by T. N. King
I just dropped Megan off at her apartment. Do you want me to stick around?
He contemplated Black’s text then responded.
Hang out for about an hour. I have a meeting at one then I should be done here. I’ll take the rest of the day and swing around to make sure she is safe. Thanks, buddy.
You got it.
Jensen closed the schedule up that was in front of him and vowed to take another look at it at home. He hit his email icon to go through his email before closing his computer and immediately noticed a few from Kristina. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He moved his cursor to the delete button and hovered, then he opened it.
Jensen-
I wanted to apologise for not reaching out to you lately. I had a busy week and had some shoots to do that needed my full attention. I hope you aren’t mad. Anyway, my time away helped me think a lot and I wanted to let you know that I forgive you for thinking you needed some other woman in your life. I forgive you and will accept you back with no questions asked, as long as you promise to stop talking to her all together. I hope to hear from you soon. My body is aching to feel your cock inside me again. It has been way too long. Let’s bury the hatchet and meet up soon. Kisses. Kristina.
He deleted the email and went to the next one reading it then deleting it as well. Each of them said the same thing as the first one. He wanted nothing to do with that woman and couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get that through her thick skull. He opened the last one and quickly read the same thoughts she had in the first two. Resting his cursor on the delete button, he thought about Kristina’s emails. He was hoping she would have given him something to use against her.
“Mr. Dean? Are you okay?” Jensen’s PA was standing in the doorway of his office.
“Hey, come in. Yeah. Just having a problem with something.”
“Is it Kristina?”
“How did you know?”
“She called here a few times this morning, demanding to talk to you. I know you told me you didn’t want to know, but it has been more frequent the last couple of days.”
“She is never going to leave me alone.” He hit REPLY to her last email and thought about what to say. “I need to do something before she becomes a real threat to my relationship with Megan again. Is there anything else?”
“Just a few messages for you over your lunch break.” She walked in and handed a few slips of paper to him.
“I will be leaving a little early today, after my one o’clock. If you are caught up, you are more than welcome to cut out early as well.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dean.”
He smiled at her then went back to his email after she walked out, mulling over what to say in his email to Kristina. He normally ignored her emails and texts, but after a week of nothing, he figured she was over it.
I am astonished that you are continuing your badgering emails and phone calls. I will tell you again as I have told you before, I am not interested in getting together with you nor will I ever be. Stop being delusional and move on with your life. I will not be a part of it.
He looked it over and sent it before shutting his computer down and grabbing his case.
Megan walked into her apartment and called out to Lorena. When she didn’t hear anything, she walked into Lorena’s bedroom and looked around but didn’t see anyone.
“Hello?” she called out again. She wasn’t sure why she thought she would be there. It was middle of the day on Friday. She was always out doing something on days she didn’t work. Megan wasn’t even sure if Lorena had to work or not. She plopped down on the couch and looked around. She grabbed her cell and texted Lorena to see what she was doing. After a few minutes of not getting a response she realized she was going to be alone most of the day, something she wasn’t looking forward to. It was the first time since she quit her job that she would have absolutely nothing to do and way too much to think about.
She turned on the television, flipped through a few channels then turned it off. She walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Shaking her head, she closed it and turned around. She felt very alone and very vulnerable. She thought about shopping but she didn’t want to be escorted all over the place by Black.
She walked through the apartment and rubbed her arms as she felt her eyes fill up with tears. She sat on the edge of her bed and covered her face as the tears streamed down her face and she began sobbing.
“What the hell am I going to do? What am I doing with my life? I can’t… do this.” She thought about her job at Crawford Advertising. She loved working there. She knew with her background and experience she would never land a job like that again. She cried harder. She thought about how much she trusted Tristan when she confided in him and took the job he offered her. It was odd that he so willingly gave her the position knowing she had no experience in the field. But she was good at what she did.
“Will I ever be able to trust anyone again? Am I that much of a push over? Who can I trust in my life? Lorena and Jensen?” She got up off her bed and went to her mirror. “Jensen,” she watched herself say. The image that looked back at her was pathetic. She wiped her tears and thought about how much Jensen did for her and what he meant to her. She cleaned up her face and tried to apply a little make up, grimacing before turning away and getting her phone. She pulled Jensen’s name up and texted him.
Let me know if you feel up to rescuing a lonely and vulnerable woman in desperate need of some good company.
She sent her text and went to the kitchen for a glass of wine. Three empty bottles were sitting on the counter and no wine was to be found. She scoffed as she opened the refrigerator again. She saw a six pack of beer in the bottom and pulled one out. She opened the top and took a drink, making a face. Opting for the buzz over the taste, she took another drink when her phone went off. She left her beer on the counter and ran to pick it up.
I’m on my way, beautiful. She smiled and plopped down on the couch, looking at Jensen’s text over and over again.
When he finally got there and knocked on the door it was almost two thirty. She got up off the couch and slowly walked to the door. As soon as she saw his face in the peep hole, she opened the door and smiled at him awkwardly.
“Hey,” she said. “You made it.”
“Yes. I had a meeting at one. Are you okay?” he asked, stepping toward her. He smelled the beer on her breath immediately and saw several beer cans on the coffee table in front of the couch.
“I’m great.” She wobbled to the side, using the door to stabilize herself.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“I have,” she confirmed confidently. He closed the door behind him and walked her back to the couch. “This is what you have to look forward to.” She put her arms out toward the empty beer cans, knocking two of them over before falling onto the couch. He counted six cans and looked around for more.
“Did you eat today?” he asked. When she shook her head no, he went into the kitchen. “How many times do I have to tell you….”
“No lectures please. I’m not in the mood.”
“I’m making you some coffee and you are going to eat something. Then we will talk.”
“Sounds… perfect.”
A few minutes later, he walked back in and handed her a cup of coffee. “Drink it.”
“Yes, sir.” She put her hand up to her forehead to salute him and spilled her coffee on her leg. He grabbed her wrist steadying her hand until she sat up then went back into the kitchen. When he returned, he set a sandwich down on the table in front of her.
“There isn’t much to work with here so I did the best I could.” He sat next to her and watched as she ate the sandwich.
“It’s good,” she said with a mouthful of bread, cheese and lettuce. He didn’t say a word until she finished.
“I’m taking you back to Surrey. I think we will both be able to relax a little more there.”
She leaned into him as the food absorbed the alcohol in her system. He st
roked her hair and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We all have our down time.”
When she felt better, they left her apartment and within the hour, they were pulling up to Jensen’s mansion.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better.” Her head was still a little groggy but she was looking forward to spending the rest of the afternoon with him.
They walked in through the front door and Megan stopped. “What the hell happened in here?” She looked around and saw clutter everywhere. “Did you have a party and forget to clean up?”
“Um, no. I never hired a housekeeper after you left. I did okay for a little while then everything fell behind.”
“How long did you try? A few hours?” she teased.
“Cute.” He moved some of his clothes off the couch. “Have a seat.”
“You need a housekeeper.”
“Job is yours if you want it back. This time I’ll throw in some damned good benefits,” he said, raising and lowering his eyebrows.
“Now who’s being cute?”
“I’m being serious. Will you come back and work for me again?”
“Can I start right now?” she asked, grimacing at the dust that has collected on everything.
“Actually, I would like for you to come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the grocer’s. My cupboards need a good restocking, and since you will be here more, I want to be sure there is good food for you to eat.”
They spent a couple of hours at the grocer’s shop and when they returned, they noticed a vehicle in the driveway.
“Who is that?” Megan asked, nervous that it was Kristina.
“Do you remember my sister, Stella?”
“Yes.”
“I called her earlier today. Come on,” he said, getting out of the car.
They both grabbed a couple of bags and went inside. Megan stayed by the front door as Stella turned around and smiled.
“Brother!”
“Stella, hello.” He set the bags down on the couch and hugged her. “You look amazing as usual.”
Before she was able to say anything more, a man and a woman appeared from the kitchen and walked into the living room.
“Hello, son,” the man said.
“Father.” Megan could tell Jensen was not expecting Stella’s guests.
Chapter 11
“I wasn’t aware you were bringing my parents,” said Jensen.
“You said you needed some company so I figured it was a good time to get all of us together again and perhaps meet the woman who has been preoccupying my big brother these days?” Stella leaned to the side so she could look around Jensen toward Megan. She leaned against the door until Stella made eye contact with her. Stella smiled and held her hand out toward her.
Jensen turned and took the bags from Megan’s arms, setting them down next to his on the couch, then taking her hand he pulled her into the room. “Megan, you remember my sister, Stella.”
“Yes,” she smiled. “Hello.” She felt a bit intimidated in the midst of all of Jensen’s family.
“It’s lovely to see you again.”
He led her to his parents and watched her face intently as he introduced them. “Megan, this is my mother, Penelope.”
“Please, call me Penny,” she said. Megan shook her hand.
“This is my father, Edward. Mom, dad, this is Megan, my girlfriend.”
Megan felt a twinge in her stomach upon hearing the way he introduced her to them. She quickly looked at him and saw the beautiful smile on his face. He wanted her to be his and it showed. She looked at his parents for approval and saw the same smiles on their faces as Edward reached his hand toward her.
“It is lovely to meet you, Megan,” he said. Although he looked much older than his wife, he was a very good looking man, distinguished and looked all of the part of a successful man, much like his son. Megan could see the resemblance and it helped ease her nerves as she smiled back at him.
Penny was striking with her dark hair cascading down her shoulders. Her flawless skin glowed and Megan could tell by her body language that she was completely in love with Edward. She stood very close to him and continuously touched him in some way, whether it was her fingertips on his elbow or her arm next to his side. Megan craved that with someone someday. Would Jensen be that someone? She looked at him and caught him staring at her as if he had the same thoughts she did.
“It is so nice to meet you both,” said Megan. She wished she could have finished her comment with Jensen has told me so much about you, but in all honesty, she couldn’t remember him even mentioning them.
“Are there more groceries? Do you need help?” asked Penny already heading toward the door. Megan watched as Jensen’s parents automatically started to pitch in and help. Stella picked up a few of the bags on the couch and went to the kitchen. Megan followed with the rest of the groceries already brought in.
“So, tell me,” said Stella. “How have things been going since I last saw you?”
What could Megan say? Should she tell her the entire long and drawn out story of how she wasn’t really with Jensen in Paris, and that she had been away from him almost the entire time that Stella was? Did she tell her how she thought Jensen and Kristina were still engaged making Megan feel like the other woman? How much did Jensen talk about her to his family? Did he tell them anything? She didn’t know if she was a surprise to them or if they would even like her.
“Oh, you know. I put up with him,” she joked.
“You aren’t telling me anything new. My brother can be quite a handful, but he is a good person. I hope things are going okay for you.” She seemed genuinely concerned as if she knew some of what had happened.
“They are.” She didn’t dare say too much.
“It’s so good to see you back together. Honestly, he was absolutely miserable without you in his life.” Megan’s heart swelled.
“Does he talk about me at all? I mean did his parents know I even existed before today?”
Before Stella could answer, they all walked in from the living room with armfuls of groceries.
“If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you did all of your shopping at once.” Penny put the bags she carried on the counter. Megan didn’t have the heart to tell them how much of a slob their precious baby boy actually was, but she guessed they had a pretty good idea since the mansion was still in such disarray. She wanted to clean it up, but she didn’t get the chance before they showed up so unexpectedly.
“I haven’t had the time to do much around here and I haven’t had a chance to hire a housekeeper.”
“We see that.” Penny unloaded the contents of the bags and tried to figure out what went where.
“Why don’t you leave the cooking up to me and Stella. Jensen, take your parents into the living room. Visit. Catch up on conversation. We will take care of all of this.” Megan smiled at them feeling like she wanted to take control for once.
“I think we will take you up on that offer.” Edward put his arm around his wife and led her into the living room. Jensen hesitated, looking at Megan, admiring her and falling a little bit more in love with her. As soon as she made eye contact with him, he winked at her and smiled.
When he disappeared into the living room Stella and Megan began their feat of putting a dinner together for the family.
“How did you like Paris?” Megan asked.
“I absolutely love it there. I lived there for a few short years.”
“Why did you move back if you loved it so much?”
“Business. My father wanted me to help with a business venture. I could have done well with it in Paris, but I would have rather worked with him by his side.”
“It’s so nice that you are so close with your family. I never had that.”
“Well, you have Jensen and now… you have us.”
Megan liked the sound of that.
“So, what d
o you think, beef roast or ham?” Megan held the roast in one hand and the ham in the other.
“Let’s do the roast. I have a great seasoning recipe that I use, makes the best roast.”
Megan handed the roast off to Stella. “You got it. I’ll start the potatoes.”
As they worked together and the aromas of the food they prepared began to fill the room, Stella and Megan talked about everything. Megan was having a wonderful time until Kristina came up in conversation.
“I’m just saying that she wasn’t easy to get along with,” Stella said after realizing she hit a nerve with Megan.
“She is the reason I left.”
“I know. Jensen told me. But he wasn’t lying to you, ya know. She really is a psycho bitch.”
“Did you know her well?”
“I did. We were good friends.” Megan’s heart sank. “That is until she became obsessed with her career.”
“Tell me about her.” Megan thought if she became familiar with the woman, she could relate a little better or at least understand where she stood in comparison.
“When she first met Jensen she wasn’t bad. A little arrogant but nothing that couldn’t be controlled with a fun trip shopping or a girls’ night out. I always adored her because of her beauty and poise, but I only tolerated her because I thought my brother was in love with her. When she got more into modeling career, it started controlling her and she became this obsessive compulsive bitch who seemed to think she was better than everyone else. She would expect people to bow down to her and do everything for her, including Jensen. She started playing this fictitious future out in her head that involved marrying my brother, but she always needed to be in the spotlight. Everything was about her and when Jensen wouldn’t do the things she expected, she lashed out and got very mean. She even expected him to give up his work when she needed to travel out of town for her photo shoots.”
“Wow. Why did he stay with her so long?”
“I don’t know if he felt bad for her or what it was. Each time he broke up with her, I would see them back together not even a couple of days later. According to him, she always played this poor broken soul and made her feel bad that he was dumping her. She always promised to change, but never even attempted it.”