Chapter 492) Wildfire of Emotions

“Half the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no fast enough.”

~Josh Billings

Brindleton Bay
White Ivy Estate
The morning after the party

All right, let me quickly set the scene for you, so you can get the full picture of how my day started for me.

Early morning at my Brindleton Bay estate, mom, dad and my big brother Nick seated around my brand-new dining room table, everything still smelling of new wood and fresh paint. I was in my riding gear as one of my new routines was to take Kismet out for a ride along the beach and coastline every morning, weather allowing.

If you are over 30 and ever feel old, just do what I did, you know, the ‘Cameron curse thing’ and have your best friend let the cat out of the bag at your brother’s party with all the family present to hear, and I promise you your parents and big brother will make you feel very young, just like a disobedient child again, leaving you half-deaf and with your tail tucked firmly between your legs. The other side of being close with your family. Sure, they are great and fun, unless you screw up and their noses are all over your business.

Here I was, in my own brand-new huge mansion sitting on prime real estate in one of the nicest parts of the world, getting the third degree from my mom and dad, ping-ponging their uncomfortable questions which I didn’t have real answers to, making them voice their discord about the latest pickle I got myself in, while my brother just sat there shaking his head at me.

Mercifully, had my sister-in-law Adrianna asked my big bro to drop her off at her little sister Bianca’s home – yes, my best friend, still, even after she accidentally unleashed Armageddon on me at Nick’s party last night. Bianca lived just 5 minutes away from me, on the other side of the harbor. Adrianna has always been so poised, a real class act, she knew her being here would only add more insult to my proverbial injury.

Right into one of mom’s long speeches about the many levels of how my bad choices could negatively affect the whole family and her professional reputation, plus my dad and brother’s reputations as attorneys – as if I didn’t know that already – Nick suddenly piped up.

“Hey AG, who’s that dude? Does he work for you? He keeps trying to look in here, so either you got a stalker or that bro needs something. If he’s a stalker, he’ll leave with a shiner and a broken nose, courtesy of me.”

“What dude? I don’t have any dudes. I have a maid, last I checked she was female, and she called in sick today.” I asked, confused and irritated.

Nick pointed at the window and the day I thought couldn’t get any worse, just got a whole lot worse yet!

I paled and gasped at the face under the Stetson peeking in from outside.

“Oh, hell no! I bet I can guess who that is now. I’ll go have a word with that young man!” dad’s sharp brain instantly put two and two together. He jumped up.

“Nah, dad, I think I’ll go. You have a temper.” Nick told him, getting up as well.

“Ha – as if you don’t!” Dad countered.

“Oh no – gentlemen – I will go talk to THAT one!” mom now decided firmly.

This was when my paralysis ended, I jumped up and exclaimed.

“No. no, no no! Nobody move! I will go talk to him!” I almost shouted. Oh gawd no. Not mom or dad! Or Nick!

“Enough already! YOU have done quite enough, young lady! If anyone here tries to stop me, they will regret it. I said I will go, so I will go, and that’s THAT!” mom decided, already fuming, and none of us even dared argue as she now stormed out.

A little later she returned with Jack, who looked like a dog who had just gotten the newspaper. Tee hee hee.

I couldn’t help having to let out a tiny snort followed by a giggle, and yes, I regretted that thoroughly.

“You have some nerve, Aria-Grace! I am glad this amuses you, as I do not think this is funny at all!” mom laid into me.

“Ma’am, I was hoping to …” Jack tried his luck, but mom took care of that attempt instantly.

“Oh, call me Ma’am one more time and watch what happens!” mom cut Jack down to size. Forgive my mom for being so assertive, she had to learn to be that way, grow balls bigger than any of the men she had to deal with and be kind of a bitch out and proud, or the entertainment industry would have eaten her alive. She learned that the hard way early in her career. Poor mom really didn’t have it easy. Unfortunately for the rest of us did that translate into her personal life too. Mom was the sweetest – unless you got her mad.

“Mrs. Cameron, I am here because – I believe it was your father? – informed me of a situation I assure you I had no idea about.” Jack tried to tread lightly to not anger my mom any further, but now he had rubbed dad wrong, as he barked at Jack

“Oh, don’t play innocent here, buddy! You weren’t short of ideas about sticking your dick into my little girl and not even using protection! A school child could calculate you the odds of that going without consequences for long, and don’t even think about trying to put the blame on my daughter, for she is the one having to do the heavy lifting for the issues caused by the bad decisions of both of you! I wouldn’t advice you giving me lip now, Casanova!” dad forgot his manners and was all Cameron.

Oh lord help us now! While I was praying for a hole to swallow me, Nick chuckled.

“Ha – careful dad. That one there is living proof that you are not one to judge about how, when and where pregnancies are created and under what circumstances. Neither are you mom. I think you both took the cake there already.” Nick pointed at me, mom pointed her finger at him, and I swear her eyes were shooting sparks now.

“Nicholas Declan Cameron! The audacity! One more peep out of you and I swear you will remember why it’s not a good idea to upset me!” mom verbally spanked Nick’s smugness off his face. Worked too. Nick quit grinning and was quiet. And he was an attorney AND 6 years older than me. Yes, this was all screwed up nine ways to Sunday, but I had to bite back another giggle.

Well, I will spare you the profanity-laced lectures that took up the better part of what little was left of the morning. At some point mom was too worried about her voice and wanted to leave, yes, she still performed even though for the umpteenth time she had sworn she would retire for good, dad was in no mood to spend the remainder of their stay before their flight back to Del Sol Valley at the hotel in San Myshuno with both of them grumpy AF now – normally they would have overnighted at either Nick or my home, but both of us didn’t have our guest accommodation remodels finished enough yet to have guests stay over. So, they left to hopefully calm their nerves over lunch before it was tail’s up for mom’s private jet later that day.

Nick was their ride and had no choice but to leave too, I walked him out to his car, mom and dad were already in it, while I couldn’t see them behind the tinted glass, they were undoubtedly discussing the utter disgrace that was their daughter, with a glance back at my home my big brother gave me a stern look.

“I don’t like leaving you alone with that man. Are you going to be all right here? I can make sure he leaves before we do.” Nick told me.

“I am more worried about you alone with mom and dad right now. With the mood they are in now today might be the day where your big mouth gets you murdered.”

“Nice try, quit deflecting. I get that you have been up close and personal with him, but to me, that man in your house right now is a total stranger and not trustworthy. I think I have every right to be concerned.”

“Yeah, thanks, but don’t worry Nicky, Jack’s a douche sometimes, but not violent, just annoying and aggravating, not to mention a total country bumpkin, which is why I tried to sweep him under the rug. Other than that, I can’t exactly get any more pregnant, even though our lovely family chat today definitely helped make up my mind on what I am gonna do and all I am gonna say is, don’t worry about planning any baby showers for me, we won’t be needing those. Besides, if Jack were to turn out to be some crazy serial killer it wouldn’t matter either, mom is gonna murder me anyway, sooner or later.”

“True. We are going to talk about that man again though, just you and I, after I get back from dropping our parents off. I can’t believe you kept a secret lover, AG while you were seeing Mauro. Two lovers, whom I am going to assume are unaware of each other? That is very much out of character for you. Well, I better get going now, if you need anything, holler. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Gotta pick up the wifey and my little man still from your ditsy bestie’s home. I am torn between buying Bianca a huge bouquet of flowers as a thank you for outing you or telling you to get better friends.”

I waved at Nick as he got into the car and started the engine, then turned to walk back inside. I dreaded having to face Jack, secretly hoping he just snuck out.

No such luck. Of course not. He only walked off when I didn’t want him to.

“Well, sorry about that and also, WTF? I have an intercom at the gate of the driveway for a reason. How did you even get in?” I laid into him.

“There’s a way up from the beach. I am used to navigating rugged terrain. I knew if I rang, you’d probably not let me in, considering the news had to come from your grandfather. How long have you known about this? When were you planning on telling me about the baby?”

“Oh, that’s just rich! At exactly a quarter to NEVER EVER, Mr. Commitment-Issues, that’s when! Bold of you to assume you’re the father.”

“Your grandfather said I was.”

“Grandpa has many talents and supernatural skills, but remote DNA testing isn’t among those. He doesn’t know. I was at a party with a gentleman and didn’t want my huge family to tear him to pieces like a hungry wolf pack thinking it’s his, I tried to leave, but grandpa caught me just before I could get in my car and interrogated me, so I just gave him some name. Only yours came to mind.” I lied. Lied like a dog. I was 90% sure that baby inside of me was Jack’s. Actually, more like a 100%.

“So, there is another man?” Jack looked … well … hurt. Good. As many times as he hurt me, this served him just fine.

“One? Many! Dozens. I am single, enjoying life.” I lied some more.

Jack’s expression ran through a kaleidoscope of emotions until it halted at something resembling doubt, which his words confirmed.

“I don’t believe you. You may be able to fool your grandfather, as he clearly loves you, but not that guy he had with him, I think he said it was his brother-in-law. Whoever he was, he struck me as someone with a solid bullshit detector. Not the type who goes to another man’s home to lie to him about paternity.”

“Caelan? Oh, dear Lord, mom must have sent Cae along with grandpa after I ditched that party and went home. Yikes. Those two don’t get along.”

“Yeah, I noticed that, it was hard to miss. Answer my question, please, AG.”

“Oh, look who finally learned my name.” I mocked.

“Quit deflecting!”

He looked angry, which made me angry. HE was the one who never gave straight answers. HE was the one who told me we had no future, breaking my heart in a way. He left me with a ‘no’ that had no real meaning last time, or it had a thousand different meanings. I angered myself remembering all the ways I felt wronged by Jack, so my eyes narrowed, and I became combative.

“Why? I learned from the best, Jack. Taste of your own medicine a little too bitter for you?”

He looked confused.

“What are you talking about, woman?”

“If you gotta ask …”

I attempted to finish off my implied mic drop with a hasty departure, but Jack stopped me by grabbing my arm. I glared at him, he glared at me.

“Don’t you just walk off!” he snarled.

“Who’s gonna stop me?” I hissed back.

“Me!”

“FUCK YOU, Jack!” I hissed, shaking his hand off me.

He grabbed me and pulled me close, kissing me, passionately and demanding.

Okay, this always looked awesome in movies, in real life it only added fuel to the wildfire of emotions raging inside of me, and I lost my shit something fierce. I bit his lip, slapped him hard, then ran out. Of course, this didn’t repel him for long, and sure as heck couldn’t outrun him, I didn’t know what to do, saw Kismet, still saddled as my usual morning ride along the beach was so rudely interrupted by my lovely parents and Nick stopping by to tear me a new one. I beelined for my poor horse, got on and took off. Jack was at the gate, so I rode her to the opposite side, with the intention of setting over the fence.

“AG – NOOOOOO!” Jack screamed at the top of his lungs.

The next things happened incredibly fast.

Kismet rushed towards the unfamiliar obstacle, but probably at the very last second had doubts, knowing jumping fences was not allowed, and stopped short.

I was catapulted forward, banged my head into her neck, which probably startled her, she reared up and I was free falling. I saw the blue sky, heard Jack scream my name, Kismet neighing scared, felt the impact and blacked out.