Kicking and Screaming (6 page)

JACKSON

"Tell me, and stop that swearing, it doesn't become you. It just makes you seem cheap and vulgar."

"Why you piece of..." Fuck it’s like pulling teeth. Now she’s got me doing it too.

"I said it makes you seem that way. Not that you are in fact that way. Settle down will you, geez. You've been going like a whirling dervish ever since I got here, and you called me demented."

She had flown off the bed to attack me, her five foot two frame against my six three build; what a character.

I looked her up and down to remind her that she was out matched.

"Don't let the size fool you Collins, I can still kick your ass."

"Oh so you do know my name."

"Go fuck yourself..."

"That's it, the next time you speak to me like that I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap."

***

MAXIE

He has gone completely around the bend, or maybe madness has been his problem all along, when I'd thought he was just a stuck up monster who hated anything he deemed to be beneath him.

"If you do anything to screw up my sister's wedding I'll get you back you hear?"

My breath was choppy and my head was a bit light. It felt like the day was finally catching up to me, like I’d finally had enough.

"And why would I want to do such a thing?" He actually frowned at me like the thought had never crossed his mind. Yeah right.

"My family might not be as wealthy as we once were, but we're not paupers either, and if you use your filthy influence to hurt her I'll see you dead." There he goes again with that lost look.

"What makes you think these things of me, is it because I asked to make some changes to the wedding plans?"

"What right do you have? It's their wedding not yours. You should keep your big fat nose out of it." I shook my fist at him to let him know I meant business. I would so bust the shit out of that patrician nose of his. Snobby bastard.

"Understood, but as a business man Michael has certain obligations, some people cannot and should not be slighted. Besides, I offered to pay for the extras, but your father insisted he take care of it."

"Not the point Napoleon, you can't always get your way in everything, people like you make me sick."

"You know what, I'm tired of being at the wrong end of that tongue of yours, since you won't tell me what your damn problem is I'll just have to come to my own conclusions and you know what I've come up with so far?"

Shit, they're behind a locked door together, I'm sure she didn't do it, so he must've done it in a move to get her to open up.

Good luck with that dude. Maybe I need to give this rich boy some pointers on how to deal with lil sister's brand of cray-cray.

I tried listening at the door but was waylaid by the bitches of Eastwick coming up the stairs. Oh shit.

Why didn’t I just go have a beer with the guys like I’d planned to? What the hell was I doing here in the middle of this soap opera?

Oh yeah, my baby sister was in the middle of this shit, and we’ve never left each other’s backs before.

I usually try to stay out of these little skirmishes between her and her siblings since we were kids and I use to help her carry out her plans of attack, but this one was really getting to her and I had a good idea why.

If I didn’t get the vibe that the dude was worth it, I would’ve dragged her out of here already, but she needs some happy in her life.

So if I have to tangle with these she wolves that would eat their own young to land a rich sucker like this Collis guy, that’s just what the hell I’ll do.

***

JACKSON

I opened my mouth to tell her exactly what I thought her problem was, but then we heard the raised voices in the hallway.

She held her hand up for me to be quiet so she could listen.

"Jonas where is Jackson?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"Don't play smart, we know he came up here. Now get away from that door this instant, is he in there?"

"No he's not, look, you three got Maxie in trouble, now she's all upset, I went to get her some ginger ale for her upset stomach so if you'll excuse me."

"You always were her little lapdog, and no one did anything to her, she always does it to herself."

That sounded like Jenny.

The fire breather went to rush past me to get to the door, but I pulled her back with my arm around her middle.

"Not so fast there, dragon lady." She felt good pressed up against me, but now was not the time to enjoy.

"Let me go Collins, they don't get to mess with Jonas."

"Your big brother can take care of himself. I think you've been in enough trouble for one day."

She turned those eyes on me as I pulled her in, and for the first time I noticed how absolutely spectacular they were.

Her eyes weren't grey, they were pure silver the black was pure solid black. There were no specks of brown or anything else, just pure beauty.

She felt strong and soft at the same time, as I shifted her in my arms, my eyes caught by the sheer magnificence of hers.

I saw the slight inclination of her head before she checked herself.

"Kiss me." I nuzzled her jaw and felt her tremble in my arms.

"What...no." She fidgeted against me and tried to move her face away from my lips.

"Then I'll kiss you."

JACKSON

It was like pouring gasoline on a raging inferno as soon as our lips met.

I was torn between wondering who the hell had taught her to kiss like that, and wanting to throw her down on the bed and pound the hell out of her sweet body.

Whoa Collins, since when do you think like that? Since I held living fire in my hands. I dared any man to feel differently, then again no, I wouldn’t like anyone else to experience this.

Her tongue was soft and sweet in my mouth, her whimpers music to my ears. All that fiery passion was concentrated in that place where we touched.

She kissed like an innocent with the soul of a born siren.

I drew her in as tightly as was possible, as I kept one hand buried in her hair and the other wrapped around her amazing ass.

She went under, or at least that’s what it felt like. Like she had lost all self-control and just gave herself over to the feelings that were now taking over her senses.

We came up for air and I wanted back in, but she was already looking at me like she would castrate me if I tried, infuriating woman.

I could still see heat and passion and need, but she is who she is, so she resisted. I set her back on her feet when she pushed against my shoulders.

"Don't think that this changes anything you moron." She fixed her clothes and blushed while avoiding my eyes. I did notice that she was trembling slightly and had to be satisfied with that for now.

"I wouldn't dream of it, just as long as you know that we'll be doing a lot more of that."

"Dream on snake charmer; now get the hell out of the way." Did she know she was still trembling from my touch?

"You're cute you know that?" I could finally see through the bravado, though there was something there, some resentment that had nothing to do with weddings.

It went much deeper, but until she was ready to share, I'll just keep stealing kisses and throwing her off guard. That was a hell of a lot more fun that fielding her barbs.

Then again, now that I know what my kisses do to her, her little zingers won’t pack as much of a punch.

"I'm not cute, little puppies are cute." She was full of indignation as she tried to get herself together under my watchful gaze.

"And what are you?"

I saw the slight slumping of her shoulders.

"I'm...me."

Ah, and there you have it, one of the layers peeled back and exposed. The firecracker, the musical prodigy, had very low self-esteem, which she hid behind a wall of bravado; and no wonder, with a family like hers.

I'm sure she was made to feel inadequate in a family of pale replicas. Where she was dark and exotic, they were just more of the same.

Even Janet with her dark locks was no match for the unusual beauty of Maxie, but I don't think she knows that, and I think they did and would do anything to keep her from realizing it.

I ran my thumb down her cheek as I held her eyes with mine. Eyes that still carried the sheen of tears.

I wanted to make her promises in that moment, promises that I’d never felt let alone uttered to another living soul.

What was it about her that had me so fascinated? Was it just because she had a grievance against me? Was that it?

Somehow I doubted it, I wouldn’t have cared if one of the others out there had held a grudge against me, wouldn’t have given one fuck what they thought.

But with her it was different. With her, I not only wanted to get to the bottom of whatever it was she thought she knew about me, I also wanted to change her opinion of me. For some reason it was suddenly very important to me that she see me only in the best of lights.

“I don’t like seeing you cry.”

“You didn’t...”

“You know what I mean. They’re not worth your tears sweetheart, you’re so much better than that.”

“How would you know?” Now she was sulking.

“Because unlike you, I form my own opinions from what I see with my own eyes, not what I perceive from nothing. Come on, dry your tears; don’t let them see that they have gotten to you.”

With one last kiss to her forehead, I helped her get herself together to face what was beyond the door, and told myself that I was not going to let anyone else hurt her again, not while I was here.

But what happens when you leave? I’ll just have to think about that later, right now it was enough to get through the rest of this night, especially after I tell her mother that I wouldn’t be joining them for dinner.

I wonder what would happen if I took the fire breather out, just the two of us?

No, better not, until I knew what I was going to do about her I’d better not go making any grand gestures, who knows what horrors they’d wreak on her head next if I showed my newfound interest in her.

“You ready?”

“Geez Lancelot, I’m not headed for the guillotine.” Well, at least she wasn’t looking so pitiful anymore.

***

JONAS

"What the hell’s with you three and this guy anyway?" I faced them down as they tried to get by me for the door.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, after all how could you? Just because you've won some nice purses running around on that bike of yours, you're just not one of us." The idiot sniffed her nose at me.

"Thank you Petra, you say the sweetest things." What a fucking troll, I should really let the terror loose on her ass the next time she goes on the warpath and wants her blood.

"Anyway in case you didn't know Jackson Collins is one of the wealthiest men on the planet, he has billions. Do you know what that means? It means I would be set for life. The only thing is, we would definitely have to move from Texas, maybe Milan or Paris, oh the possibilities."

Are people really this deluded in real life? I always knew this one was a little touched, then again it could be that Maxie had brained her once too often over the years. Those two can go at it like nobody’s business.

"Who says he'll pick you Petra? He could easily choose me you know." Oh boy, looks like we were headed for s showdown between the twits. This ought to be fun.

"Oh Jenny, no hard feelings but really, I mean, just look at me." If she wasn’t so stupid she might’ve made a halfway decent human being. As it was, she bore no redeeming qualities whatsoever as far as I could see.

"What about you Miranda, you after him too?" might as well get it all out there in the open. I hope those two in there were following along.

Not that I thought the guy was dumb enough to fall for their shit, he seemed smart enough to me, for all that little dove thought he was a brainless jackass, but she was biased.

"Oh Miranda's heart isn't in it, I think she's hiding something but she won't tell us what it is."

"Jennifer I told, you it's nothing." oh-ho what have we here?

"Then why are you blushing?" Jenny tried to force the issue, but Petra wasn’t interested.

"Who cares about that now Jenny, let's go find the yummy Mr. Collins; can you imagine our babies? They'll be just gorgeous. Though I wish there was a way to get them without actually having to have them." She shuddered.

"So you're not in love with him at all, just the money and that's it?"

"Love is something poor people believe in, it keeps them warm at night, personally I don't have time."

"Petra you know what you are, don't you?"

"I'll thank you not to speak to me like that Jonas Denton. Unless you've forgotten, your father works for mine. I would hate to have him fired, especially since he's such a mediocre worker anyway, my father only keeps him on because he's a..."

Oh shit, I was about to blast her, but before I could say a word the door was thrust open behind me and out came a ball of hellacious fury.

Jackson was right behind her, but I could've warned him. When that projectile was in motion, there was no stopping her, which Petra found out when she got a fist to the mouth.