Intrigued: The Dark Christmases

by Arkadie, Z. L.

  The man nodded and walked through the door. I presumed the kitchen was behind it. Shortly after, four men wearing similar suits and carrying platters of food entered the dining room and served our dinner.

  I was so nervous, mostly about social decorum. The food smelled as though I were in for the culinary experience of my life. My eyes followed each plate as it was placed carefully on the table.

  “So you’re Bryn’s friend?” Spencer asked.

  I snapped my attention to him. “Um, what?”

  “I told you she was, Spencer,” Bryn snapped. “Why are you asking?”

  I was so thankful she’d answered for me. Spencer was watching me like he had Asher’s girlfriend’s tits earlier.

  “You’re hot,” he said. He was still looking at me, so I assumed he was talking to me.

  “Damn it, Spencer, not tonight,” Bryn said. “She’s not going to fuck you, so back off.”

  I wiggled my finger. “She’s right. No fucking here, especially with a man who has your reputation.”

  That comment made his whole face light up. Spencer slumped in his chair as he steepled his hands and placed them under his chin. “What do you know about my reputation?”

  I smiled wickedly. “You like making merry Christmas with the ladies.”

  His smirk matched mine. “Then you know raven-haired beauties are my favorite presents to unwrap.”

  “Like Tabitha Hunter, Cynthia Corsette, and Mia Baxter.” Mia Baxter was thrown in as a test. By the look on his face, he got it.

  Spencer sat up again. “My sister says you’re a reporter.”

  I nodded firmly. “I am.”

  His smile vanished. “Are you one of those who’s written untrue shit about me?”

  “I never write anything that I don’t know for sure, but no, Spencer, I never had the honor of investigating you.”

  “Maybe we can sit down and have a conversation, then,” he said, undressing me with his eyes.

  “Aren’t we doing that now?”

  “Asher, I’m bored,” his girlfriend whined loudly. “You said if I came with you, I wouldn’t be bored.”

  “Darling, I’m pretty sure Ash is coming alone,” Spencer said before erupting with laughter.

  Asher gave him the middle finger.

  “What’s funny?” Jasper asked as all his divineness strolled into the room.

  “Why are you late?” Bryn snapped.

  “I had business to tend to.” Our eyes locked as he sat across from me, making my heart beat like crazy.

  The doors opened, and a man in a chef’s coat and hat came out, giving me a reason to look away from Jasper’s sexy face. The chef announced that in the spirit of the season, we were having sweet potato and turnip soup followed by encrusted, pan-seared tuna drizzled with Riesling cream sauce, wild mushroom risotto, and roasted Brussels sprouts with avocado.

  Jasper thanked the chef then clapped his hands once to call the attention of everyone at the table. “As I asked, what was our guest saying that was so humorous?”

  “She thinks I’m a playboy,” Spencer said.

  Asher’s girlfriend rolled her eyes. “Not that again.”

  “Gina, from wherever the hell you come from, shut up,” Bryn said.

  Gina looked at Bryn as if Bryn had just slapped her across the face.

  “Apologize to her,” Asher shouted, pointing his finger at Bryn as though he wanted to stab her in an eye.

  “No,” Bryn said calmly as she swallowed a spoonful of soup.

  I made the mistake of taking my first taste of soup as well. My entire mouth ignited with the most delicious and robust flavors. I took my next taste and the next until Asher and Bryn’s bickering sounded like Chihuahuas yapping at each other in the background.

  “Just be respectful to my girlfriend,” Asher said.

  Spencer let out a loud laugh, obviously mocking him.

  Gina watched Spencer with watery eyes. She definitely seemed too hurt by a man she wasn’t involved with. Then I saw their gazes meet for a microsecond.

  Jasper cleared his throat, and like everyone else, I looked at him. “This was supposed to be a private dinner with family, but since you invited guests, please do a better job of behaving yourselves.”

  Spencer and Asher looked at each other with wide eyes.

  Bryn raised her hand and waved it. “I want to let you all know that I’ve hired Holly to do some initial fact-finding and information gathering for our family’s official biography.”

  “What biography?” Jasper snapped.

  “And before you get your underwear in a bunch, Randolph has not only approved the book, he signed the contract. He owes that to me, to us. Don’t you think, Ace?” Bryn watched him with her eyes narrowed to slits.

  Not only did my mouth fall open, but so did Jasper’s. I’d only spent a small amount of time with him, but he struck me as the kind of guy who was hardly ever rendered speechless.

  When we were in college, I would sometimes notice Bryn showcase an ability to take charge in a way similar to how Patton must’ve rallied the troops. That was what was happening now.

  Finally, Jasper coughed into his closed fist. “Father’s not in any condition to sign a contract, and you know that.”

  “Oh, he’s in the condition to sign a contract, believe me.” Her tone indicated a hidden meaning. Then Bryn manufactured a smile. “Plus, you’ve been traipsing around Asia for the last two months. So I know more about his condition than you.”

  I waited for Jasper to go ballistic, but instead, he stared at Bryn with a dubious expression.

  “My secretary has sent a copy to each of your lawyers,” Bryn said.

  “You’re up to something,” Asher said.

  Bryn sat up straight. From my recollection, when she did that in response to an allegation, she was up to something. Whenever I used to accuse her of cheating on a test or paying someone to finish her papers, she would stand up straight, square her shoulders, and simply lie.

  “I hired Holly,” she said.

  “No,” Jasper said.

  “Yes,” Bryn replied. “And she’s just as surprised as all of you. When she showed up, she had no idea I wanted to hire her to figure out the details that will make our family a little more interesting than the norm without landing you all in jail or something.”

  Spencer sneered. “So is she supposed to interview us?” He was watching me as if he were a lion and I were the gazelle.

  “Yes,” Bryn replied.

  “Humph.” He sounded intrigued by the possibility. “Then how about tonight, your room?”

  I looked down at my soup and away from his lascivious gaze.

  Jasper’s voice boomed. “There will be no tonight with Miss Henderson. There will be no goddamn interviews or biography.”

  Bryn opened her mouth to speak. “I—”

  “Enough, Bryn. Not here. Not in front of the guests. I’ll deal with you tomorrow. Let’s eat, and that’s it.”

  I so desperately wanted to stand up for Bryn, but at the same time, I wanted to shake her for putting me in such a position. How dare she make such an announcement at the dinner table?

  “She doesn’t look like someone who can write a biography to me anyway,” Gina said snidely.

  “And you don’t look like someone who would choose to fuck my brothers without an agenda,” Bryn said.

  “Give it a break, Bryn,” Asher said.

  Either Spencer and Asher hadn’t realized that Bryn had said “brothers,” or they’d purposely ignored it.

  “Here’s what I want to know,” Spencer said. “I see our local scribe isn’t wearing a ring.”

  “She’s single,” Asher said.

  Gina pouted at the fact that he said that.

  “How do you know?” Spencer asked.

  Asher glared at me as if he wanted to wring my neck or something. “I’m a fan.” He sounded as though he were the opposite of my fan.

  Gina started rubbing his back, making it known to those pre
sent that he belonged to her.

  “I’m also a fan, Asher,” Jasper said. I didn’t believe him either. “Her takedown record is commendable. She likes baking big fucking fish.”

  There was so much going on, I didn’t know who to set my focus on.

  “The Howsleys haven’t recovered yet,” Jasper said.

  “You wrote that?” Spencer asked.

  I almost didn’t want to admit it. Jasper was right. I had taken their asses all the way down to hell, the place where they deserved to live and burn.

  Spencer adjusted in his seat as though he were thrusting his hips under the table. “Shit, I just got a hard-on.”

  “You have to admit, Jasper, they deserved it,” Bryn said. “We’re nothing like them, right?”

  Jasper shifted his eyes ever so slightly but definitely pointedly. He was hiding something.

  I could feel Bryn watching me. She knew me well. She knew I’d seen exactly what she wanted me to notice.

  Chapter Five

  The rest of dinner was odd. Jasper was definitely the brother in charge of everyone else. He questioned each of his brothers extensively about their plans for the future. The way Asher and Spencer answered was strange, almost as if they were engaged in a job interview. Surprisingly, Spencer had the most going on. He was embarking on a new endeavor to buy up six companies. It didn’t take long for me to realize they were performing for the journalist in the room, feeding me the sort of information they wanted people to know. Regardless, I listened closely and took mental notes of what was being said.

  However, things got strange when it was Bryn’s turn.

  “And how has Father been doing these past few months?” Jasper asked.

  Her skin turned patchy red as she slumped a little in her seat. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not my father’s keeper.”

  “No, you’re not. We pay people to keep him, but you live in his house. I assume you check in on him.” His tone was condescending.

  “Yes. I check in on him,” Bryn hissed.

  I frowned, wondering why she had such hostility. It had always been clear that the patriarch of their family had been a serious no-show in Bryn’s life. At times, I’d envied her. Every time my dad got his ass in a jam, he called me. Unfortunately, it had taken until the previous year for me not to answer. If he’d called me from prison, I wouldn’t know. I had changed my phone number and my address. It would take some time for him to find me. I hoped he never would.

  “Move on, Jasper,” Spencer said, glaring at the nearly empty plate sitting in front of him.

  I carefully took another bite of fish. It was almost embarrassing that he had more dinner on the plate than I did. The encrusted pan-seared tuna drizzled with Riesling cream sauce made me want to start from the beginning and eat it over and over again. The main course was that good.

  Jasper glanced at me. He seemed nervous. If he was wondering whether I had noticed the dysfunction behind the Christmases’ curtain, the answer was yes. So he quickly changed the subject and asked Asher to explain in more detail the distribution agreements he had brokered to disseminate a line of cleaning products his company had developed. I noticed when Asher spoke about his work, his entire face lit up. He loved using words like “sodium hypochlorite” and “ammonium hydroxide” and touting that the entire product line lacked both without lacking effectiveness.

  “Then they’re organic, sort of,” I said, lending to the conversation.

  “I’m bored,” Gina whined.

  It dawned on me that every time I spoke, she was bored.

  “I agree,” Spencer said. “Holly, you really mean to tell us that you have no boyfriend or husband?”

  My mouth hung open right in front of the bite of food I was about to put into it. “Huh?” I set my fork back on my plate with the tuna and cream still on it.

  “I say we respect the lady’s privacy,” Jasper chimed in.

  “We’re all adults. You’re beautiful, Holly. Can I ask you a personal question?” Spencer asked despite what Jasper wanted, which was odd because I sussed that Jasper could play them all like puppets if he chose to.

  I hesitated. My first inclination was to say no. But then I remembered I would probably have to interview him soon. I had a better chance at getting him to open up and be emotionally honest with me if I did the same.

  “Sure,” I said, hearing my voice veer off in a high-pitched tone.

  “When was the last time you were fucked?” Spencer asked.

  My mouth dropped open. I had not been expecting him to ask me that.

  He held up a finger. “Not only fucked but fucked hard and fucked good.”

  Suddenly, Gina jumped to her feet and ran out of the dining room. Asher threw his cloth napkin on top of the mouthwatering meal he had hardly touched and chased after her.

  Bryn shook her head at Spencer. “Why can’t you behave like an adult?”

  Spencer shrugged nonchalantly. “Adult? I’d say fucking is pretty adult.”

  I took a deep breath. It was imperative that I pull it together and not let Spencer’s vulgarity knock me off my game. “Any man-child can fuck. But I would think adults know how to engage in the many variations of making love.”

  Spencer stared at me for a long moment, lust burning in his eyes. Then he blew a long breath and fell back in his seat. “My crotch is still tight.”

  Jasper pounded the table with his fist. “Spencer, knock it the fuck off.”

  Spencer rolled his eyes, but I could tell he wouldn’t dare defy his older brother.

  Jasper announced that dinner had officially ended and that the servants would bring dessert and a late drink to everyone’s room. He also told Spencer and Bryn that he would see them for breakfast in the morning. “Miss Henderson, I’ll have your breakfast served to you in bed,” he concluded.

  I didn’t know whether I should agree to that or not, but when I looked at Bryn, she nodded.

  When we all stood to leave, Jasper walked quickly over to me with an extended hand. “It was enjoyable having you join us for dinner tonight.” Then he put his lips near my ear. “Lock your door,” he whispered.

  His warm breath sent tickling sensations through my clitoris as if his tongue were actually doing the stimulating. My blink got stuck for a moment as I swerved backward. I didn’t know what the hell was happening to me. When I regained focus, Jasper was walking away with Spencer by his side.

  All I could do was stare at their backs. Then, before they turned the corner, Spencer twisted his head around and winked at me.

  “Do not fuck him,” Bryn said.

  I jumped slightly, unaware she was still standing there. “Don’t worry.”

  “Not Spencer. Jasper.”

  She and I looked at each other.

  “He’ll break you into a million pieces.”

  I frowned. “I thought you said he might be gay.”

  “He’s not.”

  I grunted as I rolled my eyes. “If you want me to work for you, Bryn, then that lying shit you always do, you’re going to have to put it on hold.”

  “I’m not lying now. Don’t screw around with Jasper.” She put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ve always considered you a true friend, Holly. That’s why I’m warning you. Stay away from him.”

  I didn’t know what to say. Could I stay away from Jasper Christmas? Perhaps. I would try.

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  Bryn rubbed my back. She seemed to be satisfied with what I hoped deep down would turn into a lie.

  * * *

  When I made it back to my room, my legs were still weak from remembering Jasper whispering in my ear. It wasn’t as if I were a horny, immature woman. Sure, I was only twenty-nine, but I had always lived as if I had been born ten years earlier. Usually, a man had to be more than hot to stimulate my lusts. He also had to be something other than rude, arrogant, controlling, and, according to his sister, dangerous in more ways than one.

  I locked the door before stripping off my dress, washin
g off my makeup, and putting on my nightshirt. Soon, there was a knock on my door, and a female’s voice announced dessert. I rushed over to let her in, thinking that if dessert was as good as dinner, then I was certainly in for the experience of a lifetime.

  A woman wearing a chef’s jacket brought in a dessert tray and had two men set up a table between the two high-backed chairs. They capped off their service by setting a beautiful gold wine bucket in the center of the table. It held an open bottle of Chablis. My instructions were to ring the kitchen once I was done.

  Despite Bryn’s odd brothers, I was loving every moment of being a guest in their mansion. I fired up my laptop, connected to my hotspot, and searched the news databases to which I had access. I found as many articles as I could about the Christmases. As I read, I took my time devouring the treats, which included mini chocolate cake with a different filling in each of its seven layers, tarts, and lightly whipped cream cheese pies.

  Time flew by. When I gave in to the fact that there was hardly any negative information on the Christmases to discover, only a little more than half a bottle of wine was left, but not a bite of dessert remained on any of the tiers. Of course I found it odd and untrue that there was no negative information on the family. Jasper’s sexy face came to mind. I had no doubt he was the one who’d made sure there was no damaging information on the Christmases to consume.

  I sighed as I closed my laptop. Yes, Bryn was very smart to hire me. I would be able to get to the core of all the Christmases’ secrets. She was also right to warn me about her brother. Anyone who could keep his family’s reputation as polished as it was had a reach so far and wide that not even God could touch him. I cracked a tiny smirk. Those were just the sorts of people I enjoyed bringing to their knees.

  I yawned. The two full glasses of wine had made me dizzy and sleepy. I called for the servants to pick up the dessert trays, which they did in record time. Then I went directly to bed. And I did not forget to lock the door beforehand. All I needed was Spencer waking me up in the middle of the night with that hard-on he claimed I kept giving him throughout dinner.