The Pawn (Shattered Series Book 1) (29 page)

        As if burned, he dropped his hand. “What is it that you want to know?” he asked gruffly, wrapping his arms around his knees again. “Give me your twenty questions. Can’t promise that I’ll answer them all.”

        “I get it. This is your way of coping with life, isn’t it? Keep people at arms length---you don’t hurt them and they can’t hurt you.” She paused. “You’re upset with me, and only heaven knows why. That’s it, isn’t it? Back there with Meghan, you felt that I was interfering. I could see it in your eyes. As long as I stay in the friend mode, stay mute and passive on the sidelines, you’re okay with that. But, when I take an active position---I’m getting too close,” she accused, her words low. “And your defense mechanism is this wall that you put between yourself and the people that you care about. Not only do you do it with me, you do it with Meghan as well.”

        He swung an angry look in her direction. “What in the hell do you mean by that?”

        “Even now, in this short time, I know how much you love your daughter,” she said, swallowing hard, holding his gaze. “But, still, I sense that you feel that you’re not a good father and that’s not true at---”

        Releasing a string of violent curses, Jarrod leapt to his feet, and fire blazed in his green eyes as he stared down at her. “Save your psycho babble for someone who wants to hear it. But, unfortunately, that someone isn’t me,” he snapped.

        “I think that you need to hear a lot of truths!” she shouted, staggering to her feet. “Like the fact that you’re shutting me out of your life---again!”

        “Have you ever entertained the thought that maybe, just maybe, I’m sparing you from a world of heartbreak?” he raged, stepping dangerously closer to her. “Maybe I’m trying to do the right thing and free you from this crazy life of mine where I hold no true bearings. Apart from the fact that I brought you here, you know absolutely nothing about me. And that fact alone should be reason enough for you to leave.”

        The hurt stabbed her. “You want me to go?” she whispered, barely able to muster the words. “Is this your way of getting rid of me for good---by being cold, distant, and standoffish?”

        “I don’t know what I want and neither do you,” Jarrod muttered, raking a hand through his hair. “Going our separate ways might be best---”

        Before he could get the final word out, she slapped him hard.

        Stunned, he staggered back and eyed her with surprise. Then, wincing, he rubbed the stinging flesh. “Guess I deserved that one,” he shrugged. “Glad you got it out of your system, now? Did it feel good, Olivia---”

      “What kind of monster are you?” she whispered tearfully, sucking in a painful breath. “How can you be so selfish?”

        “That’s it, sweetheart,” Jarrod challenged, stepping closer to her. Still, a private war raged in his green eyes, one that he couldn’t mask. “Look at me as I really am. Finally, you’re getting a true glimpse at the real me. Selfish, cold-hearted, unfeeling----”

        “Liar,” she accused, breathing fast, and moved closer until their bodies touched. “You’re nothing more than a liar.”

        A dangerous light flared in his green depths.

        Was it anger?

        Fire?

        Or passion?

        “Why are you fighting this---us?” she whispered, staring up at him. “Please, tell me why.”

        As he pulled her against him, she gasped, and at once, the firestorm of sensations flooded through her. “From the moment we met,” Jarrod rasped unsteadily. “I tried to do the right thing and keep my distance. But, heaven help me, I don’t know if I can.”

        “Why even try?” she asked breathlessly. “Please, Jarrod---”

        As his head lowered, he claimed her lips.

        Instead of ravenous, the kiss was slow and deep.

        And that only made it more potent.

        Drugged and enslaved by their attraction, they learned the taste of one another. Clasping one hand against the back of her head, he held her close to him with the other. As his tongue slipped into her mouth, he deepened the kiss. Moaning her pleasure, she leaned into him. Breaths ragged, bodies trembling, they fed their fire.

        Soon, their slow pursuit was no longer enough, and they both spun out of control.

        Their deeps moans of pleasure overrode the sound of the crashing waves, and against her lips, he made wicked promises.

        “Jarrod,” she whispered, breaking away, and took in a shaky breath. “Oh, Jarrod---I need you, please.”

        Cradling her face in his hands, he pulled back.

       “Olivia,” he said, chest heaving, and his green eyes were especially intense. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have---”

        She laid a finger against his lips. “Shhh…it’s what we both wanted.”

        “What in the hell am I doing?” Jarrod muttered, shaking his head as if to clear it. “I don’t have the right to---”

        “Why don’t you have the right?” she fought back. “I want you---you want me. Our feelings are real, they’re there, and we can’t keep hiding them.” Her words were desperate. “By exploring them, we can put the pieces of our lives back together.”
        “Olivia, we can’t rush things,” he interrupted. “There are things that you need to learn about yourself before even worrying about a relationship---”

        “Here and now is all that matters to me, and I need you to understand that,” she pleaded, brushing a hand along his cheek. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to put any pressure on you, and I’m trying to be patient. But, isn’t it time that we reclaim our life? Certainly, I can understand your hesitation, and I share the same. Yet, it’d be completely wrong, and we’d be cheating ourselves if we didn’t explore what’s between us---no matter how difficult they may seem.”

        He closed his eyes as if in pain. “Olivia, listen to me---”

        “There they are Rosa!”

        Startled, they both turned to see a beaming Meghan racing down the beach, pigtails flying, and Rosa only smiled as she followed at a much slower pace. When Meghan reached them, he swung her up in his arms playfully as he whirled in a full circle.

        “Daddy!” Meghan squealed, giggling. “You’re making me dizzy!”

        “That’s the whole idea, Poppet,” Jarrod said, tugging on a pigtail, and watched as Rosa advanced upon them. “Now, why did you drag poor Rosa down here?”

         The caretaker gave an amused smile as she joined them.

         “You’ve been gone a long time, Daddy,” Meghan pouted, folding her arms across her chest, and stared defiantly at her father. “And you promised that I could have a sleep over, and you said that we were going to the market, and----”

        Watching the easy camaraderie between father and daughter, Olivia’s smile widened. Again, the mutual love and affection was evident between the two.

        “I said that we’d discuss it later,” he scowled, tapping her nose gently. “I understand that you’re eager to be with Maria, but I have to clear things with Javier first, okay?”

        “But, he said that I’m welcome anytime,” Meghan said, wide-eyed, spreading her arms wide. “So, that means now, too, right, Daddy?”

        “Why can’t I say no to you?” he sighed, shaking his head. “Alright, you’ve twisted my arm---”

        “Daddy, you’re too big for that!” Meghan giggled. “How can I twist your arm? I’m just a little girl, and you’re too strong!”

        “That’s a figure of speech,” Olivia smiled, joining the conversation. “He doesn’t mean that you’ve really twisted his arm. But, that you’ve convinced him.”

        “Isn’t Livvy smart?” Meghan asked, eyes wide, as if amazed. “She understands the stuff that nobody else can.”

        Across the space, as the words left Meghan’s mouth, their eyes locked, and again their potent attraction reared its head.

        “That she is,” he muttered, being the first to look away. “Among many other favorable qualities. Now, let’s see if we can ‘twist’ Javier’s arm and have that sleep over.”

        Unable to contain her exuberance, Meghan bounced around while clapping. “Yay!”

        Awhile later, as they made their return, she trailed a few steps behind the threesome, and his words played in her mind.

        Among many other favorable qualities…

        And just what were they, she mulled, narrowly missing the arriving wave.

        With Jarrod as her guiding light, she was destined to learn.

Chapter 14

              “A two day sleepover has suddenly ballooned into a week. We’ve been taken in by a couple of scheming seven year olds,” Jarrod replied, shaking his head in disbelief, and returned Meghan and Maria’s elated smiles from across the Ramos’ family room. “Why am I not surprised?”

              At present, a small area of the room was transformed into a little girl’s paradise, complete with the towering doll house that they’d wrangled from the basement, not to mention the heap of dolls and their accessories obliterating the floor.

            “Yes, we have,” Javier agreed. “It’s blatantly obvious that we’re spineless wimps when it comes to our little princesses, and we’re pure putty in their hands. But, I have to admit playing super-hero to my little girl gives me more satisfaction than anything.” Nothing’s too good for her.”

“At least we’re good for something, right?” he muttered seriously. “Thanks again for having Meghan over, especially on such short notice.” 

                      “Don’t mention it. We love her, and we love having her stay. And we have two very happy little girls on our hands, and that’s what matters. Care for a drink? Nothing heavy, of course, so you won’t be wasted. Come on.” Already, Javier was leading the way to the bar. “The girls are playing, Luna and Olivia are occupied in the kitchen, and we need to talk.” Stopping abruptly, he faced him with a serious expression. “Really talk.”

        Frowning, he nodded. “Alright.”

        The Ramos living quarters were quite lucrative, indeed, and no one would ever suspect it since the front part of the building served as his tour business. Once you passed the heavy curtain draped behind the service counter, there was a hallway that led to a single door at its end. Upon entering it, the space became the entrance of the well-designed home.

        And the architect had done an impeccable job, he admitted, trailing behind Javier.

        Through the overhead solar panes, the sunlight streamed into the room and bathed the glistening hardwood floors. Along the room, the Spanish columns stood amidst it, painted with a tarnished gold hue. A plush white sofa sat at the center and was flanked by matching armchairs and side tables. To the left, the expensively decorated double-doors led to the kitchen while the dining area rested on the right side of the room. Off-side to the dining area, the bar stood and it shone with a rich mahogany stain. The gold-rimmed bar stools especially added a decorative edge to the décor.

        As Javier ventured behind the bar, he took the center stool.

        “What will it be?” Javier inquired, slinging the white rag across his shoulder, and then perused the liquor shelf on the back wall.

        “Smith and Wesson.”

        “Sounds like what we both need.” Grabbing the vodka from the shelf, Javier mixed the drinks, and after passing it to him, he eyed him pointedly. “Why don’t we just cut to the chase? Something’s going on with you, and my gut instinct tells me that whatever it is, it’s going make your life more of a hell than it already is.”

        “I made this bed---damn it, I’m lying in it.” Purposefully, taking a calm sip, he kept his expression blank. “Whatever hell that I’ve created, I’ll suffer the consequences. More importantly, there’s nothing to talk about apart from the usual.”

        Even though Javier cradled the glass in his hand, he managed to point a finger. “Bullshit and you know it, Sabatino. From the way that you’ve just turned into granite, I’d say that there is plenty to discuss,” Javier quipped tightly, sipping from his glass. “What in the hell is going on? A long while ago, when we last spoke, you were planning a revenge scheme against Matt Addison, but you didn’t divulge exactly what.”

        “There’s nothing to tell apart from the fact that I have him exactly where I want him. And from this vantage point, things are well under control.”

         “Really?” Javier probed, arching a brow. “Tell me this then. Is Olivia a part of this sting that you’re running on him? While I don’t know her personally, she doesn’t strike me as the type that’d keep the company of a bastard like Addison. Besides that, Meghan’s crazy about her and that’s enough to prove that she’s a good person. So, how she’d get involved in this game that you’re playing with Addison?”

        “It’s complicated, and it’s unfortunate that things have turned out the way that they have. Like I’ve pointed out before, I have little choice but to take the action that I am.”

        “That’s where you’re wrong. There’s always an alternative one, my friend.” Javier drained the glass before slapping it down. “And while I don’t know all the details, I can tell that you’re in neck deep.” Casting a cautious eye toward the kitchen, and obviously satisfied that they weren’t within earshot of anyone, he leaned closer to the bar. “Listen, I didn’t want to bring it up while Luna and Olivia were around. But---”