Chapter 36：The Maul

"Hey, guys!" Lana walked into the sitting room, her face flushed. She had tried to brush her long hair back and tied it into a messy bun. Jordan was holding her hand but didn't make an effort to fix his already unruly hair.

"Oh my gosh, Jordan Carter!!" Her friends screamed out, except Tyler of course.

"Hie guys. Nice to meet you all." Jordan waved a hand at them and placed the other on the small of Lana's back.

"I-love-you!" Charlotte gushed as she clutched her chest.

"Married!" Jordan grinned as he flashed his ring with a wave of his hand and everyone laughed.

"Your music-is-just-I-you-" Arthur was speechless.

"I can't believe that you're actually standing here-in front of me-gosh!" Charlotte covered her face in disbelief.

"Sorry I couldn't join you guys for lunch-got a bit distracted..but I hope you enjoyed it?" Lana cut in; she scratched the back of her head and Jones cleared his throat.

"We did..but I'm sure yours was better.." he raised an eyebrow and she blushed.

"Oh, it was.." Jordan drawled and laughed, kissing her on the temple. "Are you guys up for a party? I think I feel like having a small get together. What do you say baby?" he asked her as he hugged her from behind.

"You're sure babe? I don't want you to exhaust yourself. You're leaving tomorrow, remember?" She leaned her head back on his chest and peered up at him.

"It will be our little farewell party." He kissed her forehead, "and the weather is great-maybe we can have a pool party? Invite a few friends over, have a few drinks, maybe a BBQ?" The clear water in the pool gleamed in the sunshine as if it was in agreement with him.

"Okay then." She agreed.

"But no bikini for you sweets. I don't want to fight anyone one today." he stared pointedly at Tyler. Tyler avoided his penetrating gaze by staring at the ground.

"Really Carter?" Lana rolled her eyes and plopped herself on the pool lounge.

"So are-you saying-we're invited?!" Arthur put his hands on his head and his jaw hit the ground.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Charlotte squealed in excitement as she grabbed her iPhone and started typing furiously.

Jordan sat on her lap and smiled at her, "Wow..this is really comfortable."

"And you're really heavy babe," Lana complained.

Jordan leaned forward and whispered, "You've never complained before sweets.." Lana blushed and Jones decided to make a run for it.

"I think I'll start making the arrangements for the party," Jones mumbled before dashing off.

"Do you mind if I go home and change? I will be back later?" Lana's friend Charlotte asked.

"Yeah me too," Arthur got up and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Just ask the driver to take you and call him when you're ready to come back. Or he can just wait." Jordan offered.

"Your driver?!" Arthur's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I have lots of them. It's not a problem." Jordan said easily, "feel free to bring another friend."

"Sweeet!" Charlotte exclaimed as she clasped her hands together.

Arthur and Charlotte left to get ready but Tyler was still seated.

"What about you Krypton?" Jordan asked Tyler.

"His name is Tyler." Lana corrected.

"He has green eyes," Jordan shrugged.

"So?"

"Kryptonite," he said as if that explained the reasoning behind the new name.

"I'll stick around-if it's okay with you that is..?" Tyler swallowed nervously and scratched his dark messy hair.

"You can stay-but-I'll be watching you." Jordan pointed at his eyes with two fingers then pointed them back at Tyler.

"Maybe I should go-"

"Stay!" Lana insisted, "never mind Grug Crood over here." She tried to push him off her but he didn't budge. He straddled her instead and Tyler was clearly uncomfortable.

"Carter.." Lana warned but he just grinned at her started to ruffle her hair.

"Come to think of it...I think I'm going to go with the others-" Tyler started but Lana stopped him.

"Don't leave Ty-Lisa and Liv are on their way."

"Why don't you go to the bar instead or you can go to the pool-house and freshen up?" Jordan suggested, without taking his eyes off her, "I'll send someone with a change of clothes shortly.

"You would really do that? For me? Thanks!" Tyler couldn't leave fast enough.

"Carter you're so-aargh!"

"But you love me.." he leaned forward and kissed her.

The reality of his words hung in the air and although he was only teasing her, she knew that they were true. She did love him but would never admit it to him or to anybody else. It was better that way. She couldn't risk exposing herself like that.

"Excuse me." Mrs. Logan cleared her throat and stood aloof with her designer handbag hanging from her wrist.

"Mom!" Lana cried out in embarrassment. She pulled her dress down and tried to push Jordan off.

Jordan made no effort to move, he maintained his position. "Mrs. Logan," he said, disinterested.

"If you're done mauling my daughter..." she said with intensity. "I would like to speak to you both."

"I wouldn't call it mauling if she's more than willing," Jordan tossed back his platinum mop and winked at Lana. "Plus she's my wife so I can do whatever I want-to her and with her."

He dismounted her slowly but it was with calculated movements. His sweat pants were hanging dangerously low and his boxers were exposed but he made no effort to pull them up. He sauntered over to the bar that was close by the gazebo and started mixing cocktails again.

"You're drinking and it's barely past lunchtime." Lana's mother castigated her daughter.

"It's a Saturday-not that we need to justify anything to anyone." Jordan shot back as he shook the cocktail mixer vigorously and suggestively.

"Did you come all this way to lecture us about our drinking habits Mother?" Lana straightened up in her seat and pulled the top of her dress up. Her mother looked at her with disdain.

"You have turned into a slut and a drunkard! I didn't raise you to be like this-it's shameful!" She spat out with contempt.

Jordan looked at his mother-in-law as the anger built up inside of him. Unable to contain himself anymore he abandoned his cocktail shaker and strode over to them.

"You will not come into our house and speak like that to my wife!" He exploded.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" She shrieked.

"Jordan-" Lana tried to intervene but he pushed her safely behind him.

"How dare you speak to Lana like that! She's not a kid and she isn't a slut-she my wife!"

"She's my daughter-I can speak to her any way I see fit!" She shrilled.

"That's where you're wrong-you can't! Because like I said, she's my wife and I will not tolerate anyone speaking to her anyway they see freakin' fit." He ground his teeth.

"That's it! Lana, you are coming with me-NOW!" she tried to go round Jordan to get to Lana but he wouldn't let her.

"Don't touch her!" Jordan warned with a deadly venom in his voice. He stepped forward threateningly and Mrs. Logan had the sense to back away. Everyone knew about Jordan Carter's temper-it was explosive once torched.

"You will need me one day." Her mother said, "don't come running to me after he's done with you."

"I think we're pretty much done here," Jordan stated with finality, his blue eyes had turned into ice.

"You will have to see to her welfare from now on-I'm not spending another cent on her." She sneered.

"You can't do that! Dad left me a trust fund-" Lana called out from behind Jordan. He held up his hand telling her he was in control of the situation.

"Thank you for your efforts so far mother dearest-but I think I got it from here," Jordan said confidently.

"She will always be well taken care off-you can rest assured."

"What about the prenup that she had to sign? She will walk away with nothing." She scoffed.

"Fortunately she didn't have to sign one." Jordan said smugly, "now if you don't mind, we're expecting guests..so we would appreciate it if you could run along and offer your crappy advice to your unsuspecting patients." He said dismissively and turned to his wife.

"Sweets, I think we can have a nice cosmo and smoke a joint before our guests arrive..shall we?" He put his hand around her waist and pulled closer to him, "I'm sure you can find your way out?" He called out as they walked away.