Page 13 of An Eye For Illusion

I slide the dimmer switch on the wall inside my en suite bathroom to the lowest setting. The room has only a faint glow—good enough to see but not enough to blind me. I’m in no mood for bright lights at this hour. Especially without getting enough sleep.

I turn on the shower and allow it to get steaming hot. I slip off my thin satin pjs and toss them into the hamper. When I step inside the shower, the water burns my skin, and it feels so good. I stay under the stream, allowing my body to adjust to the temperature.

I spend the rest of the shower trying to scrub the indecent thoughts of Colin from my mind. But no matter how hard I try, every time I close my eyes, all I see is a set of incredible washboard abs and a killer smile.

Chapter 5

Jade

“We need to put pressure on Heusner. We can’t lose this deal, Jade.”

My father stands and walks around the desk. His back is to me, so I spin in my chair. Standing, I make my way over to gaze out over the city below with him.

“I know. I have a plan in the works. You need to trust me, Dad.”

He turns towards me, his gaze softening ever so slightly. “I do trust you, but this guy is smart, crafty, and likes to play dirty. We need to be on our A game with him.”

“I’m smarter, craftier, and a hell of a lot dirtier,” I say with a smirk.

Dad laughs as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in for a brief hug. “That’s my girl.”

My heart warms at the endearment. I don’t get an atta girl very often from him, so when I do, I try to savor them. I’ve spent my entire life trying to be the best and the toughest for him. Sometimes, I wonder if that makes me broken or just really fucked up in the head.

I smile, turning to walk back to my desk. My six-inch heels clack on the tiled floor. I reach my desk, and instead of sitting, I place my bottom on the desk, still facing my father and the city view.

When I was promoted and given this office, the first thing I did was get rid of the drab carpet and ancient turn-of-the-century desk. There’s no telling how many secretaries had been fucked by their bosses on it over the years.

I was not about to use that disgusting, semen-soaked wood desk. And since I was getting rid of the largest piece of furniture in here, I decided to totally revamp the space. It’s now the perfect blend of modern and sophisticated, with just a hint of femininity.

It’s decorated in neutrals. The gray-tiled floor is sleek with clean lines that match the glass desk. It’s a bitch to keep clean, but I love it anyway. There isn’t much on the walls, but that’s how I like it. I don’t have a doting husband or kids to hang pictures of, and I’m not the type of woman to go overboard with décor.

Every picture displayed on my desk is of myself, my dad, or the two of us together. It’s been just the two of us for as long as I can remember. Each picture is of a significant accomplishment throughout my life, they’ve all been with Dad by my side. I strive every day to make him proud and show him the strong woman he raised all on his own.

My career has always been my focus. It comes from growing up and watching my father’s incredible work ethic and dedication to his company and the people who work for us. The white picket fence and two-point-five kids have never been something I wanted in life. I want to do my job and do it well. However, Dad and I have always been narrowly focused, and sometimes, that focus makes us blind and unrelenting.

Dad and Moore are close and have been for years. Even before this whole nightmare. He’s the son of one of Dad’s closest friends, and all of them golf together. Elliott has been planting the seed of a union between the families for years. He brought the connections he met through his broker as well as his father’s construction company. Win-win, right?

I was the one who finally caved and took the bait; hook, line, and sinker. We could take the business to the next level, and I would marry someone Dad loves. Another win-win, right?

Getting married has never been a goal of mine. My career has always been my focus. I’ve barely made time to date, let alone find the love of my life.

We could use the union to our benefit, and I wouldn’t mourn a life I never saw myself having.

But things have changed.

I need a reason to get out of this arrangement, not only to keep dad safe and out of whatever the hell Elliott Moore is mixed up in, but for my sanity as well.

My father would never force me to do something I don’t want to do. I know that with my entire being, but this is about more than just calling off a wedding. It would break up lifelong friendships and create a divide in a very small but very influential social group. People don’t just call off these kinds of weddings.

I also need to find a way to protect the two of us from Elliott. He won’t go down quietly. My biggest fear is the kind of retaliation that would not only harm our reputation, but also my father’s heart.

Dad has his own feelings about marriage. My mom died in a horrific car accident when I was two. He described her death as the single most horrific and painful experience of his existence. She was the love of his life.

Dad has always said it was a love worth having and that he’d never trade the years he had with her just to save himself from all the pain and heartbreak. He wants that kind of love for me as well. I thought I had a good chance of my friendship with Elliott growing into a once-in-a-lifetime love.

Did I think it would truly happen? No.

Was I willing to give it a shot at least? Yes.

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