Page 188 of Tattooed Love

“I want your new number,” he said firmly.

“I told you I’d give it to you and I need you to pass it on to everyone else.” I unlocked my phone and, knowing his number by heart, I sent him a message. “And when I say everyone, I mean Jax as well.”

He nodded his head. “Fine.”

“Thank you.” I waited for him to close my door and then I started to change. Time to face Tae. I knew he would be upset that I didn’t go to his house last night and canceled our dinner plans. I had told him my brothers wanted to spend time with me.

I wasn’t sure what excuse I could come up with today to leave him.

Then I knew I shouldn’t be pulling away from him just because I’d spent one night with Jax. Tae and what he wants should still be coming first and I should be at his house. I shouldn’t be living on the high of what Jax had promised last night.

I needed to come back to earth and I had a feeling I would hit earth hard as soon as I saw Jax again and he went back to being cold.

Last night he was just overcome with seeing me again. Yep. That had to be it. It was the only way to explain his behavior. He would have changed his mind by this morning.

***

“I don’t like trusting them.”

Tae was behind a desk, blowing out a mouthful of smoke. “Bikers can never be trusted.”

“Last night went smoothly.” I inhaled on my cigarette. It was the only thing Tae and I always did when we had a discussion - we smoked and drank whiskey, although this afternoon it was vodka. He said it was all that was in the house.

He nodded his head. “Smoothly enough for me to consider something.”

“That being?”

“You come back to England with me.”

My eyes widened. I knew we were going to get to this topic. “You have been grooming me to take over here. Why would you need me in the same country as you? You are more than capable of handling things in England.”

“You’re strong, Amber,” he complimented me, his eyes holding mine. “Strong enough to lead beside me, not under me.”

I gulped. Right, we were going to do this. “I don’t do relationships.”

I had told him that line every time we talked about the lack of men in my life. The fact that I’d never slept with or showed interest in men.

“Lead beside me Amber.” He rose and walked around the desk. “I know you say you don’t have a heart. I respect that. It makes you great at what you do.” He came to a stop in front of me. “I wouldn’t just pick anyone to lead with me.”

I had to make a logical decision but first, I had to get facts. “So, what are you offering me?”

“A partnership.”

“You actually want to share your empire with me?” I didn’t believe him. Tae didn’t share. He took everything and held it close; with a death grip.

“I want to grow it and you can help me do that.” He kneeled down in front of me. His eyes locked with mine. “A partnership.” The corners of his lips twitched up. “If we cross the line into sex, I’ll be happy, but we can just keep it at business.”

Business. No emotion. That was perfect for me. “And you want me in England?”

“I want you with me. Yes, but if we are doing strictly business, we should think about what benefits you would have by staying here.” His hand ran up my leg. “Like this deal the bikers are offering, is it worth our time? You being permanently here to oversee it?”

He looked torn, like the last thing he wanted was me in a different country than him.

I smiled. “Tae, you are making me think you enjoyed me annoying you for the past month.”

He smiled. “Here I was thinking I could keep that fact to myself.”

“You like me being around,” I grinned. “You like my annoying questions. You like it when I miss my target practice on purpose.”

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