by H. M. Irwing
"Umm..umm I hate to interrupt but are you responsible for this."
Jake lifted away from my lips to turn and face Michael and dodged the blow to his face in time. Grabbing that arm he moved to twist it behind Michael's back but Michael recouped quicker and managed with a quick shuffling feet and a twisting motion to break free. Then he was shooting a high kick to Jake's side that marked clearly of martial art training. I was beyond fretting watching these two circle and strike at each other.
Looking at these teo meaning to draw blood from each other, I knew there was no option but to go for it, I leaped to their midst and closed my eyes tightly. Cowering against potential harm but both guys managed to rein themselves in time.
I peeked an eye open to find the two had come to still ogling unpleasantly at each other with me smack in their middle. I instantly thought down boys. But managed in time to refrain from saying that.
"Michael Le Bronc, this is my boyfriend, Jake Neel," I performed a quick introduction trying to divert pending doom. I watched with hidden apprehension as his dark gaze fell away from Jake to drill into mine searchingly. Then Michael was backing away and without another word he turned to strut back to his car. Throwing it into drive he took off down the road without another word to either me or Jake. I wasn't sure how to react but with Jake's arm wrapped about my waist and I didn't care anymore.
"Let's get some dinner. I'm starving," I said beaming up at him.
"I missed you babe. I missed you all day."
"I missed you too," I murmured before sealing his lips with my own. His kisses were as always pure magic. I felt myself succumb under their drugging influence. My hands lazily roamed where they would even as I tilted my head giving him greater access.
Smack!
I wrenched my lips free to stare in shock into his tight face.
Smack!
The sting made my eyes water. I opened my mouth to object but his lips moved in swiftly to cover mine in a direct onslaught to my senses. I forgot his hand hitting my arse...until he did it again.
Smack!
"Would you stop that!" I demanded hotly.
"I can't help it. Every time I think of you and that guy I just want to throttle you," Jake replied with gumption. "I leave you for a day...a day...and what do I find? You have another Richard-wanna-be licking at your heels."
I gasped in outrage. I so did not want to deal with this. On top of the day I just had, a jealous Jake was not how I wanted to end it. I turned to leave heading straight for the revolving doors that would take me in but Jake was close behind crowding me in. I turned back to look over my shoulder at him and noted his expression was still dark. There goes my dinner plans. I'll order in pizza.
I opened the door to my room but only made it two steps inside before Jake hauled me off my feet and over his shoulders.
"Jake!" I shrieked.
Then I was deposited unceremoniously onto my tiny bed and Jake was coming down on me. His lips on his mine even as his body slammed into me. I wrapped my limbs about him and clung on for dear life. He put all his tension and frustration into that kiss and by the time he cooled off enough to let me breath I was too bruised and battered to care. I only wanted more.
"Jake?" I breathed out achingly.
"No baby. Until you learn to grow up and stop flirting with every dick that passes your way.."
I didn’t let him finish that sentence. My hands raised and aimed for his cheek to ring across in a stinging slap.
"I do not flirt. You're the flirt. You flirt with everyone..anyone. You..you..." I was trembling in anger ...anger that only intensified at the grin I saw widening across his lips.
My hand lifted again of its own accord but this time he caught it and held mine in a tight grip.
"Let me go!" I wriggled trying to get free but he only twisted my hand up above my head and dropped a sweet deflating kiss on my forehead. I felt my anger release out with my next breath. I didn't know how he did it wind me up at his slightest provocation and then turned it all off with just the mere brush of his lips. I was sheer exhausted. Jake was exhausting.
"You tire me," I said feebly.
"I know babe. I just hadn't seen you so jealous before...It was so...cute."
I all but snarled at him over that.
I was not...I repeat not...cute.
"You need food. I will order in. Pizza?" He asked before reaching across for my purse tossed on to the floor and delving inside for my phone.
He put the call through as I shoved him off to go get changed. I looked into my closet searching for a sexy negligee that even I knew didn't exist. Not in my closet space anyway. Heaving a sigh of defeat. I hauled out my PJs and moved back into the room to where Jake stood talking into my phone. Placing my hands palm first on his chest. I spun him around to face the door and after a quick check around looking for possible mirrors or reflective surfaces. I unhooked my dress and let it drop to the floor before I stepped into my PJ bottom and dragged it up over my hips.
"You don't need to cover up," he whispered huskily. I looked up then to catch him viewing me openly. I sighed but continued to pull on my top. Jake was nothing if not incorrigible.
We settled down on the floor with our pizza box between us to chow down on some much needed sustenance. We ate quietly taking gulps of carbonated drink between bites. This was what I loved most about being with Jake. He knew me so well I had no need to pretend to be anyone other than myself.
"I'm staying the night," he said between bites.
"Good," I said munching hard.
"I'm thinking I'll come by as often as I can," he said before taking another mouthful." It’s the only way to make sure you stayed mine," he said mournfully.
I rolled my eyes at his exaggeration. Drama Jake was still a little new to me.
"So you're going back to work tomorrow?" Jake asked distastefully.
"Nope. Tomorrow I have classes to attend...and Wogwarts. I need to collect my car. Michael-".
"Who the fuck is Michael?"
I ignored the outburst and continued, "Michael said they might not release my car on the count of its not being road worthy," I said looking for sympathy. I should have known better.
"Thank god! Now you can get a decent car. I'll get you one for your birthday. An early present."
Exchanging birthday presents wasn't anything new between us. In fact I still recalled the first present I had ever given him...a purse. It had been my favourite and all I had to give.
"Do you recall the time I gave you the purse for your birthday present?" I asked him.
"Oh yeah I do," he said with a shudder.
"What happened to it?"
"I'm sure it’s still in my closet somewhere. You know what a hoarder I am," he said taking a gulp of his drink.
"Yeah...your place is a mess," I muttered sarcastically.
"But you could clean it for me honey," he gave me a come hither smile that had me reeling back.
"No fucking way."
"Don't curse. It doesn't become you."
I pouted unhappily then.
But we were done with dinner so I piled up the boxes and sent Jake to cart it downstairs and toss it straight into the bin.
I hurried about getting my gear ready for the next day. Then I leaped into bed and just as the door opened I snapped off the light.
His chuckle rumbled sinisterly in the dark. I pulled my blanket over my head and burrowed my face into my pillow. The bed creaked and then he was upon me. Tugging the bedding off, he launched into an assault of the tickling kind.
I giggled and laughed trying to duck from his skilful fingers but he was a master. Pausing to pull off his shirt then discard his pants he got into bed beside me. I moved instantly to snuggle in his arms.
"I love you Jake."
"I know."
Whack!
"Ouch! What was that for?" Jake asked.
"For being an ass," I said then kissed him.
Chapter 10
"Are you sure?" I as
ked the fat man behind the counter.
"Yeah some dude already bailed your car out of here."
"But who?" I asked wanting to know. I knew it wasn't Jake for he had dropped me off before taking off like a bat out of hell for his own campus and classes.
, I was here first thing in the morning, bright and early.
"No idea, miss. If you want to report it missing I suggest you file the report at the precinct."
I looked at him aghast. This just kept on getting worse. Nothing left to do I caught the bus back to campus and grabbed my books for my first class that day.
The lecturer was ancient ... as old as the subject he was dictating. I listened with half an ear letting my hand fly across the sheet penning down word for word what was said. Looking to the left and right of me I was the only one there without a laptop, tablet or electronic gadget of some kind.
I kept my head bowed over my note taking not wanting to draw on the attention of the lecture. Mr Botts often demanded the most long winded explanations to the simplest case examples. I was not in the state of mind to be quoting cases freely.
Thankfully the hour passed quickly. Spending time with Jake was starting to take a toll on me. Sleepless nights and Blakeney University didn't quite go well together.
I heard my phone buzz as I exited the lecture hall. A quick glance told me Mark was free and waiting in the cafeteria. I hasten my steps towards that direction. I was always hungry so I welcomed any opportunity to get close to food.
"Lucy!"
I turned back to see who it was that shouted out my name.
"Barry?"
I gasped when he came over to give me a hug. Red faced I realised just how awkward he must have felt yesterday when I had done the same to him. Were we now officially hugging buddies?
"Your car is in the lot outside your hostel room," he said grinning down at me.
I yelped with joy and threw my arms about his shoulders to return the hug forgetting all awkwardness I had been feeling about hugging only a second earlier.
"Now that's more like it. I was thinking I must have imagined the spontaneous women who threw herself at me yesterday."
I smacked his shoulder at that. If he wanted spontaneous I could give that to him.
"So are you done with your lectures for the day? I still have two more I volunteered myself into," he said with a playful grimaced.
I laughed and said," I have one more this afternoon and then tons of studies to do in between."
"Ah the joys of being a student again," Barry dropped me a slow teasing wink before turning to leave but then he paused, his expression arrested on a point in the distance. I turned to look and saw Emily running from the car park towards us at full speed. Without a pause she leaped into my arms sending us both to the ground.
"What the hell, Emily Little!" I shrieked out at her from my prone position on the ground but she was busy raining kisses over my face like a happy Stacy.
I shoved her off. "Explain!" I demanded even as I accepted Barry's outstretched hand shaking with unconcealed laughter to hoist myself up.
"Cat is coming home. The fucking asshole released her," Emily exclaimed and I shrieked with joy and threw myself down on her. Then we lay side by side with a wide spread matching pair of happy grins on our faces.
"You girls happy down there or do you need a hand to get to your feet?" Barry asked grinning down at us like a loony but I was sure we appeared the same to him if not more so.
"How did it happen?" I asked Emily, as we both accepted Barry's hands and got to our feet. Brushing down the grass stains off my arse I looked at Emily for an explanation.
"She divorced Sadiq," Emily stated dramatically.
"She married him?" I exclaimed in shock.
"It was all arranged as soon as she got there. There was a ceremony and they asked her a question and she said yes. Just like that she was married," Emily said. I could tell this news was still new to her for her eyes were still dilated in shock.
I was sure mine was the same.
"Then what happened?" I queried, eager to know.
"Then Sadiq's father stepped in and reminded Sadiq of his betrothal commitment to a Saudi Princess. But Sadiq refused to back down saying that the Princess could be his second wife. But it seemed the contract clearly stated she would be his first wife. Anyway, Cat saw a way out and managed to secure a private meeting with the King to trash out the particulars and then as a gift to the new Princess on her arrival for what would have been her wedding to Sadiq, the Sultan arranged a maulana to announce the divorce. It pays to be related to a King," Emily paused after that long rambling speech. And I took the moment with gratitude, to process what she said.
"So he let her go just like that," I asked dumbfounded. Sadiq didn't look like the type to just let the matter rest. I was sure he wouldn't have taken it sitting down. Barry stared down at us amused and no doubt clueless as to what monumental event had transpired. I was sure Emily’s explanation left more gaping holes then it filled them, where Barry was concerned.
"I have to head off but I'll see you girls around," Barry smirked as he made a swift retreat away from the Loony Littles. I waved him off not caring if I came across as crazy. I was just so glad Cat was coming home.
"So when is she getting back?" I asked Emily as we walked towards the cafeteria linked arm in arm. It felt good to have her back as her usual joyful self.
"Cat, mum and dad will be back tonight. They got the first connecting flight out, with the Sultan's help of course," Emily grinned up at me.
I smiled back. "It’s strange that the Sultan was willing to let Cat go. After all, she is carrying his unborn grandchild," I voiced out musingly.
"Erm...that is because she never said anything about an unborn child," Emily mumbled out.
"Sorry? I didn't get that," I looked at her confused.
"Cat gambled on the fact that Sadiq wouldn't have told his dad that he knocked her up and didn't say so herself," Emily finished off mildly.
"You mean the King doesn't know...and he helped her break off the marriage...fucking hell," I gulped down the sudden dryness in my throat. We have only ever experienced having Sadiq at our backs I couldn't imagine having his dad join his cause would be any better.
"So what is the game plan," I asked urgently. There had to be one hadn't there.
"Cat suggested we move. Mum has already called the property realtor to put the house on sale. We will move. That is why I rushed over to see you. You need to stop by the house tonight to pack up. I am already moving my stuff out. I 'm moving in with the Slaters," Emily stated dramatically then untangled her arm from my tightened grip to dash off towards Mark who rose to meet her.
I watched as they exchanged an overlong kiss. They looked good together, I grudgingly acknowledged.
"Hi Mark," I said peaceably, taking my seat at the table. There was a stack of pastries that Mark had thoughtfully purchased for us. I dug in without an invite.
"Lucy, you've heard?" Mark looked hesitatingly at Emily who gave him a brief nod.
"Yes, I have," I said deciding to put him out of his misery. "I'm happy for you guys."
"Thank you, sis," Emily wrapped her arm around me to tug me into a sidelong hug.
I hugged her back smiling but it was an unsettled smile. While I was now okay with Emily and Mark as a couple, I was not okay about having to move houses. Cat still wanted to study medicine, didn't she? They would still be able to track her that way. She would be on the admittance list of the university she enrolled with. There was just so many ways all this could go wrong. So many endless ways.
I sunk myself in gloom ignoring the love birds that fluttered beside me.
It was sometime later before I roused myself to make an all-important phone call. A call I later regretted making at all.
"You could have said something sooner!"
"I would have if I had known earlier!"
"Well if Emily, who I remind you, is under aged, gets to move in with the love of
her life. Then you should rightfully move in with me!"
"Emily is moving in with Mark's sister. At least that's the tale she will be spinning out to mum and dad when they get back. She has to live within the suburb in order to finish her schooling there. She is seventeen now. This coming year is her last at school. I think dad might just let her do it," I sighed mournfully.
"I care peanuts about where Emily is going to live," Jake barked across the phone line. This I know was untrue. Jake cared a lot about both Cat and Em. "What I want to know is can you move in with me?"
"With you? You mean with the Neels. The Neels who want you married off into the Reeves family?" I blurted out nastily.
The silence was deafening.
Then the continued silence was even more so..
Yep still silent...
"Jake..??"
"_____."
"Are you still there?"
"_____."
"Honey?"
"______."
"Babe?"
"______."
"Talk to me damnit!"
"______."
"I'm hanging up the phone," I glared warningly into the phone.
"We'll talk tonight."
Click.
He hung up on me.
I went back to my classes and did my best to tune in to my lessons. The heap of coursework that I had gathered in this one day would tide me over the week only it was due on the day after. So I spent the couple of hours before I headed back on the long drive home to cram as much work as I could in the silent library. Then having skipped dinner I packed an overnight bag and drove my clunkertorous but well-loved Wogwarts into the nearest McDonald's. Grabbing a meal off the drive-through I slipped into a car park to munch on the junk food.
Partway through the meal I recalled my resolution to jog out the excess calories. Sure I frequented the gym now and then but that wasn’t good enough. Not when I can actually do something useful like actually jog. That ambition to jog had been born from my hike through the long waving grasslands belong to Richard Reeves. But the impromptu hike was courtesy of one devious Egyptian prince, Sadiq.
Sadiq! I wasted the next good hour fuming over that sorry piece of fine ass. I could reluctantly and very grudgingly admit that he was a particularly fine looking specimen of the opposite gender. It explained why Cat had been so careless with him. Like always, just thinking about him and the situation that Cat was in, just made my blood boil.