panties. I cover his hands with mine. “When you sent Callie and Athena to rob Roman Menshikov’s masquerade party in England, I was there.” His eyebrows arch. So Athena hadn’t told him, after all. I relay the story in abbreviated form. “Athena wasn’t happy to see me. She put a pistol between my eyes and threatened to kill me.”
Cash’s lips curve in a humorless smile. “Sounds like her.”
“If she’s so loyal, why didn’t she tell you I was there?”
“I don’t know, but I sure as hell plan to ask her.”
“You slept with her.” Jealousy eats at my soul. The thought of him touching that pit viper turns my blood into molten lava.
“I’ve slept with lots of women before you.” He rubs the back of his neck. “To be honest, I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought. We were unattached, bored, and horny. She was convenient. That’s it. I don’t have feelings for her.”
I study his face, memorizing his high cheekbones, the angles of his jaw, the sharp blade of his nose. Every time I look at him, my heart skips a beat. With each passing second, I’m more conflicted. No man has ever made me feel as desirable or as valued as Cash, but is it enough? Being with him is like riding a rollercoaster. The highs are higher than the most magnificent mountains, and the lows are treacherous pits filled with sharks and alligators. “You’re making me crazy, Cash Delacorte.”
“I like crazy.” A lopsided grin illuminates his features. My tummy flip-flops. He strokes my arm with the backs of his fingers.
“How would you feel if I employed a former lover? Someone I’ve slept with? Someone like her?” The ache in my chest spreads through my ribs. I stand and head to the door. This day has been overwhelming. And it’s all too much. “I’ve got to get out of here. I need time to think.” I need time to myself to work through the complications of a life with him. If I don’t leave now, I won’t have the strength to continue. “I’m going to go stay with Em for a few days.”
“Wait. Jagger, please.” The gravel in his voice halts my footsteps before I reach the door. “Gage has always been my righthand man, but he was stretched too thin, so I put out a call for a mercenary. Someone to do my dirty work. Give him a little time to catch his breath. Athena answered.” Without turning around, I wait for him to continue. “She has military training. The kind only a select few are given. A woman with her looks and abilities can gain access to places a man would never be able to set foot in. I’ve got a lot of enemies, Jagger. Today has made that perfectly clear.”
I slowly pivot. The anguish on his face catches me by surprise. It’s the first time he’s shown anything but complete confidence. His head falls into his hands. I can’t help myself. I return to his side and wrap my arms around his shoulders. “My soul is rotten, Jagger. I told you once that I’m a bad guy, and I am. But not when it comes to you. I want to be the guy who makes your dreams come true. Not the jerk who breaks your heart.” He takes my hands in his and looks so deep into my eyes I can feel the tug on my soul. “I want you, Jagger. All of you. The good parts. The bad. Can’t you do the same for me? I want you, and I won’t stop trying to make you happy. If you truly wanna leave, I won’t stop you from going, but you’re gonna break my heart.”
He leans forward to kiss the tip of my nose. The gentle brush of his lips reminds me of this morning and the tender way he made love to me. A war erupts among my head, my heart, and my body. I lean into him, absorbing his body heat, the sharp scent of his cologne, his peppermint breath. I don’t want to leave him, but how can I stay? “This is so much more than I bargained for.”
“You can handle this.” His lips deliver slow kisses to my neck, my collarbone, the ticklish spot behind my ear. “Baby, I love you.”
My pulse accelerates. He loves me? Me? Plain, silly Jagger Jones? I try to make sense of everything he’s said, but it’s difficult when my body is screaming to have