The Ties that Bind (Kingdom) (11 page)

**********

Jason needed to get a handle on the figures on the screen before him. He had neglected his business affairs for way too long. During his week in England and the two weeks he and Aviva had spent on vacation, he had deliberately pushed all thoughts of his investments aside.

They had needed the time together with no distractions. Jason had always known that his time away from his work would cost him, and the numbers in front of him showed him just how much. But it didn’t matter to him, for his angel, he would lose it all as long as he knew that she was happy and safe.

Still deep in thought, Jason noticed that the atmosphere around him had changed. Where moments before he had been encompassed by a serenity of contentment, he now felt tension settle around him. His head snapped up and around to face the doorway as the feeling of disquiet grew.

Standing in the entranceway to the house was the one person he had never wanted to have the misfortune of seeing again. Hope stood, looking as beautiful as ever with Steve standing just in front of her, as though he were her protective shield.

Jason felt the rage build up within him at the sight of her in his home. He had known that Hope was the reason Steve had been in London when he had gone after Aviva. Deep down, he had known, yet he had hoped that he was mistaken. Never had he entertained the thought that Steve had anything to do with Aviva’s abduction. He knew his brothers weren’t so sure, but they didn’t know Steve the way that he did. He has always known that Steve’s presence in London was down to fashion week and Hope.

“Get
her
out of my house!”

“I thought this was
our
house, Jason.” Steve spoke in a soft cadence, which was the total antithesis of the fury of Jason’s demand.

“It is, you can stay,
she
… needs to get the hell out of my house, excuse me,” Jason corrected himself, “
our
house!”

“Steve, maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I think we should go.” Hope spoke in a low voice, her nervousness at being back in the house apparent on her face.

“We stay.” Steve said, never taking his eyes from a red faced, and outwardly fuming Jason.

From the corner of his eyes, Jason observed Aviva as she walked towards him. When she was finally by his side she ran her palm against the powerful bulge of his arm, his muscles as hard as steel in his agitation.

“Jason, maybe it’s time for us all to sit down and talk.” Aviva said in a placating voice.

“No!”

“This isn’t helping.”

“Do I look like I care? I have nothing to say to that woman!”

“Jason, you need to try to be reasonable. It can’t hurt to sit down and–”

“I said no, Aviva, and that’s the end to this exchange, do not push me on this.” Jason enunciated in his anger.

Jason could see that Aviva would probably have liked nothing better than to punch him out. He knew she hated when he used this tone of voice with her, and at the moment he actually didn’t care. As long as she understood that he was serious, and that she couldn’t change his mind on the subject.

Jason saw Aviva look over at Hope and give an almost imperceptible shrug. Although his facial expression revealed nothing, he was glad that she understood she could do nothing to help the situation.

Still at a stalemate with Steve, each of them unwilling to back down, Jason was pleased to see Hope turned to leave the house.

“Stay where you are, Hope. Jason, you and I need to talk.” Steve didn’t wait to see if Jason followed as he turned towards Jason’s office and strode away.

Jason watched him go, pissed that Hope was still in the house and even more pissed that Steve thought to order him around. Completely ignoring the women, Jason felt his anger rise another notch. He was so angry that he had to reach deep within to gain control. As was his way at times such as these, he began his breathing exercise; a breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. After repeating the exercise three more times, he finally felt he had sufficiently regained a handle on his temper. Only then did he turn to follow Steve.

Chapter 12

The slam of the door indicated that Aviva and Hope were alone for the first time in over two months. Both women stood in absolute silence and stared at each other, neither knowing what to say.

As the quiet continued, Aviva could see Hope’s nervousness grow, and in all honesty, she derived a modicum of perverse satisfaction from watching her squirm. But only a small amount. It wasn’t in her nature to revel in the embarrassment of others, and especially not that of her oldest friend.

Yes, Hope deserved the hostility Jason was directing towards her, but Aviva also understood that this situation couldn’t continue. At their last meeting, pandemonium had reigned supreme. Even months later, Aviva still found it difficult to piece together how their friendship and love for each other had taken such a disastrous downward turn.

For the most part, she had managed to put Hope out of her mind. Not thinking about her friend’s behavior and the hostility it had left behind.

Now, with Hope standing before her the time had come to face the situation. Aviva knew her friend, and she could tell that Hope was hurting. A stranger looking at Hope would only see the beauty that was this woman, but Aviva wasn’t fooled. Through the eyes of her friendship, she recognized the telltale signs of strain etched into Hope’s beautiful face.

As the silence intensified, Aviva witnessed Hope’s big eyes fill with tears. She wanted nothing more than to comfort her friend, but she hardened herself against the feeling. As she watched Hope, tracks of crystalline tears brimmed, and flowed from her eyes. Only just managing to hold her own tears at bay, their eyes locked in silent contemplation until Hope, lowered her gaze and turned to leave.

“Hope, wait!” Aviva demanded the sound of her voice reverberated around the entranceway. Slowly, one hesitant step at a time, she moved towards the woman facing the door. When Aviva finally reached Hope, she hesitated, unsure of what to do, of what to say. Then she remembered who this amazon of a woman was. She was Hope; the bitch with a heart of gold and she knew now as she had on that day weeks ago that she wasn’t ready to let their friendship go.

“You are such a friggin’ bitch!” Aviva told Hope’s back.

Visibly distressed, Hope turned and gasped out her words. “I… I know… I’m sorry, Vee… I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah, well sorry isn’t going to cut it, Hope, and in all honesty, I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s going to take for you to build the bridge you demolished with what had to be your most reckless act of stupidity to date.”

“I know and I’m sorry, Vee, please forgive me… please.” Hope said as she continued to sob.

“No.”

“What?” Hope asked her head jerking up so rapidly she looked as though she nearly bit her tongue.

Oh Lord, Aviva thought. It was official, she was finally turning into a Jason King clone. If the situation wasn’t so dire, she would have laughed at the look of surprise on Hope’s face.

“I said, no I don’t forgive you. In fact, I don’t even know if I like you. What you attempted to do to Jason was despicable. You gave no thought to anyone or anything but yourself because if you had, none of us would be in this house dealing with all this shit!” Aviva was still very angry with Hope, but she also realized that the more she spoke to Hope the more controlled she began to feel.

“I’m so sorry, Aviva, please tell me what to do. I miss you so much. You’re my sister, and I need you.”

Aviva maintained her silence as Hope’s words faded away, her mind a riot of confusion. Hope appeared to have it all, looks, money a glittering career, and Steve. Yet she constantly pushed at the boundaries with the people who loved her with her selfishness and recklessness.

“I’m through speaking in the hallway. Come with me.” Turning, Aviva led the way to the sitting room. When Hope had passed through, Aviva ensured she left the door ajar, mindful that Jason was only holding on to his temper by a thread, and from what she had witnessed, Steve’s control was on par with Jason’s. If they came to blows she wanted to hear it because she would have to move fast.

Turning her attention back to Hope, Aviva motioned for her to take a seat. This conversation was long overdue, and Aviva had no concern for whether Hope was comfortable. Her actions were based purely on the good manners that had been instilled in her. It was the first step in an attempt at what might be the impossible, repairing their friendship.

In her thirty years, only three situations had ever managed to shake Aviva to her core; the death of her mother, meeting her father for the first time, and her abduction.

Her lifeline to coping with her abduction had been her certainty that Jason would come for her. The woman seated so uncomfortably before her had been her rock when faced with the hostility of her estranged father.

With the remembrance of how Hope had supported her all those years ago, Aviva’s mind was made up. She was willing to fight this battle on Hope’s behalf even though the odds were not in her favor. In the end it was actually quite simple, could she accept her friend, warts and all? The answer to that question was, yes.

“I may not like you right now, Ms. Hope, but I love you. I don’t know how we’re going to make this situation right, but I’m willing to do my best.”

“Oh, Vee, thank you, thank you.” Hope sprang to her feet and rushed towards her.

Raising a hand, Aviva halted Hope’s progression. “You’re not off the hook yet, so don’t thank me. I still need to make one thing clear, if it comes down to you or Jason, he wins every time. If you every hurt him again...” Aviva deliberately paused her speech until she knew she had Hope’s undivided attention, “... I will hurt you so badly that if you ever have the misfortune of setting eyes on me again, you will know that your only chance of survival is that you run for your life!”

“I won’t ever do anything like that again, to anyone, I promise.” Hope said, a look of sincerity written across her face.

“Yeah, whatever, my mother always told me that
a promise is a comfort to a fool
, and you and I both know I’m nobody’s fool.”

“I understand, I’ll show you both, I prom–” Hope left the word unfinished, remembering what Aviva had just said to her. “All I ask is that you give me a chance to show you just how sorry I am.”

“For my part, you have it. As for Jason’s… you better start praying for a bloody miracle!”

**********

Jason slammed the door behind him and braced his back against the wooden panel. He knew he had to keep a distance between them or there was every possibility they would come to blows. They both wanted different things, and as was his want, he had every intention of getting his way. It also seemed that Steve was of the same mind.

“Hope and I didn’t come here tonight with the intention of staying. We came because we wanted to talk to you and Aviva.”

“I have nothing to say to that woman, so you just wasted your time bringing her over here.”

“Come on, man, just hear us–”

Before, Steve could complete what he was about to say, Jason cut him off, unable to hold in his words. “Have you lost your fucking mind, what the hell is wrong with you? That woman’s a viper. Why you refuse to see that is beyond me. For God’s sake, even after the colossal kicking she gave all of us, you still want her!”

“Shut the fuck up, you sanctimonious shit! You act as though you never did anything wrong in your damn life, and you and I both know that’s the biggest crock of shit in the world!”

Steve’s comeback didn’t faze Jason. They both knew he was a first class bastard, and he had no intentions of ever trying to convince anyone differently, least of all the one person who knew him best. Jason knew that the slow smile he allowed to spread across his face was a sure way of pushing Steve’s buttons.

“So, you think this whole situation, my life is a laughing matter, huh? Well, let’s see if you’re laughing after I get through telling you what’s on my mind.”

“Say what you must. I sure as hell intend to.” Jason said, doing his best to maintain the façade of amusement he didn’t feel. Their conversation was on its way to hell, and the look in Steve’s eyes filled him with dread at what he was about to say.

“I’m about to give this one more try. Will you listen to what
Hope
and I have to say with an open mind?”

“No, I will not. I’ll always listen to what you have to say, but as for that woman, she has nothing to say that I want to hear.”

Taking a deep breath, Steve tried one last time to get through to Jason. “Answer me honestly, is there anything I could say or do that would turn you away from Aviva?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Then maybe you can begin to understand the way I feel about, Hope. We may not be together, as we once were, and in all honesty, I don’t know if we ever will be, but this is not your call, Jason. This is my life and Hope and I intend to work through our problems in our own way. Do you understand me?”

“I don’t understand a damn thing about the messed up relationship you have with that scheming, manipulative woman. You need to take a step back and take a close look at yourself because in my opinion, you sound like a besotted fool!” Only when he was finished with his tirade did Jason take note of the change that had overtaken Steve’s visage. The expression on his face telegraphed an undeniable truth, he had gone too far.

**********

Steve was furious, and he made no attempts to hide it. Here it was again. People messing with him and thinking they could get away with it. Well, now it was time, in fact, it was past time that he told Jason what was on his mind, what he had held back from him for years.

“Okay, you’ve had your say. Now it’s my turn.” Steve watched Jason’s eyebrow draw low with a frown.

“Steve…”

“No! I don’t want to hear anything more you have to say. So shut the hell up and listen!

After what happened between you and Hope, I never expected you to forgive her any time soon if ever. What I had expected was that you and I had enough of a bond that you would have at least heard me out. That you would trust
me
enough to understand that I
know
what I’m doing.”