. Even now, my mind worked to process our interactions with each other, a courtesy only extended to him.

After I swiped the face of my vibrating phone, I placed the caller on speaker. The number was unknown, but I had made a habit of answering all incoming calls to make sure I didn’t miss any potential new business.

“Hello,” I answered, speaking at the phone.

“Hey Babygirl.”

My smile couldn’t get any wider at the sound of my father’s voice. No one else in the world could make me happier than Alexander Saint-Pierre.

Except Chase. My inner voice annoyingly teased.

“Dad!” I picked up the phone, swiping it off speaker, before bringing it to my ear.

“How is my Babygirl?” He had a way of making me feel like a kid, all happy-go-lucky and excited.

“Dad, I’m a twenty-eight year old woman. I stopped being a girl a long time ago.”

“I don’t care, you are always going to be my baby girl. How are things going?”

“Things are going well. Just working.” A pause followed.

“Overworking you mean? What have you done for yourself? I’m not talking about work related, but something that might bring some joy into your life?”

He was always worried about my happiness. When he wasn’t traveling for work, he would set me up on these ridiculous blind dates. How embarrassing. I was such a loser in the romance department, my father had felt the need to play matchmaker. However, I chewed up and spit out every guy he set me up with. Some would go crying to him about the ‘raving bitch’ I was, and he would always take my side, accusing them of doing something that had set me off.

“I went out with someone,” I blurted, knowing he’d be happy to hear the news.

“On purpose?” he questioned, laughing into the phone.

“Yes. On purpose Dad. You’re not funny. Anyway, I think I might like him,” I continued. A lengthy pause followed my admission.

“Well. Well. Well. This is a first. You sound happy. What’s his name?”

My attempt to shake away the silly smile was useless. “I’m not telling you dad.”

“Why not?” He asked before I heard his low chuckle.

“Because you’re going to do a background check on him.”

“And you haven’t?” He replied with a hint of knowing in his tone.

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