CHAPTER TWELVE

Then I'm going to fuckyou, princess.

Leilani lay staring at the ceiling in her bedroom as the early morning light began to creep through the curtains.

Jacob had certainly done that.

And Carter.

She pressed her eyes closed and let the raft of emotions envelop her again.

"Don't be ashamed." Jacob had said, kissing her nose as he dropped her off a few hours ago.

Her nose.

After having his mouth and tongue and cock in every orifice of her body—in public—he kissed her damn nose.

Then walked her to the door.

Leilani didn't know how to feel now. It had been the most incredible sexual experience of her life. Just not the kind she'd expected to have with Jacob.

After a tour of the club, she'd expected him to invite her back to his house where they'd have another drink, kiss more, then fall into bed together.

In truth, she had expected him to be a powerful lover. Dominant. That had excited her. But never in her wildest dreams had she expected he'd invite someone else into the equation.

In public.

She could've said no.

But she hadn't.

Leilani had been seduced, almost addicted to the need to have them both touch her. While it was Jacob she desired, her body also wanted Carter.

His naughty smirk, his bad boy blond hair, and his wandering fingers.

And oh, his cock.

When he'd spread her cheeks and licked her ass with a groan, Jacob had swelled inside her and told her to hang on.

"Jesus, you need to adjust to me fast, baby. I am going to blow. He's licking my cock and your ass."

Her eyes had flown open wider, and then she had hung on.

For life.

Jacob had lifted her up and down his cock while she clenched his thick shaft. Both of them climaxing within moments.

We know what we're doing. Carter had said, and he'd been right.

But it had also told her there was nothing special about her being there with them. Likely, Melanie and Lucy had been in her position many times. That was probably what had her reeling and unable to sleep.

Even though she was exhausted and depleted.

"So stupid. As if Jacob Dufort was going to invite me home to his fancy house and fall in love with me." She said with a loud sigh.

Although that wasn't why she left the InkWell event in the minutes that followed, Leilani had convinced herself that Jacob liked her. The kisses, his attention, and showing her his club.

She thought it might be real.

He'd come back for her after all.

Oh no!

Her hands flew to her face. Did Blake know what his brother was into? Oh God, he had to. She could never face him ever again. She'd have to resign. Flee the country.

Move to Mars.

"Ugh," Leilani rolled over and buried her head in the pillows.

Eventually sleep came, but not until every worst-case scenario had played itself out at least twice.

––––––––

THE NEXT DAY, Leilaniavoided her mom as much as she could while doing all the chores that needed doing in the home.

She couldn't face anyone right now.

Answering questions about how her night was felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Great. The event was a success. Blake and Bella even told me I'd done a great job." She muttered as she wiped down the kitchen bench.

"So proud of you, darling," her mom said.

"Thanks Mom," she'd replied, although the more accurate response would have been you might not be proud if you knew how the night ended up. With my ass in the air while some hot blond god licked it.

Anyway.

Sometimes it was better to say nothing at all. This was definitely one of those times.

After the chores were done, Leilani claimed to have a hangover and returned to her room to read, scrolled through social media, dozed, and then spent far too long soaking in a bubble bath. Finally it was bedtime, and she buried her head back under the pillow and tried to block out the memories.

While secretly admitting to herself it had been the wildest, sexiest night of her life.

She just couldn't tell a soul about it.

And would have to face Jacob the next time he showed up at InkWell.

Would he still flirt with her?

Would he know she had wanted more and think she was just some ditzy PA who had no idea she'd never fit into his world?

Let's face it, Leilani knew she could never be with a man who entertained himself in that way. It wasn't just a hobby, he owned Sailors.

"Not a real problem," she mumbled to herself as she walked into the restaurant the next day and saw her best friend Vanessa waving out to her.

Jacob didn't want her, and it wasn't an option.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Leilani said, pulling off her coat.

She wasn't sorry.

She didn't want to be here.

She wanted to be back inside her duvet trying to invent a time machine so she could go back to, say, Thursday to leave herself a note.

Do not dance with Jacob.

No, she'd need to be clearer.

Do not kiss Jacob.

Not clear enough.

Do not fuck Jacob and Carter in public at Sailors Club. At the same time.

And enjoy it.

And live in shame forever after.

That should do it.

Amy stood and threw her arms around Leilani. "Hey honey."

"Woah, you're big," she exclaimed. "Not big, round. Jesus. Popped. That's what you call it, right?"

Damn, she was bad at this.

She didn't see them enough to be part of all the mommy talk, and when they caught up, she always felt it. The rolled eyes and tsks like she should know.

How?

Or maybe she should know.

She wasn't sure.

But it didn't feel nice, and every day felt like the divide between them was getting bigger and bigger.

Amy giggled and rubbed her tummy. "Yes, silly. I've popped. But honestly, I love being pregnant."

"Lucky. Some women hate it, right?" Leilani asked, hugging Vanessa next. "Hey Greg. Donny."

She sat down as the guys said hello and picked up her menu. Although she knew what she would order. The same thing as always.

They all met on the last Sunday of each month, but occasionally they'd had to skip it. Soon, she imagined, they'd just stop. At least when Amy's baby arrived.

Instead of dining out, they'd be catching up at kids' birthday parties with balloons and god-awful clowns. They'd have a two-minute conversation before some child screamed or almost killed itself.

It would be all mom talk, and Leilani would have nothing to contribute.

Much like now.

"My sister hated it. Remember?" Vanessa said, referring to her older sibling. "Claire threw up nearly every day she was pregnant."

"Not every day. Although she moaned about it every day," Greg, Vanessa's husband, added.

Leilani hid her smile.

"She's jealous, by the way." Vanessa told Amy. "And still won't have a second baby, even though her hubby wants one."

Leilani stifled a yawn, and everyone glanced at her.

Ooops.She hadn't meant to do that. Jacob had dropped her home just after three in the morning on Saturday, which was far later than she normally stayed out.

He'd also put his number in her phone, but there was no way she was messaging him.

No way.

She might have stupidly confused his invitation to dance and their kisses as interest, but afterward she was clear. If she messaged him, it would be a booty call.

And she was not doing that.

Leilani might've enjoyed the sexual experience, but it was something she'd let happen in the moment without having time to think about it and with having a few drinks in her system.

Repeating it a second time? No.

Had she been pleasured beyond imagination? Yes. Proud of what she'd done? Not so much. Still in shock? Yes. Ever going to tell a living soul? No.

"Are we keeping you awake?" Donny smirked.

Yes.

"Sorry, I just had a late night." Leilani smiled and lifted the glass of water in front of her, then sipped.

"Last night?" he asked.

"No, well Friday. I know, lightweight. Blah blah." She poked her tongue out at him.

"You always were." Donny laughed.

"Where did you go?" Amy asked, digging into her pasta as their meals arrived.

"It was a work thing. We were at the Dufort Hotel in town." Leilani mumbled, then shoved a forkful of chicken salad into her mouth.

Do not say anything more.

"Any hotties at work?" Vanessa asked.

"Oh yes. Have you been dating? Are you seeing anyone?" Amy asked eagerly.

Every damn time, they all asked. As if being single was like a virus one must get rid of as fast as you could.

"No. You know I'm looking after Mom right now," she snapped.

Damn, she hadn't meant to react quite that much.

Amy's mouth dropped, then she closed it. "I know, but you can still date. Right, Greg? The right man would understand and be supportive."

"Sure," Greg replied, digging into his steak and looking like he really didn't want to get dragged into the conversation.

She would've laughed if it wasn't so annoying.

"I won't want to date," Leilani said, feeling her cheeks heat. "I'm happy being single."

She was.

But she wasn't.

She wanted what her friends had, but being made to feel like there was something wrong with her was unfair.

"Don't you want a family? You know what they say about fertility these days," Amy continued.

"Amy," Greg warned.

"I'm saying this because I care," she cried.

Leilani glanced at Vanessa, who smiled. She was always the neutral one—like damn Switzerland.

Thanks for the support, Ness.

Wow.

"Sure. I just...my mom is going to die soon, Amy. So my focus isn't on reproducing." Leilani ground her teeth as she stabbed at her chicken.

"Anyone getting dessert?" Donny asked, then glanced up from the menu he'd been reading when there was no response. "What?"

God love him.

Amy placed a hand on her arm. "Don't be mad. It's because I love you. I want our kids to be close in age like we were."

Sure, it's all about you Amy.

She didn't say that. Instead, Leilani smiled and nodded, then swept her long, dark hair around her neck.

Big mistake.

"What is THAT?" Amy gasped.

Oh fuck.

She'd seen it this morning in the mirror. It was Jacob's thumb print. A bruise.

"Fell over on Friday," she mumbled.

Onto a billionaire's cock.