by Jay, Wendy
Jude was being playful. It had been a long time since Miranda felt playful...and completely comfortable to be herself. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and nipped at his chin.
“Well, right now you got one on your lap!”
“Oh Miranda…you are a sassy brat!”
He laughed out loud and popped a piece of cheese in her mouth, then grabbed one for himself. He leaned back and shifted Miranda so she sat between his legs. He pulled her back against his bare chest and wrapped his legs around her. They sat together eating and laughing, watching the fire for quite some time.
“Mandy…it feels so good to have you back in my arms. The last 10 years have been faint copies at best. Not a day went by that I didn’t think of you…where you were, who you were with…I will never forgive David for sending you away.”
Jude’s voice faded as be buried his face in Miranda’s neck. She reached up and caressed his cheek. Damn I have missed him…more that I thought I could.
“Jude, I’m here now.”
“For how long, Mandy? Are you home to stay or leaving me behind? I can’t and WON’T lose you again, Mandy. You told me just before you left you loved me. David sent you away before you ever knew my feelings for you.”
“What could I do, Jude? David took care of me after our parents were killed. He worked three jobs to give me a home and family values. I owe him for everything I am.”
Miranda started to sob and Jude held her tight and let her cry. He rocked back and forth and whispered words of comfort.
“Shhhh baby, it’s gonna be all right. We are going to get through this together. You’re home now and I am going to take care of you. We will go through this together.”
< s"2%home p>When the fire started to burn down, Miranda looked at Jude and sighed. She didn’t want this evening to end or what she felt deep inside.
“It has been a great evening, but I think it is time for me to head home. Can I help you clean up in here?”
“No, Mandy, I can get it. Do you want me to drive you home seeing that you have had a few drinks?”
“I’m fine to drive Jude, but I think I really should put my clothes back on. Or do I have to go home bare-assed like you mentioned?”
“I should make you go home naked for being so sarcastic, but I would love to help you get dressed.”
Jude laughed and helped Miranda to her feet. He grabbed her panties and got down on one knee as she steadied herself with a hand on his shoulder. She slipped in one foot, than the other. He carefully tugged her panties into place and kissed his way up her body. Miranda took a deep breath and looked down at Jude.
“Jude, you evil man. If you start doing that, I am not going to make it home.”
“Mmmmm, I know baby.”
Jude mumbled and smiled up at her and nuzzled her tummy. She leaned down, kissed his lips gently and tousled his hair.
“My pants please, Mr. Delaney.”
“Killjoy.”
Jude grabbed her pants and helped her slip into them and button the fly. He was pouting, playfully, and Miranda laughed. He fastened her bra and slipped her blouse back over her head. She reached for his shirt and slipped it over his muscled chest and stroked his abs with the back of her hand. Jude pulled the tee shirt over his nose and inhaled.
“It smells like you, Miranda. I may not ever wash this shirt.”
He drew his arm around her waist, kissed her and they headed back to the kitchen. He helped her on with her jacket and walked her out to her vehicle. Jude pinned Miranda against her Lexus and kissed her passionately. She wove her fingers in his hair and returned his kiss, matching his passion.
“Good night, Mandy.”
“Good b….night Jude.”
Miranda corrected herself quickly. Jude looked at her and tilted his head slightly.
“Another time I will tell you why I never say goodbye. For now, just know it bothers me and I can’t deal with hearing it...especially from you.”
Miranda looked at Jude. His eyes looked distant and far away. Taking a few steps back, Miranda turned quickly, yelled his name and ran at him.
“Hey, Jude! Catch!”
Jude shook his head when she yelled and barely caught sight of her launching hers saunpanelf at him and caught her. Miranda wrapped her arms and legs around him and laughed.
“Still quick on your feet I see.”
Jude, with Miranda in his arms, started to laugh uncontrollably. He planted a smack on her ass and a kiss on her lips as she squealed from both. Setting her down, Miranda climbed into her car, still laughing.
“Still an unpredictable nut I see.”
“Good night, Jude.”
“Good night, Mandy.”
Jude closed the door and stepped back as her car roared to life. Miranda drove off, throwing Jude a quick wave. He nodded and walked back into his house. Jude leaned against the kitchen door and a broad smile appeared on his lips. He walked back into the study with the intent to clean up. Damn, it is going to drive me fucking crazy until Ross calls. I need to find out now what I am up against...what the fuck happened in California. Jude went to his computer and dropped a quick email to Ross.
“Ross…need info ASAP. Let’s dig deep…there are more ghosts other than those here in Willow.” ~Jude
After hitting send, Jude walked over to the fireplace, poured himself another glass of champagne and took a sip.
“Tomorrow, Mandy…tomorrow we start the week off with the truth and put this bullshit story your brother fed you behind us.”
***********
Miranda pulled into her driveway, shut the car off and walked into her house. As she leaned against her kitchen door, a smile crossed her lips.
“Fan-fuckin-tastic!” she squealed, ditching her shoes and running toward the stairs, planning a long hot shower. Feeling as giddy as a schoolgirl, Miranda wondered how she was ever going to sleep tonight. Jude J. Delaney, the love from her past, was back in her present. Her feelings from the past came flooding in…love, passion, insecurity. I wonder if he feels the same way.
.
Chapter 13
Generally speaking, Miranda was not accustomed to sleeping late; no matter what time she went to bed. She rolled over and looked the alarm clock. It was already 10:00 am.
“Shit, I have way too much to do to be a lazy ass in bed.”
Miranda stumbled her way to the bathroom and washed up. She knew it was going to take several cups of coffee to motivate her to do more unpacking and getting the rest of the house functional. She grabbed a bowl of fruit salad from the refrigerator and ate while reading the newspaper online. A ‘blip’ popped up notifying her to check her email.
“Junk, junk and more junk,” she mumbled as she deleted them quickly until one caught her attention.
Good morning baby…lying here thinking of you.
Wish you were here… How about dinner tonight? ~Jude
Wow…he sent this 4 hours ago. Miranda smiled and replied.
Good morning Jude…I just woke up and I’m having breakfast. Going to unpack and settle in…how about my place around 7? I’ll cook. ~Mandy
Her cell phone rang a second later.
“Well hello, sleepyhead. You decided to get up?”
“It’s your fault, you know. You wore me out,” Miranda teased. “By the way, how did you get my email addy and phone number?”
“Phone numbers are easy…411 is quite helpful. Email addy…that was a bit more research…I have a connection or two,” Jude told her, using his best ‘mad scientist’ voice and laugh.
“Ahhh…so secretive, evil one. How does Caesar salad and lasagna sound?”
“Perfect baby…I’ll bring a bottle of wine, maybe two.”
“Fine, just no champagne…that shit goes straight to my head.”
“Hmmm, really? Champagne it is then!” Jude said with another evil laugh.
“Mr. Delaney, you are pure evil. See you at 7.”
Something gripped her stomach, hard. Jude said he had c
onnections? That was the same word David used when describing the ‘kind of guy’ Jude was many years ago. Miranda pushed the fruit salad away and sipped her coffee as she walked into the living roo van>. e ‘kind m. She sat on the couch, drew her knees up and thought back to the conversation she and her brother had years ago.
“Mandy, he’s no good! You gotta get out of Willow and forget the bum! He has connections to some unsavory people,” David said as he roughly shook her shoulders.
“But, Davey, I love him…I told him so! How do I take that back and just leave?” Sobbing, Miranda could barely choke out the words.
“You don’t love him, Mandy. He is just the guy who took your virginity. You are lucky I didn’t kill the son of a bitch when I found out! Go to California to live with Aunt Sadie. She will take care of you until you find your way. Get a job, Mandy. Go to college, do whatever you want to do. Just live and experience life. I will pay for everything,” David pleaded with Miranda.
Miranda sighed. “Ok, Davey. I will go because it means so much to you. But promise me, if it doesn’t work out, you will bring me home.”
“Deal, Mandy…you got a deal,” David exhaled.
Ten years later, Miranda was back in her childhood home because she owned it and the 10 acres of land. Davey was gone now. So many times she asked to come home after college. She enjoyed the real estate business, but missed her true home. David had always replied, “Not yet. Wait a while.” After a couple of years, she stopped pleading with him and their phone calls dwindled down to once a month, and sometimes not even that often.
Aunt Sadie died and left her property to Mandy, which she promptly sold and bought a condo closer to the city. If she was going to live here, she was going to enjoy what it had to offer. She adored the restaurants, gyms, indoor tracks where she could run…and the nightlife was fantastic. There were night clubs all over LA, but the one she frequented the most was Singles.
It was kind of a meat market, but the music was loud and the drinks cheap. That’s where she met Hank. Hank Castile.
One fateful night, after a few drinks, dancing and a lot of sweet talk, Miranda was hooked on the blonde Adonis named Hank. She had been young and impressionable, but Hank had been charming and cute until a horrible dark side reared its ugly head. By the time Hank showed her his true nature, a control freak and dominant, she was in too deep.
Three years later, after the death of her brother, she risked it all to run away from him. Hank threatened Miranda the night before she left. Little did he know, she had the tapes and she was in control for the first time in their relationship. Never again was a man going to do that to her…never!
She packed all that she had at his apartment, left him a well written note and called a cab. She had purchased the Lexus the week before and had it in storage along with the other belongings from her condo. The sale of her condo had gone through just a couple of days ago and the proceeds were safely in her account. From the backseat of the cab, she called the office and quit her job. Arriving at the storage uni {e shert, she got out of the cab and threw the driver a hundred dollar bill.
She unlocked the storage doors. There sat the Lexus with all her belongings packed in the trunk and back seat. Roaring the engine to life, she pulled out and headed for the highway. Out of town, out of Cali and out of Hank’s life forever.
Miranda’s cell phone rang.
“You’ll never get free from me, Mandy. You’ll never be able to shake me,” Hank’s sinister voice oozed through the phone.
“The fuck I won’t, Hank. You son of a bitch, I have the tapes. You lose, motherfucker,” she said in a calm and controlled voice. Hearing Hank gasp and start to scream obscenities, Miranda threw the cell phone out the window onto the busy highway and laughed out loud.
“I win, Hank…I WIN!”
***********
Thinking about the past brought mixed emotions. She was glad to be away from Hank but deep down, she feared he would show up in Willow…or send one of his goons.
Shaking the distraction from her mind, Miranda got up and went to the kitchen to start preparing tonight’s dinner with Jude. She cooked fairly well and lasagna was her specialty. This was going to be a good night and Jude had a surprise or two coming.
She already knew which box she was going to unpack while dinner was cooking…the one with the fishnet stockings and her 6” red heels.
Chapter 14
After hanging up with Miranda, Jude leaned back and put his feet up on his desk. Lost in thought, his phone rang and brought him back to the present.
“Hello? Hey Ross! About time. Shut the fuck up and tell me what you found out.” Jude’s tone of voice changed.
“Yeah…yeah…ok…holy fuck, are you serious? What the fuck, Ross! That fuck of a brother did what? Yeah, ok. You got this all on paper? Good. Email me all the info; I want a written report of this convo and all of the documents when you get them verified. Great. I gotta run to town, so have it ready and to me in an hour. Dude, just do it! Yes, Ross, email your fees too. Jesus, Ross! Rates go up or what? Ye ~e sheun ah, yeah…you’re worth it. Tell that to my checkbook! Follow up with me in a couple days.”
Jude hung up the phone not believing what Ross just told him…
David…you rotten motherfucker. Sacrificing your own sister to hide your dirty secrets.
Jude picked up his coffee mug and threw it against the wall. It exploded, sending glass shards flying everywhere. Jude got up and pushed the chair away. He strode out of the house, jumped into the SUV and roared it to life. Tearing out of his driveway, he slammed down on the accelerator. He headed to town via the back roads, avoiding Miranda’s house. He drove down the road at a rate of speed far exceeding the posted limits.
Jude reached the cemetery. He slammed the truck door and walked over to David’s grave. Staring at the headstone, Jude screamed.
“You rotten son of a bitch! As if she didn’t have enough to deal with, you do this? I will do exactly what I told you I would do 10 years ago…I will take care of Mandy. Believe me, you scum…I will do a better job than you ever thought of, you fucking sorry excuse of a man.”
Jude walked a few feet and stopped in front of two more headstones. He knelt down and straightened the flowers resting there.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jones…I want you to know I will take care of this mess and your daughter. You see, I have loved Miranda from the first day I saw her. No matter what David told you about me and my past, it isn’t true. I will take care of your little girl, even if it costs me my life. I just pray she believes me when I tell her that the last 10 years of her life were all a lie.”
Jude stood up, wiped a tear from his cheek and walked back to his truck. He drove back home, hoping Ross had the proof he needed. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed the office.
“Janice, it’s Mr. Delaney. I won’t be in the office Monday or Tuesday. Please forward all my work via email. Postpone my meetings and reschedule my conference with acquisition team for Wednesday. Thanks.”
Jude arrived back home, changed his clothes quickly and headed for the basement, still furious. He jumped on the rowing machine and began to row with such intensity he could have crossed Joshua’s Pond in seconds. Working up a good sweat, he moved on to the treadmill and began to run at such a pace that he finished 5 miles in 25 minutes. He moved on to pushups, sit ups, working his abs…anything to work off his anger.
Two hours later, exhausted and soaking wet with sweat, Jude took a long hot shower and went into his study. He checked his email and exhaled a sigh of relief.
Ross had forwarded documents and their conversations. Financial records, police reports, you name it. One thing at the very bottom of the message concerned Jude. A footnote from Ross.
Jude, it is all here, EXCEPT the telephone recordings and
video ta0">ont sizpes. Those came up missing. I will keep searching.
Remember, I need to get this verified, but here’s a heads up for you. ~Ross.
Jude quickly replie
d.
Ross, fuck. What tapes and recordings?? Get on that ASAP! Protect Miranda at ALL COSTS! ~Jude
Jude printed out all the documents and placed them in his briefcase. He crossed to the living room and turned on the television for a distraction, but his mind continued to race. As he flipped through the channels, he thought back to the last conversation he’d ever had with David.
“You fucking punk!” David screamed in Jude’s face. “What