John laughed. “I was worried about you, so Topaz suggested we go for coffee.” He tilted his head toward the door. “Wanna go?”
“Sure.” Jake made sure everything was squared away in the kitchen before getting ready to join his brother. As he locked the apartment door behind him, his thoughts were on Sapphire and he wondered what she and her sister were talking about.
Sapphire could practically see the steam rising from the top of Topaz’s head. Her sister was very angry. “It’s nothing for you to worry about,” she began, trying to keep up with her sister’s long strides as they walked down the sidewalk.
Topaz stopped, whirled and faced her. “Nothing to worry about. My future brother-in-law is the guy who made you think you needed to change everything about yourself. Of course, there’s nothing for me to worry about.” Her sister punctuated her last statement by spreading her arms wide and almost took out two innocent bystanders who were simply trying to get around them.
She grabbed her sister’s arm and tugged her closer to the side of the building and out of the way of the morning foot traffic. This wasn’t the place she wanted to have this conversation. “Look, we slept together, okay? Things didn’t work out and he left.”
“That dirty, rotten—”
“No.” Sapphire cut her sister off before she could say something they might both regret. “What happened is between us. I tried dating, tried to forget about him, and he tried to forget about me. But that didn’t work for either of us. So we’re going to try again.”
Topaz sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it. Sapphire could see her sister struggling to find control. “I didn’t even know you were interested in him. How could I not know?”
Sapphire heard the thread of hurt in her sister’s voice and was sorry she’d inadvertently upset her. “He was my bodyguard, Topaz. You know he wouldn’t do anything while he was guarding me. John was the same way with you.”
Her sister’s eyes narrowed. “He made his move on that last night he was with you as your bodyguard, didn’t he?”
Sapphire shook her head. “Actually, I made my move that night. I think I shocked him as much as I shocked myself.” People continued to move around them on the sidewalk. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eager to have this conversation over with.
“I just don’t like the idea that he hurt you.” Topaz could hold a grudge when she put her mind to it and Sapphire didn’t want that.
“It took us both off guard. The intensity was off the charts.” No way was she going to go into details about what had happened that night between her and Jake. “I think it made Jake wary enough to back off.” And while it wasn’t the truth, it was as good an explanation as any.
“Then why did you change so suddenly after it happened?” Her sister stared at her, as if she knew she’d made a significant point.
Sapphire shrugged, willing to admit Topaz was right. Her night with Jake and the disastrous aftermath were the impetus for the change she’d made. “When things didn’t work out, I began to wonder if it was my fault.” She wrinkled her nose “I’m not exactly the most exciting or best-dressed woman around.”
“You’re perfect just the way you are,” Topaz stated emphatically, just daring her to disagree.
She wasn’t that stupid. “Thanks. I finally decided I didn’t like the new me. And I certainly don’t like serial dating.” Thinking about Ivan made her stomach hurt. The bruises on her shoulders were still colorful, though they were starting to fade. “Jake and I need to give things another try to see if we have enough between us to make a relationship work.” That was the G-rated version of events. What she really needed to decide was if she could be fulfilled and happy with the kind of sexual relationship Jake needed.
Topaz rubbed her hand over her forehead and narrowed her golden-brown eyes. “If he hurts you again—” she began.
Sapphire smiled and cut her sister off before she could come up with a suitable threat. “I know. You’ll beat him up.”
A laugh escaped her sister. “You bet your ass I will.” She paused and then smiled. “Better yet, I’ll get John to do it for me.”
Sapphire hugged her sister, hard and fast. “Thank you. I know it’s not easy for you to take a step back, but this is between Jake and me. And I don’t want what happens between us to affect your and John’s relationship.” Sapphire worried a lot about that. Jake was going to be Topaz’s brother-in-law and if things didn’t work out between him and Sapphire, relations could get very strained.
Topaz shook her head. “I’ll do my best. That’s the most I can promise.”
It would have to be enough. “Okay, how about we grab a coffee and head to the shop. I want to get a better look at the size of the stockroom we’re thinking about converting into a new retail space.”
Her sister gave her a pointed stare that let her know she knew Sapphire was trying to change the subject and that she was allowing it. “I’ve got a sketch of the room and what it could potentially look like when it’s done. I also have some ideas about the color scheme for the walls and signage.”
“Of course you do.” Sapphire wasn’t surprised in the least. Her sister was one extremely organized lady. A shiver crept down her spine and Sapphire glanced over her shoulder. People were crowding the sidewalk, heading to work or wherever they had to go. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to them, but she couldn’t shake the notion that someone was watching her.
“You okay?” Topaz was frowning again and that was the last thing Sapphire wanted.
“I just need another coffee. My breakfast was interrupted so I didn’t get to finish mine.”
Topaz linked her arm with Sapphire’s. “We can take care of that with no problem.” Together, they resumed their stroll down the sidewalk, but Sapphire couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder once more.
Ivan Gregor watched the two women from a doorway across the street. It was sheer luck he’d seen her strolling down the sidewalk. Sapphire Jewel…her name suited her. She was dressed casually in slacks and low heels, but was a vibrant butterfly in a sea of dull gray.
There was something about her that drew him. She had an air of innocence that he longed to fuck out of her. She owed him for the time and attention he’d bestowed upon her, and he planned to collect. It was only a matter of time.
He pushed her from his thoughts, pulled out his phone and scrolled through his calendar for the day. His day was packed with important appointments, but he would eventually find time to deal with Sapphire. Once he’d had her, he could put her out of his mind and move on.
Satisfied everything was as it should be, Ivan stepped out of the doorway and strode toward his first appointment.
Jake’s phone rang just as he and John stepped inside a coffee shop. He took one look at the number and turned to his brother. “I’ve got to take this.” Not waiting for a response, he turned and walked outside. “Go.”
“Your guy was watching the woman this morning. She was with another woman, a tall good-looking woman.”
“Her sister. Did he approach them?” Jake’s hand tightened around the phone and he had to fight the urge to race through the city until he was by Sapphire’s side.
“Negative. He looked, but didn’t approach.”
Jake blew out a breath. “Keep an eye on him.”
“Will do.” There was a slight pause. “You’re going to have trouble with him. I saw the way he watched her. He won’t walk away from her.”
Jake took the warning to heart. “I suspected as much. I’ll deal with him.”
“Roger that.”
Jake knew he had to cover all bases. “But keep your eyes open. If he approaches, move in.”