“So your grandparents raised you?”
“Yes.”
“And they think marrying a nice guy will keep you from becoming your mother, and you want to make them proud?”
She took an audible breath. “I don’t know. I guess.”
I laid my hand over hers. “You don’t need him. You don’t need anyone. You’ll feel a lot better when you free yourself from the belief that you’re not enough on your own. You are.”
Her breathing slowed as she calmed. “I don’t need him.”
“Exactly.”
“I have a job. I can support myself. I don’t do drugs or even drink—except tonight.” She brought a hand to her temple. “My head is spinning.”
“Where are you staying?”
“At the Bellagio.”
“I’ll call a car for you.”
“I can do it. I have the app.” Tears filled her eyes again. “You’re right, I don’t need anyone.”
I nodded and removed my hand from hers. “You got this.”
Her phone rang. She checked the caller but didn’t answer. “It’s Robert. I don’t want to talk to him.”
“Then don’t.”
She waved the phone between us. “I should say something.”
“Allow me.” I held out my hand for the phone. She handed it over, I typed Fuck off then hit send.
When I handed the phone back to her, she smiled sadly. “You read my mind.” Her phone vibrated with another message. She shook her head while reading it. “He wants to know where I am. He says he can explain.” She typed something back then raised her gaze back to meet mine. “I told him we can talk tomorrow. He’s not happy.”
I didn’t like that. Nope, not at all. “What did he say?”
“He said he’s coming over. He thinks I’m back at my room.”
“Tell him no.”
“I did. He said he’s coming anyway.”
“Tell him you’re not alone.”
Her eyes flew to mine. “What?”
“You’re drunk. He’s angry. Men have been known to do some pretty ugly things when they think they can. Don’t give him the chance to.”
Her mouth rounded. “He’ll be even more upset if I tell him I’m with someone.”
“As upset as you were when you found out he was fucking Daphne?”
“You’re right. We’re over.” She texted something else to him. “I told him I’m still here and with someone.” She frowned. “He said he’s going to come here.”
“Do you want him to?”
Her answer was immediate. “No.”
“Give me the phone.”
She hesitated then handed her phone to me again. “What’s your name?” I asked.
“Jade,” she said barely above a whisper.
Jade. Nice name. It fit her.
I wrote: Kal here. Jade is with me tonight. Call her tomorrow if you’d like. She might still remember your name, but probably not. Just to piss the douche off I took a quick selfie and sent it along with the text.
I handed the phone back. Her eyes rounded. “Thank you—I think. I’m not with you though. I mean, we’re talking, but—”
“Don’t worry, I don’t mix business and pleasure. All I want is to know that you’re safe.”
She searched my face. “How do I know I can trust you?”
It was a good question. She had no reason to. I took out my phone and dialed someone who always knew what to say to make a situation better. She picked up on the second ring, “Kal? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, Mom, everything is fine. I’m here with a woman who had a little bit too much to drink and just broke up with her fiancé because she caught him cheating. I offered to take her home and she’s understandably worried that my intentions might not be honorable.”
“Oh, that’s horrible. Do I know her?”
“No, we just met. I’d put her in cab alone but that’s not safe in her condition.”
“Let me talk to her.”
I handed the phone to Jade. She looked around at first as if she didn’t believe what she was hearing, then she met my gaze again as she spoke. “I know. He said the same.” She blushed. “I came with friends, well, not really friends, to see his show for my bachelorette party.” She looked away as she added, “It was very nice.” Then in response to something my mother must have asked, she said, “They left me.”
She slurred her words as she told my mother about how she’d come to be drunk and alone at the club. As they spoke, I had the opportunity to appreciate the little hand moves Jade made when she was nervous. She was delicately built with the most beautiful eyes I’d ever looked into. I told myself not to imagine the two of us intimately entwined, but once I let that thought in it was difficult to dispel.
A few minutes later, Jade handed the phone back to me. “She wants to speak to you again.”
I held the phone to my ear. “Mom?”
“You’re doing the right thing, Kal. Take that girl home and make sure she’s safe then call me.”
“That was the plan.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too.” I ended the call and repocketed my phone. “The next move is up to you, Jade. Are you okay with me going with you to make sure you make it back to your hotel?”
She took a moment to answer. “Your mother said she raised you to be a gentleman.”
“She did.”
She pointed to the room around us in a circle. “Then why this . . .”
My voice held some growl. “We all do what we have to do.” I looked around. The staff was waiting for us to leave.
When I looked back into Jade’s eyes, she seemed conflicted. “I don’t need anyone to take me home.”
“But?”
“I know I’ll be fine. I can handle talking to Robert—tomorrow. Right now, I’m so . . . confused. I shouldn’t have done those last shots. I could close my eyes right now and nap here. I want to tell you I don’t need help, but maybe I do.”
I rose to my feet and held out my hand to her. “We’ve all been in that place. Let’s get you home.”
She placed her hand in mine and stood. I didn’t let myself linger on how good that innocent touch felt. We weren’t going there.
CHAPTER THREE
Jade
Seated in the back of a hired car, I tried to tell myself it was the alcohol that had me confused, but it also had something to do with the mountain of masculinity seated mere inches from me. How was it possible that feeling shredded by Robert’s betrayal didn’t stop my heart from racing every time Invio looked at me?
“Invio—”
“Kal. My name is Kal Ragsdale.”
“Really? That sounds so . . . normal.”
His smile lit up the night. “I am normal.”
I had no filter at that point, so I said, “But on stage you were so angry . . . so . . .”
His expression dimmed a little. “I’m that too.”
I fell silent as a wave of nausea came and passed. I tried my best to sound sober. “Thank you for helping me out tonight. I’m sure you weren’t looking to get involved in my mess.”