Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Creed

“I can’t watch another minute of this,” I said, grabbing the remote and pointing it at the TV. “You’re rotting your mind with this crap.”

“And you have a better idea of what we could watch?” Jada laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Anything other than this,” I chuckled, settling back into the couch. “What kind of movies do you like?”

“I’m pretty sure I am going to be watching the back of my eyelids real soon here. I think I am going to go to bed.” She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. “Thanks for going with me today even though I told you not to.”

I turned off the TV and stood, holding my hand out to her. She took it, and I pulled her up. “Sometimes it’s hard to know what you want. There’s no reason why you have to deal with your mom by yourself.”

“Um, yes, I do because she is my mom, not yours.”

I caressed her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin. “What about your dad?” I asked gently.

Jada smiled sadly, a shadow passing over her face. “He passed away when I was just a baby. It’s just been me and my mom for my whole life,” she explained.

“How long has she been like that?” I had a ton of questions to ask, but I didn’t want to bombard her. It was clear she didn’t want to talk about her mom, but I could see how much it weighed on her.

“Uh, it’s been a couple of years since she fully remembered me. She had days when she would know who I was, but I can’t even remember the last time that was. Most of my visits are like today. I spend time with her, and she thinks I’m someone she hasn’t met before.” She smothered a yawn with her hand and sighed. “As long as she is happy, I’ll be fine.”

I didn’t know much about dementia other than today had been hard for me, and Kim wasn’t my mom. I couldn’t imagine what Jada really felt.

“Now, go home. I know we’re supposed to be falling in love with each other, but I don’t want Candace to think I’m a hussy who fell into bed with you on our second date,” she laughed.

Fucking Candace. I pulled Jada a step closer and rested my hand on her waist.

Jada tipped her head back and smiled up at me. “Is this practice?” she whispered.

I shook my head and reached up to cradle her cheek with my hand. Her skin was soft and warm against my palm.

“Creed,” she sighed, her breath mingling with mine.

If Jada and I were going to do this, we needed to start now. At least, that was what I was going to tell myself. The urge to kiss her had nothing to do with Candace or the fa?ade we were going to put on. I just wanted to kiss Jada.

“I’m gonna kiss you, gorgeous.”

“Okay.” The word slipped out of her lips without hesitation.

I knew Jada was attracted to me. The first time we had met still played in my mind. She had wanted me then, and it didn’t have anything to do with anything other than raw attraction.

I leaned in and kissed Jada. The kiss was soft and sweet, our lips brushing gently against each other. It was a tender moment, full of unspoken emotions and promises.

I pulled back a breath and looked down at her, my heart pounding in my chest.

“More,” Jada whispered, her eyes half-closed and lips slightly parted.

I didn’t need to be convinced to kiss Jada more. It only took one kiss for me to know I wanted to do that a hundred times more. I leaned in again, and this time, the kiss was deeper, more passionate. Our lips moved together with a sense of urgency, as if we were both afraid of losing the moment. My hand slid into her hair, and I felt her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me closer.

We finally pulled away, each of us panting. Our foreheads rested against each other, and I could feel the warmth of her breath on my skin.

“I think I can get used to that,” Jada whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

“Same, gorgeous,” I replied, my own voice thick with emotion.

She smiled softly, her eyes reflecting a mixture of happiness and exhaustion. “Uh, I should get some sleep. Tomorrow is Tatum’s day off, and I need sleep to be able to function.”

I nodded, reluctantly letting her go. “I’ll lock up on my way out. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

She nodded gently. “Okay.”

I watched her disappear into her bedroom before turning to put on my shoes. The room felt empty without her, but I knew I needed to give her space. I grabbed my jacket and walked out the door, making sure to lock it behind me, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

I got into my car, but I didn’t leave immediately. Instead, I pulled out my phone and texted Jax.

Ten minutes later, Jax pulled into the parking spot next to me. He got out of his car and walked over to my window.

“Sir,” he nodded to me.

“She’s in apartment eleven. Stay with her, Jax. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“You’ll have nothing to worry about, sir,” Jax assured me.

I knew with Jax keeping an eye on her, I didn’t have anything to worry about. I was sure Candace was watching, and having someone watching Jada meant she was important to me. Jax being here was sending the message that Jada was mine.

“Call me if anything happens,” I ordered.

Jax stepped back from my car. “You’ll be the first to know, but I’m sure it will be a quiet night.”

I rolled up my window and drove in the direction of my penthouse. I wanted to stay with Jada, but I didn’t want to scare her. She had gone through enough today without me completely barging into her life. My time with her was going to be the calm before the storm because I knew as soon as Candace came out of the woodwork, it was going to be an all-out war.

As I drove, I couldn’t help but think about the day. Seeing Jada with her mom had stirred something deep inside me. It wasn’t just about protecting her anymore. I cared about her. And I was going to do everything in my power to make sure she was safe and happy.

When I finally reached my penthouse, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Candace was a threat, and I knew she wouldn’t back down easily. But I was ready. For Jada, I would fight any battle. And I knew she was worth every bit of it.

I walked into my apartment, the silence enveloping me. I poured myself a drink and stood by the window, looking out at the city lights. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Jada had become more than just a part of my plan. She had become someone I genuinely cared about. And I was determined to show her that.

As I sipped my drink, I thought about our kiss. It had felt right, natural. I wanted more of that. More of her. And I was going to make sure I had it. No matter what.

Tomorrow was a new day, and I was ready to face whatever came our way. For now, I needed to rest and prepare. The storm was coming, and I was going to make sure Jada and I made it through together.