Dan tightened the embrace. ‘That’s not stupid. It makes complete sense. Because my home didn’t feel like home anymore with you gone, either. We’ll give this our best shot, Jet, I promise.’
Then he eased back and kissed her. Deeply, gently, heartbreakingly sweetly, so Jet didn’t have time to wonder if their best shot would be enough.
Chapter Thirty-One
The sound of the front door opening had Jet and Dan pulling apart. Dan blinked a few times as though waking from a daze. Seeing the uneaten food in front of them, he picked up a plate and turned to put it in the microwave.
Jet licked her lips. How long had they been kissing for? Five minutes? Ten minutes?
She was certain if not for Marty being due to return they would have ended up in the bedroom. Jet put a hand to her head. It was probably just as well. She was still recovering from last night and was feeling light-headed. Although it was possible the wine and Dan’s seductive kisses were to blame for that, not her injuries.
Jet straightened her clothing in case she’d become dishevelled—she felt dishevelled—and froze when she heard a female voice in the foyer.
‘Shh, you idiot, after yesterday, she’s probably still asleep. The least you can do is to be quiet seeing as you insisted on coming along. We’ll need to be quiet until she wakes up.’
‘Edie?’ Jet called out.
‘Oh my God, Juliet!’
Jet heard light footsteps scamper across her polished floors and then Edie arrived in the kitchen, her face almost lined in concern. Jet was pretty sure Edie didn’t have any real lines because of her healthy relationship with her cosmetic nurse.
Edie’s hands flew to her mouth. ‘Jesus Christ. Look at you! Look what they did to you!’ Edie dropped her hands and rushed to Jet, then stopped like she was unsure of what to do next.
‘I’m fine.’
‘You are not fine. You’ve been attacked! And if I get my hands on who did this to you, I’ll make them pay.’
‘You and me both,’ a familiar deep voice announced. ‘Who’s that?’
Jet’s stomach plummeted. Andrew. No, not now. Not like this. Hell, Jet thought, never.
Edie cringed and mouthed, sorry. Then Edie’s eyes darted behind Jet to where Dan was standing. She looked back at Jet with a questioning look.
Just introduce him as a friend. That’s all she needed to do.
Instead, they all stared at him in an awkward silence.
‘You must be Edie,’ Dan said warmly to her friend after a beat. ‘I’m Dan Rhodes. And you’re Andrew.’ Dan’s eyes were unreadable as he regarded her ex-husband leaning casually against the kitchen door.
It was a hot summer morning and Andrew wore tailored trousers and a short sleeve shirt. That was positively casual wear where he was concerned.
Andrew pushed away from the doorframe, his green gaze cool. ‘Dan. You’re the winemaker.’
‘Wait. What?’ Jet stuttered.
Andrew ignored her and walked over to Dan, extending his hand. Dan considered it for a moment, then shook Andrew’s hand.
‘I think Jet asked you a question,’ Dan said to Andrew.
Edie was still staring at them wide-eyed.
Andrew turned to Jet. ‘Rhodes Estate Wines. Am I correct?’
‘Yes,’ Jet breathed. ‘But how?’
Andrew lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. ‘I like to think of myself as well informed.’
‘What the hell, Temple?’ Edie cried, before Jet could react. ‘What have you been up to?’ She put her hands on her hips and her eyes were no longer wide, but narrowed.
‘Up to? I’m a media man. It’s part of my job,’ Andrew replied. Clearly unworried at the topic of conversation, he picked up the bottle of wine on the bench and examined the label.
‘Funny,’ Dan said. ‘I like to think of it as stalking your ex-wife.’
Edie’s eyes went wide again while Jet wished the ground would swallow her up. She honestly wasn’t sure she had the strength for this right now, she’d already been through enough in the past twenty-four hours.
‘Stop,’ Jet said firmly, so both men’s attention was on her. ‘I’d like you to leave, Andrew. I’m not comfortable with you here.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Edie interrupted. ‘I was going to sneak over here this morning before he’d woken up but he’s like the proverbial early bird who catches the worm. When he figured out where I was going, he wouldn’t take no for an answer.’
Given Edie was more of a night owl and Andrew’s stubbornness knew no bounds, Jet guessed Edie didn’t stand a chance. If the relationship between her ex-husband and best friend continued much longer, Jet would have to consider asking for Edie’s key back. She couldn’t have Andrew turning up unannounced like this.
Andrew tilted his head. ‘I appreciate I wasn’t invited, but I was keen to know how you’re recovering. Was he invited?’
‘That’s none of your business,’ Jet shot back. ‘And how dare you! You need to stop prying into my life or I’ll apply for a restraining order.’
‘Not going to happen,’ Andrew said lightly, like the discussion was over.
‘Please leave,’ Jet said softly, her hands shaking. The intensity of her rage surprised her.
‘Always so polite,’ Andrew commented with a self-satisfied smile.
Jet balled her hands into fists and forced herself to inhale a deep breath. Edie rushed over to Andrew’s side.
‘Come on. You need to leave.’ She started trying to push Andrew towards the door, but he didn’t move. It would have been funny except it made Edie look small and pathetic, and Jet knew her friend was anything but.
Andrew pushed her aside effortlessly and closed the distance between him and Dan. ‘You don’t belong here.’
Dan raised an eyebrow. ‘Neither do you. You heard Jet, it’s time to leave.’
Andrew’s loud laughter shocked all of them and they watched him awkwardly, not sharing in the joke. When he was finished, he gave Dan a derisive glance like he was something he’d found on the bottom of his shoe. ‘And if I don’t, what will you do about it?’
‘I won’t do anything. I don’t have anything to prove, unlike you. Jet was the one who asked me to sleep in her bed last night, not you.’
It was the right and wrong answer all rolled into one. Andrew’s jaw twitched and the glare he directed at Dan was so menacing Jet felt slightly sick. Andrew’s hand shot out and Edie jumped.
‘Come on, Edie. Let’s go. Let these two have their fun.’ His green eyes pierced Jet. ‘I suggest you read the media reports this morning. You’re news again.’
Edie hesitated and shot Jet a desperate look.
Go, Jet mouthed. They could catch up later. With a sense of helplessness, Jet watched as her best friend took Andrew’s hand and scurried off after him. Jet stared at the empty doorway for a long moment until she heard the front door slam, then she met Dan’s eyes and released the breath she’d been holding.
‘Don’t say you’re sorry,’ he ordered.
‘I wasn’t going to. I may be sorry I ever met him, but his disgusting behaviour is his own doing, not mine.’
‘I hope you won’t be offended if I tell you he’s an even bigger prick than I imagined.’
‘Not at all. He hid it well at the beginning of our relationship. Now it’s like he’s proud of it.’
‘He still has feelings for you, Jet.’
Jet took the few steps toward the island bench and reached for the stool. She sat down unsteadily, resting the good side of her head in her hand. ‘I see that now. I think I always knew it was the case, I just didn’t want to admit it. Then why’s he’s sleeping with Edie?’
‘Because he can.’ Dan came around the bench and sat down beside her.
‘Poor Edie. What’s she gotten herself into?’
‘Nothing she can’t get out of, hopefully. I think he’s using her because he still has feelings for you.’
Jet sighed. That’s exactly what she was afraid of. �
��Can I have another glass of wine, please?’
Dan gave her a sidelong glance. ‘Always so polite.’
They burst into laughter simultaneously and it took them a good minute before they were able to speak again.
‘Jesus, Jet, what did you see in him?’
She shrugged. ‘When it was just us, he was different. I know that sounds lame, but he was. It’s like everything that was good about him died when our marriage did.’
‘Well, you certainly didn’t. In fact, I’d say you’re just coming into your own now, Jet Appleton.’ Dan poured the wine into the nearest glass and handed it to her. ‘Cheers to you.’
Jet tipped the glass in his direction, then took a very unladylike gulp. It made her feel better and less shaky. ‘It tastes better with the eggs and bacon.’
‘I know.’
They laughed again, but Jet’s smile didn’t last. ‘After breakfast I need to get in contact with Commissioner Roberts. I need to tell him about this.’
‘I think that’s a good idea. He’d want to know Andrew is keeping tabs on you like this.’
‘Not just that.’ Jet set the glass down. ‘I think those men were right.’
‘Which men?’
‘The ones last night.’ Jet couldn’t bring herself to say her attacker or abductors or whatever they had been. It would make her feel like too much of a victim. ‘I know this sounds weird, but I think they were telling the truth. Or at least I think they honestly believed that Alex Benedetti didn’t take advantage of that girl.’
‘Maybe they were just being loyal to him or perhaps they didn’t want to believe he could do that to a young girl. It’s pretty sick.’
‘Yes, it is. I wonder if Andrew has used that to his advantage.’
‘How do you mean?’
Jet turned to face Dan so their knees bumped. ‘I think we need to get Commissioner Roberts to look into Andrew’s possible involvement in setting Alex Benedetti up. Alex’s friends believe it.’
Dan blew out a breath. ‘That’s a big accusation and those men aren’t to be trusted. Then again, nor is Andrew. You need to be careful. The Temple name has connections everywhere.’
‘I know all of that and at this stage it’s not an accusation, only a suspicion. But something isn’t right, Dan. Something about this whole situation has never been right. The young girl, me being drugged and now Alex’s arrest. None of it adds up.’
‘Not to mention Andrew’s unhealthy interest in you.’
‘Interest is the correct term. He still thinks of me like one of his business interests.’
‘He thinks of you as more than that.’
Jet dropped her gaze then looked past Dan out the window to where the city luxuriated in the morning heat.
‘Well, it’s time things changed,’ she said.
The intercom buzzed.
‘That will be Dad,’ Dan told her.
‘Good. I want to run all of this past him if that’s OK with you?’
‘You don’t need to ask my permission.’
‘No, I don’t, do I?’ It was funny how in the past few years Jet had always felt like the boss of her business, but not so much her actual life. Well, that was one of the things that was going to change.
Marty appeared a moment later and took in the two of them and breakfast.
‘Feeling better, Jet?’ he asked. ‘You look rested.’
‘Yes, thank you. Sit down and join us. I’d like your opinion.’
Chapter Thirty-Two
Like Andrew had said, news of Jet’s attack was all over the media. Or at least Juliet Temple was.
Jet’s name change hadn’t been made official yet. The rebranding of the business was going to take some weeks to finalise. In the end, Jet had decided not to confuse her clients and planned to announce the changes all at once.
Reading about her attack in the paper, it was almost as if it had happened to someone else. She felt thankful her name change wasn’t common knowledge yet. Jet felt detached from Juliet’s identity and fiercely protective of her own—she didn’t want it tainted by anything from her old life.
She declined to comment to any reporters. Her standard response was she was recovering well and thanked them for their concern. Speculation was rife about the identity of her attackers. Most reports made the link between Alex’s upcoming trial and Jet’s involvement as a witness, although none were conclusive. With Jet and the police refusing to comment, Jet was hoping the interest would die down by the end of the week when other more interesting news stories came along.
Except it turned out the next interesting story was connected to Jet again.
Jet set the phone down, her hand shaking slightly. She was grateful her office door was currently closed because it had been Commissioner Roberts. Not stopping to think, she picked up the phone again and dialled Dan’s number.
‘Hey. This is a pleasant surprise. Miss me?’
Despite the way she gripped the handset tightly, Jet smiled. It was Wednesday morning, just after ten. Dan had stayed the rest of the weekend in Sydney and since Monday they had spoken every lunchtime and again after work each day.
‘I just had a call from the Commissioner.’
‘That sounds serious.’
‘It was.’ Jet took a deep breath and Dan, in his usual way, seemed to know to give her the time and space she needed to speak. ‘Alex has been cleared of all charges.’
There was a moment of silence on the other end. ‘What? How?’
‘The young girl he was alleged to have assaulted changed her story.’
Dan waited.
‘She claimed it was consensual,’ Jet finished.
‘But she’s underage. It’s still illegal.’
‘Actually, she’s not. She’s seventeen.’
‘How the hell did that get past the police?’
Jet rested her chin in her free hand because her head hurt from trying to make sense of her conversation with Commissioner Roberts. ‘She had a younger sister who died. They looked very alike and she was pretending to be her. But no one knew the sister was dead because they were living on the streets at the time.’
‘Alex Benedetti slept with a homeless girl?’
Dan’s disbelief matched Jet’s initial reaction. Alex was a lot of things, including a playboy and a womaniser, but he certainly wasn’t desperate for women. They were too busy throwing themselves at him.
‘This sister who survived later became a prostitute and she works in a high-class brothel,’ Jet told Dan.
‘So Alex paid her for sex, then?’
‘No. Here’s the thing. Taylor, this seventeen-year-old, picked him up in a bar. He had no idea who she was or what she did for a living. He claims she told him she was a high school drop out who was waitressing. When she reported it to the police, she came forward as Christina, the younger sister.’
‘But why?’
‘So she could set Alex up,’ Jet explained, which were the same words the Commissioner used. ‘She’s saying it was for the celebrity of being linked to someone famous like Alex. She hoped to make money out of interviews and to gain media attention.’
On the surface, it was plausible. And perhaps too close to home. Andrew’s extra-marital affair had been brought to light by a celebrity-seeking woman—albeit much older than this young girl.
‘But you’re not buying it,’ Dan said, interrupting Jet’s whirling thoughts.
‘No, I’m not.’
‘What does the Commissioner think?
‘They’re clearing Alex of the charges and the news will hit the papers today. Commissioner Roberts warned me that Alex would play up the victim angle.’
Dan sighed. ‘Of course he will. But where does this leave you?’
‘Well, I’m not being called as a witness anymore, so I can only hope those men will leave me alone.’
‘But,’ Dan said, echoing Jet’s thoughts.
‘We’re still no clearer on who killed Crystal at Alex’s party. It’s also possible some
one put Taylor up to this whole thing, but she’s sticking to her story.’ The end result was Jet didn’t feel any safer than when this had all begun.
‘You mean, sticking to her current story,’ Dan said with a note of bitterness that was unlike him.
‘I know,’ Jet interrupted. ‘Some part of me wants to believe this will be the end of it—not that it helps the poor girl who died. The investigation is continuing and Commissioner Roberts has assured me his men will continue to keep watch over me.’
‘But for how long?’ Dan asked, mirroring her own fears. ‘And where were they Friday night? And what about Andrew? What did they say about him knowing who I was?’
It was Jet’s turn to sigh. ‘They can’t watch me all the time. Apparently their instructions were to keep watch on my apartment to take note of any unusual interest in my coming and goings. They didn’t deem my presence at work as a risk because I was around others. I should have listened to them and not left work so late when I was by myself. It’s my own fault.’
‘None of this is your fault, Jet.’ Dan’s voice sounded strained.
‘Bad choice of words. All I meant is given the circumstances, I should have been more aware. As for Andrew, I’ve been urged to keep my concerns to myself for now. Privately the Commissioner has taken everything I’ve said on board, but they have to be extra careful going down that line of investigation.’
Dan scoffed. ‘Because Andrew’s a rich and powerful arsehole? Give me a break.’
‘Well, he didn’t say it in those words,’ Jet replied with a wry grin.
‘What about the fact Andrew knew who I was?’
‘In the Commissioner’s words, concerning. He agreed it was completely out of line, but again I’m between a rock and a hard place. I can file a restraining order, but—’
‘But think of the headlines and the fallout in the media, which Andrew half controls. This is bullshit.’
Jet didn’t disagree, but she needed to be practical. ‘The police checked my phone. Somehow someone put an app on my phone I wasn’t aware of that could trace my calls. It had to be Andrew. I got a new phone just after I returned to Sydney because I was using the work phone you provided while I was staying at the estate. I suspect he snuck it on there the night he confronted me outside my apartment not long after I returned home—’
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