The Gambler(11)

"What would you call it when they try to take me out with her in the  car? You tell that fuck for me that I'm gonna cut off his head and piss  down his fucking throat. Where's your son?"

"Please, just stop this nonsense right now, I'm sure Alec might've just  lost his temper for a minute. He's been under a lot of stress lately,  but he would never hurt his sister, he loves her."

"You're full of shit, and this right here only convinces me more to keep her the fuck away from all of you."

"You can't do that, you can't just take my kid. We have laws in this country … "

"I'll tell you what, you get that law to come to my fucking door, better yet, send your boy."         

     



 

He hung up the phone because there was nothing more to be said. If Jenna  wouldn't freak the fuck out, he would cut off all communication with  the mother as well. What the fuck did she mean he was under stress? That  made it okay? The fucker hadn't seen stress yet.





He was in a hurry to get the day started; there was a lot of shit that  needed to be done. He checked that her security was in place, before  lifting the shield he'd put on the house the night before when they went  to bed.

He was giving serious thought to bringing in dogs, but he wasn't sure  how she would react to their presence. Maybe he'd bring it up and see,  for now, the twenty or so men he had combing the grounds should be  enough.

"Come Jenna Angel has to go to work." He tried setting her up in the  corner with her iPad and other shit, but she wasn't having it. As soon  as he was seated she plopped down in his lap, and he resigned himself to  working around her again today.

He answered all her questions, and gave her kisses when she asked, all  the while hoping she didn't know what the lump under her ass meant.

The guys were still combing the house for any surprises the Minnelli  bitch might've left behind, so he didn't have to deal with their  bullshit along with everything else; but he was gonna have to figure  something out fast. No way was he gonna get shit done with her this  close. Not after he'd learned her taste and the feel of her under his  hand.





That afternoon, they had their first fight. She wanted to stay outside  after he'd taken her down to the little pond on the property to see the  new birds he'd ordered for her, and he didn't want her outside for any  length of time, lest someone had eyes on his place.

She threw a fit when he told her no. Something he wasn't accustomed to,  he was in the habit of having his every need met, and everyone going out  of their way to carry out his orders.

His strong-arm tactics weren't going to work on her though, because she  was stubborn as fuck. "No Jenna let's go." He kept his voice even as he  tried to steer her back towards the house."

"No, Jenna stay." She stomped her foot and turned her angry face up to  him. Just one little thing set her off, and here he was thinking she was  going to be so easy to handle.

Still, he couldn't have her disobeying him; it was for her own safety.  When she dug her heels in and refused to budge, he picked her up and  headed back inside. She screamed bloody murder and Garrett and Jameson  came running, guns drawn.

"We're fine guys, put those away." He carried her up the stairs to their  room, out of sight of the others, since he didn't know how long, or  what form her tantrum would take. He knew from experience that it could  last for hours, or blow over in a matter of minutes like it never was.

Laying across the bed, he held her close while she stiffened up on him.  Stubborn little shit. "Jenna baby, please calm down before you make  yourself sick." He kept his voice soft and level, while running his hand  up and down her back. He understood she was testing the boundaries and  though he had no intention after last night of treating her like a  child, he would never allow her to endanger herself.

Not even if it meant her getting mad at him. Her sobs tore at him  though, and he wished like hell he could give her what she wanted. Then  he started to sing and wondered when the fuck he'd lost his fucking  mind. Chump.





When she'd quieted a bit, he pushed her away slightly so he could see  her face. She looked so sad and … pissed. He almost laughed and had no  idea why? The fact that she could get that mad at him made him feel  somehow that they were on more of an even footing.

"Angel mean."

"Oh ho, my little Jenna is spoilt." She didn't know what the hell he was  talking about, as was evident by the blank look she gave him. He tried  stealing a kiss to test the waters and she went all-soft under him.

When it started to become a little more than he expected, he pulled back  and looked down at her. Maybe he'd take her out on the boat, maybe  she'd like that.

He was aware that he was giving into her, and that the experts say  that's not the best way to handle the situation, but what the fuck do  they know? Half the shit they spewed came from a textbook. Real life was  a whole other ball game.         

     



 

As far as he was concerned, he'd do whatever the fuck he felt like, as  long as it made her happy. Heaven knows living with a dick for a brother  and a clueless mother she probably didn't have much in the way of happy  moments.

"My Jenna wanna feed the ducks?"

She lit up and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Then that's what we'll  do, come." He realized he was in deep shit here. Not only did he have  no defenses against her, she seemed to be the only living being who  could get him to back down.

She led him out the door, much as he was afraid she was going to be  leading him in lots of ways from now on. It hadn't taken her long at all  to capture his balls, if she had this much sway over him now, he  couldn't imagine what it would be like after he'd had her.





Chapter 10




He took every precaution necessary to ensure her safety as he got the  yacht ready. This was just his little thirty footer that he coasted  around the Hudson in every once in a while, when he was in the mood to  feel the sun on his face and the wind in his hair.

Maybe later he'd take her for a longer sail to the Greek Isles, in his  deluxe luxury house on the sea, if she proved to be a good sailor. "Come  Jenna, we have to put this stuff on, I don't want you to burn." She  stood still while he coated her liberally with sunscreen from head to  toe.

Gone was the hoyden of just ten minutes ago and now she stood before him  quiet as a lamb, her body vibrating with excitement. He'd barked at the  men to find him a hat, and once again, Garrett's wife had come through  with a huge straw hat that practically covered her face.

He made sure the men were in position around the boat as he strapped her  in her life jacket and gave her a million orders of what not to do  while they were onboard.

He could've saved his breath, because the first thing she did as soon as  he let her go, was head to the controls. He watched her balance to be  sure that she would be able to hold her own while he navigated.

"No Jenna here." He tried getting her to sit in the seat across from the  wheel, but she had other ideas. She seemed fascinated with all the  gadgets and grabbed hold of the wheel in a way that told him there was  no letting go. "Fine you want to drive? I'll show you."

He stood behind her and placed his hands over hers as he instructed her.  It didn't take him long to realize that she needed no farther guidance;  she was a natural. Either that or she'd done this before.

He stayed as he was behind her, but removed his hands as she took over,  her face set in concentration. "Angel look." She pointed to a flock of  birds that took flight above them.

She watched the birds as he watched her. She was so beautiful and  carefree in that moment he wished he'd remembered to bring a camera.  Then he remembered he didn't own one.

"Jameson, remind me to pick up a camera tomorrow."

"Yes boss."

"Angel, smile?" She turned her face up to him.

"No Jenna smile." He kissed her lips and cheeks and then pretended to  choke from the taste of the sunscreen lotion. She thought that was  pretty funny and broke into wild laughter, which only made him do it  again, and again.





Midway through, he realized that it was the first time he'd been this  relaxed in years. Being with her like this, he almost forgot that life  could be cruel and dark. How was it possible that she could be so free  and untouched by it? What does that kind of innocence and beauty feel  like inside? To never succumb to the wiles of the average human being?

It was something he'd pondered much, as he grew older and learned more  about the amazing person that had been his sister, and others like her.  If there was one thing he would like, it was to know what beat in her  heart. What did she see when she looked at him as she was doing now?

Always, her eyes compelled him to make promises. There wasn't a time  when he looked at her, that his mind wasn't full of forever and dreams.  Things he'd never allowed himself before.