Chapter Four

Amiriam

"James," Amiriam unbuckled the belt buckle from across his unconscious body in her back seat. "Wake up, James." She lightly shook him, trying to rouse the kid out of sleep.

They'd spent the whole evening at her parents' place on the four-wheelers having the time of their lives before heading back home. He'd been asleep before she'd even backed out of her parents' driveway.

Glaring down at the weary little boy, Amiriam threw in the towel and picked him up. His arms around her neck and his legs on either side of her hips, she locked the lock button on her key fob and entered.

The same bright red BMW was sitting outside, but she shook off the horde of butterflies that invaded her stomach and opened the front door. Her legs were throbbing while she took James up to the bedroom.She slipped off his shoes and pulled up the cotton bed clothes over his chin before tucking him in like a burrito man and pecking his forehead. He sighed, and rolled onto his side into the fetal position.

Little sweet monster.

Amiriam left his door ajar and headed to her room at the end of the hallway when she was interrupted by laughter. She swiveled her head to the right and groaned. Shoved against the wall was another faceless bimbo with her head tilted to one side as Luke sucked on the exposed column of her throat. His hands were on her hips as he kept her back pushed into position. Amiriam paused for a few seconds on whether or not she should ignore the fiasco when the girl let out another round of giggles. This time, though, it was louder.

Stomping towards them, Amiriam half-shouted, half-whispered, "For Pete's sake, be quiet. You'll wake up your little brother, and he certainly doesn't need front row seats to"––she gestured at them––"this."

Luke's muscular body stiffened for what seemed like an eternity before he gradually unwriggled his head from the girl's neck. Glaring, he set his gaze on Amiriam.

"Is something the matter, Nanny?" he growled.

Amiriam swore she was talking to an idiot.

"I already told you what the problem was," she growled before wishing for patience. "Your little brother is sleeping down the hall. Would you take this elsewhere? And gag the skank before you get to the exciting part? She's a screamer."

The snide and utterly misplaced comment appeared to create a ghost of a smile on Luke's mouth before he ruined it with his words. "We've already gotten to the good part. And yeah, she was a guaranteed screamer. Though, I do like screamers." Folding his hands away at his sides, he moved towards Amiriam in a threatening fashion. "Tell me, Nanny. Do you scream? His eyes flashed at the idea, near-burning her whole form as she watched his mind take off in wickedly improper directions. Hell, she could virtually see the wheels spinning in his brain as he imagined all the things he could get her to scream for. She crossed her arms guardedly since he was doing it only in an attempt to unsettle her.

She wouldn't let him see that it was working. "You'll never know what I am, though I will tell you that it's probably for the best.". If you ever got a taste of someone who has class, I don't think you'd ever be able to go back to the trash you're used to bathing in. The girl sitting next to him gasped in horror, but Amiriam didn't care. "If you've already done, then I suggest you take your little floozy home.". I need some rest, and since you only use them for their bodies, I'm going to assume she's done her job for the night as well. With a syrup sweet smile at the floozy, Amiriam stated, "Good night. Might want to get tested tomorrow.

Wouldn't want to catch anything."

She spun on her heel, hoping to escape the uncomfortable meeting. Unfortunately for her, Luke's hand closed around her bicep, blocking her escape route.

"Stacy," he growled, though his gaze remained on Amiriam.

"Yes?" the floozy piped up behind him.

"You're going to have to drive yourself home. My keys are in my front left pocket. I'll call you tomorrow." There was steel in his voice, leaving no way to argue, though Amiriam did catch how she followed his orders without hesitation, either. She wondered if she was one of those people who thought on her own. Amiriam raged at the prospect.

Does she have some self-respect?

The girl leaned over him, and Amiriam did not fail to notice how her huge boobs brushed up against his tricep. Her eyes dropped to her immaculately manicured nails as it slid into the pocket of his jeans and came out with a pair of two keys. One was obviously for the car, and Amiriam presumed the second was for the house.

Hands stroking his bristled cheek, the girl nudged onto her tiptoes and left a lingering, sensual kiss on his jaw from her ruby red mouth. When she drew back, Amiriam noticed a gentle smudge of lipstick as if claiming her territory. Amiriam had a part of her that wished to call attention to the fact that her little show of dominance was unnecessary effort since she didn't even desire the guy. She could have him. But another side of her wanted to bare her teeth and yank him in like a mama bear. Not because she liked Luke, but because he wasn't a piece of meat. You couldn't lay claim to him. He'd do what he damn well pleased. He didn't care what anyone else wanted. He never had. And he never would.

But as her eyes settled on his tattooed surface, she saw that son of a gun dimple surface for a moment before he chased the girl off with a curt chin gesture toward the stairs that would lead her to the front door.

"Goodbye, Stacy. I'll call you tomorrow to set up getting back my car."

"You owe me, Luke," she retorted as her heels rang off the hardwood floors. The sound halted in mid-air before she went on, "Although I'm sure I can find a way you can pay me back later. Ciao."

The click-clacking of shoes still lingered in the otherwise empty house before the front door closed with a resounding thud.

That's when Amiriam was all alone and in the jaws of a very angry Luke.

Taking a thick swallow, Amiriam steeled herself and gazed up at him. "Is there something wrong, Luke?"

His jaw was clenched. "Yeah. I'm done tiptoeing around you."

Scoffing, Amiriam couldn't help but let out a dry laugh that sprang from her. "You're kidding, right? Tiptoeing around me? Seriously, are you smoking something?"

"Keep your little cute nose out of my crap. I leave you alone. I think I should be able to get the same respect."

She yanked her arm out of his grip, Amiriam climbed up onto her tiptoes and hoisted herself into his face. She didn't care if he towered over her five-foot-four-inch frame. She wasn't going to let him scare her. "Think I was trying to get into your garbage? You're darn near dry-humping in the hall! Have you ever heard of a closed door, Luke? You ought to try it."

"We were leaving, and if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."

A snort at the absurd assumption, Amiriam shook her head. "You may be handsome, Luke, but I can smell the floozy's desperation still on your skin. You like easy. And I'm not that."

"Then you're not hard, either. You're a damn ice cube, that's what you are. No wonder you don't have a guy."

"Who says I don't have a guy?" Amiriam almost shouted, the outrage and anger coursing through her veins.

"Because if you did, you'd be a hell of a lot less interested in my love life, and your eyes wouldn't rest on me like they do. You're curious. You're just too much of a coward to admit it."

"I am not a coward." He towered over her, rolling his shoulders forward to help close a bit of the height difference between them.

"Then say it," he snapped. "You want to see me naked. That's why your panties are in a twist whenever I bring a girl home."

Blatant, Amiriam did a silent battle with herself as she wrestled with how to proceed with her next line of attack. She had two alternatives here. She could keep arguing, or she could retreat. Both would be useless since the man was so self-absorbed that he didn't even hear the words being spoken. It was like talking to a damn wall. And that's when she realized that's exactly what was happening.

"I'd really like to know what you look like naked. Not because I'm interested in you, but because I really want to know if you're as shallow as you seem. That being said, I'm not holding my breath because you won't let anyone see that."

He opened his lips to protest when she halted him. "You'll strip off for anyone who asks. I didn't intend to do it physically. I meant I wish I could have you bare naked so I'd be able to see the genuine you. Assuming there is any genuine you to see. Maybe you are whatever spoiled brat that you like the world to perceive you as.

Narrowing his eyes, he deepened his tone, and she knew she hit a raw nerve when he murmured, "What's that supposed to be?"

"You sashay across the world on Daddy's credit and sleep with whoever opens their legs. And then you turn up here and expect to be taken seriously. Why are you home, in the first place? Has Daddy already put cash into your checking account?

"Daddy won't invest in my bank account until I find myself a wife, but that's not your problem. And you'd best stop assuming shit. You ever hear the saying, 'Assuming will only make an ass out of you and me?' And we wouldn't want that, now, would we?"

Amiriam's eyebrows shot up in complete shock. "So, you're telling me I'm wrong?"

He paused half a beat, but she didn't miss it before he bristled, "Yeah. I am."

"Then why are you on all your adventures?" she pestered, hunger consuming her. He was right. She'd always assumed he was adventuring on the continents, one dodgy country after another.

He hesitated before answering her, and she didn't catch the slight narrowing of his eyes for a fraction of a second or the small tic in his jaw as he considered whether to reveal to her…something.

Licking his lips, he revealed a tiny tidbit that she was pretty dang certain he'd never shared with another human being. "Ever heard of the Peace Corps?"

"Yes?" she replied, confused.

"Do you know what they do?"

"Umm…yes? They do service, right?"

"Yeah." He tossed his hair behind him, slumped back onto the ceiling, then spread his arms. "They build schools, educate children in English, help purify water, do medical shit. You get it."

"S-so you're working for the Peace Corps?"

Amiriam couldn't help but sound stunned.

"Like I said. Don't assume things. You don't know anything about me."

"Then why let others make assumptions? Your dad said––"

"My dad's an ass," he interrupted, that same muscle twitch in his jaw showing up. "Well…. " Amiriam crossed her arms, having no idea what to do with herself when this conversation was not at all heading in the direction she had anticipated it would be. "Where the hell are you going to find a wife when you screw anything that moves?"

"Already found one," he said to her with a smirking grin, going along with the change of subject. "You just watched her walk out through the door. And no, you're mistaken. I don't spend my days prancing around the world, spending Daddy's money."

"She's really going to marry you? Didn't you have another girl in your hot tub the other day?" Amiriam couldn't help but let the incredulity creep into her voice.

"Precious is fine if I mess with other stuff."

Amiriam gagged. "Gross."

"We have an agreement. One that is good for both of us. But don't worry. I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"How long have you even been around her for? Are you seriously going to give your life for her? Is she going to give hers for you?"

"What's the saying? When you know, you know? And let's be honest. I'm not constructing my life around her, and neither is she. We both share a mutual objective."

"And what is that?"

"Money." He shrugged.

Amiriam's belly churned with acid. "That's revolting."

"Be careful, Amiriam. Remember what I said regarding assuming?"

Sculpting her brow into a questioning arch, she asked, "So you're saying marrying for money isn't repugnant?"

"You don't know what it's like to have something hanging over your head. My father has been able to keep my inheritance hanging over me for almost ten years. If I marry, then he'll give it to me. I'll be free at last."

Amiriam's mouth opened to tell him he could go make a living and tell his father to shove it when she was reminded of what he was wasting his time doing––serving others. For all his father's ignorance, it was a better way to spend his time than she could have ever imagined.

You telling your dad you're doing this? I doubt he'd make something an issue if he found out––"

"You don't know my dad like I do. It's either his way or the road, always. I gave up trying to satisfy him a while back," he admitted.

She caught herself almost feeling sorry for the man before another question nagged at the back of her head.

"Are you paying her off to do it?"

"What do all women want, Amiriam?" he answered her with one of his own.

She was well aware of what he was saying and it made her angry.

"Not all women want money, Luke."

With a shake of his head, he said, “Silly, naive Amiriam. That’s exactly what all women want. And I’m the perfect candidate to deliver it. Precious isn’t a fool. Epic orgasms and a credit card with no limit. What’s not to love?”

Amiriam didn't waste her time arguing with him because she knew it was useless. He'd already decided that's what women were looking for. And she couldn't blame him for the judgment. She'd met his stepmother. She'd encountered the girls he usually dated. Given his experience, he was one hundred percent right. All of those girls wanted money. If he wasn't willing to date someone with class, then he'd never know what other women were seeking.

Like her.

She didn't care about money. She wanted someone who loved her. Who was honest. A hard worker. Cared for others. Looked at her like she hung the moon. And yes, gave a good orgasm too. Let's face it; she had her priorities right. She just hoped Luke did too.

"Where are you going to go when your dad gives you your inheritance?" she pressed, surprised at how much she wanted what was occurring here.

He shrugged. "Dunno yet. But somewhere far from here."

Since this was more conversation than they'd ever engaged in before, Amiriam chose to drop her guard a little further. "You should try spending some time with your brother before you leave."

"Why's that?"

"He loves you and he wants to get to know you."

"He doesn't love me. He's my dad's protégé. He's already been brainwashed and believes the same stuff you believed before I clarified things with you"---he cleared his throat---"what I've been doing."

"He's six. He hasn't made up his mind yet. And no offense, but you're not a typical topic of conversation in this household."

He dryly chuckled. "That doesn't quite surprise me."

Amiriam's heart hurt at his senseless acceptance of something so.melancholic. He was behaving as though he didn't even belong in the family. He was an outcast.

Husking in her throat, she pressed, "Then persuade him to change his mind. He wants to discover more about you."

"My dad's returning home within minutes," he started.

"So? James needs some time to get to know you," she repeated. "Especially before you disappear again. You're more or less a stranger to him."

"Look. Because I showed you some crap tonight doesn't mean we're friends, and it sure as hell doesn't mean you get to dictate what I can and can't do. I've got a lot on my plate and don't have time for a play date. I'm going to bed."

And no sooner had he opened this conversation than he closed it with a whirl of his heel and the slam of his door.

There Amiriam was. Alone. In a mansion hall. With nothing but whiplash and confusion.

What the hell was that?