Chapter 10

            Julian laid on the couch in the Van Dyke den with a cold compress over his swollen eyes. His body still felt a little out of sorts from the taser shots.

            “What do you have to say, Van Dyke?” his father asked angrily.

            “Not a damn thing,” Carlton answered as smoke left his mouth. He was smoking a cigar.

            “Not a damn – look at my son!” his father yelled. “She might have blinded him.”

            “It’s just a little mace. Derek survived it – twice when my girls maced him. He’ll be fine,” Carlton said calmly.

            His father swore roundly.

            “Hector, he kicked my little girl’s door in. She felt threatened. She had to defend herself,” Carlton explained.

            “Granted, he was angry, but he wasn’t going to hurt her,” his father stressed.

            “The hell I wasn’t,” Julian corrected sharply. “I was going to strangle the shit out of her with my own hands.”

            “See?” Carlton said.

            “He didn’t mean that,” his father said.

            “The hell I didn’t. When I get use of my body and eyes again, she better sleep with one eye open,” Julian said with conviction.

Damn, my eyes hurt.

            “Um, he just needs time to calm down,” his father said nervously. “I’m sure in a few days he’ll laugh about it.”

            “Shit,” Julian said ruefully.

            “In the meantime, it might be wise to get Chastity some personal security,” Alexander said seriously. “Come on, Julian. I’ll take you home.”

            Alexander and Caitlin walked Julian outside all the while wearing a compress over his eyes.

                                                                                  ****

            Chastity sat up in bed as her father entered her room. “Are they gone?”

            “Yes. They left two hours ago,” her father said soothingly. He walked to her side of the bed and sat down. “Chastity, don’t you think you went too far this time? Manure in a man’s Jaguar?”

            “He ruined my favorite dress with that pie,” she reasoned calmly.

            “I can buy you a hundred dresses.”

            “I know Father but that was my favorite one.”

            “And apparently that Jaguar was Julian’s favorite car. I suggest you stay away from him for a while. Give him a chance to cool off.”

            “Maybe he should be tiptoeing around me. Stay away from me for a while.”

            Her father barked his laughter. “No doubt. I see I don’t have to worry about you. You can definitely take care of yourself. I suspect Julian will be laid up for a day at least. You showed him no mercy.”

            “Why should I have? Besides, you always said don’t give an inch or else someone will take a mile.”

            He gave her a little smirk. “That’s in business not at a cookout, you naughty girl.”

            She tried not to smirk.

            “Oh, what am I going to do with you, young lady?”

            “Tell me I was smart to defend myself. You didn’t see him, Father. He kicked my door open like some sort of wild animal. His eyes were screaming danger.”

            “I have no doubt it scared the hell out of you when he kicked the door in,” he said seriously.

            “Ah, so I was right.”

            “Not entirely. Yes, he was wrong to throw a pie at you. But your revenge was extreme. I’ve never seen a grown man mourn a car like that. He was on his knees screaming and crying like someone had killed his entire family.”

            “Yes. I’m surprised he didn’t tear his clothes like Job tore his robes. I knew he’d be upset that’s why I did it, but I didn’t think he would be . . . that angry.”

            “Talking about the bible. Is doing what you did proper behavior for a nun?” he asked evenly.

            “Well, it depends on how you look at it. In the old days, the nuns would hit their students with rulers when they misbehaved.”

            Her father scoffed with amusement as he shook his head. “May God help them.”

            “Who?”

            “The Catholics when you become an official nun.” He chuckled.

            She couldn’t help but smile a little.

                                                                                        ****

            Last night, Derek Dawson had been kind enough to call an ophthalmologist he knew. Dr. Cleaver. He had said he had attended to Derek when he had gotten maced – twice. He came to Julian’s condo. He had to flush his eyes with cold water every thirty minutes until bed. Then he had to use a cold compress twice a day to get the swelling down faster. If he wasn’t fine in two or three days, then he would make an appointment at Dr. Clever’s office.

            Julian laid in bed under a green, satin comforter and thick white sheets. His father had his Jag towed to a car detailing shop. Hopefully, the damage could be undone. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t going to still kill Chastity.

            “Hey, sunshine,” Alexander greeted as he walked in the bedroom.

            Julian raised his head a little. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

            “Relieving, Cassandra.”

            Their sister had arrived to the condo last night and spent the night there with him. She was so worried, bless her heart.

            “Oh.”

            “We can’t babysit your wimpy ass twenty-four seven,” Alexander said.

            “Hey,” Julian warned. “Have you ever been maced and tased before?

            “Never tased, but I was maced once.”

            “Was it a woman?”

            A deep chuckle rumbled in his brother’s throat. “Boy, was she. Anyway, you didn’t let me finish. I got you a nurse.”

            “Oh?”

            “Yes.” Alexander looked over his shoulder. “Come in.”

            A statuesque red head sashayed into the bedroom wearing a tight nurse’s outfit. Her hair was long with a little curl at the ends. She was very shapely and busty.

            Julian’s brows rose with serious interest.

            “This is Misty,” Alexander introduced. “She’ll be here with you for the next two days.”

            “Is she now?” Julian said as he looked her up and down.

            Oh, she’ll do nicely.

            “You poor man,” Misty oozed. “What kind of woman would harm you like this?”

            “Not a woman. A banshee,” Julian corrected.

            “Well, don’t worry, Mr. Beaumont. I’ve been a nurse at a hospital for five years and a private nurse for two years. I have experience and can attend to your every need,” she said sultrily.

            “I have no doubt you will.” He looked at his big brother.

            Alexander was grinning big and wide. “Don’t say I never done anything for you.” He turned and left them alone in the bedroom.