Loving the Wild Card (27 page)

Wanting nothing more than to rip the house apart, Josh tried to get a
hold on his temper and failed. Standing naked in the living room, he went on a
rampage of total destruction. When the haze of rage finally lessened, he looked
at the carnage he’d caused with dispassionate eyes. Nothing was left untouched.
For seven long years, he’d kept everything exactly as she’d left it. His reason
was that deep in his heart he’d known she would be back. Raking his fingers
through his tousled hair, Josh turned and walked out of the room.

He didn’t slam the door as he left; rather he pulled it close behind
him. The click of the lock engaging carried with it a finality that for him was
symbolic of this chapter of his life.

Back in their bedroom, Josh couldn’t help looking over at the bed. The
impression in the pillow still remained. The smell of their lovemaking still
hung in the air and he wanted to rip this room apart. Calling on every measure
of his considerable will power, he turned and went into the bathroom.

Standing under the water, memories of the night before assailed him.
Josh couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried, and he made no attempt to
still the tears that ran down his face and mingled with the spray that washed
over him. Feeling like hell, he knew he had to pull himself together. A deep
breath later he, got out of the shower and dressed.

Taking one final look around the room, he knew this would be the last
time he ever entered it, or the house.

Two steps into the hallway, Josh heard the sound of the radio and his
nostrils picked up the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

The rate of his heartbeat scared him. Blood rushed through him with so
much force, he could feel every pulse in his body. Pushing open the door, he
saw Lux standing by the counter singing along to the radio. Even if his life
had depended on it, he couldn’t move.

Seemingly sensing his presence, Lux broke off, looked around, and
smiled. “Oh no, you're dressed. I was going to give you breakfast in bed. I
have freshly squeezed orange juice, which I might add, I did myself. We also
have croissants, jam, and scrambled eggs and…” Lux trailed off as she reached
for a cup and placed it on the counter. “Did you know that nice Mr. Batiste
died? His son’s running the shop now. I should have been back ages ago, but I
couldn’t resist revisiting the neighborhood.”

As she chatted, all Josh could do was stare at her.

“I got you that coffee you always loved. You still like it, right?”

When she turned around, Josh was standing directly in front of her and
she squealed in surprise. Reaching for her, he pulled her against him and
kissed her with a passion that scared him. She hadn’t left him and all the pent
up love he had inside found an outlet in the way he held and kissed her.

He wanted to say something that would explain the way he was feeling,
but for once words failed him. As their lips clung and their tongues spared in
continuous motion, Josh knew he had to have her.

Abruptly pulling away, he stared down at her, his eyes black with the
force of his feelings. “I need you, baby. I need you right now!”

“Josh, what’s the matter with you?”

“Do you want me, Luxie? Tell me you want me.”

“I do, Josh. I want you.”

He knew he was being intense and that she didn’t understand what was
going on with him, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Lifting her, he placed
her on the counter and pulled her sweater over her head. She wasn’t wearing a
bra and his mouth immediately latched onto her breast. But he didn’t linger
long enough to even give its partner attention.

Josh made quick work of removing her boots and dropped them to the
floor. He thought about taking the time to remove her skirt, but changed his
mind. Bunching it with his hands, he opened her legs further and kissed a path
up to her panties.

The scent of her arousal immediately enthralled him and he ran his
tongue against the silky fabric. Gripping the sides he held them in his fist
ready to remove them. At the last minute, he changed his mind and ripped them
apart. When he eased her up, he removed the tatters of fabric and cast it
aside.

“Those panties have remained intact for the last seven years and you
just ruined them,” Lux gasped as his mouth ate at her.

“I’ll buy you some more,” Josh said as he came up for air. “Sorry Luxie.
I can’t wait any longer.”

“It okay, baby. Everything I have is yours. Take whatever you need.” She
whispered as she brushed tender fingers across his face.

Josh knew he didn’t have time to undress. His feelings were too raw and
he couldn’t deny the demands of his body for a moment longer.

Opening his pants, he pushed them down and his shaft sprung out wet and
wanting. Lifting her to the edge of the counter, Josh pushed her upper body
backward until she braced herself with her palms. Then he placed her legs over
his shoulder. When she was completely open to him and he had looked his fill,
he took hold of his cock and pushed it inside her.

He wanted to go slow, but he couldn’t. He wanted her to know that she
belonged to him, only him, forever. Josh wanted to make love to his wife, but
everything within him shouted that he fuck her.

His cock drove into her with so much intent, he knew he wasn’t going to
last. Bracing his hand on the counter, he threw back his head his body
increased in speed. With each thrust, he went deeper. With each rotation of his
hips, his body grew tighter until he was shooting inside her in an endless
stream.

Josh gritted his teeth to hold back the words that wanted to force their
way from between his lips. Spent, he collapsed against her as every muscle in
his body shook.

Lux, removed her legs from his shoulders, placed her arms around him and
held him close. The feel of her arms running over his head and shoulder were
his undoing.

“I thought you’d left me again, Luxie. I looked for you and I couldn’t
find you.”

“Oh, God, Josh. I’m sorry baby. I’m so sorry. I should have left you a
note, but I didn’t think. Please forgive me,” Lux cried, tears running down her
face.

“Don’t cry, my Luxandria. I can’t bear to see you cry.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Me too, Luxie. Did I hurt you?”

“No.”

“I’ll be gentler next time, I promise.”

“Deal,” Lux said around a watery grin.

Cleaned up, Lux insisted Josh get back into bed while she finished
preparing his breakfast. She had to make two trips from the kitchen before
there was enough food to accommodate her husband’s appetite.

When everything was to her liking, Lux shrugged out of her robe and joined
a naked Josh on the bed. Curling up beside him, they fed each other until every
morsel of their meal was gone.

While Josh cleared away the dishes, Lux knew the time had come for them
to open their hearts to each other. She wanted her husband back. She wanted all
the love and affection she’d missed out on for the last seven years because of
her childish stupidity.

When Josh returned, Lux smiled at him as he lay down beside her. “So
where do we go from here?”

“Do you want to be with me, Lux? Before you answer, I need you to
consider my question. If your answer is yes. You have to mean it for the rest
of our lives.”

“Yes,” Lux declared as soon as he stopped speaking. “Yes to everything.”

“I love you, Luxandria Kingdom. I’ve never stopped loving you.”

“I love you too, Josh. More than I think you know.”

The kiss they shared was filled with the tenderness of two people who
knew they were back where they should be. Lux was the first to pull away;
unable to maintain eye contact with him. She looked down.

“What is it, Lux?”

“I need to ask you something…”

“You know you can ask me anything,” Josh said, brushing the back of his
fingers across her cheek.

Lux loved his touch, but wouldn’t allow herself to be distracted by it.
“Why didn’t you come for me?”

“What?” Josh asked surprise alight in his eyes.

“I waited for you but you didn’t come for me.” Even if she wanted to,
Lux couldn’t keep the hurt from her expression.

“Ahh, Luxie. I’m sorry, baby,” Josh crooned as he took her in his arms.
“I thought about it so many times. In the beginning, I can’t lie, when you left
you hurt me so much I didn’t want you back. After that came shame that I’d
betrayed your trust. Following on from that was the knowledge that if we didn’t
spend time apart, we wouldn’t make it.

I didn’t come for you because both you and I were too childish and
selfish. Back then wasn’t our time. This is our time. There’s one more thing I
want you to know. I never stopped loving you, Luxandria and I never will.”

“Me too, Josh. This is our new beginning, and for you, I’m even going to
try to stop running my mouth.”

Josh snorted so loudly, Lux smacked him. Even as he laughed, he hopped
out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. On his way back to the bed, Lux
watched the way his muscular body rippled as he moved.

“I love the way you’ve just gotten better with age, Mr. Kingdom.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kingdom.”

Falling to his knees beside the bed, Josh held out his fisted hand.
“Since you’re my wife, I want you to wear my rings.”

Nestled in his now open palm were the rings she’d left on her pillow
seven years ago. Holding out her hand, Josh placed them on her finger and
sealed them in place with a kiss.

Chapter
29

When Jason started working in the family business. Jackson thought it
would be a good idea to invite the managers of their various hotels to New York
to introduce his third son.

Intending to host a dinner at the homestead, Aviva persuaded him to have
a cocktail party at the house. That way it would be less formal and it would be
an opportunity for the managers to bring their partners.

Jackson agreed to her suggestion as long as he wasn’t involved in the
planning. Aviva took on the task with her usual command at planning and it had
turned out to be a success. Tonight was their third party and with MacKenzie’s
and Lux’s help everything was in order.

Catching Lux’s gaze the women smiled at each other. Aviva was still
getting to know her but now that she and Josh had worked out their estrangement
she was more relaxed and fun to be around.

Jackson’s arrival with an unknown woman caused Aviva to do a double
take. She’d never seen this woman before, and the way she clung to his arm
caught and held her attention. Still watching the older couple, she wondered
what had happened to Laura.

From her brief conversations with the woman, she hadn’t liked her. Aviva
had thought she was looking for a meal ticket in Jackson. In the end, Jason was
right in his assessment of the relationship, Laura was now a thing of the past.

Pulling in her thoughts, she again focused on the couple. The regal
woman wasn’t tall, but she didn’t need to be; she commanded the room as though
she were royalty. Aviva wasn’t sure, but she thought the woman deliberately
paused on the threshold of the room in order to draw everyone’s attention.

Aware of the hush that emanated from those close enough to see the older
couple’s entrance, Aviva held her breath in anticipation of what the woman
would do next.

Looping her arm through Jackson’s she pressed her breasts against his
side and smiled up at him with possession. The woman was immaculate, from the
top of her head to the tip of her feet, and she knew it.

“Is this some form of a joke?” Delphine asked as she came to a stop
beside Aviva.

“She’s bloody gorgeous!” Aviva answered in response to the family’s
lawyer.

“I don’t care if she’s Marie Antoinette, this is not going to happen!”

“But they look really good together.”

“I never took you for a woman who puts so much store on the outward
appearance,” Delphine paused waiting for Aviva to pull her gaze away from the
couple. When she gave Delphine her partial attention, she continued. “Let’s be
totally honest, if that were the case, Jason wouldn’t be with you, now would
he?”

The mention of her husband’s name was all it took to gain Aviva’s full
attention.

“Did you just insult me, Delphine?”

“You know I adore you, Aviva. If I wanted to insult you, you wouldn’t
have to ask me that question.”

“Then what are you saying exactly?”

“I’m saying you’re pretty enough, but hardly one of the most beautiful
women I’ve seen.”

About to ask for a qualification of her comment, Delphine cut Aviva off.

“My dear Aviva, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that you’re no
raving beauty. In my estimation, you could only be categorized as pretty.”

About to interject into the one-sided conversation, Delphine shushed her
into silence. “Don’t be tiresome, dear. You and I both know that beauty alone
does hold the attention of a great man. While it doesn’t hurt to have it, it’s
not necessary.”

For the first time since Jackson and the stunning woman entered the
room, Delphine turned her back on the couple and looked directly at Aviva.
“She’s not right. We, of course, need to put an end to this, are you with me?”

“Umm…I…”

Giving her a pitiful look, Delphine turned back to the couple who were
now making their way towards them.

When Jackson arrived at their side, the smile he gave them showed he was
at his most charming. That was all it took for Aviva to smile back. He was one
of her favorite men on the planet. She couldn’t make up her mind if he came
second or third after Jason. For her, Jackson and Josh shifted in position from
one day to the next.

“Delphine, Aviva, I would like to introduce this lovely lady to you
both.” Taking hold of the woman’s hand, Jackson held it as he smiled at her
before turning back to them. “Camille Lockwood,” Jackson began the
introduction. “I would like to introduce, Aviva, my daughter-in-law, and
Delphine Hudson, an old and dear family friend. Ladies, Camille Lockwood.”

The smile he gave Camille caused Aviva’s heart to hitch. Turning to
Delphine, she was surprised to see her roll her eyes.

Aviva wanted the best for all the Kingdom men, and especially for
Jackson. Out of all of them, he was the one who most deserved to be happy. He’d
suffered so much at the hands of his ex-wife and his inability to protect his
children. Jackson had her complete respect; therefore, whomever he chose was
fine with her. Even if she’d already decided to give him a helping hand.

Seeing Jake signaling for his attention. Jackson left the women alone to
become better acquainted. As he walked away, Aviva used the opportunity to
study the older woman more carefully. She was probably around five-six without
her heels and in her estimation way too thin. The size and height of her
breasts made Aviva think the woman could quite possibly rest her glass on them
should she choose to.

On closer inspection, Camille was indeed lovely, and by the look of her
taut skin, she’d paid her surgeon well to accomplish the feat. Obviously,
Jackson had a penchant for beautiful dark haired women because, Camille was
both those things and not much different from Laura.

“Welcome to our home, Camille,” Aviva said, the first to break the
silence that was at risk of becoming awkward.

“Really, you live here?” Camille asked with one of the most calculated
looks Aviva had ever seen. Where the serene woman who’d accompanied Jackson
moments before had gone, Aviva had no idea.

“Yes, she lives here. She just welcomed you to
her
home,”
Delphine answered entering the conversation.

“Probably not for much longer,” she responded with a big fake smile.
Turning her attention to Aviva, Camille took her time as she looked her up and
down. “I’m sure all that will change once Jackson and I marry.”

Oh no, Aviva thought, she’s gone and done it now, as she stood back to
watch the display. Delphine was primed and ready to unload.

“I don’t know who the hell you are or where you came from, so if I were
you, I’d listen carefully. Jackson Kingdom is not for you. He will never be for
you. Do I make myself clear?”

“How sweet, do you want him for yourself?” Camille asked, looking
Delphine up and down and obviously finding her to be no competition.
“Really…Delphine is it. Jackson said you were an
old
, family friend. I
suspect if he wanted you, he would have had you years ago.” Throughout her
putdown, Camille maintained a smile that sent shivers down Aviva’s spine.

“Oh, so you think you can take me on do you?” Delphine questioned.
Taking a step closer to her adversary, she too plastered a smile on her face.
“Do you have a secret, Camille?” She whispered. “Do you have a deep dark secret
that you want no one to know about? I bet you do. Women like you always do.
What Jackson forgot to mention is that I’m also the family attorney. By this
time tomorrow, I will know everything there is to know about you, and whatever
I find out, I
will
expose.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Jesus, why are some women so stupid! I didn’t threaten you; I just made
you a promise!”

“Then we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we!”

Aviva knew she was being fickle, but she changed her mind there and
then. Jackson had appalling taste in women and she agreed with Delphine,
Camille had to go. She’d been working on the assumption that he was still
dealing with Laura when she’d put her plan in motion. But meeting Camille made
her even more thankful for what she was about to do.

Seeing her guest standing alone at the door, Aviva excused herself and
hurried over to greet her.

“Hi, Meredith, I’m so glad you could make it.” Reaching over, Aviva gave
her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, but I still don’t understand why you invited me.”

“I invited you because I like you.”

“I like you too, but I have a feeling you’re up to something, you were
way too insistent that I attend this
company
party.”

Aviva knew if she didn’t manage the situation correctly, Meredith would
bust her in a heartbeat. She was a successful business woman and nobody’s fool.

Ignoring the older woman’s comment, she linked their arms and pulled her
further into the room. “For goodness sake, it’s a party, relax and have fun.
Come and meet my husband.”

Jason and Jake were standing off to one side of the room looking bored,
and Aviva shook her head. She loved a good party so she couldn’t understand why
they hated them so much. The other curious thing was that nobody approached
them. People mingled around them, but it was almost as though some sort of
force field separated them from everyone else.

As she drew closer to them, she understood what was going on. It was her
husband, he was scowling and he was probably doing it on purpose to keep people
away. He was a Kingdom and the managers and their partners wanted to get to
know him better. But it appeared he had other ideas.

“Jason, Jake, I’d like you to meet a good friend of mine, Meredith
Carter. Meredith, my husband, Jason. You already know MacKenzie, this is her
husband, Jake.”

The introductions concluded, Aviva began chatting a lot faster than
normal and received strange looks from the small group. She didn’t notice
though because her mind was elsewhere.

As Jake took and handed Meredith a drink from a passing waiter, she took
the opportunity to pull Jason slightly away from their group.

“Jason, I need you to–”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m asking so how can you say, no?”

“Easy, I know you and whatever scheme you’re involved in, I’m not going
to like it so, no.”

“Why are you always so bloody difficult?”

“Angel, if I were difficult, I wouldn’t be standing in a room full of
people I don’t particularly like.”

“Okay, fine!”

“What are you and MacKenzie up to?”

“As you won’t help; it’s none of your business.”

“Aviva!” Jason warned

Looking over at MacKenzie, Aviva shook her head in the negative. Giving
her husband a dirty look she walked back to join the group. Undaunted by
Jason’s stubbornness her mind worked to find another way to set her plan into
motion.

When Josh and Lux joined them and after a series of subtle head
gestures, he walked away and she soon followed. Minutes later, she’d explained
what she needed him to do, and unlike her husband, he agreed.

When all the players in her little plan were in place, Aviva again
linked arms with Meredith and offered to introduce her to a few more people.
Josh was talking to Camille, who readily moved away from Jackson’s side as
Delphine joined him.

Not wanting to appear too obvious, Aviva stopped a couple of times
before she reached her final destination. Before too long they reached Jackson
and Delphine.

Reaching up, she gave Jackson a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, you look as
dapper as ever.”

“Thank you, my dear and you look even more beautiful than ever.”

“Thank you.” Turning to her friend, Aviva pulled her into the
conversation. “Meredith, this charming man is my father-in-law, Jackson
Kingdom.”

When he took the red-heads hand and smiled, Aviva thought he held on to
it a little longer than necessary. The color that rose in Meredith’s pale
cheeks confirmed it. Suppressing her smile of glee, she introduced Meredith to
Delphine.

“You have a very lovely and… resourceful family, Mr. Kingdom.”

“Resourceful?” Jackson questioned.

“I’m being kind, believe me.”

“I’d like to know more, and please call me Jackson.”

Aviva wanted to fist pump the air. He liked her, Jackson liked Meredith.
He never told people to call him by his first name if he didn’t.

“Why don’t we see if we can refresh your drink while you fill me in on
the deviousness of my daughter-in-law? Oh, excuse me, resourcefulness.”

Aviva knew she’d been well and truly busted and she didn’t care.
Meredith was nothing like Laura or Camille, and that was exactly the type of
woman Jackson needed.