Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jack

T he smoggy haze of the city clung to the air as I pushed through the revolving doors of my office building. I nodded at the security guard, whose face barely registered a flicker of recognition before he returned to his newspaper.

I punched the elevator button and joined the other corporate drones piling into the tiny metal box, trying not to think about Liam. But of course, that was impossible.

This morning, when I woke up spooning him, I was in heaven. His warmth, the way his body fit so perfectly against mine, made me feel something I couldn’t quite put into words. It was so difficult to sneak out of the room this morning to let him sleep in, when all I wanted was a repeat of last night. And speaking of last night... damn. The sex had been off-the-charts hot, as it always was.

It wasn’t like Liam and I were doing anything groundbreaking, either. Nothing super kinky. Just... sex. But with him, it was different. Better. A thousand times better. Like some unspoken connection between us, turned every touch, every kiss, into something electric.

The elevator dinged for my floor, and I stepped out, shaking off the thought of crawling back into bed with him. I needed to focus. Work. Numbers. Proposals. Budgets.

I hurried to my cubicle, switched on my computer, and tried to summon the motivation to be a productive corporate slave. But as I waited for the system to boot up, my mind betrayed me. Again. A vision of Liam—naked and flushed—filled my brain, and I had to physically shake my head to snap out of it.

“Morning, Jack!” Maria’s cheery voice rang out as she popped her head over the divider between our cubicles.

“Morning, Maria,” I replied, forcing a smile.

“You’ve got a skip in your step today,” she said, grinning. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. What’s got you in such a good mood?”

Liam.

“Just had a good morning, I guess,” I mumbled.

“Well, good for you! I’m heading to the breakroom for coffee. Want me to grab you some?”

“Thanks, yeah. Here,” I said, handing her my mug.

The moment she disappeared, I turned to my screen and groaned. An email from her sat at the top of my inbox. Evelyn Van Alen. Of course.

I clicked it open, and her crisp, biting words filled the screen:

Subject: St. Kitts Project Approval

Dear Jack,

You’ve managed to find a contractor on St. Kitts after all. A commendable effort, though I wonder if the local talent will truly measure up to the standards we’ve set. Nonetheless, I’m approving your trip to the island to meet with him—though I expect a full report detailing every aspect of the contractor’s qualifications and the potential risks associated with employing someone so off the beaten path.

Your supervisor, Andrea, will accompany you to ensure the trip remains productive and cost-effective. Please coordinate the travel arrangements with her directly.

I trust that you’ll make the most of this opportunity to prove yourself invaluable. After all, we wouldn’t want this project to fail because of inattention or poor judgment, would we?

Regards,

Evelyn Van Alen

P.S. Try not to let the island’s relaxing atmosphere distract you from the task at hand.

I stared at the screen, her words sinking in like little barbs under my skin. The approval was there, sure, but she couldn’t resist the digs. She never could.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed. Why was I doing this awful job again? Oh, right. Because I wanted to be a success. Because I thought working for someone like Evelyn Van Alen would make me feel like I’d made it. Because my father expected it. Hell, the entire world expected it.

But was it worth putting up with her? The constant snide remarks, the impossible expectations, the way she made every accomplishment feel like I’d just barely avoided failure?

The sharp trill of my phone jolted me out of my Evelyn-induced haze. I snatched it up and saw the name on the screen: Andrea. Great.

“Hello?” I said, keeping my voice as neutral as possible.

“Jack, my office. Now,” she said, her tone clipped and no-nonsense, as always.

“On my way,” I replied, already gathering up my files, notebook, and anything else that might be relevant.

The walk to Andrea’s office felt longer than usual, though I chalked that up to the dread pooling in my stomach. When I knocked on her doorframe, she looked up from her computer, her expression unreadable as always.

“Sit,” she said crisply, gesturing to the chair across from her desk.

I did as I was told, trying not to fidget.

Andrea leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “First off, Jack, good job.”

I blinked. Compliments from Andrea were about as rare as a thank-you email from Evelyn.

“Thank you,” I said cautiously, unsure of where this was going.

“Four other associates worked on Evelyn’s account before you, and not one of them lasted longer than six months. You’re the only one who’s been able to meet her demands and keep things on track.”

I nodded, trying to look professional, even as my brain screamed, They failed because Evelyn is a complete psycho.

Andrea glanced at her monitor, then back at me. “She’s approved your trip to St. Kitts, right?”

“Yes,” I said, grateful for the segue. “I just got the email. When are we leaving?”

Andrea raised an eyebrow. “We?”

“Yeah,” I said, frowning. “Evelyn mentioned you’d be coming along.”

Andrea coughed, looking anywhere but at me. “I can’t go. It’s my wedding anniversary.”

“Oh,” I said, thrown off.

“But the hotel rooms and tickets are already paid for,” she continued. “If you have a girlfriend—or someone else responsible—you’re welcome to bring them. Just remember: your top priority is work.”

My mind went blank for half a second. And then, just like that, an image of Liam popped into my head. Liam. On a tropical island. Wearing a speedo. We could have an amazing time. The beach. The sun. Liam sprawled out on the sand.

“Jack?” Andrea’s voice snapped me back to the present. She was waving a hand in front of my face.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, clearing my throat. “Got it. Work first.”

Andrea gave me a skeptical look, then pushed a folder across her desk. “Here are your plane tickets, hotel reservations, and all the other travel details. Don’t embarrass me, Jack. I’m counting on you. Oh, and don’t tell Evelyn I’m not going.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, standing up and clutching the folder.

She nodded once, already turning back to her computer. “Good. Now get back to work.”

I thanked her again, but my feet practically skipped on the way out of her office.

Liam and I, on a tropical island.

The thought alone made me grin like an idiot.

I couldn’t wait to tell him.

I got to my desk, dropped into my chair, and stared at the folder like it held the meaning of life. St. Kitts. A tropical paradise. And not just that—a paid trip to paradise, with the chance to take someone special. Someone like…Liam.

The thought of his reaction made me grin. I grabbed my phone, opened our text thread, and dashed off a message:

Huge surprise for you. Enormous. Life-changing. Get ready.

A few seconds later, my phone dinged. But the reply wasn’t what I expected.

Ooooh, intriguing. Is it as life-changing as the surprise he has for YOU?

I frowned at the screen. That didn’t sound like Liam at all. He didn’t use extra O’s, and he definitely didn’t write in all caps.

Uh, Liam? Is everything okay?

Another ding.

Sweetie, this isn’t Liam—it’s Nessa. But don’t worry, he’s in excellent hands. ;) And trust me, Jack, his surprise will blow your mind.

I stared at my phone, my mouth falling open slightly.

Why do you have Liam’s phone?!

A long pause. Then:

Let’s just say he’s…undergoing a transformation.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my forehead. What did that even mean? Was he on drugs? Had Nessa kidnapped him? Nessa was insane, so anything was possible. And honestly, Liam choosing to spend time with her? That was more confusing than anything else. Had she blackmailed him? Hypnotized him? What had I missed?

Whatever. It didn’t matter. Not when I had a literal vacation to the Caribbean lined up, paid for and ready to share with Liam.

I shook my head, texted back a quick good luck with whatever you’re doing, and tucked my phone away.

The train ride home was a blur. All I could think about was Liam. His reaction when I told him about the trip. The way his eyes would light up, that dimpled smile spreading across his face. I wanted to see that smile more than anything.

As soon as the train pulled into my stop, I shot out of my seat and power-walked through the doors. By the time I hit the sidewalk, I was practically jogging toward my building.

I pushed through the lobby doors, already reaching for the elevator button, when a gravelly voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Jack.”

I turned to see Dimitri, our building’s reclusive, perpetually scowling security guard, staring at me from behind his desk. He rarely spoke to anyone except Nessa, and even then, it was begrudging. The fact that he knew my name was alarming.

“Uh, hey, Dimitri,” I said, slowing my pace. “Something wrong?”

He stood slowly, like his knees had seen better days, and folded his arms across his chest. “You are a lucky man, Jack.”

I blinked. “Thanks…?”

His dark, bushy eyebrows lifted. “You do not know why?”

“No, I don’t.”

He grunted, shaking his head as if I were a particularly dense student. “Russians often wonder why we are born under a blue sky but die in a dark forest. Do you understand?”

Not even a little. But I nodded anyway.

Dimitri leaned forward slightly, his thick Russian accent making each word sound like it weighed a thousand pounds. “True love, Jack. It is like a clear, blue sky. Bright, open. But if you do not nurture it, love will slip away into the dark forest.”

“Okay,” I breathed.

He nodded, satisfied with my noncommittal response. Then, as I moved toward the elevator again, he called after me.

“Once you find true love, never let it go.”

My steps faltered. For a second, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. All I could think about was Liam.

Was Dimitri right? And how the hell did he know, or, well, suspect what was happening between us?

The doors to the elevator opened, and I stepped inside. Once the doors shut, I stared at my reflection in the mirrored walls and whispered,

“Am I seriously falling for my best friend?”

I got on the elevator and pressed the button for the tenth floor. On the entire ride up, I couldn’t get what Dimitri said out of my head. Aside from the strange Russian saying about blue skies and forests, maybe the old man had a point. Was love staring me right in the face and I couldn’t admit to my feelings for Liam? At least that’s what I got out of his strange words.

The elevator doors slid open on my floor, and I immediately heard women laughing. By the time I reached my door, it was obvious—whoever was in there was having way too much fun. I froze, my hand on the doorknob, listening to another burst of cackling. What the hell?

I pushed the door open, my mind already racing. And there they were, sprawled on the couch like they owned the place: Nessa, sipping what looked like my Diet Coke, and a woman I’d never seen before with a teased-up hairdo that could survive a hurricane. Both of them were sharing a laptop perched on the strange woman’s lap.

“Nessa,” I started, tossing my bag onto the nearest chair. “What are you doing here? And—” I waved at the woman with the hair. “Who’s this?”

Nessa didn’t even look up. “This,” she said, motioning toward her companion, “is Moira. Moira, this is Jack.”

Moira glanced up, her heavily mascaraed lashes fluttering as she gave me a toothy smile. “Charmed.”

“Okay.” I tried again, glancing around the room for Liam. “Where’s Liam? And seriously, what are you two doing?“

Nessa raised her head, wearing an expression of pure delight. “Liam has a surprise for you,” she said, her tone dripping with mischief. “Oh, and Moira’s working.”

Before I could ask what kind of surprise, Moira threw her head back and screamed with laughter, slapping the couch like she was at a comedy club. Then she hunched over the laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard.

I stepped closer, my patience running out. “What are you doing?” I leaned over the back of the couch, peering at the screen. My stomach dropped.

Oh. My. God.

It was a dick pic. An enormous one. And judging by the string of messages filling the chat, the guy it belonged to wasn’t shy about his intentions.

“According to this gentleman,” Moira said, barely suppressing her giggles, “he wants to break Drake open and shove his fat cock inside of him.” She punctuated the statement with a straight face, then burst into another fit of laughter.

My butt cheeks clenched.

Nessa doubled over, wheezing. “Jack, you’ve got an admirer!”

“Why are you two—” I motioned vaguely at the laptop, my words stuck somewhere between disbelief and rage. “What the hell are you doing?”

Moira grinned, unbothered. “I’m your new part-time assistant.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“For FantasyFans,” she added, like that cleared everything up. “Liam hired me to respond to all of your messages. It’s only for ten hours a week, but I really need the cash. The salon doesn’t give me enough hours.”

I spluttered, grasping for words. “So you’re—you’re responding to messages from random guys—gay guys, on our page?”

Moira gave me a look that said, Duh. “And there are messages from women too.”

“And you’re…” I turned to Nessa. “You’re okay with this? What on earth do you know about gay men?”

Nessa’s laughter died instantly. She stood, hands on her hips, fixing me with a glare that could cut steel. “What exactly are you trying to say, Jack?”

“I’m just saying—” I stumbled over my words. “You two are, um...you know...women. And these are gay guys. Don’t you think—”

Nessa’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”

I threw up my hands. “Okay, okay! I just—”

“You think because we’re women of a certain age we can’t handle this?” she snapped. “That we know nothing about sex? Hell, gay porn is the best. Let me tell you something, mister: I am a healthy, vibrant thirty-nine-year-old woman who owns her sexuality!”

Moira snorted so loudly I thought she might choke. “Thirty-nine? Seriously?” she muttered under her breath.

“Excuse me?” Nessa whirled on her.

“Nothing, sweetie,” Moira said innocently.

I pressed my fingers to my temples, shaking my head. “You’re all insane,” I muttered. “Where’s Liam?” I asked again, glancing from Nessa to Moira, hoping for a straight answer this time.

Nessa tilted her head, her lips twitching into a sly smile. “You won’t believe your eyes when you see him.”

I frowned. “What does that mean?”

But she didn’t answer. Instead, she sniffed dramatically, then nudged Moira with her elbow, like they were sharing some inside joke at my expense. Moira just shook her head, her hair barely moving under its gravity-defying layers.

With a sigh, I turned and headed down the hallway toward Liam’s bedroom. And then I saw him.

Liam stood at the end of the hall, leaning casually against the doorframe of his room. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted slightly, as if waiting for me.

But this wasn’t just Liam. This was a new Liam. Bronze God Liam.

His usually pale skin glowed with a warm, sun-kissed tan that made his green eyes practically glow. His hair, once a shaggy mop he barely bothered to comb, was now cropped short on the sides and styled into neat, soft waves on top. And his face—had it always been that sharp, those cheekbones that defined? I’d always thought he was handsome, sure, but this was something else entirely.

“Hey,” he said, his voice calm, like he had no idea he’d just become... this.

I froze mid-step, my brain stalling. My heart thudded in my chest, my mouth went dry, and—oh, God—there was a definite stirring in my pants.

Behind me, Nessa’s voice cut through the silence like a slap. “Liam’s officially a hottie, don’t you think, Jack?”

I turned my head, shooting her a glare, but it only made her grin wider. Moira was practically choking on her laughter at this point.

Liam straightened and took a step toward me, his expression softening into something...shy? His shoulders were tense, and I realized he was waiting for me to say something.

I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to work. “Liam...uh...what’s all this?” I gestured vaguely at him, as if that explained anything.

He shrugged, his lips curving into a small, self-conscious smile. “Thought I’d try something different.”

“Different,” I echoed dumbly, still trying to process the transformation standing in front of me.

“You like it?” he asked, and there was a flicker of vulnerability in his voice, so subtle I almost missed it.

Did I like it? I couldn’t stop staring at him. Couldn’t stop my brain from playing an endless loop of inappropriate thoughts. So, yeah, I liked it.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod. “You look...amazing.”