The Rebel

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

Chapter 4

When a cute redhead stole him away for a dance Jax went with a wink, and Brenda was
finally caught by her father, Harlan, whom she had seen circulating at a discreet distance,
waiting for the perfect opportunity to get her to himself.

“Who is he?” he asked.

“His name is Jax,” she returned calmly, sipping the drink in her hand and watching Jax
dance with the redhead. When the redhead smiled up at him, Brenda decided she didn’t
like her very much.

“Jax? Just Jax? What does he do? Did you invite him?”

Brenda turned and looked at her father, a man with graying hair, a scowling look on his
face, and intimidating stance. “Yes, Father, I did invite him, and if you don’t like it too
bad. If you want to find out what he does, why don’t you ask him yourself?” She set her
drink down and walked away, unaffected by the famous Harlan Barrett glare, but didn’t
get very far. Trying to cross the room she was stopped several times by more than one
person, most of who where female. They all wanted to know more about Jax, too. It was
disturbing and intriguing that she couldn’t tell them very much about her date. So she
followed Jax’s example and didn’t say much in response. Instead she enjoyed hinting
more with coy silence and letting them fill in the blanks. He was a bad influence. And
she was having the best time of her life!

A short while later, she finally reached his side. Jax took her into his arms. “I didn’t
ever think you would come rescue me,” Jax accused her. The music was still playing, the
redhead had left and more couples were dancing.

“It looked to me like you didn’t need rescuing,” Brenda returned. “As a matter of fact,
you’ve done so well on your own.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Everyone wants to know who you are.”

“Does that also include you?”

“Like everyone else. I’m still trying to decide.”

He grinned. “What are my options so far?”

“At first, opinions where not good since Harlan Barrett’s daughter had gone and picked
herself up some scruffy, down-on-his-luck outsider to defy her father. But, now they are
improving since everyone convinced you’re a newly arrived candidate for the Hollywood
scene.”

“Ah,” he agreed. “A movie star.”

“The only problem is that no one can remember seeing you on Broadway.”

Jax shrugged. “Only bit parts, I’m afraid. That’s all they would give me.”

“However, we do have some who believe you may have come in from the East. Part of
some scouting venture from a corporate raiding outfit.” She leaned in closer to whisper.
“Real estate has been very bad out here, you know.”

“The economy,” he agreed with appropriate sobriety.

She nodded, and he frowned.

“I’m going to have to work on being more discreet.”

She tired to smother a grin. “There is one more group.”

“Really? And what do they think my reason for being here is?”

“They couldn't care less about why you are here.”

His eyebrows rose again. “No opinion?”

“No, they just want your body.”

The look of distress that crossed his face had her laughing, but the heat suddenly racing
up his neck had him taking her out the door and onto the porch.

She stepped away from him and led him down to an ornamental fountain at the bottom of
the steps. “Don’t you want their names and numbers?”

“No, I only wish to know what you think.”

“About what?”

“About me.”

Her heart stopped beating for a second, but she covered her confusion by trailing her
fingers through the cool water and keeping away from him by walking around the
fountain. “I’m still trying to decide.”

He grinned, rested his hands on the edge of the fountain and watched her. She had worn
her hair loose tonight. It floated around her face in a silken wonder. He wished for the
opportunity to find out if it was as soft as it looked but regretfully doubted the chance
would materialize. “What can I do to make your decision easier?”

She was looking at him through the falling water. “When I first met you, I guess I didn’t
have a firm opinion of you. I wanted a phone and prayed you weren’t a lost member of
the Hell’s Angel’s”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “I quit the group before I came to Los Angeles.”

“But where are you tattoos?”

“How bad do you want to find out?”

Her heart fluttered as his golden gaze locked with hers. This was the dangerous part of
Jax, the one she had met on the street, and was unsure of, the one she wanted in her
fantasy but who she couldn’t allow in her real life. They were both from different
worlds. Yet she didn’t look or back away from his silent suggestion. She met him
straight-on in what, she told herself, was just simple flirtation. “How hard do you want
me to search?”

“Bren,” he whispered, as the sparks started to fly between them. “I’m surprised at you.
You’re ready to throw discretion aside...along with my clothes. I thought the upper crust
was supposed to hide such urges as lust.”

She rolled her eyes. “Being rich doesn’t mean that I’m not human, and if my mother
hears you call me that, she’ll probably faint.”

“Bren?”

Brenda nodded, and he smiled.

“Where is she right now?” He asked, watching Brenda slowly make her way back around
the fountain to him.

“Probably standing inside hoping that no one noticed me coming outside with you.
Alone.” She stopped next to him. She didn’t belong with him, but she wanted to stay
with him no the less. He simply fascinated her. She had no clue why. Perhaps it was
just the challenge of finding out what it would be like. “It’s the image, you know.”

“You mean people still worry about that?”

“Some do.” She sighed. “I gave it up a long time ago, when I realized I wasn’t perfect.

“None of us are.”

“Thankfully. It would be hard on the rest of us if anyone was.”

Jax watched her lean back to run her manicured fingernails through her dark hair. “You
were telling me what you think of me.”

She slanted a veiled look at him without turning her head. “Once I realized that you
weren’t going to kill me, I thought you were kind of nice.”

“But...?”

I wasn’t sure.” She shrugged. “As I told you last night, I’m not used to giving in to
impulses.”

“Like going for motorcycle rides at night with strange men and throwing away a perfectly
good pair of shoes?”

She nodded as a blush flooded her cheeks.

“And then there is the fact that I disappeared into the sunrise with these.”

Brenda smothered a gasp as he pulled her diamond earrings from his pocket. He dangled
them in front of her until she reached up to take them from him.”

“So now what do you think of me?”

Her fingers closed around the diamonds and she turned to meet his glance. “You surprise
me. Constantly.”

“Life is too short to be predictable. Every now and then you have to throw a curve at it.”

“I don’t think anyone could ever accuse you of being like that.”

“And is that good or bad?”

She had to smile at that. “I’m not sure. I haven’t had too much practice doing the
unexpected.”

“I’m a good teacher.”

Suddenly finding it difficult to breathe, Brenda backed away from Jax to put some
distance between them. She liked him. Perhaps too much. But liking him didn’t mean
he was good for her, or she for him. They didn’t have that much in common...except
chemistry. It kept bubbling up between them.

“You said you had just gotten into town,” Brenda remarked as she turned and walked
towards him. All the while he followed her with his eyes.

“Last night.”

Her fingers gripped the earrings tighter. She hadn’t expected to get them back, had been
prepared to not even ask. “Is there anything I can do for you? I mean, if I could help you
in any way.”

His smile was bright, “Are you offering me a job?”

“Do you need one.”

His smile faded. “You’re serious?”

“You helped me out when I needed it. Now I would like to return the favor,” Brenda
agreed. But her powers were limited. Or were they? An idea started to take form. “All
right, yes, I’m offering you a job.”

“And that job is?”

“I want you to come work for me.”

His eyebrows rose. “For you?”

“With me,” she corrected, tilting her head to a haughty angle. “You needn’t sound
surprised. I do happen to be an officer in the company.”

“How high up?”

“High enough.”

“Got any pull.”

Her lips twisted. “Not as much as I like. Yet.” She watched him straighten from where
he’d been leaning against the fountain. “Would you like to help me get some more?”

“You can’t do it by yourself?”

She shrugged. “It’s always easier to have help, especially when you need a hand to get
back up after being knocked down.”

“Anyone I know?”

“You’ll meet him when you come work for me.”

“What makes you think you can trust me?”

“What makes you think I’m a good boss?”

“Are you?”

“You inspired me to be one when I was on the verge of giving up.” She watched him
come slowly towards her, refusing to step back when he stopped in front of her.
“Everyone needs inspiration once in a while, and you do read the Wall Street Journal.”

A grin spread across his mouth. She’d been listening to what he had been saying while
circulating among the guests. “Surprise you?”

“I don’t think anything you did would surprise me.” She shook her head as he watched.
“You just have this attitude about you.”

He pointed to her shoulder. “Big chip?”

“No more like, ‘I’ll do what I want.’”

“‘And you had better like it?”

“You said that you were a good teacher. Maybe there’s some lessons I could learn.”

He whistled. “Want to be a tough lady?”

“I want to be taken more seriously, and I think you can help me do that.” And she did.
He had some business savvy, and she needed an assistant. She could do worse, or at least
she thought she could.

He jingled the change in his pockets and considered. “Just what did you have in mind?”

“Associate.”

“No fancy tittle?”

She smiled “If you want one.”

“Typing?”

“I’ve got a secretary, and I’m not giving her up.”

The anger behind that declaration had him staring at her. “There’s a story I haven’t heard
yet.”

“I don’t want to prejudice you.”

“But you do want to use me.”

“It could be worse,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her. “I could just want you
for your body.”

“That could have its own rewards,” he suggested.

“I want you in my office, not my bed,” Brenda objected coolly, but she suddenly felt
breathless and crazy. What was she thinking of? What was there about Jax that she kept
inviting him into her life when it was all too clear that he didn’t fit in where she
belonged? But when she tired to back away, he reached out to take her hand. Her eyes
flew to his.

“How much do you pay?” Her pulse beneath his fingers was fluttering. It belied her
alleged lack of interest, and he was tempted to try and get her to forget about business for
pleasure. But he was intrigued. By her, by the situation, even if he did have other
commitments. He should say no.

“How much do you think your worth?” she asked, coolly moving her hand away from
his. The heat of his grip on hers had her flesh tingling. Yet it was his grin that was
almost her undoing. It nearly brought her to her knees.

“Depends on what I have to do.”

“Help me make decisions.”

A blonde eyebrow arched. “Can’t you make them on your own? You did go to school?”

“Yes, and I have passed the age of majority. I vote and drink by myself and I know my
own mind, but I like your business sense.”

“You don’t have any?”

“Show up for work on Monday, and you can find out.”

“Sounds like a challenge.” He loved challenges.

“Can you handle it?”

“Only if I don’t have to call you ‘boss.’”

Brenda couldn’t stop her smile, and she couldn’t worry about making a mistake about
Jax. She trusted him. Why she had no idea. She knew nothing about him except that he
owned a motorcycle and had just arrived in California, but as her father was fond of
saying: Sometimes it’s best not to question instinct, just accept what you gut tells you.
And Jax did know business.

He knew stocks, trends. He kept her on her toes...something that had to be good for a
rising executive. And, if he didn’t work out, she could always show him the door.

She shrugged. “You can call me what you want as long as it done in respect. You also
need to watch what you say in front of my father.”

“He doesn’t like people who talk back?”

“He’s not used to it.”

“How dull.”

Her lips twitched in amusement. That’s what life had been. Until now. Without him.
With him, she doubted it would be anymore, and that was something to look forward to.
“Shall we go tell him the good news?”

Jax held out his arm for her to slide hers through and wonder what he was getting himself
into. More than had expected that was for sure. He liked being independent, but having
her as part of his team could have its advantages.

“By the way,” he said as they made their way up the stairs to the porch, “where’s that
balcony?”

“Over there,” she said, pointing over to the side.

“By your bedroom.”

“You need to know that?”

“Not yet.”

His smile made her heart jump, her breath catch and her mind search out the possibilities,
but she was saved from commenting on the subject by the unexpected appearance of her
father.

“There you are.” Harlan Barrett grumbled, a scowl showing as he stopped in front of
them. “I wanted you to meet...”

“I want you to meet,” Brenda interrupted, knowing full well that it had been her mother,
who’d sent her father out to the porch, “Jax...”

“McCarty,” He finished for her and put out a hand. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Barrett. I’m
sure we will enjoy working together.”

In bemusement, his fingers already firmly locked in Jax’s, Harlan Barrett turned baffled
brown eyes towards Brenda.

“I’ve just hired him,” she explained.