Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

I monitored Sloan's movements from inside the villa as I went about my tasks. I was trying to give her some privacy, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her. She was pacing the deck, her expressions animated and intense as she spoke to someone on FaceTime. I wondered who it was. She'd mentioned needing to check in with her brother. Was she talking to Nate? Jasper? Graham?

I worried about Sloan's family's response to our relationship. Sure, Nate liked me—as his bodyguard. Would he be okay with me dating Sloan? Would Graham? Or would he try to intervene like he had in the past?

I finished climbing the stairs but stopped when I spied a man standing outside Sloan's apartment. I studied the man as he leaned against the wall and typed something on his phone. He reeked of money, from the bespoke suit to the impatience lining his face. He looked woefully out of place, almost comically so.

He couldn't be much older than me, but despite any similarity in age, we were worlds apart. This guy looked like he'd stepped out of a boardroom or worked on Wall Street. While I'd been kicked out of the Navy and was trying to make ends meet as a bouncer.

My phone rang, and I glanced down to see my boss's name from the club on the screen. He probably wanted to see if I could pick up a shift tonight, but I had plans with Sloan.

I silenced my phone, and when I looked up, Mr. Money was studying me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, thinking he must be lost. His suit had to cost more than a month of rent for this shithole.

"No." The man went back to his phone.

I hated that Sloan was living here mostly alone. It wasn't safe, and I'd been trying to figure out how to convince her to move in with me. If only it wouldn't mean telling Greer about our relationship.

Sometimes it almost felt as if that ship had sailed—telling my sister about us. At first, there had been nothing to tell because Sloan and I had both been so busy lying to ourselves, pretending there was nothing between us. And then, after we'd started sneaking around, Sloan and I had wanted to see where things would go without the pressure of telling Greer.

Not to mention the fact that I was looking for more permanent jobs. Something with more long-term potential. With options for promotion and advancement.

If I wanted a future with Sloan—and I did—I needed to prove that I was worthy of her. That I could provide for her. That was something my dad had always hammered into me—the need to provide for your family. To take care of the people you loved.

Was this taking care of Sloan? Sneaking around? Making her hide our relationship? I sighed. I knew it wasn't.

At the sound of footsteps on the stairs, I turned. Sloan emerged from the stairwell, then paused.

"Graham?" she asked, looking past me . Graham? She knew that guy? He was here for her? "What are you doing here?"

I glanced between them. How did she know him? Was he an ex?

"Nice to see you too. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Sloan's skin paled. "Is everything okay?"

"I can't come visit my sister and check in?"

Sister? He was her brother?

She'd told me little about her family, and the longer I looked at him, the more I saw the resemblance. It was in the eyes. The way they carried themselves—with this quiet confidence.

"You?" She scoffed. "Um, no. Knox or Jasper, yes. But not you. Is Pops okay? Gran?"

He glanced around. "Is there somewhere we can talk that's a little more—" His gaze flicked to me. He peered down his fucking nose at me. "Private?"

"Oh, right." Sloan sprang into action, unlocking the door. "Come in."

Sloan shot me an apologetic look over her shoulder.

I moved to follow, and Graham tried to shut the door on me. I stuck out my foot, blocking it. Graham sneered.

"Oh, sorry," Sloan said, pushing the door open. "Graham, this is Jackson. Jackson, this is my brother Graham." Her tone was breathy, nervous even.

Something wasn't adding up. First, her grandfather's six-figure sailboat, and now, her brother wearing a bespoke suit. I felt as if I was missing something. Something important.

"And Jackson is…" Graham's question hung in the tense silence.

I waited to see how Sloan wanted to play this.

"He's, um…" Sloan shifted on her feet. "Greer's brother." It was disappointing but not surprising.

I held out my hand. Graham made a show of looking around, then finally, begrudgingly, he accepted my proffered hand, his distaste—for the apartment, for me—evident.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call, snapping me out of my stupor. I shook my head and stood to grab it from the counter. Graham hadn't been welcoming in the past. And while I now knew some of it came down to his personality, I also couldn't imagine him accepting my relationship with Sloan.

I was getting ahead of myself, but Sloan's family was important to her. If we were going to have a future together, I wanted their support. Just as I wanted Greer's blessing.

I leaned back in my chair and dragged a hand over my head. I felt…unsettled. I loved Sloan, and I'd do everything in my power to earn her trust. To prove that I was worthy of her.

Vaughn's name flashed on the screen, and my gut clenched with concern. I knew this conversation was necessary and unavoidable, but that didn't make it any easier.

I connected the call. "Vaughn."

"Blackjack. Give me a sit rep."

"We made it to Providenciales without too much excitement."

"Good." I could hear him typing on his keyboard in the background.

I gave Vaughn a quick recap of what had happened with Edward, keeping his accusations about Sloan and me out of it. I'd since spoken with the head of security for the Huxley Grand Turks and Caicos. He'd apologized profusely for the situation with Edward and promised it wouldn't happen again.

I understood why the mistake had occurred—everyone had still believed Sloan was with Edward. And he'd been on a short list of approved guests. I'd promptly made sure he was removed. I'd also confirmed that Edward had left the island.

After I finished updating Vaughn, we discussed our frustrations with the Huxley Grand security staff and event site staff generally. Most employees were well-meaning but under-trained. It was frustrating but not necessarily surprising.

"What's next?" Vaughn asked.

"We're going to stay here until the repairs are completed and then head to Puerto Rico."

"Smooth sailing. That's what I like to hear." His voice was full of pride, and I hated the idea of disappointing him. "Keep it up, and the New York office is yours."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Actually…" I glanced outside to make sure Sloan was still occupied. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Mm." He seemed distracted.

I smoothed my hand down my thigh, preparing myself to say the words that would throw my life into a tailspin. "I'd like to tender my resignation effective as of the end of this trip."

"Not accepted. Next."

I chuckled, eager to keep things light as I delivered the bad news. "Vaughn, I'm serious. I'm resigning from Hudson, and I won't be accepting payment for this assignment."

I had more than enough money in the bank. I'd always lived frugally and saved and invested heavily. I'd be okay until I landed on my feet again.

"What?" he blurted. "Why the hell would you do that?" And then he went silent before he said, "Aw. Shit. You slept with her, didn't you? Please tell me I'm wrong. I'm wrong, right?"

When I didn't respond, he asked, "Why?" And I knew he wasn't asking why I'd slept with Sloan but rather why I was doing this.

I could remember Sloan asking me that same thing years ago.

"Why are you doing this?" Sloan begged, tears streaking down her face.

I said nothing. What could I say? I loved her, but this couldn't continue. For all our sakes.

So, when Hudson had offered me the job in Los Angeles, I'd taken it. I'd accepted, even knowing it would break Sloan's heart. Break my own.

She gripped my shirt, clinging to me. And then she pushed me away. "I don't understand. Why didn't you talk to me? Why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

Because you would've wanted to go with me.

"Because I don't want you to make decisions about your future based on me."

She reeled back as if I'd slapped her. "You…what?"

"Come on, Sloan. You're about to graduate. You've got your whole life ahead of you. You ? —"

"How dare you," she seethed. "How dare you presume to make decisions for me and my future without consulting me." She turned away. "You're no better than my family."

"Jackson?" Vaughn asked. "You still there?"

I was taking a gamble—quitting my job in the hopes that Sloan would realize she meant more to me than anything. Words were one thing. Actions were another. As my dad would always say, " Acta non verba."

Despite the fact that I was quitting my job—a job I loved and excelled at—I thought my dad would be proud of my decision. He'd been devoted to my mom. And he'd always put family first. I knew he'd understand my choice, even if not everyone else would.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm still here."

"You've always followed the rules. Why would you do this? You're on the precipice of everything you've worked for. Everything we've worked for."

I knew I was letting him down, and I hated that. I'd not only broken the rules, I'd upset his plans. And disappointed someone who'd mentored me and given me a second chance.

Finally, I said, "Because I love her."

"Love her or the lifestyle she can offer you?"

I would never expect Sloan to pay my way. I would never take advantage of her. And for him to even say that…

"Take that back." I bit out the words.

The line went quiet, then he finally said, "You're right. That's not you, but I find it hard to believe that you'd throw away your promotion, your career, for a woman."

"Vaughn." I clenched my teeth, not wanting to get into it. "She's my past, my present, and my future. Nothing matters more than Sloan."

"Well, shit." I could imagine him leaning back in his chair and staring at the LA skyline. He let out a deep sigh, and I didn't know what to expect. Clearly, he was disappointed, but there was nothing I could do about that. What was done was done.

I rolled my eyes, thinking of Sloan's suggested tattoo.

"I appreciate you being honest with me," Vaughn said in a detached tone. "But I also have to consider what's best for Hudson."

"I know." Sweat dripped down my back, but I strived to sound professional after he'd insulted me and my relationship with Sloan. I knew he was upset and lashing out, but that didn't excuse his behavior. "I understand." I wouldn't have expected anything less. I hated that I'd betrayed the company—and the man—that had given me so much.

"Technically, I should fire you and send a replacement."

I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't do that. But he sounded mad enough that he might.

Finally, he said, "But I'm guessing she doesn't want a replacement."

"Correct."

"Nor do I want to have to explain to her family why we'd be sending one." He sighed. "I really hate the position you've put me in."

"I know." I felt shitty about it.

If he left me in place, he was breaking the rules too. But if he pulled me, it would lead to unwanted questions within the company. Among Sloan's brothers. Potentially with other clients as well.

"Are you sure you're the best person to keep her safe?" His tone stressed the importance of answering truthfully.

I'd given it a lot of thought, and I wouldn't have suggested this if I didn't think I was capable of protecting Sloan.

"I would never let anything happen to her. If you want me to sign something terminating my professional relationship to limit your and Hudson's liability, I will. But I'm not leaving her."

"Who else knows about this?" he asked.

"The ex suspects there's something between us, but I don't think he'll be a problem."

"We'll keep an eye on the situation." Vaughn's tone was curt and to the point. He was pissed.

"Thank you," I said. "And I'm sorry, Vaughn. Truly."

"Too late for apologies," Vaughn scoffed. "I mean…goddamn it, Jackson. You are one of the best. And…" He sighed. "I trust that you'll refrain from violating the code of ethics again until your assignment ends." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, sir. I've already discussed it with the principal."

"Good. Because I'd hate to have to terminate you for cause."

I didn't want that either, but Vaughn would be completely justified in firing me for sleeping with the client. Yet he hadn't.

"Does she know you plan to resign?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you about it first."

"Good," he said. "Since you're determined to finish this assignment, I'd like to wait to formally announce your resignation until after it ends."

"Understood." I was more than happy to comply. I'd spent years building and ensuring Hudson's reputation. I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize it more than I already had.

"The fewer people who know, the better," he said. "Including the principal."

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that." I didn't want to keep any secrets from Sloan.

"It doesn't matter. You signed an NDA, agreeing not to disclose components of Hudson's operation that would compromise our business."

He was right, but that didn't mean I had to like it.

"Look…" He sighed. "Regardless of the NDA, I'm asking you to give me some time to figure out how to spin this situation. We hadn't formally announced your promotion, but everyone expected that you were going to take over the New York office. That would be enough to create instability at Hudson. But when people realize you're together…" He trailed off, then finally said, "The last thing I'd want is for her family—or anyone else—to question Hudson's professionalism. Our ability to protect our clients."

"I know," I said. "I don't want that either."

"Then we're in agreement. Your resignation stays between us for now."

"Yes, sir." What else could I do but agree? Especially not after the bind I'd put him in.

We ended the call, and I dropped my face into my hands. That hadn't gone as I'd expected. I felt both better and worse.

The door opened, and I straightened.

"Hey," Sloan said. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." I stood and shoved my phone into my pocket. "You ready to head out?"

"Let me just grab my purse, and then we can go."

We locked up. There was a car waiting, the keys inside. I'd arranged it with the staff earlier, and I was grateful they'd handled everything without question. I checked the perimeter and the trunk.

When I was finally satisfied, I held open the passenger door for Sloan, and she slid inside. I rounded the car and climbed in, turning the keys in the ignition. I pulled out of the resort and headed for the marina. I adjusted my hands on the steering wheel, still upset after my conversation with Vaughn.

"Graham told me something interesting." She adjusted the air vents.

"What's that?" I asked, my gut twisting with dread.

"Edward's company isn't doing as well as it seems. And the family has sunk a lot of money into the ducal manor."

I wondered why Vaughn hadn't mentioned that to me, unless…

Graham had somehow discovered the information himself. There was no reason to hire a PI when Hudson had the tools and the expertise to get the information. And if our team hadn't uncovered it, then… My mind searched for other possibilities, but it kept landing on one.

One that seemed improbable at first, given the fact that Graham was a billionaire CEO of a luxury hotel brand. But the more I thought about it, the more he fit the profile of a hacker. Graham was highly intelligent, curious, individualistic, and nonconformist.

My eyes widened as the pieces of the puzzle finally clicked into place, but I kept my revelation to myself for now. Maybe I was wrong. I mean, Graham wouldn't want to do anything that could jeopardize his position or hurt Sloan. But still…my gut told me I was right.

"Not surprising—about the ducal manor," I said. "Those gorgeous old estates are giant money pits."

"I guess you wouldn't want to live somewhere like that, then."

"You know me. I'm a man of simple tastes. Hell, I'd be happy living full time on a sailboat." And if I didn't find another job in the next six months, I might actually have to consider the prospect.

"Why? Wouldn't you?" I flicked my eyes to her then back to the road.

She considered it a moment. "Maybe." She puffed out a breath of air. "But after spending so much of my childhood moving from hotel to hotel, it's nice to feel settled. Don't get me wrong. I love being out on the water, but I think I enjoy it more because it feels like such a treat. Does that make any sense?"

I lifted my hand as if to place it over hers and then stopped myself. This whole not violating protocol thing was going to be difficult. "It makes perfect sense. Does London feel like home?"

She smiled. "It does. It's a great mix of modern and traditional. I love the accents and the history and the people. What about you? Does LA feel like home?"

I shook my head. Nowhere felt like home. At least, not until this trip. With her. She was my home.

"Even after all these years?"

"You have to remember, I spent a lot of that time on movement teams. I traveled the world with clients. It's only in the past few years that I transitioned to a residential team and actually spent some time in LA."

I pulled up to the marina, effectively ending the conversation. We spoke to the mechanic, and Sloan was totally in her element. She was just as at home in a mechanic's shop as a boardroom. She was confident and intelligent and fucking incredible.

After everything was settled, we drove into town for some shopping and lunch. She checked her phone and laughed.

"What's up?"

"Jasper's been working on ideas for our annual retreat, and he wants to pitch a new idea to Graham. But Graham's going to hate it."

"What do you think of it?"

She shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "I think it's out of the box and maybe a little off-brand but also sounds super cool."

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

"He wants us to go to this luxury glamping village in Marrakesh."

"Is that a Huxley Grand property?"

"No. But Jasper wants it to be. He's definitely the dreamer of the three of us. A creative thinker. He's great with details, but his passion lies in the guest experience. And he's good at it too, even if Graham doesn't always recognize or appreciate that," she added in a darker tone.

"And what is Graham?"

"The critic." That didn't surprise me.

"And you?" I switched on my signal and then turned into a parking lot.

"The realist." I wasn't sure that had always been the case, but it was true now. I'd seen it in action on the boat. She was definitely good at making a plan and implementing it. She could also adapt and think on her feet.

I put the car in park and turned to her. "Perhaps, but I also think you're the glue."

We climbed out of the car. I monitored the area from behind my sunglasses. Nothing suspicious, but I was on high alert. There had been an influx of guests, thanks to the upcoming eclipse.

"Does that bother you?" I asked, returning to something she'd mentioned earlier. "Graham's lack of recognition for Jasper's ideas."

"Sometimes, yeah." She dragged a hand through her hair. "Jasper likes to tease, and it can grate on Graham. And Graham's…stiffness can chafe Jasper. They just have very different personalities. At times, it's great because it means that we see things the others don't. But it can also lead to a lot of discord."

"It sounds like you get stuck in the middle a lot."

"Not as often as you'd think. But when I do, it gets old real quick."

"If you didn't run the family hotel business, what would you want to do?" I asked.

"I'm not sure I ever gave it much thought. I knew from a pretty early age what was expected of me. I just didn't anticipate having to step up so young."

I placed my hand on her lower back as we crossed the street. "I'm sorry about your grandparents. I know how close you were to them, especially your gran."

They were the only parents she'd ever known. Her parents had died in a plane crash when she was so young, she barely had any memories of them. I didn't know which was worse—never knowing your parent and always wondering what you'd missed out on, like Sloan. Or having a close relationship and years of memories that only made the loss feel more profound, like me losing my dad. It didn't really matter. Any loss was painful.

Sloan slipped her hand in mine, and I held it there. I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand, wanting to reassure her that I wasn't going anywhere. We might not be allowed to have sex, but surely holding hands was okay. Especially if it helped with our cover story.

Right. Even I didn't buy that.

"Ooh, this one looks cute." She indicated to a store with a bunch of conch shells and stuffed animals in the window. "Maybe I'll find something for Brooklyn here."

I held open the door, and the seashells over the door chimed. The salesperson greeted us and then left us to our own devices.

Sloan tried on some wild sunglasses.

"Nice." I chuckled.

She put a ridiculous hat on my head. I rolled my eyes and set it back on the rack. She smiled. It made me happy to see her so carefree.

I scanned the store for threats while she looked for Brooklyn's name on the personalized keychains. Perused the glass case of jewelry. Other customers shifted around the space, and I kept an eye on them while Sloan shopped.

"What do you think of this for Brooklyn?" I finally asked, holding up a stuffed sea turtle. "I know she has a million stuffed animals, but this just seemed like her."

Sloan smiled brightly. "She'll love it." She pushed up on her toes and kissed my cheek.

Her hair brushed my jaw, the smell of it filling my senses. I clenched my fists so I wouldn't grab her and pull her in for a searing kiss.

"Sloan," I cautioned under my breath.

"Sorry, but…" She cupped her hand to my ear. "I couldn't resist. Besides, aren't we supposed to be a couple when we go ashore?"

She settled back to the floor, looking rather pleased with herself. I didn't bother mentioning that I'd had the same thought earlier. Instead, I narrowed my eyes at her. "You're incorrigible."

"Me?" She held a hand to her chest, her eyes wide with mock outrage.

"Yes. You." I smirked.

"Can you blame me, though? You got a tattoo for me."

"Mm." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "You like that, huh?"

"I'm honestly still so blown away by it."

"Sloan." I gripped her chin, forcing her gaze to mine. "I would cover my entire body in tattoos dedicated to you if it meant you'd give me another chance."

She blushed, and she looked so beautiful, I was tempted to kiss her. But I didn't. Not yet.

"Even your—" She gave my crotch a pointed look.

"Even that," I said, not wanting to imagine how painful it would be. But if that would convince her of my love, I'd do it.

"Let's not go too far," she said. "I like that , and your face, as they are." She patted my cheek, and I laughed.

"Good to know you like something about me," I teased as she headed for the counter to check out.

She turned and smiled at me over her shoulder. "There are many things I love about you, Jackson."

Her words made me stop in my tracks. It wasn't a declaration of love, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. And for the first time, I felt hopeful. Hopeful that Sloan would give me a second chance.