"So, we're not talking about you pulling everything out of the store?" There's a slight slur to her voice already.
"Absolutely not," I say convincingly. "I'll do a special collection just for you each season and those won't be sold anywhere but at Veray."
"Why wasn't Jax on board with this?" The waiter rushes over with another vodka soda in hand. He obviously knows where his tip is coming from since I've ordered nothing but the water, which is still barely touched.
"He's a man." I throw the comment out knowing that it will bring a smile to her lips.
I'm right when I'm greeted with a roar of laughter. "He's a dude." She pulls the words across her lips as she swallows half of the clear liquid in the glass.
I can't help but laugh almost as loudly as her. "So we have a deal?" I press knowing that this is the moment when I have to reel Madeline in.
"Deal." She offers her hand across the table. "I'll have my attorney send the papers to you. Tomorrow is good for that?"
"Tomorrow is absolutely perfect." I raise my glass and feel some of the weight melt off my shoulders.
Chapter 3
"Déjà vu." Nathan pulls the chair away from the stark wooden table while I settle in next to it. "Doesn't it feel like we were just here?"
I smile faintly at the mention of our last meeting in this building with Jax and his attorney. It was only a few weeks ago but in the scope of my life it could have been years ago. Everything has changed so dramatically since that day. That day when Jax had taken me so brazenly in the hallway outside this room. "It does, yes," I manage to say weakly.
"Remember to let me do the talking." He pats the top of my hand before pulling a folder out of his briefcase. "Now that we know what Mark is willing to give us, we have a lot more leverage with Jax."
Leverage with Jax. His words echo in my ears. I have all the leverage I could ever need in my purse. The flash drive I had taken from Jax's apartment the night that our relationship imploded had been weighing heavily on my mind and my heart the past few days. If I gave that to Mark and he heard Jax and Brooke plotting to take over the company it would change everything.
"Put on your game face." Nathan's words pull me from my thoughts and I glance across the sparsely decorated room to see Jax and Gilbert walking through the door.
Jax looks nothing like he did the night I left him on his knees at his apartment door. The growth of beard on his face suggests he hasn't shaved since then and his chosen attire of blue jeans and a black sweater seem out of place in this corporate environment. His hair is disheveled and his eyes are locked on my face. I glance at him briefly before I pull my gaze to my lap. I hear his heavy footsteps as he rushes towards the table.
"Did you watch it?" His voice is frantic. He slams his fist against the table.
"Watch what?" Nathan interjects. He stands in response to Jax's obvious anger.
"Ivy, look at me," he demands.
"Sit down or we're leaving." Nathan's tone is measured and calm. "If you don't control your temper, we're walking out of here now and we'll finalize a deal with mark this afternoon."
I don't look up. I can't. I feel all the emotions of that night rippling back to the surface of my heart. I'll cry if I look at his face. I'll break into a million pieces in this cold, barren boardroom if I think about him and Brooke in bed together.
"Bringing Mark into this negotiation is underhanded." Gilbert takes a seat directly across from Nathan which means if I look up I'll be staring straight at Jax.
"I sent over our new terms yesterday. Have you both had a chance to look it over?" Nathan ignores Gilbert's accusation. "It's more than fair in light of the circumstances."
I dart my eyes towards Nathan. What does he mean? He throws me a sly grin and I realize he's bluffing.
"What circumstances?" Gilbert poses the question to the room.
"Ivy, you need to watch the whole thing." There's a tremor in Jax's voice as he quietly says the words. "I know you have it. You took it when you left. Just watch it. Please."
"What the hell is he talking about?" Nathan reaches for my arm.
"Don't." Jax pushes against the table as he stands. "Don't touch her."
I shake my head slowly before I raise my eyes to finally look directly at him. "I can't watch it," I murmur. "Why would you ask me to?"
"You have to, beautiful." His eyes lock with mine and I see all the pain that has washed over me reflected back in his face. "Trust me." He pulls his hand to his chest and that's when I notice it. Dangling from the corner of Jax's balled fist is a gold chain. The broken clasp is slowly waving back and forth in the air as he moves his hand. It's the necklace. It's my necklace.
"Someone needs to explain what's going on." Nathan's voice interrupts my concentration.
"I can't trust you." I won't back down regardless of how lost and broken Jax looks. "You are nothing but a liar. I know what I saw. I know what I heard."
"No, you don't." He's on his feet again. "You don't understand what you saw."
I bolt out of my chair. "I know exactly what I saw. I saw you fucking another woman. A woman who you were working with to blackmail…"
"Enough!" The strength of the word rebounds across the barren room. "Give her whatever the hell she wants."
I stand in stunned silence as he calmly tosses the necklace on the table, turns and walks out the door without looking back.
Chapter 4
"I heard it." Nathan's voice breaks through the mundane hum of the busy restaurant. "Blackmail. It was clear as day."
I stare at him over the rim of my wine glass. I don't respond. I'm not going to. I hadn't meant to toss that word out when we were meeting with Jax and Gilbert earlier and I instantly regretted it once I had.
"I'm not letting this go." He gazes at me for a second before dropping his eyes to the menu.
"There's nothing to let go." I follow his lead and scan the expansive offerings. I have absolutely no appetite and this celebratory lunch that Nathan suggested isn't exactly where I want to be.
"You said something about blackmail." He doesn't pull his eyes away from the menu. "You can't expect me to ignore that."
"Just drop it." I roll my eyes.
"No." He places the menu down before leaning against the table with his elbows. "Spit it out, Ivy. What the hell is going on with you two?"
I take a slow drink of the hearty red wine I'd ordered when we first arrived. "There's a flash drive."
"That's what he was talking about when he said you took it from his apartment?"
I nod." I found it in a drawer. I watched it." I grimace. "Then I left and I took it with me."
"He was with another woman?" he asks.
I exhale sharply. "Yes."
"That's rough." He picks up the glass of scotch and brings it to his lips. After taking a leisurely drink he continues, "so he was cheating on you?"
I flinch at the question. "It was recorded over a year ago. Jax and the woman were talking about at a gala that Mark and I attended."
"You're pissed that he fucked someone before he met you?" He flashes me a smile.
I take another drink trying to gather my thoughts. I don't want to give away too many details. "There's a lot more to it than that."
"Like what?" He pushes for more even though I know he's fully aware that I'm incredibly uncomfortable.
"I can't talk to you about this, Nathan." I bristle. "Suffice it to say that I saw who Jax really was when I watched that video."
"If Jax was blackmailing someone you need to tell me, Ivy." His tone shifts and I see a veil of seriousness overtake his expression. "You understand that, don't you?"
I nod my head slowly up and down. He's right, of course but as much as I despise Jax and what he and Brooke were plotting together the last thing I want is to be pulled into any more legal drama with him and Mark. "There's nothing to tell."
"I don't believe you." He grumbles. "But I trust you to know what's best for you."
I tear slightly at the word
s. Hearing that from Nathan means a lot to me. I've come to see him as a sort of surrogate big brother the last few weeks. His belief in me is comforting. "Thank you for saying that." I smile faintly.
"I mean it. I'm really proud of you." He grins. "I'm starving. Let's eat."
***
I place my fork down after picking at the spring salad the waiter delivered to our table over thirty minutes ago. The idle chatter that Nathan and I have shared over lunch about our childhood has reenergized me. The idea of getting home to finish packing so I can finally leave New York in search of a new life in Boston is my sole light at the end of the tumultuous tunnel that my life has become as of late.
"I've got one last question about Jax?" There's a definite suggestion of trepidation in his voice.
"Must you?" I joke.
"I must." He playfully nods. "In the meeting earlier he kept telling you to watch the entire video. I'm assuming you haven't?"
I raise my eyebrow in response.
"Seriously." He pushes the plate that contains the last remnants of the ribs and fries he devoured to the edge of the table. "You didn't watch the whole thing?"
"Why would I?" I bark back. "Would you want to watch someone you love having sex with another person?"
"So you do love him?" He places the white linen napkin atop the plate.
"No." I violently shake my head from side-to-side. I wonder if I'm trying to convince Nathan or myself more.
"I'm going to play devil's advocate for a minute." He breathes in heavily before he continues, "I haven't exactly been subtle about my dislike for Jax."
I smile faintly at the declaration. "True," I whisper.
"He looked like shit today." He reaches across the table and places his hand over mine. "Ivy, he's torn up inside. I could see it the minute he walked in the room."
I pull my hand back harshly. If this is some kind of bro code thing, I'm not going to listen. If Nathan knew the whole story he wouldn't be taking Jax's side. "I don't care," I blurt out.
"Think about it for a minute." There's a small pause. "Why is he asking you to watch the entire video if he knows it's going to hurt you even more?"
I shrug my shoulders. "He doesn't have a heart."
"You're wrong." He shakes his head slightly. "There's more to that video than what you saw. Whatever that was."
"I turned it off before they made love." My voice trembles. "I can't watch him with another woman. I can't."
"I get that." His deep voice is barely more than a whisper. "There's something on it he needs you to see. If you can't watch it, I'll do it for you. You owe it to yourself and to him to see the entire thing."
The moment is broken with that one simple word. Owe. "I owe him nothing." I stand and reach for my purse. "Nothing. How dare you suggest otherwise?" I feel a rush of tears. "You have no idea who he really is. What he's capable of."
"Calm down." He's on his feet now too, reaching for my arm. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"I'm not upset." I wave his hand away. "I'm tired of all of this bullshit."
"Let me take you home." He reaches into his suit jacket to pull out his wallet. "I just need to settle our bill."
"I'm fine on my own." I brush past him and I don't turn back as I head straight for the door.
Chapter 5
"Dear, have you finished packing?" Mrs. Adams asks as I open the door to my apartment.
"Almost." I motion her in. "I need to pick up a few more boxes for my clothes and then I'm all set."
"You young girls have more clothes than you know what to do with." She limps past me towards the living room. "Back in my day a lady had one skirt for Sundays and one for the rest of the week."
I smile at her remembrance of her youth. "Can I make you some tea?"
"Yes. That would be lovely." She settles onto the sofa as I walk towards the kitchen.
I stand in silence as I wait for the kettle to boil. I keep hearing Nathan's words ringing in my ears. Do I owe it to Jax to watch the entire video? I've almost thrown that flash drive into the trash so many times I've lost count. Now I'm beginning to wonder if watching it will actually be the way to get the closure that I need.
"Do you want milk or lemon?" I place a small flowered teacup and saucer in Mrs. Adams trembling hand.
"Lemon, please." She smiles faintly. "I came over to talk to you about your hippie friend."
I squeeze half a lemon into her tea before taking a seat in the chair across from her. "Jax. What about him?"
She sips carefully at the hot liquid before placing the cup and saucer on the table in front of her. "He was in the lobby when I came home from the doctor yesterday."
My cup instantly begins to shake when she mentions his name. "He what? I'm sorry. He shouldn't have been here." I try to contain my surprise. Why would Jax come here when he knows I want nothing to do with him? "I'm sorry if he bothered you."
"Not at all, dear." She reaches again for the saucer resting it and the teacup on her lap. "He came to see me actually."
"He came here to see you?" I don't even try and veil the shock in my voice. "Why on earth would he do that?"
She sighs before taking another small sip from the cup. "He's troubled. That boy is very troubled." She stares down at her lap as she shakes her head slightly. "I feel badly for him."
"You feel badly for Jax?" I'm questioning not only her better sense but also Jax's motivations. He had no right coming to my building to accost Mrs. Adams and make her feel sorry for him.
"He hurt you," she says softly. "It's upsetting to me that he did that."
I nod. I don't want to interrupt her. My curiosity is peaked now.
"He told me that you saw something that broke your heart." Her weathered brow furrows as she frowns. "I told him that he had to make it up to you."
I smile at her boldness. She was never one to hold back her opinion and now that she's explaining her conversation with Jax, I'm grateful that she's as honest and direct as she is.
"Some things can't be made up," I whisper. "Anything that we had is over now. I'm going to start fresh in Boston."
She studies my expression. I know that she can see right through my words. She knows that I'm only trying to convince myself that I don't care for Jax anymore. "Running away never solved anything, Ivy." Her voice is tender but there's an edge of authority to it. "I know you think you can leave and start over but that's not how life works."
"It can work that way." I take a swallow of the tea and realize it's bitter. I reach for the sugar and stir one scoop into the half empty cup. "I have to get away from here."
"From here or from him?" she questions.
"Both," I confess. "I'm surrounded by lies and betrayal here."
"Do you think I'm a good judge of character?" she asks me expectantly.
I smile before I respond. "Of course, Mrs. Adams."
"That boy has a pure soul." She pats herself on the chest. "I see my late husband in his eyes."
My teacup stops in mid-air as I try to absorb her words. Is she saying she believes Jax is a good person? Why am I surprised by that? He's debonair, charming and manipulative. How hard would it be for him to convince this woman that he's the second coming of her dearly departed soul mate?
"He told me he loves you." Her tone is direct and matter-of-fact. "And I for one believe him."
I draw in a deep breath. "I for two, don't." I pull a thin smile across my lips.
She places the now empty teacup back down onto the table. "He was in pain. I could see it. He just wants you to watch something. A show on your computer. It's called…"
I'm appalled that Jax is so conniving that he's even trying to use my elderly neighbor to further his cause. "He told you…"
"The show is called Flesh Drive," she interrupts. "It sounds promiscuous but he assured me it's not." She snaps her chin down and her expression narrows. "Watch it, dear. He says you'll understand when you do."
Before I have time to protest she's pushing herself up from the so
fa. I rush over to help and hand her the cane she rested beside the coffee table earlier. We walk in silence to the door of my apartment.
"Don't you dare leave for Boston before coming over to see me." She pulls me into a weak but tender hug.
"I promise I won't." I hold the door open as she steps through.
"Watch the program." She calls over her shoulder as she slowly walks towards her apartment. "Do it now."
Chapter 6
"Who the hell do you think you are?" I smash the flash drive onto his desk causing him to turn from where he was gazing out the window, the phone still pressed against his ear.
"I'm going to have to call you back." He's curt with the person on the other end. "What are you doing here?" His eyes run seamlessly from my face to his desk where the flash drive with Brooke's name emblazoned across the side now rests.
I turn to slam the door of his office shut. "You had no right coming to my building to sweet talk Mrs. Adams into being part of your fan club."
"What?" A weak smirk flashes across his lips. "I have a fan club?"
"Everyone is suddenly on your side." I know I sound delusional. I've just realized that I'm standing alone in a room with Jax. This is the first time we've been in this situation since that night at his apartment when I finally understood his true intentions.
"Who pray tell is everyone?" His tone is playful and misplaced.
I stare at him. He looks like a completely different person than the disheveled and scattered mess that he was yesterday. He's dressed in a navy suit complete with a blue and white pin stripe shirt. He's pushed his hair back from his forehead and his face is now smooth. Any remnant of his outer pain has been cleaned up by a shower and a shave. I feel completely out of place in my worn out jeans, white t-shirt and pink cardigan.
"Mrs. Adams and Nathan," I murmur. Why am I telling him this? "They said I should give you a chance."
"Moore is on my side?" He leisurely undoes a button on his suit jacket as he sits. "So you haven't watched it yet?" He nods his chin in the direction of the flash drive.
Obsessed: Part Three (The Obsessed Series) Page 2