The Exception (16 page)

CANE

She hung up on me.
A grin slid across my face.

I sat holding the phone in my hand, trying to figure out what in the hell just happened.

That did not go according to plan.

Realizing that she had just managed to do something that people tried to do all the time, and failed miserably at, made the grin grow wider. She had just won a battle, albeit a small one, over me.

It was sexy as hell.

Damn her, anyway.

I shook my head and leaned back into my chair.

The last few days had been a clusterfuck. I should have listened to Max and stayed calm when he told me Jada had been with Simon, but calm wasn’t something I was great at. The thought of her with that low life son-of-a-bitch infuriated me.

Why couldn’t she just fucking listen?

The bits and pieces Max and I were able to put together about Simon looked worse and worse. I had honestly thought that he would just disappear, but now I wasn’t so sure. And if he was going to keep contacting her, I was going to have to clue her in without panicking her. I was going to do that the night she had dinner with him, but she was so fucking mad at me and my plan got put on the back burner.

There has never been a better back burner.

Thoughts of her wrapped around me, my cock buried inside her, made me want to go get her from work and take her home with me.

Breathe, Alexander. Don’t be a dumbass.

It was impossible to think clearly while around Jada. And that was exactly why I had to head to Payson. I had to put some space between us before I really fucked shit up. Just watching her sleep, this potent mix of beauty and seduction, naivety and strength, made me think crazy shit.

Like lying beside her, pulling her close, and falling asleep with her in my arms …

Thank fuck I had just had a major orgasm or who knows what would have happened.

Instead, I kissed her on the forehead and raced home.

I didn’t sleep at all that night; her scent was all over me. It was something pure and soft, something classy. Just like her. I couldn’t get the feel of her body out of my mind. Even after showering, I could still see her, hear her, smell her, taste her.

And I wanted more.

I never wanted more.

What in the hell is wrong with me?

By four AM, I was worried about my fucking sanity. I was still wide awake, my mind not shutting down. Even after six rounds on the heavy bag—something that normally exhausts every cell in my body—I still couldn’t rest.

I felt like I had Freud in my brain, prompting me to reconsider choices I had made and choices I needed to make.

How did I get myself in this position at all? When did I give a fuck? When did I care about this shit?

I didn’t need Freud, I needed Machiavelli. I was at war. With myself, no less.

Everything I thought I knew about, well, everything, now seemed challengeable. The rules that I lived by all seemed … open to doubt. And that wasn’t possible.

Those were the things that made me Cane Alexander. Those were the guidelines that kept me strong, kept me focused, kept me on the path that led to where I wanted to be.

Didn’t they?

Didn’t I want an uncomplicated life? Didn’t I want to work hard during the day and play however I felt like it at night? Didn’t I enjoy a different girl in my bed a few times a week?

Hell yeah I do.

Right?

I scratched my head roughly, my arms aching from working out so long.

I ignored a text from Miriam last night. Worse yet, I wasn’t even interested. What the fuck is wrong with me?

This thing with Jada, whatever it was, was ruining my life.

Or was it making it better?

Fuck if I knew.

All I did know was that things between Jada and I had changed. The illusion of friendship that we had been able to navigate under was no more. There could now be no casual flirting, no more wondering, “
what would happen if
…” I had willingly, and enthusiastically, crossed that line and there was no going back.

I just wasn’t sure how to go forward, either.

This is why you don’t do dumb shit like this. You should be sport-fucking someone right now.

Before the sun came up on Friday morning, only hours after leaving Jada sleeping, I called Max and told him I was going to Payson and that he needed to keep track of everything for a couple of days.

I went to my cabin up there, had some beers, tried to organize my brain, and came back late Sunday night. The only contact I had with the outside world had been with Max to ensure that the Queen Creek job stayed on track … and that Simon hadn’t been around.

Max, as always, took care of everything. I paid him well, of course, but his loyalty was worth more than I could ever pay him. Since he hooked up with Kari, Max had changed for the better. He was more loyal, more focused, more serious. I guessed that is what happened when you fell in love.

Is that happening to me and I just can’t see it?

No. No, it wasn’t. I was going to keep my balls. As much as I liked, possibly really liked, Jada Stanley, I wasn’t about to get involved.

I didn’t have it in me.

And Jada wasn’t going to be a fuck buddy. I didn’t want to see the look in her eyes at a certain point. Namely the point when I moved on.

That would happen.

And that is what it all boiled down to. I had to be able to leave her behind. I had laid everything out there once before and learned a few very valuable lessons.

I had adjusted my game after that.

There was no room in my life for doing something stupid like falling in love. Love was for the weak, for the fools of the world that couldn’t make it on their own. That’s if it really even existed at all.

I would not be getting sucked in to a relationship with Jada Stanley or anyone else. But if Powers wasn’t going to leave her alone, I would have to take matters into my own hands.

Picking up my phone again, I dialed the main office number to Stanley Real Estate. Mrs. Jewell picked up promptly.

“Hi, Alice. This is Cane Alexander. Is there any chance Mr. Stanley is in?”

“Oh, hello, Cane. Yes, I think he’s still around. Can you hold for a second?”

“Sure.” I watched the shadows play against the wall while I waited for Thomas to pick up. I considered what angle to take with him.

“Thomas Stanley.”

“Hi, Thomas. This is Cane Alexander.”

“Well, hello. It is nice to finally talk to you. I hope everything is going all right with your property.”

I smiled. “Yes. Jada has done an excellent job; I’m very happy with her performance.”

If he only knew …

“That’s great. What can I do for you, Cane?”

I stood up and paced the room. “There is a prospective buyer on Solomon Place. His name is Simon Powers.”

“Yes. I heard he made an offer today.”

“That’s right. And as happy as I am with the job Jada has done, Mr. Stanley, I would appreciate it if you would reassign another realtor to work with Mr. Powers.”

“May I ask why?”

“Of course.” I paused, considering my next words carefully. “This decision has nothing to do with Jada, except her safety.”

“Please, go on.”

“I have known Simon for a number of years. We have a history together and he’s never been a nice guy. My sources are telling me that he is involved in some nefarious activities. Now, if he wants to buy Solomon—that’s fine with me. Money is money. But I hope you trust me when I tell you that he is no one Jada should be dealing with.”

Thomas let out a deep breath. “Is that all you are going to give me?”

“Well, considering I have no hard evidence on what he’s doing now and the past is very personal, I’d rather leave it there. I hope my word is good enough. If Jada were my daughter or my wife, I wouldn’t want her to be anywhere near Simon Powers.”

The line was quiet and my body tensed.

Have I crossed a line?

“It sounds like you are fond of my daughter. Have you told her what you are telling me?”

“I have told her that Simon is dangerous, but she’s pretty hard-headed. I hope you don’t mind me saying that.”

Thomas laughed. “She got that from her mother.”

“So, as you can imagine, she bristled and now I’m not sure if she’s going to listen.”

“I’ll tell you what, Cane. I’ll reassign Powers to Zack, another associate here in our offices. And I appreciate the call. That’s my baby girl we are talking about, so her safety trumps everything.”

“And if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep this conversation between us. I’m sure you can understand why.”

“Agreed.”

“I’ll let you get back to your day now, sir. Thank you for all of your help on Solomon Place and I’ll let you know when I have something else to list.”

“No problem. And Cane,” Thomas paused, “thank you. I appreciate you looking out for Jada.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

JADA

The music pumped through the bar, “Touchin’ on My” by 3OH!3 rocking the speakers. The lights flickered rapidly, casting colorful rays on the patrons pressed closely together on the dance floor at Casaar’s Bar.

Sweaty and borderline exhausted after dancing with Kari, I motioned for my sister to follow me to the back patio. It would surely be a little cooler and a whole lot quieter. I had never been one for large crowds anyway, but I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that someone was watching me. I kept scanning the bar, but found nothing out of place.

It’s just the crowd coupled with the shot of tequila. You know you shouldn’t drink tequila.

I led Kari outside and found a table in a back corner that was, thankfully, next to a fan.

“I’m not as young as I used to be,” Kari giggled, holding on to the table to stop herself from swaying. “Damn, not nearly as young. How much did you let me drink?” she laughed.

“Enough,” I smiled.

“What’s gotten into my big sister, huh?” Kari asked, a goofy smile on her face. “You are actually kinda fun tonight!”

“Hush. I earned this night.”

“That you do. Did. Whatever,” Kari laughed. “Speaking of deserving … well, in my brain that word was dessert …” Kari shook her head. “Damn, I am drunk! Anyway, I was going to ask you if you had heard from that piece of man candy of yours.”

I rolled my eyes and recounted the conversation about Solomon Place earlier in the week. “He’s such a dick.”

“What’s his deal? Even when I’m not drunk, I don’t think he makes sense.” Kari grooved to the beat of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”.

“I don’t know, but I’m done. I’m finished even being nice to him at this point, Kari. He sent me a couple of texts yesterday, but I didn’t respond. Fuck him.”

“Yeah! Fuck him!” Kari shouted, holding her glass up in the air, contents splashing on the table.

“Kari! Don’t yell.”

“Sorry!” Kari said, putting her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening. “Anyway, what did the texts say?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Just give me your phone.” Kari extended her hand. I obliged, the look on her face telling me that it wasn’t worth the fight.

Cane: I got the papers from your father. See how smoothly things go when you listen.

Cane: Are you just going to ignore me now?

Cane: Goodnight, Jada.

“He’s obviously thinking about you, but why is he so Jekyll and Hode?”

“Jekyll and Hyde?” I smiled at my inebriated sister. “I have no idea. He’s confusing and time consuming and ridiculous.”

“And delicious,” Kari hiccupped.

“Is Max that way?”

“Yeah, he’s delicious all right.”

“Not what I meant,” I laughed.

Kari’s face fell, sobering. “Oh, Jada. I don’t know what to do with Max.”

“Why?”

“Because I like him.”

I smiled softly, the truth finally coming to light. “That’s good, Kari.”

“No, no it’s not. When I met him, it was supposed to be all about sex. That was clear from the get-go.” She fiddled with the edge of her dress. “But he’s so thoughtful, Jada. He worries about me. He goes out of his way to make sure I’m happy. I don’t know what to do with that.”

“You enjoy it. I like Max. I think he’s good for you. Maybe you should just see what happens.”

“Oh, like you are so willing to see what happens with Cane,” Kari taunted, nodding her head exaggeratedly.

“That’s different. I know what will happen with Cane. Unlike you, I’m basing my decisions on experience.” My eyes were caught by the flashing image on the table top. “Your phone is ringing.”

She looked down. “It’s Max. I was supposed to call him tonight and didn’t.”

“Why not?”

Kari shrugged. She looked down, the phone stilling in her hand. She pressed a few buttons and held it to her ear. “Hey, Max. What’s up? Yeah, I know. Sorry. Jada wanted to come to Casaar’s tonight.”

“You liar!” I laughed.

Kari giggled, trying to ignore me. “No, we’re actually sitting on the back deck right now, cooling off.” She swirled her drink in her glass while she listened. “Maybe I’m a little drunk. But Jada’s here, so I’m fine.”

“No, we are taking a cab. We’re not stupid.” She glanced around. “Yeah, well, I will see you tomorrow … Max!” The phone slammed to the table with a thud. “Sometimes, I hate him.”