Tangled Up In You (A Savioe Family Novel)

by Atkinson, Ginny

  “What’d he do?” I walked with her to the English pod.

  “He put this note in Roxy’s locker this morning. Then cornered me in the hall demanding to know what she was doing today.” She blew a strand of her hair out of her face. “I told him then that it was none of his damn business. That’s when he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into my locker so hard my head banged against it. So I told him to fuck off. That she was with you and he needed to sniff around some other naive girl to put him in the lead in that book. I might have well just told him I killed his dog and took a dump on his car hood. He turned a bright red, narrowed those freakishly big eyes of his at me and snarled asking how I knew about that. I told him that I had my ways. Like I’m really going to tell him that I have a copy of it. Anyway, he sneered at me saying I probably just fucked the info out of and I quote ‘That coon-ass bayou trash that quit the team last year.’ One I found that funny. I mean a mixed guy calling anyone a coon anything just reeks of hilarious stupidity. Two it pissed me off. I mean I read the thing and your brother’s name is only in there once with that girl who died in the car crash last year. So I told him that I had yet to have that pleasure and that he still was in serious need of getting to a proctologist quickly before he smothered to death from having his head up his ass. He then punched the locker right next to my head and told me that I had better tell Roxy to call him. Pssht. Like I’m really going to fucking do that. I swear I think he has a vendetta against your family for some reason and for one I don’t believe that bullshit about his sister. Why? Well I know the girl. After Christie bitched her out at the end of school last year, she moved to Atlanta to live with her father. Is it because your brother was a starter last year and he had to sit on the bench until Beau quit the team?”

  My head was reeling. Beau was in the book. What the hell? “Jess. Do you still have the note?”

  “No. It’s still in her locker. I don’t have her combination so I couldn’t get it out. Is your family really going over to her house for dinner tonight?”

  “Yeah, we are. Shit I need to get to class. Let any of us know if Bus gives you any more problems. I’m serious Jess. Any of us… even Charles. He might be skinny but he can hold his own in anything that’s thrown at him.” I rushed into class and took my seat just before the tardy bell rang.

  So Beau was in the book, Bus was sniffing around Roxy and Jess knows just about any little piece of gossip that runs through the school. How does Roxy keep up with her talking a mile a minute? Just that little bit of her bouncing around from topic to topic made my head hurt. I slipped my phone out under the table.

  Me: Bus is now harassing Jess over his infatuation with Rox. Beau man, we need to talk about that book.

  Beau: I’ll take care of him. Leave the book alone. It is a dead subject. DO NOT BRING IT UP AGAIN!

  All right then, like responding in shouty caps was really going to keep me from finding out what the hell is going on with that. I sighed and sent out a mass text to Charles and Marie letting them know that Bus was harassing Jess and to try to keep an eye on her. I slipped the phone back in my pocket before the teacher noticed it.

  *****

  The ride home was cramped in Beau’s truck. Charles and I were smashed into the back seat with Marie plastered in between us. Jess sat up front with Beau on his insistence on giving her a ride home so she could avoid riding the school bus like she did that morning.

  Marie leaned forward and nudged Jess. “Hey, just want to say sorry for shoving you in your locker last week. Thanks to the dumbass back here I got the wrong info.”

  Jess laughed. “Don’t worry about it. It got Roxy out of her shell and the two of them together. So it was worth it.”

  We pulled into her trailer park and she jumped out of the truck. “Thanks guys. Have fun at dinner. Hopefully her mom doesn’t try to cook again.” She laughed evilly as she ran inside her front door.

  “That does not sound too promising.” Marie groaned and shoved me out of the door. “Get out and give us room.”

  “Yeah, Roxy said that her mother cannot cook at all.” I shrugged and climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Roxy said this. Roxy said that. Dude, she’s got you whipped already. Is that what we have to look forward to from now on?” Charles laughed and dodged my fist when I tried to take a swing at him.

  “Hey! Not while I’m driving!” Beau shouted at us immediately killing the playful mood. “We need to do something about Bus before he ends up hurting one of those girls.”

  “Uh, what about me? What if he tries to go after me next?” Marie gasped in outrage.

  “He’d have to have a death wish. You’d rip him a new one before he would even get a chance to lay his hands on you.” Beau chuckled taking the turn down the old greenhouse road.

  Charles shoved her shoulder. “Yeah no man is dumb enough to try anything with you.”

  She frowned drawing her mouth in a pout. “Hey it could happen. What are you insinuating? That no man is going to want to have anything to do with me. That I’m not feminine enough to get someone’s attention?”

  “No. I just know that if you didn’t want that kind of attention you’d put a stop to it real quick.” He quickly tried to dig himself out of the ditch he placed himself.

  She snorted at him and rolled her eyes looking out the window trying to ignore him when we pulled into the driveway. I glanced in the side mirror and saw a brief glimpse of hurt shimmer in her eyes before it was replaced by her normal flinty expression. I wonder how much of her tough girl act was just that, an act she put on to keep from getting hurt by all of us boys.

  We all filed out of the truck and headed inside. The twins were already home from school and were running around the house screaming at each other. Mom was in the living room searching under the couch for something. I assumed it was one of their shoes. Charles ran up the steps followed by Marie to hurry up and get ready. I caught Remi by the arm in mid run.

  “Luke, let me go! He needs to pay for what he did.” Remi shouted after Dev.

  “What was that?” I asked keeping a firm grip on the little kid.

  “He poured juice in my hair during lunch in front of Kayla. Then when we got home, he took my shoe and hid it somewhere. Now he won’t tell us where he put it. Dad will be home in an hour and mom still wants to make her cheese ball so she can bring it to Roxy. He needs to straighten up and quit acting a fool.” He snarled trying to jerk away from me.

  “Go help momma find your shoe. I’ll go talk to him. The faster you help her, the sooner she can make that for tonight.” I released him and went in search of Dev. I looked in every cabinet in the kitchen and in the garage. It wasn’t until I passed the laundry room that I heard a little giggle. “Devereau Olivier Savioe get out of the laundry and give your brother back his shoe. So help me if you make us late and make me look bad when I meet her parents for the first time tonight I will blister your ass so hard you will not be able to sit for a week.” I growled at the door.

  He peeked his head out and mumbled. “Sorry, Luke. I forgot we were going there tonight. His shoe is in the pullout couch in dad’s office under the middle cushion.”

  I ruffled up his hair. “Go get it and give it to momma. Then go pester Beau until it’s time to leave.” He ran off to dad’s office as I was walking up the stairs to my room. Charles had his door closed with music blaring. I hurried up and took the steps to my room two at a time. I smelled under my arm and thought that it wouldn’t hurt to grab a quick shower to freshen up. Maybe something a bit nicer to wear too, I grabbed a pair of my khakis and black polo shirt Grand-mère sent me for my birthday last year. That should look decent enough. I ran into the bathroom and quickly washed off the funk that had gathered at school. Damn, my hair is too long. I don’t have time to get it cut either or do I?

  “Hey, Marie!”

  *****

  Marie cut off six inches of the mop and just oohed and awed over how nice it looked. Claiming that it gave me that same look that s
ome guy had on that cheesy vampire show she adored about the brothers. “Don’t give me that look. Roxy is going to love it.”

  I ran a hand through it and cringed over how short it was. “Are you sure? I mean it is kinda short.”

  “If you don’t believe me go ask mom.” She huffed out the door carrying her scissors with her.

  I swept up my fallen hair and emptied the dustpan in the trash. She left some styling gel sitting on the sink. I opened it and sniffed the gooey white junk in the jar. At least it didn’t smell girlie. I scooped out a little bit with my fingertips and ran it through the tips of my hair giving it a messy style that seemed to be popular at the moment. My phone vibrated on my desk indicating a new text.

  Roxy: See you in an hour.

  I really hope she likes the new haircut. Me: Can’t wait.

  I quickly changed into my clothes and put on my nice shoes. Gawd, why am I so nervous? I’ve already met her father once. He seemed a bit stuffy but nice. Of course, I hadn’t seen his daughter naked then either not that he knows that. A groan vibrated across my lips as my cock twitched in memory of last night. I seriously hope I don’t end up sporting wood in the middle of dinner just because she does something that triggers the memories.

  A knock sounded on my door and Remi poked his head in. “Momma says get down stairs we are getting ready to leave in ten. What did you do to your hair?”

  “You don’t like it?”

  He crinkled his nose up and narrowed his gaze for a second before shrugging. “It’s okay. Makes you look different. Kinda goofy.” He closed the door. Great, I look goofy. With a sigh, I grabbed my phone and headed down stairs.

  That’s all I need is to look like a fool. I jogged down the steps and stopped in the foyer. “Hey Momma do you need a hand putting anything in the van?”

  She walked in ushering the twins in front of her with a small plastic container in her hands that had the cheese ball in it. “Oh my gawd, Lucien, your hair looks really good.” She shoved the container into Charles’s arms and walked over to me. Her arms reached up and played with my hair looking it over.

  “Mom. Stop.” I playfully swatted her hands away. “We need to get going.”

  “Oh alright. Dev, Remi head out to your car seats. Boo, make sure they are buckled in and put that in the seat in front of them. Oh and you are sitting in between them today. Marie hurry up now child and go get Beau. Lucien, your father and I talked it over. For tonight and tonight only you get the keys to your bike back. That way we can follow you to her house instead of trying to cram all eight of us in that tiny little van with the twins screaming in the back trying to hear how to get there.” She spouted off the orders like a veteran drill sergeant and handed me my keys.

  I gave her my million-dollar smile, picked her up and twirled her around before kissing her on top of her head. “Thank you, Momma.”

  “Put me down. You don’t need to hurt your back picking me up. Ah there you two are. Your dad is waiting in the car. Now let’s go!” She smacked my arm and pushed us out the door grabbing her purse and closing the door behind us.

  I ran out to the garage and hopped on my bike. Man, I have missed this. After putting my helmet on, I had to readjust the straps to accommodate my new hair. The engine revved and a small grin graced my lips.

  *****

  The closer I got to her house the more trepidation I felt. My palms were sweaty, my heart raced and a million different questions ran through my head. What if her mom hates me? What if my mom hates her mom? This is going to make me insane. I made sure I kept the bike at the speed limit our entire trip there. That is the last thing I need is to hear a four-hour lecture about the safety of the roads and how I don’t take them seriously.

  A ratted out old van sat in front of her house along with a Porsche Cayenne and an Audi R8 Spyder. I’ve never been a car guy but I bet Beau is probably frothing at the mouth over both of them. I pulled up to the garage and shut off the bike. I wonder whose van that is? A short bohemian woman stepped outside with a smile on her face.

  “Ah you must be the boyfriend. Love the Harley. I use to have one when Jamie was in elementary school. Man, did that thing move. Oh, is this all of your family? Hi, I’m Roxy’s grandmother Lizzy. Come on in. When Jamie told me she was going to have you over, I decided to come up and make sure you got a decent meal. Love her dearly but cooking and her just never meshed. Luke you know the way show them all in. Oh, is that a cheese ball? Do you use cheddar or swiss for yours?” She rambled on and grabbed my mother’s arm escorting her in the house.

  I took my helmet off and placed it on the seat. Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. Well it’s now or never. I headed in the door followed by the twins and the trio. Remi ran on in and excitedly shouted out. “Roxy! It’s been forever.”

  She laughed and squatted down to give him a hug. “Heya Remi. How’s school been?”

  “Cool! You can tell us apart. Marie even has trouble sometimes.” He gave her another hug. My chest tugged in a stab of jealousy and envy at the sight. I’d love to be able to run up to her that enthusiastically but I doubt her father would appreciate me mauling his daughter in front of him.

  She had her hair pulled up in a high ponytail. A dark green fitted shirt hugged her tits and enhanced her waist. I swear the jeans she wore looked like they should be cutting off her circulation they were so tight. The shoes she had on had at least a four-inch heel that did incredible things to that ass. I bit my inner cheek to keep my groan and lust in check. I’d get kicked out of the house for sure if her parents knew what exactly I was thinking.

  Marie and Charles pushed passed me. Charles turned around and smirked after shoulder checking me. I flipped him off and headed over to Roxy. “Hey, chèr.”

  She glanced up from talking to Remi and inhaled a large breath. Desire flared in her eyes. She reached her hands up and ran her fingers through my hair. “You cut it.”

  I grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips gently kissing her palm. “Do you like it?”

  *****

  Roxy

  He stood there looking vulnerable awaiting my answer. I honestly didn’t think it was possible for him to look more attractive than he already did. His shoulder length hair was shorn down to two maybe three inches. His bangs just grazed his forehead in a sexy just got out of bed manner. My voice was nothing but a husky whisper when I finally was able to shake myself out of my stupor to answer. “Oh yes. Very much so.”

  He gave me a smile that made me melt. Oh, that turned me into putty in his hands. I leaned closer into him and gave him a feather light kiss. I heard a faint gagging behind me and looked toward Remi and Dev acting like they were about to throw up.

  “Come on and meet my parents.” I grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him into the formal dining room that rested off the kitchen. We never used it unless mom was trying to impress someone. It had a fourteen person table in it along with my other grandmother’s china and crystalware that she gave them as a wedding present stashed inside a cherry display cabinet. On the far end of the room was a fully stocked bar that my father got a few years back as a thank you gift from a client. He was currently standing there with Nate handing him a small tumbler of amber liquid.

  He spotted me walking in with Luke in tow and waved us over. “Roxy, so this is the young man that has caught your attention.” My father tipped a glass to his lips and smiled. “Don’t worry I won’t bite him. Can’t say the same about your mother though.” I felt Luke stiffen behind me in unease. I tugged his arm gently forcing him into the corner of the room toward my dad. “Speaking of her. Why don’t you leave him here and go find out what is taking her so long.”

  I squeezed Luke’s hand before leaving him there and went in search of my mother. My grandmother stood in the kitchen with Eva and Marie talking about different recipes. Charles, the twins and Beau were lounging in the living room. “Hey. I have an X-Box if you four want to play a few games while we wait for dinner to be ready. Even have four con
trollers. Here I’ll show you.” I kneeled down next to the entertainment center and pulled out the controllers. The games were hidden under the TV. “Just turn the TV to HDMI one and you’re good to go. Beau the remote is right beside you. I have to go find my mom.”

  “Thanks, Roxy.” Dev giddily exclaimed grabbing a controller while Remi hunted through the games.

  I smiled at him and walked down the hall to my parents rooms. I knocked on the door and gently cracked it open. “Hey Mom. Dad is requesting your presence in the dining room.”

  She rushed out of her bathroom towel still wrapped around her hair wearing a pair of slacks; a black cami and her ‘do me’ heels. She stopped when she saw me staring at her incredulously. “What? You think this is too much?”

  “Yes. Just be yourself, Mom. Lose the heels for a pair of flats. Toss on some jeans and put on a simple shirt. I’ll braid your hair so you don’t have to worry about drying it out.” I rushed to her closet grabbed a pair of classic blue jeans, a pale yellow blouse and a pair of slip on flats. “Put this on and I’ll go get your comb. Now! Dad is hitting the bar and Luke is with him.”

  “When did you get bossy?” She laughed pulling on the jeans.

  “I’ve always been bossy just never had the need to show it for a while.” I shouted from her bathroom grabbing her hairspray, comb and hair tie. She sat at her vanity table when I walked out shaking her head at me. “What? I’m just nervous that dad will somehow scare him off or try to cross-examine him.”

  “Alright, Sweetie, just hurry up so you can go run to the rescue.”

  I combed her hair until it lay flat and made quick work out braiding it down the center of her back. With a few sprays of the hairspray around her temple, she was finished. “There now come on.”

  She chuckled getting up from her seat. I opened the door for her biting on my bottom lip waiting for her to walk faster. “Are you sure this looks fine? I mean I don’t even have any make-up on.”