Bound By Contract

Chapter Twenty Three

“Jared… Jared… how dare you say his name to me.” He throws his hands in the air and paces the room. “And if I told you I was jealous? Would you get yourself another driver?”

“No.”

He stops pacing and walks up to me, his face inches from mine. I get a hint of Michael’s strong perfume which causes butterflies to fly all around my stomach. My heart beat thumps in my chest. I swear even Michael can hear it.

“Listen. You should have been here last night when we got home. It looks bad. Make sure you’re there Monday,” he communicates just above a whisper.

“Okay, Michael,” I hiss. “I’ll play the part for you.”

He blinks fast as if I had just spit in his face.

Michael backs up towards the door. “Remember, you’re bound by contract. You have to play the part.” He opens the door and backs out of the room slowly. “And that driver of yours,” he says dangerously, “is no longer allowed on my property.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Christina’s P.O.V.

Michael’s loyal fans howl animatedly as they see me make the long trek from behind the hill that hides the house to the little guard house at the front gate. The roar only escalates when I wave at them as Jared pulls up in the short circular drive. Jared escorts me past the fans to the car where he already had the door opened, and closed it after me. He is behind the wheel in no time.

“Where to in such a hurry? And why are we in the street?” Jared asks through the rearview mirror, donning a bashful smile as we drive off of Neverland’s property.

I let out a very heavy sigh. “Everything just got from very complicated to downright impossible! That man is impossible!” I lament again. “Can we go to that restaurant or to your apartment or something?”

A worried look spreads across Jared’s face. “I don’t think so Christina; there are three cars behind us that have been following us since we left Neverland. Why don’t we just go back?”

“We can’t.” I take an urgent look behind us. “Where else can we go?”

----------------------------------------------------

Jared pulls up to a gated house with large bushes surrounding the entire property. He lowers the window, punches in a code and we glide in.

“This is my mother’s house. It’s the only place I could think of.”

“It’s perfect, thank you.”

He parks under a shady car park on the side of the turn-of-the-century house. As any gentleman would, he goes to the back of the car and opens my door for me. “We can go inside if you like.”

“No, thank you.” I scoot over. “Let’s stay in the car. I don’t really feel like talking to anyone, sorry,” I admit, rubbing my forehead.

“I can leave you alone if you want,” he jokes sitting down in the vacant spot next to me, and closes the car door.

I poke him in the chest. “I want to talk to you, silly.”

“What’s going on, Christina,” he questions.

“Guess what? You’ve been banned from Neverland.” I can’t help but laugh at how that sounds when I say it. “And it appears that Mr. Jackson is jealous of you, Jared.” I roll my eyes.

His eyes grow wide. “Of me?” I nod. “Well, I don’t blame him really.”

“You don’t?”

“No, not really. But he deserves it. He treats you like crap. Would you be here with me otherwise? Sometimes I want to punch the guy in the face.” He makes a fist and punches the air playfully.

I snicker. “He’s not a bad guy, it’s just… I don’t know how to explain things. And I would be with you otherwise. You’re a great person.”

“Yeah, great person, right. If you weren’t married…”

“If I weren’t married… what?”

Jared caresses my cheek. “You have no idea how many times I’ve fought back the urges to kiss you, Christina. You’re an amazing woman. You don’t deserve what you put yourself through.”

I look down to my lap. “I… don’t know what to say.”

“It’s hard to be just your friend. But you’re a married woman. I don’t want to cause you any trouble.”

“You aren’t the one who causes me trouble, Jared,” I say softly.

“I think, maybe, you should get another driver, Christina.”

“What? No!”

He takes my hand in his and with his other hand pushes back a tear that has escaped onto my cheek. “Don’t you get it? I have feelings for you. It’s wrong. I feel so guilty. This is wrong.”

“Don’t you get it? You’re the only person in the world I’ve got! Don’t abandon me too!” I cry, tears flowing steadily down my face.

He holds me tightly against him, my tears soaking his white shirt. He lets me sob as long as I need to. All the while that I am in Jared’s arms, I reflect on what he confessed to me. He has feelings for me. I don’t know how I feel though; I am not sure if I have any feelings left to feel with. I look up at him; his affectionate gaze looks back at me, wipes tears from my cheeks and kisses my forehead. I know I need him. I need Jared desperately. Could things get any more complex than this?