Society Rules (30 page)

She shot a guilty glance over at Jackson at the thought, and she felt him tense. But his words for her were gentle. Sincere.

“Understand, Indie, that I consider your children a blessing and a part of you, which makes them very important to me as well.”

Her face crumpled at the thought of the twins. She missed them with a physical ache.

“This is why I think you need time, Indie.” Jackson spoke softly, winding his arms around her. “I would have you know everything, and have time to accept and adjust, before I seek your commitment, and before I think of being with you in the . . . physical sense.”

Indie turned to face him. “I know that I haven’t heard everything yet, and I still have a lot of questions, but honestly, Jackson, I have to be yours!” Her words came in a sudden rush so she wouldn’t start sobbing.

“I’m letting go of everything I know, and placing myself in your hands. I am, as of this moment, homeless, jobless and—she nearly retched—
childless
. You are all I have.” This was an indisputable fact in Indie’s mind, but Jackson
was
disputing this.

“You are absolutely none of those things!” he stated, a little roughly. “What is mine is yours, so you are not homeless . . . you have need of a non-Member job only if you wish, and furthermore, your children are still your children!”

She tried not to allow her voice to break. “But I don’t
have
them!” “Regardless,” he lifted her face with his hand, “they are yours, and they know it as well as you do. I swear to you, Indie, it will not be like this always.”

Indie couldn’t help but be comforted by Jackson’s words. He was so totally calm and self-assured. She thought more about his statement. “I can have a Society Member job?”

“Yes, your ‘higher purpose!’” He smiled, relieved that for the moment at least, she was okay.

“My true job is not what I appear to do for a living. Those sacred places around the world, some that are here in this area, are all about tracking and monitoring the sun. Not just to mark summer or winter solstice, as people believe, but to keep track of the age of this planet, and how long the sun will sustain it. And then I have those other duties that, as I alluded to before, are more . . . difficult. He looked very serious as he said this last sentence. Then his easy smile returned.

“This falls into the category of more information, and you were supposed to be having a bath, and getting refreshed and comfortable, before your evil attempt to seduce me took over.”

His eyes gleamed down at her, and she felt the blush burn. She was
truly
not accustomed to attempting such tactics.

He laughed out loud, pulled her off the bed, and sent her with a little push, to the bathroom.

“You get yourself ready for a day in pajamas,” he stated firmly. “I have some things to attend to, okay?”

“Right. Okay.” Indie had to admit, the thought of a hot bath sounded delightful all of a sudden. His hands stroked down her back, and he kissed her forehead. “Come out whenever you’re ready,” Jackson told her, his eyes appreciating everything he saw in front of him, and very willing for her to see it.

Yep
, she thought, lost in those eyes.

I’m
doomed!

Chapter 15

The interrogation of Jackson

The bath was ridiculously well appointed. Indie looked around, taking in the sight of the huge round garden tub, with a small rectangular window alongside, facing down into the valley below.

Now
that’s
a
million
dollar
view!
She thought to herself.

She began exploring the cabinets, and found a stack of big fluffy white towels, then turned to see a super soft robe hanging on the hook behind the door. It was pink. She had to laugh.

Did he run out to Bed, Bath and Beyond, as soon as he caught a glimpse of me? she wondered.

There were also a number of potions and oils in a basket next to the tub. All organic, soothing scents like lavender and jasmine. Indie picked up a small bottle, and smiled. Honeysuckle.

Perfect.

She turned the water on, and plugged the tub, drizzling a thin stream of the scented bath oil into the water. The scent filled the air; sweet, but not overpowering. She shed her clothes hastily, and looked around. There was an empty hamper by the linen closet, so she dumped her stale and crumpled garments into it.

Does
he
do
laundry,
too?
She wondered with a snort. Somehow, it was hard to imagine his manly perfection, sorting and pre-soaking the laundry.

Of course, if he did, he would probably make it look like some sort of sensual fantasy.

Stepping into the steaming tub, Indie gingerly lowered herself into the very hot water. Her body nearly convulsed with pleasure, and the heat began to smooth out her knotted muscles instantly.

Jackson
was
right
.
I
did
need
this,
she thought gratefully.

She closed her eyes, and sank down as low as she could into the soothing water, feeling the stress of the past forty-eight hours begin to ease. She allowed herself to think of her plight for a moment.

How would it play out? What was all of this going to mean, in the scheme of her life. And, how on Earth did she merit the love and devotion of a creature like Jackson?

Jackson.
Jackson
. As Indie thought of him, she could hear the voice of Miss Maggie.
“Shall
you
tell
her,
young
Jackson,
or
shall
I?”

I
need
to
create
my
own
name
for
him,
Indie decided.
To
hear
it
from
my
perspective
only.

Jax
will
do
just
fine!
His suggestion broke into her thoughts. She jerked her head around, startled. He was nowhere in sight.

“Hey, get out of my head!” she complained.

Laughter.

Sorry,
he sent his voice into her mind.
But
it
was
a
little
hard
to
ignore
my
name,
repeated
so
many
times
in
your
thoughts!

She could hear his smugness at the idea that her thoughts seemed to be consumed by him, and a diabolical thought occurred to her.

Indie very deliberately gazed down at her body, softly distorted, but clearly visible through the deepening water, and heard his agonized groan echo through her head.

Indie smiled, although hotly embarrassed by the reaction that she precipitated.

That
was
just
ever
so
wrong,
Indie!
He scolded.

Yeah,
well,
that’s
what
you
get
when
you
spy,
she thought back.
I
thought
you
had
things
to
attend
to,
anyway.

Well,
maybe
you
could
stop
distracting
me!
He shot back with a chuckle. Indie was once again alone with her thoughts.

She suppressed a deep sigh. She
was
ready, in spite of what Jackson . . .
Jax
, thought. More than ready to give herself over to whatever fate awaited her. In truth, Indie knew that there was no alternative. Whatever he told her that she was part of, whatever she was, she also knew that she was his.

She wanted the Commitment, whatever it meant. To Indie it could only mean that he would be hers, finally, and that she could be truly his, in every sense.

She shivered, despite the heat of the water. She had come this far . . . given up everything. There was nowhere else to go but forward. In spite of the uncertainty that lay ahead, Indie was oddly serene . . . content. Apart from the Jake and Cassidy-shaped holes in her heart, she felt quite complete.

She flipped herself around in the tub, washed her hair, and then pulled the plug. Grabbing a towel, she dried herself slowly, and then wrapped up in the pink fluffy robe.

Indie was warm and drowsy, and knew that she needed to rest her body and mind. She padded back into the bedroom, and climbed up onto the giant bed, where she lay on her back and glanced around at the expanse of mattress.

What size was this thing, anyway? It was ridiculously huge. She loved it. Indie rolled across from end to end, then back again. She couldn’t explain her unexpected rush of happiness.

It was completely out of place; as if she were participating in a word association game, and the therapist had given her the word “kite”, and she had come back with “jackhammer”.

So wrong and disturbing, considering the circumstances.

But for the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged. Moreover, belonged to someone, truly and completely, who assured her that she was not a freak or an oddity, and she could not contain her joy at this new sensation.

She exhaled and closed her eyes.

Indie opened them an hour later, having experienced the closest thing to sleep she ever had. The house had been utterly silent, and she wondered, briefly if she were alone.

No, she could feel his presence. She wandered back out into the living room, only to find it empty, then retraced her steps back to the hallway, and ventured farther down to find a smaller bedroom, used as an office.

Jax was sitting at the desk, head bent over some paperwork that looked important. He jerked his head up instantly, and smiled.

The effect was startling. Did he honestly have no idea how breathtaking he was? He looked like a Hollywood movie star preparing his taxes or something. Indie tried to speak, but had to cough a little to clear the way for words.

“Um, hello,” she croaked.

His smile broadened. “Hi, back at you! Do you feel better?”

“I feel wonderful, physically,” she confessed. Jackson’s eyes appraised her knowingly.

He hadn’t missed the implication that emotionally, she was not all together perfect. He stood, and moved toward her. The breath caught in her throat, as she took in his effortless, fluid motion. Indie locked her knees in order to remain upright.

“That robe looks pretty good on you,” he said, a little weakly.

“Oh, yes, thank you for stocking up on the ‘girly’ items,” she gushed. “That was so thoughtful.” He moved closer, and breathed deeply.

“Ah . . . honeysuckle,” he murmured. “Oh sure, I was thinking only of you, of course!”

His eyes sparkled with humor, but then he looked back over his shoulder, and they grew serious. “Listen, I was working on some papers that are actually for you,” he began, “but it may be way too soon for you to think about . . . about, well, these details.”

He looked troubled now, and uneasy.

“What are they?” Indie asked, nervously.

“Uh, well . . . they . . . they are divorce papers.” He closed his eyes, and she could feel him in her head, anxious, trying to see her true thoughts.

She froze, but just for a moment. Then gave a resigned shrug. It
was
too soon to think about it really. Less than twelve hours had passed, since Will had tossed her out of the house, but what did she expect, though? Had she not told him that she wanted a divorce?

That she was in love with another man? There was no sense in dragging it out, was there? This WAS what she had asked for, after all, right? So what right did she have to feel sadness or shock?

“Indie, it would be weird for you not to feel sad,” Jackson assured her. “The end of a marriage is just not a happy event.”

“So, how are
you
working on these papers?” She looked at him, confused.

“Well, you did wonder if I was gainfully employed, did you not?” Stepping back to the desk, he reached down and plucked a small white card from a little drawer in the top, and handed it to her. It read “J. R. Allen—Attorney at Law, and gave an address in Montpelier.

She stood, looking at it for a long moment. “That’s right, you’re a lawyer.” She spoke a little breathlessly.

“Are the details of my life so forgettable?” he scolded, gently, but with a smile. “I think I indicated that I had a pretty decent education, remember?”

“Right.” Of course she remembered.

“I’m not part of the main legal team for the Society, but I am more than qualified to write up a no contest divorce document, be assured.

“You don’t have to look at them, or even think about them right now, I just thought I would get them ready.” He put his hands in his pockets, and rocked back on his heels.

“I’m afraid that we do kind of need to move a little quickly though, and catch Will off guard, because, believe me, he is not a happy guy right now, and that could lead to real problems. I want to drop these papers off, legal and already signed by you, so that it is filed and official.”

Indie looked back at him, and spoke, numbly. “Well, that makes sense.”

“Of course, if you need time . . .” he began.

“No!” She shook her head. “The sooner this is done, the sooner I can move forward, right? I mean, we can’t really have a Commitment until I am divorced, can we?”

Jackson reached out slowly, took her hand and led her back down the hallway to the comfortable living room, and sat down in the suede chair. He pulled her down onto his lap, without answering.

Encircling her entire body with his taut, muscular arms, he rested his head on her back. Indie squirmed around to face him. “Am I right?”

“Not . . . necessarily,” he hedged. She waited.

“You see,” he spoke in his slow, cautious voice again, “the Commitment has nothing to do with marriage, although we would do that as well, when you are legally able, for compliance with the laws and customs.”

Indie kept still, bidding him to go on, silently.

“We bond with our partners for life, and it defies the realms of the created legal status of marriage. It goes way beyond the contract of a marriage, which can be broken by divorce.” He looked at her and sighed.

“There is no divorce after the Commitment is made, but then, I know of no situation where any
Equal
wanted to break away from their partner.” He grew thoughtful for a moment. “I’m not even sure that it’s possible.”