The Lover's Surrender (No Exceptions) (18 page)

“It’s
okay,” I whispered. “I’m used to ugliness. Particularly since it keeps popping
up in my life, no matter what.”

I couldn’t
pull the bitter tone out of my voice.

It was the
truth. The ugly, bitter truth.

I bit my
lip in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from welling up.

“That
doesn’t make it okay,” he said an instant before his lips brushed my naked
shoulders. His kiss relaxed me, if only for the time being. “Trust me. Taking
an oversea’s trip is a good idea. Today, let’s forget all our problems. Let’s
forget about Gina and focus only on us. It is as good a time as any to attend
the NYC charity fashion show.”

My breath
hitched.

Oh. My. God.

“Did you
say the NYC charity fashion show?” I choked on my words. “But…I thought this
was nothing special.”

“It must
have slipped my mind.” Jett grinned.

“Oh my
god.”

The NYC
charity fashion show was swarming with journalists and celebrities. It was one
of the most established and celebrated events of the year. I knew because
Sylvie read about it in her magazines and then left those magazines lying
around for me to dispose of.

Jett wasn’t
just a billionaire; he was one of the youngest and most successful businessmen
in the world. So it was only natural that he’d be invited and the media would
want to take pictures.

“Is this
really a good idea?” I asked. “What if the cops are looking for you? The place
is probably crawling with security and bodyguards and people who know you.”

“If anyone
dares to say one wrong word, I’ll call my lawyers.” His tone was nonchalant, as
though gossip didn’t bother him, as if he was used to false accusations and
people talking. “If anyone asks, we both ditched the club on Sunday to spend
the night together at your place.”

Which was
kind of true, but—

“You know
we can’t prove that,” I said flatly.

“No, you
can’t, but I can.” His lips cracked into a smile. I looked up at him, confused.

“What do
you mean?”

He started
pressing buttons on his phone, then let out something that resembled, “Yeah,
that’s it.”

I craned my
neck to get a better look, but there was no need for it because Jett turned the
screen for me to see.

I stared at
it, unable to comprehend the meaning of the picture.

“I took it
the night Gina died,” he explained. “There’s a timestamp and everything. This
should answer any questions.”

With trembling
fingers, I took the phone from his hand, my eyes fixed on the picture of me,
sleeping half-naked.

My hair was
spread around me like a halo, and my abdomen was exposed. Even though the image
was small, I could see that wasn’t anyone’s belly.

It was the body
of a woman who looked very pregnant.

For a few
seconds, I was lost for words.

“Why didn’t
you tell me?” I asked, unable to place my emotions. First, there was confusion,
then relief, and now I couldn’t wait to seek answers to the array of questions
inside my head.

“No idea.”
He grinned. “Maybe because we fought and you would’ve asked me to delete them.”

“I most
certainly would have done that.” I stared at the picture again, shaking my
head. “I probably would’ve had a point. Look at this, I’m huge. And…” I frowned
as I stared at what might be a stretch mark, but you couldn’t see those so
clearly in a picture, could you?

I had no
time to find out because Jett pulled the phone away.

“You’re
beautiful,” he said with that sparkle in his eyes that made me adore him even
more.

Tears began
to trickle down my cheeks. But this time, they were not caused by fear. I was
genuinely touched—not by Jett’s words, but his actions.

Jett inched
closer and brushed his fingers over my cheeks, the motion gentle and soothing.

“Now you
know why I never believed there’d be a trial,” he whispered. “Like I said,
whoever’s trying to frame me has no proof that would ever stand in court. I’m
not saying this picture would solve everything, because let’s face it, people
love headlines. They love scandals. They love making money by dragging other
people’s names through the dirt. But this”—he held up his phone—“is
all the proof I need that I wasn’t anywhere near her. You have nothing to worry
about, Brooke.”

“I’m so
happy,” I said, relieved. “I can’t even believe I’m saying this after finding
out that Nate’s gone, but it’s true. How come you didn’t tell me this before?”

He shrugged
nonchalantly. “That night, I didn’t know about Gina. When you told me, I
explained that I didn’t kill her.”

“But you
could have shown me, and I would have believed you.” I eyed him carefully,
eager to catch his expression. “Don’t tell me it slipped your mind, because I
know that’s not the case. Nothing ever slips your mind.”

“Brooke.”
He paused and sighed. I looked up from the picture to take in his thoughtful
expression. “Would it really have made a difference?”

My heart
gave an enormous thud. The silence in the room became ominous.

“What do
you mean?” I asked.

“Our
relationship needs to be built on trust.” His voice sounded serious, almost
reproachful. For some reason, I felt scolded. “All I’m saying is that I don’t
feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. Either you believe me or you do
not. I wanted to see if you could.”

“Right.” I
exhaled slowly as I tried to process his words. “So, it was all a test?”

“No.” He
shook his head. “I’d never go as far as testing you. I’d rather call it a leap
of faith in our relationship. In our love. That one last step before marriage.”

“I don’t
understand.” I shook my head, suddenly feeling hurt. “Why wouldn’t I believe
you?”

“I needed
to see if you’d stand by me,” he said, and I stiffened. “Most people would
falter and run when they think their partner might have committed murder. Not
you, Brooke. I
knew
you would stand
by me. I wanted to see how it’d turn out.”

“To see if
I’d crack.”

“Yes,” he
said quietly. “I never gave a fuck about the trial. Without any physical proof,
they never had a case in the first place. But the last step in everyone’s
relationship before marriage is proving that real trust exists. That it’s there
for the future. All I wanted was to make sure that you trusted me and loved me
for who I am.”

“I don’t
know what to say.”

“Nothing.
There is no need to say anything because in simplicity lies wholeness.” He
grinned. “Anyway, I took a snapshot every week when you were asleep. And may I
say you sleep soundly.”

Soundly?

I opened my
mouth to comment when he started flipping picture over picture.

Holy cow.

Most of
them had indeed been taken while I was asleep or in the shower.

My jaw
dropped.

“I’m at a
loss for words,” I said, stunned. “I had no idea you could be this sneaky.”

He laughed
out loud, and something flickered in his gaze.

Was that
pride?

Holy shit.

He was
proud of himself!

“Really,
you left me with no choice, Brooke. Remember the night you told me you hated
the idea of becoming big. Well, it was the night I decided I looked forward to
seeing your body grow, change, and so the decision to document that change was
born. I wanted something like a digital scrapbook. A keepsake.” He pointed at
his phone. “All those pictures are here to help us remember our first
pregnancy. Once the journey’s over and Treasure’s born, I’ll print them all. I
can’t wait to out us as a couple tonight and introduce the whole world to my
new fiancée.”

My breath
hitched in my throat as I watched him walk to the door. “You want to—”

He stopped
at the door and turned around. “Yes, make it all public, official, in case you
didn’t get the hint.”

“But…” I
paused, lost for words. “The charity fashion show is huge. There are
journalists and cameras. The whole world will know.”

He nodded
slowly. “That’s right.”

“And we
would be in the papers.” I gulped hard as I realized I had no idea what to
wear.

“Exactly,
which is why…” He glanced at his watch, his expression turning all business
like again. “You better hurry. You only have fifteen minutes until the driver
picks us up.”

“Fifteen
minutes? Are you kidding me?” I groaned. As usual, Jett was completely
clueless. No woman could get ready in fifteen minutes. It was literally
impossible. Besides, he forgot one tiny fact. “I have nothing to wear.”

“So you
think.” He grinned. “If I were you, I’d look in the closet, where there’s a box
waiting for you.” He nodded his head toward the closet. And then he headed out,
leaving me with a whole set of thoughts and questions I had no time to consider
because I had to get ready.

Damn.

I had no
idea where to start.

Never tell
a woman she only has fifteen minutes to get ready because there’s no way she
can do it. Not even when a sexy rock star is standing in front of the door. And
the knowledge that she’s about to attend one of the biggest fashion events in
New York City won’t exactly help.

First,
there was the hair. A whole lot of hair that I couldn’t ever get straight and
glossy—not without spending at least two hours staring at my reflection
while fighting with strand after strand and lots of straightening serum.

Second, oh
my God.

I held up
the piece of fabric.

Did Jett
have
to go for what could only be
described as the most extravagant cocktail dress? The dress, a mixture of green
with shimmery blue, was stunning, no doubt about that. Black lace was draped
over the silky material, sheathing my body.

But, fuck,
it was so tight that I feared the delicate fabric would rip if I so much as
took a few steps, let alone ascended a flight of stairs or, God forbid, bent
forward. It didn’t help at all that the split on the left side rode up my
thigh, or that the sparkling accents around my waist made me feel like a
peacock among swans.

Too daring.

Too bold.

With a
sigh, I slipped my feet into my high heels—a shimmering dark green to
match the dress—and turned around to regard myself in the mirror.

Another
knock rapped at the door.

“Brooke.”
Jett’s voice echoed through the bathroom, disrupting my thoughts. “We need to
get going, babe.”

“Just a
minute.”

“You
already said that five minutes ago,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of
amusement.

“Just
another minute, Jett.” Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair, but the curls
bounced back with more fervor. I let my hand sink in desperation and stood back
to inspect myself in the mirror, shaking my head.

Whatever I
did, I’d never look perfect—for the cameras. The prospect of being
photographed with Jett made me nervous, more so now that I was his fiancée.

I uncapped
my lipstick and blotted more color onto my lips.

Jett
knocked again, and before I could stop him, the door was thrown open.

“I’m not
going to wait any—” He broke off mid-sentence. I turned around, more out
of exasperation than irritation.

“I said one
minute, Jett. I’m really not finished.” My gaze caught his stare, and my body
heated up instantly. “What?” My fingers raked through my hair. His
stare—hungry and intense—made me feel self-conscious.

“Wow.” He
let out a surprised breath. “You look beautiful.”

I smiled
shyly. “Thank you.”

He took a
lazy step forward and curled a strand of my hair around his finger. I felt the
need to wrap it all in a low side bun, but his proximity stopped me.

Even though
we had been dating for a while, I still had trouble breathing whenever he was
around. There was something about him—about his dominating height, his
stance, his scent—that made me want to run away and undress him, all at
the same time.

His finger
lifted my chin to meet his gaze.

“I need to
ask you something. How did you know it wasn’t me?” He paused, his expression
darkening. “Every other person would have doubted me. It’s something I have
been wondering about lately.”

His
question took me by surprise. I leaned back, taken aback.

How could I
possibly explain to him what felt right to me?

“Call it a
gut feeling.”

“How so?

I brushed
my hair behind my ears, considering my words. “After I found out you had paid
off my debts, I drove to your apartment. It was a complete mess. At first, I
assumed the police had been there, but then I discovered another woman’s
clothes and I assumed you spent time with her—” I trailed off as I
glanced at him.

“You
assumed I had someone over.”

The
telltale heat of a blush covered my face. There was no point in denying that
part. “At first. Yes.”

“Why did
you take her things?” Another question caught me off guard.

“I don’t
know.” My voice broke. Why had I indeed? “Once I realized they were Gina’s, I
didn’t want you to get into trouble, I guess. If the cops found the stuff at
your place, it would have been impounded as evidence.”

Jett shook
his head in amazement. “I can’t believe you took such a risk, Brooke. What were
you going to do with it?”

“Honestly,
I have no idea.” I shrugged because, really, I had no idea. It hadn’t been the
best of plans. “I guess you rub off on me.”

“Would you
still have done it if you had known I was going to Chicago?” Jett asked
quietly.

I raised my
brows. “Of all the questions you could ask me, this is the one that bothers you
the most?”

“I’m just
surprised, that’s all. Would you have done it?”

“Yes. I
guess.” I bit my lip, thinking. “It felt right.”

“Why?” He
looked at me intently. “Assuming I was cheating on you, did you really think I
deserved to be saved?”

“But that’s
the thing, you weren’t cheating.”

 
“True, but what if that had been the
case?”

I frowned. “Would
I? Did I? Had I? What’s the point of all the questioning? You didn’t.” I
laughed nervously, afraid that my earlier fears would creep back up on me.

They
didn’t.

“Okay,” he
continued, stubborn as a mule as usual. “Let’s assume I had been. Would you
still have done it?”

I cleared
my throat to get rid of the lump. Finally, I let out an exasperated sigh and
dropped my arms in mock annoyance. “Yes, I believe so.”

 
“But why, Brooke? Help me understand.”

“Maybe,
because deep down, I knew you were a good man, Jett. Or maybe I wanted you to
be good. In the end, that’s all that matters. But my strong trust in you isn’t
why I handled the situation the way I did. I did it because I love you. I
wanted you to be safe, regardless of whether we were together or not. Call it
unconditional love.”

He smiled,
and then he cupped my face in his big hands, holding me the way only he could.
“I’m glad we’re on the same page, Brooke, because I would have done the same
thing for you, even if you broke my heart.” He paused. When he spoke again, his
voice was gentle, infused with something I couldn’t pinpoint. “We have this
intensive chemistry. Don’t you think we can call it destiny?”

I stared at
him. “You believe in destiny?”

“No.” He
shook his head. “I believe meeting you was fate. I believe that relationships
don’t stop working. I believe people just give up. I believe that we still have
a lot going for us. While we’ll always have our differences, I’ll never give up
on this relationship, and neither are you, Brooke, because after everything
we’ve been through, I believe you’re the one woman for me. ”

“Does that
mean you’ll stay in New York?”

He returned
my smile. “Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?”

“I don’t
know. Can I?”

His lips
twitched.

“You can
try and see how it works out.”

“Okay.”
Without a pause, I turned on my heels and ran.

But he was
faster.

He caught
up in no time and wrapped his arms around me, spinning me around.

I squealed.

Planting a
kiss on my cheek, he whispered, “No chance. Next time you try to outwit me,
make sure to run faster.”

“Not when I
look like a whale. Maybe I’ll try again when I’m in a car.”

“I’d find
you wherever you are,” Jett said. “I’m like one of the best racers in the
world. Not to mention very good at finding people.”

Yeah, he
had made that part pretty obvious on various occasions.

I shook my
head. “You know, following someone is kind of creepy.”

“I’m fully
aware of that.” His mouth curved into a wicked smile. “But in my defense, I’ll
say that I’m only doing it because I’m insanely infatuated with you. You don’t
know the lengths to which I would go to have you by my side.”

“Really?”
        

“Yeah,
really.” He placed a soft kiss on my skin.

“How far?”
I asked, a bit out of breath.

“What?”

“How far
would you go?” I challenged him.

He put me
down, but his hands stayed on my hips.

“I’d die
for you, Brooke. That’s how much I love you. I’d kill for you, and I’d make
sure you have everything that makes you happy, even if that means staying away
from you, watching you move on, living your life without me. All beginnings are
hard, but you know what, endings are harder. Knowing it’s over and being apart
from you would be a sure way to make me kill myself. But I would have done it
if you wanted me out of our life.”

My heart
beat faster. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s
true.” His finger brushed my lips. “I want to be honest, Brooke. Before I met
you, I didn’t believe in love and in the whole love and romance declaration
thing. Heck, I used to make fun of the whole Romeo and Juliet stuff, because
for me love was a myth.” He laughed, as though the idea was still alien to him.
“I always thought people deluded themselves. The more they loved me, the more I
felt caged in and wanted to run away from them.” He shrugged. “What’s worse,
for a long time women were coming and going. They were only there to get my
wants fulfilled. They obeyed me, followed me. Did everything I wanted, but I
still wasn’t happy, nor did I care enough about them to keep them close.”

He brushed
my hair out of my face, regarding me intently. When I didn’t reply, he
continued.

“I know it
sounds bad. I admit I was an asshole for using them without having the
intention of keeping them.” His eyes locked with mine, searching for something
I couldn’t give. Maybe forgiveness. Maybe understanding. “But I’m not the same
man anymore, Brooke. The player in me is gone. For what it’s worth, meeting you
changed me. You made me a better a man. I would never leave you. No matter how
bad things might be between us, I’ll always be there for you.” He frowned when
he saw my expression. “You don’t believe me?”

“A few days
ago when I called, I thought you didn’t care about me,” I admitted. “I was sure
you had moved on.”

“You think
I could ever move on so easily?” he asked, surprised.

“I’m not
gonna lie. I think you can. You’re a man with needs,” I replied. “Needs that
don’t care whether your girlfriend’s pregnant. Needs that could turn ugly if
you don’t get what you want.”

“Brooke, my
needs don’t define me.” He stared at me, his expression softened. “Needs don’t
make me. It’s want. And what I want is you. I never had such a feeling before.”

“And once I
grow old and ugly? Once this pregnancy changes my body? Or once things get
boring, because you know they will. It happens in every relationship,” I asked,
both hoping for and fearing the truth.

“Especially
then. I very much look forward to those times, because I know we’ll be going
through them together.” His hand rested on my arm. The gentle touch of his
fingertips tracing contours on my skin sent shivers through me. “Every scar
tells a story. Every change is proof of something that you’ve overcome. It’s
evidence of our past together.” He cupped my face, his eyes locking on me.
“You’re perfect, Brooke. You will never be ugly because I fell in love with
your soul.”

“What about
problems? Because you know they’ll surface eventually.”

He shook
his head. “Problems don’t matter. What matters to me is that you’re by my side,
experiencing them with me, while we stay together.”

I smiled. I
wanted to believe him, and for once, I was ready to do just that. “I think I’d
like that.”

“|And I
want you to live with me, Brooke. I know you already moved some stuff over to
my place, but I mean, move in with me permanently so we can raise our child
together. Is that something you’d want, too, now that we’re engaged?”