by Hazel Gower
I pulled my phone out and gave it to her. “Cassie knew you were with me. I can take you to her house to get your things.”
She nodded and stepped away from me and dialed the number. We stood in the hall and I listened as she talked to Cassie. When she was done I walked to the kitchen. I didn’t bother turning I knew she followed.
“Everything is clean. You’d never even know you had a party here.”
“The cleaners have been here. The caterers would have cleaned up after themselves too.” Jade looked around and he could see the awe on her face. I took her through the kitchen exit to the garage. Punching in the code to unlock the door I opened it and pushed her in shutting the door. Jade stood still in front of me staring at the garage.
“It’s huge. Who needs this many cars?”
“Most of them belong to my parents. They don’t ‘need’ them, but they are fun.”
I went to the cabinet, put my code in, and took the keys to my jeep. Jade still hadn’t moved. I walked back to her and took her hand guiding her to my car. I opened the passenger door and Jade sat and did her seatbelt. Shutting her door, I went around to the driver’s side and got in, did my seatbelt and put the keys in the ignition and turned on the car. I reached into the glove box and pressed the remote and the doors opened.
I could see a bunch of cars still parked. I wasn’t worried, I knew they would come back for their cars when they woke and sobered up. I drove to Cassie’s house first.
*****
Jade
Cassie had been grinning like a loon when I saw her. The bitch hadn’t felt any guilt for leaving me to Stephan’s mercy at the party. I was angry with Cassie. I’d grabbed my backpack and changed clothes. I didn’t want to go home to grandpa, and especially didn’t want Stephan to wait while I got dressed at my house.
We hadn’t stayed at Cassie’s house for long. I was happy because I didn’t like the questions in Cassie’s parents' eyes when I came in with Stephan. We were now driving toward the highway. “Where are you going?”
“Sydney to one of the big shopping centers.”
“What? Why? All we are doing is getting me a replacement phone. We don’t need to drive an hour to do that. There is a shopping center in Reed Creek.”
“They don’t have much of a choice there.”
“I don’t need a choice, I’ll just have the cheapest they have.”
“No you won’t. I’m going to get you a good one.”
“I can’t afford one that isn’t prepaid. The new ones all seem to be on plans. The one you broke was a cheap thirty dollar one. That’s all I need again.”
“No way am I getting you another piece of shit phone.”
“Hey, a phone is a phone. We can’t all afford the snazzy new ones with all the gadgets.” I glared across at him, but he didn’t look at me he was watching the road.
“I can afford to buy you a good phone.”
“I don’t want you to spend that much money on me. I already feel bad I agreed to let you buy me a new one. I should have not worried, as I said the one you broke cost me thirty dollars.” I was panicking; I didn’t want to be stuck in the car with Stephan for an hour.
He grinned. “You just don’t want to be in the car with me for an hour then be at the shops and have another car ride home. You were hoping to get a cheap phone and leave me as soon as you had it.”
Damn straight that’s what I was going to do. I didn’t say anything because he’d been spot on. Crossing my arms over my chest I looked out the window. He stayed quiet for a while and I enjoyed the peace.
“You can turn the radio on or plug in my iPod. It’s in the glove box. What type of music do you like?”
“I like most things. I’m not a fan of techno music like you had on last night.” Ha, take that, wanker. I reached into the glove box, got his iPod out, and started going through it.
“As I’m sure you can see I have a wide range. The techno last night was what the DJ had on.”
“There was a DJ last night?” Wow, I really had been drunk. “Where was he set up?”
“He was set up outside?”
“I didn’t get that far? You have a massive mansion for a house.”
“You didn’t get that far because you were too busy letting my cousin chat you up.”
“He wasn’t chatting me up.”
“Yes he was.”
“Well he spoke to me first. I was busy admiring your kitchen.”
“You like the kitchen?”
“I love your kitchen. It’s like my dream kitchen. Baking and cooking is my thing. I like making things.” I’d learned at a young age the best way to stretch money was to make everything yourself. I borrowed every cookbook they had at my local library.
“Is that what you are going to do when you finish school? Become a chef?”
“No. I’m going to go to Uni. I want to become a kindergarten teacher or group leader at a childcare center. I love kids. They are so much fun.”
We were quiet again and I continued looking through his iPod til I found a group I liked and plugged it in, filling the car with tunes.
“Aren’t you going to ask what I’m doing after school?”
I didn’t want to know any more about Stephan. I was already having trouble resisting him. My guard crumbled last night and I needed to keep it up around him.
“What are you going to do?” I couldn’t help myself, as much as I didn’t want to. Stephan seemed to be my kryptonite.
“I’m glad you asked.” I could hear the happiness in his voice. “I’m going to go to Uni to study business. When I’m done I’m going to work with my dad. My goal is to take over when he retires.”
“What does your Dad do?”
“A bit of everything. He owns a bunch of apartment and commercial buildings and he rents them out. He also owns some fast food chains around Australia. Plus he is a big investor.”
“Sounds like he is into a bit of everything and I’m sure he runs them all differently. Will the business course be enough?”
“I’ll learn from my dad and uncles. My brother, Dustan, did it too, but he ended up moving to America to help run things there.”
“You never mentioned Dustan before. I didn’t even know you had an older brother until Cassie told me.”
Stephan shrugged. “Dustan is eight years older than us. Mum had some problems conceiving again after Dustan. They were about to look into IVF when Mum found out she was pregnant with us. The rest as they say is history.”
“You don’t want to go to America?”
“I like visiting, but I don’t want to live there.”
“Does Derick want to do the same thing as you?”
“Nope. Derick wants to be an architect. He’s awesome at sketching. He already has plans drawn up for his house. Mum and Dad have said we can build on our part of the land once we graduate from school. Mine is to the left of the main house and Derick’s is to the right. Dustan has a huge section next to mine. I don’t have a design for mine yet. I want my wife to help me with it since we’ll both be living in it.” He glanced at me and I turned away looking back out the window.
I was surprised he and his brother were so organized. I didn’t expect him to have his life so planned out. “Where are your parents?”
“They’re in their apartment in Melbourne. Dad’s closing on a deal but they’ll be back by Wednesday.”
They had an apartment in Melbourne? The more I learned the more I found out they were richer than I could ever imagine. I was so out of my element. I was the poor little girl with the druggie mother who died of an overdose and a grandpa who sells drugs and owns a shitty little dive bar, even if I was interested in Stephan he was way too good for me. I sat quietly and focused on the scenery.
“What’s your favorite color? Mine’s orange. I like the orange as it covers the sky at dusk.”
He kept surprising me. Who knew he would like orange for that reason. “Blue.” Wait, no it wasn’t, I loved pink like a girly-girl, why
had I said blue? Stephan smiled. Ah, as I looked into those eyes I knew exactly why I’d said blue. “Blue like the deep ocean.”
“What’s your favorite thing to do? Mine is to play sports. I like staying active.”
I remembered rugby practice. Yeah, I liked sports too, at least I did if it involved seeing the Silverman brothers shirtless. “Watching a storm. I like sitting on a chair with a blanket and watching lightning crack across the sky. I used to do it all the time with Mum. It was the only thing we bonded over.” One of my positive memories of her—the two of us sitting on chairs snuggling together and watching the skies. I closed my eyes and let the memories bombard me.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry. I just wanted to get to know you better.”
I touched my cheek, and was surprised to feel the wetness. I didn’t realize I’d started crying. “You didn’t make me cry. You made me think of some really good things me and Mum did together. Thank you for being so sweet.”
His lips thinned and he nodded.
He looked aggravated and even his cheeks were tinged pink. I wondered what I’d said wrong now.
“Er…okay next question. What’s your dream car?”
“I don’t have my license or the money for lessons, but if I suddenly did, I’d buy a red Volkswagen Beetle.”
We talked about our friends for the rest of the way. How long we’d known them and trouble we’d gotten into.
By the time we reached the city I was enjoying myself. I ached to ask him to take me to my old neighborhood, but it was another twenty minutes away, and he was already parking at the shopping center.
Stephan came around and opened my door, helping me down. He reached for my hand and I shook him off, but he didn’t let it go. We walked to the entrance and went up the escalators to the shops.
“Let’s go get some food first, I’m starving.”
My tummy growled, but I didn’t have any money with me. I didn’t want to say anything so I just followed him.
*****
Stephan
Jade wasn’t going to make this easy. She argued when I’d bought her food, but caved eventually and ate what I bought her while telling me she was going to pay me back. Ha. She had another thing coming if she thought I’d take a cent of her money. I intended to slip a fifty into her bag later when she wasn’t looking. I wanted to give her more, but I hoped she wouldn’t notice it with it being such a small amount.
Now we were arguing within the phone shop, or more accurately she was attempting to argue with me. The shop assistant wasn’t listening to her, for which I was grateful, but Jade still didn’t stop.
“I mean it, Stephan. You can’t buy me a phone worth that much. And under no circumstance will I have a plan where you pay for it.” She crossed her arms and tried to stare me down. I shook my head, Jade should know by now she’d never win this game. I stared back and raised my eyebrow. She broke away first and glanced around.
“Look, what about this one?” Jade pointed to a cheap hundred dollar phone.
It had a camera but it was only four megabytes. I wasn’t getting her that one. She was getting the one with satellite connection so she could call from anywhere. It also had top of the line of everything. I’d be able to find her anywhere if she had the phone on her.
Gathering her to me, I hugged her. I knew she’d come willingly because people were watching. “It’s done, little bit. The sales assistant has gone to get the contract and phone. I’ve already given him my bank details.”
Gazing at me, she whispered so only I would hear. “I really hate you right now.”
Leaning down I kissed her. I knew I was pushing my luck but I couldn’t help myself, she looked so cute glowering at me. I chuckled when she broke the kiss.
“No you don’t.” She pushed at my chest but I didn’t let her go.
The sales assistant came out with everything and guided us to a seat. I let her sit on the chair next to me and not my lap but I held her hand as the sales assistant explained the terms of the contract and what the phone could do. I bit my cheek a couple of times to stop laughing every time Jade would squeeze my hand extra tight or dig her nails into me because of something the guy would say about the phone or contract.
The sales assistant handed me the documents to verify, but she snatched them.
“Stephan, please. This is ridiculous. It’s not too late to stop this silliness. I don’t need this. What if I take it and decide to ring China and England on it? It’ll cost you a fortune for Christ’s sake, you bought the phone outright. Surely I could just buy credit. I don’t need you connecting to a network and paying for my calls.”
I waited for her tirade to finish. “Do you intend to call China and England?”
“Er, no. But that’s not the point.”
“It isn’t?”
“Argh, no it’s not. The point is I could be spending loads of money and taking you for granted. I can’t afford the phone so you shouldn’t buy it.”
“I can afford it and I trust you.” I yanked the sheets out of her grip and signed on the dotted line before she could get them.
“You shouldn’t,” I barely heard her since she whispered, as I checked my address and handed the papers to the sales assistant who was doing his best to avoid looking at us. He handed me the bag with the new phone and accessories, and then thanked us. I stood and held my hand out for Jade but she ignored it and marched out of the store. I grinned and followed her.
She’d been quick and disappeared before I got out of the shop. Looking around, I couldn’t find her. My heart raced and I jogged from one side of the mall to the other. Shit! Where the hell was she? I looked around the busy shops. She didn’t have any identification or even money. She’d left her school bag with all of it in my car, not that she had any money in there. Fuck, I shouldn’t have pushed her. I ran to the car hoping she’d gone there, but she was nowhere to be seen, pulling my phone out, I dialed my dad.
“Hey, son. Wha—”
“Dad, she took off and doesn’t have anything. We are in Sydney shopping and she ran. I can’t find her and she has nothing.”
“Son! Son! Calm down.”
“I can’t. What if someone took her? She doesn’t have money or even a phone. Shit, Dad, what if—”
“Stephan! Shut it! You need to calm down. You will be no help like you are. Stop and listen.”
I took a deep breath calming myself.
“I have Brand’s team trailing you. They are with you and your brother while your mother and I are gone. This deal is a big one and I don’t trust anyone.”
I gripped the phone tighter. I hated having bodyguards but when your family had their hands into a bit of everything the safety was needed. “I thought you took them all with you.” Feeling calmer, I thanked God for my dad’s paranoia about everyone being a potential threat to his family. I’d completely forgotten about my bodyguards. They stayed hidden. No one knew we had them until you tried to harm a Silverman.
“No. I split the new team up so we had enough for everyone. Call Brand, I’d bet money he knows what Jade is to you so I don’t think she’s alone.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime. Go get your woman. Your mother and I are staying longer and won’t be home until late Thursday.”
Dad hung up and I rang Brand. “I thought you would have called sooner. You’re slipping. I didn’t think you knew we’ve been watching. You’re turning into a pussy, or is it pussy whipped?” I rolled my eyes even though I knew he couldn’t see me.
“Way to speak to your employer.”
“Your father pays my check, I believe. You know I would say the same to him.”
I chuckled, feeling lighter. Brand had been with us for over ten years and he was a hard as nails ex-army Special Forces. “So are you going to tell me?”
“What? You mean the pretty brunette with big brown eyes walking down the street. She’s heading in the direction of the train station but I don’t think she knows because she keeps loo
king around like she’s lost.”
“Yep,” I growled. The silly girl. What was she thinking?
“Do you want me to detain her?”
“No. I’m on my way now. She doesn’t know about you, or that we all have bodyguards and she will too soon.” Brand knew it goaded me to admit I needed protection. I’d learned my dad may be ruthless but other men were worse.
“Call if you need anything. David is with you.”
I hung up, already able to see Jade. Catching up to her, I grabbed her arm. “Slow down.”
She turned startled eyes on me and all my anger and worry came flooding back.
“You run off and don’t even know where you’re going. You have no money and no phone. How did you expect to get home if you lost me? What would have happened if someone took you? I know you’re angry with me but that’s no excuse for putting yourself in danger.” I tugged her against me needing to hold her. I needed to know she was safe. Stroking her hair and taking deep breaths of her lavender scent, I calmed my raging heartbeat.
Jade was stiff in my arms but she softened when I stroked her hair and held her tighter. Holy shit, how the hell did my father and family put up with the curse? I’d be certifiably crazy if I kept acting like this? Pulling away, I gripped her shoulders. “Don’t ever do something like that again. We’re in the city for Christ’s sake.”
“I’ve lived about twenty minutes from here all my life. The city isn’t bad. I’m safe here.”
Taking my hands from her, I stepped back before I shook her. Jade didn’t know half the shit that went down around here. I was tempted to tell her some of the things I knew but I didn’t want to ruin what she considered her safe place. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.” I turned and walked back toward the shops and my car.
I was surprised when Jade yanked on my arm and came up beside me.
“You’re angry with me. I should be the angry one, not you.” She poked my chest. “You barge into my life less than forty-eight hours ago and expect me to fall at your feet and then get angry and pissy when I don’t. Well guess what, buster, I don’t need you and I didn’t ask you to be in my life.” She stomped ahead of me and I followed, smiling as she walked to my car.