I pull her close to whisper my question. “Do you have a regular lipstick version of this? I want you to leave a ring around my dick.”
“There you two are!” Dondi says when he looks into the hallway. “Jagger a brief word, please.”
I nod and take him in the opposite direction. He does not need to be in the room we’ve just left.
“What’s up,Dad?”I question him once we’re alone.
Dondi chuckles because that’s who he is, a person that remains unbothered. “Very cute. I may be at the Founder’s table but Mellie is the enforcer. Be happy she finds your antics cute. I’m sure we all deserve it to a degree but slow down your stunts before I change my mind.”
Dondi LeClaire is a smooth man who likes to do business the same way. He doesn’t make threats lightly. Had my dad or Elmer said something like that to me, I would have told them to fuck off. Andres doesn’t threaten; he just does. Messing with him isn't worth coming up missing. Dondi has the power of simplicity. He’s not going to mess up his suit or act uncouth, but his brown eyes never fail to look calculating. Translation: He’s the island version of “Don’t make me pull over this car.” I respect him therefore I’ll listen.
“Noted,” I acknowledge then wait for the point of our chat.
“I’m not an unreasonable ass. I heard you and your concerns. I also know the wishes of your grandfather.” He pulls out a piece of paper from the breast pocket. “I took the shares off the table. Have your lawyers look at the new contract. The other one stays in effect until you review and sign this one.”
“Wha...why?” I’m too shocked to function.
Dondi laughs and pats my shoulder. “You were in a tight spot between saving yourself and selling out my daughter. I’ve always thought you had a good head on your shoulders, I just wanted to see what kind of man you’d decide to be.” He pats my shoulder. “And I’m proud to announce you’re not your father. Welcome to the table.”
I stare after him as he walks away.Well, damn. I’m glad I passed the test.A few days ago my choice was to get a wife or the company. Now, I have both my company and wife. A wife I had no idea I wanted but still.
Moving on, I grab her asNo Guidancebumps through the room. I sing Chris Brown’s part-minus words that'd make one of her cousins want to fight me - to Karessa as we dance. It’s funny since I did fuck around and gave her my last name.
I’d never thought we’d have fun at a forced wedding but I find myself relaxing enough to consider staying the rest of the event.
That was until Ainslee collapsed.
Chapter Thirteen
Jagger
“Jagger. Jagger!”
I looked over at my brother, the outgoing one, and he was trying to pull off some advanced skateboarding trick that’s guaranteed to land him in the hospital.
“What are you doing, Jamie?” I yelled and ran to him just in time to cushion his fall.
We rolled, landing in the grass with the wind knocked out of both of us. I was dazed but Jamie’s seven-year-old body shook with mirth.
“Woah! Let’s do that again!”
“Hell, no.”
“Jagger! Watch your mouth,” my mom admonished when she came out of nowhere. “You two get cleaned up. We have guests arriving soon and you’re not going to embarrass me.”
Her voice was light with amusement and the adoration shone in her eyes.
“The last one upstairs is a rotten egg stinky butt,” Jamie challenged me with a push to give himself a head start.
We tore through the house but collided with our dad. He chuckled and grabbed us. We screamed as he spun us around. He dropped kisses on our heads and let us go after tousling our hair. Jamie took off again and I was hot on his tail. He was very competitive and I was a sore loser. It ended in a tie because we both tripped and broke into laughter.
Later, we were off to the side of the party drinking ginger ale out of champagne glasses, utterly bored since we were the only Founders kids unless we counted the drooling two-year-old girl who was of no interest to us.
His light brown eyes popped with amusement when his song came on. Not caring that we were practically the only children there, Jamie turned up the song and marched his little mini suit wearing body into the middle of the dance floor while belting the words to I Wanna Sex You Up.
Not to be outdone, I joined him and sang the accompanying parts while Jamie did an entire performance including hip thrusts and finger points at some of the pretty women in the room. Our parents were mortified; we happily spent the rest of the party upstairs.
That was the last good memory with my brother before it ended in tragedy. I lost my other half and it still hurts almost thirty years later. Forcing myself to focus on the present, I marvel at the fact that the “uninteresting two-year-old” is breaking every road law possible trying to get us to the hospital. I must be sane for Oran but I feel pulled in many directions as well. Ainslee may not be one of my friends, but I care about what happens to her. I care that her husband is clutching her items like she’s already gone. I hate that it feels like we’re traveling in slow motion. Moments like this always put things into perspective. I had feelings for her and let those go when she married my best friend, but I still need her here on earth. And if she dies... I shake the thought away because I cannot focus on that right now. I refuse to consider it.
