Page 100 of Devil's Kiss

Tonight, however, that would not be happening, because without any doing of his own his personal life was now up for fucking discussion.

All other words Gabrielle Devaney was saying faded asthe Pearson Projectcontinued on a loop in his head?—

“Derek?”

He’d completely missed whatever she’d just asked him, and Jordan had sat up and was looking at him with caution in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to speak, to explain away whatever the fuck had just happened here, but Derek was already shifting out of his spot and getting to his feet.

“Derek, wait.” That was Jordan. His voice was familiar, but still, the only words Derek focused on were: Abuse. Children. Neglect.The Pearson Project.

“I’ve got to go,” he mumbled, and turned like a robot and headed back inside, away from the two watching him.

As he passed by the dining room table, he put his unfinished glass of wine down and continued through the penthouse like a man in a daze. When he was halfway through the living room and making his way toward the elevator, he heard Jordan call out to him again.

“Derek. Derek, wait. I was going to tell you.”

He’d been hoping he would escape before Jordan made an excuse to his mother, because the emotion that was now bubbling up inside Derek, past the shock, past the hurt, was embarrassment and anger.

How dare he do this…

“Derek.”

When the door to the elevator opened, Derek stepped inside, jabbed the button, and then turned to face the man opposite him. Jordan looked as though his entire world was being ripped away from him, but Derek didn’t have any words to tell him otherwise.

As it was, he was barely holding on himself, because for the first time since he’d met Jordan, he was the last person Derek wanted to see.

Chapter 28

JORDAN STOOD AT Brantley’s front door the next evening with a cooler full of wine in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

It was Saturday night and he’d been trying to get a hold of Derek without any success ever since he’d left his place. He must’ve called half a dozen times, left voice messages, and finally texts, and what had he received in return? Radio silence.

This dinner party was the last thing he wanted to do tonight, but he’d figured if he felt compelled to show up and make an appearance then maybe Derek would too. It was wishful thinking, he knew that, but he figured turning up at Derek’s place would likely result in a door in his face, so he would try his luck here first, and then go and beat down a door if necessary.

He raised his hand to knock, heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and turned to,thank you, God, see Derek, who’d stopped halfway up the deck that wrapped around Brantley’s beach house.

Jordan’s breath caught at the sight of him. Other than tired eyes, which Jordan knew would match his own, Derek looked perfect. But the closed-off expression on his face told Jordan not to come any closer.

He was wearing black jeans and a tailored army-green shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his beautifully tattooed arms. His nails were painted their signature black and he was wearing his favored boots, buckled but not laced. The entire getup was a “back off” signal. It was rife with attitude, and the arms crossed over his chest were a fuck off if ever Jordan had seen one. But he was determined to say something before they were faced with Brantley and Daniel and a dinner that would more than likely be awkward as hell.

Jordan took a step forward just as the door behind him opened and Brantley’s voice echoed into the silent night.

“Oh, good. You’re both here.”

Derek’s eyes lifted to where Jordan knew his friend was standing.

“Yeah. We’re here,” Derek said as he dropped his hands down by his sides and marched forward. As Derek passed by him their shoulders collided, but he kept on going, and Jordan shut his eyes, wanting to scream.

He counted to ten, hoping he had the fortitude to get through this night when all he wanted was five minutes to talk to Derek alone and explain what he’d been thinking when he started up the damn charity.

Jesus. This was sonothow it was supposed to go. He’d wanted to tell Derek about it in private. Invite him to be a part of it. But before he’d had a chance, his mother had unintentionally stepped on a mine. Now, instead of showing Derek how much he admired him and how all that he’d accomplished could be an inspiration to others, he would be explaining what a giant ass he was for not telling him earlier.

When a hand touched his shoulder, he jumped.Shit, Brantley.He’d forgotten he was there. He’d called Brantley last night to give him a heads-up that Derek might not show tonight, and by the end of the conversation he’d been drinking wine and spilling his guts about what a colossal mistake he’d made.

“Hey,” Brantley said. “You okay?”

Jordan tried for a smile but knew by the concern marring his friend’s face that he’d failed spectacularly. “Yes?”

“Want to talk about it?”