This Cruel Love

“Enjoy your day of espionage?”

Startled, I jumped up from my slouched position on the sofa. I’d fallen asleep watching the T.V., and the darkness outside told me that it was probably late evening.

Jackson stalked over to the collection of remote controls on the coffee table in front of me, and flicked a few buttons to bring a hazy glow of light to the apartment, and set the drapes at the window to automatically glide shut.

“I haven’t been spying on anyone. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I glanced his way, expecting to see him grinding that jaw of his or pinning me with an accusing stare, but he just looked puzzled. “You know, it helps when you actually speak and make some sense. I don’t talk in demon’s riddles like you,” I spat back.

He mumbled something about she-devils before sitting down on the sofa opposite. His long, muscular legs strained under the material of his trousers, as he leant forward and threaded his fingers together. I could see blood and the early signs of bruising on his right hand.

“Been scraping your knuckles along the floor again? You have that whole caveman thing down to a tee, don’t you?” I joked.

He lifted his hand up to look at the damage then sat back into the sofa, keeping his fists at the side of him, away from my prying eyes.

“I don’t want you sneaking into my club, skulking around and causing trouble. You’re not welcome there. Stay away.”

Skulking? Really? Did he honestly think I went there to hide around corners and spy on him? Well, apart from that one time, but that was by accident. That was the last time I trusted Cillian to keep anything a secret.

“I wasn’t spying on you, despite what you might think. I was bored. I wanted to work. You know, make myself useful.”

I knew he wouldn’t believe me, but I didn’t care.

“Cill mentioned you want to work, but you can’t come to my club. I don’t want you there.”

“I don’t particularly want to spend any more time in your presence either, but I didn’t know where else to go today.” I sighed. “I’m bored. I’ve always worked. I can’t just sit around and do nothing.”

Surprisingly, he didn’t mock me and trivialise what I was saying, just nodded his agreement.

“I can understand that. What are you interested in doing? I know you’ve been away at college or university or whatever, so I’m guessing you’ve learnt more than how to stock a bar and wash the glasses. Or was that expensive education just to please Daddy?”

Wow. Did he just hit me with the Daddy card? And there I was thinking we were making progress, but no. He still had to make out I was an over-privileged airhead. Going away to study, because it was what Daddy wanted. He probably thought my parents had bought my place at university too. Asshole.

“Believe it or not, I went there for the education. I do have a brain. I studied English Literature, because reading, books, they’re my lifeline. A perfect escape from an otherwise shitty world. Don’t you agree?” I bet the only reading material he owned was porn mags, and he wouldn’t keep those for the articles.

“So young and yet so cynical,” he mused.

“Hardly. I’ve had a great childhood.” He flinched slightly. Was there something behind his change in demeanour? Obviously, his childhood had been the exact opposite to mine.

“My dad wasn’t too keen on me sticking to just ‘the books’ as he called it, so he encouraged me to do a business and accounting course at the same time. That way, I could help the family business if that’s what I wanted to do later. It isn’t, by the way.”

He leant forward again, suddenly listening intently and looking fascinated by what I was saying. I don’t know why. It was all pretty boring family stuff I was spouting on about.

“Daddy doesn’t like you having free rein then, huh?”

“He doesn’t like much when it comes to my life at the moment.” Why was I talking like this? “He hates Justin. He’s one hundred percent against the wedding, and he hates that I wasted time studying something for enjoyment, when I could’ve been working for him and making his company even more money.”

Seriously, I needed to shut up. I had no idea why I was opening up like this to Jackson Caine of all people.

Jackson rubbed his stubbly jaw and smiled to himself.

“So, Daddy hates the rat. Why?”

I wasn’t about to get into this with him.

“That’s none of your business. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Sensing he wasn’t going to get anything else out of me about Justin, Jackson changed tack.

“Then forget about Daddy and his money-making machine. What do you want to do?”