Read Online Bound for Nirvana: (The Bound Trilogy Book 3) by Kendra Leigh - Free Book Online
Authors: Kendra Leigh
Ads: Link
we’re talking about.”
“Exactly. His body’s a fucking temple, a honed machine—you must have noticed.”
I had noticed—of course I’d noticed, but I wasn’t about to tell Ethan that. Instead, I tried to make light of the conversation. “You wouldn’t think so with the amount of breakfast he stuffed inside him.”
“You went out for breakfast?”
Oh Christ! “He said you’d given him instructions to feed me.”
“I said to make sure you ate, not take you out to wine and dine you. Where did you go?”
“Nowhere special. We just went to his favorite caff.” I pronounced the words favorite caff with Jackson’s London accent, earning myself a look of severe displeasure. “Ethan, what is this? Why have you suddenly got a problem with Jackson?”
In frustration, he shoved his hands into his hair. “I haven’t suddenly got a problem. And my issue isn’t with Jackson.”
“Well, what then? Or who? With me?”
“No!” He pushed his pizza box to the side, his lips bunching into a sulky pout. “I’m just not comfortable with how close you guys are.”
“He’s my friend, E. That’s all. I don’t think of him in any other way, I promise you.” My tone was gentle as I tried to reassure him, but to no avail. He looked genuinely hurt, agitated even.
“You talk to him—listen to him. I want to be the person you listen to. It’s my job.”
“I do listen to you.” Shit, this was still about last night and all the other times I’d failed to take his advice when he’d tried to guide me through dealing with my issues.
“Only when I virtually torture you into it. And I don’t doubt you’d already been partially persuaded by the advice Jackson gave you today.”
Ethan had discussed me with Jackson, I was right. And knowing I’d taken his advice on the chin had obviously rattled him. “You asked Jackson to speak to me?”
“I was desperate for you to sit up and listen. To stop playing the role of your father’s favorite punching bag. And as Jackson’s the only one you seem to take advice from…”
“Ethan, you’re wrong.” God, I’d hurt him more than I’d realized. I moved, clambering over the pizza box and into his lap. “I came to the office this morning to tell you that you were right. To apologize for the way I behaved last night. I was ready to deal with my demons then, you’d already convinced me.” I took his face in my palms, but although he met my gaze, he still didn’t move, his hands remaining limp by his sides. “As much as I enjoyed my lesson this evening, it only served to make things more lucid, make me more confident about how I now see things—it wasn’t the deal clincher. And my chat with Jackson certainly wasn’t.” He still didn’t look convinced, and his uncertainty caused an unwelcome lump to form in my chest. I gave it a rub to ease it. “He’s just my friend. A kind and loyal friend, whom I occasionally exchange good-natured banter with in a silly sort of… brotherly-sisterly, affectionate way.”
“But he’s not a friend, Angel. He’s your employee.”
My employee ? The comment astounded me, and I suddenly wondered if that was what Jackson had meant earlier, when he’d said that sometimes he forgot that I wasn’t just his buddy. “He works for you, E, not me.”
“No, he works for us . Our driver, our Chief of Security, our home.”
Oh! This was something I’d never considered. That moving into Ethan’s home would suddenly alter my status. “Are you saying Jackson can’t be my friend?”
The regret in my voice was almost palpable, more so than I’d intended, and I saw a flash of guilt flicker behind his eyes. He paused, seeming to consider his answer. “No.” He shook his head for emphasis. “I’m not saying you can’t be friends. But there has to be a line—and you have to be careful not to cross it. I think ‘brotherly’ crosses it.”
I gasped. “But why?”
Suddenly, his gaze seemed to climb inside me, as if
“Exactly. His body’s a fucking temple, a honed machine—you must have noticed.”
I had noticed—of course I’d noticed, but I wasn’t about to tell Ethan that. Instead, I tried to make light of the conversation. “You wouldn’t think so with the amount of breakfast he stuffed inside him.”
“You went out for breakfast?”
Oh Christ! “He said you’d given him instructions to feed me.”
“I said to make sure you ate, not take you out to wine and dine you. Where did you go?”
“Nowhere special. We just went to his favorite caff.” I pronounced the words favorite caff with Jackson’s London accent, earning myself a look of severe displeasure. “Ethan, what is this? Why have you suddenly got a problem with Jackson?”
In frustration, he shoved his hands into his hair. “I haven’t suddenly got a problem. And my issue isn’t with Jackson.”
“Well, what then? Or who? With me?”
“No!” He pushed his pizza box to the side, his lips bunching into a sulky pout. “I’m just not comfortable with how close you guys are.”
“He’s my friend, E. That’s all. I don’t think of him in any other way, I promise you.” My tone was gentle as I tried to reassure him, but to no avail. He looked genuinely hurt, agitated even.
“You talk to him—listen to him. I want to be the person you listen to. It’s my job.”
“I do listen to you.” Shit, this was still about last night and all the other times I’d failed to take his advice when he’d tried to guide me through dealing with my issues.
“Only when I virtually torture you into it. And I don’t doubt you’d already been partially persuaded by the advice Jackson gave you today.”
Ethan had discussed me with Jackson, I was right. And knowing I’d taken his advice on the chin had obviously rattled him. “You asked Jackson to speak to me?”
“I was desperate for you to sit up and listen. To stop playing the role of your father’s favorite punching bag. And as Jackson’s the only one you seem to take advice from…”
“Ethan, you’re wrong.” God, I’d hurt him more than I’d realized. I moved, clambering over the pizza box and into his lap. “I came to the office this morning to tell you that you were right. To apologize for the way I behaved last night. I was ready to deal with my demons then, you’d already convinced me.” I took his face in my palms, but although he met my gaze, he still didn’t move, his hands remaining limp by his sides. “As much as I enjoyed my lesson this evening, it only served to make things more lucid, make me more confident about how I now see things—it wasn’t the deal clincher. And my chat with Jackson certainly wasn’t.” He still didn’t look convinced, and his uncertainty caused an unwelcome lump to form in my chest. I gave it a rub to ease it. “He’s just my friend. A kind and loyal friend, whom I occasionally exchange good-natured banter with in a silly sort of… brotherly-sisterly, affectionate way.”
“But he’s not a friend, Angel. He’s your employee.”
My employee ? The comment astounded me, and I suddenly wondered if that was what Jackson had meant earlier, when he’d said that sometimes he forgot that I wasn’t just his buddy. “He works for you, E, not me.”
“No, he works for us . Our driver, our Chief of Security, our home.”
Oh! This was something I’d never considered. That moving into Ethan’s home would suddenly alter my status. “Are you saying Jackson can’t be my friend?”
The regret in my voice was almost palpable, more so than I’d intended, and I saw a flash of guilt flicker behind his eyes. He paused, seeming to consider his answer. “No.” He shook his head for emphasis. “I’m not saying you can’t be friends. But there has to be a line—and you have to be careful not to cross it. I think ‘brotherly’ crosses it.”
I gasped. “But why?”
Suddenly, his gaze seemed to climb inside me, as if
Similar Books
