you, she won’t have the conscience to stop.”
“Hey.” He lifted my chin to meet his eyes. “This stops right here. You’ll never have reason to doubt me again. I promise.”
I swallowed hard, wetness springing to my eyes. “I love you.”
The car was soon filled with our soft kisses and moans.
“So,” Jaxson said, nipping a path along my chin. “Is anal off the table?”
I glared fit to singe his eyebrows.
“Oops.” He cringed. “Thought I’d go for a joke. I see that was a mistake.”
“Just get rid of that thing.”
“I will. Then how about we take this inside.” He patted the snow cone machine. “Grab Adam and sit out by the pool.”
I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “Okay. Let me clean up first. I don’t want Adam seeing me like this.”
“We’ll take a bath and—”
I slipped out of his grasp. “Give me a minute, please. Set up the snow cones on the patio. I’ll be out there in a little bit.”
Jaxson looked like he wanted to say something. Say more. Kiss away my frown.
Instead, he grabbed the box, climbed out, and took the white lace thong with him.
I slumped on the seat, the equivalent of a marionette without strings. It’s not that I didn’t believe him. I did. I knew when Jaxson lied to me as surely as I knew that he never did. Jaxson Van Zandt was unfailingly honest with me from the moment we met. Even the times I wished he’d sugarcoat it, he told me the truth. Trusting him was easy for my heart. Forgiving Serena Blackwood, on the other hand...
I trembled, boiling with such rage it threatened to explode out of me and shatter the windshield. There was nothing innocent about these panties being left in his car. Jaxson said that show she put on for me was just that, but if she has no interest in him, why would she jump at the first chance to taunt me and make me jealous? There’s a need for attention and then there’s a need for a fist through the teeth.
The late nights. Constant calls. Refusing to work with anyone but Jaxson. Since my boyfriend walked into that bar, Serena’s been on a crusade to monopolize his time and have him all to herself.
My gaze fell on the door he disappeared through.
This was no accident.
JAXSON
Valentina cuddled Adam in her lap, laughing as he tried to feed her his snow cone and mostly got the cold, sticky treat on her face. Looking at her, you’d never guess our entire relationship nearly fell apart an hour ago.
She was perfect. Puffy, red eyes clear and shining. Wild chestnut locks flat and combed. Thin, twisted lips full and smiling. She was my Valentina again, but for a brief moment as she held that thong up and I looked in her eyes, she was as far from mine as she could be.
How did it end up in my car? Serena wouldn’t really do something like this, would she? She is a demanding diva who thinks she owns me, but as a personal assistant, not a boy toy.
I’m not an idiot and I don’t live on the right side of modest.
I was rich. About to inherit an empire. I could walk onto any modeling shoot and they’d kick everyone out and turn their cameras on me. I know when girls are hitting on me because they do it all the fucking time. Serena never has.
Pushing myself up, I abandoned my patio chair for Valentina’s, wedging myself between her and the cushion, and wrapping my arms around my family. I relaxed as she burrowed into me. There was a part of me that feared she’d pull away.
“Here you go, Jaxson.” Adam thrust the cone in my mouth and half up my nose.
I sputtered to their giggles. “Thanks, little man. Want to make me another one? Green apple.”
“Okay!” Adam hopped out of her lap and ran to the machine. His little face screwed up in concentration as he pulled the lever for the shaved ice, filling the cup.
“Adam,” Val called. “Let’s have your friends over this weekend to swim and make snow cones. How does that sound?”
The kid cheered, jumping up and down and spilling the ice on his shoes.
Val turned her eyes up to me. “This really was a great gift. Thank you.”
“Everyone loves snow cones.”
“Not the ice, Jaxson.” She kissed my jaw. “You. This. The three of us. That’s the gift.” Val looked away. “That I even thought for a second that