Mess Us Up – Jaxson Kidman Page 0,12

these guys is a dangerous combination.

“What the fuck is your problem, Les?” Taz asks. “Don’t have the balls to jump in here with us? I’m willing to share.”

“I agree,” Violet calls out. “Share! Share! Share!”

“Violet, calm down,” I warn.

But it’s too late.

Les is stripping himself down to his boxers too.

Taz is built like a monstrous beast.

Les is toned with cuts of muscle I only know exist because of Mac’s body.

He climbs into the tub and sits on the other side of Violet, which puts him right next to me too.

He looks at me and grins. “You don’t mind, right?”

“Not at all,” I say.

I look back at Mac.

He steps back and leans against the wall.

“Oh, come on, bro,” Taz says. “Live a little.”

“Yeah, Mac,” Violet says. “Don’t be afraid.”

I kick my foot at Violet.

“Hey! Ow!” she yells.

Violet is drunk and giddy and feeling good about herself. But that doesn’t mean she can say what she wants. She still has no idea who Mac is or what he or his crew are capable of.

I bat my eyes at Mac. “Are you coming in or what?”

“I have a better idea,” he says.

He walks to the edge of tub and reaches down for me.

His arms go into the water and he picks me right up out of the water.

I let out a playful yell as he turns and I’m over his shoulder.

I lift my head and look at Violet.

She looks shocked.

She’s now alone with Taz and Les in the tub.

Mac slides me forward and puts me on my feet.

Water drips everywhere.

“You’re soaked anyway,” I say to him.

“Yeah, I know, sweetie,” he says. “But I want you alone.”

I look over at Violet again.

Taz has an arm around her.

Les is staring at her with very dangerous eyes.

“I’m not sure I should leave Violet alone with them,” I whisper.

Mac presses his body against mine. “Do you really care?”

His hands climb up my back and tug at my bikini top.

I smile.

I’m a little drunk myself.

No matter what, Mac will always be number one in my book.

Violet and I stand at the bedroom door alone.

Now comes the crushing moment she has to leave.

Everyone is dried off.

The tub thing lasted only five minutes after I got out.

Taz wanted to do something else.

He jumped out of the tub and left Violet and Les alone.

Violet tried to get out on her own and she ended up slipping and almost falling back into the water.

Les caught her.

There was a moment.

Then Taz ruined it.

Other than that, we kept drinking here and there, talking, laughing, telling old stories to new people.

Violet loved talking about the guys she hooked up with.

I loved the way it pissed off Taz and Les.

But now it was almost midnight and this distraction is over.

Violet grabs my hands. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” I say. “You got to see it. And it’s not for long, Violet. But, listen, I have to tell you something. You have to listen…”

“Okay.”

“Not a word,” I say. “You have no idea what could happen if you say something.”

Violet nods. “I can fake sadness. I mean, it won’t be that fake. I miss you. I can’t stand that I can’t call or see you.”

“I know,” I say. I jump forward and hug her. “Just please listen to me.”

“I will,” Violet says.

The bedroom door opens and Mac steps inside.

“It’s time,” he says.

“I’ll miss you, darling,” Taz says from the hallway.

“I’ll miss you too,” Violet says back.

Taz touches his chest and exhales.

Les just stands cool and calm.

Mac looks at me just before he takes out the blindfold and puts it around Violet’s eyes.

That part makes my heart hurt.

He ties it and then leads her from the bedroom.

That’s when Les makes his move, grabbing her hand.

He holds it, squeezes it, caresses it, until he has to let her go.

Mac walks Violet to the steps and that’s all I can watch.

I slowly shut the bedroom door.

The fun is over.

Reality sinks in.

It’s the first time I almost miss my old life… the one before Mac.

5

MAC

I watch her sleep and I know she’s sad.

I know this entire thing is hurting her. And confusing her.

What she doesn’t know is that it’s going to end soon. As soon as tomorrow.

Well, today.

There’s something happening and I’m going to be there.

Once we know the truth about her father - and the story of her mother - then everything will be okay.

I mean, in reality, it won’t be okay at all.

Nothing will be normal or okay in the sense of what Jolie has known for her entire life.

But