Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Jada

“Murphy wants to know if you want anything from Mocha?”

I placed the last book from the stack in my arms on the shelf and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Uh, I’ll take a large white chocolate mocha with an extra shot, iced. And a bacon and cheese scone.”

“Girl,” Tatum laughed. “I’m gonna get the same thing because that sounds good.” She eagerly typed on her phone and leaned against the register.

“How much do you want to bet he just gets us whatever he feels like getting us?” I asked.

Tatum shrugged. “I mean, it’s a possibility, but hopefully, since I typed out word for word what he needs to order, he should get it.”

“You should have just had him tell Monica that he wants two Jada’s.”

Tatum tucked her phone in her pocket. “What’s the fun in that?” she laughed. “I just wish I could be there to watch him fumble through the order.”

Having Mocha right next door was kismet. Who didn’t want to come browse books and then go get a coffee? Or vice versa.

Ten minutes later, Murphy walked through the front door with a tray of coffees and a white sack hanging from his fingertips. He did not look happy. “I am never asking you guys if you want coffee ever again. It was like reading a book to her. And if this shit is wrong, don’t tell me.”

Tatum grabbed the tray of drinks and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, handsome. Jada thought for sure you were just going to get black coffee.”

Murphy scoffed and handed me the white bag. “Next time, that is exactly what I am going to do.”

Tatum looked down at the drinks and frowned. “Why did you get four drinks?”

Murphy grabbed his drink. “I’m not alone today.”

The bell above the door dinged, and my jaw dropped.

What were the odds that Creed would be back so soon?

Dark sunglasses covered his eyes, and he pushed them on top of his head. He scanned the shop, and his eyes fell on me.

“There a reason why you waited until after I got the coffees?”

I blinked rapidly and tried to figure out who Murphy was talking to.

“It was hell trying to find a place to park,” Creed muttered. “Hopefully, you just got me black coffee.”

Murphy grabbed another cup and held it out to Creed. “Didn’t think you’d want a mocha-coca whatever the fuck latte.”

How did my Creed know Murphy?

He wasn’t mine, but I certainly didn’t think he would know Murphy.

Creed wrinkled his nose and grabbed the coffee.

“Uhh–” I croaked.

Tatum glanced at me. “You okay?” she whispered.

“Great,” I managed to squeak out. I set the white bag on the counter and gripped my coffee in my hand.

“What do we owe the honor of having two of you keeping an eye on me today?” Tatum asked.

Murphy glanced at Creed. “Creed has taken a sudden interest in reading, it seems.”

“You like re–” Tatum’s eyes bugged out, and she almost dropped her drink still on the tray. “Creed!” she exclaimed. “He’s your Creed!”

He was my Creed, but why the heck hadn’t Tatum known that my Creed and the Creed of the Banachis were one and the same?

“Well, I guess that helped clear everything up.” Murphy grabbed the tray with Tatum’s drink in it and handed the drink back to her. “Uh, why don’t you show me the back room?” He tossed the empty tray at the garbage can and nodded to Creed.

Tatum wrinkled her nose. “Why on earth do you want to see the back room?”

Murphy grabbed her hand and pulled her to the back of the shop. “Because I’ve missed you, and I think these two need to talk.”

“You know something I don’t know, don’t you?” Tatum hissed as they slipped into the back room.

I didn’t know what to do.

I didn’t know what to think, let alone what to feel.

It wasn’t like there was anything between Creed and me.

He had simply come into the shop for a gift for his mother, and he had been… nice to me. Flirted a little, but one could say that he really was just being nice to me.

I had obviously read too much into it.

“Uh, hello again.” I pasted a fake smile on my face.

“Jada,” he called.

“Did you already finish the book?” Small talk seemed better to do than to talk about anything else. Maybe a hole could open up, and I could jump in it to disappear. Anything would be better than standing here confused, shocked, and slightly angry at the same time.

Creed shook his head. “I haven’t had the time to crack it open.”

“Yes, yes. You did say you had a busy life.” And I knew for a fact that he did. Tatum had been keeping me up to date on everything with Candace, and then of course I had Candace on my butt wanting to know everything Tatum was telling me. The same Candace that was determined to take out all of the Banachis. “So busy that you didn’t have time to tell me who you really were?” Yeah, see, I should have kept that last part to myself.

Creed eyed me closely. He took a step toward me, closing the distance between us. “Come out to dinner with me tonight, and I can explain.”

“Explain what?” Creed didn’t really owe me an explanation. And why couldn’t he just tell me whatever he wanted to right now?

“A lot.”

“Explain a lot about what?” I countered.

“Come to dinner with me, and you’ll find out.”

“Is that where I’ll find out you’re really the King of England or something you could easily tell me now?” Okay, so I was a little perturbed that Creed hadn’t told me who he was. He obviously had to have known who I was, but I had been at a total loss when we had met.

I didn’t like someone having the upper hand over me.

I was much more comfortable with an even playing field.

“Just a Duke,” Creed jested.

I rolled my eyes. “I think I am busy tonight.”

“Think?”

“Yup, yeah.” I tipped my head to the side and grimaced. “I’m busy tonight. I’m sure you can find someone else to have dinner with.” With a face like Creed’s, I’m sure he wasn’t ever wanting for company.

Fifteen minutes ago, I would have jumped at the chance to spend more time with Creed, but now that I knew he knew who I was before he met me, I wasn’t into jumping anymore.

“I can tell you’re upset I didn’t tell you who I was last time, Jada. Let me try to make it up to you.”

“I don’t think you can do that.” Partly because I didn’t know how he could make it up to me.

The bell above the door dinged, and it jolted me.

“I don’t care what you do; just get me any and all information you can about the Banachis.”

Candace’s words played through my mind.

I hadn’t told her anything because I couldn’t get any information.

Creed could be my way in to get Candace off my back.

I didn’t want to help Candace, but with her threat of visiting Larson House, I didn’t have much choice.

“At least let me try. Dinner tonight?” he asked again.

I paused for a second, knowing I didn’t have any other choice. “Fine, dinner,” I conceded. “But you’re only going to get one chance, Creed. You better make it a good one.”

A smile spread across his lips. “Tonight?”

I nodded.

He pulled out his phone. “What’s your number?”

I rattled off my number.

“Does seven work for you?”

I preferred to eat earlier, but I knew I would look like an old lady if I said I ate at five-thirty most nights. “Yes. Uh, text me where you would like to meet?”

He shook his head. “No. I’ll send a car for you.”

The mafia man would send a car for me. How fitting. “Oh, uh, okay. Do you need my address?”

He shook his head. His phone rang in his hand, and he scowled at it. “I know where you live. I need to take this. Let Murphy know I had to take off, yes?”

I nodded.

“I’ll see you tonight, Jada.” He connected the call with a quick nod to me and breezed out of the store.

I struggled to wrap my head around what had happened in the past ten minutes.

Shock.

Surprise.

Shock again.

Anger.

Fear.

And then finally, happiness?

Though that wasn’t entirely right either.

I would have been happy as a clam that Creed had asked me out if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had only said yes because I needed to get information to Candace, and Creed had given me an opening to do so.

Yeah, I couldn’t really be mad at Creed for not telling me he was part of the Banachis earlier.

It seemed I had a secret of my own.

Kettle meets pot.