Chapter 19
TYSON
You could cut the tension with a knife in this moment in this tiny car. I adjust my seat so that I am sitting as far back as possible and I still can’t stretch out my legs fully. Now she knows how I feel about her seeing Trevor.
I look over to her and her eyes are straight on the road but I can tell she is still watching me out of the corner of her eye. Her long strawberry blonde hair is highlighted by the late evening sun. A light dusting of freckles that I’ve never noticed before lie across her collarbone.
For a redhead, she doesn’t have many of the typical redhead features. I don’t see any freckles on her face and her skin is a nice golden tan tone. But she does have those big ocean blue eyes.
My gaze ventures down, admiring the tiny straps on her royal blue sundress, it almost matches her eyes perfectly. I continue taking all of her in, down to those long, toned legs. I love how they can wrap around me and hold their own against me when I’m on top of her. I can remember how she feels bucking underneath me. I have to hold back a groan. My cock is already giving me shit for not wanting to fuck her as soon as I got into this car. Why did I have to be such an ass?
I keep stewing, hoping that she will ask why we are going to Andrea’s. I don’t want to be the first one to break this silent treatment we are giving each other. I can be patient when I need to be. I can wait her out.
Then the house begins to come into view. It puts my parents’ place to shame. The rusty red brick mansion is clad with white trim has three large windows on either side of the door and boasts a double balcony that spans the full length. An American flag stands tall and proud on its pole in front of the house. The green flush grass ends only when it reaches a pond that is dotted with perfectly placed large trees around its edges. A lone car I don’t recognize sits off to the side. It catches my attention for only a second because it isn’t the typical flashy car I would expect to be sitting here.
I bring my attention back to Jewels. I have to give her credit, she is a stubborn one. Her lips are pressed together as I see her getting more flustered with me not breaking the silence. For this once, I’ll help her out.
“Want to know why we are here?” I cross my arms, smirking at her.
“Nope.” The p makes a pop sound as she says it.
Pulling her into me I say, “Oh, come on.” And hug her tight. “I just need to see what side she is on so I can make my next move.” I tilt my head so that I am able to see into her eyes.
“Whatever, I’ll wait in the car.”
Now it’s my turn to give her the look. “I think you can come in.”
“Nope.” There is that popping sound again. I can see the twinkle in her eyes that show me that she likes getting under my skin.
Fine, she can be like that. Before I let her go, I grab her tit and mold it into my hand before I take those pouting lips against mine. I can feel her nipple become hard under my touch, and I squeeze it as I intensify our kiss. Just as I feel like she is ready for more, I break from the kiss and give her that cocky grin she tells me she loves so much.
“I’ll be right back.” Then I’m out of the car without looking back to see her reaction. I can feel her eyes on me the whole way to the door.
Ringing the doorbell, I expect to see Mrs. Dash, the household caretaker, but am surprised to see Andrea opening the door herself. Her eyes are red and puffy and she isn’t wearing any makeup. A sight I have never seen before. Andrea has always been perfectly put together no matter what. I am pretty sure she wears her makeup to bed.
She sees me and a sob breaks loose, one of those loud, uncontrollable sobs. Quickly, she turns around, mumbling her apologies while she goes to the formal living room. I’m lost for words and still surveying everything to make the right judgment call. I follow behind, feeling like I’m in uncharted territory.
Stepping into the room, she blows her nose loudly, the sound echoing off the walls. That is when I notice two uniformed officers in her living room, looking very sympathetic to her.
I nod my head, acknowledging them. “Good evening.”
“This is Tyson Bennett, longtime family friend.” She sits down, dabbing her eyes.
I notice the two cops stand taller upon hearing my name, glancing at each other then to me.
“Mr. Bennett.” The good cop, I’m presuming, comes to shake my hand while the other one stands rigid, taking out his notepad.
“Tyson, I hope you don’t mind if we ask you some questions?” the other one says to me before looking to Andrea. “Is that okay with you, miss, or we could do this down at the station?”
Andrea waves her hand like it’s no big deal as she picks up a picture of her father and sobs all over again.
“What would you like to know?” I keep my confident mask on, unsure where they intend on leading this questioning.
“Do you know whereabouts your father, William Bennett, is?”
So this is where their line of thinking is.
I get questioned about my father for the next few minutes. I give nothing away. Only answering vaguely. The officers thank me then Andrea before they walk themselves out.
Upon hearing the door close, Andrea stops her sobbing and stands up. “Just because you’re mingling with trash doesn’t mean you should start to look like trash,” she says to me, all crying gone. Just like that. It was like someone turned off the tap water and her tears dried instantly.
I have to give it to her, she is a better actress than I would have ever believed.
“You do realize how bad it looks that your father, my father’s best friend, has not shown his face since my dad was murdered.” She begins grabbing the throw pillows and fluffs them before rearranging their positioning on the couch.
“To be honest, he hasn’t been in town since before he died. But who cares about the details, right?” I challenge her.
“Tyson, there are rumors of an uprising. People are not happy with the status quo.” She looks to me like I have lost my mind. “You and I need to show that we are united.”
“There is no we, Andrea.”
“Oh get over yourself, Bennett. The council has moved up the leader succession meeting.”
I shrug, portraying that I don’t give a shit. When inside I feel like I may explode out of my skin. My face remains expressionless, as I attempt to portray my boredom in this topic.
“For a girl who just got into this, I’m a little shocked you care so much.” I begin to slowly walk around the large room that I have been in thousands of times over the years. We even had Christmas in here once. I look at the photos that line a few select surfaces.
“This is our family’s legacy, don’t give me crap like that. We both know how much I have always wanted this.”
I turn and look at her. She is rearranging the coasters into neat piles now. “That’s the thing, Andrea, I honestly had no clue just how badly you wanted this.” There is so much accusation in my tone as I look down at her. I hate the our and we she placed directly at me in those few sentences.
“Remember, it was my father who was just murdered, and I seem to be the only one who gives a damn about him and this so-called gentlemen’s club that everyone wants to keep me away from.” She raises her voice throughout the sentence while tightening her fists, giving away just how livid she is.
“You know what, if you don’t care, why should I?” A forced smile graces her face and she looks much better with it on than the scowl she was wearing.
“Well, I’m glad we have it all understood now.” I dip my head and walk toward the front door. As my hand reaches for the handle, I call over my shoulder, “See you at the meeting, or not.”
Going outside, I head toward Jewels’s car, kicking at the asphalt but wishing there were some rocks to kick, too. I could really use a punching bag right now. My mind immediately goes to the one my dad put up for Chase after he came to live with us. We all got some use out of it over the years.
In this moment I know I need to have some form of control and plan on kicking Jewels out of the driver’s seat. But as I approach the car I notice the door is slightly ajar and her purse is sitting in the passenger seat. Looking around, her flip-flops are at the edge of the driveway where it meets the grass.
My heart stops along with my breathing as I scan the area, on high alert of my surroundings. Taking three large strides I stand on the edge of the driveway, scanning for any movement. There isn’t even a breeze to move the few large trees. The pond is like ice, not even a duck on it. She is gone.