Jackson's Girl: Being His Duology

by Charlie R. Love

  His eyes were soft when he answered, “Yeah, baby. That’s okay. Just stay close to me, and whenever you want to leave, we’ll leave.”

  He pulled us off the bed and into the bathroom. There, he gently ran a warm cloth over my skin, washing away the stickiness as best as he could, before he did it to himself, although he wasn’t as gentle or careful.

  He threw the washcloth in the laundry basket nearby, and grabbing my hand, tugged me back to the room, where he dressed me, his touch lingering in some places longer than the others.

  “I can dress myself, you know?” I said, amused.

  He looked up and winked. “Now you don’t have to. Put your hands on my shoulder, baby, and then lift your legs so I can put your jeans on.”

  I did as he asked, his face so intimately close to me, I could feel his hot breath on my skin before he covered me up.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, not sure I could make my voice go up any higher.

  “You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he replied, his voice a little rough, his eyes a little dark, and his smile a little wicked.

  He did that on purpose.

  “You should dress,” I told him. He was busy taking care of me, he was still naked. He stood up and moved in close to me. I tried and failed on multiple occasion to keep my eyes above his neck.

  “Can I dress you?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I’m yours to do with as you wished.”

  I moved to his pile of clothes on the floor, and gather them in my arms before neatly placing them on the bed. Then I grabbed his shirt, a dark blue one, and leaned up on my tiptoes to pull it over his head. When his face showed through, he was smiling at me, a content smile.

  I helped him in his boxer briefs next, and much like he had done, directed his hand on my shoulders. He did so, though he didn’t put any weight on them.

  When I finally tugged them on, I avoided his eyes, so sure my face was red, after being so up close to him.

  I grabbed his jeans and did the same.

  Then I made him sit on the bed, and bending down in front of him, put on his socks. As soon as the last one was on, I looked up at him.

  “Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotions.

  “I like taking care of you,” I said. Though he didn’t let me do it often.

  He helped me up and placed me on his lap. “You always take care of me,” he said.

  I shook my head, but he continued to speak before I could interrupt. “You do. When I feel like the weight of the world is crashing down on me, when I get in a nasty fight with my dad? I look at you. And you’re always there. You may not always know you’re comforting me, but every time you hold me in your arms, every time you look at me like I am the best thing to have ever happen to you? You take care of me, Emily. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  “Okay,” I said. He made me out to be far more important than any man ever could. I leaned forward and kissed him, biting his bottom lip until he opened for me. When I deepened the kiss, I felt his chest rumble with a satisfied groan. I pulled away and stared up at him.

  “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you to the party.”

  32

  Past: Emily

  Nathan MacGregor lived in the better parts of town. I was beginning to see most of the kids that went to school came from affluent backgrounds. And they want everyone to know it; Nathan wasn’t the exception to the rule.

  I had only talked to Nathan one other time, and that was an embarrassing encounter as it was. I never told Jackson about it, and I never would.

  He was dared from a couple of his friends to talk to me. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was he said, though I was sure the content was sexual in nature.

  I stuttered out a response in embarrassment, as his friends stood nearby, all cracking up, until Grant showed up with a menacing look on his face, and had I not hold him back, would have gotten suspended for beating Nathan up.

  After that, Nathan tended to leave me alone.

  I wasn’t sure if he remembered me or not, or if he remembered the incident or not, but Grant did, and that was one of the reasons why he was going to the party as well, with Aiden.

  When Jackson pulled up to the house that was slightly bigger than his parents, all the lights were on, and it was pack.

  I hesitated when Jackson walked over to my side and opened the door for me. “I didn’t realize it was going to be so crowded,” I said.

  “Do you not want to go?” he asked patiently. I sigh. Probably not. This was definitely not my scene. But I made Jackson drive us both here. Might as well. I placed my hand in his and let him pull me out. He pulled me close and planted a kiss on my temple. “Like I said, just say the word, and we’ll leave.”

  “You’re too good to me,” I muttered in his chest. I was spoiled with his affection. That was why he let me drag us all the way out here for something Jackson knew wasn’t the best way to spend the evening.

  “That’s a silly thing to say. There’s no such thing as treating you too well.”

  I smiled and moved in closer to him, the hum of the music getting louder and louder the closer we approached, making my heart beat somewhat out of rhythm.

  Out in the porch, there were at least twenty kids hanging about, all had beer in their hands, talking and laughing. There were even several couples making out in the corner. I stared at them for a beat or two before looking away.

  I could never imagine kissing Jackson so intimately in front of so many people. When I looked up, I found Jackson’s eyes on me, curious. I shot him a small smile and was rewarded by one he shot back at me.

  Jackson was stopped several times by people I recognize but never talked to. They were nice enough, and they even greeted me with a smile, though none of them spoke to me.

  I think they were a little afraid of what Jackson might do if they accidentally offend me in some way.

  We didn’t stay out long. Jackson brought us into the house, where the music had only gotten louder, and where the crowd had gotten worse, much rowdier than the ones out front, and obviously drunk out of their mind.

  Jackson got my attention when he pointed to the far corner. I looked to it and saw Aiden and Grant.

  Aiden seemed content where he was, but then again, he was always content in everything he did, whereas Grant looked as uncomfortable as I felt.

  He nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt and looked around. Grant had never been to one of these before. It wasn’t his thing. He preferred solitude over noise any given day, and I was the same. It was probably why we got along so well.

  We were never one to conform to anything, and I was really starting to regret my decision to come. I wanted to be more social for Jackson, but now, it seemed my good intention might just come back and bite us in the butt.

  Jackson bent down close so that I could hear him over the music. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I nodded, forcing a smile on my face. Was I okay? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t belong here, that much was obvious, but Jackson…

  I wasn’t sure if he belonged here either, though you couldn’t tell he was tensed unless you were right next to him like I was. “Are you okay?” I asked him back.

  He shook his head. “I don’t like how some of these boys are looking at you.”

  My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Then I looked around and realized the majority of the people here were football players, most likely Jude’s friends. And that was when I realized Nathan MacGregor was also a football player.

  I moved in a little closer to Jackson. His arms tightened around me. “I’m ready to go home now.”

  And for the first time, all night, Jackson relaxed. “Good.”

  I smiled, thankful he wasn’t mad at me. Though I should’ve known better. Jackson had the patience of a saint. At least, he did when it came to me. I had never witnessed him losing his temper, but I knew it was there.

  “Let me tell Grant and Aiden we’re leaving,” I said. He nodded in agreement and keeping me close
to his side, escorted me across the room. People, as drunk as they seemed, all knew better and moved out of their way for us.

  Aiden noticed our approached first. He grinned, which widened when he took in my face. Taking Jackson by surprised, he pulled me into his arms when we got close enough. I let out a squeak.

  “You probably regret going now, huh?” he said in my ears, though his voice was gentle enough that I knew he wasn’t being cruel.

  I nodded against his chest.

  “Good,” he said. “That means Jackson can finally relax.”

  I pulled away and shot him a questioning look. He didn’t respond, instead ruffled my hair and let a now scowling Jackson take me back into his arms.

  I pressed my face against Jackson’s neck until he relaxed. “We’re leaving,” he said to the boys.

  They both nodded. “I think I’m going to head out, too,” Grant said.

  I grimaced. “I’m sorry you came all the way over here for me.”

  Grant shrugged. “It’s fine. You don’t have to be sorry, Emily. Besides, I think it’s great you’re leaving. Jackson’s been wrangling his hand in worry like a little old lady.”

  Aiden laughed when a sudden commotion in the middle of the living room cut him off. We all turned to it and found two boys going at each other. I didn’t hear what they were saying to each other, but it became pretty clear the fight was over one of the popular girls standing together in the corner. They eyed the two boys warily.

  When the sound of flesh against flesh rang out even over the loud music, I cringed and moved closer into Jackson.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he shouted to Aiden and Grant. They all nodded their agreement, but just as we tried to walk around the fight, one of the boys shoved the other, and for the second time in the year, I found myself in front of someone twice my size, coming at me. This time, however, I was lucky Jackson was there, blocking the impact.

  Jackson barely moved while the boy seemed to have been thrown off balance and landed on the hardwood floor with a thud. Both looked up at Jackson with wide eyes, and even though I couldn’t see his face, I knew Jackson was scowling, and that was a scary sight to behold on any given day.

  He handed me over to Aiden who stood nearby, and I rolled my eyes, thinking he was ridiculous. The boys didn’t know that they were going to hit me. And I doubt anyone would try to mess with me again, not when Jackson stood there, looking very much like an avenging angel.

  Nathan stepped out of the crowd, his face red. He seemed to be making his way to Jackson, but when Jackson turned his fierce scowl Nathan’s way, the much, much, smaller boy backed away.

  “Jackson, man. I like you, but I can’t let you fight in here. My parents will kill me.”

  Jackson looked incredulous. “Are you serious?” And then he laughed, a menacing laugh that got me backing away from the scene. I wasn’t afraid of Jackson. No, I was afraid for Nathan.

  And I didn’t want to witness Jackson getting into another fight. Aiden looked behind and shot me a sympathetic smile.

  “Since when do I need your permission to do anything?”

  Nathan stuttered out an answer that I didn’t quite catch, though one look at him and I knew he was afraid of Jackson.

  The boy that was shoved my way was suddenly up from the ground and taking advantage of the fact that Jackson’s back was turned, grabbed a glass vase nearby and made his way to Jackson.

  “Jackson!” I shouted.

  The boy thought because Jackson was distracted he would be given the advantage. He thought wrong. I was amazed by how quickly Jackson moved. He removed the vase from the other boy’s hand and placed it on a nearby coffee table. He then slowly turned toward the boy, and the boy looked like he was about to wet his pant. I couldn’t find it in me to pity him. Not when red-hot anger made its way through my body.

  I tried to move toward them, but Aiden stopped me with his arms around my waist and shot me an amused smile. “And where do you think you’re going?”

  “To hurt him!” I growled.

  “I know you want to,” he placated. “But Jackson will be really mad if you put yourself in that mess. Just stay by my side.”

  I didn’t say anything as I watched the boy try to leave the house. He was halfway to the front door when Jackson was on him, and then…

  Well, all chaos broke out.

  Everyone moved, some trying to get out of the way, others tried to get in as close to the fight as possible.

  Aiden moved me back against the wall and shoved someone out of the way when he got too close. He did that with several people.

  And in the confusion, I lost sight of my friends. I didn’t know where Aiden and Grant were at, and I didn’t know where Jackson was at. I was shoved back on the side, and I had to bite my teeth to keep from grunting out in pain.

  Wrapping my arms around my side, I looked around for Jackson. But it was all futile. As soon as I pushed away from the wall, someone grabbed me from behind. I tried to fight off my intruder’s hold, but he was much stronger than me, I wasn’t even able to cause him any harm.

  When I jabbed him on the side with my elbow, I felt more than heard him laughed. And then I was picked up and moving further away from the room.

  Just as I was about to disappear from sight, Grant caught my eyes from across the room. He screamed as he tried to get to me, but he was just too far away, and no one paid him any attention. The panic in his eyes was the last thing I saw as the back door leading out to the backyard closed in front of me.

  I shivered, even though the late Spring air wasn’t cold. I trembled because I suddenly knew who had me in his arms, and I hoped Grant was able to locate Jackson and Aiden.

  Jude set me down harshly, and caught unprepared, I ended up falling on my knees on the cold concrete ground. I grunted in pain and glared up at him.

  He tsked me.

  That was when I noticed others with him. Three of them. All burly looking, and with a sadistic smile curving around their face. I saw Terrance Parker right away, and to Jude’s left, Daniel Fisher stood, arms at his side. How could he look both relaxed and terrible at the same time?

  Daniel Fisher was one of the few of Jude’s friends I actually knew the name of. Not for anything other than the fact that I had witnessed him bullying half the student population in the hallway at school. He was mean looking and very, very stupid. I also knew for a fact that he had a record. And I was scared shitless just looking at him.

  I moved back on my knees, my pathetic attempt to escape. There was no escape. Not when Jude and his buddies blocked my only visible exit. And I couldn’t bring myself to run aimlessly in the dark, unfamiliar backyard with three large football players at my heel.

  I would have to stall them long enough until Grant finds Jackson.

  The football players were idiots if they thought Jackson wouldn’t come for me.

  I placed my palms flat on the concrete and pushed myself off. I didn’t want to be on the ground, staring up at them. It left me feeling inferior somehow, and I was tired of feeling that way.

  My glare of defiant didn’t go unnoticed as Jude smiled suddenly turned amuse. “Ah, Little Bird. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Don’t call me that,” I gritted out.

  “Why not? It’s true, though, isn’t it? Jackson keeps you in a cage, his excuse to keep you safe, but that’s not it, is it? He wants to keep you. Do you like being kept?” he asked. His friends laughed. I tried to keep the food I had earlier in my stomach.

  “What I don’t get is why he is so fascinated by her. Maybe she’s better in the sack than she looks. I want to try it out and give you my thoughts,” Daniel said.

  They both snickered. “Jackson will kill you,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster. They moved closer to me. I moved back. “Last time, Jackson sent you to the hospital for looking at me wrong. What do you think he is going to do once he finds out about this?”

  “She talks too much,” Terrance said,
though from the looks of it, I didn’t think he was annoyed. Quite the opposite. If I had to guess, I would say he didn’t want me to stay quiet. No, he was much worse.

  He wanted to hear me scream.

  I moved back until a large tree stopped me from going back further. Their smiles widened as they noticed how they had efficiently trapped me like a cornered animal. But I wasn’t going down without a fight. I just hoped Jackson gets here on time before it was too late.

  They attacked without warning. I screamed once, and that was all before I clamped my shut and remembered the promise I made to myself to not give them the satisfaction.

  Hands clawed at me, at my cardigan, until I heard a rip, and before I knew it, the thin sweater was off of me, laying on the dirty ground. The sight threw me over, and I became more desperate to escape. My fist connected with one of the boys’ jaw. I heard someone grunted in pain, but it wasn’t enough. They still came at me, and I had never felt more defenseless than I did then.

  My wrists were clasped behind my back, held tightly together by a big hand, and then I was pushed onto the grass on my stomach. I whimpered when one of them grabbed my hips and pulled me in closer, and I felt his excitement.

  Bile made its way up my throat, and I closed my eyes.

  I didn’t pray for escape anymore.

  No, that was too hard. I didn’t see any other way out.

  I prayed for death.

  And then… And then…

  The present left me.

  I was no longer aware of what was going on around me, as my mind took control. And what I saw, I didn’t like.

  I was in my room, only I wasn’t. And I was small, too. Smaller than I should be. There was a yellow blanket on top of me. I hadn’t had that yellow blanket since I was a girl.

  I laid in the dark, knew what was coming, but completely powerless to stop it. I was afraid, I realize. So damn scared, I didn’t go to sleep, for the monster would surely come then.

  And then my doorknob rattled. And it creaked as it was being pushed open. My door had always creak. A signal of a sort for me to brace myself.