JACKSON

by Davis, Siobhan

  “What if he finds proof we killed those bastards? It wouldn’t really matter then.”

  “There is no evidence to find. Anything that’s left of Montgomery lies at the bottom of the ocean. Mathers’s charred remains are dust particles floating in the wind, and Johnson smashed his teeth and fed them to an incinerator. There is no way to prove those bastards are even dead let alone that we’re responsible.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “He’ll come after us, at some point, because he won’t appreciate that we have him over a barrel, but we’ll be ready for him, and you’re well protected, my love. I promised you no one would ever hurt you again and I meant it.”

  We still have twenty-four-seven bodyguard protection, and I know we will until the elite threat is no longer a risk, but I welcome it. It makes me feel safe, as does my husband and his friends. They are smart, and they would all kill if anyone came near us. However, it doesn’t stop doubts from infiltrating my happy bubble from time to time.

  “We’re here,” Jackson says, slowing to a halt in front of large wooden entrance gates. The property is bordered on both sides by tall cream brick walls and leafy woodland. Barbed wire and security cameras reside atop the walls confirming they take the safety of their residents seriously. The overhead sign reads “Moonlight,” and underneath it is “Support. Survive. Thrive.”

  Jackson presses the button on the keypad at the gates, confirming our identity into the speaker, and the gates slowly open. The driveway is long and winding, surrounded by fledgling trees and shrubs on both sides.

  “Holy shit,” I exclaim when we pull up in front of the compound. The space in front of us is massive, clearly spanning acres and acres of private land, extending beyond what my eyes can see. It’s a giant construction site with men in hardhats working on scaffolds while others wander the foot-trampled grass, talking into walkie-talkies. Several buildings are under construction, some at more advanced stages than others.

  Jackson pulls the car into the space beside a mud-spattered black Lincoln Navigator, killing the engine. “Wow. Rick said this place was something else, but I still wasn’t expecting something on this scale.”

  “Nor me,” I agree, climbing out of the car. “It’s really impressive, especially since they are both still at college.” Selena and Keanu are a couple of years older than us, and they are juniors. From what Rick has told us, Selena is a student at Cambridge College and Keanu is attending Harvard. They both walked away from successful modeling careers in the past year, and there has been much discussion online as to the reasons why. Now that I see this place, it all makes sense. There is no way they could take on a project of this size while at college and still working.

  They are such an inspiration, and I’m grateful for today. Not just so Jackson can hear what Selena has to say but for the opportunity to see this place with my own eyes.

  Jackson takes my hand, and we walk over the gravel surface of the parking lot, heading toward the site. Nerves prickle the back of my neck, because I’m anxious for my husband, hoping what he hears today will help him and not set him back. I hold his hand tighter, my heart bursting with love and concern.

  A familiar face steps out of a trailer as we approach the building site. Dark hair peeks out from under his hard hat, matching the dark scruff on his chin and cheeks. He’s tall and broad with toned muscles and dazzling blue eyes that give him away as a Kennedy. Wearing a warm smile, he heads in our direction. “You must be Jackson and Vanessa. Keven told us to expect you today,” he says, extending his arm. “I’m his brother, Kalvin.”

  Holy hotness. He is drop dead gorgeous, and I don’t say that lightly, because my husband is sex on legs. The Kennedys are a big deal in Massachusetts, and the media can’t get enough of them. They are pictured most everywhere they go, and I knew he was one of the brothers the instant I saw him, but, honestly, the pictures I’ve seen haven’t done him justice.

  “Nessa.” Jackson tugs on my hand, his lips pulled into a lopsided grin. He gestures to where Kalvin has his hand in front of me.

  My cheeks heat as I shake his hand. “Sorry. I was daydreaming. This place is incredible.”

  Jackson’s smirk grows. He knows I’m lying—that I was caught drooling. Even though he’s secure in my love, my husband is still prone to bouts of jealousy, so I’m surprised he’s amused. Although that could be the fact Kalvin has a wedding band on his finger and it’s widely known he’s married to his childhood sweetheart, the bestselling author Lana Kennedy.

  Jackson knows there is no reason to feel threatened.

  Now or any other time.

  My heart belongs to him for eternity.

  “It is.” Kalvin turns around, and we drink everything in. “What Selena is doing here is phenomenal. The whole family is involved because we all believe in it and her.”

  Jackson pulls me into his side, circling his arm around me. “We think it’s an amazing thing you’re doing here.”

  “And the sheer scale of it is mind-blowing,” I add, as a couple walk toward us from the other side of the field.

  “And here’s the woman of the hour,” Kalvin says, lifting a shoulder and urging us to walk with him. “I know Sel’s keen to talk with you,” he adds as we advance toward Keanu and Selena. “But I’m sure she’d love to give you a tour first.”

  “That sounds perfect,” I admit because Jackson is tense, and that might help ease him into this.

  “Hey, man.” Kalvin pulls his brother into a hug. “I was just calling it a day when I stumbled across your guests.”

  “We’re a little early,” Jackson says. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s no problem,” Keanu says, offering Jackson his hand. “Thanks for dropping by.”

  There is a striking resemblance between the brothers. Keanu is slightly taller and leaner, and he’s sporting impressive ink on one arm, but he’s equally as hot as his older brother. The Kennedy gene pool really is something else.

  Selena tucks herself into Keanu’s side, smiling shyly at me. “This is my wife, Selena,” Keanu says, beaming proudly at the gorgeous willowy blonde.

  “Nice to meet you,” Jackson says. “And this is my wife, Vanessa.”

  I smile. “It’s lovely to meet you both.”

  “Likewise,” Keanu says.

  “Thank you for agreeing to talk with us,” Jackson says.

  “Any friend of Kev’s is a friend of ours,” Keanu confirms, pinning me with a gorgeous smile.

  “I thought we could show you around first and then talk back at the house?” Selena suggests.

  “I would love a tour,” I confirm, squeezing Jackson’s hand.

  “I hate to bail,” Kalvin says. “But I have a little princess at home waiting for her daddy to take her for ice cream.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet. How old is she?” I inquire.

  “Hayley turned one a few weeks ago,” Kalvin proudly confirms.

  “And she has her daddy wrapped around her pinkie,” Keanu adds.

  Selena smiles. “She has every Kennedy wrapped around her pinkie. She’s a cutie.”

  Kalvin whips out his cell, pulling up a pic of a gorgeous dark-haired little girl and an older boy who is the spitting image of him with the same twinkle in his eye. “This is my little princess Hayley with her brother Hewson.”

  “You have a beautiful family, man,” Jackson says.

  “I’m a lucky bastard,” Kalvin says, leaning in to give Selena a quick hug. “Call me if you need me for anything.”

  “Enjoy your date with your daughter,” Keanu says. “I’m sure we can manage without you for a few hours.”

  “Nice meeting you,” Kalvin says, waving to everyone as he walks off.

  I walk beside Selena as she gives us the grand tour with the guys trailing behind us, chatting away as if they are lifelong friends. Selena explains the purpose of each building as we walk around the site, talking about their plans and dreams that the sanctuary will offer a haven for victims of sexual a
buse to heal. They have thought of everything, and they are offering a whole host of therapies, alternative therapies, schooling, sports, hobbies, and crafts.

  We walk beyond the main construction area, leaving the noise behind the farther we go. I ask Selena questions about her modeling career and college as we trek across open fields. She asks me about RU, and we discuss our shared psychology studies. “This is us,” she says, after twenty minutes, her steps slowing when we reach our destination. Nestled in front of thick woodland is a row of houses with pretty gardens out front. “We are building apartments and houses for our families closer to the main building,” Selena explains. “These will be the resident cottages.”

  “They are beautiful. You really have put so much thought into everything.”

  “I want this to feel like a home away from home,” she adds, opening the door to one of the houses. “And for guests to understand they can stay here as long as they need to.”

  “I wish there had been somewhere like this for my sister,” Jackson says, following us into the open-plan living and dining area. “She was so broken when she returned home, and a peaceful place like this might’ve made all the difference.”

  “Why don’t you sit down and talk, and I’ll make coffee,” Keanu suggests.

  I take my husband’s hand as we sit down on the couch across from Selena.

  “I’m sorry for what happened to Dani,” she says in that soft tone of hers. “She was a wonderful person.”

  Jackson’s entire body turns rigid. “You knew her?” Selena nods. “So, it’s true. She was on that island?” he croaks.

  “For a few months, yes,” Selena confirms.

  Jackson’s chest heaves, and his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. He stares at Selena, but I’m not sure he’s even seeing her. I don’t know where his mind has gone.

  Selena and I share a look as we wait for Jackson to continue.

  “Was she … Did they … What happened to her there?” he asks in a low voice.

  I scoot in closer to his side, wrapping my arms around him, letting him know I’m here for him.

  “I’ll tell you everything I know, which isn’t much, because she wasn’t kept with the rest of us.”

  “Why not?” Jackson asks.

  “I didn’t know at the time, but now, I think it’s because of who she was. Most all of the girls and boys taken to that island were invisibles. Street kids or kids from poor homes. Kids no one would miss or spend too much time looking for.”

  “Except for Dani,” I say, putting it together. “She was the daughter of a wealthy, successful businessman. A man well known in a lot of circles.”

  Selena nods. “Dani might’ve been recognizable to someone on the island, so she was kept in isolation.” She pins sympathetic eyes on Jackson. “I don’t know what was done to her, Jackson, because I only met her twice, and we didn’t talk about that. Most times, none of us did.” She clasps her hands in her lap, looking at the floor when she adds, “No one wanted to relive those horrors.”

  Jackson grabs onto my arm, clinging to me in a way that breaks my heart.

  “I met her twice on the beach,” Selena says, as Keanu walks across the room, depositing a tray on the coffee table. There is a pot of coffee, some mugs, cookies, and some bottles of water.

  I take a bottle of water, handing it to Jackson as Keanu pours coffee into mugs.

  “What was she like?” Jackson asks.

  “Strong,” Selena says. “She was talking to some of the younger kids, trying her best to console them when I first met her. She had this quiet strength about her, and she naturally drew people to her.” Keanu slides his arm around Selena. “She talked to me about her life in New York. She talked about you.” She smiles. “I could tell she adored you. Her eyes used to light up anytime she mentioned her brother.”

  A strangled sound rips from Jackson’s throat, and he hangs his head, his body shaking. Carefully, I take the bottle from his hands, putting it back on the table. Tears prick my eyes as I hug him close, nodding at a concerned Selena to continue. “She told me she wanted to be a dancer like your mom.”

  Jackson sobs, and tears stream down my face. Keanu hugs Selena close, and I can tell this is hard for her too. “She told me you were going to be the greatest Formula 1 racer the world has ever known. How it was in your genes.”

  Jackson totally breaks down, clinging to me as he cries unashamedly, and I’m glad he is getting this out. He spent far too long bottling all his feelings inside, and it was slowly killing him.

  Keanu wipes tears from Selena’s cheeks, pinning me with a sad look.

  “Did she say anything else?” I ask because I don’t think my husband can go on.

  Selena shakes her head. “We talked about her family and her life. That was it. I didn’t contribute a lot to the conversation, but I was content to listen to her speak. She never said it outright, but I knew she believed she’d see her family again. She had hope, and that helped me hang on to the last vestiges of my hope. I thought of her often over the years. Wondered what had happened to her.”

  Dani’s suicide wasn’t reported in the press because Travis, with Ethan Hunt’s help, kept it contained. The family wanted to mourn in private, not have gossipmongers debating what had caused a beautiful, smart girl with a bright future to take her own life.

  Selena closes her eyes, leaning her head on Keanu’s shoulder.

  “Selena was very upset when Keven confirmed what’d happened,” Keanu admits.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss, Jackson,” Selena continues, in a soft tone. “Dani was an amazing person, and I’m sorry she never got to fulfil her dream. With your permission, I would like to name our dance studio in her honor.”

  Jackson looks up, swiping at his red eyes. “The honor would be all ours.” His pained eyes meet mine, and I hold him closer. “I think my mom would love that.”

  She would, and I’m sure she’ll want to get involved in a more active way. Abby too. This cause is close to all our hearts, and there isn’t anyone in our network of friends who hasn’t been impacted by the atrocities the elite has committed. I think everyone will want to donate or volunteer when we explain about this place.

  “We would like to donate,” I blurt, confident in offering this even though Jackson and I haven’t discussed it yet. I sold my apartment last month, and I’d already decided I wanted to donate the proceeds to charity. There is no better recipient than Moonlight. “And I’d like to volunteer my time. If there is anything I can do to help, either now or after I’m qualified, I would love to get involved.”

  “Anything we can both do,” Jackson adds, lifting his head. “It’s too late to help my sister, but the best thing I can do to honor Dani’s memory is to support others who have endured similar traumas. Just let us know what we can do to help and we’re there.”

  _______________

  “These ones,” Jackson says, pointing at the pink, purple, and white bouquet just inside the door of the flower shop. “Dani loved pink and purple.” I take the scented bouquet, handing it to the girl behind the register, and pay for it with my card.

  “I love pink and purple too,” I supply, looping my arm in his as he takes the bouquet from my hand. “Your mom has been pestering me about choosing a color scheme for the wedding, and now, the decision is made.” The date has been set for July, and we’re getting married in this gorgeous castle in Brookline. Laurena is so excited you’d think she was the bride, but I love her enthusiasm, and all her ideas so far have been fantastic, so I’m happy to let her take the reins.

  He presses a kiss to the top of my head before opening the door. “I wish Dani could be there.”

  “She’ll be with us in spirit,” I say as we walk to the car.

  Twenty minutes later, we are standing in front of Dani’s grave at New York City Marble Cemetery. Jackson crouches down, placing the flowers in front of the headstone. He’s been quiet since our visit to the Kennedys yesterday, and I know he’s processing everything.
I didn’t pry, knowing he’d talk when he’s ready. Instead, I let him bury himself inside me for hours last night, offering him the comfort he needed. I sat for hours watching him sleep, praying for him to find peace. When he woke up this morning and asked me if I’d mind a trip to New York to visit his sister’s grave, I saw it as a good sign.

  “Yesterday helped,” he admits, straightening up and pulling me under his arm. “It’s good to know it was her life and her family that kept her going during that time, and that she was able to put aside her own shit to help the younger kids. That’s who my sister was.”

  “She had the best heart.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “And the best brother.” I kiss his cheek. “Did you mention the dance studio to your parents?” I know he called them last night after we got home.

  He nods. “They like the idea, and they are going to donate too.” I knew they would. “Mom’s going to contact Selena to see if she can teach some dance classes.”

  “That would be incredible. I mentioned it to Abby, and she’s keen to get involved too.”

  “We have good people in our lives,” Jackson says, kissing the top of my head.

  I nod as he releases me, holding my ground when he steps forward. “I’m proud of you, sis, for the way you helped others on that island. That you put aside your own pain to be there for the younger kids.” He lays his hand on top of the headstone. “I will never stop missing you, Dani. You will always be in my heart.”

  We walk out of the cemetery, arm in arm, and there’s a newfound calmness surrounding my husband. I know he will always miss his sister and that a part of him will still feel like he could have done more, but he’s come to terms with her death in a way that doesn’t overshadow all the good in his life. I think volunteering and donating to Selena’s sanctuary will go a long way toward keeping any lingering demons at bay. I certainly know it will for me.