Love's Wild Card

The three of them sat in the living room, the Carter sisters on opposite ends with Alex trapped in the middle. Emma and Emma Winter glared daggers at each other, their sibling rivalry creating enough electricity to power Manhattan. Alex kept his head down, afraid of becoming collateral damage in this family feud.

"*yawn*" Alex couldn't help but yawn. He'd been up since dawn, and now the clock showed ten - meaning these two heiresses had been having their silent standoff for at least half an hour.

*Zap!* His yawn immediately drew both sisters' laser focus. Emma maintained her usual sweet demeanor, while Emma Winter... well, if looks could kill, Alex would be six feet under.

He immediately regretted that poorly timed yawn.

"Tired?" Emma Winter's ice-cold voice cut through the tension.

"A bit," Alex admitted honestly.

"Want to go to bed?" she continued.

"Mm-hmm," Alex nodded, still being truthful.

"You want to sleep at a time like this? Don't you realize you're the center of this whole situation?" Emma Winter snapped.

"Well... this seems like a matter between sisters. As an outsider, I shouldn't get involved," Alex ventured carefully.

"Outsider? After moving in with her?" Emma Winter's sarcasm could have frozen hell over.

"Living together and sleeping together are two very different things! Emma and I have a purely platonic relationship. Please don't misunderstand!" Alex tried to explain.

"Then what about those matching outfits?" Emma Winter pressed suspiciously.

"If you knew your sister well, you wouldn't need me to explain," Alex replied diplomatically.

Before Emma Winter could respond, Emma Carter suddenly snuggled up to Alex with tears in her eyes. "Darling, are you trying to abandon me?"

"D-darling?" Alex stammered, looking between Emma's theatrical performance and Emma Winter's thunderous expression.

"Darling, don't you want me anymore? Didn't we promise I'd serve you forever?" Emma Carter continued, playing the role of wronged wife to perfection.

"Miss, please stop making things up! When did I ever make such promises?" Alex tried to edge away from her sparkly-eyed gaze.

"I won't let you treat him like that!" Emma Carter suddenly pushed away Emma Winter's hand as she reached for Alex's collar.

"Have you lost your mind? Even after how he's treating you, you still defend him?" Emma Winter demanded.

"Your honor, I plead innocent! Emma, please stop playing and explain!" Alex begged.

"Darling... you really don't want me anymore? I suppose I was just your plaything. I'll try to forget everything... I wish you happiness!" With that dramatic declaration, Emma Carter covered her face and fled to her room.

"Honey, wait—" Alex called after her, then immediately regretted letting the endearment slip.

"So now it's 'honey'? You still deny your relationship?" Emma Winter's voice had turned deadly quiet.

"I'll give you thirteen thousand for her - no haggling! Take her and go!" Alex finally snapped. Better to cut his losses now than let this drama continue.

"You... I never thought you'd try to put a price on my sister! I'll get the money right now!" Emma Winter stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Alex groaned. Then he remembered Emma Carter and went to her door, only to find it locked - for the first time since she'd moved in.

"Emma, you ungrateful woman! Come out and explain what just happened!" Alex pounded on the door.

"*sob* What's there to explain? *sob*" came the theatrical crying from inside.

Damn, this woman was too good an actress! It almost sounded real!

Alex retreated to the kitchen for another glass of ice water. He collapsed onto the sofa, where some third-rate soap opera was playing on TV - all ridiculous plot twists about mothers and daughters or sisters fighting over...

Oh. He'd just insulted himself, hadn't he?

*Bang bang bang!* An urgent knocking interrupted his self-pity. He opened the door to find Emma Winter holding a large bag. She pushed past him and emptied it onto the coffee table - thirteen neat stacks of cash.

"Here's your thirteen thousand. Take it!" she said coldly.

Impressive. She'd actually produced that much cash at this hour. The banks were closed, and ATMs had limits... rich people really were different. They just kept that kind of money lying around.

"Money accepted. Now go get your sister - and don't blame me if I have to break down her door!" Alex gathered up the cash and retreated to his room, placing it beside his pillow. He quickly closed his door, not wanting to witness the inevitable sisterly showdown.

Time to be a good boy and go to sleep!

*Knock knock knock!* To Alex's surprise, instead of the expected sisterly confrontation, there was a gentle knocking at his door about fifteen minutes later.

"What now?" Alex opened the door to find Emma Winter still radiating fury.

Without a word, she pushed past him into the room and closed the door.

"What are you planning? I'll have you know I'm a perfect gentleman!" Alex backed away, eyeing her warily. "A man and woman alone in a bedroom - this isn't proper!"

"Stop talking nonsense. Do you have an extra blanket?" Emma Winter asked brusquely.

"Just say what you want - why act mysterious?" Alex retreated to his bed.

"Give me a blanket. I'm sleeping here tonight!"

"What? Are you planning to... no!" Alex quickly pulled his covers up protectively. While Emma Winter was undeniably attractive when she wasn't trying to kill him, this was too sudden! Though if she insisted... well, he was only human after all...

"Stop looking so disgusted!" Emma Winter snapped. "While my sister and I may be rivals, she's clearly not thinking straight right now. This has become a matter of class warfare!"

"No extra blankets," Alex replied firmly. These sisters both seemed to have a few screws loose.

"No?" Emma Winter's cold smile sent chills down his spine. She marched over and yanked his blanket away before he could stop her. She spread it on the floor between his bed and the window, then lay down fully clothed.

"If you try anything during the night, I'll make sure you never father children," she warned darkly.

"Hmph! If you try anything with me, I'll show you what being a real woman feels like!" Alex shot back.

"You!" Emma Winter jumped up and aimed a kick at him that nearly connected with a very sensitive area.

"What? Are you not a virgin anymore?" Alex asked with exaggerated concern while rubbing his thigh where she'd actually kicked him. That had been close!

"Want to test that theory?"

"I'll pass!"

They turned off the lights and lay in their respective spots - Alex on the bed and Emma Winter on the floor. At least it was summer, so no blanket wasn't a real hardship.

About thirty minutes later, just as Alex was drifting off, there was another knock at the door. Emma Carter tiptoed in wearing her pajamas.

These sisters hadn't planned this together, had they?

"Alex... Alex... are you asleep?" Emma whispered, gently shaking him.

"I thought you were never coming out of your room," Alex replied dryly.

"Hehe, where's my sister?" Emma asked.

"Dead," Alex gestured vaguely toward Emma Winter's form on the floor. Emma Carter apparently thought he meant her sister had left.

"Oh good!" She smiled brightly. "Move over!"

"Miss, what game are you playing now?" Alex sighed wearily. Getting into bed? With her sister right there on the floor?

"Just for a little while! A double bed is wasted on one person. Come on, move!" Without waiting for permission, Emma climbed in beside him.

"You..." Alex could clearly see Emma Winter's murderous glare in the moonlight filtering through the curtains.

"Wow, that's a lot of money! Did my sister give you this?" Emma spotted the stacks of cash by the pillow.

"Yes, it's the ransom money to get rid of you," Alex grumbled, wondering what new drama this heiress was about to create.