The Irresistible Bundle (60 page)

"We'd record it" Desirae deadpanned.

"Unbelievable" Diego muttered. "Chivalry is dead" he shook his head.

"Only 'cause I know she doesn't have anything on you..." Desirae stated, "But if I were her I'd find the most embarrassing pictures of you and retaliate like a mother. But I'm not her and she doesn't have jackshit."

Diego narrowed his eyes not trusting the beautiful brunette. Carina may not have any but it didn't mean his father or stepmother wouldn't. He made a mental note to check with them. He needed to stay one step ahead when it came to his sister.

"Movie or board games" Diego offered once they stepped inside the cozy three-bedroom house.

"You're such a loser" Desirae snickered. The man was hot as hell, fucking brilliant, and he wanted to play a kiddy game.

"No sugar" Diego purred into her ear. "That will be you after I finish mopping the floor with you. Choose what game you want to lose at first. If I'm feeling generous I'll give you a head start."

Desirae swung her hair over her shoulders in a dramatic attempt to look unimpressed. Diego yelped as her hair whipped across his eyes.

"Serves you right for talking shit" Andrea yelled from the kitchen. Desirae left Diego cupping his watery eyes. She shifted through the games until she found Twister. Hell yeah, it was time to trash talk then spank the man.

Maybe it would be a good night after all.

Chapter Twelve

Leticia gawked at the sight before her. Jaxon was barely done with the song before Nicholas gathered a still naked Carina into his arms and exited the room with Marco and Valentino hot on his heels. Leticia ached to know if her cousin was okay but her body refused to move from its seat. Couples panted, grunted, and moaned around her, oblivious to the unfolding drama, as they continued their round two or three.

Desirae's aggressive voice drowned out all other sounds. Leticia followed Desirae's voice to the same exit the guys had used to leave. A guard blocked the door, refusing to permit anyone else to exit from that door. Desirae argued with the implacable guard. She practically foamed at the mouth but the man didn't budge.

Leticia watched Jaxon. He'd poured his heart and soul into that song only to have Carina whisked away. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. Jaxon was absolutely beautiful but he was also so utterly alone. Why couldn't the others see it? Why was he the bad guy?

Leticia couldn't comprehend how Jaxon was getting closer. He stayed immobile on the folding chair from where he'd sung. The guitar lay across his lap as he stared at Desirae still arguing with the guard. But somehow Leticia was moving toward him. It was an unconscious effort. Leticia's mind was all over the place but her heart hurt and her body insisted to embrace the man.

Her hand moved of its own accord. She stroked Jaxon's wet cheeks. He was oblivious to the tears that flowed down his face. She swallowed the boulder in her throat. How could the others be so blind? So self-absorbed that they couldn't see what was right in front of them?

"Let's get you cleaned up" her soft voice snapped Jaxon's head her way. His bright blue eyes brimmed with tears. He took a shaky breath before nodding. Leticia patiently waited while Jaxon gave a staff member his guitar. She silently walked beside him as they exited the room and headed to his private suite.

Leticia tried to focus but was miserably losing the battle. The man smelled like sex. His hair looked like he'd just been fucked and he was still shirtless, shoeless, and commando. Jaxon Wright was the absolute embodiment of sex without even trying. "Shower or bath" Leticia asked as they entered the spacious suite.

"Shower" Jaxon whispered. He woodenly removed his jeans while Leticia turned the shower on. She pretended not to notice his sculpted abs, chiseled arms, and tanned skin... but she did. Jaxon stepped into the shower, letting the hot water soak his hair and body. She tried to drag her eyes away from his muscular back and ass... but she couldn't. Her traitorous body still raged with unspent desire and lust from watching the scene. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the vulnerable man while her mind scoffed at the ridiculous notion. Jaxon Wright was a known womanizer.

Leticia leaned against the wall grateful that he was rinsing away the scent of him and Carina. She hated the raging war within herself. She'd just watched the man have sex with someone else and then proclaim his love for her through a song. How fucked up was it that she couldn't help but
not
notice him?

"Soap" Leticia's voice echoed off the tiled walls. Jaxon flinched, momentarily forgetting that he wasn't alone. "I trust you can do that yourself." She added a touch of playfulness to lighten the mood. She didn't want Jaxon thinking she was coming onto him but she also couldn't stand this melancholy cloud hanging over him for much longer.

"I'm a big boy" Jaxon playfully replied, "See?" He turned his hips letting her get an eyeful of his semi-erection.

"We all saw" she replied dryly. "Put that thing away" she admonished. "It's had more than enough attention for the night."

Jaxon shrugged. "Has a mind all its own" he claimed. Leticia rolled her eyes waiting for him to exit the bathroom. No one had knocked on the door looking for them. Perhaps they could get through the evening without anyone harassing or assaulting him.

"Are you hungry" She asked. They'd had dinner over two hours ago but her stomach made her feel like they hadn't.

"Sure" Jaxon replied. He slowly dried his body, completely unaffected with Leticia's presence. It neither aroused nor bothered him.

"Are we talking before or after we eat" Leticia impatiently tapped her foot. There was no way Jaxon was kicking her out until they cleared the air.

"Neither" Jaxon groused. Leticia scowled but said nothing. She wanted Jaxon to talk to her because he wanted to; because he needed to. She could be that unbiased ear.

"But I could go for a BLT and a Pepsi." He added.

Leticia walked over to the menu touch screen and tapped in their orders. She loved the luxurious estate's state-of-the-art gadgets. Nicholas was so confident in the estate's service experience that the screen reflected the placed orders, requested time, and ETA of the food's arrival. She knew from seeing it all behind the scenes that the meal would be delivered within the committed timeframe.

"You don't look like you're here to give me shit about everything" Jaxon observed. Leticia appeared relaxed. He focused his attention to her face and no other part of her body since she was still in the same scraps of material she'd been wearing all day. Normally it'd take all his concentration not to act on how fucking awesome Leticia looked but he was emotionally and physically drained. All Jaxon wanted to do was eat his food and go to sleep. She could hang out or leave. It made no difference to him.

"I'm not" Leticia shrugged. She was Marco's cousin but she seemed to only know Jaxon's story from everyone else but him. It wasn't how Leticia rolled. She always got to know someone herself. Didn't matter if it was a neighbor, staff member or new acquaintance... Leticia never allowed someone else's opinions to determine if she felt the person was worthy of her time and attention.

"Then why are you here" Jaxon closed his eyes and leaned his head against the sofa. He really was trying to tell Leticia in as many ways possible, politely of course, that he didn't want to talk.

"Because no one else is" She softly replied.

Jaxon winced at her words. She was abso-fucking-lutely right. It was always like this. If something ever happened between him and Carina everyone always ran to Carina's rescue. Jaxon held his breath as a flash of pain streaked across his chest. He didn't want it to matter but it did. Carina never chose him. Jaxon's hurt flared to irritation.

"So what is this some fucking pity party?" Jaxon sneered. "I could open my door right now and have females flocking in here for the rest of the night."

Leticia shrugged. Jaxon couldn't hide the flash of pain that reflected in his eyes before he lashed out at her. "I'm sure you can" she replied, "But that's not why I'm here. I want to get to know you and the only way I can do that is by interacting with you."

"I'm sure you have plenty of material on me to make that decision without any of my input" He retorted.

"Perhaps but that's not how I operate" Leticia calmly replied. Jaxon looked like a caged animal ready to escape its confinement. She prayed the food wouldn't take long.

He glared at her for a long time. She refused to back down. A knock at the door broke their silent war. Leticia rose from her chair and welcomed the staff member in. Jaxon nodded as the food was placed on the intimate table in the corner of his suite. She organized their food and drinks and waited until he sat at the table.

Jaxon angrily bit into his sandwich. The crispy bacon and fresh tomatoes were the perfect combination for his taste buds. He focused his entire being on his meal. He didn't bother to look at Leticia knowing she'd take it as an invitation to begin a conversation. Her presence soothed him but he didn't understand her motives. She was Marco's cousin. Her loyalties were to family first. Jaxon was nothing more than a stranger to her.

Leticia quietly finished her meal while Jaxon mauled his. Frustration radiated off him but he didn't kick her out. She patiently waited and stared at Jaxon's handsome face. His tense shoulders and pinched expression revealed his current mental and emotional state.

"It might help" she cajoled. Jaxon claimed he didn't want to talk about it but his entire demeanor said otherwise. It festered at him like an open wound.

"It won't change anything" Jaxon snapped. It'd be so much easier if Carina was just another countless face that he'd fucked. It royally pissed him off that he couldn't let her go.

"Why do you want it to stay the same? If this is how it ends every time then it sucks."

Jaxon bitterly laughed. The woman had a point. No matter what he did or said Carina would never completely give herself to him. He wasn't even sure if she'd given her heart to Valentino and Marco. How could she when she was dating two men and sleeping with other people from time to time?

"I'm always the fucking asshole" He growled.

"I noticed that too" Leticia mumbled making Jaxon's eyes widen. He hadn't expected her to say that. She nibbled her lip. She hadn't meant for Jaxon to hear that. Her internal monologues had no business being aired out.

Jaxon's wide eyes narrowed to slits. "What exactly did you notice?" He challenged. He wanted to believe that she saw both sides of the coin but he couldn't forget that she was Marco's cousin. If he kept reminding himself of that significant fact, it would be easier to stomach whatever came out of her mouth.

Leticia shrugged. "I noticed Carina can do no wrong."

Jaxon leaned back in his seat. Maybe he needed to hear this. He didn't have the type of friends Carina had: supportive and loyal. He had Pete and his goonies. All they did was ride on his coattails and take his leftovers and rejections of pussy.

"Go on" he encouraged. He knew he might not like what she had to say but he wanted to hear it anyways.

Leticia slowly exhaled. It didn't matter what anyone thought. She was entitled to her observations and thoughts. "I've been here just under two weeks and I'm seeing things that don't make sense." She looked away before continuing. She didn't care to see his reactions to her words, "I knew Marco and Valentino were close but I never imagined they'd be in a relationship together..."

Jaxon chuckled. "Think that threw the staff for a loop at Club 69 too."

She smiled. She was glad she hadn't been the only one left in the dark. She wasn't against their relationship but she certainly hadn't seen it coming either. Leticia was happy for Marco. Valentino and apparently Carina too were good for him.

"The guys explained to me about their little inner circle and how they explore with different partners." Leticia smirked as Jaxon snorted with disgust. "I don't know how everyone can be so buddy-buddy after having sex with each other."

Jaxon laughed at Leticia's puzzled expression. They needed a fucking map to chart and track who slept with who. Carina would be at the center of that chart and several paths would extend from there. The map would connect several key players to different people. Lines would travel in circles and extend in completely opposite directions. Actually it would look like one fucked up jumbled mess.

"Did you miss the hostility between the girls and Chelsea?" He snorted. Jaxon couldn't understand why or how the hell they still hung out together.

"Were they like that before you decided to explore her depths?"

Jaxon gawked. What the hell had Leticia just said? "Explore her depths" he spluttered.

"I was trying to be tasteful about it" She defended herself flushing hotly as she crossed her arms under her chest. He tried not to notice Leticia squishing her tits. Damn they looked nice.

He sighed. This was where shit got messy. He ran his hand through his hair. He didn't know if he could talk to Leticia about it. He and Carina had already had it out... Not like it mattered. She was with Valentino and Marco.

"I fucked Chelsea because I was pissed at Carina for breaking up with me" Jaxon confessed.

"Worked like a charm, huh" Leticia snickered and shook her head. Guys always thought with their dicks first and foremost.

"The stupid cunt won't take a hint. Hit it once - that's all she'll ever get from me." Jaxon curled his lip in disgust. He'd been piss-ass drunk that night and it had seemed like a fucking brilliant idea at the time. He hadn't been interested in Chelsea. He just saw her as an easy target to get back at Carina.

Leticia bit her inner cheek. She had all sorts of flowery comments about Chelsea but there was no need to voice them. Jaxon knew the score. He'd fucked her and now she was like a bad rash that wouldn't go away.

"It pisses me off to no end" He ranted fueled by her astute observations. Now that Leticia had opened the floodgates it was all pouring out. "She is such a fucking hypocrite."

"Chelsea" Leticia asked puzzled. Why the hell was Chelsea a hypocrite?

"No" Jaxon waved her off. "I mean Carina..."

"Why is Carina a hypocrite?" Leticia asked although she suspected she knew the answer. Desirae's recent rant echoed through her mind.

"She broke up with me because she claimed I couldn't keep my hands to myself but then she's fucking Nicholas and God-knows-who-else while she's with Marco and Valentino." Jaxon bitterly retorted. He shot off the chair and began pacing. How had the night gone so horrifically wrong? The scene had gone perfectly. Carina had performed even better than Jaxon had anticipated. His
belleza
was an exhibitionist to the
nth
power.