Page 22 of The Jaded Notes

She must see where I’m staring because she shoves hercrimson velvet sleeve down to cover it. My concerned gaze travels to her face.

“It’s nothing, Jax.”

I toss her coat onto the couch, take her hand in mine, and flip her wrist up. I make soft circular motions right below the wounds.

“These cuts aren’t nothing, Livianna. They’re a cry for help.” I keep my tone free of judgment. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No, really... It was just a bad moment I had today. I guess you could say it was a minor relapse. I haven’t done this in a long time.” She swallows as she blinks away something that resembles deep emotional pain. “I know better than to read the tabloids.”

“Ah, I see. Someone printed lies about…?” I shake my head. “Whatever it was, you can share if you want.”

There’s a moment of silence as she studies my face. She glances at the gentle circles I’m tracing and pulls her hand away. The moment of tenderness fades away.

“My brother had a podcast interview, and it didn’t go well.” She strides into the kitchen. “Can I get you a glass of wine?”

I let her deflection go for now. “Sure. What do you have?”

“It’s cold, so red is what I’m in the mood for. Does that sound good?”

“It sounds perfect.” I run a curious eye over her. “When I took care of you on that New Year’s Eve, you had the same type of cuts. You mentioned some kind of problem with your brother that night. Is your relationship with him the cause of your worries?”

“No.” She removes a wine bottle from a small iron wine rack she has against the wall. “He just gets put in challenging situations, and somehow they always revolve around me.”

“Why is that?”

She sucks in a choppy breath. “The media has never liked me.”

“Livianna?”

She brings her sad eyes to mine.

I offer a gentle gaze and advance to her side. “Is there anything I can do to help you in this moment?”

She takes a few beats, and her stance softens. “Yeah, I could use a hug.”

I don’t think twice about giving her what she needs. I slide one arm around her waist, the other around her shoulders, and pull her into me.

She melts into my chest as I hold her in a firm but warm embrace. For the first time since I’ve known her, I let my defenses disappear and really be there for her.

“Thank you.” She squeezes me tighter. “I don’t know why, but I always feel safe around you. There aren’t many people I can say that about.”

Heat erupts in my heart and races through my veins. My stomach twists with an unexpected yearning for more.

What is this strange emotion?

I enjoy women’s company, but I’ve never wanted or felt the need to get closer to them on an emotional level. It’s always been a physical thing for me because it can’t be anything more.

My life isn’t conducive to developing and nurturing a relationship the way it needs to grow. I have too many people and secrets I need to protect. It’s not fair to ask a woman to deal with that. Partners deserve more.

Trent rounds the corner and catches my eye. He smirks and gives me a nod of approval.

“I see things are moving in the right direction.” He stops on the other side of the counter. “I would try to get in on the action, but I won’t press my luck.”

“It’s not what it looks like, Trent.” Livianna steps out ofmy arms, removes her shoes, and leaves them on a mat near the front door. “Jaxon was just being a good friend.”

I’m a bit shocked by the softness in her answer. Most of the time she tries to flirt and make me squirm when we’re around each other. This time is different. She’s more vulnerable, more mature, more…everything. And I like it more than I’d like to admit.

“I thought you would already have the Cab and cheese tray out for us.” Trent settles onto a stool and turns to me. “Livianna is a great host, and she knows how to cook. She’s a keeper.”