Aha, the McStizzie heat got your attention again - thanks for the reviews! You make me consider doing a short fic just with the two of them sometime.
This chapter gives you a bit of Jack and his problems, and Meredith discovers Derek's moody side...
Chapter Twenty - Discovering a Dark Side
Jack paced the length of his lawyer's office, his frown increasing with each pace. He rubbed a hand over his face, before eying the man behind the desk. "What the hell do I pay you for?" he demanded. "I was fucking arrested, in my own home, like a fucking criminal. What are you doing to get the charges dropped?" He winced, at the sharp sting of pain that still lingered from the cat's claws, even after three days it still hurt. "I should sue her..."
"Jack, sit down and relax," Tom Aiden said, his voice soothing. "You violated the RO, now you have to pay the price. You can't just barge into Miss Grey's house, and assault her."
Jack glowered, his face twisted in anger. "So there's nothing I can do?"
"I know the judge that is overseeing the charge. He can be fair - just keep your head down in court, don't mouth off, and you'll be fine."
"But the cat..."
Tom raised one eyebrow. "You seriously want to go there? The less said about that issue, the better, Jack."
"Fine, whatever," Jack sighed. He had to admit, it had been embarrassing on so many levels to go to the ER for stitches. He'd tried to talk Zara into patching him up, but she was useless with the bandages. "God, I need a drink, or several drinks," he said finally, getting to his feet.
"Just stay away from Miss Grey. Don't do anything else stupid." Tom regarded his client carefully. "It's clear she doesn't want anything to do with you - just drop it and move on with your life."
Jack limped towards the door, waving his hand in dismissal. "Just keep your advice to yourself, Aiden - and send me the fucking bill. If I want therapy, I'll phone Dr. Phil." He slammed the door behind him, and headed down the plush corridor of the corporate lawyers offices. He hated losing at anything, and realizing that Derek had the woman he wanted just ate at him like an insidious disease.
Damn Derek anyway - nothing but a loser. Why would Meredith want to be with a guy like that? Jack pondered this all the way down in the elevator, and to his Porsche parked in the underground lot. Derek fucked up his marriage, screwed up his earlier success, and had no real big projects on the horizon. Money was power in Hollywood, and power was sexy. Nice guys finished last, in his opinion. And his brother was a fool to think that was ever going to change.
He climbed behind the wheel of his car, revving the motor and quickly driving out of the lot. It was getting late in the afternoon, and he had to get to Moonglow to go over the menus for this evening. That, and have a few drinks to drown his sorrows, and maybe pull Zara into his office for a little fun. He deserved that much – then he would decide what to do next…
Meredith checked the clock, rolling over to look at Derek, who was sprawled over the sheets, his head in the pillows. She stretched lazily for a second, before kissing his cheek. "Hey...I have to get up - my flight's early. Alex's gonna be banging on the door to pick me up before we know it."
"Why do you have to leave now...?" he groaned, his arm still over her waist. "I don't have to work, we could stay in bed all weekend."
"Because...Kate Hudson has agreed to a last minute photo shoot in New York, and she asked specifically for me to do her hair and makeup," Meredith reminded him between light kisses to his cheek and along the bulge of his biceps.
"Hmm...well, she has good taste!" Derek laughed, moving quickly to pin Meredith against the sheets. "Can I convince you to have a quickie before you desert me?"
Meredith surrendered to the sweet seduction of his hands, as he pulled her beneath him. A throaty little giggle escaped her. "Derek...I'll be late..." But it was a half-hearted protest at best.
"And I can be fast," he promised her, kissing the spot along her throat that made her shiver. "You know you want to, honey..." He cupped her closer, moving between her legs. She was still warm and drowsy, winding her arms around him, meeting his rising passion with just as much of her own.
"You're hopeless..." she sighed happily.
"And you love it, don't you?" he breathed, already feeling her wet folds parting for him. "Admit it..."he growled playfully, tickling her at the same time.
"Yes...yes!!" she cried out, just as he slid into her, claiming her mouth and her sighs of bliss, as she welcomed his thrusts. He loved the instant connection between them, and he curled one arm around her shoulders, lifting her higher while his other hand stroked her breast.
"Then come for me...now..." he urged, losing himself in the sheer delight of making love with her. While he normally enjoyed taking his time, prolonging the exquisite pleasure between them - this sudden heat and urgency was just as irresistible. He felt her shuddering climax begin, taking him with her, rolling his hips against hers.
"Derek..." she moaned happily at his final thrust that took them both over the edge. "You are way too persuasive sometimes..."
"And again...you love it..." he teased her, rolling them over so that she lay over him. Her hair tickled him, as she kissed him lightly, basking the in the sweet afterglow for a moment.
"I do, and I love you..." She glanced at the clock again. "And now I really have to hurry."
"I love you back," he murmured, as she scrambled away from him, pressing another kiss along his navel before slipping out of bed to grab her robe from the foot of the bed. "Think about that while I'm gone..." she giggled, backing away towards the bathroom with a saucy wink.
"Trust me, I'll be thinking of nothing but that..." he assured her, still tangled in the sheets, looking too damn tempting at this hour of the morning, she thought. With that rumpled hair, and satisfied grin on his face, propped on one elbow as he watched her leave, he was pure male heat. And he was all hers. She blew him another kiss before disappearing to turn the shower on.
Derek flopped onto his back, grinning to himself like a fool. He was the luckiest man on the planet, having Meredith in his life. They spent nearly all their free time together, usually here at her house. She had a tighter security system installed after Jack's last visit, determined not to let him get to her again. So far he'd kept his distance, but Derek worried it was only a matter of time before something else happened. If he knew his brother, Jack wouldn't let this go easily. He never had - whether it was playing tennis, or football, or having women - Jack had to be the best.
The phone rang then, interrupting his thoughts. He scooped up the cordless receiver, checking the display. "Hey, Alex...morning..."
"Is Meredith ready?"
"Not quite..." Derek grinned. "We kind of got...sidetracked..."
"Damn...you two fuck like bunnies," Alex laughed. "I'm gonna be there in half an hour."
"She'll be ready. Take care of her for me, Alex."
"No worries, man. She'll be home safe and sound in 48 hours. " Alex paused, shouting at some other driver on the freeway that pissed him off. "Later..."
Derek clicked the phone off, and looked over at Stormy, who had joined him on the bed. "Looks like it's you and me this weekend, Stormy. You like to watch racing?"
Jack looked up from the paperwork on his desk, momentarily distracted by the sight of the man standing at the entrance to the office. Tall, bald headed and built like a tank, he slammed the door shut and walked across the room. "Evening, Archer…just dropped by to see how you are doing…the restaurant business seems to be booming here."
"Are you crazy…stopping by like this?" Jack hissed, looking around as if someone else could see them. "I thought I asked you not to come by here. I don't want anyone to see us together."
"You worry too much." He dropped into the chair opposite the desk and propped his feet up, crossing his ankles. "We're part of this joint, I think we have a right to pop in and have a meal, have a drink. On the house, of course."
"Fine…" Jack grimaced. He had made a deal with a group of business men, who helped him finance the restaurant. The only catch was these guys didn't exactly deal on the right side of the law all the time. Jack didn't ask too much about where the money was coming from, just so long as he was able to use it. But he didn't want them hanging around here too much or someone might get suspicious. If anything went down that these guys were investigated, he didn't want to get sucked into the mess.
"Look. I'm just here to have a nice time, like all the other folks here. Lotsa big celebrities out there. You wouldn't want them to know you're dirty little secret here, so I know you won't make a scene, Jacko…"
"Don't fucking call me th-" Jack frowned and sighed. "Never mind…" He scrubbed one hand over his close cropped hair. As if he didn't have enough headaches, having to cough up a fine for breaking the RO, and watching Derek romance Meredith, and now this.
"I'm glad we understand each other. Now, I'll be out in the bar, I expect you have my favorite vodka?"
"Of course we do. And I'll make sure Zara seats you at the best table when you're ready for dinner."
"Excellent." He stood up, winking at jack. "Good doing business with you, Jacko…" He straightened his tie and left, humming offkey.
Jack rested his head in his hands for a moment. One week till Christmas, could things get any more fucking worse?
"So, tell me Derek is moving in with you," Alex prompted, as they waited to board the flight back to Los Angeles. The weekend had been hectic, with dinners and the photographer demanding more shots, with a myriad of different designer outfits and hair styles. But Kate had been happy with their work, gushing that no one could make her look as glowing as Meredith.
"Maybe…. Meredith hedged, checking her cell phone again. She'd called Derek before they left the hotel, but he hadn't returned the call yet. It was odd, they had exchanged several long, sexy calls during the weekend, but maybe he was working out at the gym or out for a run.
"He's there all the time anyway, babe. Make it official." Alex shifted his carryon bag. "You're happy, and I like seeing you this way."
"I like being happy, too. Now if Jack could just…"
"…disappear?"
"Yes, it's hard on Derek, too. He doesn't say much, but it must've been hell to live up to that kind of bullying, even if his parents tried to help."
"So, make sure he knows you're there for him, no matter what."
"I do, but he's got this insecurity sometimes, like no matter what he's done, it's not good enough, and if he misses out on a role, he takes it very hard."
"Ah, just be there for him. He'll do well, he just has to stop trying so hard. We've all seen that in a lot of other people."
Meredith nodded. "You're right. He's actually got his agent putting his name out there for a few television pilots – that could be a big break for him."
Their flight was called then for boarding, and Meredith turned her cellphone off, hoping that everything was okay at home. She'd call as soon as they landed in L.A. She yawned a little, as they moved into the line to board the plane – she knew she would be out like a light as soon as the plane took off.
The house was dark and quiet, when Alex dropped Meredith off at home. Repeated calls to Derek had not been answered, and she was getting more concerned. His Corvette was parked in the driveway, and she breathed a little sigh of relief at the sight – at least he hadn't been in a car accident. She fished her keys out of her purse, and gave Alex a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the ride, see you on Tuesday."
"You okay here?"
"Security system should be armed, and Derek's here, so I'm sure there's no problem." Meredith got out of the car and pulled her bag out of the backseat. "Enjoy the day off tomorrow."
Alex waved and watched her until she opened inside the front door, and turned to wave to let him know it was okay. He backed into the street, disappearing down the road.
"Derek…where are you?" Meredith dropped the bags and purse on the floor, flicking on the light. Stormy padded out of the living room, and wound around her legs, purring. "Well, hello sweetie…where's Derek?"
Wandering into the kitchen, she opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, unscrewing the lid. Sipping it gratefully, she headed up to the bedroom. Maybe he was sleeping, though it seemed early in the evening for that. "Derek…?" She flipped the light on in the bedroom and gasped in surprise. He was sitting in the dark, by the window, with bottle of Scotch in his hand. He looked at her, with a half smile, yet his eyes were dark and guarded.
"Meredith…" he said quietly, pushing to his feet and crossing the room to her side. He wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned in to kiss her deeply, his tongue lacing hers, tasting of alcohol. Her heart lurched, but she kissed him back, responding despite herself. This was Derek, it wasn't Jack, and even though he was a little drunk, he wasn't rough. There was a heated urgency behind his kiss, and he lifted her off her feet with it.
"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly, when he released her. "Did something happen with Jack?"
Derek shook his head. "Not that...my agent called - latest project fell through. The part went to Christian Slater..." He shrugged. "Whatever...just didn't expect that."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Meredith murmured, "I know you were pretty pumped about that one."
"Yeah.." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I should go - I'm not very good company right now. I just wanted to wait and see you, but..."
"You're not leaving like this - I don't think you're in any shape to drive." Meredith took his hand. "There will be other parts, something even better."
"I'm not sure honey. Maybe I'm really done...maybe my early success really was a fluke." His voice was a little regretful, a little angry. "Jack's right...I'm just a fuckup."
Meredith sighed. "Don't let anything he's said make you feel like that. You mean more to me than he ever did...I love you the way you are. I believe in you, no matter what you do."
For a moment, he stood silent, absorbing her words, trying to stop the anger and the hopelessness from taking over. Losing out like this always upset him, and he didn't want to let Meredith see just how much. He pulled away from her, and headed out of the bedroom. "Just leave me alone right now...please, Mer..."
Meredith watched him stalk out, certain that he wouldn't hurt her, or anyone else for that matter, despite his mood. But he was hurting himself this way, and she hurried after him, realizing this was the moment to find out if there was anything to fear. If there was some latent rage in him, she had to find out now.
I plan to post another update fairly soon, so as not to leave you hanging here...