In Too Deep by Stella Rhys Page B

at me.  “Sure.  Jake, can you take Audra downstairs?”
    I watched Audra resist for a second before smirking and following Jake down the stairs.  Once they were gone, I tilted my head slowly at Jackson.  “What was that just now?”
    “What was what? Lara, Christ, this dress – ”
    “We’re not talking about my dress right now,” I snapped.  “I just walked up here to find you playing footsies with your stepsister , who, by the way, I’ve never met once before in our four years together.  I wasn’t even under the impression that you were on good terms with her but now she springs up out of nowhere, we barely get introduced and you’re acting like it’s not strange that she was all over you.”
    “What? Christ, Lara, she was hardly all over – ”
    “She had a leg crossed around yours and was rubbing your ankle with her foot, Jackson.  Would you like to see me do that with Sawyer?”
    His eyes hardened.  “What, you want to play footsies with Sawyer?”
    “ No , I’m giving you an example of how pissed you’d be if I did.  I mean all I did was suggest it just now and you’re already upset, so imagine how I feel.  I’ve spent years never asking about Audra because you acted like she was such a sore subject and now I see you practically flirting with her.  What the hell is going on?” I demanded.
    Jackson rolled his head back and looked up at the ceiling with a bitter laugh.  “My God.  You have got to be kidding me, Lara.  You’re jealous of my stepsister right now?”
    “ Jealous is not the word, Jackson, I’m confused and to be honest, a little disturbed by the way you two were – ”
    “Babe, I’m not fucking doing this tonight.  I’m here to have fun and celebrate the fact that Jake is back.  We’re not talking about this now and you know what, we’re not going to talk about it ever again because once you take a minute to breathe, you’ll realize that you’re accusing me of something completely ridiculous.  So I’m done.  And I sincerely hope that you are too.”
    With that, Jackson slammed the rest of his drink and went back downstairs.  Fuming, I leaned over the balcony and watched him go.  Breathe, I told myself, considering for a second that I’d overreacted.
    But then I saw Audra spot Jackson.  Breaking away from Piper and a couple others, she sauntered over and hugged him under his suit jacket, pressing her enormous chest against him and whispering something in his ear.  My heart pounded when Jackson glanced up at me, meeting my eye before whispering something in Audra’s ear and removing her arms from his waist.

Chapter Twenty
    Downstairs, at the end of a quiet hallway, I found a powder room to hide in as I let my tears fall.  I was heated, in no mood to cry, but my body was forcing me to do it and I opted to take that as a sign.  Something was wrong.  Jackson could deny it all he wanted but I had definitely seen something unusual between him and his stepsister.  And it was infuriating me.  What more was I going to find out about him? I would’ve never imagined that after Gabrielle Winter, he’d give me more to worry about.  He had given me his word that he’d never mess up again.  Yet here we were: one missing mistress now joined by an inappropriately sexual stepsister.
    Pushing my way out the bathroom door, I wondered what the hell to expect next.  And instantly, I got my answer.
    Leaning against the wall in front of me was Jake, tugging on the end of his tie until he saw me.  “Lara.  I’m sorry,” he said right away.
    “Jackson’s the one who should be sorry,” I corrected bitterly.  “Not you.”
    “I know, but I’m pretty fucking pissed at him too.  I thought when I came here that things would be different but he’s just been…” Jake trailed off.  The other half of his sentence was gone before I could ask him to finish.  Sucking in a sharp breath, he leaned his head back against the wall.  It was silent for a second.