Chapter Eight
JOSHUA
I hold my tongue before I say- that’s what I said.
Silence falls in the kitchen for a long moment I can practically hear Ludo chewing.
‘so what do we do now?’ July wonders loudly.
‘let them work it out.’ Question rolls his eyes, ‘and we can all move on, end of story.’
‘now hold on a second Waloffe,’ Ludo raises her palm at Question, ‘it doesn’t work like that okay? Its not magic.’
July pinches her face and raises her eyebrows at her friend as in saying- really?. Ludo presses her lips together like she is hiding a laugh as Question narrows his eyes at her, ‘does my name offend you to say it?’
‘it does,’ Ludo simply replies.
‘we are going to have to work on that.’ Question mutters giving er a scathing look and the icy queen actually blinks and looks away.
‘whatever, just do what you have to do I plan on continuing the trip as soon as you all leave my house.’
‘you know maybe we should start all over again.’ I announce smoothly trying to avert danger. Question is a cool guy, between the three of us he is the calmest but he has his days. And unfortunately I think right now is one of those days. Ice queen doesn’t know what she is playing with at all. ‘we did have a dramatic entry.’
It is July instead of Ludo who scoffs casting me a sour look, ‘too late for that peacemaker, we are not changing our stance—if Nancy decides to leave and not see Vincent ever again we all respect her wishes.’
‘oh and I suppose you are hoping that is the case?’
‘it’s the perfect solution for this disaster.’
I plant my elbows on the kitchen surface and lean closer to her though the surface doesn’t allow me to inch even closer, ‘why don’t you believe in reconciliation? It was a misunderstanding—taking her from her wedding and then helping her run across the country was a bad choice.’
She splutters angrily at me, ‘don’t pillow talk me Mr. I don’t need you to tell me how to be a friend, not all of us can be obedient little minions.’ She stops and takes a deep breath, ‘look I get it Vincent can be a little imposing and he is all that really—you just cant help but be loyal to him.’ she is making fun of me, and I like it that she has channeled her anger into a joke, ‘but you have to have an independent mind like all normal human beings.’
Question actually laughs as if he is out of the insult equation, ‘you girls are never going to accept your wrong are you?’
The two girls glare at him and I cant help but be the peace maker. Its in my blood I have been doing it my whole life since Vee came to live with us.
‘look guys, I am positive Vee and Nance will work things out that means we are all going to be seeing each other very often.’
July casts me a sour look, ‘if you say anything about starting afresh again I will just scream.’
I actually have a more forbidden picture of how I would love to make her scream so I just blurt out, ‘I will hold you out on that.’ Giving her a heated look.
She blinks and looks away from me muttering under her breath and only the two of us knows what just happened. I like that. She is attracted to me too. At least that’s a better place to start from.
‘we believe in peace making you see-.’ Question starts to speak and the girls both chorus
‘shut up!’
And he does.
JULY
Finally the chaotic couple shows up in the kitchen before anyone of us murder each other. an eerie silence falls in the room as Nancy walks in, her face blank and Vincent has a look of finality on his face. four pairs of eyes watch without comment as Nancy comes to sit between me and Ludo and Vincent stands at the head of the kitchen Island. The bastard folds his arms across his chest like he is about to make an announcement as the damn president.
‘so what’s the verdict?’ of course Joshua asks. What is wrong with this guy and trying to always make everything right. I mean I have long given up trying to optimistically talk myself out of problems, and he is just infuriating right now.
‘we have two options,’ Vincent start to announce and I cant help myself—well this is more like Ludo’s role but I have had enough. Its only been an hour that these loons invaded our house and I am already questioning my existence on this planet.
Okay maybe not that dramatic but seriously? Who made him in charge.
‘look here Tarzan.’ I snap, ‘you are not in charge—you are supposed to be giving opinions not orders.’
‘and please unfold your arms.’ Ludo says rolling her eyes, ‘you are already scary enough to intimidate unborn babies but we are not going to join your minions club.’
The look on the man’s face. I think we have traumatized him. or that’s what I thought before exchanged glances with his two minions and before I know what is happening both men get up in the same moment and start stalking towards us. Question strides towards Ludo and Joshua towards me. Vincent is going for his girl.
The three of them with that determined look on their faces? Scary as hell. I only have time to scramble out of my chair before the bastard manhandles me. I repeat manhandles me and throws me over his shoulder.
And before I know what is happening the house erupts in screams you’d think we are being invaded by zombies.
‘what the hell—how dare you.’ I scream flaying my arms and legs wondering where the man is taking me, ‘put me down this instant before I kill you.’
The bastard actually laughs and I have never been so enraged and scared out of my wits my whole life.
‘I’d like to see you try darlin’!’
‘I’m going to kill you.’ Ludo yells and she is also upside down Question’s back, ‘you better run and hide as soon as you put me down.’
Question doesn’t say anything as Ludo continues her rattling, ‘I will cut you into small pieces and can you into a million containers before I ship you off to an uninhabited island.’
Even in my state of complete shock and fear I wanted to tell Ludo to get help. I mean really? Some violent tendencies need to be questioned. I glance around for Nance and she is walking steadily side by side with Vincent.
What.The.Hell
She meets my eyes and cringes before looking away. I gasp, no freaking way. I thrash and yell again, this time I want to get lose and pull out that woman’s hair. She should be helping us her friends not bend to Vincent’s will as soon as she sees him. was that the reason why she was running from him? she was powerless to stand her ground?
‘please put me down.’ I settle for a hesitated polite approach because the men are not stopping and we are already exiting the house and are moving towards the gate. This is real.
‘almost there darlin’!’
‘stop that.’ I screech, throwing calmness and civility to the wind, ‘what is wrong with you people?’ I decide to pound fists onto his back though I know he wont feel a thing. The man’s back is a freaking wall of muscle—I mean really? What are the odds that I finally meet a guy who is the exact personification of a romance novel character and he happens to be related with the person I dislike with a passion? Life is so unfair.
Holding that thought I pound him a little more fiercely and the man retaliates by bringing his hand hard, down on my bottom. I feel the slap very well through my thin sleeping shorts and I gasp in complete shock, my eyes bulging out because with the sting comes something else. I am more shocked by what the slap makes me feel than the fact that this man just hit me. I mean, the audacity.
Ludo is the only one left yelling as we exit the gate. I am too far gone into my shock to even try to think about what they are doing. Joshua finally puts me down—making me slide down his body before setting me down on my feet and holding me still before I raise my face to look at him.
Big mistake! I am not even enraged, I’m pretty much sure my eyes look as heated as his right now. This cant be happening to me. I mean yes—the man is hot as hell but that was only an hour ago that I made the assessment—this is just scandalous.
‘okay, okay.’ Ludo yells in surrender when she realizes that Question is taking her to the car. ‘put me down, lets talk. You’ve made your point.’
I snap out of my momentary stupor fast enough to catch Vincent nod at Question and he puts Ludo down. Ludo looks mad enough to murder him but I am sure by now she has established that he is just stronger than her and she wouldn’t win in a physical battle. Ludo is tall five feet seven, but all these guys are taller and stronger and I really hate saying this because well I hate them all right now—but they do make a hot trio.
‘as I was saying.’ Vincent says in a calm tone, ‘we have two choices, we continue with the trip or we go back home from here.’
Ludo and I gape at him and Nancy shifts uncomfortably at his side, I think she is imploring on us not to rile him up right now. Seriously when did she take his side? We planned running form the man all damn week for pete’s sake and the vacation was going well, now all of a sudden she is team Vincent? Maybe he is a wizard, I mean seriously.
‘say something ladies!’ Vincent gestures a hand between us, I take it its hard for him to not tap his foot right now.
I raise a hand at Ludo the moment she opens her mouth. Snapping would get us nowhere with this Nero-mad like tyrant. ‘well I’m glad you made up—and you are both now standing side by side like a bunch of two perfect beans in a pod.’ I just cant help myself, ‘but what we do from here is not your concern—you can go and do whatever reconciled couples do and we decide what we want from here.’
Question purses his lips like he is hiding a smile while Ludo nods approvingly at me. Vincent corks his head to one side;
‘you both caused this mess, you can’t back out of it now.’ Vincent declares
Ludo speaks before I can stop her, ‘oh I’m sorry—I’m not the one with two freaking kids and a girlfriend you deserted.’ She lets out a dramatic sigh, ‘maybe you are looking for fresh meat and well Nance seem to be willing so go ahead and get on with it we wont be a part of the lover’s quarrel anymore.’
Hurt flashes across Nancy’s face but I know Ludo is just speaking from the fact that Nancy betrayed us when all we wanted to do was help her. Vincent purses his lips acting like he has control. Oh puz-leeze.
‘Vincent.’ And the peace maker speaks, ‘maybe there is a more civil way to approach this?’
I slowly turn my gaze on him, ‘you should not say a word.’ I say slowly for it to sink in. ‘we have the right to charge you for harassment, house burglary and attempted kidnapping.’
‘murder threats is a crime as well.’ He points out.
Well I guess Ludo’s threats will very much land us all in prison more than the fact that this man threw me over this shoulder and slapped my bottom. And there is no way in hell am I standing in front of respectable human beings to say something like that out loud—because—well because my brains tells me its scandalous but my body liked it.
Vincent raises his hand, ‘okay—I’m sorry,’
Oh my god people, he actually apologized.
‘we all made a mess and we all should clear it up. But I take it that you had paid for a nice trip and there are no refunds, so we can all continue with the trip and then figure it out from there.’
I press my lips together because the only thing I really want to say is—Nancy I am going to see to it that you pay for this. You know what I have a better solution. If they marry, then I wont have to see Vincent again. It would be dangerous to try to pick a fight with the guy and all his reputation but oh god its tempting.
‘fine.’ I raise a hand to stop Ludo again, ‘lets go inside before any of the neighbors call the police.’
Question nods, ‘good idea.’