“As dumb as I know you think I am,” Richie sighed down the phone as I walked to the bed and sat down. “There was no way she did what happened to Thatch. For starters, he’s twice her size.”
“This was Wallace,” I repeated. “I don’t care what your witnesses are saying. I saw him outside my apartment last night, with a couple of heavies and his two sidekicks last night. And I can prove it. I have my own cameras set up in that garage, and I have one on the roof of the building, pointing at the front entrance. He might have got the security footage from the building, but he didn’t get his hands on my footage. I just need to access my system; then I can pull it down from the cloud.”
“But I don’t understand, Jax,” Richie said, sounding completely stunned. “Why would he do something like this?”
“Because Thatcher discovered that there was no stalker,” I explained quickly. “It was all Jacob's idea. He arranged everything.”
“I don’t understand,” he said, sounding even more confused than before. “Why would he do that to his wife?”
“Because he’s a sick son of a bitch,” I growled, feeling angry that I had been taken in by Wallace, even for a short while. “Look, I am staying at The Four Seasons. I need you to come here and talk to us, but I think you need to keep our location to a need to know bases. Right now, you’re the only one that needs to know. This asshole is all kinds of dirty, and I don’t know where he has eyes watching.”
“You think there is someone in the police department that would tell him…” Richie began to argue.
“I don’t know,” I sighed, before adding. “You don’t know this asshole, Rich. I don’t trust him. He got the CCTV from my building last night. What’s to stop him from having a little spy in a few other places.”
“Fine,” Richie sighed. “But this better be good, Jax. I can’t take down someone like Jacob Wallace on your gut.”
“I promise,” I said, knowing that this thing was not going to be cut and dry. “If it was him that hurt Thatch, I have the footage.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour,” Richie informed me before he said his goodbyes.
I hung up the phone, dropping it on the bed beside me, then flopped back onto the bed, releasing a long sigh.
“Things are bad,” Ally's voice came from the doorway, almost killing me with fright. I instantly climbed up from the bed, quickly closing the distance between Ally and me. “Aren’t they?”
“How long have you been there?” I asked, slipping my arms around her waist, drawing her closer to me. She was wearing my shirt from the night before, making her look so sexy, it was hard to concentrate.
“Not long,” she replied, looking up into my eyes. “But long enough to know from the tone of your voice that things aren’t good.”
“No,” I sighed, knowing I was going to have to tell her about Thatcher. “Things are not good.”
I opened my mouth to continue, but Ally leaned up and kissed me, stopping me from speaking.
“I know there is something you want to tell me,” she whispered, giving me a sad smile. “And I know from the look on your face it’s bad. But in an hour, Detective Monroe will be here, and everything is going to turn to crap. Right now, I’m not ready to burst my happy bubble from last night. So, with that in mind…”
She pulled back from me, reaching for my hand.
“Shower with me,” she purred as she gently pulled me back towards the other room, before leading me to the bathroom.
As she slowly took off my shirt, I knew the right thing to do was tell her what was happening right away; she needed to know what happened to Thatcher. But I also knew she was right; in just an hour, Richie would be here, and her life would be pulled apart completely.
So, I dropped my boxer shorts down to the floor, then led Ally into the shower.
As we stood beneath the hot jets of water, I found her lips with mine, and for the briefest moment, I allowed myself to forget about everything else and pretend that even for these few moments, there was just Ally and me.
Suddenly, a wave of need consumed me, and I quickly moved Ally backward, pinning her against the wall of the shower, before I lifted her up in my arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around my waist as her hands pressed against my shoulders, pushing against me to hold herself up.
Moving slightly, I brushed the head of my painfully hard cock against her before pushing into her as she cried out in pleasure. The sounds she made as she reacted to my every touch had quickly become my favourite sound in the world. Each cry, each moan, just pushed me on more.
“Ally!” I groaned against her mouth before I kissed her as I had never kissed anyone before. I don’t know what it is about this girl, but she fills me with so much passion, I can barely catch my breath.
I kissed her hard as I drove into her, over and over. I needed this. I needed her. She was like my solace in a world that made no sense.
As I push Ally closer to the edge, she wraps her arms tightly around my neck, burying her face into my neck. I pushed harder and harder until finally she threw her head back and cried out in pleasure. Moments later, I cried out too, as I came hard, before slumping against the wall of the shower.
“Ally,” I gasped, feeling my legs tremble as I tried to hold us both up. “Promise me that I’m never going to lose you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, now that I have you.”
“I promise,” she said, lifting her head, smiling up at me. “There is nowhere else I could ever want to be.”
“This is all my fault,” Ally breathed out, her eyes staring blankly ahead as tears spilled down her face. “If I hadn’t left the house…”
“This was not your fault,” Travis, who had joined us in the room when Richie arrived, said as he sat down on the bed next to Ally. I stood by the door to the adjoining room and watched her closely, feeling like somehow, I had let her down once more. “This was all his fault. He did this to Thatcher, and he did this to you.”
He turned to me and gave me a worried look.
“Jax,” he continued, now sounding almost as panicked as Ally did. “We need to help her get some kind of restraining order or something to keep her safe from this crazy asshole.”
I nod, but I knew deep in my heart that if Jacob wanted to get to Ally, a piece of paper is not going to stand in his way. He was someone that was used to having everything his own way. He didn’t know how to back down.
“Ally,” Richie said, pulling his chair closer to her. “I know this is all very scary, but we need your help.”
“How can I help?” She asked, looking up into his face. “The only thing I know is what Thatcher told Jaxson last night. That and the fact that Jacob has a temper.”
She looked down at her wrist and sighed.
“He did this to my wrist yesterday because I wanted to help prepare for a party,” she shrugged as she looked up at Richie once more. “And he hit me a couple of weeks ago because I got drunk with my friend. Other than that, the bruises I usually had, came from him grabbing my arms when he was angry or when we…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but I knew she meant when they had sex. Instantly, my mind went back to the night he fucked her in his office just to send me a message. My stomach clenched in anger.
“Do you have any idea who the man is that Lynn heard him talking about?” Richie asked, giving her a hopeful look. “Anything that could confirm that what she told Thatcher is true.”
She stared into space once more, and I knew she was desperately trying to think of anything that might help.
“There was a cheque,” she said, looking up at Richie suddenly as if something sparked in her memory. “It was weeks ago. Just before the whole stalking thing began, it was for twenty-thousand dollars. The name on it was… Martin Stroll, I think. Actually, it was a cashier’s cheque. It was on Jacob’s desk. I asked about the guy a few days later, and Jacob looked a little thrown when I said the name. He said he didn’t know anyone by that name. But he does. He wrote h
im that cheque. Why would he lie?”
“Stroll is the name that Thatch said Lynn heard,” I added, even though I knew Richie would have written that down already.
“That’s a big help, Ally,” Richie said, giving her a reassuring smile before Ally glanced at me, and I smiled at her too before Richie continued. “I will run a background check on this asshole. Then probably pick him up. If we can connect him to Jacob, then I think Mr. Wallace has a lot more explaining to do.”
“And what about Thatcher?” Ally asked, knowing that there was no way that Jacob should get away with this. “What about what happened to him. If Jacob did this to him, then he needs to pay for that.”
“Oh, he will,” Richie said, looking from Ally to me. “With the footage from Jax’s laptop, there is no question that Jacob was involved. He was there with those other men, and depending on if Thatch pulls through or not, it will determine what charges will be brought against him. We will be picking him up today.”
“So, you’re going to charge him?” Ally asked, looking almost relieved at this news. “He will go to jail?”
“We will be bringing him in for questioning today, Ally,” Richie reassured her, but he couldn’t promise her that he would be locked up. “And there will be charges in relation to the attack on Thatcher Jones. Also, if there is any proof at all that Jacob is behind the stalking situation, then he will have to answer for that too. But someone like Jacob will have the very best solicitors in the world. They will probably have him out on bail before the day is over. In the meantime, I agree with Travis. I would get a restraining order put in place as soon as possible. It might not stop Jacob from trying to contact you, but if he does turn up here, he will be picked by the police, and his bail will be revoked.”
“I was thinking that maybe we should take Ally away from here,” I suggested to Richie, knowing that even if Jacob was locked up, he still had to resources to get to Ally if he really wanted to. “I was thinking about maybe taking her back to New Jersey to see her parents. I would go with her, of course, as would Travis.”
“Jax, I can’t just leave,” Travis sighed, and I knew this was asking a lot of him. I also knew that he would be someone Jacob could target just to get back at me, so there was no way I was leaving him here. I made that mistake with Thatcher; I was not going to do the same thing with Travis too. “I have work…”
“And I can’t leave you here, Trav,” I stopped him mid-sentence. “Jacob could come after you if he can’t get to me. You don’t know what this guy is capable of. None of us do. Please don’t ask me to leave you on your own here.”
“Please, Travis,” Ally begged, reaching for his hand, as fresh tears danced in her eyes. “I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me. Promise me that you’ll come with us.”
Travis released a long sigh, then gave Ally a smile.
“Fine!” He sighed, squeezing Ally’s hand. “I will go if it will make you happy.”
But then he looked at me and gave me a worried look.
“But I can’t go forever, Jax,” he added, giving me a knowing look. “I know you’re worried about me, but I’m a big boy. And the fact is, I love my job, and I’m not going to let this asshole ruin my life.”
“I promise it won’t be forever,” I said to him as I walked towards the bed where he and Ally were sitting, then crouched down in front of her, taking hold of her hands. “I promise you, too, that everything is going to be okay. But I think while Richie has Jacob at the station for questioning, it would be a perfect time for us to go back to the house. We can pack whatever you need, and then you never have to go back there again. Then I will take you home to visit your mother and father.”
“What if Jacob comes back while we’re there,” she asked, giving me a worried look.
“He won’t,” Richie assured her. “I will hold him for as long as you need to pack your belongings. If I have to let him walk, I will call Jaxson to give you enough time to leave before he gets there.”
“I just need you to be brave one more time,” I said, giving her a pleading look.
“Okay,” she said, giving me a nod, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
“Give me an hour to pick this asshole up,” Richie said as I stood up and started towards the door. “I will call you once the coast is clear.”
“Thanks, Richie,” I said as I walked him to the door.
When we reached the door, he stopped and looked at me.
“You know that Jacob will be expecting her to go back to her parents,” Richie whispered in a hushed voice. “She might not be safe there either. This guy seems to think he is untouchable. Turning up at your place the way he did shows, he thinks that he can do pretty much anything he likes, and he won’t have to explain himself.”
“I know,” I sighed, knowing that keeping her safe might be harder than it seemed. “But I have an idea. I just need to get her out of DC first.”
“Just keep me posted as to where you are,” Richie asked me. “And take care of yourself.”
“I will,” I promised before Richie disappeared out through the door.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and headed back into the room to where Ally and Travis were waiting, knowing that until I got Ally away from the city and somewhere safe, she was not safe, and I couldn’t take anything for granted.
Chapter 23
Ally
The drive back to New Jersey was long and quiet, for the most part. For the journey, I chose to climb into the back seat of the car, letting Travis ride up front with Jaxson. I needed some time to myself to try and collect my thoughts before I reached my parent’s house.
I knew I would have to tell my mom and dad everything, from what had happened with Jacob to the truth about Jaxson and me, every last detail. And if I was honest, I didn’t know where I was even going to start.
I assured Jaxson that everything would be fine with my parents, but I knew they wouldn’t be thrilled about the fact my marriage had barely ended, I was already in another relationship. I tried my hardest to act like it wasn’t a big thing; that they would just be relieved I was okay, but I knew I was failing miserably.
Even as I was lost in thought, my forehead pressed against the cold glass as we drove along, I was aware that Jaxson was watching me in the rear-view mirror as he drove. I knew he was worried. He thought I was freaking out and unsure of everything, including him and me. And maybe I was freaking out about a lot of things if I was honest. But as far as he and I were concerned, we were the one thing I was certain of.
An hour after Detective Monroe left the hotel room, he called Jaxson to say that Jacob had been picked up and taken in for questioning, so we were free to go back to the house to pick up my things. I had decided that I would fill two suitcases, anything that didn’t fit would be left behind. It seemed easy enough.
However, walking back into the house with Jaxson felt stranger than I thought it would. Almost like I was walking into someone else’s home.
Detective Monroe had sent two uniformed officers to remain outside the house while we were there, just to ensure that I was completely safe. But until I was out of that house once more, there was no way I could relax.
As I was going through my stuff in the closet, I found a box of things that had belonged to me before I moved in with Jacob. Personal effects, old framed photos, knickknacks, and memories.
When I moved into the house, it became clear quickly that there was no room in Jacob’s home for my silly, sentimental belongings. Looking back now, I should have seen that as the first warning sign, but I was so infatuated with him back then, I would make excuses for every little thing that he did, things that should have sent me running for the hills.
“How’s it going?” Jaxson said from the doorway as I sat on the floor, going through the box.
“Okay,” I smiled before I returned my focus to the collection on jumble in front of me. “It’s hard to pick what to take and what to leave.”
�
��You know you don’t have to leave any of it,” Jaxson said as he too sat down on the floor next to me. “I mean, I know you said you would only take two cases, but this is your life, Ally. These are all your belongings. We can fill the car and leave your stuff back in my place before we hit the road.”
“I don’t want to be any trouble,” I shrug, knowing that if Jacob were here, he would struggle to hold back his irritation at my indecisiveness.
“Why would you think this was any trouble?” Jaxson asked as he reached for my hand. “These things matter to you, so that means they matter to me too.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at him for a moment, but knowing deep down inside, he meant it. I needed to remember that he wasn’t Jacob.
“How am I ever going to repair what he’s done to you,” Jaxson sighed sadly as he reached out and softly touched my face. “What will it take to make you see that you matter. That you mean more than anything else in this world to me.”
I close my eyes and lean into his touch, knowing that I needed to be the woman I once was. The woman I was before Jacob broke me into pieces.
He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips.
“Do you know how much I love you?” He whispered against my mouth. “I need you to know; you’re safe with me.”
“I know I am,” I breathed out as I opened my eyes, looking up into Jaxson’s, giving him a grateful smile.
“Good,” he replied and smiled too. “Now, let’s get some more bags and get you packed because we are leaving nothing behind.”
Once we finished packing my belongings, we left the house, heading straight back to Jaxson's apartment, where we dropped off the things that I wasn’t taking to my parent’s house.
Jaxson also grabbed some extra things for him and Travis, before we headed back to the hotel to pick Travis up.
“We should get there before it gets too dark,” Jaxson said suddenly from the front seat, pulling me back to the present.
I lifted my head from the cold glass and gave him a smile when my eyes met his in the rear-view mirror.
Monster Page 22