Chapter 68 Jazz Nostalgia
Verena
My heels clicked against the asphalt, my gaze fixed on the red awning that had the club’s name written on it. “Jazz Nostalgia” The words slipped off my tongue effortlessly.
I bounced on my feet to stay warm, suddenly regretting my life decision. Daxton had mentioned something about taking a jacket. He had even shoved his coat into my hands but I had shrugged it off and now, here I was, on the verge of freezing to death.
My teeth ground hard and a hiss was about to slip out of my mouth when my heart iced. Two women in black fur jackets walked past me, occasionally glancing at me as they laughed and for a second, fear tightened my chest.
Did they recognize me? Was that the reason they laughed? Or did they just think that it was silly that I was out here in the cold without a jacket?
Damn it.
I hated what panic did to me.
Anxiety and fear were about to make my thoughts spiral into an endless loop when Daxton’s deep voice touched my ears.“This is why you should always listen to me,” He draped his coat over my shoulders.
Sparks tingled through me, my face breaking into a smile as he wrapped a hand around my stomach, pulled me until his chest pressed against my back.
“I thought—” My breath caught when his lips brushed down my throat, sending warmth spreading around my neck as butterflies erupted in my stomach.
It was crazy how much effect his touch had on me. Just one single touch and watch all my worries vanish into thin air.
I was about to drown in his warmth, lose myself to where this was leading until the sound of someone giggling sent my eyes snapping open.
My eyes darted to the same girls from earlier, leaning against the concrete wall, vaping, and worse, their eyes were fixed on me.
A weird feeling unfurled in my chest and it slowly hit me that we shouldn't be doing this here.
I removed Daxton’s hand, a flush of red warming my cheeks as I spun on my heel. “People are watching,”
For a second, confusion ran through his sharp features before his expression darkened on the edges. His jaw tightened and with the way he stared at me, I knew he was having none of this.
I touched his arm. “We should go inside,”
I was not about to have another picture of Daxton and me being circulated online. That would only fuel the madness.
I turned, took a step until I couldn't. He held me by the ponytail, yanked me back until I spun to face him.
His hand left my hair, his grip now on my face as he dipped his head until our faces were just inches away. “Since you care so much about who is watching, we should give them a show,” He rasped against my mouth before kissing me with so much intensity that it made my head spin.
At first, I fought against it. But his grip around me was so firm that gradually, I found myself caving and melting under his touch.
Daxton ripped his mouth away, while I struggled to catch my breath as my heart kept thumping hard.
His eyes burned deep into mine with a different kind of fire I’d never felt before as he gripped my face hard—not enough to hurt. “You don't do that to me, Verena,”
“I will kiss you whenever I want irrespective of who might be watching,”
On a normal day, I would have probably argued. But right now…I was too out of breath so I simply nodded.
He smiled, this time kissing me softly before he led me into the club.
I could hear the gentle harmonic lilt of the saxophone coming from the club. Instead of that flutter of excitement in my chest, I could feel my anxiety kicking in again.
So when the door opened, I’d expected a flood of eyes to be turned on me but what I didn't prepare for was the emptiness that welcomed me.
“Hmmm?” I tilted my head to the side, eyes coasting from the band who performed to no one and Daxton’s face.
“I think we are a little too early,”
Daxton who held the door out for me threw his head back and a rich laugh rumbled out of his chest. “I knew you’d be uncomfortable so I rented the whole place,”
My jaw dropped.
He angled his head to the side, his stubble brushing against my jaw as he pressed another kiss to my lips. “Now get inside, it is freezing out here,”
As my gaze flicked up to his, all I could think about was how he had successfully ruined other men for me. With the way my heart pounded fast, I doubted that I would ever recover from this.
Listening to Jazz was more fun than I was willing to admit. I’d danced freely around the club like the world was mine—Daxton’s eyes following me around as if I was his world.
I had never felt more alive.
And now that I had taken his phone, recording videos of the band, being their only cheerleader. For a second, I wondered if Daxton loved Jazz or if he just used it as an excuse to make me come outside.
The side of my face prickled from being watched for far too long. “Do you even like music,”
I turned my head to him and Jesus Christ, the way he stared at me made my breath catch.
His voice came out, a little bit raspy. “Not exactly. I just feel very little interest in it,”
Despite the heat pooling at the hollow of my stomach, a small burst of laughter left my mouth. “So, that is why you have been staring at me,”
His palm rested on my thigh, nerves colliding in my stomach as they brushed roughly against my skin. Heat pulsated between my legs as he pulled me closer to him, his fingers tracing up my curves, moving a little higher until they rested on my hips.
I bit back a moan. “Your favorite song?”
Daxton pushed forward, until he braced my hips, his nose brushing against mine. “You,”
That was all it took for us to get into one of those long kisses where my mind ran in circles, where breathing felt like a sin as he shoved his tongue deep down my throat. I caught the swirl of alcohol in his mouth.
The kiss was nothing short of intoxicating and—
Damn it.
A phone call. Way to ruin the night.
An angry sound rumbled from his throat as he drew back, whipped the phone out of his pocket, and frowned. With every second his gaze lingered, it deepened.
His eyes softened the moment they returned to my face. “I have to answer this call. Neil keeps calling me,”
Kian’s dad.
Was there another issue?
I watched Daxton disappear from the door, uncertainty crossing my features and before I knew it, I was outside, padding towards him. “Is there another problem,”
He smiled, shook his head. “No,”
When I wouldn't leave, he sighed and put the call on loudspeaker. “I went to your house, but you weren't home. Where are you?” His gruff voice filled my ear.
“New Orleans,” Daxton breathed.
“Where exactly?”
Daxton’s eyes squeezed shut, like he was fighting the urge not to get mad. “Louisiana,”
“Perfect. Nina will be opening her art gallery, I prepared a gift, and I won't be available,,”
“So what has that got to do with me,”
“I will send someone over with the gift. Please give it to her for me.”
Kian
“Baby, trust me. I swear that I have nothing to do with what happened to Verena,” Zita linked her arm to mine.
Mum had prepared a three-day getaway for Zita and me. Her idea of us disappearing from the whole smear campaign against us online.
The public support had shifted to Verena. People pitied her, cheered her on her relationship with my uncle—the most sickening part of it all. While I didn't care about my own image, Zita did.
People criticised her so much that she was forced to deactivate. One time, she fainted because of the hate she got online and now I was being forced to go on this stupid trip to Barbados.
I sucked in a breath, unlinked her hands, and turned to look at her. “Do you trust me?”
“To move forward in our relationship, I am willing to do that now,”
A smile stretched the corner of my lips as her eyes lit up. “So, we are putting the past behind us, yeah?”
She nodded. “Yeah”
I smiled, kissed her on the forehead as she completely stilled. “Wait for me here while I use the restroom,”
She was dazed, stunned by the little affection I threw at her as she took my suitcase.
“I will be right back,”
The moment I entered the restroom, it didn't take long for me to remove my clothes and change into something else. A hoodie, face mask, sunglasses, and gloves.
When I slinked out, Zita was still at the waiting area—on the exact spot that I left her. Waiting and trusting.
She didn't even know when I walked past her as her eyes were glued to her phone. Jaden joined my side, pulling two suitcases behind him while I said quickly. “Don't look back,”
“Sure,”
“What is the plan now?”
The fear of Atlas showing up at my door drove me to the brink of insanity.
I could barely even sleep.
So, I made dad ask about my uncle’s location, and while mum busied herself booking a trip for Zita and me. Jaden secured us a separate flight. New Orleans.
“Find Verena. Get her on a call with her brother before he shows up next week and causes a blood bath.”