4

Jennifer Clayton

“I don’t kiss and tell, Jen,” Bellamy said, her grin mischievous as she leaned against the counter.

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Come on, Bella, you can’t leave me hanging like this. Spill.”

She shrugged, clearly enjoying my frustration. “Let’s just say it’s the same guy who was here the other night.”

I frowned, trying to piece it together. Vincent had let her host a small party last weekend to celebrate graduation. A dozen or so of our classmates had come over. That wasn’t much to go on.

“Seriously? That could be anyone. You had half the senior class here,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

She smirked, her teasing expression only fueling my curiosity. “Relax, Jen. You’ve seen him around the house before. Many times.”

“Wait… Really?” I asked, my intrigue skyrocketing.

“Yep,” she said, grinning like the cat who got the cream.

“Okay, give me something to work with,” I demanded.

“Fine,” she said, holding up her fingers one by one. “He’s tall, has a killer smile, and a fantastic ass.”

I burst out laughing, the tension in the room dissolving as I shook my head. “Bella, that describes like… half the guys you hang out with.”

“True,” she admitted, her eyes twinkling. “But it’s a start.”

“You know,” I said with mock seriousness, “this feels like a violation of the best friend code. Leaving me in the dark like this.”

“Oh, come on, you’re having fun,” she said, winking. Then, with a smirk, she added, “Also, he’s packing. Like, seriously packing.”

I groaned loudly, throwing my head back in mock exasperation. “Okay, that’s it. I give up. Just tell me who it is already!”

Bellamy giggled, leaning closer as if she was about to share the world’s best-kept secret. “Okay, okay. It’s Damon,” she whispered.

I blinked, trying to process her words. Damon.

It clicked almost instantly. Damon wasn’t just anyone—he was one of her father’s bodyguards. Early thirties, built like a tank, and with a presence that screamed do not mess with me. He was also ridiculously attractive in that rugged, mysterious way, but I never imagined Bella would go there.

“How… how did that even happen?” I asked, my disbelief evident. “Doesn’t he work for your dad?”

She sighed dreamily, her smile widening. “He does.”

“Okay, back up. You have to explain. How did this start? What’s going on? Tell me everything!”

“Not everything,” she said with a wink, clearly enjoying herself far too much.

A sinking feeling settled in my stomach. “Oh no… Don’t tell me—”

She cut me off with a laugh. “Things escalated, let’s just leave it at that.”

“Bellamy !” I exclaimed, half-scandalized and half-curious.

“You can’t make me talk,” she called over her shoulder as she started walking toward her bedroom.

I stared after her, completely dumbfounded. “Bella, come on!”

Her laugh echoed down the hallway, and before I could press her further, she disappeared around the corner.

With a sigh, I turned back toward the kitchen counter, leaning against it as my thoughts swirled. I glanced out the window at the pool, the water shimmering under the fading sunlight.

Damon. Of all people, Damon.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the appeal. He was tall, dark, and brooding—the classic protector type. But still, it was risky. He worked for Vincent , which meant their relationship was probably a major secret.

The idea made me a little uneasy. If Vincent found out… well, I couldn’t imagine he’d be thrilled.

And yet, there was a small part of me that admired Bella for going after what she wanted, no matter how complicated it might be.

I shook my head, trying to refocus. This wasn’t my business, and if Bella didn’t want to share the details, I wasn’t going to push her.

But the distraction didn’t last long. My mind inevitably drifted back to Vincent .

Where was he right now? Probably somewhere in the house, maybe in his study or out on the balcony with a glass of wine in hand. The image was enough to make my heart race.

I sighed, pressing my palms against the cool surface of the counter. These feelings were getting harder to ignore. Every time I saw him, every time I caught a glimpse of that rare smile of his, it felt like my resolve cracked just a little more.

But I couldn’t go there. Not with him.

Could I?

“Jennifer ,” Bellamy ’s voice startled me from my thoughts.

I spun around, trying to mask the turmoil brewing inside me. “Yeah?”

She popped her head back into the kitchen, a knowing smirk on her face. “You look like you’re thinking too hard. Stop stressing.”

I forced a smile. “I’m fine, Bella. Just tired.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, clearly unconvinced. “Well, dinner’s almost ready. Dad’s making his famous spaghetti. You’re staying, right?”

I nodded, my heart skipping a beat at the mention of Vincent . “Of course.”

“Good. I’ll grab us some wine,” she said before disappearing again.

As I stood there, alone with my thoughts, I couldn’t help but wonder how long I could keep pretending that everything was fine. Because the truth was, it wasn’t.

Not even close.