Page 71 of Bourbon Kingdom
“What you say to her can be said in front of me, Jett,” Blane warned, all friendliness escaping his voice.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened, and looked Blane in the eyes.
“Blane, I think you’re a good man who’s made some poor decisions. I can see you’re trying to make a better life for yourself, so I would avoid another bad decision, like standing in my way of Goldie, and move on.”
“Funny that you think you can just come back here and act like you didn’t break her heart,” Blane said, as he drew closer to me.
“I’m afraid what transpired between Goldie and me is none of your business,” I answered back, while I stepped forward, ready for what Blane had in store for me.
Moving in closer, Blane responded, “It is my business when—”
“Stop!” Goldie said, while jumping between us and placing her small hands on both of our chests. It was almost comical to see her try to put herself between Blane and me. She turned to Blane and said, “I can handle this, Blane. Please, watch my paintings for me.”
“You sure?” Blane asked, as he picked up Goldie’s hand and brought it to his mouth.
Right then and there, I wanted to bury my fist in his mouth. I wanted to crack every perfect white tooth of his. I wanted to make the man bleed, and I wasn’t a violent person, but do not touch my girl . . . ever!
“Positive, thank you.”
I watched in horror as Goldie stood on her toes and placed a kiss on Blane’s cheek. I felt like I was going to lose everything that had built up over the past few weeks. All the pent up angst, the need for her, the urge to take her the way I wanted, it was all about to come crashing down with that little display of affection.
I felt cold, numb, like I was nothing but an empty void.
Slowly, I watched as Goldie stepped away from him and then turned toward me. With a nod of her head toward the stairs that led into the greens of the square, I followed her with a dejected demeanor, a fucking broken heart, as I realized this was going to be my last attempt to try to win her back.
Leaning against a stone wall, she looked up at me and said, “What do you want, Jett?”
“Are you with him?” I asked, needing to know, needing to end the misery I was going through.
“Excuse me? I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said defiantly.
“It is my business,” I closed in on her, needing to be closer. “Tell me, are you with him?”
“And, if I was?” she lifted her chin.
If she was? What the fuck would I do? Probably lose my damn mind and go ape shit crazy on the man’s ass, but she didn’t need to know that.
“That’s something I will deal with if it’s true. So, are you with him?”
She bit on her bottom lip as she looked to the side and nodded her head yes.
Every bone in my body melted from the confirmation. I felt like my heart burst in my chest, and not in a good way. She was with someone else.
“I see.” I cleared my throat and took a step back. “The least you could have done was to have the dignity to look me in the eye when you say you’re with him.”
Her head dropped, and all I could see was the sun hat that was blocking my view of her gorgeous face.
“Goldie, look at me.”
She shook her head no and turned her back toward me. Needing her to tell me to my face she was with Blane, I gently turned her back around and lifted her chin. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked up at me. I thought I knew pain, that was until I saw Goldie cry.
The need to wrap her up in my arms and make everything better overtook me as I tried to pull her into my chest, but her hands stopped me.
“Don’t,” she said between tear-soaked breaths.
“Goldie . . .” I said softly. “Please, talk to me. Why are you crying? Is he hurting you?”
“No!” her head snapped up. “You’re hurting me, Jett. You’re the one making me cry, not him.”
