Obsessed: Part Three (The Obsessed Series) Read Free Page A

chance to look it over?" Nathan ignores Gilbert's accusation. "It's more than fair in light of the circumstances."
    I dart my eyes towards Nathan. What does he mean? He throws me a sly grin and I realize he's bluffing.
    "What circumstances?" Gilbert poses the question to the room.
    "Ivy, you need to watch the whole thing." There's a tremor in Jax's voice as he quietly says the words. "I know you have it. You took it when you left. Just watch it. Please."
    "What the hell is he talking about?" Nathan reaches for my arm.
    "Don't." Jax pushes against the table as he stands. "Don't touch her."
    I shake my head slowly before I raise my eyes to finally look directly at him. "I can't watch it," I murmur. "Why would you ask me to?"
    "You have to, beautiful." His eyes lock with mine and I see all the pain that has washed over me reflected back in his face. "Trust me." He pulls his hand to his chest and that's when I notice it. Dangling from the corner of Jax's balled fist is a gold chain. The broken clasp is slowly waving back and forth in the air as he moves his hand. It's the necklace. It's my necklace.
    "Someone needs to explain what's going on." Nathan's voice interrupts my concentration.
    "I can't trust you." I won't back down regardless of how lost and broken Jax looks. "You are nothing but a liar. I know what I saw. I know what I heard."
    "No, you don't." He's on his feet again. "You don't understand what you saw."
    I bolt out of my chair. "I know exactly what I saw. I saw you fucking another woman. A woman who you were working with to blackmail…"
"Enough!" The strength of the word rebounds across the barren room. "Give her whatever the hell she wants."
    I stand in stunned silence as he calmly tosses the necklace on the table, turns and walks out the door without looking back.
     

Chapter 4
     
    "I heard it." Nathan's voice breaks through the mundane hum of the busy restaurant. "Blackmail. It was clear as day."
    I stare at him over the rim of my wine glass. I don't respond. I'm not going to. I hadn't meant to toss that word out when we were meeting with Jax and Gilbert earlier and I instantly regretted it once I had.
    "I'm not letting this go." He gazes at me for a second before dropping his eyes to the menu.
    "There's nothing to let go." I follow his lead and scan the expansive offerings. I have absolutely no appetite and this celebratory lunch that Nathan suggested isn't exactly where I want to be.
    "You said something about blackmail." He doesn't pull his eyes away from the menu. "You can't expect me to ignore that."
    "Just drop it." I roll my eyes.
    "No." He places the menu down before leaning against the table with his elbows. "Spit it out, Ivy. What the hell is going on with you two?"
    I take a slow drink of the hearty red wine I'd ordered when we first arrived. "There's a flash drive."
    "That's what he was talking about when he said you took it from his apartment?"
    I nod." I found it in a drawer. I watched it." I grimace. "Then I left and I took it with me."
    "He was with another woman?" he asks.
    I exhale sharply. "Yes."
    "That's rough." He picks up the glass of scotch and brings it to his lips. After taking a leisurely drink he continues, "so he was cheating on you?"
    I flinch at the question. "It was recorded over a year ago. Jax and the woman were talking about at a gala that Mark and I attended."
    "You're pissed that he fucked someone before he met you?" He flashes me a smile.
    I take another drink trying to gather my thoughts. I don't want to give away too many details. "There's a lot more to it than that."
    "Like what?" He pushes for more even though I know he's fully aware that I'm incredibly uncomfortable.
    "I can't talk to you about this, Nathan." I bristle. "Suffice it to say that I saw who Jax really was when I watched that video."
    "If Jax was blackmailing someone you need to tell me, Ivy." His tone shifts and I see a veil of seriousness overtake his expression. "You understand that, don't you?"
    I nod my