Kicking and Screaming (3 page)

If looks could kill, I'd be a goner. She really is something. She seems to take offense at anything I say.

Mike hadn't taken into account all the business associates that might want to travel from Texas to Washington for the nuptials in a few months.

But everyone wanted to stay in our good graces and most of them knew Mike was more than a VP and more like my brother, so they wanted to show their respect.

I think the reason he was playing it down was because Janet's father has insisted on paying.

But I'd spoken to Mr. Dove at dinner and let him know that at some point before I left this weekend, we'd negotiate. It was only fair that I cough up some money, since I'm the one that talked Mike into inviting all the interested parties.

I'd seen the look on her face then, she really thought I was a snobby SOB. Whatever, I didn't have time for some kid's little idiosyncrasies.

I was about to turn away when the dragon made her way towards me. Miranda had just dragged Jenny away and the father had finished speaking to trouble. She looked loaded for bear though, so I'd better be on guard.

MAXIE

"What are you looking at you demented freak?" I stood in front of him breathing fire. Just watching him all evening had just about brought me to the brink. With his stoic manner and know it all ways.

Now he’s taken to staring at me across the room, like staring at me all night at the dinner table wasn’t unsettling enough.

I sure wish he would say something, but all he ever does is stare at me without saying a word. I think it’s high time someone knocked this good ole boy down a peg or two, and I’m just the one to do it.

"What, nothing to say? I sure would like to put my foot up your ass, maybe it'll knock the stick in there off kilter." I think I saw a mouth twitch that time, but I wasn’t trying to amuse him, I was being very serious here.

My sister had just about sent herself into an early grave planning the wedding of the century, because the ever loving Collins were not to be put to shame; and even with all she’d done, it was still not good enough for old Ebenezer Scrooge.

"Are you breathing there rich boy?" I facetiously passed my finger under his nose; he didn't even blink.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing little girl?" I almost jumped out of my skin at that drawl of his coming out of nowhere, but was just in time to catch myself.

"It lives...oi, come again, what's that supposed to mean?" I just got what he’d said, sounded like a veiled threat to me; and I didn't like that smirk he just gave me, not, one, little, bit.

He just kept eyeing me up and down, and I realized he wasn’t fazed one bit by me, or my attitude. Well shit.

Usually I’d have had him shaking in his boots by now, if he’d been a normal male person, which apparently he wasn’t.

I had to swallow for something to do, because he had those orbs of his trained on me without blinking.

Well now Maxie, you’re in a bit of a pickle. As I felt myself weakening under his blue-green gaze I squared my shoulders.

Why was he looking at me like he knew my every move before I made it? This was not going at all like I’d envisioned it, and it was all his fault.

“Do you know what happens when you pull the lion’s tail?” I stepped back from him because one, I didn’t like the way he’d moved into my space when he said that, and two, I wasn’t sure about my body’s reaction to that nearness.

***

JACKSON

That's right little girl, run and hide. I'd seen her look of apprehension just then, but of course she wouldn't be down for long.

She seemed to have a score to settle and I for one couldn’t wait to see what she had up her little sleeve next.

"Well, why do you keep looking at me like I'm a bug under a scope or something?" She was a little flustered now, a little less sure of herself.

Poor thing, she’s probably accustomed to intimidating boys, she obviously never tangled with a real man before, and that’s exactly what she needs to put out that fire in her.

I still had yet to make up my mind whether or not I wanted to be that man. I will say that she was the first female in what felt like forever to peak my interest.

I took my time answering, only to see her reaction, she was such a delight to tease after all.

Just as the steam was about to start streaming out of her ears, I spoke. "I wasn't aware I was doing that."

"Well you were, now stop it." Not very pithy as comebacks go, but I think the stalwart Ms. Dove had finally met her match.

She wasn’t happy with this turn of events that’s for sure, since she was back to breathing fire as she turned to walk away.

I waited until her flounce had taken her almost halfway back across the room, before uttering my answer just loud enough for her to hear.

"No." It was the equivalent to stopping traffic. She skidded to a halt before turning to glare at me.

Yep, there it is. There’s the look that’s going to land her in trouble. Breasts heaving, color in her cheeks, and fire in her eyes.

I’m going to tame that. I can already feel my body preparing itself to take hers. I wonder when exactly she was going to figure out that she had bitten off more than she could chew.

Now I understood why Mike had spent so much time talking about this one, more so than the others, he knew. Very well, let’s see what we see.

Oh hell no, he didn't just say that to me in my own house. Before I could make it back to him Miranda and the skank of Hades were back.

Probably deciding which one of them would go first. Okay I know my sisters aren't really that nasty, but they get on my nerves, especially when it comes to men.

He unbuttoned his suit jacket and showed off his trim waist, all while talking to them but still staring at me; the pompous ass.

"Oh Maxie, wonderful, I have the best idea." Oh good grief, any idea my mother has can only spell disaster for me; it's a known fact.

She’d probably guessed at my intent when she saw me making tracks for the doomed ones and was trying to head me off. Good luck with that, I’m not about to let pretty boy get one over on me.

"Why don't you play the piano for Mr. Collins."

"Are you bent? I'd rather eat dirt...."

"Maxie...Conrad don't laugh, you'll only encourage her." Dad stepped up beside us and I had the sneaky suspicion that mommy dearest had set him on me again.

“Dad, is there any reason why you keep following me?”

“I don’t know what you mean imp, just enjoying the atmosphere. Janet seems happy don’t you think?”

Shit, I’d forgotten all about her and the wedding and the whole reason for this farce.

I noticed that the jackass was still watching me when I threw a glare his way. I gritted my teeth and growled low in my throat.

"Come along imp, let's get you set up. You can pound on the keys and pretend it's his head." Dad pulled me along towards the music room.

"Good one dad, do you see your daughters, especially the youngest one? What happened to all that etiquette training that mom forced us to take? They're like a pack of hyenas on a carcass’ ass."

"Imp, you're going to have to stop it with the one liners, your mother is already threatening to scalp me for encouraging you, but how can I help laughing when you come up with this stuff?

And by the way, that’s not a very nice thing to say about your sisters.” That didn’t stop him from chuckling under his breath.

"I say we make a run for it dad, just head for the border. I'll play in little out of the way dives, and you can finally do all the fishing you want to without mom harassing you. I have about fifty bucks in my purse what you got?"

"Hahaha, see what I mean, you really are a delight daughter mine, my favorite girl. You tell your sisters I said that I'll deny every word."

I hugged his arm closer to my side. "I think they know already dad, what do they care? They've got mom, besides I'm the son you never had."

"I'm sorry to tell you imp, but you're all woman, you just don't know it yet. You're more prissy than all of your sisters put together, just not in the same way."

"Dad, did you get into mom's Xanax again, I mean what's with the insults?"

"Your mother doesn't take Xanax imp, and I'll explain what I mean at a later date. Right now I think your mother has already informed our guest that you're going to play, so we’d better get to the music room."

"Grrrrrrr, fine, but I'm playing the death march." I slipped out of his hand before he could say anything about my choice in music.

I hate it when mom tricks me out like her little pet poodle, let her deal with it. Like I’d waste my talents on the likes of him.

I was soon lost in the music as it was one of my passions. I ran through the prelude book two in a harmonic composition I'd come up with on my own as a young teen.

Nothing soothes my beast like good music, the feel of the ivories beneath the pads of my fingertips, the cadence of the beat within my chest.

The indrawn breath that came from across the room was easily identifiable, seems the earl of dip shit was impressed by my technique. Well, la di da.

When the recital was over I stood and took a bow to the applause. I distinctly avoided looking at him but I could feel my face heating from his stare.

"Isn't she just splendid Jackson?" Janet was beaming from ear to ear like the proud big sister that she is.

"Oh please, so she can play the piano, what's the big deal, she's just a big fat, ugly show off."

My dad's 'imp, don’t' and my mom's 'oh dear Lord' came way too late to save Jenny baby from the crystal vase that connected with her fat head. Imbecile.

Before I could reach her to finish her off with a hand around her scrawny neck, my dad was there pulling me back.

"That's enough Maxie Irene."

Uh oh, dad never called me anything but imp or pretty girl, he must be really steamed.

"But..."

"Not another word, look at your poor mother. Into the study with you, I'll meet you there."

Mom did look a little green around the gills, that's what she gets for sticking me in a room with her two brainless china dolls.

First chance I get, I'm kicking the chrome off Jenny baby's ass for trying to embarrass me.

"Maxie, you're such a thug." Miranda the pest sniffed at me; always have to put in her two cents.

"Your mama..."

"Geez imp, go, now." Dad pushed me gently towards the door.

I didn't dare look at lord douchery, because if he had any expression on his mug other than blank, I was so going to brain him next.

I barely kept my head up as I put one foot in front of the other. No one said anything as I left, but I was sure there was going to be plenty said after I was gone.

I heard Jenny’s screech just before I reached the study and smiled. Good, let her try looking pretty now with her red blotchy face and runny nose.

I always forget how young she is when she starts tramping it up. I didn’t question why it was that I was so upset with her, or more so than usual.

I refuse to believe that I could possibly be jealous of the attention she had garnered from lord stick in the mud.

Dad was the only one to follow me thankfully, as anyone else was still in danger of catching a left hook from me and knew to keep their damn distance.

I didn't see you know who for the rest of the night. Dad read me the riot act, but in his usual way when dealing with me, he had to fight his laughter.

I'd just escaped to my room after the festivities, to hell with them. I'll apologize to my Jan tomorrow.

She was the only one I cared a fig for anyway. Poor dad I did feel for him. It must be hard having spawned such wasteful human matter as those two brain dead twits.

I was on my last lap in the indoor pool the next morning when I saw that one. Shit, shit, shit, I’m trapped.

"Towel?" He bent down and picked it up, holding it high in his hand.

"Turn around."

"No."

"The fuck, what do you mean no?" I swam towards the edge ready to commit murder.

"Does your father know you swear like that?"

"Yes, he also knows that I'll put my foot up your ass if you don't stop telling me no."

"What's this obsession you have with putting your foot up my ass?" He was actually laughing at me, the sod.

"I don't know, I think it might balance out the stick that already lives there."

"Have you been diagnosed with some type of disorder or something, or do you have a lady's complaint?"

"Lady's complaint my ass, if you're asking if I have PMS, the answer is no. Trust me, if I did, your ass would've been on the ground already.

Now turn your prissy, stuck up ass around and head out. And another thing, my father doesn't need your damn money for the wedding.

I made ten million dollars last year alone from my recitals; I'd give every penny before my family takes a red dime from you lord Priss.

Dammit, look what he’d made me do. Me and my damn blasted temper. Dad was right I needed to learn control. I was hoping that maybe he hadn’t caught on, but...

"Wait a minute, you're The Dove? You...but..."

"Shit, you shut up about that." Dammit, me and my big mouth. He was just standing there staring down at me in wonder, and I wanted to dive beneath the water and drown myself.

***

"Why did you deny both my requests for a performance? That was two years ago so you were what, eighteen? And that was way before Mike met your sister, so this hatred of me goes back farther. Want to tell me about it?"

She huffed at me and rolled her eyes. Even with her hair wet and stuck to her head, she was gorgeous. Such an enigma, all that fire and anger and yet she played with the soul of an angel.

"Don't flatter yourself. I'd have to actually care about you one way or another to actually hate you, I assure you, I don't, care; about you that is."

"Could've fooled me, so tell me, why the secrecy, why not use your first name?"

"That's personal. Now would you get out of here? I need to get out of this water."

"Nope, not until you tell me what your problem is with me."

"Does the name Sophia Ambrose mean anything to you?"

"Sure, the Ambrose family have been close family friends for generations, why?" What game was she playing now? What could the annoying little brat from next door have to do with this?

"I was on the circuit with her when she played the violin, before she suddenly had to leave, but you know all about that don't you?"

"I don't think so, mind enlightening me?" now I’m intrigued. This was the first I’d heard of any such thing but that wasn’t a surprise.

There had never been a reason for me to know anything about Sophia’s goings and comings. But I had been overly interested in this one though.

"Oh I'd enlighten you alright..." Such venom, what the hell? I braced myself for what was to come next as she swam swiftly towards me.

"Oh Jackson there you are; sissy and I were just about to take our morning swim, care to join us? Maxie what are you still doing down here, aren't you usually done by now?"

Oh boy, this was not going to be good, this one didn't seem to like being told what to do at all if the sparks of fire shooting out of her eyes were anything to go by.

Yep, she was glaring fire- balls at her sister who was already sporting a lovely lump on the side of her head thanks to her handiwork.