Chapter 17 - Lay Down Your Weapons
Half an hour to go and it will be over, I thought to myself in relief.
Jasper had made his speech and I watched him chatting with disinterest to an older man, who, from what I could see, wouldn't shut up.
Grinning to myself, I decided to take a quick break and explore the grounds of the manor.
"If he asks, could you tell Mr Queen I am just going to go and get some fresh air, please?" I said to one of the staff members who was on duty at the reception.
"Of course, Miss Valentina," he smiled warmly.
Stepping outside, I walked over to a bench in the grand garden of Bennington Manor, it was very beautiful.
"Miss Valentina," a voice called out just as I proceeded to sit on the canopy.
"Mr Johns."
Just my luck.
"Has your man left you, then?" He enquired nosily as I raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something you would like, Mr Johns?"
"There is one thing." He replied moving closer towards me as I moved further back. "You."
"I am going back inside. The reception is about to finish." I said as I attempted to leave before he grabbed my wrists, holding them tightly.
"You really do think you're special, don't you?" He snapped as he clamped a hand around my mouth dragging me to a corner.
He gathered my dress up in one hand and placed the other between my legs before forcing his lips to mine, the taste of brandy lingering on his rough lips. As he began to unbuckle his belt, I bit hard on his lip causing him to hiss in pain as I attempted to throw him off of me but he quickly pulled me by my hair as I yelped a little.
"Oh, you should not have done that. Just watch what I do to you, bitch!"
He threw me against the wall, his hand creeping to my breasts while the other was kept on my mouth as I squeezed my eyes closed, removing my stiletto from my feet before I opened my eyes, swinging the into the side of his face as he screamed bloody murder. I opened my eyes and saw him writhing on the ground where Jasper stood in front of him, his expression furious. He grabbed Gareth by the collar and swung his fist into his face, punching him repeatedly as he howled in pain.
"Jasper! Stop, leave him!" I urged desperately, pulling on his arm.
He looked down at me before closing his eyes, slamming Gareth back onto the floor.
He took my hand gently as we walked out of the gardens to the nearby parking lot where the Maserati was waiting.
Smith said nothing as we sat down, noticing that Jasper was more pissed off now than he was on the way to the benefit.
We rode in silence the entire way until Smith finally spoke.
"Where to, Jasper?"
"Mine." He replied calmly.
"If you could take me home, Smith, I would appreciate that," I croaked as he looked to Jasper for confirmation.
My eyes stung from my unshed tears as I desperately tried to stop them from falling.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as Smith parked up outside my home. Silently, I unbuckled my belt and murmured a goodnight to both of them before exiting the car. I was about to close the door behind me but Jasper kept it open, giving Smith instructions as I furrowed my brows in confusion.
Seconds later, he stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Did you honestly think I was going to leave you like this, Scarlett?"
"Please don't feel obliged to do this, I am fine." I lied, feeling incredibly bad that he stayed for me.
"Just open the door." He ordered before I unlocked the front door as we walked in.
I settled my keys on top of the cabinet as my throat began to choke up again.
Christ, I was turning into such an emotional wreck.
I turned around as he walked towards me with a concerned look on his face.
He stood in front of me as a single tear slid down my cheek, using his forefinger he brushed it away.
"Shh, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing circles onto my back, calming me down. I pulled away, realising that I must have looked like death himself with my smudged eyeliner and mascara.
"God, this is so humiliating."
Wondering what he must have thought about my beautiful face, I couldn't help but smile, I felt and looked so utterly ridiculous.
"Why are you smiling?" Jasper asked confusedly before he smiled, too. "You are so very strange."
"I know," I agreed awkwardly. "Thank you so much for saving me Jasper. There was no way he would have stopped if you hadn't been there."
"The last thing I want is that from you, Scarlett. I don't treat you the way I should and I put you into a very uncompromising situation for which I take full responsibility."
"How was it your fault I left you?"
"Before today, I had no idea why you hated attending benefits. I just assumed you found them tiresome so I decided to drag you along to piss you off."
"Wow, I really have hit the jackpot with you as my boss, haven't I?" I questioned sarcastically, raising a brow.
"Your face is like a work of art," he sniggered before he burst out laughing.
"Ha-ha, very funny(!)" I rolled my eyes as I grabbed some cleanser from my cupboard. "You don't have to stay Jasper, you can go. I'll be fine."
"No, what happened tonight is not something even you could get over so quickly. I am not leaving you," he stated firmly.
"Fine." I relented. "But no funny business."
"Define funny business," he teased, waggling his eyebrows.
"This is going to be a long night," I sighed, throwing away the cotton ball I used to wipe my makeup off.
"You'll love it, don't you worry," he smirked.
"I am going to get changed, I have some spare shorts and T-Shirts in the guest bedroom if you want them."
"For men?" He asked his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Unless you would like to borrow my underwear, Mr Queen?"
"Why do you have men's clothes, anyway?"
I felt a small pang in my chest when I remembered that Melissa had bought them for Blake.
So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours but I couldn't even talk to my own best friend about it.
"Melissa bought them for her boyfriend but she left them here," I explained as his features relaxed visibly.
"Ah, right."
Strange man.
Shaking my head, I went upstairs and slid off the dress shuddering as I recalled Gareth's disgusting hands all over me. I slipped into my satin pyjamas and scraped my hair into a pony tail before making my way into the guest room to find my boss something suitable to wear.
I picked out a pair of Calvin Klein boxers, sweatpants and a T-Shirt before I went back to my room to see Jasper stood there as if he had been caught doing something wrong.
"What exactly are you doing, Mr Queen?" I asked suspiciously.
"Nothing at all, Miss Valentina," he smirked.
"Right. Well, here are some clothes, there are more in that cupboard if you would prefer." I said. handing them over.
"Thank you," he smiled, walking out, before lowering his head to my ears. "That's a very sexy selection of underwear you have there, Miss Valentina. I for one am thoroughly impressed."
"Jasper!" I snapped, frowning at him as he laughed obnoxiously. "Go and get changed for Christ's sake!"
I could hear him laughing all the way to the bottom of the hall, the insufferably handsome man.
Five minutes later, he came back into my room, leaning casually against the door frame.
"What are you doing?"
"Texting your sister. She asked me to attend a dinner at your parents' place tomorrow. Is that okay with you?" I asked a little cautiously.
"Really? Nobody told me," he muttered. "But, yes, of course it is fine with me."
I blew out a sigh of relief that I hadn't even realised I had been holding.
"Why do you sound so exasperated, Scarlett?"
"Because I assumed you found it awkward the last time your parents were there because, obviously, I am only your secretary and it is a little strange, so I thought you would have been a little embarrassed for another round." I rambled on as his jaw tightened.
"Sometimes all I want to do is take you across my lap and give you a good spanking," he muttered nearing my bed. "Stand up."
Slowly, I obliged as I looked up into his lustful green eyes, my heart racing.
He looked down at me, before softly placing his lips on mine, bringing his hand over my backside but I wanted more. I kissed his lips harder, he moved his lips from mine as he smirked.
"You are so beautiful," he murmured crashing his lips to mine until I was back up against the wall, he lifted my legs as I wrapped them around his hips, he bought his lips down to my breasts, sucking on my skin tenderly as I gasped at the unfamiliar sensation.
Slowly, he attempted to unbutton my night shirt when I placed my hand over his to stop him before sliding out of his grasp.
"Are you serious?" He asked breathlessly.
"Yes." I replied also slightly breathless. "Keep it in your pants."
"I am finding it very difficult to do so at the moment," he muttered pointing at his southern region.
"Disgusting," I said in disgust as he burst into a fit of wild laughter.
"You are such a virgin!"
"Why does that repulse you so much?" I asked frowning as his laughter died down. "Is being a virgin that unheard of?"
"Trust me, it does far from repulse me, I love it." he replied seriously. "But tell me â why? You must have had a thousand guys wanting you."
"If you dare laugh at me, Jasper Queen, I will damage your little friend down there," I warned, giving him a dirty look as he tried to suppress a smile.
"You have my word, Miss Valentina."
"I am a very traditional person, I was raised in a very unorthodox manner where sex was treated liberally and where I grew up women were seen as mere objects for sex," I explained. "I wanted to save myself for marriage in all honesty."
"You are something else, Scarlett," he murmured smiling at me as I yawned. "Come, get some rest."
Obliging, I got into bed while he followed.
"Get into the guest room, I'm not being sexually harassed by you." I ordered.
"Sexually harassed? Please tell me you don't love it when I touch you!"
"I don't love it when you touch me."
That's a lie, it drives me crazy.
"I'm staying otherwise, I will fire you." He smirked in the dim light.
That reminded me...
"Jasper?" I asked unsurely.
"Mm?"
"What is this? As in, us? Not like we're together but you know we have had... Moments and it will be awkward, I could resign should -"
"Sh," he placed a finger on my lip. "No, you will not. After today I refuse to let you go. Especially until you stop being so virginal and let me make love to you." He snickered.
"Jasper! Be serious!"
"Don't worry about it, Scarlett, we can cross that bridge when we get to it," he said coolly, much to my frustration.
"We are already at that bridge, Jasper!"
"Can we cross it tomorrow because I am very tired," he murmured, closing his eyes.
"Fine." I muttered, turning my back to his.
"By the way," he started. "Using your shoe to ward off the dickhead was very ingenious, Miss Valentina, I commend you."
"What else was I supposed to do, scream?" I asked sarcastically, turning to face him.
"Yes? That's the first thing you should have done, Scarlett, why the hell didn't you?"
"Screaming never saved me before so I assumed it wouldn't this time. It didn't even cross my mind to be honest," I said truthfully.
"What do you mean before?"
"When my father decided to play with his knives," I told him not really wanting to go into any more detail.
"Sick bastard." Jasper muttered darkly. "If he hadn't been jailed I think I would have killed him myself."
"I know you would have," I laughed softly, nestling my face into his chest. "Night, Jasper."
"Night, Scarlett." He replied, kissing my head gently.
I wish Jasper could have been a bit more straight forward about the nature of our relationship, I thought as I closed my eyes.
But there was always tomorrow, so who knew where we stood?