Page 40 of The Jaded Notes

“I want to name my company after her,” she whispers.

“Lehlani Rose Designs. It has a beautiful ring to it.” I let the words settle between us like an invocation.

I nod, just once. “If that’s true, then say it. Say it out loud in your mother’s house, and to her face. Speak it until your sister’s name no longer burns your tongue and causes you enormous pain.”

Livianna goes still, and the lights glow a deeper hue of violet. Her breathing kicks up.

I lean forward, slowly and deadly calm. “You need to look your mother in the eyes and say it out loud. Because if you can’t claim your sister’s name in the house that buried her, you’ll never believe the masses when they celebrate you.”

Her gaze fills with something ancient. A knowing truth. It’s something she realized long before this moment.

Her business is stalling because deep down she doesn’t want Livianna Grace Designs to succeed. She wants Lehlani Rose Designs to take the world by storm in its place. And for that to happen, she has to confront her parents.

I stare deep into Livianna’s eyes. “Your brand idea is possible. But not without a cost. Not without rebirthing it like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”

“Jax, I don’t know how.”

“You’ll feel the fire when you do. You have to stand up to your parents and let them know you heard their secret.Unfortunately, it will feel thousands of times worse than how you felt when you told me.”

“I know.” It comes out soft and hushed. “Having that conversation with my parents will be hard, but it needs to be done. Thank you for helping me and holding the space for me to settle into what I know must take place.”

She shifts closer instead of away. Her soft perfume swirls around us, and my heartbeat accelerates. She’s absolutely gorgeous and all feminine beauty now.

Facing her biggest fear makes her even more breathtaking. Her vulnerability seduces more than any intention could, unraveling me in ways I never planned for.

My body tightens with the force of the realization—I want her. I want to touch her, praise her. I want to claim her and make her mine.

But not like this. This is wrong. Every reason it’s not right to feel this way about her races through my thoughts.

I’m too old for her. She’s young, and we’ll be working together. I can’t have anyone breach the borders of my existence, and her father would never accept how I’m feeling. My life is too dangerous for his daughter and I have to agree.

“How will I ever repay you, Jaxon Crowne?” Her hand settles on my chest, over my heart.

I almost lose control.

She’s not trying to seduce me. It’s like she’s offering me a kind of salvation I promised myself I’d never want.

Damn if that doesn’t terrify me, because I’m not afraid of her darkness. I’m scared of the light she’s putting inside mine. And that makes me crave her even more.

Fuck, I want her.

But the desire for her doesn’t feel physical. It’s cardinal. Soul-deep. Like if I touch her now, it won’t stop at my skin. It’ll reach the part of me I buried a long time ago.

I search deep into her eyes. What’s going on between us right now, and how can I get it to stop?

She gets even closer until her lips are inches from mine. She doesn’t lean in or push for a connection. She just stares up at me, silent, waiting for me to make the first move.

I lower my head slightly. Too far to be innocent, not far enough to cross the line.

Our breaths tangle, and every part of me wants to go in for more. At the same time, I want to leave this situation, but the moment takes hold.

She glances at my lips. My stomach spins and my pulse races.

I could kiss her right now and she’d let me. She’s already given me permission.

But I stop myself because if I taste her, I’ll take her. I’ll want to own every cell of her. And once I do, there’s no turning back.

I pull away.