Battle Lines. (3 page)

Amanda felt the room sway around her dizzily but she shook it off impatiently.

“I’m fine…” she lied quickly “…I just have to go.” She cast her eyes down at her watch. “It’s late. Good night.” Amanda was just about to make a bolt for the door when a familiar deep raspy voice came from behind her.

The honey richness seemed almost to slam into her body making her rock on her feet briefly. It ran over her over stretched raw nerves like barbed wire on sensitive skin. Not to mention that it did nothing to soothe away the butterflies that had now put on big heavy boxing gloves and were beating and thrashing savagely in her stomach.

“Peter there you are. I will be leaving shortly. I think I have had quite enough for one night. Can you make sure that I have that file I asked for on my desk first thing Monday morning?”

“Yes, of course Mr Michelson.” She heard Peter’s response but still she remained still, her back to Jake, her eyes on an invisible spot on the floor. Not even daring to breathe.

“And I will be wanting to go over the Carter account some-time this week. I need to be up to speed before the meeting. We need to get a move on with it before someone else comes and takes the contract from under our noses.”

“Yes Mr Michelson.” There was a pause. Amanda remained still. Don’t turn around, just keep your back to him, she told herself. She could not deal with this, with him, right now, she wasn’t ready.

“I am sorry Peter. I did not realise you had company.”

“That’s okay sir.” She heard Peter saying as Amanda’s heart danced around unhappily.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Jake enquired politely. Please god no, Amanda silently pleaded. She swallowed hard. Think… do something, her mind frantically begged her. But instead of doing something Amanda continued rooted to the spot.

“Oh yes, sorry. This is Amanda, Gloria’s friend. Amanda this is my boss Jake Michelson.”

The loud music seemed to dim and fade, falling off into the distance somewhere. All she could feel, all that she was aware of was her own heart, her own fear.

What did she do now?

She would have to turn around and face him. She could try running for it. It was an idea, but Amanda instantly dismissed it. It would not work. Jake would surely follow her.

He would want to make sure that she was okay, that she wasn’t ill or something. His curiosity would get the better of him.

Besides, she had been intending to see him eventually right? Maybe this was a blessing in disguise. She could get it over with now and then she wouldn’t need to keep worrying about bumping into him every time she left the house each morning. Once it was done, it was done.

Amanda took in a deep breath that did nothing to calm her and she sent up a silent prayer as she turned on her heel slowly to meet the familiar steely silver blue gaze.

Amanda watched in fascinated horror as recognition swiftly gave way to shock and then something else she could not put her finger on dashed across his face before his expression closed and hardened.

She could not breathe. She could not speak. Stupidly Amanda stood there, stock still, looking like a deer that had been caught in the headlights of an oncoming car as she stared into the sharp intense eyes of her stepbrother.

Chapter 3.

Endless moments passed by in slow motion. Nothing was said between them and no one moved. The two of them faced each other as if preparing to come out of their respective corners fighting.

Amanda’s heart thudded harder against her ribs until she was so sure that it was going to be able to break free from her chest as she stood frozen spellbound by his concentrated stare.

Jake looked confused, and then hurt. But it was slowly replaced by something much more intense, smouldering anger.

Amanda could see his eyes darken until they were almost black angry stone. Her eyes were drawn to the hardening of his jawline. All the time his eyes glimmered menacingly at her.

She could feel his anger from where she stood. It hit her in great waves of blazing heat that almost seared through her tender flesh. She knew that Jake would probably have had no trouble killing her at that moment. If he had been able to get his hands around her throat.

Luckily for her there were far too many witnesses walking about the big room for him to contemplate such a thing. She noted his hands clenching and unclenching though.

She had never been so relieved to be in a room full of people she did not know. She opened her mouth to say something, to say anything, but no sound came out and she closed her mouth again.

Amanda’s eyes briefly touched the pulse ticking away in the side of his neck. Which, Amanda remembered, was often the only visual clue as to how angry he really was. Judging by how quickly it was beating he was unbelievably angry. She was in big trouble. If she hadn’t been so afraid she would have marvelled at how he was able to hide that anger behind such a blank impassive expression.

She gave herself a mental shake but she still could not move. He was holding her prisoner just by the power of his gaze.

Come on, Amanda snap out of it. Her mind shouted at her, you are not a weak pathetic teenager anymore. You are a fully grown capable adult.

So why was it that she felt anything but capable or strong or even grown up? Then suddenly she was able to breathe. Air flooded her lungs as the shock began to relinquish its hold on her.

The need to be free of his glare, free from his impressive body, free from him was overwhelming. She had to get away now.

Amanda turned sharply on her heel with dizzying effect that she chose to ignore and she ran as if the hounds of hell were chasing her and taking large bites at her heels.

She had made a total fool of herself in front of him, yet again. She always did when she was in his presence damn him.

Amanda was only dimly aware of Peter calling after her and the shocked guests exclaiming in astonishment as she whizzed past them like some tormented demon.

She pushed at the patio doors with shaky hands and they gave easily under the pressure. She spilled inelegantly out of them and into the dark cool garden that lay beyond the doors

As soon as she was outside, the cool night air hit her tortured hot skin and she drew in a big shaky breath that hurt her lungs.

Amanda’s legs threatened to buckle beneath her and she grabbed at a nearby fence to support herself as she tried to get her body, her heart, and her legs, under some sort of control.

She had steeled herself for a dramatic first meeting, of course she had, but she had not prepared herself for the feeling that had thundered to the surface as if they had been riding on the backs of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Nerves, that’s all it was. The fact that she had had a very bad week just added to her high emotions. She was tired. She had not been ready to face him yet. That is all it was, nothing more.

He knew she was here now. He knew that she was back. There would be no escaping his presence.

He looked much older now, it had been close to ten years since she had last seen him. Of course he was going to look older. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

He still had that shock of dark wavy hair. Hair that appeared to have a different shade and tone for every single strand, if you looked closely enough.

His shoulders were still well defined and muscled, he had always worked out regularly when she had been living at home and it looked as if he continued to do so. His chest, wow, even under that shirt and jacket. Then there were those arms…

There had been a soft subtle tan on his skin and to cap it all off he had smelt so good. Even from where she had been standing several paces away she had been able to smell that heady musky earthy scent that always seemed to envelope him. How was that even fair?

It was spicy, tangy and so damned sexy. She caught her thoughts and stopped them dead in their tracks.

Jake and damned sexy? Three words that should never be linked together. Jake was not sexy, not in anyway. Not as far as she were concerned, she hated him. Hated him with a vengeance, hated him with a passion.

Amanda had not laid eyes on Jake since she had run away from home at the age of sixteen, ten years before.

It was funny how those ten years had melted away as she had stood there trapped in those resolute blue steel eyes of his. Eyes that you could easily lose yourself in. Jake was older than her by six years, well five and a half, now in his mid-thirties, he still had the power to make her feel insignificant.

Ten years had melted away and she was instantly that impulsive angry awkward teenager again.

She breathed in deeply closing her eyes for a few moments. Safe. Now that she was outside, she was safe from those prying eyes. She was safe from that cool, calculating brain of his. She was Safe from that devilishly sexy body.

But it had been those eyes that had captured her attention. They had been positively smouldering.

It was funny how she could not remember them as being smouldering. He had all-knowing eyes, maybe. All seeing eyes, probably. Intense, yes. But smouldering, no never.

“Amanda… sweetheart.” Amanda jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. A voice that dripped thickly with venomous sarcasm.

Jake had followed her, but then, she should have known that he would.

He would not have wanted to pass this opportunity up. She had been so lost in thoughts that she had not given a thought to Jake following her.

Mentally she gave herself a kick. Come on wake up and stop acting like a teenager.

“Jake.” She uttered the word on a breathless sigh as she squared her shoulders and turned to meet his uncom-promising hard gaze.

She breathed in sharply. No, she told herself. He was not going to intimidate her. She would not allow it. Not anymore.

It had been ten years, she was older. She was wiser than she had been when last they had squared up to one another. Well, older anyway.

She was truly a different person now. He did not know who she was anymore. He cannot intimidate her.

However, she knew that he could and he was just by standing there. Her hands were shaking. Her mouth had gone dry and her throat hurt from the sheer effort of breathing.

“It’s been such a long time.”

“I…”

“Ten years of not knowing whether you were dead or alive.” His angry voice snapped at her.

“It’s…”

“I didn’t know that you were back in town.” His eyes bore deep into hers. It was almost as if he were reading her very soul. That, she did not doubt, she felt exposed, vulnerable.

“I… I.” she stopped as she tried to get her brain to work.

“I… I… what?” he asked her. His voice deep and low. Almost calm.

“I have only been back a few days.” She lied.

“Ah yes, well that would explain it then.” He told her sarcastically.

“I haven’t had a chance to catch up with everyone yet.” Another lie but she did not care. She did not owe him anything after all.

Jake sneered scornfully he always saw right through her and it would appear that he had not lost the knack for it. Curse him, curse him to hell and back… well, maybe not back.

“I spent some time trying to locate you.” He told her now. Yes, she bet he had, but she did not say it, that was an argument that she did not want to have with him. “To let you know about Dad.” He finished.

“He was my father.” Instantly bristling at his words. “You were just adopted.”

For a fleeting moment she thought she had seen a flash of pain in his eyes, but then it was gone quickly. And just as quickly she dismissed it. Nothing she could say could possibly affect him she decided.

“I see you haven’t grown up at all since you have been gone… pity. It would have been nice to see you acting more elegantly.” He stated.

“Don’t you dare think you can judge me.” Her chin shot up.

“Don’t you dare think that you can lie to me.” Jake shot back at her. “Well.” He sighed. “It was a bit of a shock to see you. What shall I tell mother? She has been going through hell and back worrying about you.” He ground those last words out through clenched teeth.

She could see that pulse ticking away in his neck again. He may be holding on to it but he was as angry as hell.

Guilty Amanda flushed a deep crimson. She did feel bad, of course she did, and she knew she should have called home. Let her parents know that she was okay. She had wanted too many times. She had desperately wanted her mother to know that she was safe and well. She had desperately wanted to hear her mother’s voice.

She had picked up the phone many times but then she had replaced the receiver without ever dialling the number.

If she had of called Amanda knew that her mother would have been sure to have told Jake, Amanda knew Jake all too well. He would have wasted no time in tracking her down and then he would have dragged her back kicking and screaming the first chance he got.

The situation that had existed between them had been so intense that it had frightened her. So much so, that she had not dared to dial her mother’s number.

When she had come back six months ago, she had managed to convince herself that she was now finally ready to face Jake again. That she was over it and him, not that there had been anything to get over, she reminded herself sternly.

Now, standing here face to face with the man that had always had her at a disadvantage she knew that she was far from over it or him.

Feelings that she had managed to bury a long time ago resurfaced and threatened to consume her with their intensity.

It had been a huge mistake to come back. She knew that now it was a shame that she had not seen it before she had come back. But she had desperately wanted to make contact with her mother again.

She could feel tears burning her eyes blinding her vision. Attempting to be strong she impatiently blinked them away. It was best not to dwell too much on the past. What ever happened in the past has already happened. And she knew that she could not go back and change any of it, no matter how much she wished she could.

“I don’t know.” She told him now. The first honest words out of her mouth tonight.

“I will need to tell her something.” He pointed out.

“Why do you feel the need to tell her anything at all?”

“She will want to know.”

“It is none of your business.” She snapped at him.

“We are family.” He said.

“No, we are not family.” She told him. “It… might be better not to say anything at all.” She said. “I won’t be in town for long.” Another fib.

“This is a flying visit.” He said, she could hear the sarcasm in his voice again. How did he know when she was lying?

“I am not planning on staying and it would only hurt her more if she knew.” She replied, trying to ignore his angry tones.

“Like you care.” He accused her. He spat the words at her as if they had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Think what you like.” She threw at him.

“You haven’t cared, not since the day you walked out.” His voice sounded hurt as though it had been painful for him. The audacity of the man.

“You have no idea.” She told him.

“There has been no phone call, no letter. In fact, there has been no contact whatsoever. Not even an attempt either that I can see.” Amanda watched his eyes darken and he clenched his hands at his sides.

“There was no point. I probably wouldn’t have been able to talk to my mother anyway.”

“Of course you would have done.” Amanda gave a cynical laugh.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get past her bodyguard.” She taunted him cruelly. He took a small step toward her and she stepped back immediately.

“I would have let you talk to mum.” Jake told her.

“Let me… let me.” She echoed. “Who the hell do you think you are. Let me speak with my own mother.”

“That’s not how I meant it and you know it.” Jake defended.

“Huh.” Amanda replied. “Yes you did and no, you wouldn’t have… let me…. Talk with my mother. You would have withheld the opportunity until I told you where I was so that you could come and get me.” She squared her shoulders.

“Amanda.”

“See, I am right.” She gloated.

“I would have only wanted to make sure you were safe.”