This is my adaptation of "Rebel With A Cause" by Kim Hansen

The Rebel, Chapter 17


“You look tired,” Jax observed of Brenda as she entered her office the
next morning. He followed, ignoring the glare she sent him. “Dare I hope
I was the reason?”

“I didn’t have one reason,” she declared, unwilling to admit he had any
part of her sleepless night. “I had two.”

“Ah,” he said in understanding and leaned against her desk. “Peter and
Wendy. Maybe you should have let me protect you from them.”

She sent him a mischievous smile. “But who would have protected me from
you?”

He grinned gleefully. “What makes you think you would have wanted to
be protected from me?”

Swallowing her heart as it leapt into her throat, she narrowed her eyes.
“Did I ever say you were cocky?”

“Repeatedly.”

“You are.”

He shrugged and smiled. “Sometimes its just hard to be humble.”

“Try.”

“Okay,” he agreed, and shoved away from the desk. “Are we still on for
pizza tonight?”

“After eating Sonny alive today I could use some pizza to get the bad taste
out of my mouth.

Jax chuckled.

Brenda sat down behind her desk. “Did you go over the Mason account?”

“Yes. You?

She nodded with a frown. “What do you think?”

“I think we should have it wrapped up by the end of the week.”

“Me, too.” She grinned. “Let’s get to work.”

And they did. Day after day, side by side, they forged ahead on one
account in expectation of being handed another, and at night they forgot it
all to enjoy the sweet taste of budding romance.

If Brenda noticed Jax kept her away from the main track, she didn’t let it
bother her because she didn’t want anyone bothering them. When she was
alone with him eating pizza or crepes or hamburgers or steak, she was
happy not to have to interrupt her meal to politely greet acquaintances of
hers, of her father’s or of her mother’s. She wanted only to concentrate on
him because when he was looking into her eyes, she felt as if she was the
most important person on earth.

But her joy was fragile. For, while Jax shared himself with her, it was still
with reservation. He pulled her close, but held her away. It confused her.
It hurt her. But the pain was something she didn’t want to look at too
closely.

“You’re quiet tonight.”

Brenda looked up from her silent contemplation of her dessert and smiled
at Jax. It was Friday night. They were at a small, exclusive club just
north of Malibu. It was close to her home. Was it close to his? “I was
just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You.”

Jax sat back in his chair. “I’m flattered.”

“You should be.”

He smiled and reached for his wineglass, but he kept his eyes on her. She
looked stunning in the muted light of the club. She wore a strapless black
dress that ended just above her knees and highlighted the soft skin of her
shoulders.

He’d spent every night of the week with her, romancing her with flowers,
plying her with fine food and wine, hoping to break down the wall that
separated them. But he had only been partially successful. She was still
holding back. Because he was.

He wasn’t being totally open with her, and she sensed it and so kept her
reserve in place. It was an impossible situation, tantalizing, as she
remained just out of his reach, but while he wanted to end the charade, he
was also fighting even harder to keep the pretense in place.

The Mason account was finished. Brenda had forced it through over
Sonny’s objections. She’d received some censure from her father due to
her failure to listen to Sonny’s advice, but Harlan Barrett couldn’t have
been too upset because he’d taken two more accounts from Sonny and had
given them to her to work on.

This new responsibility gave her confidence, but it was also earning her
enemies. Sonny had friends. At the bank, at city hall and in the company.
Jax braced for a set up, but Brenda seemed oblivious that Sonny wanted to
see her fall.

Brenda had a good business mind. She had sharp instinct and was careful
with detail, but she also had a soft heart. It left her highly vulnerable in
the highly competitive and sometimes malicious world of investment, and
she didn’t see Sonny Corinthos as a threat. Just an obstacle to be gotten
around. And any effort to change her way of thinking had failed. It made
Jax afraid. For her. For him.

He couldn’t protect her forever. He couldn’t stay with her much longer.
He had his own job to do away from her and for himself. He couldn’t give
it up. Wouldn’t. He’d worked too long and too hard. But he didn’t want
to see her hurt. Not by anyone, including himself. But how could he
prevent it? He might be able to stop Sonny, but he wouldn’t be able to
stop who he was.

“Dance?”

She accepted his hand with a smile and melted into his arms when they
reached the dimly lit floor. Her malleability had him drawing her closer
and enjoying the heat of her body as it seared his from head to toe while
she silently moved with him to the music.

“I love your perfume,” he told her breathing in deeply and the scent
followed him throughout the day and into his dreams at night.

Her laugh was quick and light. “Should I buy you some?”

“No, I’ll just buy you more.”

“Another gift.”

“I haven’t done too bad so far, have I?”

She pursed her lips and considered. “Two cats, three potted plants...”

“Exotic potted plants.”

She rolled her eyes. “Four bottles of wine, five silk scarves...”

“All different shades.”

“And six crystal glasses.”

“A matching set.”

“It almost like the twelve days to Christmas.”

“You want some geese a-laying?”

“NO!”

He laughed and twirled her in a quick circle. “I don’t know. Peter and
Wendy would probably enjoy some feathered friends.”

“I’ll never talk to you again.”

“In that case...”

He kiss stole her breath away because she wasn’t ready for it. But she
wasn’t ready for him, either. He’d taken her by surprise, conquered her by
storm. It was exciting. Terrifying. She was getting too used to him in her
life. He lifted his head from hers, and she reached up to touch his check

He touched her hand and then he dropped his to trace his way down her
arm. She trembled and he pulled her closer again. He kissed her again.

“So now are you going to talk to me?”

Brenda nodded. “The project’s going along well.”

He laughed. “That’s not what I meant but yes it is. It’s only been a week
since the contract was signed, but the first house should be done soon.
Kevin Carmichael isn’t wasting any time.” Jax gave her a squeeze. “We
should celebrate. This weekend. I could give you seven hours of fun in
the sun as my next present.”

“My place or yours?”

The question was unexpected, and it stopped him dead. He stilled on the
dance floor and was stunned to find himself suddenly afraid. “Is the
courtship over?”

“Jax! Is that you?”

The unexpected exclamation stopped Brenda from speaking and had Jax
turning to accept a hand that was showed out to him before recognition
had a chance to set in.

“Where have you been?” the man facing him asked, squeezing Jax’s
fingers and pumping them enthusiastically.

Jax shrugged in response, but his mind was whirling. He’d been
recognized!

Careful about where he had been taking Brenda, he’d steered clear of his
usual haunts, but without warning and too late, his efforts were proving to
be not good enough.

Conscious of Brenda standing and listening beside him, fear nearly closed
his throat. After all his precautions, he couldn’t believe she was going to
find out about him like this. In the middle of a dark dance floor in a club
from a man he barely knew. Jax pulled his hand back but managed a
noncommittal smile. “Around.”

The man laughed and glanced at Brenda. “I saw your father the other day.
He’s looking better.”

“He always bounces back.” Jax smiled and purposely put an arm around
Brenda to begin moving her away even as she seemed to stiffen in an
attempt to stay. The man he knew as Stephan Cassadine seemed to
understand.

Cassadine grinned and shrugged. “Yeah, well, you stay in touch,” he said
with a friendly punch to Jax’s arm. “And let’s do some business again
soon. Have Jerry give me a call.”

“Is tomorrow good enough?” Cassadine laughed, but Jax was already
swinging away and heading for the door.

At his side, Brenda said nothing. She remained silent until they were in
his car and on the road, but Jax could almost hear her thinking. And he
tried to brace himself for the questions he knew were coming.

“You didn’t introduce me to your friend,” she finally said, her voice flat,
but the accusation was there.

“He’s not my friend. I hardly even know him,” Jax excused himself, and
glanced at her profile in the darkness of the car. “And introductions
would only have gotten us dragged to his table.”

“Would that have been so bad?”

“Would you have wanted to go?”

Brenda didn’t answer. Not immediately. “You didn’t want to introduce
me. You didn’t want him to know who I was.”

Jax silently cursed her for her insight and fate at the same time for this
cruel twist. Yet it was his own vanity, his own cocksureness that had seen
him trapped. He’d been so certain he could get away with the masquerade
and have no one question it. He gritted his teeth. “Maybe I wanted to
keep you to myself.”

“I wish I could believe that.” She turned in her seat to face him. “You
didn’t want me to find out any more about you. Or your father and that
Jerry person?” She tried to swallow the pain and stared hard at Jax as he
kept his eyes on the road. “You do business with him. Do you own your
own company?”

“Would it matter if I did?”

“I’d want to know why you’re working for me.”

“I like working for you.” He met her gaze briefly as he stopped at a stop
light. “And I told you before that I like working on my own.”

“A little business on the side?”

“Any objections?”

“I’m not sure.” She sat straight in her seat again and folded her arms to
fend off the sudden chill that had invaded the car. “What are you hiding?”
What are you running away from?”

He scowled. “I’m not running away from anything. I’m helping you.”

“Why?”

“Because you asked me to.”

And she had. She couldn’t deny that, but it couldn’t be that simple. “And
why are you staying?”

“You don’t know?” he demanded, and tasted defeat’s bitter bile in his
throat, but she hesitated. It gave him hope. He pulled up to her house and
shut off the engine. “Don’t you want me to stay?” Do you want me to
go?”

“I just want you to be honest with me.” She got out of the car and hurried
towards the house.

“Honesty’s always the best policy, is that it?” he asked, slamming his car
door in frustration before following her.

“Not for you, obviously.”

“I’ve never lied to you.”

That stopped her. She turned from the stairs leading to the deck to look at
him. “Haven’t you?”

He joined her on the steps. “No.”

The anger drained out of her, but confusion and distrust remained. “What
about telling me that you’d just gotten to the city? How could you have
just gotten to the city and known that man and the city so well?”

“I had just gotten to the city. I’d just returned.”

“From where?”

“A vacation.”

“From what?”

“My life. I needed a break.”

“Never a straight answer. Always evasive.” She whirled away to stalk up
the remaining steps to the deck. “Why don’t you trust me?”

Following her once more, he watched her walk away to stare out at the
sea. “It’s not a matter of trust.”

She spun to face him. “Then what? Why are you pretending to be
something you’re not?”

“How do you know that? How can you know what I am?”

“I can’t because you won’t tell me.”

He ran a hand through his blond locks. “I’m just a businessman.”

“Just?”

“No, not just! He snapped and grabbed her. “I’m also a man who’s
attracted to a woman. You.”

His kiss was bitter, angry, demanding, nearly cruel, but she didn’t try and
push him away. Instead she pulled him closer and held on tight because
she didn’t want to lose him, and she was afraid she was but didn’t
understand why.

When he let her go, they were both breathing hard. “Is that so difficult to
understand?” he asked, searching her face.

“No.” Reluctantly she slipped from his arms to lean back against the
railing. “But if you have nothing to hid, why pretend?”

He pushed his hands into his pockets to keep them away from her. “You
once told me that you believed if I pretended, that I’d have a good
reason.”

She nodded, remembering. “Yes, and I still believe that.”

He sighed. “But you also want to know what that reason is.”

She watched him walk away.

“Maybe I’m trying to protect you.”

“From what?”

“Me.”

The breath caught in her throat, and she continued to watch him. But he
didn’t turn around. He didn’t look at her again. It was for her to go to
him. And she did. Hesitantly. Anxiously. She touched his arm. “I don’t
understand.”

He didn’t move. Didn’t answer.

Her fingers tightened around his arm. “Make me understand.”

Finally he turned to meet the plea in her eyes. “I wish I could.”

When he abruptly turned to walk away into the night, she tried to stop
him, wanted to, but the words wouldn’t come. Only her hand reached out
for him, but he was already gone and she was alone.

Struggling to sort out and understand why, she unlocked the house, but
when she stepped inside, she barely noticed the enthusiastic greeting from
Peter and Wendy. Her reaction to the two kittens was automatic and
instinctive. She picked them up to hug them both, but hanging on to them
only reminded her of the man she’d let go.

Burying her face in soft fur, Brenda tried to blink back sudden tears, but
they slipped free. Maybe he was still pretending, maybe he couldn’t be
completely open, but he’d been honest. He’d given her all he could.

Pain such as she’d never known crushed her chest. She didn’t know why,
she didn’t know how it was possible, but she couldn’t imagine living
without him. Jax McCarty had come into her life unexpectedly, without
warning. He’d taken her by surprise, and he’d also taken her heart. She
was in love with him, a man she barely knew and yet knew so well, and
he’d just walked out of her life. Was it for good?