Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. (10 page)

Dillon’s hold on my waist seemed to tighten marginally at the word, “brother” but I kept going. Seemingly, the years of transition into adulthood had changed him so much it was almost like I was meeting Dillon again, for the first time. By sight, I recognized him, but my heart and brain were falling short.

“We were all raised side by side here on the family farms. My mother adopted him pretty much when he didn’t have a place to go after his parent’s passed on.” I cringed as I always had reliving that night we all found out, never being able to imagine life without my parents and being overwhelmed by the fear of losing my father, again.

Matt took the two long strides over that his legs were capable of and held his hand out to Dillon. A moment’s hesitation on Dillon’s part, as was expected given our history, and they shook rough and quick.

“Pleasure. I wish I could say I’ve heard a lot about you but Taylor hasn’t really talked much about her life here.” Matt said.

Is he really frowning right now?

Now Dillon was returning his sullen look and replied, “Well, at least you got to talk to her.”

Ouch. I mean, I guess I deserved that, but ouch.

They just stared at one another and we sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments time. There were a million questions racing through my mind at an Olympic pace but I had no idea which one to pick first. Suddenly exhausted, I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart beating faster than normal before he spoke again.

“I guess you heard then.” It wasn’t a question, he knew by the look of melancholy on my face. I simply nodded, craning my neck to make eye contact.

“Almost everyone is at the hospital.” He squeezed my shoulders again in an attempt at comfort. For some reason, it just felt uneasy.

“I figured they would be. I wasn’t sure where I should go first.”

“Listen, you’re beyond exhausted, this just happened so even if ma knew you were coming, she would have expected you tomorrow. Go, get some sleep and freshen that beautiful face of yours up.” I began to protest as he stroked my face lovingly but he put his fingers over my open mouth. “No. Don’t argue. I out… well, I out everything you now, so your efforts are futile Annie. Come, I’ll take you down there.”

Had he just called me Annie? My stomach lurched – I expected the nickname eventually, but never from his lips. Putting it out of my mind, I moved forward.

Before I could ask where down there was, he was pulling me back to the truck and as gently as one could toss, tossed me into the cab; pushing me into the middle of the bench seat and waited for Matt to climb in on the other side of me. Bessie had still been running so he shifted her into drive and set off around the driveway and back toward the old mother-in-law suite near the manmade lake.

I looked sideways at him when he continued driving on to the very back of the property and my jaw dropped when I saw a brand new home constructed not far from the lake, pushed back and hidden behind some natural land that was allowed to grow out. Pulling up just in front of it, it was even grander up close. We climbed out and stood, silent. My breath was stolen. This house standing before me was my dream home. An all-white, southern plantation style home with two stories and a full attic topping it off. The first story had a complete wrap around porch and the front of the home on the second floor had a balcony from side to side that only had access by the elegant French doors of a guest room. The doors were open and crisp white linen curtains bellowed out of them, blowing freely in the wind.

The sight was charming and alluring. The cherry on the whole house was the bright red front door which was also open, light pouring out of it and some louder than normal classic music. Puccini, I think; I only know that because I listen to his music often while writing. When we arrived the sun was just going down but now it was suddenly dark enough to see fireflies dancing in the distance along the tree line.

I turned back and looked past Bessie to the large man-made lake, the moon bouncing off of it, playfully, calling to anyone who would listen, enticing you to a moonlight swim. Just beyond the lake, further down the road were the Kane and Jameson family homes our parents had never separated despite the fact that our families were two different families; they always operated as one.

Both families were old and new money, worked for and kept only by sacrificing bone, blood, sweat, tears and sharing plenty of love.

This little slice of heaven we had carved out was blanketed by billions of stars and serenading crickets. Dillon reached out and grabbed my hand, for support I think, while waiting patiently for me to get reacquainted with the land. I glanced at him only momentarily before I looked back to the house and Matt came to stand beside us holding our bags.

A heat set in the lower region of my belly and I felt like a fire of lust and adoration had lit me ablaze from head to toe, the proof in my reddened cheeks. Why, I had no idea. We set out towards the house and Dillon mumbled, “Welcome Home,” then choked out something meant to be a chuckle. On the front porch were two white outdoor wicker rocking chairs and a matching table the size of a square living room ottoman. The top had a glass cover and a drink sat upon it with a book next to it.

“Did we interrupt your reading?” I asked, half joking. If memory served me right, Dillon despised reading.

“Um…” Was all he said before pushing me into the front door. He knocked sharply and before I knew it, he was gone. That little mother-

“Lissy, please, I said…” The sexiest voice I had ever heard in my whole entire life, deep and sensual, almost like a growl, had just resounded in my ears and I prayed that I was merely dreaming a horrific nightmare when he stepped into the entry hall. Naked from the waist up, about to haul a t-shirt up his arms and over his head, flexing all of his god-like muscles, halted, stunned.

Welcome to the party, asshat.

Chapter 6

I simply had no idea what to do. Lust, love and the power of an almighty anger were surging through my veins, fighting for who got out first while I remembered to close my mouth before I caught a fly and tried to remember how to work any part of my body. Any part at all. Besides my lady parts. This body was a two timing hussy. The electric pull I felt tugging between us was as present as ever and I tried to tell myself it was only because he was partially naked but it didn’t even dull when he put his shirt back on. If I’m being honest, I didn't need to see him naked again to remember every single curve, dip, hump, ab, sinewy muscle and pure deliciousness that made up what he was in all of his bare ass glory. With my brain presently in a gelatinous form, Matt took the opportunity to speak first, thank all the cheesecake in the world.

“Hi, I’m Matt. Dillon just brought us back here, hope we aren’t intruding.” He held out his hand and waited. And waited. When he realized the man before us wasn’t going to shake it, he pulled it back and gave an awkward thumbs up.

“Okay.” He said, drawing it out, unsure of what to do next. Looking between us, he had obviously gathered that we knew each other. He took another stab at it. “How do you know Mrs. Kane, here?”

After another several tense, silent, moments, the man spoke with an emotion I could not place and a southern drawl so thick you could cut it like warm butter. Never taking his eyes off of mine, he grunted.

“I’m the Mr. to her Mrs.” Then, with an emotion I recognized very easily as jealousy, he all but barked, “Who the fuck are you?”

I am almost certain that in the entire time since I have known him, this was the first time I ever saw Matt speechless, a look of incomprehension on his gorgeous face.

Suddenly remembering his first words, I found my own gust of jealousy and blew it back at him, “Well, he ain’t Lissy!”

That little tramp. The same pathetic girl who chased Tommy around since middle school, begging for a scrap. Was that mean of me? Too bad. I hated her; hated all females who wanted what I wouldn’t allow myself to have and while I understand the ridiculousness of that stance, I just don’t give a damn. He was mine.  
Was.

* * *

Tommy swore he just died and went straight to heaven on the fast track.  His angel stood before him looking, in his opinion, like the most drop dead gorgeous woman ever to walk the earth - even with her eyes drooping and her hair disheveled from going too long without rest. The same gravitational pull that existed between them was there, once more, jerking harder than ever, beseeching him to drag her into his arms and take her to his cave like the caveman she made him. Taylor spoke before he could do just that.

“My dad had a heart attack. He’s up at Bradley Regional in a coma.” She literally just spit it out.

Talk about a kick to the gut. Not only was Tommy close to her father, but the look she gave and the hurt in her tone, burned him in a whole new way. And no one had even told him. She shifted gears quickly though and did what Taylor did best; she hid herself. A wall of stone and anger erected itself before Tommy’s very eyes and despite the fact that he had seen it a million times, that hurt him because he was once the only person who got to stand behind it with her.

“Don’t worry about it though, we will go to the main house or the clubhouse, this isn’t your problem.” She turned away swearing and Tommy panicked, unsure if he could handle watching her walk out the door one more time; even if she was an illusion of his depraved mind. Reaching out to grab her upper arm to halt her, his hand was zapped with all the intense sparks flying off at their contact, deepening his need and want for her in that exact moment. She glared at him and he released her arm without saying another word, even knowing the sparks affected her too. Tommy shifted over to Matt, grabbing the bags out of his hands, catching him off guard as he watched, bewildered at the interaction between Tommy and Taylor.

“Uh…” Was all Matt got out when Tommy quietly ordered, “Ya’ll will stay here. There is no room in the main house and the clubhouse hasn’t been kept up for years.” Which was clearly a lie pouring out of his mouth, he just didn’t want them alone in the same building, sleeping or breathing. Just the thought, made his already upset stomach and attitude, sour further.

One wide doorway off the entry hall led to a library, on the left and a formal dining room, on the right. Down the hall were two staircases on either side of an open area with a round table in the center. Each door was black with white molding and double crown molding around the walls, meeting black wood floors.

This was a home made from nothing but absolute and total love. No hate, malice, disgust or anger, just pure love. A connecting hallway to the right, past the formal dining room, led to the kitchen where Tommy was cooking. Coincidentally it was one of Taylor’s favorites; Fried chicken, collard greens and honey biscuits. Tommy led them past the table between the staircases and to a door underneath the stairs that was secret; each staircase had what looked like built in bookshelves but were actually hidden doors.

Opening it, he held the door for them both to pass through and stepped back so as not to elicit a stomp on his foot when Taylor barged through angrily. She was known for those. He rolled his eyes at her and followed behind them as they headed for a second door a few feet in front of them.

Tommy walked past them to open the second door, which led to a very large guest bedroom, fully outfitted with a beach house decor and feel. There was a door that led to the back of the house, onto the porch, nestled behind a small arranged sitting area. A large king bed sat with its headboard pointed toward the front of the house and a second entrance to the bathroom at the far end of the right wall they entered at. Tommy dropped his bag and turned back toward the door. “This is where you’ll sleep high speed and if you need anything, you’re welcome to the kitchen. TV and stuff is in the living area which you can get to by going out that door, and turning right.” Tommy pointed to the door they had come through just seconds before.

He retreated, expecting Taylor to come but when she didn’t, he turned around and went back into the bedroom to retrieve her.

“Let’s go Tay.”

“I’ll just stay with Matt.” She challenged, crossing her arms and scooting closer to Matt.

Matt made a choking noise and looked down at her while Tommy ground his teeth together.

“The hell you will. Don’t make me drag you out of here.”

“You wouldn’t.” Her eyes narrowed and Tommy could only think that she had no idea who she was talking to.

Setting the duffle down beside his feet, he walked over to her with a commanding presence that dared contempt.

“Oh, I would, Annie.”

Grabbing her by her knees, he threw her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming and walked back to the bag, picking it up and stalked out of the bedroom, leaving the door open behind him.

“You put me down this very instant Thomas James Kane.” She crossed her arms expectantly and gave up her fight a moment to catch her breath. As they entered the hall again, a car pulled up out front and a man came running full speed into the house since the door was still opened.

“TJ, you’ll never fuckin’ believe what I just found out! The celebrity we were supposed to be protecting, I just found out who it was and she is on her way here now.”