Pam looks at me. “Come on. If you want, we can drop you off at your parents or even Rod’s parents if you’d rather not go back to your house. I wouldn’t if I was you.”
“It’s okay. Thank you. I have to stay and go with Rod.” I pick up the shot and drink it.
Reed comes to me and places his hand on my shoulder. Despite the numbing effects of the alcohol, I feel the current of electricity flow through my body and my insides pulse.
I look up into his dark blue eyes as he says, “Jenna, just come with me.”
The next thing I know Rod’s head pops over his brother’s shoulder. “Hands off my woman, little bro.”
Reed removes his hand and turns to face his brother. “I wasn’t really touching her, Rod. And maybe you should stop the bullshit and pay attention to her since you brought her here and all. The thing with the sluts is a bit much and I really don’t like to see someone as good as Jenna is treated the way you’re treating her.”
“Mind your business, little bro.” Rod reaches around him and takes my hand. “Let’s dance, Baby.”
He pulls me around Reed and as our bodies graze past each other I feel the current again and my knees go kind of week. “Bye. Thank you.” I say as Rod pulls me along behind him and I look back at Reed.
The edges of his eyes droop a little and he and Pam walk out of the bar as Rod pulls me into his arms and holds me tight. “Did you like watching me with that girl?”
“No,” I say very fast and then realize I’ve said a word that will get me punished.
He stops dancing and looks at me. Then he laughs. “For that, I want you to follow that slut into the bathroom next time she goes and beat the fuck out of her for what she did to me.”
“You did that to her. It wasn’t exactly her fault.” He starts moving us again with the music. “It’s up to you to curtail that kind of thing. Isn’t that what you tell me about other men?”
“I’m a man with needs and she was in the right place at the right time. If it makes you feel any better, your body is better than hers and I like grinding my dick against you much more.” He twirls us around and then his mouth is on mine.
I feel like pushing him away but I know that will get my ass beat. Most likely right here in front of everyone. He stops his hard kiss and lets me out of his arms. “She just went in. Go in there and teach her to keep her cunt away from me.”
He spins me around and smacks me on the ass. I walk away not sure what to do.
I’ve never been in a fight. Much less provoked one. And the woman has to be at least five or six years older than me. And she looks rough.
Pushing the bathroom door open, I turn and lock it behind me. When she comes out of the stall I look at her. Reminding myself of what will surely happen to me if she doesn’t look kind of roughed up when she walks out of here.
I take in a deep breath then say, “I don’t like what I saw you doing with my man, Bitch!”
She washes her hands then grabs a paper towel and looks at me through the mirror. “That guy is the biggest whore, Baby girl. If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been some other woman. As a matter of fact, he’s most likely fucking around with another woman out there as we speak. Don’t take it personally. Rod Manning is just a dog who likes to stick his dick into any woman he can.”
And just like that, I snap. Her hair is in my fist and I’m banging her head against the porcelain sink.
Blood splashes on my arm as her forehead splits open. I let her go when I see the blood and my body starts shaking. “Keep your filthy cunt away from my man, Bitch!”
I unlock the door and hurry out. Rod is wrapped around another woman and I walk right passed them as I go outside.
The next thing I know he’s grabbing me up and carrying me through the parking lot. “Is that blood?”
I nod and feel the sting of tears in my eyes. He puts me down as he unlocks the truck and opens the door then looks back at me. “Get in, Rocky!”
Getting inside the truck I start to cry as he gets in and starts it up and hurries out of the parking lot. He looks over at me with a big grin. “Don’t you fucking cry!” He frowns as he sees the tears. “I’ll fucking take every tear out of your hide. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Master.” I wipe the tears away and suck it up.
“I’m proud of you. That’s one of the first womanly things I’ve seen you do. You’re taking those steps to being the woman I need. A tough bitch who doesn’t take shit from any other woman. If it was the other way around, I’d beat any mother fucker’s ass who laid a hand on my woman.”
“But you told me I had to accept you being with other women. I don’t understand, Rod,” I say as I look at him in confusion.
“Maybe once in a while, I’d like to see you stand up for yourself. That’s all.”
And now I’m thoroughly confused by this man…
Chapter 4
JENNA
Rod and I have made it another year and Christmas Eve has us back at his parents’ home for their annual party. This is my first one. Sue picked me up earlier and Rod is going to meet me here a little later.
I have no idea where the man is as he didn’t have work today but he’s off somewhere and texted me to go with his mother. Hopefully, he’s somewhere buying me a present and not doing anything bad.
Sue spins around with powdered sugar on her cheeks after closing the oven door on her last batch of sugar cookies. “Jenna, would you be a dear and watch these and take them out for me when the timer goes off? I have to shower and get cleaned up before the guests arrive.”
“Sure thing, Sue. I’ll handle this.” I take a seat on a barstool and pick up the food magazine she has laid out on the counter. “Take your time.”
She gives my cheek a kiss as she floats by me and I smile at her.
Sue’s been just like a mother to me. She’s the sweetest thing and it kind of aggravates me how Rod is about her. He calls her meddling and tells me not to talk to her too much.
I like her though and don’t see her like that at all. The back door opens up and my heart stops as Reed comes inside. He looks at me. “Hi, Jenna. I didn’t know you were here. I didn’t see Rod’s truck outside.”
“Your mom picked me up.” I look back at the magazine that suddenly my hands hold very tightly to.
I knew he was coming in today. I have no idea why I’m reacting like a school girl with a crush.
Reed walks right up to me and holds out his arms. “It’s customary to give Christmas Eve hugs in this family, Jenna. And if one catches you under the mistletoe hanging in the living room then you have to accept the kiss. Even if it’s stinky old Uncle Lou.” He laughs and continues to hold out his arms.
I climb off the chair and let him hug me. I try to think of anything else as our bodies touch and all I can do is take in a deep breath.
He smells like pine needles and nutmeg. It’s awesome and I shouldn’t love it so much. I also shouldn’t never want to let him go, but that’s exactly how I feel.
I pull away, anyway and find him gazing down at me. His hand runs through my blonde waves and he lets out a sigh. “I’ve always thought you had the most beautiful head of hair in town, Jenna.”
I smile and blush. “Thank you. I have to admit I’ve always thought your hair was a nice shade of blonde, myself.”
He sits on the bar stool next to mine as I get back on it. He takes the magazine and pushes it away so I can’t reach it and have to talk to him, I suppose. “So, how’s everything been going? Have you jerked a knot in my brother’s tail yet?”
I laugh. “I don’t think that’s even possible. He’s pretty bull-headed.”
“And a complete ass,” Reed says with a laugh. “Is he still going out without you?”
I nod. “I don’t like to go out, anyway.”
“Bet you don’t when he pulls the kind of shit he does. So when do you think you’ll have enough and come to your senses?” His fingers tap the countertop and I watch them.
They
’re long and lean and look strong. Not that Rod’s aren’t but Reed’s are well manicured.
“I love the man. What can I say?”
“Love? So when’s the big day? Has he asked you to marry him?” He gets up and goes to look in the fridge for something and takes out two bottles of water and brings one to me.
“Marriage is not a thing he wants. He doesn’t believe in it,” I tell him as I try to open the water.
But it’s proving hard to open, and he takes it from me and opens it then hands it back. “So what’s the plan then?”
“I suppose this is it. We live together.” I take a drink as I notice him watching me.
“You, Jenna, are wife material. Not shacking up material.” He takes a drink.
My faces heats and I know I’m blushing. “Thank you, I guess.”
Setting the water down, he looks me over. “So about college. Have you thought any more about going? I recall you made very good grades in school, young lady.” His hand moves over my shoulder and I freeze with the zing of the sparks that shoots through me.
“How would you know anything about my grades, Reed?” I get up so his hand can’t do that to me anymore.
The timer goes off and I pick up the pot holder and get the cookies from the oven. When I stand back up I catch him looking at my ass with his head cocked to one side.
“So, my grades, Reed? How would you know about them?” I ask, making him look away from my ass. But secretly it pleases me to no end he would do such a thing.
“I helped grade papers for a few teachers and yours were always very good. So college? Tell me what kinds of things you’re interested in, Jenna Foster.” He gets up and comes to pick up a hot cookie off the tray fresh from the oven and quickly drops it back down on it. “Ow! It’s hot!”
“You think?” I ask with a laugh.
His lightly tanned cheeks go pink and I have to look away because I want to run my hands over them so damn bad. Placing the tray on the stovetop, I turn to find him kind of hovering around me.
So I pick up my water and go to the living room. “That was the last batch of cookies.”
He follows me and when I take a seat on the sofa he takes the place right next to me. “So, what kind of thing might you want to go to school for?”
“Reed, I honestly don’t know. And what are you doing out there in California? Rod never talks about it.” I sit back and see his eyes light up.
“I’m actually doing very well selling real estate there. You know if you wanted to go to college, my real estate firm could give you scholarships to go. It wouldn’t cost you a dime.”
“Your firm? Like the one you work for?” I ask as he runs his arm over the back of the couch and his fingertips are near my shoulder. And I swear I can feel sparks coming from them.
“I own it,” he says. Then his fingertips touch my shoulder and I go all hot inside. “And I would love to use some of that money to put you through college. So what is it you’d like to do?”
“To become a teacher of little kids was a thing I always thought I’d like to do. When I was a Sunday school teacher for the little kids at our church I loved it. But Rod doesn’t want me to work,” I say and his fingers leave my shoulder and the heat inside me dissipates.
“Well, Rod can get the fuck over it, can’t he?” He smiles and I frown.
Rod doesn’t get the fuck over anything!
The front door opens and in walks Rod and his face goes frozen as he looks at us. “How fucking cozy is this shit?”
Reed gets up and walks to him, holding out his arms. “Come on, big bro, Christmas Eve hugs!”
Rod looks over his brother’s shoulder at me with a bit of a glare on his face. Then looks at his brother. “When did you get here?”
“A little while ago. Jenna has been keeping me company.” Reed turns around to walk back and my heart stops as Rod looks hard at me.
“Get me a beer, Baby,” he barks and I jump up and move fast to get it.
I freeze as Reed grabs my arm as I try to hurry past him. “Hold up there, Jenna. No reason to run. I’ll grab him one. I am closer to the kitchen.”
I look at Rod but he gives me no clue as to what he wants me to do. Reed lets me go and walks into the kitchen and I go to sit next to Rod.
Anger radiates from him. “Jenna, care to explain?”
Before I can say a word Reed comes back and tosses a beer to him. “About Jenna, Rod. She has this crazy notion you don’t want her to get an education or a job. Tell her how she’s mistaken.”
“She isn’t mistaken.” He takes a long drink. “I take care of her. There’s no need for any of that.”
“When do you plan on marrying her?” Reed stands just in front of him.
“Take a seat, bro.” Rod looks his brother in the eye and takes another drink.
Rod sits in the chair across from us. “So, when was that you said?”
“Not that it’s a damn bit of your business, but I don’t believe in marriage and Jenna and I have discussed things and we know what we both want and we’re doing it.” Then his head swivels and he looks at me then back at Reed. “Or did she tell you something different?”
“No!” I say and then shut up as his head snaps and he looks at me then back at Reed.
Reed’s eyes go narrow as he looks at us both. “She didn’t say anything, Rod. I brought it up. I just want to know when you plan on making an honest woman out her.”
“Why?” Rod asks as he runs his hand down my leg. He takes the hem of my dress and curls his fingers under it possessively.
His mother walks in and I sigh. “Hey, Sue. The cookies are out. Want some help frosting them?”
“Sure,” she says all cheerfully.
I look at Rod. “Can I go help her?”
“Sure,” he says and I get up and notice Reed giving his brother a dirty look.
As I leave the room I hear Reed ask, “Does she have to get your permission for everything, Rod?”
I listen for Rod’s response. “If she knows what’s good for her ass, she does.”
Then I slip into the kitchen and stop eavesdropping on them.
I pick up a spoon and stir the red food coloring into the white icing Sue’s dropped into it. “I love Christmas,” she says.
Reed comes into the kitchen. “Can I help?”
His mother is humming a Christmas carol. “Of course, my baby boy. Hey, would you put on some music to help us get into that holiday spirit, Son?”
He goes over to the small television that hangs on the wall of the attached dining room and finds the remote and puts on some holiday music then comes back.
“Where’s Rod?” I ask.
“He went to go get some beer. He said he’ll be back soon.” Reed moves in next to me.
His mother places a bowl of icing in front of him and drops some green food coloring into it. “Reed, grab us all some aprons, would you, Dear?”
He leaves the place next to me and in moments he’s back and I feel his body right behind mine. He’s so close and then his arms are around me as he puts the apron over my head and his hands graze my stomach as he smooths it out and takes the strings and ties it behind my back.
I have to fight myself not to let my body fall back to his. It’s nearly overwhelming. My head feels light and I don’t know how he makes me feel like this.
It’s beyond anything I’ve ever felt with Rod and I feel instantly awful for this. I shake my head to try to clear it. “Thank you, Reed.”
Then my panties go wet as he leans even closer. His lips brush the hair around my ear as he says in a deep husky voice, “You’re welcome, Jenna.”
I’m nearly shaking as he moves back and puts his apron on then hands one to his mother. All too soon he’s back beside me and his elbow gently pushes into my side. I scoot over a smidge to stop the connection.
“I’ll be right back,” I say and nearly run out of the kitchen to the bathroom down the hall.
As I get inside it, I close the door and f
all back on it. I don’t understand how I can be so attracted to him. I do love Rod.
I do!
After splashing some cold water on my face and calming myself down, I go back out and find Rod standing under the mistletoe. He’s smiling at me. “Hey, Baby,” he says with a sweet sound to his voice.
His arms open and I move into them and his mouth takes mine in a sweet kiss. Not hard, not demanding. Just sweet. And my body melts into his.
His arms go around me as he sways with me then our lips part and he looks down at me. The blue in his eyes has a silvery quality to them and sparkle a little.
It’s times like this that make him so special to me. Love flows from my heart and I feel it coming from him, though he’d never say the word.
I run my hand over his scruffy cheek and he takes my hand and kisses the top softly. Then the doorbell rings and he reluctantly lets me go. Taking my hand, he takes me with him to answer the door and let in the first of his many family members which will be at the party tonight.
As he opens the door we find his cousin, A.J. holding up a bottle of Jack Daniels. “Ready to get fucked up, Cuz?”
I roll my eyes as Rod says, “Fuck yeah!”
I step back with Rod to let the man near Rod’s age in and say, “Now that’s the Christmas spirit.” My words come out heavily laced with sarcasm.
A.J. follows us to the kitchen and as we travel through the living room, he stops under the mistletoe. “Jenna, look where I am.”
Rod and I turn back and Rod shakes his head. “Not happening, Dude.” Then he pulls me along with him and leans in to whisper. “With anyone but me. Got me, Baby?”
“Yes,” I answer and see Reed glance up then he comes our way.
“You were helping frost cookies one minute then gone the next, Jenna,” he says. “I suppose Rod happened to you.” He gives his brother a look.
Rod lets my hand go, then runs his arm around my neck and pulls me in tight to him. “And I happen to her every night, and sometimes in the afternoon and morning too. Ain’t that right, Baby?”
I faintly hit at his broad chest and feel the heat filling my face with embarrassment. “My, God, Rod!”
His lips press against my temple as he laughs deeply. “What, Baby? I’m proud your mine is all.”
Shattered: A Billionaire Romance Series (Contemporary Romance Novels) Page 71
