“Do you think?” Angus asked, turning his grey eyes onto Scott, anger reflected in them, but he dropped his hands from Jessica. She turned to go the kitchen. Jim saw her dart her eyes over to Scott, and then she brought them to him before she flicked them over to Josh. The irony wasn’t lost on Jim … and it didn’t seem to be lost on Scott either by the look he threw at Jim. Josh, the mentally cracked one, was silently and obediently standing off to the side, not interfering … and then Jim and Scott who were supposed to have it together, seemed to be losing it.
But it was likely the same for Scott as it was for Jim … he had no control over it. He didn’t even know he was going to yell at Angus until he was surprised by his own voice. All he knew was that for that second when he came down the hall and saw Angus clutching Jessica, he thought Angus was on his way to beating her … or coercing her into something worse than a kiss.
Josh followed Jessica to the kitchen and helped her get two beer out of the fridge and open them.
“Do you want one?” Jessica asked Josh. He shook his head.
“Jim and Scott, beer?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah sure.” Scott said, hoping it would take the edge off … Jim declined. He needed his wits about him. Josh took a third beer out and motioned Jessica to deliver her two beer to Scott and Riley. He brought Angus his beer. Jessica couldn’t deny being relieved to not have to go near Angus again.
“Thanks.” Riley said taking the beer from Jessica. “Hey,” he added, reaching up to grab Jessica’s chin. He turned her face from one side to the other, studying it. “do you have a tan?”
“Son of a bitch!” Scott swore under his breath. Was it possible that she had a tan? Of course … she’d been outside with them so often the past week. It was so gradual that they hadn’t noticed.
“She may.” Jim answered, trying to sound casual.
“And how would that be?” Riley asked.
“We had her out doing chores with us.” Jim said.
“Really?” Riley asked, turning her face back and forth … staring at her.
“Makes her look healthier, doesn’t it?” Scott asked, clenching his empty hand open and shut … using all of his will power to not walk over and pry Riley’s hand from Jessica’s face. He was looking at her like he looked at his dogs when he was training them, or punishing them, dominating them. Scott realized the hypocrisy. He very much liked to dominate Jessica … but at least she was certain to get some pleasure from it. The way she stood frozen before Riley … at the very least uncomfortable, at the worst, terrified, just made his blood boil.
“I guess …” Riley reflected. In fact it did.
Angus grunted as if something finally made sense to him, and he cocked his head to the side as he observed Jessica.
“Riley …” Jim began in a low, angry voice. “You need to let her go!”
“Why?” Riley asked in an absent minded way, apparently oblivious to Jim’s tone.
“Because I need to make lunch for you …” Jessica interjected … urgently trying to curtail the disaster that was about to happen. What the hell was wrong with Scott and Jim? Why were they being so hostile, confrontational? It felt like a bad dream. Something awful was going to happen … she could feel it.
“Lunch?” Riley asked, taken aback again. Something about Jessica had changed and it was more than her skin color. She was far more interactive than she had been before they left.
Angus had lowered his beer and stood flicking his eyes between Riley and Jessica. Something was happening that his brain just couldn’t fathom.
“Yes, you must be hungry …” Jessica managed. From her periphery she could see Scott clenching his fists. That, Jim’s combative comments, and Josh’s too quiet silence made Jessica want to do nothing more than distract Riley and Angus.
“Now that you mention it …” Riley said, suddenly dropping his hand from Jessica’s face.
“Great … what would you like to have?” Jessica said trying to sound casual as she stepped away from Riley … right past Angus.
“You know …” Angus said catching her arm. “Before you feed us … I’m curious about the joke.”
“The joke?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, the one you found so hilariously funny. I’d really love to hear it.”
Jessica felt heat sear to her cheeks. It had been a joke she’d read in one of Scott’s porn magazines … it had sexual connotations and she just didn’t feel right telling it to Angus. Especially when he looked at her like that … without thinking she turned her head away, embarrassed.
“Hey … look at me!” Angus roared, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look back at him. Even with the tan it was easy to see the bright red growing on her cheeks. It only served to heighten Angus’ curiosity.
“It was a private joke between Jessica and me.” Josh said in a low, controlled voice.
“Jokes are public property, last I heard. I’d really like to hear it. So why don’t you tell me Jessica?”
“Maybe she could if you let go of her mouth …” Scott muttered.
Angus ignored the comment, but Riley’s head jerked up.
He looked at Scott and was surprised by the fury he saw in Scott’s expression. He looked at Jim and Josh, fury there also. What the hell was going on?
“It was a joke guys. What the hell is your problem?” Riley demanded.
“Look at her.” Josh said, fighting to keep control. “She’s embarrassed … mortified. If you want to hear the joke so damn badly I’ll tell it to you later. Now Angus, let her go and make your lunch …” Josh kept his voice tight but polite yet there was no mistaking that the last part was a command, not a request.
Riley took another look at Jessica. There was no denying her embarrassment.
“Let her go Angus. Josh is asking you to respect his … and Jessica’s, privacy.”
Angus nodded and let Jessica go.
“Must’ve been some joke!” he muttered as he swigged his beer and dropped into the armchair.
“There’s some left over stew.” Jessica said after putting some distance between herself and Angus … “is that okay?”
“Sure.” Riley said watching Josh, Jim and Scott seem to gravitate toward the kitchen with Jessica. Something was off.
Scott, Jim and Josh ambled around in front of the kitchen area, eventually walking around in an imperfect circle. They were uneasy and Jim figured they were all thinking the same thing. This was impossible. There was no way they could last in this situation. Things had to get drastically better quickly or drastically worse. There could be no middle ground. Jim waited until Riley’s attention was diverted away from them and flicked Scott on the arm. Scott looked up scowling. With half an eye on Riley to ensure he didn’t see him, Jim pointed at Scott, at Jessica, at Riley and then mouthed the word ‘dog’. Scott looked at him funny. Jim pointed at himself and shook his head, flicked his eyes to Riley and then put his hands around his own neck as if strangling himself. Understanding registered with Scott. Josh stopped his pacing, hands on hips … and watched the exchange. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out why they picked now to play charades.
Scott cleared his throat and moved to sit in the chair next to Riley at the table.
“So, the trip went well?” Scott asked casually, sipping the almost forgotten beer he clutched in his hand.
Riley shifted his eyes to Jessica and then back to Scott.
“Yup.” He replied.
“Good. Good.” Scott added, not really sure how to get to the point.
“What’s up Scott?” Riley asked. Scott, Jim and Josh seemed nervous, and Jessica seemed calm. Calmer and more responsive than she normally was.
“Jessica was really well behaved while you were gone. Followed the rules to a T. We ah … offered her kind of a reward.”
“What kind of reward?” Riley asked in a weary tone.
Angus squinting at Scott, sat straighter in the chair.
“Well, she requested the privilege of training the dogs with you.”
Riley looked back at Jessica, who stood frozen in place by the stove … listening to the conversation. She sighed with relief. For a moment she thought they were going to tell him about Ebony and the track. But training the dogs was an excellent alternative.
“Really …” Riley commented. “Well, I’ll tell you what. If I see evidence of this great behavior today … then I’ll take her out tomorrow. But it better be pretty damn good.”
“Sure, of course. I’m sure you’ll be pleased … “
“But?” Riley asked as Scott’s voice trailed off.
“But intimidation isn’t going to help the situation.” Scott spoke in a low voice and slid his eyes in Angus’ direction.
“I don’t recall there being an intimidation clause in the code of behavior for Jessica.” Angus sneered. “Besides, if you call a kiss and some questions intimidation then you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Scott jumped to his feet, kicking the chair back so hard it fell over.
“Oh I’ve seen plenty!” he thundered stalking toward Angus, “Why don’t you try your intimidation tactics on someone a little bigger, a little stronger, a little less defenseless …”
“Gladly!” Angus replied getting to his feet and lunging at Scott.
“Stop!”
Everyone froze, and then turned toward the kitchen. Jessica stood in the center, her hands extended, palms up.
“I think maybe everyone’s hungry …” she said nervously. “Why don’t we eat? “
Silence hung in the air.
“Scott … could you help me set the table please?” Scott moved to the kitchen without giving Angus a second glance. Once the table was set the men began to move to the table … even Angus who’d spent the time scowling at Scott and trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Jessica felt like she was going to faint. Things were not going well. The men were going to kill one another … and while it had been something she would have relished not so long ago, now she wanted to avoid it with every fiber of her being. She no longer wanted revenge, only the opportunity to avenge her family. She wanted justice. The opportunity to have these men pay for their crimes in a court of law, peacefully. Afterall, that was what her parents were all about. Law and justice. That was what they’d died for. She had to find a way to get it for them. And the way things were going, there was going to be bloodshed. As she watched Riley and Angus seat themselves at the table she knew what she had to do. The only hope was Riley. Never mind past experience, just the looks on Riley and Angus’ faces told Jessica that she didn’t stand a chance with Angus, but there was opportunity with Riley. If she could win him over, he would make Angus comply.
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