by Barb Shuler
* * *
I woke with a jolt, slamming my head back against something hard. I glanced back to see a tree. Tree? It took me a minute to gather my wits about where I was. I was at the center, I was safe. It was then that I noticed what had jerked me awake. Thor. He was nosing and licking on the side of my face. When I was able to focus through the blurriness of my tears I saw a pretty young girl standing before me, with a tennis ball in her hand.
12
Heart Broken
Kristol
As I scanned the yard the girl was the only one I saw. I looked back down at her hand and saw her flex her fingers around the ball. Thor was still rubbing his muzzle against me and I patted his side.
“It’s okay, buddy-” my voice cracked and it was all I could do to clamp my eyes shut to keep the flood of tears rushing into them from falling.
There was a slight shuffling beside me which pulled my eyes open. The young girl - who looked familiar now that she was closer - was sitting close to me on the ground. I’d seen her around, but damn, I kept to myself so much, I couldn’t remember her name. She sat on the ground so she was facing me, that ball still in her hand. I watched her for a minute before she spoke.
“Hi… I’m Lana…” she gave me a small smile and a little wave. I relaxed and couldn’t help but smile back.
“Hi,” I said, wiping tears from my eyes. “Sorry, bad dream.”
“It’s okay, we all have them sometimes.”
I noticed her rolling the ball in her hand and I looked down at Thor who was laying against my leg watching her and the ball. “I see you’ve made friends with Thor?” she nodded.
“He’s a good puppy. Listens well, too,” she said as she looked down at him.
“He does listen well. I got lucky when he found me,” I said. My heart rate was finally back to normal and I felt the panic that the dream brought in push it’s way out of me. “How old are you, Lana?”
“Almost sixteen… you mumbled something about babies…. I wasn’t being nosy, I promise. You just… you looked like you needed a friend right now,” she mumbled and my heart broke a little more.
To see her worrying about me, someone she didn’t know.. It made the tears in my eyes start to fall down my cheeks. I took a deep breath and wiped at my face. I gave a glance around and sighed softly.
“I miss my family. I had to leave in a hurry,” I said. I looked her over and couldn’t help but notice there was a small yellowing bruise on her arm. She had on a long sleeved shirt with shorts. It’s Texas, and hot as fuck. Why was she wearing a long sleeved shirt? I looked again and noticed that mark… it looked like a bruise.
I reached over slightly and ran a finger over the spot I could see. It was my way of taking the spotlight off of me. Lana shifted slightly as I pushed my finger up higher. It was then that I saw it in full. Someone had grabbed her arm. It was a mark of someone’s fingers. The anger to inside me grew. With shaky fingers I looked up from her arm to meet her gaze.
“Who gave you that, kiddo?” Kiddo? Good Lord, I was only a few years older than she was. I let out a ragged breath as she shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said looking down at her lap. She twisted her fingers in the hem of her shirt.
“Hey, it does matter,” I said taking her hand. “You can tell me.”
“It-it was a boy at school. He’s always bothering me. I don’t want my brother or sister to see it. Or.. Derek and Carter. It would upset them. He’s just a big flipping bully,” she said with a little more emotion. I could see she was fighting back tears now.
“Who? Is it someone you know, or just some random bully?”
“Conner - he’s just a bully. I try to avoid him. I- I should be in school now, but.. I skipped the last class… so I didn’t have to see him,” she stuttered out.
“Conner?”
“Yeah, Connor Jacobs. He- those Jacobs boys are…” she looked around and whispered, “assholes. They harass us all the time. I don’t like him, but… the principal is no help at keeping him away. Carter and Derek usually stay with me… ya know, so he will leave me be. He said he wanted me to be his girlfriend.. but I never liked him like that. He didn’t like hearing me say no. It’s like he doesn’t listen.”
As she spoke I felt a cold chill run through me. He was doing this in town, in school nonetheless, and no one was stopping him? Had they all lost their damn minds? Wait… no, that wasn’t gonna float.
I looked at her as I spoke, “Co-conner Jacobs?” I asked just to make sure I had heard her correctly and it was all in my head. At her nod I stood up.
Oh, the fire was burning now. It was one thing for those assholes to do this to me, but I was not letting any of them do this to another person. School, she said he was at the school. I took off running. The back door slammed behind me. I needed to tell Jackson… about them… and who I was.
It was time to let it out, but after I did what I should have years ago. Jackson would be upset, but I had to do this. Right now, Conner fucking Jacobs was mine. He was gonna be the prey, and I was gonna be the motherfucking punisher.
Ten minutes later I was standing in front of the school panting from exertion and anger. I’d heard them calling my name. I’d even heard a few people calling out after me as I ran down the street, but I wasn’t stopping. I stormed up towards the main entrance and then went back down the driveway. I paced while I waited, and as soon as I heard his booming laughter I pushed my way to him. He was almost at the sidewalk when I charged. I balled my fist and socked him one, right in the jaw. His head snapped back with a crack and the crowd around us backed away slightly. They went silent almost instantly. When he saw it was me, he blanched.
“Kristol? Holy shit...” his eyes were wide with disbelief. I took the advantage of his shock and used it - I hit him again. That seemed to snap him out of his daze and he grabbed at me.
“That’s right, you little fucker, I’m still alive!” I yelled at him as I swung again. He grabbed my casted arm this time and flipped it behind me. I let out a cry of pain. Fuck, that hurt...
My foot came down on his as I threw my head back. The moment I heard the crack he let go of me. I swung around, using the momentum of him shoving me slightly and my cast hit him across his cheek. The reverberation that shot through me made it feel as if my arm had snapped again. I didn’t care. Through tears of pain I swung again, but this time all I got was air. A meaty arm clamped around me. I panted and tried to fight my way out of the grip. I wasn’t finished with this fucking bastard.
“Calm down!” the man holding me said. I shook my head and screamed.
“Let me GO!” I flailed, trying to get purchase. A good kick, a hit, anything. I got nothing, until Jackson was in my face. Literally. In my fucking face. The anger that flashed across his features sent a pain through my gut. He cupped my chin between his thumb and forefinger and made me look him in the eye.
“Kristol…” I tried to pull away but he held me firm. He wasn’t hurting me, but he was commanding my attention. My entire body was shaking with pain, fear and a whole mess of shit I shouldn’t be feeling right now. His gentleness just did something to me.
“What are you doin?” he asked assertively. My gaze went to Connor, who was holding his cheek. He sneered at me before I flicked my eyes back to Jackson. I still said nothing.
“Bitch is fucking crazy,” Conner called out with a slight lisp to his words.
I smirked to myself. I had clocked him good. Too bad I couldn’t have landed that last hit. It would have knocked him around the bend a little more. Slimy little turd thought he was invincible. Guess his daddy didn’t give him any common sense to go along with the male ego he had.
“You, shut the fuck up,” someone called out from behind me.
I just stood there. I went limp in the arms that held me. I just needed a little bit of wiggle room. Their mistake was letting me go completely. Once I was on my feet and they thought I was calm again, I charged Conner, but alas, no contact was mad
e.
Again, I was pulled back against a very hard chest. One I knew all too well. I heard Jackson inhale and let out a string of curses. I stilled when I realized why he did that... Oh God, I’d hurt him. He was still healing from his own injuries from the night he rescued me from the fire. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. I could feel tears brimming in my eyes. The burn was becoming a struggle to hide. I would not let Connor see me cry.
“See, the little cunt is fucking crazy,” Conner sneered before it was replaced by a smirk. “I guess I’m gonna call Dad,” he said and my heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe. He was calling Travis.. No, he couldn’t. I started to fight to get free.
“Conner, I will rip you into pieces! You bastard!” I screamed, my tears falling for many reasons now. They still had my babies. Oh God, what had I done?
“You wanna talk to your mom when I call?” he asked, holding out a cell phone. Jackson stiffened behind me and the collective gasp said it all. I straightened in his hold, his fingers digging harder into my hip as he held me to him.
“I. Will. Kill. You!” I said, my chest heaving.
“What does he mean, your mom?” It was the Sheriff that was now in my face. I looked down at the ground, shaking under his glare.
“Oh, she didn’t tell you?” Conner taunted from the sidewalk. “She’s my sister.”
“Your… what?”
“Oh, hell no,” I glanced over and saw Stella there, her hands on her hips, glaring at us both.
Shit...
“S-step…” I took a deep breath, the cocky bastard was smirking at me. My anger spiked again and I yelled, “STEP SISTER! My mom married that misogynistic, chauvinistic, wife beatin’, dirty, rotten piece of human waste. I am NOT kin to this piece of shit. Or any of those goddamn maniacs! Go ahead Conner, call your fucking daddy. I. FUCKING. DARE. YOU!” I snarled.
“Get her out of here. Take her to the station. Connor, go home,” Gabe said. I held up a hand.
“Wait, I came here for a reason.”
“No, go to the station,” the Sheriff said.
“WAIT!” I snarled.
I sucked in a deep breath when they all looked at me.
“Connor, if you ever come near Lana and hurt her or any other female again… I will make what I did to you when you tried to rape me look like Jason Vorhees had a bad day. I will break your limp dick off this time and shove it down your throat. Willie won’t be there to save you this time. Heed my words, I will not be stopped if there is a next time,” I glared as I spoke each word.
“Fucking cunt,” Conner snarled.
That was all it took before he was on the ground and another officer was being pulled off of him. Conner was put into handcuffs, though. So, I won. He wouldn’t be able to call his dad yet. I still had a chance to get my babies out, and keep them safe.
I walked with Jackson and his brother to a Jeep. He helped me in and we were all silent as we drove away. I assumed we were headed to the station as the Sheriff had ordered. I let my tears fall.
It was time to tell everything… and I really hoped he didn’t completely hate me afterwards.
13
Panic Sets In
Jackson
Had that really happened? Fuck. As I paced the station’s main room I glanced over at Kristol, who was curled up on the couch with Thor. Stella and Dani Lynn were on either side of her. She hadn’t stopped crying since Gabe let Connor make his one phone call. She wouldn’t say why.
I was so mad at the situation that I wasn’t sure how to act. Did I try to hold her? Did I yell at Conner? Yell at Gabe? What in the fuck was a guy to do? My girl.. She was hurting and I was fucking helpless to do a goddamn thing about it.
When Anna, Trevor and Peter walked in I knew it was time to get shit out in the open. I motioned to the back room where Lana, Derek and Carter were. Lana was upset that she’d made Kristol go off the deep end. Derek had to be talked off the ledge, though, I voted to let him beat the shit out of Conner. I was fighting the need to pound into something myself, so I got it. I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard Dani Lynn’s voice raise over everyone else.
“Kristol, look at me. You need to breathe. Come on, babe,” her tone was calm, but I could hear the panic in it. I moved to the couch where they were and reached to cup one side of Kristol’s face.
“Kris, hey, come on, baby, breathe. In and out. You can do it, come on, baby,” I made her look at me but she was shaking so bad, then her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Thor was whining and licking at her face. “Someone go get Doc G! Now!”
“I already called him, he’s on the way,” Stella said. She was trying to get Kristol to sit up as we shifted her.
“Put her head between her knees, she’s having a panic attack,” I glanced at Dani Lynn and nodded as I tugged Kristol by her top and she fell forward.
“Come on baby, breathe. You can’t do this to me, not now,” I pleaded with her.
“Move to the side, please,” I looked up to see the Doctor from the hospital and moved to the side, giving Stella a look. She blinked and we both looked at Doc G when he came in.
“It’s alright, this is Doctor Grant, as well. My granddaughter, Shelby Rae Grant,” Doc G said as he moved to sit beside Kristol on the couch. Shelby was on her knees before her.
“Hey, Kristol, remember me? I need you to look at me, okay? Can you do that?” she shuffled a bit to take a hold of Kristol’s arm. “I’ve got a little something that will help you calm down. You’re gonna feel a stick,” Shelby said as she held Kristol’s arm. I heard voices behind us and looked up to see Lana, Anna and the boys come out the back office.
“Kristol!” Lana said as she moved closer. “Is- is she okay?” I nodded and gave her a one armed hug.
“She will be, kid. She had a panic attack. Can you get Thor and hold him out of the way?”
“Yeah, sure,” she said as she ducked in and scooped him up with a grunt. He was getting heavy, so I felt her pain there.
She moved to stand with Derek, who put his arm around her and tried to distract Thor. Poor pup was whining and determined to get back to Kristol. I stood stock still as I waited for Kristol to come back to us. It didn’t take long before she was breathing normally. Doc G looked up at me.
“She have any breathing problems? Asthma, anything like that?” I shook my head at him.
“Not that I am aware of, but she’s had a few panic attacks over the last few weeks. This one was... bad, though,” I said as I watched her.
“Dani Lynn, have you been observing her?” Doc G asked and she nodded, flicking a glance at me.
“She’s not doing as bad now as she was at first but… I think things have escalated to the point that she is trying to hold it all inside. She can’t do that. It will tear her in two,” she said.
“What started this attack? What was she doing?”
“Sitting here, crying. There was an altercation earlier and she’s been upset since then. Family drama,” Dani Lynn shrugged a bit. “I can’t say I’ve got a handle on the full scope of the situation, but something has her freaked the fuck out. If she doesn’t let it out, it’s gonna kill her,” Dani Lynn looked at me and I sighed.
“She didn’t have the best family life. I don’t know everything, but what I do know has me not sleeping at night. Shelby, you know the marks on her, the ones you asked about at the hospital?” I asked. She looked up at me as she took Kristol’s BP.
“Let me guess, they were not self inflicted?” she raised a brow and I nodded.
“Bubba?” Drew said and I held up a hand.
“I’m sorry, it wasn’t mine to tell before.. I shouldn’t have said it in front of you all, but she needs us to help her fight these demons,” I said, my voice cracking slightly.
“S-stop talkin’ about me like I’m not here,” Kristol stuttered out and I moved closer.
“Hey, you can kick my butt later, okay.” I said, squeezing her hand in mine.
“Dude, she’s a fighter, let h
er get scrappy. You saw what she did to Conner. Pow, right in the kisser. We could sell t-shirts that said, ‘I slapped Connor Jacobs’... People would buy that shit up,” Stella said in a rush.
There was a groan behind me and I couldn’t help but laugh as Trevor started in on Stella.
“Stell, enough with the Steel Magnolias shit. You’ve been doing that all week,” he said, sounding tired.
“She’s got Shayna doing it again too. They were watching that damn movie when I got home the other night. It made me want to stab my eyes out,” Peter grimaced.
“You can’t be mad. It’s not our fault you were confused by your own shit the other night. You didn’t know whether to scratch your watch or wind your butt,” Dani Lynn and Stella said the last part in unison then they high fived each other.
I snorted. Jesus, these girls were crazy. I looked back up to see Kristol looking at me, a smile pulling at her lips. I gave her a gentle smile and pulled her hand to my lips to kiss her knuckles.
“Feeling better?” I asked. Shelby set her things back in her bag and looked at Kristol, waiting for her to answer.
“Yeah… my arm hurts like hell, though,” she said sounding a little spaced out. “I… he has a hard fucking head… it’s all I had to use.”
“See, I told ya.. Scrappy,” Stella said, grinning.
“I can get you something for the pain, but I’d like you to come to the office and let me xray it, just in case,” Shelby said, standing up. Doc G stood, a little slower than usual. The man was old after all.
“Okay,” Kristol said, a small smile on her face.
“Jackson, Andrew, Charles, my office, now!” I jerked my head up as Gabe called out to us. I looked at Drew, who shrugged. Dani Lynn raised a brow at us and I shrugged.