The Ties that Bind (Kingdom) (32 page)

“I disagree.”

“You make me so bloody mad, I could poke you in the eye right about now!”

Her words were amusing to Jason. “Aviva, I love you more than I have ever loved anything or anybody in my whole life. Angel, I can endure anything outside elements throw at me. The one thing I couldn’t bare is if anyone hurt you again.”

Jason knew she was still mad at him, he could feel it in the tension of her body, see it in the look on her face. Unsure of what to say that would make her understand how important her safety was to him, Jason buried his face in her neck and just held her close.

Gradually he felt some of the tension leave her body, but Jason knew he wasn’t home free yet. After all this was Aviva he was dealing with.

Taking a chance, Jason loosened his arms. As she began to slide downwards, in a sudden motion, he bent his knees, giving the impression he would drop her. She really should have known better, he would never do any such thing, but it had the desired effect. Aviva gasped and threw her legs around his waist and locked them around his waist. He knew he was a calculating bastard, but she was now exactly where he wanted her to be, wrapped around him.

“You are a devious sod, Jason King.” Aviva said with a laugh at his ploy.

“I know, and you wouldn’t have me any other way.” Jason’s smile showed off his dimpled cheeks. He loved keeping her off guard. It was one of his greatest pleasures of being in a relationship with her.

Walking over to the chaise longue at the foot of their bed, Jason sat down. Pulling her legs from around him, he sat her on his lap.

Brushing a gentle palm across his face, all trace of laughter left Aviva’s face with the gesture. Jason had known there was more to come. She would ask him to call off the detectives and he would have to refuse. They would remain in place until they left for the east coast.

“I love you so much, and I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. But at some point you are going to have to trust that I’ll be okay. I can’t live the rest of my life being followed. I wished what had taken place with those men hadn’t, but it did, baby. But if you don’t start to trust that I’ll be okay, they win.

This is our life, yours and mine and, we will not live with the limitations that others have placed on us. I’ll be okay, and you need to stop worrying so much.”

“Angel, I’m just sick and tired of men hurting you, thinking it’s okay to raise their hand to you. As long as I draw breath, it’s not going to happen.” Just thinking about the subject angered Jason and he couldn’t help the bunching of his muscles at the mere thought.

“You need to let it go, baby. We are going to be okay. Do you think we found each other only for us to be pulled apart?” Aviva didn’t wait for an answer. “I don’t. I think nothing is going to pull us apart. That’s if I don’t end up in a mental asylum because of your unreasonable behind.”

Jason knew her final quip was her way of telling him that she acknowledged his refusal to call off the detectives. However, she was not going to fight him on the point.

“Thank you.”

“You are most welcome. Just remember that while you want to keep me safe. I want to make you happy. Your happiness means the world to me.”

There it was again, she had surprised him. Where he had thought she would have put up more of a fight, she had stunned him with her ready acquiescence of what he wanted.

“Know what would make me really happy?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I don’t think I need to tell you. How about I show you.”

Chapter 34

The last time Aviva and Hope had met up, they had spent hours just talking. It was at this meeting that they had finally come to terms with what had taken place, and were both now ready to move on.

Although they had other siblings they didn’t know them that well. As far as they knew, Nixon’s two other children were unaware of just how closely related they were to Aviva and Hope. Maybe they would all meet at some point in the future, but for now they only had each other.

Since their teens they had been sisters through choice. Now that they knew they were related by blood, they were both determined to do what they could to strengthen their bond.

Aviva knew that for some, her forgiveness of Hope would be deemed foolish, but she wasn’t some people. She was who she was, and her heart told her to forgive her sister-friend. However Aviva had added one stipulation; should Hope pull another stunt even remotely like the one on her wedding day, they would part ways for good.

During their time spent together Hope had assured her that while Taryn and Mason still had a long way to go they remained together, and determined to work on their marriage. The news had made Aviva happy. Those two people deserved happiness, and she hoped it could be found with each other.

Their limited discussion about their father was sufficient for them both to acknowledge that they could care less about him.

One tidbit Hope couldn’t help sharing was that Nixon’s wife had finally started divorce proceedings. Apparently she had received an anonymous folder brimming with details of each of his infidelities.

Neither Aviva nor Hope openly discussed their speculation about who had sent the package. But Aviva was in no doubt. She knew her man just as she also knew from the moment Jason had witnessed Nixon raising a hand to her, he would make his life hell.

It was also during this meeting that Aviva had given Hope the assurance that she would have an opportunity to apologize to Jason, face to face.

The last few weeks had been a hive of activity. Their impending departure from the west coast was the next day, and Aviva still hadn’t managed to persuade her stubborn man that he needed to hear Hope out.

But Jason’s lack of compliance didn’t daunt her. She and Hope had arranged for them to have dinner later that night. Aviva had tried to make Jason a part of the arrangements for them all getting together, but all her suggestions had either been ignored or shot down with a monosyllabic
no
as only Jason King could deliver it.

This was it, if it didn’t happen tonight Aviva knew that the proximity that was about to exist between them would only make their estrangement worse. Just as she knew Jason wanted and needed Steve to be a part of his life, she also knew that meant his acceptance of Hope, after a fashion.

Aviva wasn’t sure how she was going to achieve her goal, but the meeting was taking place or her name wasn’t Aviva Johnson.

Now here they were at 8:30 pm finally walking into the restaurant to meet, Steve and Hope. They were exactly one and a half hours late, and Aviva was unsure as to whether the other couple would still be waiting for them.

To get him there, Aviva had fired everything she had at him. Her last resort would have been to beg. She would have done it too, but before she did, she had attached one caveat:
If you make me beg you, each and every day I will think of something to make you suffer
.

That had been this morning. When he had ignored her words, Aviva had said nothing more, she had just stopped talking to him. Whenever he asked her a question or spoke to her, her reaction had been to look into space as though she had heard an unexpected sound only to dismiss it moments later as her imagination.

At first he had laughed at her silent treatment. But as the hours stretched on, he became more put out, muttering under his breath about
blackmail and females who always wanted their own way, even though he had told the woman he wasn’t attending the damn dinner
.

Too right she wanted her own way, and she got it too because here they were, and Aviva was overjoyed to see that Steve and Hope had waited, despite their tardiness.

By the time they reached the seated couple, whose back was to the entrance of the restaurant, Aviva was immediately caught up in the tension surrounding them. Steve’s handsome face looked as though it were made of stone.

Aviva and Hope watched as Steve rose to his feet and locked eyes with Jason. The tall men, each unsmiling, attempted to stare each other down. After ten seconds of their show of male bravado, Aviva looked over at Hope, who wore an anxious look and rolled her eyes.

Stepping up to Steve, Aviva inserted herself between them, stood on tiptoes, and placed a kiss on Steve’s cheek.

“Hi, Steve. I’m so sorry we’re late. Please forgive us.”

It took another few seconds for Steve to acknowledge her greeting. Finally pulling his eyes away from Jason, he looked down and gave Aviva a small peck on the cheek. The man was absolutely furious, but his good manners won out.

Only when they were all finally seated did Aviva again look at Hope. She could see that her sister was extremely nervous. She looked as beautiful as always, even with her face suffused with red from her anxiety over the impending first real meeting between them all. Giving Hope a small smile of reassurance, Aviva settled into her seat.

Deciding to disregard the frosty looks the men still shot at each other, Aviva turned her attention to Hope. “Girl, I love those earrings.”

“Do you really like them?”

“Yes, I really like them, they’re gorgeous. Where did you get them?”

“A while back a friend and I were approached to design a line of jewelry. We agreed, but after a few meetings, it just sort of petered out. I guess they must really want the association because they delivered this yesterday and I absolutely love them. Plus, they look fantastic on me.”

Aviva just rolled her eyes at Hope. The woman looked good, there was no doubt about it, but she really needed to learn that there was no need to say it out loud at every opportunity that presented itself.

“Hope!”

Hope’s self-centered comment had managed to catch Steve’s attention, and his irritation was now directed at her.

By Hope's change of expression, she realized that she had also belatedly come to the same conclusion.

Aviva laughed, some things would never change, and Hope’s self-absorption was one of them. While Aviva found the situation amusing, Jason didn’t.

 “I’m sorry, come on guys, I’m really trying here!”

“Well the way I see it, you need to try harder because comments like that just make you sound like a fool.” Jason’s words were delivered with such emotionless contempt, she immediately felt sorry for Hope.

The kick Aviva gave Jason under the table was almost a reflex action, and she ignored the glares he directed her way.

The sound of Hope’s distress, followed by her slide across the booth drew Aviva’s attention. About to follow a rapidly departing Hope, Steve stopped her.

“I’ll go. You get him under control, or so help me, he and I are going to have this out!”

Once he was out of sight, Aviva turned to Jason. For a split second, she was at a loss as to what to say to him.

“I told you I didn’t want to be here.”

“But you are here, and I’m embarrassed for you, Jason.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the way you’re treating Steve. You profess to care about him but continue to hurt him through your total disregard of Hope’s feelings. Tell me something, if Steve spoke to me the way you just did to Hope, what would you do?”

“I’d kick his ass. Is that what you want to hear? But he never would because you are not a lying, duplicitous bitch!” Jason all but spat out the words.

“I’m also not an idiot. Do you think I don’t know what went on in London? Do you, Jason? I may not know the intricate details, but I know. I also know you well enough to still love and trust you. All you need to do is love and trust Steve and me. I’m not even asking you to be friendly towards her, just don’t ridicule her... please don’t do that to her.” Aware that Jason had made no acknowledgement of her comment regarding the events that had taken place in London, they both knew that he didn’t need to. Maybe one day he would be willing to talk about what had happened. But not here and not now.

Aviva could feel her eyes welling up and turned her face away. The last thing she wanted to do was cry. This dinner date was very important to her, and she didn’t know how to make him understand that.

A finger beneath her chin, and the sweep of a thumb across her cheek told Aviva that she had been unable to stop a tear from falling.

“Tears, Angel?” Jason asked, looking deeply into her eyes. “You know I can’t stand to see you cry.”

Pulling her chin from his grasp, Aviva refused to look at him.

“You may not think I’m duplicitous, but you obviously think I’m manipulative. That I can just turn on the tears at will. You know what, Jason. Forget it. Forget I ever asked you to come here tonight.”

Having said all that she was going to, Aviva was ready to leave, but she couldn’t move. Jason had slipped an arm around her waist and was holding her immobile.

“What about what she did to all of us? How come I’m the only one holding her accountable for that day?”

“That’s just it, you’re not the only one holding her accountable. You’re just the only one who hasn’t told her how you feel about what took place”

Jason’s expression didn’t alter during or after Aviva finished speaking. He was so still, so expressionless that she had no idea what thoughts were running through his mind.

“Because I love you, I’m willing to hear her out. That’s the best I can do.”

“Thank you. Hearing you say that means a lot to me, and it will mean a lot to Steve.”

“Hmm,” was Jason’s only comment, his eyes now turned towards the direction in which Hope and Steve had disappeared.

Following his gaze she saw the couple were on their way back to the table. Steve’s expression was still thunderous, and from the redness of Hope’s eyes and nose, it was clear she had been crying.

When they reached the table, Steve didn’t spare them a look. All his attention was focused on Hope.

“You don’t have to do this. Just say the word and we leave immediately.”

“It’s okay, Steve. Thank you, but I need to do this.”

Aviva could hear the quiver in her voice, but she understood how Jason felt. Hope had better prepare herself, Jason could be a harsh man and in some cases unforgiving which didn’t bode well for Hope. If Hope had ideas that rectifying this situation would be easy, she was in for a rude awakening. Aviva knew that Hope should count herself lucky that she had even managed to get his agreement to at least hear her out.