Darkest Secrets

Courtship Part One

I freshen up in the bathroom and head back out to look for James to find he is not in my room. While he is gone I check Ghost's profile and people are blowing me up after my last post. Jeraco himself messaged me this time instead of sending his lap dog. I giggle and finally open the storm of messages from Mr. Valco.

Mr. Valco: How and the actual f**k did you find out about that deal? No one knew about this partnership, now the Swanson's want to back out! You will f*****g you coward!

I cannot help the chuckle that leaves my mouth, he is the coward going behind Grams back.

Ghost: You brought all of this on yourself. You can protect yourself with exposing a secret for a secret. Let me know something of more importance and I can ease the media off your back but it is going to cost you.... Can't wait to see who's dirty laundry you want to air out to save your ass....Ha tick tock Mr Coward I am not very patient, you have until Monday to get me something good before I completely blow your deal up and you are left with nothing.....

Mr Valco: I will have something damnit you better hope I never find out who you are! I have my best guys on this so watch out and watch your back because I will expose you.

I Chuckle again.

The Judge: I have an update. Court date for partnership postponed and Swanson's are wanting to back off after all of that heat. They bitched out. Granny Marshall has a new meeting with Swanson Senior on Monday in my chambers not sure what about.

Ghost: Your secrets are still safe for now, wouldn't want Mr. Deluca to catch wind of your affair. again secret and drive is still safe as long as you keep trading secrets.

The Judge: Will let you know that two PIs are in town with the same assignment, expose you.

I laugh out loud at that. They can try but I am kind of a computer genies.

Ghost: They can try but I assure you they will fail. It is in your best interest to be on the right side, I would hate to expose not only you but your slut daughter as well, she really likes wild times and I have three very not so lady like clips sent to me by her partners as hush hush. Trish really should close her legs if you know what I mean.

After that message I go to make my post.

-Ghost The Kings have been a little too quiet this weekend, time to blow some s**t up assholes! James are you and Rowan back to together? I think I speak for everyone when I say we f*****g hope so. Is your dad going to use your courtship to get close to Grammy Marshall? Rowan keep an eye out and make sure James is not using you. Gates are you actually staking claim on Gina or are you going to dump her before school starts and get with Maddy? Eric sorry to break it to you but get it through your head Ms. Fields has moved on you should to.

ttyl

-Ghost

I shut the laptop and start making my bed waiting for s**t to blow up again or not. "Row Gates is going to dump me I just know it." Gina whines as she walks through the bedroom door. I way her in. "Gates has been called out you should thank Ghost because now he can either claim like what you have been wanting all summer or dismiss you and move on. It is black and white clear as day. The ball is in his court." She sighs. "What if he doesn't claim me? What if he just thinks we are a fling?" I brush her hair off her shoulder. "Wouldn't it be better to know now than keep on dragging s**t out?" She huffs. "I guess you are right, what about you and James?" I roll my eyes.

"What about us? We are talking again would I like to pick up where we left off sure but Ghost made some interesting points,could Jame's dad catch on and try to use him to get close to Grams? The James I knew would never do that but I cannot put it past Jeraco." Wow and poor Eric do you think he will ever move on from teacher?" I laugh. "He is going to have to Marr said it may turn into to more with them and I am so happy for them. Speaking of Marr she seemed a little out of it when she was here earlier. Is Marco still harassing her?" "She is more your friend than mine ,you know more than I do." "Lets go find our men, I miss my man." I deflect. We both go in search of out men and find them on Gate's laptop stalking Ghost's page.

"I can't f*****g find a trace url or IP address besides the blog."Gates gruffs. "Is it so bad to claim me?" Gina tosses his way. By the looks of her question he was ready for something. "Gina I think I am in love with you." Gates gulps and waits for a response. "What? You love me?" Gina blush and has teary eyes. "You heard me right and I don't have to ask because I know you are already my girlfriend." Gina attacks him and starts kissing him. "James, Row get the f**k out so I can show my boyfriend how much I love him!" With that I grab James and drag him down stairs. He is probably kicking himself know that we could have been like this all along if he would have just grown a pair and told my brother to keep his opinion to his God Damn self. "I feel like such an i***t. Row that could be us, should be us, I f**k it all up last year and when I did some dumb s**t doing my dad's bidding." I stare at with and motion for him to continue. "My dad had me get close with Trish to gain leverage on the Judge so he can get some more power over the town and to sway towards his favor on certain things all of those flings he had me do meant nothing. I never even kissed them. I kiss you because you are so much more than a pawn, and I promise my dad will not gain favor of Grammy Marshall." He swallows. " I will not let him use you." I kiss him and put him out of his misery, the poor boy is pouring his soul out to me and I need to give him something but what can I give him that is truthful? I still have to get his dad out and take down the Valco's. I have to say something though. "I know you would never feed me to the lion and I know Grams would kill you if you even tried. Remember James you hurt me once and I won't let you hurt me again. It will take a lot to bring me down so tell your father to 'bring it on' and not hold back because I am ready for whatever he throws our way." We take each other in and stand in silence. "I will gain back your trust. I promise to do you right." Done talking I bring him into my arms and place a soft kiss to his forehead. "What are we doing James? Are we still pretending? Are you going to man up and tell Gates off this time?" I throw my statement out there because James has to be as deep as I was even though it has only been a couple of days I need him where I can use him. It is getting harder and harder to keep this going but I can get Jeraco to back off and James and I may make it through but Ghost is going to have to be careful. "Come on lets go watch a movie and get in some cuddles and make some heavy petting and some kissing of other body parts if you are picking up what I am putting down. Caveman Style James hauls me over his shoulder and barges into my room tosses me on the bed like a sack of potatoes. Soon my mouth finds his and our tongues dance together a beautiful number. Hearts beating out of our chests,heavy petty at its finest.I scrape my hands down James's shirted back and firmly grab his ever so perfect ass. He cups my chest through my shirt and we leave no imagination to what we both know what he is packing in his pants. I have to tamper us down a little and moan and groan after and rely the one rule I want him to follow. "No Sex." James pinches my hard n****e through my shirt and continues his assault down my neck as he rumbles his response. "Believe me Rowie I know all too well about your rule are you saying this to convince yourself as a cover to remind me?" I huff and roll my eyes. "Maybe it could be both." I start to pant. "So on that note Blade, or Underworld?" I ask for the movie selection. I already know how much he likes Snipes so I wait for him to respond. "Underworld, I love Lucien." I was not expecting him to go with my favorite. I happily sigh. "Why do you have to do all the right things now? By the way that was not a test." He laughs and gets our spot ready on the bed as I select the movie, my favorite out of the two and crawl into his arms. "I have watched the franchise since we broke up and movies was always our thing, our pastime." I swoon at his words, all this perfect romance s**t in just a couple of days. Is this real can I trust that he is being genuine?I want to so bad but he burned me so good last time and I would be a fool to dive back in head first throwing caution to the wind. I keep reminding myself to 'slow down' and enjoy my time with him and ease on my feelings. Will it work? I don't know. Will he break my heart again? That is the question I keep repeating in my head."You are thinking too loud."With that comment I know It is time to give it a rest and just go with the flow for now. I cuddle into him just like old times and let us have this moment.

JAMES-

We cuddle like old times and watch the Underworld series from start to finish. It dawns on me how much time has truly passed as the light turns to dark. My father texts me to come home for dinner and ask if Rowan and her brother plan on attending. "Hey so dad wants me home in a little and asked if you and Gates wanted to come over for dinner." I throw out there. She rolls off of me and I am sad to say my body already misses hers. "I will run it by Gates and see what he has to say.In the mean time I am going to shower and freshen up. Can you be on your best behavior and join me?" She has got to be kidding right? I roll my eyes and go in search of my best friend. When I get to his room I knock and wait for his response. "Yo, Gates you got a second?" I yell at the door. "Yeah Gina left to her house an hour ago, I am in here shooting zombies on my PS5." With that response I barge into his room catching the controller he tosses my way and pass the time away playing video games. "f**k! They are swarming me where's your ten? They are packing heat man where is your ten?" I shout through my headset waiting for gates to respond to our team. "Gates where the f**k aryou bro?" He punches my arm to get my attention. "You need to tell me what you f*****g dad asked me how I like my steak cooked?" I stare at him. "Dad invited you and Row over for dinner and when I asked Row she said she would run it by you and we have not had time to talk because we went straight into gaming." I explain. "Leave for my father to force the issue at hand and assume that you both are coming even though I said I would ask you both." I let out a big sigh and motion to get up and leave. "Promise me this is real with Row and not part of your dad's bidding because if I find out this was all just business friend or not we will be done you won't just lose Row this time. I was a d**k and took you away from her before and I have her back this time." I stare him down. "I care about your sister, before we became friends I was with her and should still be with her, I let what you and Eric said get to my head and pissed my father off when I up and dumped her. We never got together because of our last names and I never planned to use her no matter how my father makes it look." I declare. ""Medium Rare for me, Medium Well for Row." Gates responds. I blink flip out my phone and type they way they like their meat to good old dad and hit send."Don't f**k it up this time I know your intentions are good but do not let my dad or yours' poison your head and start doing it for the wrong reasons. You care about her and she cares about you." We pick up the controllers and head down stairs to the kitchen. Row strolls in a very sexy but sufistacated number that makes my d**k twitch when she does the full spin. Her hair in soft beach wave curls and eyes as green as emeralds. My girl looks breath taking, poor Gates is not going to like my reaction or any man's reaction. She never dressed like this when we dated before,this is grown up and has Marr's name all over it. "You like?" She purrs to me in a seductive way that has me sporting a semi which is probably what she was going for.I adjust myself with no other option. "I like." I rasp when she sits pushing her cleavage in my line of sight. "Lets get going." Gates pushes through the front door. I we walk to my truck in silence. The drive over to my home is tense. I pull up to the drive and spot Regina's car right away that stupid b***h and her daughter are attending."Row, please no more punching my dad's girlfriend and daughter are here. Row promise me." I look her dead in the eye. She smiles sweetly and turns to Gates. I just know I am asking for trouble when she gives me that look. "I will just kill them with kindness." She says as she flutters her lashes and I am a goner. She can do no wrong with that look. I walk us to the front door ready to walk into a s**t storm.