Dangerous Exes (Page 6)

He blew me a kiss, his blue eyes twinkled as he nodded his head to the main activity center.

Frowning, I weaved my way down the hall toward all the chatter and laughter. My Aunt Betsy, or Goo-Poh (what I called her in front of others as a term of respect), wasn’t in her usual blue chair, which was odd considering that chair wielded more power than the United Nations.

Wars were won in that chair.

Wars about what activities would be participated in, who was allowed to date who, and which dessert would be served on Funday Friday—she was essentially the queen bee of a very old hive, and it fit her, kept her busy. She’d been a director in another life—bossing people around, me included, was her life’s calling.

“Isla!” I heard her call my name but didn’t see anything except a crowd of people tittering over something in the middle of the room.

That sense of dread intensified until it was hard to breathe.

And then the crowd parted.

Betsy grinned up at me with a wide smile then wrapped her arm around a man I could only describe as a perfect representation of Satan.

“Jessie,” I said through a clenched-teeth smile. “You’re . . . here.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world . . . pumpkin.”

I flinched.

He noticed.

I hated him.

So. Much.

My stomach fluttered as he leaned in and kissed my aunt’s cheek, and then set her on her feet. “We were just having a nice chat.”

“A nice . . . chat,” I finished. “About what? World hunger? Why the hell are you following me everywhere?”

Silence ensued.

I crossed my arms as my face flushed.

“Pumpkin, I thought we talked about this.” Jessie smirked. “You said every Tuesday you visit your favorite aunt, and you promised this Tuesday I could come with you.”

“Right.”

Jessie shrugged. “I could have misheard you, you do mumble in your sleep.”

About five women clutched their chests while the elderly men elbowed each other.

Fantastic.

Goo-Poh gave me such a happy smile I didn’t have the heart to tell her that not only was I not sleeping with Jessie, but I had actually scheduled time to plot his murder later and was planning on doing it drunk off my ass.

“Goo-Poh.” I pulled her in for a tight hug. “Let me just . . . talk to my pumpkin really quick and I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, honey”—Goo-Poh gave him a once-over and visibly trembled—“you take your sweet time.” She winked at Jessie and returned to her giant blue chair while her little friends gathered around her like her niece had just snagged the Sexiest Man Alive.

I scowled.

So he’d been on the cover of People twice.

But that was at least three years ago.

Maybe two.

I hardly noticed.

I tugged at my blouse while Jessie’s eyes raked over me. “You.”

“Me.” His smile was back.

Hold it the hell together, Isla!

I grabbed his hand and jerked him toward the far side of the room. I had a feeling that it wasn’t far enough—I knew the majority of our audience was hard of hearing, but they could read lips. I had proof when Goo-Poh’s gaze focused on my mouth as I was getting ready to verbally spar with the best of them.

I learned of her skill the hard way when I lost my virginity to Aiden my senior year of high school and excitedly told my friend at one of the football games, not noticing my aunt’s eagle eyes. My Goo-Poh threatened to tell my parents, and I told her I’d take care of her until her death if she kept it to herself.

She thought I was joking.

And yet here I am, upholding my end of the bargain, spending every Tuesday with her like a champ. Though if I was being honest, I did it more for myself than for her silence, and I think she knew it too. What started as a bribe became a relationship that developed into so much more than I could have possibly imagined. She was all I had left once my parents died—and she was my favorite person in the world, but I had no way of knowing that at eighteen when I made the deal.

As she got older, whatever filters she had kept disappearing, making it impossible for me to discuss certain topics without blushing, and now I could only imagine what was going through her head.

“Look.” I shoved Jessie into the hall. “This is going too far. You can’t involve my family in whatever crazy plan you have in that thick skull of yours.”

“Why not?” He frowned and crossed his arms. “It makes so much sense for me to infiltrate your world, your privacy, the way you did mine—how’s it feel? To know someone’s always watching, someone’s always waiting for you to . . .” He hesitated and then leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “Break.”

I gritted my teeth. “It’s not the same. This isn’t your job, which only makes it creepy.”

“You mean a charity visit from an ex-NFL star who loves helping others . . . is creepy? Even when it’s to his girlfriend’s aunt? How could anyone possibly take that wrong?”

And just like that, Henry approached with tears in his eyes and held out his hand. “Thank you, Mr. Beckett, we’re all so excited to have you as the host of our annual Christmas ball this year, and the donations to the local elementary school we sponsor every year, well—” He wiped an actual tear from his eye. “Some of our most treasured people here don’t have family, it was absolutely inspired that you would help pair some of the orphaned foster kids with those who want someone to take care of this Christmas, after all, it’s never too early.”

He walked off.

I smacked Jessie so hard in the chest my palm stung.

Then did it again.

“What the hell!”

“Orphaned. Children!” I hissed. “You’re the actual spawn of Satan, aren’t you?”

“Because I help children?” He looked genuinely confused.

“NO.” I jabbed him in the chest with my finger. “This, this isn’t over, it’s just begun, if you think I’m going to let you stomp all over the life I’ve worked my ass off to build, you’ve got another think coming. Stay away from me. I’m warning you.”

“Or what?” Jessie grinned at me like I wasn’t even a small threat. “You’re gonna tell your aunt on me? Admit it, you’re stuck.”

And it suddenly hit me.

I was stuck.

And alone.

I couldn’t tell Goo-Poh the truth.

And Blaire would ask too many questions.

Which left me with nobody but . . . Jessie.

He didn’t say it. Maybe he didn’t have to.

It stung more than it should.

Even though I’d readjusted my armor in order to battle harder, the arrow had just enough time to slide through and prick me in the heart.

I stared at his chest as tears filled my eyes.

I begged them not to spill over.

“Isla—” Jessie reached for me.

I jerked away, wiped my cheeks, and then stomped back over to my aunt. Only a true bastard would remind me of the things lost.

And all the things he had to gain by removing everything I’d built, and leaving me with nothing.

Chapter Six

ISLA

I abandoned Jessie to the elderly.

I felt zero guilt about it, especially when Henry started asking questions about Jessie’s football career. Soon he had at least ten elderly gentlemen telling him about the good old days while I snuck my aunt out and escaped to her room.