11. Julius
JULIUS
Iarrived at exactly seven to pick her up.
A lesser man than me would’ve high-tailed it out of there once he saw what was waiting for him, but I am made of sturdier stuff than that.
Knowing her abominable temperament, I expected nothing less than what I found awaiting me, but I came prepared and was more than ready to beat her at her own game.
Her family must’ve had some sort of consensus, most likely led by her sister, because not one of them was in sight, which is rare for this bunch. “You ready?” I pretended not to notice that there was anything amiss, which threw her off.
She looked down at herself in the ratty shorts and stretched out tee-shirt and the muddy sneakers on her feet as if to say, can’t you see I’m not dressed for company?
“Do I look like I’m ready to go somewhere?” I looked at my watch and back at her.
“I said seven, it’s seven, let’s go.”
“Are you insane?” I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door.
“Where the hell are you taking me? Let go.”
I ignored her until she was strapped into the passenger seat of my ride and had to damn near restrain her until we left the driveway. She called me every name in the book, which I ignored, and when I turned on the radio to drown out her nonsense, she had an epileptic fit.
“Stop foaming at the mouth, you look nuts,” scalded cat. The little hellion kicked and scratched when I pulled into the driveway of my family home. When I gave the invitation, I wasn’t quite sure where I was going to take her, but somehow this seemed like the best choice.
I suspected she would pull a stunt like this, and since I wasn’t about to embarrass her in public, dinner with my family, who already knew her antics to some extent, was my safest bet.
We sat for a minute after I turned off the engine because I wanted to give the demon child inside of her time to calm down enough to be half human.
“If you make me go in there, I’ll….”
“You’ll what? Did I not tell you what time I was coming to pick you up?
So, whose fault is it that you chose to meet your mother-in-law looking like a beggar?
Let this be a lesson for you in the future.
Come on, I’ll get you a better shirt from my closet at least.” That look of surprise on her face is exactly the look I was going for.
I exited the car and started walking around to the passenger side to get her, but by the time I made it around there, she’d slipped into the driver’s seat, started the car, and drove back down the driveway at top speed.
As surprised as I was by this move, I still had the presence of mind to reach for my wrist and press the button to close the gate before she could escape.
I stood there looking after her as she stalled, no doubt weighing the option of breaking down my damn gate to get out. When she put the car in reverse, I steeled myself and refused to move out of the way, standing just where she’d left me.
I dared her, our eyes meeting in the rearview mirror as she sped her way back. Let’s see who’s going to break first, little girl. I’m damn sure that this will be a deciding moment for both of us. There was only one fly in the ointment. If she touched me with that car, my brother won’t let it go.
I held my breath until she came to a stop just inches from me. Not once did either of us flinch or look away. She slammed out of the car, screeching like a wet hen, and rushed towards me. “Are you insane? Did you forget to take your meds or something?”
They say that coming close to death unleashes something inside you; maybe that’s true, who knows?
What I do know is that at that moment, all I wanted was to feel her.
I pulled her in and covered her lips with mine while she struggled.
The more she fought, the tighter I held on with my arms wrapped tightly around her, keeping her close.
When she bit my lip, I licked hers, then nibbled. Her soft moan was all I needed to ease up on my hold while prolonging the kiss and letting her take the lead. I doubt she realized that she had become the aggressor, and I was just along for the ride.
She was damn near climbing me until she snapped out of it, and I got a slap for my trouble. “Who the hell stands in the way of a moving car, you idiot?” So that’s why you’re mad. Her chest heaved with each breath as she glared up at me.
“You’re too tiny to have this much attitude.
Let’s go inside before we draw an audience.
” After the hell that was my brother’s courtship a few years ago, my family could do with some normal.
Mom had once joked that she hoped I had an easier time of it, but it looks like that was just wishful thinking.
That damn family legend was beginning to feel more like a curse. I guess when it started back in the eleventh century, they didn’t expect women to gain their freedom or some shit because this one doesn’t have a submissive bone in her body.
My great whoever that this shit started with had the option to just drag his intended off somewhere, me, I have to dodge whatever this one throws at me. She folded her arms and took a stance that said she wasn’t going anywhere. Fine!
“Put me down, you…you…” Before she could come up with anything new to call me, that audience I was trying to avoid showed up in the form of my brother.
“Damn, bruh, what the hell did you do to piss her off? Hi Jessica, long time no see. You two finally ran each other to ground, huh! Sweet!”
“Go back inside, Roman, this doesn’t concern you; we’ll be right in.”
“I’m just here to let you know that your parents are watching you out the window. By the way, where’s your sense of danger? She looks like she wants to castrate you. Don’t do it, sis, I want nieces and nephews in the future.”
You’re having fun, aren’t you, little brother?
“Don’t move.” He’d started coming down the steps, which would give him a better view of her, which I was avoiding by shielding her much smaller frame with mine.
I’d like to say I was doing it for her sake because of what she was wearing, because I knew that once she calmed down, she’d be embarrassed to be seen like that, but the truth was much different.
I didn’t want my own brother, the man I trusted more than anyone else in this world, to get close to her. I’m well and truly fucked.
I guess I’ll have to start avoiding close contact with my sister-in-law going forward, because if this is how he feels each time I get close, it can’t be good for his health.
The shit was painful, like physically torturous.
I may not put much stock in the family legend, but I must admit, if true, it’s not something to be taken lightly.
My heart felt as if something was scorching it from within. I’ve heard my brother describe experiencing something similar, and I had seen the turmoil he endured with his now wife when that shit hit him out of nowhere.
I used to think he was exaggerating, but now I realize it must’ve been torture for him. But why is this shit like this? How can a man live with these feelings day in and day out?
He stopped short at my words, not to move, and gave me this look that I couldn’t readily interpret, almost as if he were sorry for me.
All the same, I didn’t have time since this one decided it was a good idea to put a hole in my chest with her teeth.
“You… Dammit, Jessica.” Is she a damn dog? “Let go!” I had to pry her jaw open.
She had the nerve to look me in the eye without fear. “Take me home or you’ll get worse.” Fucking brat. Instead of following her order, I lifted her over my shoulder like a sack and headed up the steps to the front door while she kicked and screamed, pounding her fists on my back.
A hard smack to her ass only seemed to infuriate her further, but I ignored her swearing at me.
I saw heads peeping around corners as I made my way towards the stairs that led to my suite.
If I’d been thinking straight, I would’ve taken her to my place in the city for our first dinner date instead of subjecting innocent bystanders to her craziness. Too late now.
I put her down once we were safely in my rooms behind closed doors. “Why did you bring me here?” She crossed her arms over her chest as if to hide her breasts. I rolled my eyes and took her hand to lead her to my closet.
“What the heck is going through your mind? Relax, I didn’t bring you here to fuck you. The first time I take you will probably be somewhere else, away from others.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” She pretended indifference, but the fiery blush on her cheeks said she knew exactly what I was saying.
I leaned down to whisper in her ear, “So no one can hear you scream.” For the first time since I’ve known her, she seemed lost for words. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came as I walked deeper into the closet to find her one of my button-downs to wear.