This Game Called Life (Kingdom Book 4) (16 page)

Mentally preparing
himself, Jake knew there was no other way to approach the subject other than
head on. “Tomorrow when we go out to meet the press, I want us to do so as an
engaged couple.” Jake took his time voicing his suggestion. At the same time,
he held her gaze, waiting for her eruption. When it came, it didn’t surprise
him.

“Have you lost your
damn mind?!”

“I’m probably the
sanest person in this room at this moment.”

It took a few
seconds for his comment to register with her. When it did, MacKenzie’s eyes
bulged, and color rushed into her face so quickly, Jake thought she might
explode.

“You just can’t
help yourself can you, Jacob. Well, how’s this for insanity; I wouldn’t marry
you if I were in the middle of Death Valley and you were my last drop of
water!”

MacKenzie looked
so please with her rejoinder; Jake decided he was enjoying himself even if she
wasn’t. “Good that’s settled then.”

“What is the
matter with you, didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“I heard you, yet
I chose to ignore you because you’re not thinking straight. If you were, I
would already be on my way to get a ring. Then we could tell my family our
decision, and I could go and get some sleep.

“I said no. I
won’t marry you!”

“Don’t worry,
MacKenzie,” Jake said with a derisive laugh. “The engagement won’t be real. By
your reaction, anyone would think you didn’t realize that.” Jake was
deliberately pushing her buttons. The more he could get her off center, the
easier it would be to get his way.

“Oh, don’t you
worry about what I know. All you need to know is that this is not going to
happen!” MacKenzie all but shouted.

“I need you to
calm down and think for a few moments. Just hear me out before you say anything
else, okay?”

When her only
reaction was to stare him down, Jake took that as agreement and continued. “We
think you are being used by my mother as a means to discredit us. By announcing
our engagement, I will be in a position to redress some of the wrong she’s managed
to do –”

“There has to be
another way. I mean who will believe we’re engaged?”

Jake didn’t know
if he was being insulted, but chose to ignore her tone of utter disbelief at
his suggestion of an engagement.

“Everyone will
believe it if we each play our part.”

“Everyone who
knows me knows I’m not the marrying type. That just goes to show that you know
nothing about me; otherwise, you’d know why this hare-brained scheme won’t
work!”

“Have you thought
about what your family will say once this story picks up steam?

“What, being
called a whore and a bad mother isn’t enough?!”

“Believe me, it’s
going to get worse before it gets better. This isn’t just about you, it’s your
family and most of all it’s about Noelle. How will you feel if this is the
legacy you leave for her?” Jake knew he was coming on a bit too strong, but he
wanted her agreement.

“Let me worry
about my family and Noelle. Neither of them is going to care about me any less
because of some stupid story fabricated by Carlos Ernesto and your mother!” Her
words were spoken with confidence, but she looked worried.

Jake could see he
was getting to her, and while he didn’t want to, he tightened the screws. “You
and Noelle are not safe while all this is going on. I know Diana, and she’s
capable of much more than you can ever imagine. You need our protection. The
only way to do that is to make sure the Ernesto’s and Diana realize that if
they come at you, they come at us all.”

“Being married to
Jason didn’t seem to stop her from attempting to kill Aviva!” MacKenzie threw
out.

Jake had been waiting
for her to make this very point, and he hoped she took him at his word. “If
Diana had wanted to kill Aviva she would be dead,” Jake spoke without
inflection. He wanted MacKenzie to realize that he meant every word he said.
“Do not underestimate, Diana, she’s extremely dangerous. Josh is checking on
her whereabouts right now. We have to be certain, but I’m pretty sure she’s
back in the country, and jerking everyone’s chain.”

“Why is she doing
this? I don’t understand.” MacKenzie questioned.

“She wants redress
for something we did to her.”

“It must have been
pretty terrible for her to behave in this way.”

Jake wasn’t proud
of the way they had treated Diana, in fact none of them were. They had
humiliated her, and although she had deserved it and much more, the whole
family still felt a degree of remorse at the way they had behaved.

By the time he
finished telling MacKenzie of that day all those months ago; he could see that
she struggled with laughter and disbelief at their actions.

“What did she do
for you guys to behave that way?” MacKenzie enquired.

“It’s a long
story, way too long for me to go into right now. All I’ll say at the moment is
that being female doesn’t necessarily make one a nurturer.”

“Okay.”

Jake held
MacKenzie’s eyes as he asked the next question. He wanted to be very sure that
she understood what she agreed to. “What are you consenting to, MacKenzie?”

“I’m not sure I
understand what’s going on, but I don’t intend for Noelle or me to become
victims of your family vendetta. That’s why I’m saying yes to this fictitious
engagement.”

“Good, I’m glad
you’ve agreed. I promise I’ll make sure that neither you nor Noelle comes to
any harm.” At that moment, her expression went blank giving Jake no insight
into what she was thinking. All he could hope for was that she took him at his
word; that he would do whatever was necessary to keep them both safe.

**********

“Wait here, I just
need to go and get something.” At her nod of agreement, Jake stood and left the
room.

MacKenzie was
reeling. She knew there was much more to the story than Jake had told her, and
his seriousness when he spoke of his mother worried her. Diana sounded crazy,
and she wasn’t prepared to put her child at risk because of the Kingdom family
feud. MacKenzie also realized that for the time being, both Noelle’s and her safety
could be best ensured by remaining exactly where they were. MacKenzie tried to
push all thoughts of an engagement to Jake from her mind, but it refused to
leave.

When Jake
returned, he brought with him a gold ring box. When he retook his seat and
opened it, MacKenzie was almost afraid to look at what was inside. It was
either look at Jake or look at the ring; MacKenzie chose the ring.

When her gaze
finally flicked down, she couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her. As if of
their own volition, her eyes sprung back to Jake’s. “I can’t wear that!”

“Yes, you can.”
Jake dismissed her objection. “Give me your hand.”

When she remained
motionless, he gently took her shaking hand, removed the ring and pushed it
onto her finger.

“This is my
promise to you, while you wear this ring, you will never have to worry. I will
always be here to take care of and protect you and Noelle.” Giving her hand a
squeeze, Jake attempted to pull her gaze back to his own.

Reluctantly,
MacKenzie lifted her eyes. What she saw there caused her to inhale sharply.
Jake’s gaze held a promise that went far beyond that of any sham engagement.
Her heart rate increased and began to pound in her chest. She was speechless.

“Do you like the
ring, MacKenzie?” Jake asked softly, a look of uncertainty in his eyes.

“It’s gorgeous,
are you sure you want me to wear this?”

“It belonged to my
grandmother. We never knew her, and I’m sure that I want you to wear the ring.
When you said yes, I knew this ring would be perfect for you. Emeralds become
you.”

MacKenzie didn’t
know much about jewelry such as this, but she knew the stone that shone back at
her was worth more than she could afford.

“I’ll take care of
it Jake, I promise.” She said with earnestness.

“I know you will,
Lovely,” Jake answered with a smile.

Not knowing what
else to say, her gaze returned to the ring Jake had just placed on her finger.

MacKenzie didn’t
resist when Jake finally pulled her to her feet. Placing a finger beneath her
chin, he lifted her face until she was looking at him. Such a delicate touch,
but it was all it took for the breath to leave her body. MacKenzie was annoyed
with herself, but for the life of her, she couldn’t stop her body from
responding to him.

Jake’s eyes left
hers, and descended, finally coming to rest on her mouth. It was almost as
though he possessed some form of magnetic pull. Before she realized what was
happening, their lips were nearly touching.

It seemed as
though Jake waited for her to carry through and kiss him. She hesitated, and
Jake withdrew.

“It’s been a long
day. Go and get some rest, MacKenzie.”

Jake spoke so
offhandedly MacKenzie grew confused. One moment he sounded so earnest and
sincere, and the next he appeared to have completely withdrawn from her.

“Do you want something
else from me, MacKenzie?”

Licking suddenly
dry lips, she hesitated again.

“That’s what I
thought. When you know what you want, all you need to do is tell me. I’m not
going anywhere.”

“Jake...”
Attempting to pull her thoughts together, she trailed off, unsure of what she
wanted to say.

“Go to bed,
MacKenzie. We have a long day ahead of us.”

MacKenzie wanted
to say something to him that would remove the detached look from his eyes, but
she couldn’t seem to find the words.

Placing a hand in
the small of her back, Jake guided a still silent MacKenzie towards the door.
When they reached the foot of the stairs, a charged silence had already
developed between them. Removing his hand, Jake smiled down at her.

“Get some rest,
Lovely, maybe you’ll see me in your dreams.” With that, Jake turned and walked
away.

Chapter 22

When Jake returned
to the family room, his brothers and father were there. Going directly to the
bar, he poured himself a drink and tossed it back. He knew he was the center of
attention but chose to ignore them for a few more seconds.

“Does anyone else
want a drink?” Jake asked, his composure once again in place, as he looked
around.

At their chorus of
refusals, Jake poured himself another drink and swished the amber liquid around
the glass. Throughout his interlude with MacKenzie, he had been pulled tight
with tension. The thought that she might reject his proposal had tested his
control.

What he had told
her was the truth, Diana was dangerous. At the same time, Jake knew he could
keep MacKenzie and her daughter safe without the ruse of an engagement. The
truth was, he wanted her, and he intended to have her.

“What’s going on,
Jake?” Jackson asked his eldest son.

Looking over at
his father, Jake shrugged his wide shoulders. “MacKenzie and I are engaged.”

“What?!” Three
voices echoed simultaneously.

“I’m not going to
repeat myself, nor am I going to offer up an explanation. This is my decision,
and all of you need to remember that.” Jake could sense their surprise, but he
had said all he intended to on the subject. Although he was finished, it seemed
his family were not.

“Are you sure you
know what you’re doing, Jake?” Jackson asked.

“I’m sure.”

Now it was Jason’s
turn, but in typical Jason fashion, he didn’t ask a question. “MacKenzie is
Aviva’s friend, so you had better know what you’re doing. If you upset my wife
because of this, I will kick your ass!”

“Understood.”

“I like your
moves, man,” was Josh’s contribution to the conversation.

“Thank you,” was
Jake’s reply. “Now that the subject of my engagement is over, Josh what did you
find out?”

Their conversation
confirmed Jake’s suspicions. Diana was back in the country. Although they
hadn’t had time for any conclusive proof, Jake was certain Diana had a hand in
what was going on with the women in their lives.

The night of his
birthday dinner wouldn’t leave Jake’s mind. He hadn’t seen anyone, but he had
been certain he and MacKenzie were being watched. With the knowledge of Diana’s
proximity confirmed, Jake thought it prudent to inform the rest of his family
about his feeling on that night.

They had planning
to do, if they intended to catch Diana, and ultimately get her out of their
lives. Jake made a mental note to speak to MacKenzie in the morning. He needed
to find out whether anything out of the ordinary had happened to her.

Looking around at
his family, Jake was assailed by feelings of sadness. Each and every one of the
men gathered around him had suffered at the hands of Diana. It had to stop, but
he didn’t know how to accomplish that feat. In his more reflective moments as a
child and young adult, he had weaved stories of the beautiful Diana. The
daydreams had centered on Diana having some form of epiphany whereby she
realized her love and devotion for her family. Those moments of pensive musing
only ever lasted minutes before being replaced with the reality of who and what
Diana was.

They all knew
Diana displayed all the symptoms of the archetypal sociopath. Everything she
did was built on a web of lies in an attempt to always be in control.

Pushing the
disquieting thoughts from his mind, Jake returned to the situation at hand.
“Tomorrow, MacKenzie and I are going outside to meet with the reporters. We
intend to notify them of our engagement. My statement will be succinct. I’m
going to kick the ball back into the Ernestos’ side of the field–”

“Are you going to
disclose what we know about Carlos?” Josh interrupted.

“There’s no need.
Once they realize that I’m calling their bluff, questions are going to be
asked. I’ll leave it up to Carlos and his family to deal with the fallout.”

“Hell, what I
wouldn’t give to be there when the proverbial shit hits the fan,” Josh stated
with a genuine laugh.

“Jason, what are
you thinking?” Jackson asked his son, a look of curiosity on his face.

At their father’s
question, all eyes turned to Jason.

“By the sounds of
it, Jake can deal with those people in relation to their treatment of
MacKenzie. My interest is in whether the Ernestos’ involvement in this mess runs
only as far as their ill-advised association with Diana. If I find out they had
a part in Aviva’s accident, I’m going to bury them, along with Diana so deep, they
will never again have the opportunity to hurt my wife.”

Jason was a man of
few words; when he elected to string so many together, it was commonly
accompanied with a deadly intent.

“Jason,” Jackson
began, a look of concern on his face. “What do you have in mind?”

“Something that
fits the crime of attempted murder,” Jason answered without hesitation. “I’ve
got this covered. If I need your help, I’ll ask.” Jason replied, holding his
father’s gaze.

“You worry me,
son.”

Jake broke into
their conversation. To a significant degree, Jason also worried him. As a
precautionary measure, Jake addressed his brother in the hope of setting his
father’s mind at ease.

“Don’t worry, Dad.
Jason knows better than to defecate on his and our doorstep. Don’t you, Jason?”

“Whatever you say,”
Jason replied, casting his twin a blank look.

They all knew the
non-committal response was as much as they could hope to receive. For Jake it
was enough, he trusted his twin. Diana was a problem for all of them, but for
now, he had more pressing matters.

Rising to his
feet, Jason looked around the room and headed for the door.

“Where are you
going?” Jackson asked his worry still apparent.

“I’m going to
check on my wife. It’s after midnight, where did you think I was going at this
hour?”

“With you, who can
tell!” Jackson all but snapped back.

Jason’s laugh
sounded like honest amusement, and Jake shook his head. His twin was
deliberately trying to get a rise out of their father, and he wanted no part of
it.

Jason turned to his
younger brother. “Josh, I have a favor to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“Find her.” The
words were simple, but everyone knew whom he meant.

“I’ll get on it
first thing in the morning,” Josh assured.

“Thank you. The
sooner we find her, the quicker, I can sort this out, so the old man can stop
sprouting anymore grey hairs.” Jason teased with a wry smile.

“Don’t worry,
Jason. This white hair is what you have to look forward to. Every man in this
family is completely grey by the time they reach forty-five.”

“That’s okay,”
Jason threw over his shoulder as he again began making his way towards the
door. “You look good so I can deal with it.”

“Did he just pay
me a compliment?” Jackson asked, still staring after Jason.

“Sounded like it
to me,” Jake answered.

“Well, I’ll be
damned!” Jackson said in surprise.

**********

The next morning
MacKenzie carried Noelle in for breakfast and was surprised to see Delphine
sitting at the table.

With a sinking
feeling in the pit of her stomach, she took a deep breath in preparation for
what was to come. The idea of giving an interview to all the reporters still
camped outside the Kingdom’s home was bad enough. Having to deal with the
caustic Delphine on top of that was giving her an anxiety spike.

As Aviva was about
to take the baby so MacKenzie could eat breakfast, Jake beat her to it. The
dirty look Aviva shot him spoke volumes, but Jake ignored her.

“You can’t hog the
baby, Jake!” Aviva voiced her annoyance.

“You’re married,
so what are you waiting on; have your own baby,” Jake replied.

The sounds of
Aviva’s mumbles pulled laughter from the rest of diners.

“Well, if you kids
have finished playing, now that MacKenzie has finally joined us, we can get
down to business,” Delphine said as she broke into their byplay.

Her comment caused
the bile to rise and churn in MacKenzie’s stomach. Every time she thought about
what Jake had suggested she wanted to find Carlos and hurt him. After he was
incapacitated, only then would she ask him why he was doing this to her.

Taking a sip of
coffee, MacKenzie looked over at Jake. Without saying a word, he smiled. That
expression of reassurance was enough to fortify her. Just when she had begun to
rely on Jake in this way, MacKenzie was uncertain. Knowing he wasn’t worried
about meeting the reporters had a calming effect on her. Taking a deep breath,
she turned to Delphine and smiled.

“Good, for a
minute there, I thought you were going to lose it,” Delphine said, eyeing
MacKenzie up and down. “There’s nothing I dislike more than a weak woman.”

“Do you have
something to say to me, Delphine?” MacKenzie asked, not in the mood to deal
with the difficult older woman.

“Oh, I have a lot
to say to you, MacKenzie, but that can wait. Right now we need to deal with the
matter at hand,” with her cryptic statement delivered, Delphine moved on.
“Everything is in place. All you need to do is change. I understand that you
ordered supplies for both you and the baby from the hotel. What you are wearing
will not do.”

Looking down at
her clothes, MacKenzie raised an eyebrow in enquiry.

“You need to
discard the jeans and t-shirt. We are going for sophistication. After all, if
we are to believe you are engaged to a Kingdom, you need to look and act the
part.”

“You don’t
approve?” MacKenzie asked Delphine.

“Whether I approve
or not is unimportant. For me, that Jake informs me of your engagement is
enough. Do you want to know why, MacKenzie?”

MacKenzie didn’t
react or reply because she knew it had been a rhetorical question. She was also
quickly coming to realize that Delphine loved the dramatic pause. MacKenzie
knew if she waited for a brief moment, Delphine would answer her own question.

“I love these
Kingdom men. To be honest, I haven’t made up my mind about that one,” Delphine
tossed her head in Jason’s direction.

“Well, I’m not
about to lose any sleep over that!” Jason audibly whispered.

“See what I mean,
no respect for his elders,” Delphine stated before turning back to MacKenzie.
“As I was saying; out of the Kingdom men, I like Jake the best...”

“Delphine you
crush me!” Josh piped in. “I always thought I was your favorite.”

“Well, you’re not,
so deal with it, and stop interrupting me! Every time I come to this house I
leave with a damn headache!”

“Seriously, Del,
you need to relax. Have you given any further thought to that retreat I
mentioned the last time we had dinner?” Josh asked with an innocent look.

“No I have not, and
if you say one more word, I will inform your father of some of the company you
keep, and don’t call me, Del, you know I dislike it!”

“Delphine!” Josh
rumbled.

“I’m beginning to
sound like a broken record; Delphine what’s going on?!” Jackson asked.

“Nothing!” Josh
fired back.

“Ask your son!”
Delphine snapped at the same time.”

“Relax, dad,” Josh
attempted to placate his father. “She’s just trying to push your buttons.”
Narrowing his eyes, Josh gave the older woman a threatening look. “Isn’t that
right, Delphine?”

“No!”

“Delphine!” Josh
exclaimed his warning unmistakable, but it didn’t have the desired effect on
his Godmother.

“Last chance, keep
quiet and your secrets are safe with me. Annoy or interrupt me once more, just
once more, Joshua, and I will happily throw you under the bus!” Delphine told
him.

Josh didn’t say
another word.

Thinking they were
the most bazaar people she’d ever met, MacKenzie looked around the table.
Meeting Aviva’s regard, a smile sprang to her face when her friend mouthed,
welcome
to my world
.

To her way of
thinking the Kingdom’s may well be from another planet, but MacKenzie was
assured that if Aviva could thrive within their midst, so could she.

Realizing Delphine
was once again addressing her, MacKenzie returned her attention to the lawyer.

“As I was saying;
you will need to change. Jake will do all the speaking. I think I’ve managed to
dissuade the whole clan from descending on the reporters’ en mass.” With a
pause, Delphine glanced around the table. MacKenzie did the same only to be
confronted by four similar looks of defiance.

“I will accompany
Jacob and MacKenzie. I know I don’t need to remind any of you that this is a
serious matter. The last thing they need is for all of you to be standing
around sneering.”