The Pledge Chapter 4a

“Everyone has friends. Even a hermit like me has friends.” Jack smiled.

“I don't. Really I don't. I can buy anything I want, whenever I want but you can't buy friendship. It takes me and my big, insensitive mouth for someone to tell me he's my friend, just to make me feel better.” Lavinia sighed.

“That's not why I said it.” Jack argued. “You had no need to feel bad in the first place.”

“You're a lovely man, Jack O'Connor.” Lavinia smiled and walked over to Jack. “Humans are social creatures. We aren't meant to exist on our own.” She stood very close to Jack and ran her hand down his arm. “It goes against all nature's laws to be without contact.” Jack caught his breath when he he felt Lavinia's fingers brush his neck. Yes, he had missed contact, very much so. Twelve long and stressful months was a long time. “I'll take care of you. You don't have to be on your own. It's the way it is.” Lavinia trailed her fingertips down Jack's now bare back. Jack felt almost as zoned out as he had the other night, but he knew that this time, his hormones were to blame.
Suddenly, the door was booted open so hard that it slammed against the wall. Lavinia yelped and grabbed for her clothes and Jack didn't know if to feel relived, pissed off, embarrassed or shocked.

“Get off him, Lavinia.”

“You!” Jack blinked in shock at the blonde haired woman that he thought had been following him around. There she stood, jeans, denim jacket and her hair hanging free to her waist.

“Get out of my house!” Lavinia spat. “Don't you ever come here!”

“Back off!” The blonde woman advanced into the room. “Get dressed.” She said to Jack, without taking her eyes off Lavinia.

“What the hell is going on?” Jack shouted. “Who the hell are you?” He demanded of the tiny 5'1 woman. She was no bigger than a child, but quite obviously an adult. “Ms Stark asked you to leave. I think you should take the advice.”

“She'd better.” Lavinia snarled, edging away from Jack as the other woman got closer to him.

“I will. Get dressed.” She repeated to Jack. “Has she cut your skin?”

“What?” Jack looked at her in complete bewilderment.

“Has she broken your skin? Are you deaf? Cut? Scratch? Oh Lavinia, not the earring gag.” The blonde woman rolled her eyes. Jack spotted a purple stoned stud on the rug and instinctively grabbed for both of his ears. “A bit slow there eh Lavinia? As well has hella boring.”

“I'm warning you Ziggy, get out of my house before I call for Eric.” Lavinia growled.

“Ha! Oh belt up Lavinia. The days of getting big brother in on the act have long gone.”

“Z ... Ziggy? What sort of bloody name is Ziggy?” Jack said hysterically.

“I know.” Ziggy sighed. “My dad had an odd sense of humour. OK, enough of this. You, out!” Ziggy nodded at Jack.

“What? Not likely. Who are you? Lavinia, call Eric.”

“Look, you big horse's arse.” Ziggy scowled at Jack. “This mausoleum of a house is glyphed from here to Jupiter! You remember the length of time she could stand being in your home with mine? Yes well imagine how I'm feeling here on her own patch.”

“You left those bottles?” Jack blurted. This couldn't be happening!

“Yes you little bitch!” Lavinia yelled. “How long were you brewing that little lot up for?”