Chapter 77: Chapter 77

Van’s body stiffened at the sound of the voice she knew all too well. She'd hoped he would forget he ever saw her tonight or even notice that she'd slipped out but no such luck.

Slowly, she pivoted around to take in his features in a custom made beige suit and his dishevelled hair. Jake Calloway looked just as jaw-dropping as she'd met him for the first time except he'd been wearing a white suit then. Van felt herself growing hot again as his dark gaze gave her body a once-over, slowly like a caress, she shivered in spite of herself and jake must've noticed that because he immediately shrugged off his jacket. Van began to protest but he ignored her.

"Here." he said as he draped it on her shoulders.

"Thank you " she turned away from him to watch the stars, they were radiant tonight. The silent stretched on but he remained where he was.

"You've changed." he observed some time later. "In a good way...that is." he added quickly.

Van shifted uneasily. Can he guess what caused the change? She doubt he could and wished he'd stop looking at her the way he was doing right now like he was about to find out her darkest secrets.

"You look beautiful."

"I know you didn't come out here just to say that to me." She said flippantly.

"What if it is?" Jake held her gaze as if to challenge her to dispute. "I'm glad to see you're in good hands."

Now that he mentioned it something clicked in Van’s mind and she asked. "You had me investigated, or rather you had my mother investigated before right?" Van saw his cheery expression drop and he regarded her warily. It was a touchy subject for them both. "Did you know anything about my mom's family being the Montenegros?"

Jake sighed and Van couldn’t tell if it was out of relief or something else. "I know what you’re thinking Van, I would never have kept something so important as your true identity from you."

Somehow, Van believed he was telling the truth and yet she was quick to believe the worst of him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay, I mean you have every reason to distrust me and think the worst of me. Once a thief always a thief right?" he laughed dryly.

"It's not like..."

"Nothing about your grandparents came up, I think that maybe the investigator wasn’t as thorough as i'd hoped him to be."

Van nodded.

"Sorry I doubted you. I should get back inside." She handed him his jacket and started to leave.

"Van,"

She stopped mid-stride. When she turned around and met his dark gaze there was fire and determination that sent shivers of pleasure down her spine.

"I just want to say that i've stayed away for too long now and i'm not going to hold back anymore no matter what you say, you won't stop me. I'm going to fight for us. I'm going to do whatever I can until you forgive me."

Van did not trust herself at that moment and so she walked away without a word. A mix of emotion swirling through her; part of her was angry at his confidence yet another part of her felt joy.