The Twin Contract (The Contract Series Book 1)

by Ceeree Fields

  Callie didn't have that problem. "You look mighty nice there, Deputy Delish, but you will sweat your ballsack off in that thing."

  Brianna's cheeks heated as she waited for Jackson to snap at her friend. He surprised her yet again when he threw his head back and laughed.

  Envy twined into Brianna. Jackson seemed much more at ease with her friend than he ever did with her. She knew why. There were still too many secrets hanging between them. Secrets about his past though he'd shared a great deal, he had not shared everything. And secrets she still needed to tell him.

  Pushing the unproductive emotions away, she focused on the actual suit. "You will be warm in that since we'll be outside most of the day."

  He shrugged. "My other one was a winter suit, but you have to remember Chicago summers are hot, though nothing like Alabama summers. Here I've only ever needed the blazer you saw me in that first time."

  She nodded and looked to Callie for help.

  "I'm on it," Callie slipped her cell from her pocket and headed for the hall closet. "I'm grabbing the sandals that go with that."

  Brianna had forgotten about her shoes. Thanking God for giving her this bestie, she sat in one of the club chairs that flanked her fireplace as Callie returned and handed her the shoes. Slipping the extravagant pieces of leather onto her feet, she buckled them up and arched a brow at Callie.

  She slipped her cell in her pocket, crossed her arms, and faced Jackson. "You know this place will be crawling with rich people who are going to be calling Brianna, Briony, right?"

  "Yes, Brianna has already explained."

  "And you're still going?"

  Jackson shifted from one foot to the other before straightening to his full height. "I'm here, aren't I?"

  "Okay, Deputy, just checking." Callie patted the air in a calm down gesture, but the serious expression slid from her face, and she smiled. "Had to be sure you knew what you were getting into."

  "I'm well informed." He met Brianna's worried gaze and grinned.

  Brianna's shoulders slowly relaxed, hearing him confirm that he fully understood what would happen today. She hoped there were so many people her mother wouldn't come near her, then Brianna could melt into the background and leave early. Unless Christopher made a spectacle of her and Jackson.

  Nerves swirled in her stomach. Needing a distraction, her gaze settled on Callie. "Who did you call?"

  "Derrick."

  Brianna frowned. "Derrick? He won't have anything that'll fit."

  "Yes, he will. You know his mom buys his clothes two sizes too big. No idea why. It's not like Derrick's ever going to pump iron, or I don't know, eat the barbells like this guy does." Callie hooked a thumb at Jackson. "But being as most of the suits and stuff are gifts, Derrick makes us keep them in case the boys can use them later. Or his mother goes and 'cleans' out his closet." Callie rolled her eyes dramatically. "It's not like I don't go through it once a year, but she has to triple-check behind me."

  Brianna chuckled. "You should be glad Derrick put his foot down about her going through your things."

  "Lord, when she found my vibrator… So many questions." Callie shivered.

  "She asked questions about your vibrator? And you answered them? Bet that was loads of fun. Wonder what she would've found in your sock drawer." Jackson guffawed.

  "I will never tell. And hell, no, I did not explain my vibrator. I made Derrick answer her questions. She's his mother, and I told him, 'you gave her a key, so you get to explain.' Needless to say, she's never gone through my walk-in after that."

  Brianna leaned back in the chair as she laughed. That story never got old. When she told the story to Brianna, she had used a different voice for each of the players. Brianna had almost peed herself by the time Callie was done with all the horrified expressions Derrick's mother had given.

  Brianna briefly wondered how Jackson would fit in with their crazy group but shouldn't have worried as he and Callie continued to toss quips back and forth while waiting on Derrick.

  "So, you're going to be Christopher repellent?" Callie grinned.

  Brianna tuned back in at that question.

  "Yep." He flexed his arms and puffed out his chest in a cheesy super hero pose.

  Brianna chuckled.

  "Stand down, big guy. Brianna hates Christopher as much as the rest of us do. I've no idea how Bianca can put up with the jerk, but that's on her."

  "I'll be glad when the whole contract's done and dusted," Brianna chimed in. "Then, I won't have to go to these things, and I definitely will not have to see Christopher again."

  "Amen." Callie pumped her fist up in solidarity. "It was bad enough him talking Briony into that whole Las Vegas trip and getting you grounded, even though you didn't go. But then to taunt her to come out that Halloween night…"

  Brianna nodded.

  "Wait. Christopher's the reason Briony went out that night?" Jackson scowled.

  "Yep, apparently there was some big party, and he kept sending group texts with pictures to her and me, probably assuming if she didn't have her cell, I would have mine. Of course, if I had mine, I would have left the chat." Brianna twined her fingers together as the memories from that night sprung up as if she were there right then. "He didn't even tell anyone she didn't show up until days later."

  Closer to a week, now that Brianna really thought about. Why had he waited so long?

  "Why so long?" Jackson asked, his question echoing her own and pulling more memories up.

  "He came to the house high…" Brianna trailed off, trying to remember. Still, as she hadn't been interested in anything having to do with her sister, she had stayed out of it.

  "Drugs?"

  She shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't there. Mrs. Williams was talking about it with our cook, and I think Christopher ended up in rehab not long after." Brianna arched a brow at Callie because of the two of them, Callie stayed more on top of the gossip.

  Callie waggled her brows. "Yes, rehab and the science teacher was fired."

  Brianna's face heated. "Oh yeah, that was around the same time."

  "Teacher?"

  "He and the teacher were caught naked in her supply closet with lines of coke on the shelf behind them," Callie said.

  "Jesus. It's like one of those horrible reality TV shows." Jackson scrubbed a hand over his face.

  Callie shrugged. "What sucks more is, no matter how often Brianna tells Bianca she's not interested in the jag bag; Bianca still pairs them together at sit down events."

  Brianna grimaced and nodded. "It's awful trying to dodge his groping while not giving away who I am."

  It was worse than awful, and Jackson's protective gaze told her she would never have to go through that again.

  "Please, I told you he did it on purpose because he likes to torment helpless people, children, and probably animals."

  "Not anymore," Jackson growled.

  Gravel pinging on the bottom of a car broke the cloud of tension that had descended and alerted them Derrick was here.

  Brianna headed for the front door and opened it.

  "The cavalry has arrived," Derrick called out, his arms full of clothing bags and plastic bags.

  "Let's go, rock star." Callie motioned for Jackson to head up the stairs with Derrick.

  Brianna's mind hadn't entirely broken away from Christopher. She shivered at how determined her parents were about marrying them off, and by how often Bianca brought it up, she knew it wouldn't go away. Hopefully, when the contract ended, her mother would see why Christopher and Brianna would never work.

  At least Callie didn't know about Christopher sneaking into Brianna's room last year when they had both stayed over after one of her mother's charity events. Because he'd been allowed to spend the night, Brianna had slept with a gun under her pillow. The same one Derrick had taught her to use.

  She had never been so glad to have it until Christopher's menacing chuckle had woken her up. After that night, Brianna made damn sure to never sleep at her parents' ho
use again.

  "I hate trying on clothes." Jackson scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw before moving to the stairs. "But I'll hate being in this heavy suit and sweating like a pig more."

  "Then you are definitely gonna hate this party, Deputy Delish," Callie shouted at Jackson and Derrick's retreating backs. She turned to face Brianna. "Are you sure you're okay with him going?"

  Brianna fiddled with the fastening of her tennis bracelet before standing and walking to the foyer to swap out a few things from her everyday purse to the small clutch.

  "Bri, if you're not okay with him going, I'll go." Callie trailed her, propping her shoulder on the door. The mint green dress brought out the vibrant green in her eyes, turning them almost neon.

  "I'm fine with him going, Callie. It's … " Brianna wasn't sure how to finish her statement. Taking her driver's license and the key to her car from her plain brown purse and setting them into the small, square pink bag, she tried to put into words what she felt. "You know how Mother is during this thing. Jackson's never seen her in action. Never seen her manipulation as she constantly tries to push me with Christopher. How's that going to make him feel, Callie?"

  "Pissed off," Jackson growled from the top of the stairs.

  "Jesus," Callie squeaked.

  "Awww, not Jesus, squirt just Jackson." He ran his hand over the lapels of the light gray summer suit.

  Callie moved around him, hemming and hawing as she checked the lengths of the sleeves and such. "At least in this suit, you don't look like a mobster."

  Jackson chuckled before focusing his piercing gaze onto Brianna. "Will she really throw you at Briony's boy toy if I'm there?"

  "Oh yeah, Bianca is gonna do it more with you going. You better not leave Bri's side, or she'll be engaged by the time you get back," Callie stated emphatically.

  Jackson rolled his eyes, his hands brushing over the various pockets as if checking he had everything. "I think you're exaggerating again, squirt."

  "As if."

  Jackson pointed at Brianna, his eyes slit dangerously on her best friend. "She's a grown-ass woman. Even though she's letting herself be manipulated into being her sister, I seriously doubt they can marry her off to some numb nuts without her consent."

  "Damn right," Brianna said. No way in hell was she marrying Christopher. "The contract says nothing about me having to give up my freedom in that respect."

  "There. Now let's go so we can get back. Maybe we stop somewhere for dinner after."

  Brianna squinted at him. Was he for real? "There will be food there."

  "Yeah, but it'll probably be that fancy crap. That stuff doesn't even need to be chewed," Jackson retorted, opening the door for Brianna as Derrick laughed behind them.

  "You will chew it, and you will do it with your mouth closed." Brianna swept by Jackson, donning her sister's haughty character the closer she came to Briony's car.

  "I'll mind my manners." Jackson released a low whistle when they reached the detached garage that held Briony's cherry red Mustang Shelby. "Damn. I love these old cars. Is this yours?"

  "No." Brianna shivered. "It was Briony's for her sweet sixteen."

  "Can I drive it?" Jackson all but bounced, his eyes traveled reverently over the gorgeous car.

  "Yes, consider it an apology for the next few hours." Brianna passed him the keys and slid into the passenger seat while he held the door open for her. His hands moving over the satin finish lovingly before gently shutting the door.

  The car rocked when he joined her behind the wheel. "For this kind of apology, I'll be willing to go to every event from now on with you."

  Brianna hummed. She prayed she wouldn't have to go to too many more. It depended on her mother's social mood. Rubbing her aching head, she jolted when Jackson laid his palm on her thigh.

  "I swear I'll do whatever is needed to get you out of whatever mess is forcing you to be your sister, Brianna. You need to trust me enough to tell me what it is."

  "I can get myself out of the mess. And I'm beginning to trust you, but you need to have patience because trust doesn't come easy to me."

  "No worries. It didn't come easy to me either." He laced his fingers with hers. His were so warm compared to how icy hers were. "But, I'll work on earning it."

  Brianna turned to watch the trees as they drove steadily to her parents' house. She didn't want to let him know that she already trusted him more than anyone else except her crazy friends. Trusted him more than her family even. But she needed to know he wouldn't bolt when he found out how deep she was bound in that damned NDA. Hell, just thinking about it made her want to spill it all in front of everyone, but she couldn't. If she did, she lost everything.

  If he ran after she explained everything to him, he lost nothing but a bit of time.

  * * * *

  With how tense she was, she looked like a cardboard cutout of herself. Not at all like the vibrant woman he was falling for. When he came to a four-way stop, he laced his fingers with hers only to have her clutch them tightly. Pressing the gas, Jackson floundered for a way to help her.

  "I'm so sorry, Jackson."

  He sighed. "You've said that several times now, hon. It's fine."

  "It's not. You shouldn't have to lie for me."

  Deciding to come at this from a different angle, Jackson squeezed her hand. "Did you lie about how bad Christopher will be?"

  She paled and shook her head sharply. "God, no. If anything, I probably downplayed it."

  "Then, I have no issue using every tool my parents taught me to help protect you." And if it came down to it, he would use what Ray had taught him, if Christopher came after him. Unlike Brianna, Jackson was not helpless, and he would fight back whether by words or with his fists if needed.

  She released a deep sigh.

  "That's not the only worry you have, is it?" he asked.

  "I don't want you seeing me play my sister. I hate her, and I don't want you to be linked to her." One of her blush pink nails landed on his thigh, causing his dick to stir in interest. A few inches up and her pinky would brush his tip.

  Shaking off the thought, Jackson forced his brain to work. "I'm not."

  "But you will be because I'm known as Briony here."

  He snorted. "As if every person in that place doesn't know who you really are. It's just your mother who has blinders on."

  She tipped her head from side to side before nodding. "Maybe."

  "Right, so I won't be Briony's date at all. I will always be yours. Even here, I'm yours since it's you I'll be protecting."

  Color bloomed across her cheeks, and her gaze dropped to their linked hands. "Okay."

  "Now, we should have a safe word."

  Her eyes popped wide, and her face turned a startling shade of red as she sputtered.

  He laughed. "I so want to know what just went through that head of yours but no sex talk before we go to this thing. So a safeword?"

  "I've no idea. Can you give me a clue how we would use it?"

  "It would be if we're in a situation we need to get out of, like Christopher approaching you, and I don't spot him. Then you use the safeword, and I'll know to whisk you away or intervene. Or if your mother becomes overbearing, I can fake food poisoning and get us out of there."

  Her eyes gleamed. "Why didn't Callie or I ever think of that?"

  "No idea, but feel free to use it whenever you need to."

  "When did you use yours?"

  "Mostly when Ray would see me out with a girl. If it was someone I was just dating casually and I didn't want to introduce them, I would mouth Red, and Ray got it. Red was the word I chose because it was easy to remember." Jackson had loved the system as it gave him a modicum of control over his life, and Ray always respected the boundary. He would quiz Jackson when he returned home to find out why he hadn't wanted Ray in the area. But it taught Jackson to trust Ray.

  "Like when have you ever used it? I mean, you have used it, right?"

  "I have, yes." Jackson hummed while digging t
hrough his memories. "Jenny Shapiro was one."

  "What made her Red?"

  "Well, she clung a lot to any guy she was dating, and that was okay. But the first date I took her on, she had our future all planned out—"

  "Seriously?"

  "Yep."

  "And you kept dating her?"

  "Hell, no. That shit freaked me out. But Ray saw us while on patrol, and she was the first girl I'd asked out, so he was curious. Luckily, he approached me while she was in the bathroom. I said 'Red,' and he was surprised but immediately left."

  "But you knew going in she was clingy, so why would you even give her a chance?"

  Jackson chuckled. "Do you really want to know?"

  "Yes?" Hesitation dripped from the word, turning more into a question than a statement.

  "She had big—"

  "Never mind," she screeched. "I got it."

  He laughed. "I was sixteen. About the only thing I was thinking of was sex, not what colors we should have for our wedding. And definitely, not where we should buy a house to raise a family. So, I put an end to that on the first date."

  "Good for you."

  "Thanks." He shifted as he made the turn that would lead them to her parents' driveway. "So, if you're uncomfortable, do you want to use yellow?"

  "No, we'll be in a garden, so I'll be talking colors a lot as most of the women love to compare their garden's flowers." She nibbled on her bottom lip. "How about chocolate mango? I think I can fit that into a sentence."

  "Okay."

  Her fingers clutched at his. "And please, if you see Christopher heading for me, don't leave me for long."

  He lifted their linked hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles in reassurance. "I won't. But if I'm in the bathroom, then you'll either need to make yourself scarce or come with me."

  She scrunched her nose up but nodded. "I'll wait in the hall."

  "Deal." He drove past the valet stand and parked in the area he'd parked in the last time he'd come here.

  "This is the servants parking," Brianna said, craning her neck behind them.

  "I know." Jackson turned the car off and unsnapped his seatbelt. "This way, if it's too uncomfortable, we can make a quick getaway without being stuck at the valet stand."