The Billionaire's Temporary Bride (Scandal, Inc #3)(79)
"I didn't know," Charlotte said.
"They're family, Charlotte. Whether I like it or not, they're family. That's his son too, and he shouldn't have to pay for the mistakes my father made. He's my brother, and I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure he and his mother have a good life. They're family. I came here to explain why I had to tell you about all of this, and to buy myself enough time to figure out how to explain everything to you. I've kept this secret since the day my father died."
"How did you manage to keep this to yourself for so long?" Charlotte asked.
"It was an open secret that my father hadn't wanted another child after my brother died, but my mother pushed for it anyway. Do you get that? He didn't want me. He didn't want another kid with my mother, and then he off and had one with a Venezuelan model. To top it all off, he gave the kid his name, my name, Jack. How could I possibly explain any of this to my mother? If anyone found out, it would ruin my family. They all hold on to their image of my father like he was some kind of hero. He was never around when we were kids. When he was, he was usually liquored up and more interested in whatever secretary had joined him for his trip. He cheated on my mother for years. Everyone just ignored it. It's like they all decided they'd be better off creating some idealized version of him instead of acknowledging the truth. He was a lousy father, and we're a crap family who are only worth anything because we were born into it."
"Jack, you are, without doubt, the most incredible person I've ever met. You have had every chance in life to choose the easy path, and instead you've made everything hard for yourself by trying to do what was right for everyone else. I can't imagine what that has cost you over the years. Now, I'm asking you for once to make a choice for yourself. If you think what we have together is real and you want it as much as I want it… No more secrets. No more lies. I want to be with you. I understand completely why you kept this from me, but I can't do this if you're not completely honest with me from now on."
"No more secrets," Jack said.
"No more secrets," Charlotte repeated. "So why did you really move up the wedding? Were you afraid I'd find out?"
"No, I moved it up because I love you," Jack said. "I think I've loved you since the first time I saw you, but I wasn't able to admit it to myself until I heard you say you loved me too. I'm sorry I got scared, and I'm sorry I've been moody and distant. I just wanted to make everything right first. It's why I came here. I wanted to make things right."
"What did you tell them?" Charlotte asked.
"I told them the only thing that matters," Jack replied. "I told them I'm madly in love with you. Charlotte, I love you and you alone. You mean everything to me, and it killed me not to tell you how I felt, but I wanted to be completely honest with you first. I don't want anything to come between us, ever."
Charlotte felt the color rush into her cheeks. He loves me. She had been waiting to hear those words from his lips for so long, and now she had. "I love you too," she said.
Chapter 30
Charlotte stood in front of the mirror, applying her makeup. Jack smiled at her reflection, tying his tie behind her. It was two weeks since she had learned his secret.
Since they had returned, Jack had been exuberant. It was like someone had unshackled him. Every morning, he woke with great energy. Every time he kissed her, Charlotte felt like he would hold her forever. It was a feeling she was pretty sure she could get used to.
Jack whistled some song Charlotte couldn't place as he grabbed his suit jacket.
"Honey," he said, "we're going to be late." He stepped behind her, rubbed her shoulders and kissed the back of her neck.
"I'll never be able to finish if you keep distracting me like that," Charlotte said.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"I never said that." Charlotte inhaled the cool musk of his cologne.
Maybe just one kiss, she thought. She placed her brush and eye shadow down on the counter and turned to face him. Excitement smoldered in his eyes, and he stroked his fingers against the side of her cheek before resting his hand on her shoulder. Even that slight touch was electric, magnetic, thrilling.
Charlotte wrapped her hands around his waist and pulled him close. As Jack kissed her, her desire grew stronger, pulling her to him. She knew she should hold off, but she couldn't wait another second. Her mind went blank, and she wanted only one thing: him.
Charlotte reached up and wrapped her fingers around Jack's tie. She tried one last time to give Jack a chance to head out on time.
"Maybe you should wait for me downstairs," she said.
Jack leaned into her and kissed her again. "We can always make time by pushing breakfast back by a few minutes. I'll text the team and say we're stuck in traffic."
"Is that what you call it?" Charlotte asked. She loosened his tie. "Are you sure you want to wrinkle your suit?"
"It's a good thing I have an unlimited supply of identical suits." Jack tossed his jacket to the floor. "Like I said, we'll make time. I've waited for so long to be able to hold you in my arms and tell you how much I love you." He kissed her again. The warmth of his lips bloomed against her cheek.
"Tell me again," she said.