Authors: K.L. Middleton,Cassie Alexandra,Kristen Middleton
Sinclair
I went straight to my bedroom and sat down on the bed, wondering what the hell I should do. Obviously, it wasn’t any of my business. I was just a guest in Jack’s home.
What about Reed and Mimi? Shouldn’t they know?
Reed wasn’t exactly innocent, however. Not after the way we’d attacked each other in my bedroom.
I still felt sick to my stomach as I thought about Sela and Jack together. He was obviously a sick bastard – to not only be cheating on his wife, but to be doing it right in his house
and
with his son’s fiancée.
Just like Jesse mentioned, he
was
an asshole.
And Sela…
Well, it just substantiated my already negative feelings about her.
Sighing, I got out of bed and tried calling Jesse again, wondering where in the hell he was.
***
Reed
After leading Pastor Richie to my mother, who was in the kitchen making plans with the caterer, I went upstairs to check on Sela. Unfortunately, she wasn’t around. I called her cell phone.
“Hello,” she answered, sounding slightly winded.
“I’m back. You still by the pool?”
“Yes, I’ll be right up.”
“Okay, I’m in your room.” I hung up, collapsed onto her bed, and turned on the television. A few minutes later, she breezed into the bedroom, engulfing me with the smell of coconuts and mango.
“Hi,” she said, leaning over to kiss my lips.
“Hi. How’d it go?” I asked.
Her eyes widened. “How did
what
go?”
I yawned. “Relaxing, swimming, working on your tan… how did it go?”
She walked over to her suitcase and started rifling through it. “Okay. I’m full of chlorine and tanning oil. I’m going to take a shower.”
I started flipping through the channels. “Good idea.”
“Reed, I’m starving,” she said, grabbing her shampoo. “Let’s go someplace and eat.”
I glanced at her. “I’m sorry, I just went to lunch. I’m sure Gretchen can fix you something. We’ll go check with her when you’re finished with the shower.”
She put her hands on her hips and gave me a venomous look.
Oh shit.
“You went to lunch
without
me? I thought you were just doing a couple of errands,” she snapped.
I shrugged. “I met up with Jesse and Sinclair. It wasn’t something I’d planned to do
without
you, it just happened. Besides,” I smiled. “What’s one less salad in your life?”
“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”
I turned off the television and stood up. “You hardly eat anything, Sela. Even if you would have joined us, you probably would have nibbled on vegetables and crackers.”
She raised her chin in the air. “At least I wouldn’t have been stuck here.”
I stared at her incredulously. “I asked you if you wanted to join me today, but you declined.”
Her lips thinned. “Well, you should have asked
harder
.”
Jesus Christ.
Her phone started vibrating and she grabbed it. After reading a text message, she looked at me. “Fine, if you’re not going to take me anywhere, then could you find me something to eat while I’m in the shower?”
I nodded. “Sure, how about a sandwich?”
“I’d
prefer
a salad, tossed in vinaigrette dressing.”
Sighing, I walked towards the door. “I’ll see what I can find.”
***
Sinclair
I finally got ahold of Jesse, who had driven all the way back to Alex’s. Apparently, Alex had given him an ultimatum – either tell his parents about the two of them, or move on.
“He wants to marry me, Sin,” he said. “But, the truth is, I’m not really ready for marriage. I mean, I care about him, a lot. But…”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“I don’t know, yet. He’s actually giving me a week to decide.”
“What about your job? Are you going to have to leave the company?”
“He said I could stay, but our relationship would have to be totally platonic.”
“But that would be…”
“Awkward,” he said.
“Obviously. Well, at least he’s not being a total asshole about it.”
Jesse sighed. “He’s a good guy but he just doesn’t understand, I’m only twenty-four and he’s thirty-six. I’m not ready for that kind of commitment yet.”
“Then you’d better not do it,” I said. “If you do it just to make him happy, it will never work. You’ll both be miserable in the long run and you’ll end up hating each other.”
He sighed. “My thoughts exactly. I just needed to hear it from someone else.”
“You’re um… driving back to your parents’, right?”
“I’ll be back before the party. I want to try and talk to him a little more. Try to somehow reason with him.”
“Okay. Don’t forget, you still have my dress and shoes for tonight’s party in your trunk, though.”
He swore under his breath. “Okay, I’ll be home by six at the latest.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Hey, there’s something else,” I said.
He paused. “What?”
I thought about everything he had on his plate at the moment, and decided to wait. “I’ll tell you later, it’s not important.”
He snorted. “My dad didn’t hit on you, did he?”
“I… ah… no,” I said.
“Good. If he does, you have my permission to slug him.”
“Okay,” I said.
“And stay away from Mimi until the party starts. She’s going to be going nuts, getting everything ready.”
“Maybe I should try and help her out?”
“God forbid, don’t even offer. This is her show and she won’t even appreciate your offer. Just relax, go for a walk, or stay in the room until I get back.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
“Sin, I’m sorry about taking off like this,” he said.
“No, it’s okay,” I said. “I get it. Really I do.”
“Thanks, sweetie, I’ll see you in a few.”
After hanging up, I couldn’t help but agonize over the horrible scene in the sauna. When it was all said and done, I decided to talk to Reed, since it was his right to know about Sela. If it was me, I would certainly want to know.
I left the bedroom and walked down the hallway towards his bedroom. As I raised my hand to knock, I heard someone clear their throat and turned my head.
“Miss me already?” asked Reed, coming towards me, holding a tray of food.
I blushed. “Um, no I just needed to talk to you.”
“Okay. I have to take this salad back to Sela’s room first.”
Before I could answer, Sela walked out of
her
bedroom. “Oh, there you are…”
He handed her the tray of food. “I’ll be right back, Sinclair needs to talk.”
Sela turned and glared at me. “
You
need to talk? Where’s Jesse?”
“He had to check in at work,” I said. “But he should be back soon.”
“Well, I’m sure you two can talk in front of me,” she said, her lips thinned. “Reed and I have no secrets.”
Right.
He stared at me and must have noticed something in my expression. He turned back to Sela. “I’m sure it’s about Jesse. Why don’t you finish your lunch and I’ll be back as soon as I can?”
She frowned. “Make it quick. We’ve had hardly any time to ourselves.”
“It won’t take long,” I said.
She glared at me one last time, then turned and slammed the bedroom door.
Reed winced. “Sorry about that. She’s a little sensitive.”
“That’s a nice way to put it.”
He walked over to me and smiled. “So, your bedroom or mine?”
“How about by the pool?” I said.
“The pool?”
I nodded.
Yes, near the scene of the crime.
***
Reed
I followed Sinclair out to the pool, staring in awe at the way her ass moved in her shorts. It seemed to taunt me with every step.
“So,” she said, sitting down at one of the poolside tables. “I don’t even know how to tell you this…”
I sat down across from her. “Don’t worry, I hear it all the time.”
She looked at me, shocked. “What?”
“You can’t stop thinking about me,” I said, grinning broadly. “I know, it’s tough.”
She sat back in the chair and sighed. “Somehow I think you’re going to get through this just fine.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Get through what?”
“Reed!” hollered Jack, waving from patio. “Mimi needs you!”
“Can it wait?” I yelled.
He shook his head. “No, she needs you right now.”
“Shit,” I said, standing up. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”
“Okay,” she said.
I walked back towards the house. “What does she need?”
“Go and find out,” he said, taking a sip of brandy or whatever the fuck he was drinking now. “She’s in the dining room.”
“Fine.”
Jack rubbed the side of his moustache and motioned towards Sinclair. “Where’s Jesse?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Huh. Well, I’ll keep Sinclair busy until you get back,” he said, stepping off of the deck.
I glanced back towards Sinclair, who looked less than pleased to see Jack walking towards her.
***
Sinclair
Crap, what in the hell does he want?
I thought, watching as Jack approached.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked.
“Go ahead,” I said, wishing he’d just go away.
Instead, he sat down right next to me.
He raised his glass. “Would you care for a drink?”
“No thanks,” I said, looking towards the house.
He drank the rest of his and set it down on the table. “So…”
I looked back at him and tried to hide my revulsion. He repelled me; made my skin crawl.
Jack glanced back towards the house and then his eyes shifted back to me. He licked his lips. “So,
Sinnn
… did you enjoy the show in the sauna?”
My eyes widened in shock.
“You could have joined us, you know,” he said with a wolfish grin.
I stood up, totally appalled. “That’s sick.”
“Sit down,” he demanded sharply.
Stunned by the acid in his tone, I obeyed, like a small child.
“Now,” he said, his eyes pinning me to the chair. “You’re going to keep your mouth
shut
. If you say one word to anyone, you’ll regret it. I have connections everywhere and trust me – you
don’t
want to fuck with me. You got that, sweetheart?”
I opened my mouth, but couldn’t speak.
“You got that?” he growled. “I’m not fucking around here. Answer me!”
I nodded vehemently.
He relaxed, his entire demeanor changed, and I wondered if he was psychotic.
“Good,” he said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Because I can also make things very good for you, too. You’re a beautiful girl, and as you witnessed earlier, I enjoy beautiful girls.”
Bile rose in the back of my throat as his eyes raked over my body.
“You’re not from around here, so I’m sure you have no idea how powerful I am. But,” he smiled smugly. “I’m a fucking
king
in these parts, so, having me as a friend is to your benefit. You need a favor – anything, you come to Jack. A small loan, some financial advice, a little company…”
“Never,” I whispered, hoarsely.
His face darkened. “Well, I can see that you need some time to understand the gravity of this situation. While you do that,” he said, standing up, “I’m going to go and mix myself another drink. Would you like one?”
I shook my head.
“Fine,” he said, swaying slightly. “Your loss.”
As he walked back towards the house, I looked down at my hands and noticed they were trembling. I stood up and went inside to my room, not wanting to be around when the sociopath returned.
Reed
When I located Mimi, she was still with Pastor Richie.
“Hello, mother. Jack said you needed me for something?”
She looked confused. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Huh, well, okay. Sorry for the interruption,” I said, turning to leave.
“Wait, Reed,” she said, patting the cushion next to her on the sofa. “Come and introduce yourself to Pastor Richie.”
“We met outside,” said Pastor Richie, smiling.
I nodded. “Yes, we did. So, I hear you’re going to be renewing your vows tonight, mother.”
“Yes. At exactly ten o’clock tonight, under the moonlight,” she sighed dreamily. “The same exact time we were married in Vegas.”
“Does Jack know he’s getting married again?” I asked. As far as I was concerned, he was unaware that he was married now.
“I mentioned it to him, yes,” she said.
“Well, I’m very happy for the both of you,” I said. “I’m sorry I can’t stay, I’ve got some things to do. Please excuse me.”
“Of course,” said Mimi.
“It was nice meeting you, Pastor,” I said. “I’m sure we’ll have a chance to talk later.”
“Indeed,” said the Pastor.
I left them and went back outside to find Sinclair, who, unfortunately, was no longer sitting by the pool. As I turned to go back into the house and find her, Jack stepped back outside, his glass refilled.
“Do you know where Sinclair is?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Not sure. Maybe she’s already preparing for tonight’s party?”
I stared at him, wondering if he’d somehow scared her off. “So, getting your vows renewed this evening, huh, Jack?”
He smiled. “Yes, I guess we are.”
“Hopefully you’ll honor them a little better, this time around.”
His face darkened. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”
I smiled, coldly. “I think you know very well what it means.”
“You don’t know shit,” he said. “You just wait until
you’re
married and then we’ll talk.”
“I may not be married yet, but I know that when you are, you keep your dick in your pants around other women.”
He stared at me for a minute and then sighed. “Do you honestly think that I’m the only one who has strayed?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Mimi,” he answered. “She’s had her share of flings over the years.”
“Right.”
“Listen, you can believe what you want, but let me tell you something, your mother isn’t a saint, either.”
“As far as I’m concerned, anyone who has put up with your shit all of these years,
is
a saint.”
He took a sip of his drink but didn’t respond.
Sighing, I left him on the deck and went back into the house to search for Sinclair.
***
Sinclair
I was pacing in my room, wondering if I should stay or call a cab, when there was a soft tap on my door. I opened it.
Reed.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure,” I said, stepping aside.
“You okay?” he asked, turning to face me.
“I’m fine,” I said, wondering what I was going to say to him now that Jack had basically threatened my future. I wasn’t sure if he really had that much power, but I decided quickly that it wasn’t worth finding out.
He sat down at the edge of my bed and grinned up at me. “So, now that you have me alone, what can I do for you?”
“I, um…”
His icy blue eyes slid down my body, giving me goose bumps. “What did you want to tell me?” he asked, softly.
I sighed. “It was nothing. I was concerned about Jesse, but now he’s on his way back. Everything’s fine.”
“Oh, okay, that’s good news.”
“It is.”
He stood up and moved towards me. “Question for you…”
“What?” I asked, looking up into his eyes.
He raised his fingers to my lips and gently lifted away a strand of my hair. “Christ,” he whispered, staring at my mouth.
“What?” I asked, hardly able to breathe.
He was so close I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. His eyes darkened and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he sighed and took a step backwards. “Did Jack make any moves on you?”
I cleared my throat. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Because he does shit like that. In fact, he’s hit on almost every woman I’ve brought home.”
“That’s despicable,” I said. As far as I was concerned, Jack was a parasite.
He nodded. “Yes. So, if he does
anything
to make you uncomfortable, make sure that you tell me.”
“Okay.”
“I’m serious, especially tonight. Once he’s had a few, you’ll want to avoid him.”
“I will,” I said.
“I suppose I should get back to Sela. I’m glad to hear that Jesse is doing better now. That’s a relief.”
“Yeah, it is. He should be back in a couple of hours.”
“Okay,” said Reed, walking towards the door. “If you need anything before Jesse gets home, come and find me.”
“Thanks, Reed.”
He stared at me for a few seconds longer, then turned and walked out of the bedroom.