Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I took a breath and turned to face Edward. He'd made himself comfortable in my absence, helping himself to a drink and the view.

I'd ended a long-term relationship over the phone, and I could understand why Edward might want closure. But I was still surprised he'd traveled all this way to try to get it. At least, I hoped that was the only reason he was here.

"Is everything okay?" Concern tinged his features, and it seemed genuine.

I nodded. "It's fine."

"Do you want a drink?" he asked, and I tried not to balk at the fact that he'd invaded my space and was acting like he owned the place. Typical. "I ordered champagne, but it hasn't arrived yet."

I wanted a shower. I didn't want champagne, and I definitely didn't want to have an uncomfortable conversation with my ex in front of Jackson.

"What are you doing here?" I cringed when the words came out harsher than I'd intended.

His attention darted to the kitchen, where Jackson sat, likely watching us. God, talk about awkward.

I was still on edge from my conversation with Jackson. Overheated, annoyed, and turned on by his display of possessiveness.

Edward set down his drink and took my hands in his. "I missed you, and I didn't like how we left things the other night," he told me in a calm tone.

God, that felt like a lifetime ago. So much had changed for me in such a short span of time. I thought I'd made myself clear, but Edward was acting as if we'd had a disagreement, not broken up.

He leaned in as if to kiss me and then pulled back, his lip curled upward. Whether it was in a smile or out of distaste, I could never be sure. "Have you eaten yet? Why don't you take a shower while I pour us both a fresh drink, and then we can talk over a nice meal."

I wanted to laugh at the differences between Edward and Jackson. Jackson had just spent a week with me on a boat, both of us smelling of salt and sweat. And he couldn't keep his hands off me. He would've never let my appearance or anything else keep him away from me.

"Sloan?" Edward said.

I snapped my attention to him. "What was that?"

"I said you look tired."

I slid a hand through my hair, but it caught. It was tangled from the wind. My body was caked in salt water and sunscreen. I desperately wanted a long soak in a hot bath. A quiet, peaceful evening alone to collect my thoughts after the whirlwind of the past twenty-four hours.

"I am tired," I admitted. Jackson had been ravenous last night, and I felt well and truly fucked.

"What's with the guard dog?" Edward gestured toward the kitchen.

Guard dog? How demeaning. My blood boiled.

"I told you my family insisted that I hire a bodyguard. And don't call him a guard dog. He has a name." I tried not to think of Jackson in there, possibly listening to what was going on in here. This entire situation felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode.

"Wait…" Edward paused. " That guy?" He peered toward the kitchen and frowned. "I thought he was Huxley Grand security."

"No. He's my executive protection agent."

" He's—" Edward spluttered. "The one you've been sailing with? Alone? "

I nearly laughed. "Yes. That's Jackson."

"Bollocks." He downed the rest of his drink then poured another. I was supposed to be getting rid of Edward, not encouraging him to stay. Not that I had. But he didn't seem to be taking the hint.

"What are you doing here?" I asked again, more than ready to get to the point so I could move on with my evening.

Edward stepped closer. "This past week—without you—made me realize just how important you are to me."

Our time apart had made me realize the opposite.

"I know I haven't always made our relationship a priority. But that's going to change—starting now."

"Edward, I—" I held out my hand as if to stop him or whatever he was going to say.

Edward knelt to the floor, and all the words I was going to say flew from my brain. I rolled my lips between my teeth, resisting the urge to see what Jackson was doing. If he was watching. Listening.

"I promise to spend every day showing you how much you mean to me." Edward opened a small antique box with a unique latch to reveal an enormous diamond ring that had to be worth a fortune.

I blinked a few times, wishing I could freeze time.

"I-I—" I didn't even know what to say. This was so completely unexpected. First, the impromptu visit and, now, the proposal. "I…can't," I finally said.

He frowned. "I don't understand."

I gently tugged on his hand, wishing he would stand the hell up. Wishing I could erase the past twenty minutes of my life. "I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."

"But we're so well suited. Who else would understand the commitments and duties we have—to our families, our companies. I need you, Sloan."

Not I love you , but I need you . It wasn't the same. It wasn't enough.

"That's just it." I wondered how we could be so very far apart in our opinion of what was best for our future. A week on my boat, with the wind in my hair and Jackson at my side, had clarified some things for me. "I don't want to marry someone because we're well suited. If I'm going to marry," I said, "it will be for love."

Out of everything Edward had said or promised this evening, he'd never once uttered that word—love. And rarely ever in the past.

"You're tired," he said with an indulgent smile that felt almost patronizing. "And I sprung this on you. You should rest. We can revisit this conversation in the morning."

"In the morning?" I frowned.

"Yes." He stepped closer. "I took off the week to be here with you."

Warning bells signaled in my head. Maybe it was Jackson's concern or my exhaustion, but I found myself asking, "How did you know I'd be here? How did you know I was staying for a week?"

He furrowed his brow. "I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"I—" I couldn't find it in me to lie. "I'm certainly surprised."

"If you must know, I asked your assistant Holly for your itinerary. She thought it was incredibly romantic that I was coming to surprise you."

He sounded miffed. Like he'd expected me to fall at his feet for his grand gesture. Yet it felt hollow. Like he was going through the motions. I didn't understand why.

Maybe I was misreading the situation. My mind and my heart were chaotic after everything that had happened with Jackson and now Edward.

"It's Halle," I said, wishing I'd told more people about the breakup, especially those closest to me. Maybe then, this whole situation could've been avoided.

"Same difference," he said, waving a hand through the air.

"Edward—"

He placed his finger on my lips as if to silence me. "Just…give me a chance. Give us a chance."

When I looked at Edward, I felt nothing. No sadness or regret. Nothing, really. Sure, we were compatible. But I wanted love. Devotion. Passion.

Everything you have with Jackson.

I sighed. My answer wasn't going to change, but I was too exhausted to argue at this point. And then it dawned on me—Edward had probably been so confident I'd accept his proposal. He likely didn't have a Plan B. Which meant, he was expecting to stay here.

Fuck.

No fucking way. "I'll call reception and have them find you a room for the night."

I turned my back to him and picked up the villa phone without waiting for a response from Edward. The front desk answered immediately. "Ms. Mackenzie. How may I be of assistance?"

"I have a guest who will be needing another room."

"Of course. When will they be arriving?"

"They're already here. We'll need the room for tonight. As soon as possible. Whatever you have available." I didn't care how much it cost—no way in hell was I sharing this villa with Jackson and Edward.

I could hear the sound of a keyboard in the background and then, "I'm sorry, ma'am. We are at full occupancy. It's peak season, and with the eclipse, the island has been booked for months since we have 99 percent totality."

I squeezed my eyes shut. Right. The eclipse.

"Even the ones you typically hold back?"

There was a brief silence, and then she said, "Unfortunately, yes. The governor decided to come to the island at the last minute, and he was offered the last of the rooms for himself and his staff."

I sighed. I was thrilled the hotel had one hundred percent occupancy, but the timing couldn't have been worse. "Can you check around with the other local hotels?"

"I can," she hedged. "But to be honest, I don't expect much luck. Give me a little bit. I'll do my best."

"Thank you. That's all I ask."

Edward came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I yelped and moved out of his hold.

"Sloan?" Jackson appeared in the doorway. My heart faltered at the sight of him—handsome, imposing, and protective. I might not appreciate his bossy attitude, but I was grateful for his presence.

He glanced between Edward and me. "Everything okay?"

I nodded. "I'm working on accommodations for Edward. Why don't you order some room service?"

"You want anything?" he asked, his eyes roaming me. "Maybe the conch?"

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing, dispelling some of the tension that had gathered in my body. "No." I held up my hand, thinking of that night in Clarence Town. "No more conch." Or rum punch.

Edward's gaze whipped to me. "You like conch?"

He sounded like such a snob. How had I never noticed it before?

"She loves it," Jackson said, smirking. He was right, but it felt as if he was trying to prove a point. Trying to goad Edward. I glared at Jackson, silently commanding him to back down.

It had been a long day, and I wasn't relishing the prospect of having Jackson and Edward in the same space for any amount of time. I only hoped my staff would find a solution before this situation could spiral even more out of control.

After an awkward dinner on the patio, Edward excused himself to make a phone call. I'd taken a shower and was leaving my room when Jackson pulled me aside.

"Hey," he said, his expression and tone soft. "You okay?"

"I—" I blew out a breath. "I don't know what I am." I wrapped my arms around myself, scared to meet his gaze when I asked, "How much of our conversation did you hear?"

"Enough." His expression was hard and unreadable.

Shit. I didn't even know what to say to that. "Look, Jackson…" I placed my hand on his arm, hoping my touch would calm him. When, really, I needed his touch to ground me.

The fact that I was already falling back into that pattern of thinking scared me. I quickly released him.

He shook his head, and his deadly calm demeanor was unnerving. "I don't trust him, Sloan. I want him gone."

"I'm just as eager for him to leave as you are," I said, on edge from the situation. "My staff are doing everything they can."

Jackson cast a quick glance to where Edward was pacing the patio. Then he ushered me into the bedroom, locking the door behind us.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, knowing that Edward could return inside at any time. This was reckless.

He smirked. "Having a security meeting."

"In my bedroom?"

He lifted a shoulder. "You don't owe Edward anything, least of all an explanation. And before you go back in there—" Jackson's lips were centimeters from mine, and he bracketed my head with his arms "—let me remind you of a few things."

"What's that?" My heart was pounding with adrenaline and anticipation.

His nostrils flared. Maybe it was wrong, but Jackson had always made me feel so…desperate for him. It was nice to see that anguish reflected back at me.

He claimed my mouth, kissing me like a man possessed. I was consumed by him. He was the oxygen I breathed, and I couldn't get enough.

I wanted him closer. Needed him closer.

He slid one hand up my ribs to cup my breast, while he delved beneath my sundress with the other. "It was my cock buried deep inside you."

He pressed his thumb against my clit, and I gasped.

"My name." He plunged a finger inside me, and my body clenched down as if to hold him in place. "That you screamed. My come." He worked me, his touch rough as his forehead kissed mine. His eyes intent on mine, watching me. Checking in with me. "On your ass this morning."

I drew in a sharp breath, both from the way he was touching me and his words. From the fact that we might get caught.

"I was your first," Jackson said, jerking me even closer. "And I will be your last. Your everything. Because that's what you are to me."

I gasped. His…what?

Oh shit. He hit that spot that made me lose all reason, and I couldn't think of anything else.

"That's it, hayati ," he said in my ear, his voice low, commanding. "Come for me, beautiful. Only me."

My knees felt weak, and my body took over as my pleasure overrode everything else. Until all I could feel, all I could see, was Jackson.

He was still there, holding me, as I floated back down to earth. As the impact of his words sank in.

I will be your last.

Your everything.

Because that's what you are to me.

He smoothed my hair away from my face, cupping my cheeks. "I love you, Sloan." His voice was clogged with emotion, and he regarded me with a watery smile. "I never stopped."

I swallowed hard, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. Was this a dream? Was this real life?

He took my hand in his and placed them both over his heart. "I know I fucked up in the past, but I'm ready to fight for us."

I… Wow. I hadn't been prepared for that. I hadn't been prepared for any of this. As always, Jackson had blindsided me.

I'd longed to hear those words from him, but… I needed more time. The sex was great—that had never been the issue—but it couldn't magically fix my broken trust. Jackson wanted a future together, but I was still haunted by our past.

We'd lied to each other once. And while we'd both grown and changed since then, I worried we were moving too fast. At least, that was what my head argued. My heart said this was long overdue. Was how it was always meant to be.

"Jackson, I?—"

Perhaps sensing my hesitation or fearing my rejection, Jackson said, "You don't have to say anything now." He smiled. "I just…needed you to know." He gave my hand a squeeze before releasing me.

I straightened my dress and smoothed a hand over my hair. I was pretty sure it wouldn't matter what I did; I was a mess. Physically. Emotionally.

Edward's proposal had had little effect on me. But Jackson's declaration… It had taken my breath away.