Jane thought for a moment. “I might have an idea. If I do, it’s only because I am amazing an
d you would owe me. Big.”
For the first time all day, hope lit in Jackson’s chest. “Really?”
“Don’t get those big hopeful eyes just yet,” she warned him. “I’ll look into it. You need to go salvage what you can with Emma. The fact that she moved out looks bad. It won’t be long before Max figures that one out.”
“You think Max did this?” Jackson asked. The name tasted sour on his tongue.
“Who else?” Jane laughed bitterly. “This is just his style. He set you up. He wants to destroy you.”
Anger flashed red across Jackson’s vision. Max was going to ruin not only his business, but Emma. Emma was the best thing Jackson had in this world and he wasn’t going to tolerate it.
“Whoa, slow down there, Tiger,” Jane warned. Jackson realized he was standing and halfway to the door. “You need to fix things with your girl. We need her on our side if you’re going to survive any of this.”
He stood there, at a loss. He’d never had to mend a broken heart before. He’d broken plenty of hearts, but he’d never wanted to save one. This was something completely new and foreign to him. He didn’t even know where to start.
Jane sighed. “Bring her flowers. And jewelry. And if she has something expensive that she likes, bring her that, too,” Jane advised. “You need to go to her on your knees. She’s going to be furious with you.”
“What do I say?” Jackson asked. “She’s not going to want to listen to me.”
“You apologize. You tell her the truth,” Jane told him. She stood up and straightened his tie. “But most of all, you tell her you love her.”
He looked down at Jane to see her smile sadly at him. “I really do,” he said softly.
“I know.” Jane nodded. “So get going.”
Jackson flew down the stairs. He sprinted across the lobby. He had his secretary calling ahead to have flowers and the biggest diamond necklace the jewelry shop had meet him at the apartment. He had to get to her. He had to make her see.
He couldn’t lose her. Not like this.
He sprinted into the parking garage, ready to run every red light from here to the apartment.
“Wow, you’re in a hurry,” a snide voice said as he opened the parking structure door.
Jackson went cold and then hot with fury as he turned to face Max Singleton.
“You,” Jackson snarled. He crossed the space between them in three big steps. He was going to punch the guy’s lights out and then beat him to a bloody pulp.
“Whoa, whoa,” Max said, holding up his hands and smiling. “Easy there, tiger.” He pointed to a camera on a tripod facing him. “I’d hate for you to have yet more damning video evidence. It would be awful for you to punch an unarmed man for no reason.”
“I have plenty of reason,” Jackson replied. His fingers clenched, but he turned and started to walk away. “I don’t have time for this.”
“I have to say you trained her well,” Max called out. Jackson stopped. “She only answered the phone once. Poor thing. She was so confused, but she managed to get out a ‘no comment’ before hanging up.”
Jackson’s hand balled into tight fists. He knew he should keep walking. He knew that Max was just goading him into doing something stupid. Something to keep up the charade that he was a bad boy with a womanizing attitude.
And it was all to sell diapers.
“You don’t have proof this time,” Max sneered. “There are no secret cameras. No surprise live videos. Just a picture of you passionately kissing another woman. And Alexa is so good at that. I win this time. I always win.”
Jackson forced himself to start walking.
“Oh, did I mention that she’s not a student?” Max asked, his voice bubbling with evil laughter. “She’s a call girl. That’ll come out this week. You cheated on your adorable, perfect, company-saving fiancée with a call girl. Poor, poor, sweet little Emma. You think I can get her number?”
“You don’t get to talk about her,” Jackson growled. The idea of Max hurting Emma more made his blood boil. He couldn’t see straight. “You don’t get to say her name.”
“Careful,” Max warned, pointing to the camera. “I’d hate for those mothers to see your bad side.”