Jack's POV
I rubbed the back of my neck as I watched her leave for her house. The night was a disaster, in so many ways.
I couldn't even blame Katherine if she was mad at me.
Melissa!
The name was a sigh and a curse in my mind.
I knew the moment she showed up that I had landed in hell and she proved me right by doing the exact thing I expected to do but hoped she wouldn't do.
John. If not that he was my younger brother and I knew how much my mother loved him, I would have dealt with him a long time ago. I would have taught him that I wasn't someone he wanted to mess with.
He did what he did and sat there watching the three of us. That sick trap. I hoped he had his fun.
My phone rang just as I was about to turn and leave Katherine's street.
I sighed as I saw the caller ID. Just what I needed on a night like this when I already felt like hell.
"Gramps," I sighed into the phone, already knowing half of what this was going to be about.
"Why did you leave immediately the party was over?" he grunted. "I told you I wanted to talk to your girl and get her contact."
I sighed. I had forgotten that he wanted to do that.
Seeing Melissa had destabilized everything and I had only wanted to leave as fast as I could from the house. I didn't think that Katherine would want to stay long in the house as well as I had seen the way she kept shooting daggers at me and Melissa.
She had tried not to be obvious about her reactions but I knew how she felt. She might be a fake girlfriend but she deserved the respect I would have given a real one in that scenario.
She had played the part of being a jealous girlfriend well while still maintaining her composure. She was a good actress and I reminded myself to add a tip to her payment for her presence at the party tonight.
"Are you still here with me, son?" Gramps asked, cutting into my thoughts.
I sighed, looking for an excuse for him or he was going to keep talking about it till I go deaf. I smiled when I thought of the perfect excuse.
"Katherine was tired and needed to sleep. We left early so I could get her home. Apparently, the pregnancy is making her have early nights nowadays and I didn't want to affect her bed time."
I smiled as the lie flowed smoothly from my mouth.
What a privilege to have a pregnant girl!
Who would have known that she would come in handy?
I loved the baby already for being a saviour tonight.
I should text Katherine about my excuse for us leaving the party early so she wouldn't say something else when my grandfather asked her later about it, which I knew he would.
He relaxed. "You shouldn't let anything happen to the child."
"Yes, gramps." I smiled.
I could already picture how big the party he was planning when the child was born would be. I sighed, hoping Katherine didn't mind. She was in for a life of parties and more excuses for parties. I hoped she didn't get burned out even if she wasn't going to stay with me for long.
He cleared his throat and I went still, wondering what he was about to say. He was about to drop an uncomfortable bombshell on me and I didn't know what it was. He only cleared his throat like that when he had something to say.
I didn't think it was about leaving the party early. I already apologized for that.
"What is the problem, gramps?" I asked before he could work his tongue to spit the words out.
I didn't have time to cope with the suspense.
"What was that that happened at the party, Jack?"
He had called me Jack and not son. I sighed. He was disappointed in me.
"What are you talking about, gramps?"
"Melissa." He snorted. "Your ex. What the hell was she doing at the party, at my party? Are you not over her yet?"
I boiled with anger. I had been trying to keep it under rein but having my grandfather mention it gave me an outlet I didn't know I needed.
"You should ask your other son what she was doing at the party." I growled, unable to control my annoyance. "I was as surprised as you were by her presence tonight."
"John? Is this boy getting stupid or what?" he sighed. "He makes me want to choke the stupidity out of him."
I was in full support of that. I wondered if it was possible for him to choke John to death. I would gladly throw a party to celebrate when the deed was done.
"I don't know why he invited Melissa too. Maybe you can ask him because with the way I feel, I might beat the crap out of him if we are in the same room together."
"How do you feel?" he snorted. "You didn't act like you didn't like Melissa's presence. You didn't say anything when she sat beside you. I watched you all through the night while she flirted with you, told you lame jokes and touched you ceaselessly. You practically enjoyed her attention, son, and that was why I wondered if something was going on that I should know about."
"Nothing is going on, grandpa. Don't worry about it."
"It didn't seem that way."
I didn't react because I didn't care of her existence.
She sat beside me but Katherine was also beside me. Why didn't grandpa see that? She was the one telling the jokes, laughing and touching me unnecessarily, not me. Why was I getting accused like I had done a criminal offense?
"Why didn't you do anything?" he hissed.
For a moment, I wondered why he was mad. He used to like Melissa and even though she had broken my heart and left, he didn't have to act like she was disgusting to him.
"Because I didn't want to ruin your party."
"Who cares about my party?" he scoffed. "Did you care about how your girl will feel?"
She won't feel anything. Only a lady who is in a relationship with a man and loves him can feel bothered about the presence of his ex.
Katherine wasn't that lady.
"You don't have to worry about her, gramps."
"I don't want to see your ex around you again, especially if Katherine is around. You should love your girl enough to protect her from insecurity and anything threatening her peace of mind."
I didn't need a dictionary to know that Melissa was the 'anything'. I wanted to smile. For a moment, I could have been fooled that he was Katherine's grandfather instead of mine.
I loved how protective he was of those he cared about but for his sake, I hoped he didn't get too attached to Katherine.
I wondered who he was going to hate when my contract with Katherine was over and she left. Me or her?
I hoped he didn't hate me but it would be unfair to have him Katherine as well. I sighed, choosing not to worry about the future now.
"Yes, sir." I agreed.
He didn't have to worry though. I doubted Katherine was jealous of my relationship with Melissa.
"You should warn your son also, gramps, to stop being stupid."
"I will. Take care of your woman and send her contact to me now."
"I will forward it when I got home."
I ended the call and drove. I got home and was about to get into the shower when my phone rang. I stared at the unknown number and wondered who it was.
I ignored the call and walked off to the bathroom. It was late and I was too tired to deal with a call anyway.
Jack. This is Melissa.
I read the text when I got out of shower and blinked repeatedly, anger sizzling in my veins.
I had changed my line after breaking up with Melissa and for her to reach out to me now, she had to have gotten my new number from John.
What the heck had he done?
"John," I hissed the name, wishing he was right before me so I could pummel his skull into a wall.