Page 95 of Captivated By You

The familiarity of it wrapped around me like a fleece blanket, its comfort exactly what I needed right now. I’d kept my plans to myself, not even sharing them with Mom or Gia, my two confidantes. They’d support me, but that was half the problem. For once in my life, I wanted to deal with this by myself, the urge undeniable. It was my main reason for pushing Ash away.

The beautiful, loving, amazing man wanted to fix everything for me, to wrap his arms around me and protect me from the world. Except he couldn’t, and I didn’t want him to.

Time’s up.

But this time, the loud ticking of the clock signaled a shift in me. After Simon had dumped me and I’d lost my job within the space of twenty-four hours, I’d relied on my family and Gia to hold me together—with Band-Aids at times—rather than me standing on my own two feet. And even when Forster had put his filthy hands on me, my first reaction had been to return home, into the bosom of my family, and hide away.

Okay, not my first reaction. That had been to screw Ash senseless.

Heat rose into my cheeks at the memory of that first night. Maybe that had been the catalyst for me taking control, my starting point to a future where I took responsibility for my actions without leaning on the strength of others.

And today was the day I pushed that to the next level.

Dad suggested we go out for breakfast to my favorite diner. Louis and Mason joined us before work, and for an hour, my troubles melted away and I got to laugh and joke about with my family.

I set off for Kingcaid Chicago earlier than required, grabbing a seat deep inside the coffee shop before the lunchtime rush hit. Three coffees and two trips to the bathroom later, a young woman about twenty entered. She looked around, and when her eyes alighted on me, I risked holding up a hand. She returned my wave and hurried over, glancing behind her with jerky, nervous movements.

“You must be Kiana. I’m Jessica.”

I gestured to the seat across from me. “Thank you so much for coming.”

She checked behind her again, as if she was looking for someone. “Do you mind if we go somewhere else?”

Fucking Johannes.

She didn’t want to be here any more than I did. Seemed as if I wasn’t the only one he liked to play with. Good to know.

“Not in the slightest. There’s a great place two blocks over.”

Settled at the other coffee shop in a seat beside the window, Jessica’s shoulders relaxed, and she loosened her spine, her posture less erect. I brought our drinks over along with a plate of cookies that I pushed across the table to her. She smiled, picked up a white-chocolate-chip one, and nibbled.

“Mr. Kingcaid said you wanted to talk to me, but I admit, I’m not sure what about. He didn’t elaborate in his email. Just told me it was in my best interest to meet with you.”

I took a deep breath and dove right in. “I asked Johannes to find you for me because I want to talk to you about Simon Barlow.”

She blanched, her skin ashen. Her chin wobbled, and she broke the cookie in half, dropping the two pieces onto the plate.

“Wh-what about him?”

“You worked at Kingcaid Chicago, right?”

She nodded. “For six months.”

“Why did you leave?”

Her eyes cut away. “I-I’m not a good fit for the hospitality industry.”

“You’re lying.”

That got her attention. Her head whipped back around, eyes wide at my bluntness.

“I’m not.”

I studied her, musing on my approach. She looked like a scared little girl who’d found herself thrown into a den of vipers, and each one was snapping at her, its fangs dripping with venom.

“I dated Simon Barlow, over three years ago now.”

Jessica touched her throat, gripping a thin silver chain as if it were an anchor. “You did?”

---