Chapter 21

Julian

“So she threw up all over the Maybach’s seats and now you’re hiding away from your fiancée like a coward is what you’re telling me.” Vince shook his head at me, laughter glinting in his green eyes as smoke from his lit cigar swirled all around us.

My fingers tightened around the tumbler of scotch held in my grip and I shot daggers at my blunt best friend. “Glad to see my misery is a source of entertainment for you.”

He shrugged his buff shoulders. He had filled out even more since the last time I’d seen him—before he left for his final deployment in Afghanistan.

He had new scars too. On his left cheekbone and the side of his jaw. The chicks would love them.

“Classic Jade,” he continued, still grinning with his deep dimples on display. “She had never been able to hold her liquor but that had never discouraged her. Do you think she’d forgive me for missing the engagement party?”

I waved my hand as I drained my drink, not too keen on keeping up this topic of conversation any longer. “She knew you weren’t in the country. She’ll get over it.”

The buzzing of my phone on the desk between us interrupted me just then.

A glance at it showed me the caller was Vivienne and I immediately tapped on the decline button with a grunt of irritation.

Vince’s thick brows inched towards the hairline of his close-cropped hair. “You still fucking her?”

Shaking my head, I leaned forward to set my empty glass aside. “Ended things a few days ago.”

He stubbed out his half-smoked cigar in the ashtray in front of him before leveling a questioning look at me. “Correct me if I’m wrong but you’ve been an engaged man for longer than that, no?”

One corner of my mouth curled in slight annoyance. “Your point?”

“Have you really decided to keep things in title only?”

“I cannot fuck Jade.” I told him point blank.

“Why not?” He leaned back into his padded chair in the office of one of his most popular nightclubs. “I saw the pictures. Jade has grown into one hell of a woman and no red-blooded man with a working cock would ever say no to her.”

A displeased sound escaped from my throat. “Are you one of them?”

His green eyes tracked my movements carefully before answering, “Probably. But you know Jade’s like a little sister to me. And now she’s your fiancée and I respect that so actually no.”

He paused then pointed one finger at me. “You also didn’t deny wanting to fuck her.”

“I’m aware. I said I can’t, not that I don’t want to.” I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, hating that he had easily forced the truth out of me. But that was Vince’s superpower. I could tell no lie whenever he was present.

“Ah, you’re being the noble gentleman.” He nodded to himself as if finally understanding. “You know she’s in love with you and fucking her would only put happily-ever-after ideas into her head so you’re trying to avoid that to keep her from future heartbreak when she inevitably learns that you aren’t emotionally available to anyone.”

And that was another one of his superpowers. He could always read me like an open fucking book.

“You’re my friend, not my shrink. So quit psychoanalyzing me.” I bit out. “And she isn’t in love with me. She only thinks she is because it had been put into her head ever since she was a child that I’m the one she’s getting married to. She’s been conditioned to, and it can be snapped out of her with time.”

“So what? You’re going to give up pussy for good?” His tone sounded like he didn’t think that could ever happen. And he was right.

“Nothing is changing.” I responded blandly. “I’m just going to have to be a little more discreet.”

His expression turned disapprovingly amused. “And Jade? Did you factor her into this groundbreakingly stupid plan of yours? What if she also turns to other men?”

“I don’t care what she does. As long as it doesn’t interfere with my business.”

“Wow. You’ve really thought of everything.” He nodded in sarcastic approval. “Good job, soldier.”

I just knew he’d have mockingly patted me on the back too if he was within reach.

“I’d see myself out since your current attitude is managing to put me in an even worse mood.” I told him as I slowly got to my feet and headed for the door.

“Just so it’s clear, your plan is the most disastrous fucking thing I’ve heard and you should really think it over before going ahead with it.” He commented from behind me, causing me to pause for only a brief second before eventually leaving.

He didn’t know what he was talking about. Since I couldn’t break off this engagement myself, the only other way was to push Jade to do it. And if I made her miserable enough by acting like an asshole a little longer, those bright twinkly stars in her eyes would eventually die out and she’d give up on her hope of making things work between us.

I ventured down the hallway towards the main floor, planning on heading straight outside to my car and crashing at my penthouse for the night.

But that plan got derailed as soon as I passed by the packed bar and a woman stumbled into me.