Black Jack (Advantage Play #5) - Kelsie Rae Page 0,19

with fire right now, but I’m so wrung out from everything that’s been going on that I can’t help myself.

“And if I don’t?” I whisper.

“Then I send the blackmail you’ve gifted me with before you’re ready, and you end up in a body bag.”

The fear that swells in my stomach is like an overblown balloon. It’s seconds from bursting, and once it does, I’ll be torn apart just like the rubber that once held too much helium. If only I could keep it together long enough to float away and disappear forever.

My eyelids flutter while I try to get a grip on myself. “So, that’s it, Dom?”

“You’ve left me no choice.” He rests his hands on mine as if I’m a wounded bird that needs protection. “It’ll be okay, Bianca. Trust me. And even though I can be harsh sometimes, just remember that I have your best interest at heart. I always have.”

Mesmerized by his gentle touch, I stare at the contact but don’t bother to reply. Because there isn’t anything I can say. The only thing I can use to control men is my vagina, and even I’m not sick enough to use it in hopes of controlling my brother. Which means I’m helpless. Hopeless. And backed into a corner with no freedom in sight, no matter how desperately I crave it.

“So…when’s the big day?” he prods.

I pull away from his grasp and tuck my hair behind my ear. “We haven’t discussed specifics.”

His silence speaks louder than words, so I swallow and add, “He wants a big event.”

“Then give it to him. But plan it within the next two weeks.”

“That’s impossible––”

“And I don’t give a shit. I’m done being stuck here. The sooner you marry him, the sooner we’ll both be protected, and we can use your secrets to get me out of here without repercussion.”

Without repercussions for you, I want to point out, but I bite my tongue.

“Anything else, Bianca?” he asks, reading my mind.

I shake my head. “No.”

“Good. Tell Jack I said hi.”

I open the door to our apartment, then toss my keys on the counter and stop. A dozen vibrant roses that match the color of my favorite lipstick are in a crystal vase and greet me on the kitchen island with a small white envelope. Chewing on my lower lip, I close the distance and thumb the unglued flap with my finger before curiosity gets the best of me.

Bianca,

You’re right. I was the little bitch last night. And there’s no excuse for my shitty behavior. I’m sorry. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but I figured roses don’t have empty calories, so they MIGHT be your guilty pleasure. The color made me think of you.

-Jack

PS-I don’t have your phone number…. We should probably fix that.

A breath of laughter slips past my defenses as I reread the message another dozen times before I set it on the cold granite countertop. Closing my eyes, I pluck a flower from the vase and bring it to my nose, inhaling the sweet, floral scent. I used to love roses. A small part of me still does even though I’ve received enough of them the morning after visiting a client that they’ve been tainted forever. Still. They’re gorgeous. With a slow, controlled exhale, I set the rose next to the note on the swirling granite, then grab the rest of the bouquet and toss it in the garbage.

A seed of doubt blossoms in the back of my mind as I stare at the gorgeous flowers I’ve ruined. But I refuse to be swayed under the guise of his thoughtfulness. Jack’s not sorry. Men are never sorry. No one is. Not when it comes to me.

The last rose and letter taunt me from the counter as I tear my gaze away from the bouquet and turn around. With a frown, I reach for the rose, then roll the dark green stem between my fingers, wishing I was strong enough to toss it in the trash with the others. But I’m not. Squeezing it tightly, I let the sharp thorns bite into my palm, then cart it and the damn note back to the master bedroom. A few trinkets are scattered on the surface of my vanity tucked against one of the walls, and I add the flower and letter to the assortment of things I’m too sentimental to get rid of. There’s also a picture of my mom that stands next to an old perfume bottle that belonged to