Chapter 21

"What the hell is that?" Jake asked.

I looked down. "What?"

"That thing."

"You mean this?" I grabbed a handful of black fabric and lifted it outward. "The dress?"

We were standing near the balcony doors of his penthouse. I'd just emerged from his guest room, dressed for the museum thing – whatever it was – and eager to get it over with. It was sad too, because I should have been excited. But today, I'd had way too much excitement already.

When I'd returned from shopping, Jake had been gone. I'd let myself in using his extra key card, only to find a note on the entryway table. "Be back soon."

At the time, I'd been relieved. After everything I'd learned, I hadn't been ready to face him. I still wasn't ready to face him. Bianca's words weighed on my mind. Did I believe her? I still wasn't sure. But what did it matter? Whether she was lying or not, I was still dressed like a schoolmarm.

Jake eyed the dress with undisguised loathing. "A dress?" he said. "That's what you're calling it?"

Even though I didn't love the dress either, Jake's reaction still stung. As he eyed me with obvious disgust, I felt my face grow warm. "What would you call it?" I said.

His jaw tightened. "Tell me something," he said. "Did you pick that thing out?"

As I met his gaze, I felt my own temper rise. Yes, the dress was butt-ugly. But what if I had picked it out? Just because he didn't like something, that didn't give him the right to be so nasty about it. I threw back my shoulders and said, "What if I did?"

His mouth opened. No words came out. He reached up to rub the back of his neck. "It's uh, really—" He glanced toward the door. "So you did pick it out?"

Unlike me, he looked fabulous, in dark slacks and a dark dress shirt and sports jacket that matched perfectly with his dark hair and dark eyes – and yet somehow managed to accentuate his amazing body. 

The fact that he looked so good – while I looked awful – only made me more irritated.

"You know what?" I said. "You've been bossing me around since I got here, and I've just about had it." My voice rose. "Do you even realize what you cost me today?"

He leaned back against the wall. "Go ahead," he said, crossing his arms. "Tell me."

I rolled my eyes. "Do I need to spell it out?" I counted off on my fingers. "An apartment. Two jobs. And a roommate."

He made a sound of derision. "Your apartment sucked, your jobs paid dick, and your roommate sold you out for some guy she just met."

I stared at him. "Maddie? What do you mean?"

He smiled without humor. "How do you think I found you?"

"You tell me."

"Later," he said. "First, tell me why you're so ticked off."

"I already told you," I said.

"Uh-huh."

"And," I said, "you're being a total pig." I glanced down at my dress, ugly as it was. "The only reason I bought this thing was because you made me." I hard sound escaped my lips. "No. In fact, I didn't even buy it. You did."

"Do they offer refunds?" he said.

Probably. My gaze narrowed. "No," I said.

"Then take it off," he said. "We'll burn it."

I glanced toward the fireplace, dark and quiet. Was he kidding? He didn't look like he was kidding. "Why are you being such a jerk?" I said.

He pushed away from the wall and closed the distance between us. Soon, he was towering over me, all coiled muscle and explosive energy. "Because I don't believe for one fucking minute that you picked that thing out."

I glared up at him. Bianca's warnings rang in my ear. "So what's the deal?" I said, my tone growing snotty. "It's not sexy enough for you?"

His gaze dipped to the dress. "You think that's the problem?"

I made a scoffing sound. "Isn't it?"

"Just answer me something." His gaze bored into mine. "Do you really like it?"

"The dress?" Reluctantly, I looked down. "It's not too bad."

"Uh-huh," he said. "And I'll ask you again, who picked it out? You? Or Bianca?"

I shrugged. "It was a joint effort."

He gave me a penetrating look. "So Bianca liked it?" His voice grew sarcastic. "She gave it her 'seal of approval'?"

"Well, she thought it would be appropriate for tonight, so…" I shrugged. "Yeah. I guess."

"Good to know." He glanced toward the door. "You ready to go?"

I drew back, surprised by the sudden change in his demeanor. I glanced down at the dress. "Are you're willing to be seen with this 'thing'?"

"We're meeting Bianca downstairs," he said. "So yeah. I'm sure."

I wanted to groan. "She's going with us?"

"Yeah," he said. "Didn't she tell you?"

"No," I said. "And why should she have to tell me? You could've mentioned it, you know."

Childish or not, I wanted to run back into the guest bedroom, rip off that ugly dress, and dive under the covers. And then, I wanted to sleep for twelve hours straight and magically wake up in my old apartment – before Rango, before Bianca, and now, before Jake.

I looked down, blinking long and hard. When I looked up, something in Jake's expression had changed.

"You're right," he said. "I should've mentioned it. I'm sorry."

My jaw dropped. "You are?"

"Yeah," he said. "But you need remember something."

"What?"

"Tonight, you're my guest. Not Bianca."

"Then why is she going?" I asked.

"Because I'm paying her to be there," he said.

Recalling Bianca's earlier words, I felt myself swallow. I still didn't believe what Bianca had implied. Or maybe I just didn't want to believe it.

I heard myself sigh. I'd had more than enough of Bianca for one day. And somehow, I knew in my heart that she'd look like a million bucks. My stomach twisted. Maybe she was being paid to look like a million bucks.

Maybe later, she'd be paid to wear nothing at all.

Across from me, Jake reached for my hand. It felt big and strong as it closed around mine. It should've made things better. But somehow, it just made everything worse.

And then he spoke. "Luna?"

"What?"

"You look beautiful."

I made a scoffing sound. "Don't bother lying. You already told me what you think."

"I told you what I thought of the dress, not what I thought of you."

I stared at him, pummeled by my own conflicting emotions. There was something in his voice that I'd never heard before. And he had just called me beautiful.

I should have been thrilled. At the very least, I should have thanked him. It would've been the polite thing to do. Except I wasn't feeling polite. So instead, I withdrew my hand and starting trudging in my high heels toward the entryway.

Inside the elevator, neither one of us spoke. There were so many things I wanted to ask him, but what was the point? Now wasn't the time, and it definitely wasn't the place. In just a couple minutes, we'd be a threesome. Me. Jake. And Bianca.

A bitter sound escaped my lips.

A threesome.

Bianca had mentioned doing things for Jake. Sexual things – or at least that was the implication. Was a threesome one of those things?

One by one, other sex acts drifted through my mind. Starring Jake. I slid another sideways glance in his direction. He stood, facing the elevator doors, with his hands loose, but his jaw set. I'd seen that stance before, countless times – usually before a fight.

He was itching for one. I could tell.

Outside the building, the car was waiting. Henry, who'd been standing at the ready, opened the rear door with a smooth, practiced motion. Inside the back seat, Bianca was waiting, all long legs and high heels.

She leaned across the seat to give Jake a dazzling smile, along with a barely decent view of her cleavage.

"There you are," she gushed. "I was almost getting worried."

Jake didn't return the smile. "Bianca," he said in a cold, flat voice.

Looking at Bianca, my stomach sank. Just as I'd feared, she looked amazing in a little black dress that somehow managed to look sophisticated and sexy. As for me, I looked neither. Jake turned to me. "Want the window seat?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Sure. I guess." If nothing else, it might come in handy if I decided to throw myself into traffic. Jake lowered his head and climbed into the back seat, claiming the spot beside Bianca, who reached out to give his knee a friendly squeeze.

I climbed in behind him and pretended to be invisible. When Henry pulled away from the curb, Bianca turned to give Jake a sunny smile. "Isn't this exciting?" she said.

"What?" Jake said.

"Oh come on," she said. "Don't be coy. You're fabulous at this sort of thing." She leaned toward him. "So, how do I look?"

Jake's voice was flat. "Nice dress."

"Oh come on," she said with a sultry pout. "It's more than nice."

"You're right," he said. "Now take it off."