Lucky Seven

by Elle M Thomas

  He continued to stroke her hair and gripped her hand again, stroking it gently with his fingers.

  “I knew the theory of it, but I had no experience of boys beyond Gerry, so this was completely outside of my knowledge. I agreed, under duress. There was no choice, it was a done deal. I knew I had to do it for Dan and Pippa. He told me if I told my grandparents he would stop me seeing them and my education would be gone.”

  “Bastard!” Jim spat the single word response vehemently.

  Looking up at him, she pulled herself up his body so she was eye to eye with him and as she stroked his face she kissed him gently on the lips, desperate to reassure Jim and make this somehow easier for him to hear.

  “I saw Gerry that night and told him. He did everything to talk me out of it. He even suggested running away together, but we had no money and nowhere to go. My dad really would have beat the shit out of me if we’d been found and brought back, plus, how could I leave Dan and Pippa to face it alone? So I did the only thing I thought I could.”

  “You met Liam.”

  She nodded.

  “But I didn’t want my first experience of sex to be with him, to be associated with Liam and my dad and all the crap, so I slept with Gerry first. He knew why and he was as scared as me, but neither of us knew what else to do.”

  “Fuck!” was Jim’s sole comment now.

  “Quite. Then I met Liam and he cleared my dad’s debt.”

  “But you refer to him as your boyfriend and if it was only once…” His voice trailed off and with the inference of his words out Jim knew what was coming.

  “No. A few weeks later my dad got into debt again and Liam didn’t want cash even if he had it, so that’s how it went for about a year, but my dad said he was my boyfriend. Maybe it made him feel better about it, I don’t know. I always used condoms if I could. I said my mother taught me that, but it was more her life that taught me to be safe. I never wanted to be like her, to end up like her, to end up in a loveless marriage where children were conceived and used as pawns in fucked-up games. We used condoms except for when Liam insisted, which he sometimes did and if I objected he was as handy as my dad was, or forced the issue anyway, so I just gave in. Eventually, I learned not to protest. But Gerry and I were always careful so when I found myself sixteen and pregnant, I knew it was Liam’s and I knew what that meant. It meant I was my mother in waiting.”

  “You got pregnant?” he whispered, clueless what to say to make things easier.

  She nodded and in spite of her own reluctance to let them, the tears began to flow.

  “Oh, Tasha, baby, please don’t cry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you, forgive me, please.”

  She curled around him and he brushed her tears away. “No, it’s fine. Maybe it’s better you know and hear it from me. I couldn’t have a baby, not his baby. Gerry used his inheritance from when his grandma died to pay for an abortion. He took me there and he stayed with me and brought me home. I’ve never told anyone else, nobody, just Gerry and he promised to get me out of there. He was at art college and was brilliant, and someone there had a friend in the art world who got Gerry a show at a gallery. The show caused a bit of a storm and basically he made enough money from it to quit school, become a full time artist and buy the studio. He was as good as his word and as soon as he got the keys he came for me and took me away. He saved me from that life and until I could do it myself, he subsidised my parents. It was at a show of Gerry’s where I was first approached by Angie who asked if I would like to join a soap opera her friend was involved in, which led to a pantomime where I sang and then I got some offers of chorus lines in musicals and stuff. My friend from school who is also my flat mate, Lucy, got me some modelling work and I’ve never looked back, career wise at least, but I couldn’t turn my back on Dan and Pippa completely, which is why I am still bailing him out. That was the deal.”

  “Jeez, Tasha that is seriously fucked-up and you need to cut him loose. Did your mom know?” he asked, still reeling.

  “She had to, and she certainly does now, but she is very good at playing dumb,” she replied sadly. “That’s the hardest bit. She could have saved me, saved us all, and she did nothing, still won’t, but it’s in the past and there is no point in dwelling on it. I can’t cut him loose until Dan and Pippa are out of there and Dan won’t leave Pippa alone and my dad won’t let Pippa go until he has to. I’ve begged him to let her live with me, but he won’t. So, can you see why Gerry is my friend? Why I would never want to lose him, even after what he and Kara did?”

  “I can understand you’re indebted to him, maybe we both should be. And after Gerry?” he asked, regaining his earlier intention to find out everything.

  “I had a number of dates and brief acquaintances, but Jake was the next proper boyfriend I had.”

  “The could have been more?”

  “Yes. He’s a photographer I met when I was doing a modelling shoot. We never lived together. We were exclusive and I really thought he could be the real deal, but he had a crazy ex and I wasn’t really over Gerry so after about a year we separated, amicably, and we’ve remained friends. You know, the odd text, birthday card, and occasionally our paths cross for work and we meet up for a drink or dinner from time to time.”

  Jim lay back running a hand through his hair. “I could never have imagined you had lived that life when I first met you.” He sounded sad, upset, angry, but she wasn’t sure what he felt.

  “Are you disappointed in me?” she asked nervously. “That I allowed myself to become that.”

  “No, no, no. Of course not, baby. You were a child, a damaged child with too much worry and heartache and you did what you had to do to survive. I don’t feel disappointed in you. I feel sad it happened. I admire your ability to survive and I feel angry as fuck with your parents and that pervert, Liam, but most of all I feel glad you’re here, with me, safe. But we need to deal with this once and for all.”

  “We? No. I need to do this,” she protested.

  “No. You have tried and failed, honey, but this will end, one way or another.”

  “But—”

  “No, Natasha, no buts, WE will sort this,” he said sharply then immediately softened. “What do you want to do this afternoon?”

  “I thought we were having lunch with the oldies.” She laughed at her own use of Philip’s term.

  He gently smacked her denim clad bottom. “Most inappropriate, Miss Winters. They are my parents. I meant after lunch. We could buy you something for later, something appropriate for you to go out without me.”

  “No need. I have a little dress with me. It’s totally appropriate for clubbing.”

  “Ah, now that could be a problem because your idea of appropriate and mine differ greatly, honey. How little is this dress?”

  “Little, she admitted. “I doubt you’ll approve, but it is appropriate for purpose. I don’t want you to dress me. I prefer it when you undress me, James.”

  With his usual lightning speed, he had her sprawled flat out and was heavy on top of her, one leg wedged between hers.

  “Oh, baby, you are naughty. I like you naughty, but you were foolish enough to wear jeans, so you’ll have to wait until later for me to undress you and get my hands on your naughty ass.” He teased her as he began to grind his leg against her thighs and beyond.

  She pulled his head down towards her and kissed him with every ounce of emotion she still felt from her revelations.

  “Then let’s go home after lunch,” she said breathlessly.

  “Home? I like it when you call my house home, it means you are beginning to see things my way again.”

  His hand found her bra covered breasts under her t-shirt. She moaned loudly and arched her neck as he began to caress the fleshy tissue before finding her nipples pulled tightly. He rolled them roughly while leaning into her ear where in a hushed voice he sang, “I think I wanna marry you.”

  His reference to her music incident in the car made her laugh a raspy, thro
aty laugh at him as he continued to sing as he got to his feet and pulled her to hers in front of him.

  “That is a very sexy sound, Tasha, you laughing. You should never be sad, baby.”

  He looked as though he was going to say something else, but stopped and took her hand to lead her back to the house.

  Chapter 19

  They were about to leave when Jack refocused on the accounts. “Will you come and look at the accounts then?”

  “Sure thing.” Jim turned to Tasha before following his dad, “I will be two minutes.”

  She nodded her head and smiled as he left her alone with Maisie.

  “He likes you, a lot. The last girlfriend of James’ I met was his sixth wife. You know about the wives?”

  Tasha nodded. “He told me about them, briefly and I like him too,” she said, wondering whether this was Maisie’s way of asking if she had plans to be number seven.

  “He’s a good boy, but nobody’s fool, and with the exception of Sara he has always had a pre-nup.”

  This was a warning, of the, if you’re after the cash sod off variety.

  “I’m not interested in James’ money, although he is the richest person I’ve ever met, but I have no interest in it. I have enough money of my own for my needs,” she said calmly, although that might not be the case for much longer she realised as she remembered her diminishing funds.

  “Good. Jack thinks you’re genuine, but I know the Maybury men have a dreadful blind weakness for pretty girls and you are very, very pretty.”

  “You called Jim James. Do you normally?” asked Tasha, hoping to avoid a conversation focused on her being young, pretty and the benefits of dating Jim.

  “Not really, but I prefer James to Jim. Unlike my son. You like to call him James, too?”

  “I too prefer James, but I sometimes do it to tease him.”

  “He was James until he was about five-years-old and then he saw a TV show and the hero was called Jim and he had a side kick called Bobby, so from then on he was Jim and Robert was Bobby, unless they were in trouble.” She laughed with fondness at the memory of her sons being young.

  “I can relate to that. I’m usually only Natasha with formal stuff or when someone’s cross. Or if James is teasing me.”

  “What do your family call you?”

  Tasha stared at Maisie and her obscure question. “They mainly call me Tasha, but my parents…” she could feel her voice faltering, but why? It was a simple question and she knew the answer. Maybe it was because of all of the revelations, but she could feel the tears ready to put in an appearance and now was neither the time nor the place. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath then continued, “Sometimes Tasha, but Natasha, they usually call me Natasha.”

  Maisie looked at her and stepped closer so she could rest a hand on each of her arms. “Is that because they’re normally mad at you?”

  Tasha felt as though she was about six-years-old and being gently chided for not doing her homework when the teacher knew it wasn’t her fault. Like she knew it was the fuck wit parents who were to blame, so wasn’t actually pushing the issue.

  She nodded her head, but said nothing, mainly because the tears couldn’t be trusted to stay at bay.

  “I thought so.” Maisie hugged her tightly. “You have a haunted look whenever you mention your parents that I’ve only seen in kids who have been abused or neglected. I know my boy is crazy and controlling, but he would never harm you like that, and don’t be put off by six ex-wives. With the exception of Sara he should never have married the others. He thinks it puts him in control, but you’re only truly in control if you are allowed to be in my opinion. He is so used to everyone following his instructions at work and expects his private life to be the same.”

  Tasha nodded and smiled, she kind of understood what Maisie was saying. She was surprised by the ex-wives comment, although Jim himself had been fairly dismissive of most of them.

  “You didn’t approve of the other wives then?”

  “I didn’t disapprove as such, but I didn’t believe they would make him happy long term. Have you met just Sara?”

  Tasha nodded.

  “She is the one you’ll see most of because of the kids and they seem to be proper friends, but you may cross paths with Amanda, if only when you try to get Jim at the office.”

  Amanda was number five, the clichéd secretary. Tasha was absolutely furious now. She’d spilled her guts to him, and this was her reward? To find out he saw number five on a daily basis and again she wondered how personal Amanda’s assistance was.

  “Are you okay?” asked Maisie with genuine concern.

  Tasha nodded, but said nothing.

  Jim and Jack returned before anymore was said. Jim immediately kissed his mother before taking Tasha’s hand in one of his while the other was lifting a pile of books.

  “I’ll bring the books back on Saturday when I bring Lizzie over, but they look good on the surface. Just think about transferring to a digital system though.”

  They were still hand in hand as they approached the car.

  “Shall I drive?” Tasha wondered whether she should give the car a bit of a ping as payback for his lies about Amanda, albeit those lies of omission he had such a problem with.

  “No. I’ll take the wheel, honey.”

  “Don’t you like my driving?” she asked, sounding offended, although she didn’t give a stuff how he felt about her driving or anything else at that moment in time.

  He laughed. “No, I just like to drive.”

  In control. What was it Maisie had said? He thinks it puts him in control, but you’re only truly in control if you are allowed to be. Maybe she had a point, meaning Tasha might need to choose her battles and time them accordingly.

  “Whatever you want,” she said with the sweetest smile she could muster.

  “You can be in charge of music.” He really did sound far too amused as he sang I think I wanna marry you.

  Dream on, she thought, still angry with him, but wasn’t quite ready to confront him, yet.

  “Are you sure you don’t need anything for tonight?”

  “No, nothing, thanks.”

  “What if I don’t approve of your dress?”

  Tough shit sounded in her head, but she actually said, “Then you’ll have a long and restless night thinking of me in it.”

  “Either that or I’ll have to come with you.” His words were almost a threat.

  “James, looking like you do you’ll be at greater risk of being touched than me in a gay club.” She laughed and actually meant it as she realised as mad as she was at him about Amanda, she still fancied him like mad, fancied the pants off him and knew she’d make no effort to fight off his advances once home. Although, she also acknowledged, if only to herself and fleetingly, her attraction to James Maybury ran far deeper than simple sexual attraction.

  “Oh Natasha, so eager, honey. Again, I have to point out jeans are a bad idea at any time when you’re with me.”

  Sandra was just leaving to go home when they pulled up while Philip appeared from his front door where he called to Tasha. “How were the oldies? What time for hair and make-up?”

  “They were lovely. What time do you think?” If she’d been getting herself ready for a night out Tasha knew an hour would be plenty, but she was clueless as to just how much work Philip thought she might need.

  “About half past seven and I’ll need your hair wet,” he barked across at her sounding like his father again.

  “See you then,” she called back as she followed Jim through the door then into his office where he put the accounts down.

  “Are you okay?” He stared at her on the opposite side of the desk. “Did my mom say something to upset you?”

  “Like what?” She was desperate for him to tell her about Amanda himself rather than having to confront him.

  “Like, I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”

  “No. She was lovely and very kind,” Tasha repl
ied, sensing the thickening atmosphere between them.

  She looked down at the desk in front of him where he had taken her a couple of nights before and gulped hard because as mad as she was with him now, she wanted it again. Tasha wanted, no, she needed Mr Control Freak to appear and to take charge and to do whatever he wanted with her. How pathetic was she? Or maybe it just allowed her to be free of choices and decisions when he was there doing it for them both. Her mouth was dry and in an attempt to find some moisture she licked her lips and swallowed hard. Still he just stared at her. She felt cornered like a wild animal, unsure whether to go with fight or flight.

  “Do you want a drink?”

  She shook her head as he walked past her and headed towards the kitchen leaving her to follow him but she was still unsure of what to do next. She knew she wanted him, but she was confused about Amanda. Why hadn’t he told her? What was their story? He had been so insistent about his need to know all about her, but was that just Mr Control Freak, and the rules weren’t reciprocal?

  He didn’t turn to face her as he poured some orange juice, but knew she was there. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

  She walked up to him, wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him tightly. He gripped her hands and pulled them apart so he could turn to face her. Cupping her face he bent down to kiss her. She could taste the orange juice on his lips, his tongue. She was like a woman possessed now, desperate to take everything he had to give her but it was more. She wanted to give him everything she had. Fervently, she grabbed at his jeans and plunged her hand beneath his waist band to release his already firm erection. She dropped to her knees and consumed him greedily. Her need to somehow express the depth of her feelings for him and at him was overwhelming. She cared about him, deeply. She really liked him as a man, a father and lover. She could think of nobody she wanted in her life more, and yet she was mad as hell at him for not telling her who and what Amanda had been and now she was as confused by her own behaviour as his.