Kicking and Screaming (11 page)

Breakfast was fun, with Janet and Mike as well as his mom and dad there. Everything seemed so light between all of them and I was happy for my sister, happy that she would have this for the rest of her life.

His parents, instead of looking down their noses at me, treated me as though I were royalty.

There was no mention made of my slight two years earlier for which I was eternally grateful and by the time the meal was over I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time.

Delilah Collins made my guilt build all the more as the day wore on, not by word or deed, just by being.

She was sweet and attentive and full of praise. I played for her, as I hadn't in years, with my whole heart.

That first day, Jackson was never too far from my side. Janet and Michael were busy with the plans for a celebration party, so I was left on my own with him.

Delilah tired easily apparently, and had to take a nap in the afternoons, which left me to wander around their vast property.

It felt different here; less stifled than at home, and not as harrowing as when I was on the road going from performance to performance.

It's almost like I could really breathe here. Then again being alone with Jackson wasn’t conducive to breathing either.

The man was making it harder and harder to resist his charm. True to his word, every time I’d gotten snippy with him, he’d just bend me over his arm and kiss me.

Last night we’d stayed up late talking, long after the others had turned in and he’d snuck into my bed the way he had been since my first night here.

He’d told me about his childhood, growing up here, and all the fun he and his brothers had had.

Then he’d told me about his mother’s accident a few years ago when she’d been thrown from a horse.

I sat and listened to him, the love and adoration that was evident when he spoke of his family, and it was brought home just how glaringly different it was from mine.

Every morning I woke in his arms since he’d found a way to control my limbs, which was placing my legs between his while lying on his chest.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he didn’t stop the kisses, when they would no longer be enough.

Was I ready for that though? Somehow being here made me feel that I was. Being here with him, with him being so sweet to me, I felt like I could really let go.

But was it just a dream? A leftover from that time when I thought I would die to have him?

It was hard to know, hard to separate fact from imagination. Whatever, I was finding it harder and harder to be without him.

I decided to go exploring on my own since he had some business to take care of today, and I was on my own until this afternoon at least.

Jan and Michael were off doing wedding stuff, they’d invited me along, but I didn’t want to intrude, they seemed so caught up in each other.

I’d just feel like a third wheel. Besides, it was a beautiful day out, way too nice to be cooped up somewhere looking over china patterns.

"Maxie?" I turned at the call of my name. It couldn’t be. Somehow I’d almost forgotten about her.

"Sophia?"

"What are you doing here?"

That didn't sound too inviting, whatever happened to the sugary sweet girl I'd met years before?

"How are you, how're things?" Awkward, the sight of her brought back all that had happened years ago.

"You haven't answered my question, what are you doing here Maxie?" She walked towards me looking none too pleased and I had to wonder at her behavior.

Though we’d never exactly been close friends, the girl I knew had at least been cordial.

She’d shared something very personal with me back then for heaven’s sake and we’d sort of bonded over that.

Granted we hadn’t seen each other in quite some time, but the hostility seemed rather unwarranted.

“I believe I asked you a question, what are you doing here?”

Okay, I have to be patient here because there're things going on here that I still don't understand, but she was really beginning to irk me with that attitude.

"I'm here with my fiancé." Maxie what the hell are you doing? I was playing a hunch; don’t know why, but suddenly I just had to know one way or another.

If this blew up in my face I was going to feel like ten kinds of fool, but nothing ventured, nothing gained right.

"Who, who's that?" She clutched at the string of pearls around her throat as she took a step back.

Her face was starting to look a little green, and I was beginning to regret my mean trick. What if she’d been telling the truth after all? Somehow I couldn’t back pedal now though, I’d gone this far, might as well carry on.

"Jackson of course; you know it wasn't too nice of you to make up that story about him." I wished I hadn’t said the words as soon as they left my mouth but it was too late.

Go with your gut Maxie, that's what Jonas and dad are always saying. From the look on her face and the way she looked around like a trapped animal, I started to get the feeling I was onto something.

"You told him about that?"

She'd lost all the color in her face at this point; wait just one freaking minute. I could feel my fists folding already.

"Yes, I did; there shouldn’t be any secrets between a husband and wife after all. You do know defamation of character is a serious offense, you can be brought up on charges."

"You...you, you've ruined everything, why did you come here? How did you even meet? I did everything..."

"Yes I know, including lying to me about him molesting you and causing you to have an abortion."

Now she was red in the face and I could see the venom and evil seeping through her pores. If she could slug me she would’ve but that wasn’t about to happen.

As for her, she wasn’t going to get off so easily. There was an ass whipping in her future, she just didn’t know it yet.

She posed up as if ready to pounce, all that healthy hate just pouring off of her in waves.

Please twit, compared to my sisters and Petra, you're a rank amateur.

"It worked didn't it, he's mine-he's always been mine. You’re nobody why would he ever marry someone like you?

My family and his have always been the most influential in this town, we suit. Who are you other than some mediocre piano player from a family of no consequence?

“So you decided to make up that horrendous story?”

“Well what else was I to do? You were always mooning over him and then that stupid invitation came. Stupid Delilah."

"You bitch." The voice came from behind me and froze me in my tracks, which might’ve been a good thing. I’m pretty sure if I’d carried through with the roundhouse kick to her jaw she would’ve pressed charges.

Oh shit; I turned to the new arrival in surprise. I'd had no idea anyone was about; after all, I'd been walking in the vast gardens for quite some time, trying to get my thoughts together.

Trying to reconcile the man I'd finally met, with the one this viper had painted a picture of. Questioning how I could be losing my heart to a monster.

I don’t think I’d ever seen anyone as red in the face as Jackson was at that moment.

I’ve heard of steam coming out of a person’s ears before, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it in real life either.

I looked from one to the other, trying to figure out if the outburst was because it was a lie, or because the truth was out.

I didn’t have much time to ponder, because somebody had murder on their mind, and for once, it wasn’t me.

"Hold it." I put myself between Jackson and her. From the looks of it, he was about to get himself in a whole world of trouble.

“This is my fight buster you just stay right there. I know how to handle her kind; I wasn't raised around Miranda the twit and Jenny baby the nut for nothing. This snake is just another one in a long line that I’ve had to deal with.”

She was in a sad state if I was the lesser of two evils, which appeared to be the case. And I was finally getting it. He wasn’t mad because she had outed him, but because she had lied.

No one could be that indignant if they were actually guilty cold they? Unless, I’d totally misjudged the situation again.

“What the fuck did you say to her and why?” I still had my hand in his chest holding him back from going after her.

Not that I expected the debonair Mr. Collins to smack her one, but he looked mad enough to do something.

“Well, answer him.” I folded my arms and face her. She had eyes only for him and I wondered how I’d missed it before. She was in love with him, or as much as a viper could be in love with anyone I guess.

"Are you telling me you made it all up?" My ears were starting to burn and that was never a good thing. Usually somebody always ended up with a black eye or a busted nose whenever that happened.

She tried looking around me at him, "Jackson, I don't know what she's been telling you..." Now he was the one pulling me back when I made a grab for her lying ass.

"She didn't tell me anything but you just did. How long have you been spreading these horrible lies, and who else have you sold this bullshit to?" Oops, the estimable Mr. Collins was about to lose his cool.

She turned her eyes back to me; poor thing, she wasn't looking too good there. Nothing at all like the stunning blonde who'd ruled the circuit with her looks and queen of the castle attitude.

Jackson was seriously contemplating throttling her and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next.

I couldn’t let him at her though, that would just make matters worse.

I had a lot to think about now, like the fact that everything I'd believed about him was a lie, like there was nothing standing in the way of my original feelings for him anymore.

It was finally sinking in that she had lied, that she had made it all up; and that I had been so stupid I’d believed her.

I gave a brief thought to my treatment of him since we'd first met, but brushed that aside, I would've probably acted the same no matter, that's just me.

Still, I hadn’t been fair to him and that was on me thanks to this fool.

The misguided quack was going on and on about how I'd ruined her life. I had one hand on Jackson's chest again, keeping him back from going the ten extra feet to reach her. At this point it was a toss up as to who was holding who back.

"So now we know that you're a pathetic liar, I think you should run along now before this one strangles you and buries you in the back yard." I looked around at all the nice places that would work just fine.

"Sophia, I think you should think of an excuse as to why you can't make the wedding festivities.

If you show your face here I'm not sure what I would do, you disgust me; but be sure at some point I will be meeting with your brother to discuss this, it will not be swept under the rug.

Now if you'll excuse us, my fiancée and I have better things to do with our day."

Oops, guess he heard that, oh well. She slinked away with her tail between her legs, but somehow I didn't think we'd seen the last of her.

I know for damn sure I hadn’t. She had something coming her way alright.

"So, you were mooning over me all those years ago huh?" Shit he’d heard that too.

"Don't go getting a swell head Collins, that was eons ago." He was grinning like a jackass from ear to ear.

I gave him the hairy eyeball and tried to walk around him, but he cornered me against the stoned wall, his hands on either side of my head.

We stared at each other for the longest time saying nothing. My heart beat wildly in my chest and I felt weak in my tummy.

"Kiss me." He'd grown so serious all of a sudden. My heart raced even faster and my head grew light, as I looked up into his beautiful face for the first time without any hint of doubt.

I could finally enjoy being near him without questioning myself or my growing closeness to a man that I had believed had done such a horrible thing.

When I didn't move fast enough, he lowered his head and took my lips in a kiss, and I finally released the breath I’d been holding in for so long.

He started out softly at first; little nibbles and soft touches, until he gathered me up in his arms and his tongue was deep in my mouth, playing with mine.

Those big masculine hands of his set me on fire. He had one caught up in my hair, while I felt the heat of the other in my lower back, drawing me in tighter to his hard body.

It was better than all the others that came before. This time there were no niggling doubts to mar the feelings that ran through my body, like hot lava.

When he was through kissing me stupid, he licked my lips and picked his head up. My stupid knees were weak, crap.

"Fuck Firefox, I so love what my kisses do to you." He nuzzled my cheek and I thought I would melt into a puddle at his feet.

"Uh huh, are you gonna love it when I put my foot in your ass? What're you doing out here anyway, I thought you had work?" I needed time to regroup here, couldn’t let him see that I was putty in his hands.

The one remaining obstacle had been removed and I was sure that I was going to be back to mooning over him again.

Before I could let that happen I had to assert myself. Couldn’t let him win me over too easily.

“I missed my girl.” Oh damn, between the kisses and the way he looks at me, I’m in so much trouble; and now that there was nothing standing in our way I was totally out of my depth.

What was I supposed to do now? I couldn’t go on giving him hell, and I have no experience with this dating shit. He’s probably gonna expect me to go all girly now.

Later for that, just because I had a stupid crush on him years ago didn’t mean I felt the same now.

Yeah right Maxie, that’s why your heart is pounding and you’re imagining him naked. Good grief, I’ve turned into a slut.

“What are you thinking about now? Your face is so expressive.”

Hell I hope not, no way I want him knowing my wayward thoughts. “Nothing, so, you never told me what made you come looking for me.”

I had to change the subject fast before he really started guessing at what I was feeling, but his next words pretty much knocked everything out of my head.

"Damn I forgot, seems your family has found a way to follow us out here sooner than planned, or your mother has I should say."

I felt myself deflate; well crap, this just keeps getting better and better.

"What, why?" The words were out before I could stop myself.

"Michael didn't say, only enough to say they'd be out by the end of the week. We knew they would be coming out at some point, it's only natural, we just didn't know it would be this soon."

Alright then, looks like I'm going to have to move fast. First I have to find out where the Ambrose family live, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll just ask Delilah all innocent like later, while I played for her.

What? You didn't think I was going to let her get away with it did you?

Oh no, I just didn't want Collins getting involved, granted it's his name she'd besmirched, but it was my heart she'd shattered, that bitch was going down.

But with the nitwit twins and their sidekick showing up here in the next few days I had the feeling I was going to need all my faculties about me.

Mom doesn’t like being thwarted and I’m sure she was still steamed that Collins had got one over on her.

“Don’t look so dejected sweetheart, I won’t let them hurt you.”

He’s so cute. I didn’t tell him, that my problem was not so much their following us out here; but the fact that I will have to share him again.

It was silly I know, but in the little time we’d been alone together, I found that old crush rearing its head again.

And now with the white elephant out of the room, the lie no longer an impediment, I wished we had more time before the legion of doom descended upon us.

“So, was that what was keeping you from me, why you denied me two years ago?”

“I guess.” There was no point in denying it now and I felt a little ashamed of myself. I had to tell Jonas that he had been right all along.

“You owe me two years if wasted time, you know what that means?”

He didn’t give me a chance to answer before he was pulling me in close again so he could whisper in my ear.

“I’m taking you sooner than planned. If I were you I would start getting use to the idea of me. I’m going to be your reality for the next sixty years or so.” With one last peck on the lips he turned and walked away whistling.