CHAPTER THREE
Jackson
VANESSA IS STANDING outside the front of the diner where she works when I pull up in my SUV a few minutes before eight. I park at the curb and hop out as she walks toward me.
Fuck, she looks beautiful. She’s wearing a long summery pink dress with a white flower pattern, and it clings to her gorgeous curves in all the right places. The material flows from the hips down, and it swishes around her thighs and legs as she approaches. On top, it has thin straps, and it dips a little at the cleavage. Not enough to show me the goods, but enough to show a hint of flesh that already has my cock stirring behind the zipper of my shorts. Her hair is hanging in soft waves down her back, and she’s not wearing much make up.
If she wasn’t such a nutjob, and I didn’t have ulterior motives, she would be my dream girl.
“Hey.” Her cheeks flush, and her smile is tentative. She looks nervous, and that surprises me a little. Although, she did tell me this was her first-ever date. That shocked me. I know most guys at The Hamptons just wanted to fuck her, but she had plenty of admirers at West Lorian High.
We purposely kept our distance from her at school. I only shared one class with her, and I spent a few years ambling my way through life, perpetually stoned, so I missed a lot of shit. But I’m still shocked no one asked her out.
I lean in, brushing my lips against her cheek. “You are stunning.”
The stain on her cheeks darkens. “Thank you. You look nice too.” Her cheeks are flaming red now. “I mean, you look hot,” she stutters.
Man, this is going to be a cakewalk.
I chuckle, taking her hand. “C’mon. We don’t want to be late.” I help her into the passenger seat of my car before sliding behind the wheel. I ease the car back out into the traffic. “I hope you like cocktails and pizza,” I say, honking my horn at some asshat who cuts out in front of me.
“Sounds perfect.” She shoots me another shy smile, and I have to admit I’m intrigued. Anytime I’ve been around Vanessa in the past, she’s been either hungover and mute or drunk and cray-cray.
I’m not sure what to make of this version of her.
Not that it matters.
I have one goal here, and one goal only: To make her fall for me.
I told Hunt it was so I could get close enough to find out where that bastard Montgomery is hiding, but there is a possibility she doesn’t know. If that’s the case, then I have a Plan B—ruin her like he ruined my sister so he can’t use her to further his elite aims.
Just to be clear, Hunt isn’t aware of Plan B. He’s already unhappy with Plan A, and if he knew how far I was prepared to take this, there’s no way in hell he’d help me.
I don’t care that she’s innocent in all this. So was Dani, and that didn’t stop Christian Montgomery. It’s time he got a taste of his own medicine.
_______________
“Wow. I love this place.” Vanessa’s big blue eyes are out on stalks as she casts her gaze around New York’s hottest new it place.
I only managed to get last-minute reservations because Dad is one of the investors in Glitter. It’s primarily a cocktail bar, but it offers casual dining options too. After midnight, the basement club opens its doors to partygoers. In the ten months since it opened, it has become a popular spot with rich brats and celebs. “I can’t believe you haven’t been here before,” I say, breaking off a piece of bread and popping it in my mouth.
“I don’t get out much.” She shrugs, sipping on her sparkling water.
“How come? You’re eighteen, free of high school and parental bonds, living in central New York, and I know you like to party.”
“I’m nineteen, actually, and I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.” She sips her water, eyeing me carefully.
“I never realized you were older than us,” I truthfully admit.
She bites down on her lower lip, and I try to ignore how sexy she looks chewing on her mouth. “I ended up having to repeat freshman year,” she adds.
My eyes pop wide. “Wow. That’s almost unheard of. What’d you do? Murder someone or something?” I joke.
Her eyes lower to the table, and she fidgets with her napkin. I reach across the table, unknotting her fingers. “Hey. I was only teasing. We don’t have to talk about it.”
“I want to,” she says, raising her eyes and staring at me. “It’s just hard to look back at certain things from my past and not feel depressed.”
I’m beginning to realize I don’t know a fucking thing about this girl, and she’s definitely piqued my curiosity. “I’m a judgment-free zone,” I say, slurping some of my Coke. “And you certainly didn’t write the book on reckless behavior. I’ve done plenty of crazy shit I’m not proud of.”
She props her elbows on the table and rests her chin in her hands, staring off into space, like she’s contemplating how much to tell me.
I wait her out, grabbing another piece of bread from the basket and breaking it up with my fingers.
“I kinda had a mini breakdown during freshman year. Went off the rails. Barely showed up at school. Normally, they would have expelled me, but my stepfather got involved.” Her jaw tightens, and her eyes flash with undecipherable emotion.
Interesting.
There’s some beef between them although she wouldn’t be the first stepkid to have issues with her stepparent.
“He’s on the school board, right?” I vaguely remember that.
“Yeah, and he fixed it so I could repeat the year. That’s how I ended up at school with all of you.”
“Cool.” I don’t pry because it’s obvious she doesn’t want to elaborate. I’m supposed to be romancing her, and forcing her to remember fucked-up shit will not help my cause. “So, where do you usually party?”
She shrugs. “I’m not much of a party girl anymore.”
“Wow. You really have turned over a new leaf.”
“I needed to make changes for my sanity,” she quietly says, sipping from her water again. “And, besides, I don’t have the money for going out.”
I open my mouth but clamp it shut when I see the waiter returning with our appetizers. We are silent as he places plates in front of us.
“Thank you.” She smiles up at him, and he grins, his eyes lowering to her tits for a fleeting second.
I clear my throat, narrowing my eyes at him. “That will be all.”
“Of course, sir,” he grits out, backing away, shooting one last flirtatious smile at Vanessa.
“Hunt told me you weren’t living at home anymore. I just assumed that was by choice,” I say, placing a napkin on my lap.
“My stepfather threw me out and cut me off. It happened just after Sawyer sent me home from The Hamptons last summer. I had some money saved, but that’s mostly gone, so I’m living on what I earn and tips. I don’t have the luxury of nights out anymore,” she supplies, picking up her silverware. “Except for movie nights with some of the girls from the diner, and I’ve gone to a few house parties.”
“If you need money—”
“I’m not taking money off you!” The red stain on her cheeks isn’t embarrassment this time. “I’m doing fine by myself.” Her eyes blaze with determination as she holds her head up. “I have a job, a roof over my head, food in my refrigerator, and a lock on my door to keep the monsters out.”