Chapter 13 - Meet The Queens
I breathed a sigh of relief as the final verdict was given, I regained my composure and stopped trembling.
Guilty.
Guilty as sin.
I looked up at my father who was staring intently at me as he was being escorted out of the courtroom.
I stared blankly ahead of me until I heard the double doors behind me close loudly.
"I am so proud of you, Scarlett," Melissa grinned, pulling me into a hug.
"I can't believe it's finally over," I sighed, shaking my head, frowning as I noticed she was scowling. "What's wrong?"
"Assper is coming this way," she muttered as I choked back a laugh.
"Assper?" I whispered as she giggled.
"He is a little ass, look at him. Arrogant dick."
"He promised he would show up and he did," I mused to myself as she begrudgingly agreed.
"What are you going to do about the kiss?" She asked as I sighed heavily.
"Try to avoid the topic as much as I can," I shrugged as she suddenly winced in pain. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"
"Pre-period pains," she reassured me as I watched her with uncertainty. "I'm fine, Scarlett. I'll just pop an aspirin and I'll be right as rain in no time."
"Are you – "
"Hey." Jasper interrupted, as he stood in front of me.
"Do you want me to wait for you or..." Melissa trailed off, unsurely.
"I'll come with you, you clearly aren't feeling too good," I told her as she gave me a quick hug.
"I'm fine, woman, honestly. I'll go right home and straight to bed, okay doc?"
"Good. That's what I want to hear," I grinned as she lowered her mouth to my ear.
"I can still kick his fine ass, if you want," she whispered as I smiled at her. "I still have yet to murder Vincent, Assper would be the perfect bonus."
"You're the best, you know that?" I whispered back as she laughed.
"See you later, S," she winked before eyeing Jasper distastefully as she left.
"Is there something wrong with Miss Kingston?" He asked, as soon as she left, taking a seat beside me.
"This is her on a good day," I informed him casually as he laughed.
"You okay?"
"Why don't I hate him, Jasper?" I asked defeatedly.
"You know Scarlett, one thing I really admire about you, is your ability to see the good in anyone you cross paths with. When I told you to stay away from Vincent, you were adamant that he wasn't a bad person; you have never bad mouthed any of the women I slept with, plus, you've put up with me for a year now and I think we can all agree that I am not the easiest of people to get along with." He grinned as I rolled my eyes.
"You're not that bad Jasper, just a little bit of a bitch sometimes," I smirked as he raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Tsk tsk, Miss Valentina. Almost a year in my office and this is what you pick up."
"Well, I learnt from the best what can I say," I shrugged as he chuckled.
"Come on. Let's go." He said standing up holding his hand out.
"What a gentleman," I teased as I stood up.
"I am always a gentleman, Scarlett."
Yes, especially when you throw all those girls out of your office when you've had finished with them, I laughed to myself as we walked out.
"After you," he grinned holding the door.
"My, aren't we full of manners today?" I said sarcastically as I walked on ahead.
"You have one gorgeous backside, Miss Valentina," he whispered in my ear, his body pressed lightly into my back.
"Jasper!" I gasped in shock, slapping his chest as his grin morphed into his trademark smirk.
"Had it never occurred to you that each and every time I held the door open for you, I took it as an opportunity to study that ass?" He asked seriously as I felt my face redden.
"Get in front of me where I can see you!"
"No."
"No? Well I'm waiting right here until you do!" I sighed exasperatedly as I stood there waiting for him to walk on.
"If you're going to stand there like that, could you at least turn around so - fuck!" He hissed suddenly as my eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"What?"
"There are fucking reporters right outside! I don't want them harassing you."
"It's fine, Jasper," I murmured smiling at him.
"Take my arm and don't let go."
"I can -"
"Do as I say. Now."
Bossy Jasper was back.
Reluctantly, I took hold of his arm as we proceeded to leave where we were greeted by dozens of flashing lights and floods of reporters.
This had happened several times before but, I guess Jasper was even more concerned as the last time there were this many reporters – let's just say one asshole wanted a little more than a photo and gossip from me.
"Mr Queen! Is it true that you were involved in the hit and run in Paris?"
"Mr Queen! Is it true that your girlfriend is pregnant?"
"Mr Queen, are you in a relationship with Scarlett Valentina?"
"She already has a boyfriend!"
That did it for Jasper.
His grip tightened on my arm, his jaw clenched considerably.
"Calm down, Jasper, ignore them," I said looking up at him as he took out his phone.
"Get me security. What the fuck am I paying you for?" He snapped into the phone as we continued walking away.
Within minutes, Jasper's security arrived blocking the reporters from getting any closer as we finally reached his car.
"This is the last time I give Smith a holiday that long," he muttered, turning the car into ignition.
"There weren't even that many reporters last time," I recalled as we both breathed a sigh of relief.
"At least you won't be seeing that sick excuse of a man for the rest of life. If he'd gotten away with it God knows what I would have done."
"I was wondering whether he was even going to make it out alive in there with the way your face was set," I said, giving him a knowing smile.
"I don't understand how you're so calm about it, Scarlett." He said curiously.
"Neither do I," I smiled easily as he parked the car into his garage, the shutter closing slowly.
"Scarlett," he began. "About yesterday, I wanted to let you know that I don't -"
"Don't worry about it, its fine." I replied almost a little too quickly. "I've already forgotten about it."
"Have you now?"
No!
"Yes."
Just thinking about it got me flustered.
"You're lying."
Yes, I am. I am a liar.
"Can we drop it?"
"Tell me." he ordered.
"Let's go," I said rolling my eyes as I attempted to open the car door before he grabbed my wrists.
"Just how quickly did you forget?" He asked in a dangerously low tone, his eyes boring into mine. "Answer me, Miss Valentina."
Yesterday had not left my mind no matter how hard I tried to forget.
"Your words not mine." He said, a wolfish grin forming on his lips as I internally died.
Please tell me I hadn't said that out loud.
"I take immense pleasure in being able to tell you that you did indeed confess out loud." He smirked.
I bit my lip in embarrassment before I heard him growl.
"Don't do that," he snapped through gritted teeth.
"Now what did I do?"
"For a whole fucking year, I've had to sit and watch you bite that lip of yours, so next time it will be me doing the biting, is that clear, Scarlett?" He asked huskily, raising an eyebrow.
"Y-yes?" I replied very unsure of what to say, my breathing slightly erratic.
His face was inches away from mine and I could feel his cool breath blowing onto my cheeks as I tried to look away.
"Look at me." He commanded.
Slowly, my eyes met with his as he brushed a loose tendril away from my face before gently placing his lips on mine. I arched my neck, deepening the kiss while I wrapped my hands around his shoulders; gripping my hips, he bought me onto his lap, moving his lips towards my neck as I tried to suppress a moan when suddenly somebody was stood outside the car banging on the window.
Jasper stopped abruptly as I quickly got off his lap before he rolled the tinted window down.
"Jasper, son, you've been an awful long time in there, haven't you?" A man who I could only presume was Jasper's father asked sarcastically as I groaned internally - he must have thought I was one of his sons' latest conquests!
"There were urgent matters I had to discuss, Dad," he snapped irritated as he got out of the car.
"And who is this sexy lady?" He asked, turning to me as I closed the car door behind me.
"Dad! For fucks sake, you can't say things like that!" Jasper hissed walking into the house. "Who let you in, anyway? Martha wasn't even here today."
"I had a key made an hour ago," his father shrugged dismissively as I giggled in amusement. "Ah, yes, sexy woman, do you have a name?"
"Scarlett," I smiled. "We spoke briefly while we were in Paris."
"Yes, I remember. You are a very beautiful woman, Scarlett," he said in a tone exactly the same as Jaspers as he kissed the top of my hand.
"Dad!" Jasper growled warningly.
"Jasper! I have a bone to pick with you!" A new female voice called out as she came into the hall.
"Mom -"
"Is this a girl?" Jasper's mom asked, her eyes almost popping out.
"Mom, please she's my- "
"His secretary and he desperately wants to have sex with her, Estelle." His father finished Jasper's sentence casually as I choked on my saliva.
"For Christ's sake!" Jasper yelled taking my hand. "Come on, I'll take you home."
"But I want to stay," I said innocently as his eyes narrowed at me.
"Sexy Scarlett has spoken!" James chorused as his wife smacked his arm.
"I'll be through the kitchen," she said smiling before glaring at her son. "She's staying!"
"I'll help you, love," James smirked pinching her backside as she giggled.
"For fuck's sake," he growled before turning to me angrily. "I told you that I was taking you home. Why did you say you wanted to stay?"
"Don't know," I shrugged childishly as he glowered at me.
"I know what you are doing, Miss Valentina, so I suggest you stop because I always win."
"Oh, is that a challenge, Mr Queen?"
"I don't know, Miss Valentina, is it?" He asked his eyes burning with desire as he stepped so close to me that I could feel his body heat.
"Uncle Jasper! Uncle Jasper!" A small voice yelled excitedly while Jasper squeezed his eyes shut in frustration as I smirked.
"I win."