Bittersweet

by Francine Pascal

  Liam put his hands on Jessica’s shoulders and she stayed very still. He pulled her close to him and dipped his lips down to meet hers. She stayed completely still as Liam kissed her. She smelled the familiar scent of his cologne. This was Liam, the man she’d been dating, the man who’d listened to her problems all these many weeks. He’d been patient with her and kind. Shouldn’t she just give in?

  And yet…

  The way he touched her now, the way his lips felt on hers, made her feel queasy and nauseous. She hated him touching her. She’d hated it for weeks but hadn’t been able to admit it even to herself. She’d hoped that at some point she would feel the same way about him that Liam felt about her, but that moment never came. She wasn’t attracted to Liam. She never really had been. His touch felt oily and wrong. She wanted him to stop.

  And that wasn’t all. If it had been just a lack of attraction, Jessica could probably have shut her eyes and gotten on with it.

  But there was so much more.

  She was angry. Angry that he’d been stalking her and lying to her about it. Angry that he’d been interfering in her life, ruining her career and chasing away her friends and trying to control everything she did.

  Well, he wasn’t going to control her anymore. She realized she’d been living her life passively for weeks. She hadn’t been her real self. She’d just been some shell-shocked version of Jessica, someone who let other people decide things for her.

  Those days were over.

  Liam didn’t get to decide whom she saw or whom she slept with. Nobody did. She was her own person. This was her life, and she was tired of letting him live it for her.

  “No,” Jessica said, pushing Liam away. Taken by surprise, Liam stumbled back a step. “I don’t want that.”

  “Jessica.” Liam’s voice carried a warning, and his eyes went cold.

  “No. Get out, Liam. Now.” She was angry and let him see it. If he cared about her at all, even the least little bit, he would leave now. “I want you out of this house!”

  “Jessica…”

  “Get out! I want you out, Liam. Go!” She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt the cold metal of the cuticle scissors. She clutched them. If he wasn’t going to go, she was going to make him.

  She couldn’t believe things had gotten this bad. Liam O’Connor was a bona fide movie star. His picture currently graced the cover of Us Weekly. Millions of women would kill to date him, but he was obsessed with her. In this instant she knew she hated him. He wanted her? Too bad. Let him find someone else.

  Except if he really was obsessed. Maybe even mentally unbalanced. Still, Jessica hoped he would come to his senses. Wasn’t there a sane bit of him left?

  “No,” Liam said, shaking his head, his eyes flat. “I’m not leaving, Jessica. I’m not ever going to leave.”

  He stepped forward and grabbed her by the arms. He moved so quickly she wasn’t prepared. She fought him and tried to pull the scissors from her pocket, but he had her by the arms and he was bigger and stronger. He pushed her down on the couch and then fell on top of her, his weight pinning her down.

  It was suffocating as he pressed the air out of her lungs. She still had her hand curled around the little scissors, but her arm was pinned between Liam and the couch. She couldn’t budge.

  “No, Liam! Get off.” She struggled, but he was too strong, too heavy. She desperately wanted to scream, but she couldn’t, not with little Jake upstairs. She hoped he was sleeping. He mustn’t wake up. Even now, in the struggle, she didn’t want to draw Liam’s attention to her little boy. She had to keep him safe, no matter what happened to her.

  “No!” she growled, pushing at him, clawing at him. She scratched his arm, but he didn’t even feel it. His eyes were blank, his pupils dilated as if he wasn’t quite himself.

  “Stop fighting me,” he told her. “We were meant to be together. We’re going to be together. Forever.”

  “No, we’re not.” Jessica squirmed; her right arm was coming free. She clutched the scissors. If she could just get them out ...

  Liam’s face was above hers now, and he dipped down, kissing her roughly, his stubble scraping her chin. She could feel the desire he had for her as he ground against her, and it made her feel sick.

  Jessica squirmed and struggled and then bit his lip.

  “Ow!” Liam cried, pulling back, shock and hurt in his eyes. He lifted himself up just enough that her right arm came free. She pulled out the scissors.

  “We’re not ever going to be together,” Jessica declared, and she jabbed the small scissors in his neck as hard as she could. He shrieked in pain and clutched at her wrist. She didn’t get a chance to stab him again. He grabbed the scissors from her hand and threw them far behind him, well out of reach.

  She used the distraction to knee him, hard, in the stomach. A little whoosh of air escaped and she slid out from underneath him. She landed on the living room floor with a hard bump and tried desperately to crawl away.

  “You little bitch,” he hissed, recovering and furious, as a tiny trickle of blood flowed down his neck. He dabbed at it with one hand, staring at the blood on his fingers in dull surprise. The sight of the blood just made him angrier. He grabbed her leg and Jessica swallowed a scream.

  She kicked at him silently, one shoe flying off. He had a solid grip on her ankle. “Let go,” she hissed, her voice an urgent whisper.

  “Never.” Liam’s face was flushed red, his eyes dull. The Liam she knew was long gone, and in his place was a monster: vicious and determined. He yanked her leg and pulled her back to the couch. When she tried to claw at him, he grabbed her wrists and pushed her back down on the couch.

  “You’re hurting me.”

  “I don’t care.”

  Liam held both of her hands in one and then ripped her blouse. The top three buttons popped off.

  “No! Liam.” Her voice was low, but inside she was screaming. He couldn’t do this. Distantly, she couldn’t believe any of this was happening.

  She got one arm free and scratched at his face with her nails. He slapped her hard. Instantly, she tasted blood in her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes.

  That’s when he yanked up her skirt so hard the side seam ripped. His hands were rough as he grabbed at her underwear.

  “No, please, Liam!” She was ready to beg him to stop. But she knew he wasn’t going to stop. Liam was going to do what he wanted, and Jessica couldn’t prevent him. No matter how hard she fought.

  Tears slid down her cheeks.

  “Liam, please!”

  “You want this, too,” he murmured, throwing her underwear on the floor. “I know you want this.”

  “I don’t, Liam! Stop it.” Her foot connected with his chest, but he just pushed it away roughly, hardly fazed.

  “I love you, Jessica.” Insanely, he began kissing her even as she squirmed and struggled against him.

  He pulled back long enough to reach down and undo his pants with one hand.

  Jessica redoubled her efforts, but he had her arms pinned and her legs couldn’t do much against the weight of his body. She could feel his knee spread her legs apart roughly. She squeezed her eyes shut as if she could somehow make this nightmare end.

  The front door banged open then and Todd suddenly burst into the room.

  “What the hell?” Todd cried, surprised. He took in Jessica’s swollen lip, her torn clothes, the tears in her eyes and mascara running down her face, and Liam holding her wrists above her head. In that moment, Todd lost coherent thought. Everything went red.

  “Get off her!” In a rage, Todd grabbed Liam and flung him against a wall. Liam hit with a sickening thud.

  Jessica sprang up, scampering off the couch as fast as she could as she clasped the ends of her torn shirt together. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed Liam’s phone that he’d left on the counter. She used it to call 911, her heart pounding.

  “Help! I need help! Please!”

  Meanwhile, in the other room, Liam, recovering from
hitting the wall, shook his head to clear it. He looked up and saw Todd waiting for him. “You don’t want to do this, Todd.” Liam gave him a slow, confident smile.

  “Yes, I think I do.” Todd’s face flushed red with anger and his chest heaved. He’d hated Liam from the start and he’d been looking for a reason to punch him for months. Now he finally had one and he wasn’t going to let it go. He’d hurt Jessica—the love of his life—and Liam was going to pay.

  “I’ve had six weeks of intensive martial arts training for my latest movie,” Liam said with a smooth confidence. “Do you know martial arts?”

  “No,” Todd said, rage still bubbling in his blood. “But I do know how to kick your ass.” Todd lunged, his shoulder connecting with Liam’s chest as Todd rammed him against the wall.

  Liam raised both fists and smashed them down against Todd’s back. Todd stumbled and Liam kicked him, sending Todd flying backward across the coffee table. Todd jumped to his feet quickly, hardly feeling anything, adrenaline and rage fueling his body, a fighting instinct that went deep for a man who would do anything to protect his family.

  Todd came back swinging, and connected three times. Liam stumbled back, knocking over a lamp and breaking it. Glass shards scattered across the tiled entryway.

  Liam picked up a piece of the lamp and flung it at Todd, who felt the shard of glass nick his upper cheek as it flew by. He didn’t care. He couldn’t feel the pain. All he could think about was making Liam hurt as much as he’d hurt Jessica.

  He’d pay. Todd would make sure of it.

  Liam might have known technical fighting moves, but Todd had heart and determination on his side. Soon, Liam was on his back foot, just trying to defend himself against the dozens of blows Todd rained down on his head. Liam’s hands were shielding his face, but his knee was free and with all his might he jammed it into Todd’s stomach, sending him flying back against the couch. For a moment, Todd was helpless. Liam threw himself in for the final blow. Just then Jessica appeared in the room clutching the matching lamp. She swung it hard, connecting with the back of Liam’s head. He crumpled like a paper doll, out cold at her feet. She glanced at the lamp in her hands.

  “Nice hit,” Todd said, and smiled at Jessica.

  Suddenly overwhelmed, Jessica let the lamp drop to the floor as if her arms had just given out. She stumbled a little. Tears slid down her cheeks.

  “Jessica,” Todd cried, leaping to her side. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  He had his hands on her face, tracing her bloodied lip with his finger and swiping away her mascara-laden tears. Jessica couldn’t speak. Her whole body trembled.

  “I’m here. It’s okay,” Todd said. “Everything’s going to be okay now.”

  Jessica, tears streaming down her face, glanced up at Todd even as a sob escaped her throat. Todd wrapped her up in his arms.

  “Police!” shouted a man outside before the front door was thrown open and police swarmed in, guns drawn.

  “There,” Jessica said, pointing to Liam, the man on the ground. “That’s the man who tried to rape me.”

  Liam was just starting to come to, sitting up and holding his head.

  “You’re under arrest,” said one officer, who grabbed Liam’s arm and hoisted him up. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do…”

  Liam struggled, his face twisted in anger and pain, but he stayed silent. He wouldn’t even give his name. The only thing he said was a furious threat thrown to Jessica: “You’ll pay for this!”

  Jessica flinched and buried her face in Todd’s chest, and he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

  “Get him out of here,” Todd said to the cop holding Liam, who obliged.

  One of the officers took down a quick statement from Jessica, who held Todd’s hand the entire time. As the police were leaving, Jessica heard one of them say, “He looks just like that actor, Liam something.”

  “Naw,” the other one said, and they were gone.

  Jessica stood in the middle of the living room, still numb with shock. Todd brought her a glass of water, and she took a shaky sip.

  “I can’t believe this,” Jessica said, even as her hands shook. Todd took the glass from her fingers gingerly and set it on the table, then wrapped his arms around her.

  “It’s okay now. He’s gone. And he won’t bother you anymore. I doubt he’ll even be able to show his face in Hollywood after the police and the paparazzi get through with him.”

  “I was so wrong,” Jessica murmured into his chest. “I was so wrong about everything.”

  “Shhhh. It’s okay, now. Everything’s okay.”

  “Todd, I’m sorry. For everything. You tried to warn me about Liam. Elizabeth did, too. I should have listened. I’m sorry. Can you…can you forgive me?”

  “I already have,” Todd said, kissing the top of her head. “Jessica, I love you. I always have. I always will.”

  She pulled away from him and met his eyes, hope brimming there with the tears.

  “I love you, too,” she said, as if it were a revelation. “I always will.”

  Todd’s heart soared. It was all he had ever really wanted to hear. What was this whole thing about? Her career? What was he? Crazy? Standing in her way. This wasn’t that spoiled high-school girl with a new fad every month; this was a woman who knew what she wanted. And there was nothing Jessica wanted that she couldn’t do. He saw that so clearly now. And he also saw that nothing else mattered except that Jessica, the mother of his son, loved him.

  “What about Sarah?” Jessica asked, swiping at her face.

  “I never loved her,” Todd said. “I always loved you.”

  Jessica threw her arms around his neck and reached over to kiss him. Todd returned the kiss, and in that moment, everything was right in the world again.

  Suddenly, Jessica pulled back. “Jake!” she said, suddenly remembering her little boy. The two stared at each other in surprise and then both bolted up the stairs. Jessica swung open the door, and found their little Jake, peacefully asleep, cradling Jessica’s phone in his little chubby hand like it was a teddy bear.

  “He slept through the whole thing,” Todd exclaimed, amazed.

  “I wonder if he’ll keep sleeping,” Jessica said as she pulled Todd out of Jake’s room and gave him a kiss.

  Todd’s hands found her waist and pulled her close as he returned the kiss. He vowed to be there for Jessica. After months of agony and loneliness apart, they both realized there was no choice; they had to be together.

  They’d both come home at last.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Here she is,” said Elizabeth as she handed Mona Thomas over to Annie Whitman in the secluded parking garage near the police station.

  “And here’s the video.” Elizabeth handed Annie a Memory Stick.

  Annie took it and glanced over at Mona. Annie didn’t like lurking around in the shadows here, but Elizabeth had insisted.

  “I’m Annie Whitman. I can help you, Mona. Are you ready to do this?”

  “I’m ready to do what I need to do,” Mona said, looking determined. She had her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and wore a simple blue sundress. Wearing hardly any makeup, she looked even younger and more vulnerable than her twenty-three years.

  Annie glanced at Elizabeth, who was already turning back to her car.

  “Are you leaving already? You should come in. Tell the police how you found out the truth,” Annie said. “And Bruce is already inside. He’ll want to know it was you, Elizabeth.”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head slowly, her hand on the door of her car. She swung it open and slipped into the driver’s seat. “I’ve done enough to hurt him. I don’t want Bruce to know.”

  “But he’d be so happy to know you fixed this. That you didn’t give up on him.”

  “But that’s the problem, Annie. I did, right at the start.” Elizabeth stared dejectedly at her lap. “Doing this was the least I could do, but it doesn’t make up for what
I did to him. Nothing will. Please. He can’t know.”

  “What should I tell the police?” Annie leaned in to the driver’s side, resting her arm on the door.

  “Just tell them Mona came forward. That’s all. She’s agreed to say that.”

  “But what do I tell Bruce?”

  “Just tell him his family and his friends pulled together to exonerate him, but leave my name out of it.”

  Mona nodded her confirmation.

  “Elizabeth—”

  “No. My mind is made up, Annie.”

  Just then, Elizabeth’s phone rang. She fished it out of her purse.

  “It’s Jessica,” she said. “I’ve got to take this call. You two go in.”

  “Okay, if this is what you want.” Annie began walking to the police station, Mona following. Elizabeth shut the car door.

  Once inside the police station, Annie steered the girl into the conference room where Tom Colton, the district attorney, was waiting.

  Mona had grown quietly nervous as they walked into the room.

  “It’ll be all right,” Annie told her. “Just tell Tom the truth.”

  “Where’s Mr. Patman?” Mona asked, glancing around the room.

  “He’s waiting in another conference room,” the D.A. said. “Don’t worry about him. We’ve got two officers keeping him company.”

  “That’s not necessary, Tom.” Annie led the girl to a chair opposite Tom and sat down next to her, putting her briefcase to one side.

  “I’m just trying to cover my bases, Annie. Besides, are you really trying to tell me he’s not a flight risk? Seriously?”

  “He came back here on our own volition, Tom.”

  “Right. So tell me what the big news is all about.” Tom motioned for Mona and Annie to begin.

  Mona proceeded to tell the D.A. what had really happened that night of Bruce Patman’s alleged attack. While she explained, Tom’s face went three different shades of gray, finally settling on a color duller than ash. Rarely was Annie able to shock a D.A. to quite this extent, and she had to admit, she rather liked it, especially since Bruce was completely and one hundred percent innocent.