Page 297 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No, she didn’t say anything. He didn’t either. I talked to him earlier today.”

He shook his head.

“That man is bad news.”

“Tell me about it. He wants me to go into business with him.”

“You have the money.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if I can trust him. And now I find this out. Maybe I can’t trust either of them.”

“Some days it seems like everything was so much simpler in Afghanistan. I mean, it was more dangerous, but we knew what to expect, you know?”

I nodded.

“Definitely. Max showed up after I found her.”

“And you figured why not add good old Logan to the list, huh?”

He laughed then finished the rest of his drink. I raised my hand to fetch the bartender for another round. Before it was finished, I had turned off my phone.

Fuck her if she tries to call, I thought, still unsure of what to think after she had flipped out after we fucked the other night. I did not need that kind of confusion in my life.

I had enou

gh of my own crazy to deal with. More than enough.

Logan and I spent the night catching up, drinking and forgetting our problems. I parted ways with him after he picked up some woman with brunette hair and big tits.

On the way back to my apartment, I turned my phone on, thinking about giving Jade a call and seeing if she was okay. When I saw no messages come in, I put it in my pocket and kept walking.

Maybe it’s for the best, I told myself. If this business opportunity with Max turns out to be legit, maybe I’ll be able to have something in my life with actual meaning. Then again, maybe not.

Climbing the stairs to my third-floor apartment, part of my daily routine for keeping in shape, my phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket and saw Jade’s name. After half-a-second of consideration, I ignored it.

With liquid courage running through my veins, I didn’t see any need for her in my life. I had done fine enough without her. I would keep doing fine

She appeared in my dreams that night, chasing and teasing me in a thousand different ways. I woke up the next morning with the hardest boner I’d had since my teenage years.

What is that woman doing to me?

SEVENTEEN

Jade

When he didn’t answer my call, I figured it was late, and he was asleep or doing something else. The next day, with each hour that passed, I became more obsessed with talking to him.

I still wasn’t able to explain my craziness after we had made love, but I was ready to try. He kept appearing in my thoughts. I had to give him a chance if he would have me.

After controlling my urge all day, I broke down after dinner and sent him a simple text message, “You around?” He answered with a simple, “Yes.”

“Can I come over? Talk?”

A minute passed. No answer. Then another went by. I fucked it up. He’s done with me. Right before turning my phone off so I wouldn’t stare at the screen all night waiting for him, it buzzed.

The text message contained an address across town, nothing more. My heart raced. While attracted to him physically, I wasn’t sure if he was a person that I’d want to try turning into something more.