Dangerously Tempted

Chapter 2: A bit Complicated

Isabella

The house stood high, towering over us as we stood in the roundabout in front. The fountain splashed softly in the background, but I couldn't shake the chill crawling up my spine, no matter how warm the sun felt on my skin. I forced myself to focus on the koi fish—its bright orange scales flashing as it darted beneath the surface—anything to keep from thinking too much about what lay ahead. I raised my head to see Jecko bringing out the last of my bags from the car's trunk. It looked like they were going to cause him to collapse.

"Let me help Jecko." I said, even though I knew what his response would be. I didn't care. I needed to feel like I had some control, even if it was just lightening his load. Jecko chuckled, but I could sense the tension between us—he knew what I wasn't saying. "You know you're not supposed to help me, Isabel," he replied with that familiar warmth in his voice. I smiled, but deep down, I knew I was only delaying the inevitable. Soon, I wouldn't have Jecko to lean on.

"Yes but when has that ever stopped me from still doing it?" I questioned.

"It doesn't stop you no, however you aren't the one that your father confronts about it now are you?"

No I wasn't. Whatever my father had said to Jecko about me was entirely my fault and I knew it.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not like he'll ever get rid of me."

Jecko was hired when I was thirteen, he was there for my rebellious teenage years and was the person I turned to when I was upset with my parents or any of the other staff. We gossipped, shared secrets about everyone. When Katie, my oldest sister fell in love with her husband, Jecko and I held a great disdain for him. We thought it was silly, what the two had. I think that situation brought Jecko and I closer, with mother and father scrambling to pick up the pieces left behind by Katie, I was left to myself and Jecko was right there.

"Miss Perez," someone called off from in front of us. We both turned, greeted by a warm smile.

"I am Ramos," the taller gentleman extended his hand. He had quite a firm grip, his hands slightly rougher than what I expected. "I will be tending to all of your needs from here on out."

"Thank you but," I gestured over to Jecko. "That's already taken care of."

Ramos glanced at Jecko with something akin to disdain—though he masked it quickly with a forced smile. I felt the shift in the air. This wasn't going to be easy. Ramos' polite, yet sharp edges clashed with Jecko's warmth. I sensed it already. Maybe he saw Jecko as competition or just didn't appreciate anyone stepping into his territory. Either way, the tension between them was impossible to miss.

There was some sort of silent debate between Jecko and Ramos about who would carry my things in. Jecko still held most of it, while Ramos looked annoyingly at the single bag I had set out. His jaw tightened again before he finally picked up the leather bag and led the way up the steps.

Green vines crawled up the brick of the home, the white pillars on either side of the steps had stone lions perched at the bottom.

"Miss Stone went off into town and will return later, she requested that you make yourself at home." Ramos placed the bag down and opened the double doors.

At first glance, I was at a loss for words. The design drew you in. Every painting was more alluring than the last. The furniture of exquisite taste. One chair in particular called my name, the multi warmed colors used ran down the cushion in a strip pattern. I wanted to curl up and fall asleep there. The room opened out wide, a living room it seemed. Books lined the walls until it stopped in front of a long hallway. To the left of us was a smaller room with a wooden table set, it led into another room that was out of my sight.