“I know. I saw her face when she came home,” Carlo says. “I would have liked to kill him myself.”
“Who did she tell you killed him?” I ask, curious.
“Emmanuel,” he grunts. “Asshole always helps her hide shit she shouldn’t need to hide.”
“I don’t think she’d hide it from you if she didn’t have a reason.” I have no idea what the reason is, but I’m betting it has something to do with not wanting to upset him. Not wanting to disappoint her father.
“You can stay in one of the guestrooms.” Carlo pushes to his feet.
“I’m going home,” I tell him.
With a nod of his head, he walks out, closing the door behind him. Leaving me inside his daughter’s room. I’m shocked hedidn’t kick me out, honestly. I don’t know where this change of attitude came from, but I’m not stupid enough to question it.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Iknow I’m alone in the bed as soon as I open my eyes. Rolling over, I see Jake sitting on the floor, his back against the wall.
“What are you doing?” I push up on the mattress. A piece of paper on the nightstand with my name on it catches myattention. It’s his handwriting. “Jake?” I question, picking up the paper and unfolding it.
Jazzy,
I’m sorry. I wanted to stay. I wanted to make this work. I WANT to make this work, but it’s just not the right time for us. No matter how much I want it to be.
My life comes with dangers I’m not prepared to put you in. I can’t risk your safety for my own selfishness.
I know this isn’t what either of us wants. But a broken heart is a better option than a dead one, Jazzy.
I will always love you, and maybe someday soon, it will be our time.
Yours forever,
Jake
I look up from the paper, my eyes connecting with his. “You’re leaving me? Again?” My voice quivers.
“I tried to,” he says.
“What happened?”
Jake stands, closes the distance, and sits on the edge of the bed. “I couldn’t do it, and I’m a fucking asshole for not walking away like I should.”
I pause, trying to blink away the tears that are threatening to fall. “You wanted to leave me.”
I can’t believe this is happening again. I started to trust him. I know he loves me, but does he love me enough to stay and fight? I’m not so sure.
“I don’t want to, Jazzy. I never wanted to. I don’t know how else to keep you alive,” he says.
“You just said you hired bodyguards.”
“And they’re the best, but what if whoever The Court sends after you next doesn’t miss? The only reason they’re targeting you is because of me.”
“I’m not planning on leaving this house anytime soon, and you’re going to fix this. You’re going to make the problem go away,” I tell him. “Right?”
“I’m going to try, but it’s still risky…”
I consider his words. “You’re probably right. You should go. I’m not worth the risk of it all, Jake. I don’t need you to put yourself in a shitty situation because of me. Whatever The Court wants you to do, whatever it is they’re fighting you on, you should just do it.”
Jake stands from the bed. “Don’t take my words and fucking twist them to use against me, Jasmine. I never said you weren’t worth the risk. I would risk everything for you. Don’t question that. The one thing I don’t want to fucking riskisyou.” His words are spat out through gritted teeth. He’s frustrated. Good, because so am I.