Chapter 5; A Warm Welcome
Jack let herself an Alexa into the apartment, not bothering to turn on the lights. She went straight into the kitchen, dropping her bag on the counter and opening the fridge unit. "You want a drink? Looks like there's tea." Realizing Alexa hadn't followed her, Jack returned to the living room. Her friend was against the front door, eyes trained on a dark corner of the room. She was panting, terrified, hands flat on the door behind her. "Alexa? What's...?"
Then she saw him, the large shape in the corner and the gleam of a knife. Jack stared. He didn't move and something in the way he stood there so still tripped a memory. Riddick knew the advantage of stillness. As Jack's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she thought that the man's head looked shaved.
Wishful thinking, girl.
Alexa still panted, frozen at the door.
"Lights low." The man's voice was low and gravelly and as the lights came up, Jack grinned.
"I knew you'd be back!"
Riddick tossed the knife aside carelessly and spread his arms.
Jack ran to him and slipped her arms around him, grabbing onto him as though she never wanted to let go, forgetting Alexa, who had started to relax when she realized Jack knew the man.
Riddick wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her into his embrace. He rested his face against her hair for a moment, breathing in the herbal scent of her shampoo. "Good to see you too, Jack." Looking at the girl at the door, he nodded. "I'm Rick."
Alexa swallowed. "Oh." Her panic was starting to fade, leaving her drained and very tired. She slumped, studying the man across the room. He was tall and powerfully built, muscles thick and well defined. His build was similar to her brother’s, but there the resemblance ended. This man had a threatening air about him; he was dangerous. He frightened her.
"And you are?" He shifted Jack to one side, moving them closer, right hand coming out.
She looked at it like it was a viper, then warily took it. "Alexa." His grip was firm and warm. Just one of his hands could strangle me, crush the life from me in seconds.
"Heard a lot about you."
Struggling to sound casual, Alexa nodded. "And I you." He was dangerous; why couldn't Jack see that? How could she hang on him like that?
"Really."
"I told you you'd get to meet him." Jack was smiling, obviously happy.
"I'll let you catch up then." Alexa knew she'd started to babble and couldn't stop. "Yeah...nice meeting you...see you in school, Jack...." She shut the door behind her and it wasn't until hours later before she could stop shaking.
"Was it something I said?" Riddick knew fear when he saw it and Jack's friend had been afraid of him. Good. She wouldn't be hanging around asking questions.
"That was weird. Usually she's real friendly." She rested her cheek on his shoulder, enjoyed the smell of him and the feel of those strong arms around her. "When did you get in?"
"Couple hours." She was tall, maybe five-ten and her body had filled out into curves that could never ever be mistaken for a boy, curves she was pressing far too close against him. Damn, he thought. I've been without a woman for too long.
"Are you hungry?" Jack looked up at him anxiously.
If she knew what he was thinking...."A little." Riddick let her go, watched her walk into the kitchen, her rear wiggling in a pleasing manner. Forcing his legendary control into effect, Riddick followed her, watched her fix him a sandwich and set a place at the table. "How civilized."
"Skye insists. I rebelled for awhile, but after going hungry for a few days, I decided setting the table and using good manners was a small price."
He ate and watched her putter about the kitchen and was glad he'd left her with Imam.
It was late.
Imam and Skye were staying with friends, still unaware of his arrival, and Riddick found himself sitting in one plush chair with Jack cradled on his lap, her head on his shoulder. The room was dark and he’d taken his goggles off. They were sitting quietly, no longer telling each other stories, and Riddick turned his senses onto her. He heard her breath, hard and slow, like she was nervous and trying not to show it. Riddick breathed deeply. The appealing scents of her washed over him; that flowered scent of her shampoo, the clean, fresh scent of her body, and her perfume, a musky exotic one that faintly surprised him. It shouldn't surprise him, she never did the obvious, yet it did. Had she maybe worn the perfume for him? He hadn't smelled it when she'd first come home. Riddick touched her cheek, marveled at the velvet smoothness of her skin.
Fuck, man, quit thinking of her like this!
He couldn't seem to stop though.
When did she grow up into such a beauty?
Her hair had grown back a honey blond and luxurious, falling to just below her shoulders and Riddick turned his face into the fragrant mass. He closed his eyes, fingers still sliding along her cheek gently.
Those women I have had haven't even been as beautiful as she is.
She turned her face up, curious as to why he was touching her face so tenderly.
His thumb brushed slowly along the curve of her lower lip before he bent his head and claimed her mouth with his. He kissed her softly at first, gentle sweeps of his lips to hers, but at her shy response, Riddick lost himself in his feelings. Jack's lips parted and he took full advantage, slipping his tongue inside to taste her, his fingers curling in her hair, turning her head to give him better access.
Had anyone kissed her like that?
His blood surged.
Jack thought she must be dreaming, but she wasn't. This was real. Riddick was kissing her, really kissing her. Dull warmth settled in her belly, yet all too soon, the press of his mouth became harder, demanding, and Jack was frightened, pushing at him.
Gradually, it dawned on him that she was rigid, her hands on his chest trying to put distance between them. Riddick released her, saw that her lips were swelling slightly already and her eyes were wide.
She scrambled from his lap, backed away from him.
He watched her, unapologetic for his lapse of control.
Imam and Skye's voices were in the hall outside the apartment.
Jack retreated into her room. She didn't cry as she looked into her mirror, searching for proof. It was there. Anyone who saw her would know she'd been thoroughly kissed.
Riddick stood and waited for the front door to open.
Chapter 6; Girl Talk
From her mirror, Jack went to her bed, reaching automatically for the box Riddick had sent her. She moved her fingers over it; it soothed her to do so, calmed her, and she began to wonder, why had he kissed her?
Next time you see him, kiss him.
That's what he'd said. Nice advise. Too bad she'd freaked out.
Had he been taking his own advise by kissing her?
And I freaked out! Shit! He probably thinks I'm just a stupid kid.
Why? Why did he kiss me?
There was a knock on the door.
"Can I come in, Jack?" Skye's voice was barely audible.
"Sure." She bowed her head, let her hair cover the evidence of Riddick's kiss.
The door opened and Skye came in, sitting in the chair by the desk. In her usual manner, she went straight to the point. "Your legal guardian is on his way to collect you."
"I don't have a guardian. No living relatives." Her fingers moved idly over the box, eyes returning to it, visually touching the scrolls and vines in a caressing manner. Jack found her attention straying from Skye onto the box and forced herself to set it aside.
"Someone convinced the Courts to appoint him your guardian. Any ideas why?"
"No. It's not like I'm rich or something."
"Yes." The woman's dark eyes spoke volumes of speculation, some Jack was sure she herself had thought. "Riddick wants to take you with him. Do you want to go?" When Jack didn't respond, she reached out and lifted the girls chin. "Don't be ashamed to love him." She noted the soft curve of Jack's mouth, that evidence of the kiss, and smiled. "I know how frustrating it is to love a man and think he feels nothing for you. It's dangerous to assume what another person is thinking or feeling, so don't even try."
"Skye, I freaked out when he kissed me."
"Was it your first kiss?"
"Like that, yeah. I've been kissed before, but not so...."
"Expertly?"
Jack flushed, but Skye's word choice was appropriate. After four years of living in the same apartment with her, Jack should have been used to Skye's directness, but she wasn't. "Yeah."
"He wants you with him, Jack."
"Does he? I mean, I really freaked out, like standing staring at him then running away freaking."
"He's making arrangements with Imam now. Riddick made a promise to you five years ago that he'd come back for you. He came back." She paused. "Have you wondered why he waited so long?"
"The death clause."
Skye's laugh was low and throaty. "No. Use that brain of yours."
Jack thought a moment and almost kicked herself. "My eighteenth birthday?"
"Exactly. When he left, eighteen was considered adult universally. Now the age has been raised to twenty everywhere but New Mecca."
Jack reached for the box again.
"Eighteen has remained the age for sexual consent, Jack. Riddick may not have acknowledged it at the time, but this plan to keep you with him for years does imply a sexual relationship between you."
Glancing at Skye, Jack shrugged. "I never thought of that."
"At thirteen I should hope not. However, you're a young woman now. He sees that." She touched Jack's lips with a finger. "Don't be ashamed to wear the marks of his passion."
Jack ran her fingers over the box, tracing the letters of her name.
"I'm taking you shopping tomorrow. You need a new wardrobe. We'll stop by and see if Alexa can go with us."
"It's a school day."
"We'll see." Skye watched Jack with the box. The girl seemed entranced by it, slender fingers tracing the designs. Jack's eyes glazed slightly and became unfocused.
Skye retreated into the living room, leaving her alone