Ripple Effect (Effect 1)

I looked at my watch. “Selena, I have a meeting. It’s time to leave. Let’s not make this ugly.”

She nodded, and the venom I used to hate when we fought came back. “You can be an asshole at times, Adam. I needed a favor. Me leaving you happened years ago. You need to get over yourself.”

I didn’t say a word. It wouldn’t do any good. She turned and left, slamming my office door behind her. I waited a few minutes before I went to my car. No one was guarding the damn door, and it wasn’t locked. Pulling out my phone, I sent a text to the team, including Brandt.

Bastards.

Trigger, Snake, Brandt: Someone needs to either lock the door or fucking guard it like they’re supposed to. My ex just came here.

They all sent me back individual texts:

Trigger: Fuck. I’m sorry, man. I stepped away for a few to show the new beer delivery guy where to go.

Snake: I’m on it. I was on the bar side.

Brandt: I’ll deal with it. Are you okay?

I only responded back to Brandt.

Me: Yeah. Selena wanted me to pretend to want her, so Jake would take her back. I’m going to the gym and then getting some lunch.

Brandt: Shit. I’ll get after them. Unacceptable. You said no, right?

Me: Of course. Ainsley is my future.

Brandt: Good to hear. Maybe you should tell Ainsley that.

Me: I plan on it.

Now, I needed to wait until this evening to get Ainsley to the club. I’d take her somewhere special and tell her how I really felt.

I was on my way back from grabbing a quick bite to eat after my workout when my phone rang. It was Jessica. I thought about silencing her, but she’d probably show up like last time while Ainsley was there, and then I’d have a bigger mess to deal with.

I hit Answer. “Hey, Jessica.”

“Can we talk? I’m near the club.”

I looked at the clock, and it was three hours until Ainsley was supposed to be there. She always texted me when she came to the club.

“I’m sure this is about Selena. I’m pulling into the club now. Jessica, I’m only giving you five minutes on this subject, and then it’s closed between us forever.”

A blinker sounded in her car. “I’m pulling in, too. Five minutes is all that I need, and then I won’t mention it again.”

Hell, that is worth five minutes versus multiple days of dealing with talk of Selena.

I saw my sister’s SUV pull into the lot across the way. I made it to the door just as she did. Jessica looked like she had come from yoga class. Trigger was standing post as he opened the door.

About fucking time he did his job.

He started to speak. “Adam—”

“Not now.”

“But, Adam—”

“Trigger, I’m busy. I’ll come deal with whatever you have to say in a minute. Stand your fucking post this time.”

My patience was at the end of its rope with all this shit raining down on me. We walked through my office door. Jessica was like me, and she didn’t waste her time with pleasantries.

She put her purse on the table. “Selena called me. She’s really upset.”

I stood there, staring at my sister. I loved her, but she was walking on thin ice.

She held up her hands. “I know, I know, I know. You don’t have to sleep with her. She wants your help to spur Jake into taking responsibility.”

I scrubbed a hand down my face.

How the hell is this my responsibility?

Jake was his own person, and we didn’t speak.

“Jess, listen, you guys all need to open your eyes and realize that I am not the answer to this. Let’s say I pretend to try to win Selena back. I give in and actually do it. It’s not going to do a damn bit of good in the long run, and you know it. If I’m the only reason he’s with her, then he’ll bail the moment I meet someone. I’m done with that part of my life.” My tone was growing insistently more impatient.

Jess stopped, and she looked at me for a few seconds. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you? It’s the woman I saw you kissing a few weeks ago in the parking lot. You’ve moved on. Oh, geez, Adam. I would never have come here if I had known you were in a committed relationship. Mom and Dad are going to be so happy. I’m so happy for you.”

Images of my parents telling Jake and Jake seeking Ainsley out came to mind. Jake trying to steal the one thing I now breathed for was unbearable. Until I was able to tell Ainsley, she didn’t need to exist to them. I swallowed the bitterness that came to my tongue as I said what I needed to say to get Jessica off of Ainsley’s trail.

Jessica had tears in her eyes as she walked toward me, but I stopped her.

“Jessica, that woman you saw me with is nothing but a fuck buddy I use for pleasure. She’s like the rest—a great piece of ass. You know the score.” The words were acid on my tongue.

My sister kept watching me. “Well then, it shouldn’t—”

I held up my hands. “Regardless, I’m not helping. I don’t want there to be problems between us, but if you keep pushing, you’re going to cause a major rift between us.”

She scratched her forehead as she comprehended everything I’d said. “I’m sorry. Thanks for listening. I like to try to keep the family together. You know how it is. I know what I asked you to do was a Band-Aid, but I keep hoping he’s changed.” She looked around the room.

I wished Jessica could learn how to let things go that she couldn’t control.

“I know this is a sensitive subject, but are you coming to the party?”

She looked resigned as she grabbed her purse from the chair, like she knew I would say no, and it would be another thing to add to her list of problems to solve.

I nodded. “Yes, I’ll be there.?

??

She stopped and dropped her purse as she looked at me. “You will?”

Regardless if Jake was there or not, it was time for him to stop dictating my life. “Yes, I’ll be there. They’re my parents, too, and I want to be there for this event. I don’t think it’s necessary for me to do my own thing anymore.”

I had always gone the day before or after to spend time with my parents for special events. Back then, seeing Jake and Selena together had been like a knife to the chest. Now, I had a different future.

Jessica came up and engulfed me in a hug. “Thank you, Adam. Thank you.”

I hugged her back. “You’re welcome, sis. I’m sorry it took me so long to answer.”

She was squeezing me tightly. “All that matters is that you finally did.” She pulled back and wiped a tear from her eye. “I need to go. Selena is going over to mom and dad’s house. They don’t need the stress. I know it’s not my problem, but it’s my nature to fix things.”

We started walking toward the door. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will. I promise.”

Snake was passing us in the hall. “Snake, will you show Jessica the way out? I have something I need to do.”

Snake gave me a knowing nod. “Sure thing.”

Jessica gave me one last hug before following Snake. I needed to piss and get my head back in the game. I had called a hotel and reserved a room for Ainsley and me. We would have a romantic dinner on the balcony overlooking the city before I gave her my heart. It was time, and I was ready.

After using the restroom, I headed to Brandt’s office to decompress before Ainsley came to the club. Brandt was sitting at his desk, commanding security from his computer screens. Our new security manager would start next week, and Brandt was not happy with it. He liked hiding behind the camera. Maybe this new freedom would force him to face some things he had been avoiding.

Brandt turned toward me with his hair pulled back as I sat on the couch.