Jason lost track of time while he stood as sentinel, listening to her cry out her anguish until he saw her reach for the dial of the shower and the deluge began to dissipate a little at a time. That was his cue to withdraw lest she became aware of his presence. Moving away from his post, he retreated on silent feet, back into the sitting area, hovering near the door that separated them.
He heard all her movements. In his mind’s eye, he could see her step from the stall, reach for one of the fluffy white Kingdom monogrammed towels and wrap it around her body. A body that he longed to enfold in his arms as he had imagined doing every hour of every day that she had been away from him. He heard her squeeze out lotion from the selection he had made sure was provided for her, never doubting that she would be using it. He saw her hands gliding over her chocolate-colored skin, up and down, around and around as he had watched her do every night that they had been together. Jason also imagined he heard the fabric of the shirt, his shirt that was laying on a chair in readiness, settle against her skin, his scent surrounding her, wishing he were in its place.
All was silent. He could no longer hear what she was doing. He didn't care if he was caught as he pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear her every movement, but he heard nothing but silence.
~~~~~~~~~~
Aviva needed sleep and made her way to the bed with light treads. The maid had already folded back the covers in readiness for occupation. Lifting the edges, she slipped under the covers and allowed the weight of the heavy comforter to press down on her. The feeling of the Egyptian cotton sheets and the comforter soothed her as she attempted to empty her mind and find peace in the oblivion of sleep.
As sleep pulled Aviva deeper, her thoughts fragmented into a jumble of disjointed dreams. Shadows surrounded her. Sinister figures pulled at her clothing, touching her body, keeping her from her destination. Keeping her from returning to Jason. Didn't he hear her? Didn't he understand? She needed him. They were hurting her. Why couldn't he see her, she could see him. Maybe he didn’t want to see her, maybe he no longer cared. Maybe the shadows of this existence were now her reality. The grasping hands that pulled her down, that hurt her body was her reality. Her mind in turmoil, Aviva’s sleeping body remained perfectly still in her disquieting subconsciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jason waited until the silence in the bedroom became too much for him. Stealing quietly inside, he observed Aviva's still form, wondering if she were dreaming, and if so, what thoughts were running through her mind. As he mused, he started to remove his clothing. When all that remained were his pants, he stopped. She had asked him for time to be alone, but he needed her. He needed to be close to the woman he loved. He wanted to respect her wishes but an overriding need assailed him. Knowing it was selfish, but unwilling to stay away for another moment, he justified his actions with the thought that he would stay only until she stirred. He would make sure she was never aware of his presence; that he had spent the night watching over her. He freely admitted to himself and to anyone who cared to inquire, it had been too long. He needed to be close to her. If her slumber was the only way that could happen, then so be it. He would take it.
His momentary hesitation over, Jason slowly eased under the covers and settled beside Aviva's still form. Breathing deeply, he surrounded himself with her essence, and for the first time in days he relaxed.
With all that had transpired, sleep eluded him. So he listened to her breathing until seconds stretched into minutes, into hours, and still he remained awake. In his guilt, his mind conjured up ways of how he could make it up to her. To show her how sorry he was that she had endured even a moment of suffering because of him. Not wanting to disturb her slumber, Jason felt he had to give voice to the thoughts running through hm. He had to say the words aloud.
“I missed you, my Angel. Never for one moment did I doubt that you’d be exactly where you are now. You don't ever have to worry again. I'll take better care of you from now on, I promise.”
As Jason's heartfelt words drifted into the ether, Aviva stirred, pulling closer to him although still lost in slumber, as though hearing his vow of affirmation and accepting it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Aviva's eyes opened to semi darkness. For a moment, she was unsure of her surroundings. The setting in which she found herself was unfamiliar, she didn't know this place. Expecting the restraints that had so recently bound her, she thrashed against them. A heavy weight pressed against her arm, however the feeling was different from what she had so quickly become used to. But she still she needed to get away.
She was a fighter, had always been a fighter. She had been taught that no matter the odds, you fight. The dictates of a lifetime kicked in. This wasn’t how she was going out. She still had things to accomplish. She was only thirty years old and she intended to survive to live her life to its fullest. She still had things to do, people to grow better acquainted with, children to birth and raise – so she fought.
Opening her eyes, she was confronted by what looked like black orbs in the dim light staring back at her. She knew those eyes.
“What are you doing, Jason?”
“Watching over you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I lost you once. It won't happen again.”
“You can't watch me all the time. And for the record, it's kinda creepy, watching someone while they sleep.”
“So?”
“So – I just said it’s creepy!” Aviva said again, pushing away the memories that attempted to surface.
“How can it be creepy? It's me. I love you. I want you safe.”
Somehow managing to maneuver an arm free, Aviva reached up and gently ran her hand along the stubble of Jason's stubborn jaw. “You can't watch me all the time and definitely not while I’m sleeping. When are you going to get your rest?”
“Don't worry about me…it's not your job to worry about me.”
“Don't be daft. Of course, I worry about you.”
“What are you worrying for? You think I'm some kinda wuss who can't take care of himself?”
The singular raised eyebrow accompanied by the look of manly offense was so familiar, it made Aviva smile. She didn't dare voice it again, but yes, she worried about him, constantly and probably always would. “Aren't you tired?”
“No. You rest, Angel. I'm fine.”
“Jason...”
Lifting a long finger, he pressed it against Aviva's lips, silencing her. “Have you seen the size of me – dumb question, I know you have,” Jason drawled, giving her a suggestive look. His double entendre not lost on her for a moment as he knew it wouldn't be. “Rest. I'm doing exactly what I want – no, need to be doing.”
“Jason...I need to say something.”
“Shh, we'll talk later. For now, just rest.”
After all these weeks, Aviva knew Jason well enough to know when to give up. So she gave him a small smile and closed her eyes, thinking sleep would elude her. She was wrong. Almost immediately, a peaceful slumber pulled her under.
Chapter 4
Later that morning, Jason came out of his bedroom to see his brothers already gathered in the living room. All the men were dressed similarly in dark tailored pants and sweaters to combat the damp, British weather. Jason wasted no time getting to the point, anxious for news.
“What have you found out?” Jason threw out.
“Alexander turned up at his house last night for the first time in weeks,” Jake replied.
“Where is he now?”
“My man tracked him to a warehouse in the East End of London,” Jake continued.
Before he could expand further, Jason jumped in, firing off another question, his impatience causing the tension in the room to grow.
“What else?”
“If you give me the chance, I'll fill you in on all that I know,” Jake fired back.
“Well, hurry the hell up!”
Jake stared at his twin, his own irritation showing. “Jason,
you need to settle down.”
“Just answer my question, Jake. Better yet, just tell me everything you know, that way I won't have to keep prompting you to, get – on – with – it!”
“I've told you before, man, do not speak to me like that!”
“Or what, what you gonna do about it, son?”
“I'll show you what I'm gonna do about it, you arrogant piece of shit!”
Seeing the situation was on its way to hell, Josh jumped between the men who were now facing off, ready to defuse the situation before it got out of hand.
“You both need to settle down and remember Aviva is asleep in the other room.” Josh chose his words with deliberation, knowing Jason was the more volatile of the two, and he was just looking for a way to release some of his pent up frustrations. He also knew that the mere mention of Aviva's name would be enough for Jason to back off. He was right. Jason's head spun around to glance at the closed bedroom door.
While his attention was averted, Josh used his distraction to drive home his point. “Jason, the more you interrupt, the longer it will take for you to get the answers you want?”
Looking between both men, Jason moved to the middle of the sitting room and folded his arms, silently waiting for Jake to continue.
Jake knew better than to expect an apology from Jason. Shaking his head, he walked back to the couch and took a seat, leaning back to get comfortable before continuing with his report.
“As I was saying before you interrupted me,” Jake couldn’t help making the dig, “Alexander is holding up in a warehouse in the East End. We have the exact location but...”
“But what?”
Jake sighed in exasperation. Deciding the best way forward was to ignore Jason's outburst and just continue with what he had to say, he again started to speak. “We know where he is and we know he has protection. What we are uncertain of, however, is how many men he has around him.”
“How many does your report say?”
“They've seen four. But there’s no way I'm taking that as fact. Cowards like Alexander usually surround themselves with much more protection than that,” Jake added.
Jason started pacing, coming to a stop before the large windows of the sitting area. He agreed with everything Jake had just said. He also knew the importance of accurate information. His frustration wasn't really directed at his twin, he knew his brother was doing his best to be thorough. The last thing they needed to do was to rush headlong into a situation unprepared, only to find the odds stacked against them.
This situation called for patience, and he had to dig deep in order to pull it to the surface. He was gripped by an almost overwhelming feeling of urgency to deal with Alexander before Aviva had the chance to tell him what had happened to her while she was held captive. Whenever his mind touched on the myriad possibilities of what she might have gone through, his rage intensified.
“I hear you. When can we expect an update?”
“I have some guys working on it even as we speak. They'll report back to me when they have something.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate all you're doing,” Jason told his brother, his earlier hostility forgotten.
“There's no need for thanks. You're our brother, and this is what being a part of this family means.”
“Yeah, I know. You guys keep telling me that.”
“So how long's it going to take before you believe it?”
“When I know, all of you will be the first people I tell. How’s that?” Jason replied sarcastically but his voice was devoid of its usual heat. Jason edged to the side of the window he had been looking out of, and surreptitiously moved the heavy drapes aside, in order to get a clearer view of what was going on in the street below.
It was one of those typical late fall days in London. It was raining, and the view from the window overlooked Hyde Park; a sprawling vista of open land that both tourist and Londoners enjoy year round. This late in the fall, the park's fauna was shrouded in varying shades of green, crimson and gold. It would have been a glorious sight if the rain ever stopped falling. But by the looks of the angry sky, it had no intentions of complying.
People scurried along the sidewalk outside, bent on reaching their destination as quickly as possible to get out of the deluge. Many umbrellas were in evidence, so much so that they almost formed one huge canopy under which everyone sheltered. Most of the umbrellas were black which only added to the gloomy outlook. The people who had no such protection had their heads bent and upturned collars, an attempt to keep out the relentless fall of the rain. Some huddled under bus stops awaiting their bus and others just for shelter.
There was only one person who seemed out of place, without purpose. It was this man who captured Jason's attention. This was the third time he had seen him since he had been looking out the window.
The man walked aimlessly up and down the street, attempting to blend into his surroundings. While some people caught in the rain scurried along in their haste for shelter, this man kept disappearing, only to reappear minutes later. His surreptitious looks at the hotel a sure sign he was on the look-out for something or someone.
Jason glanced behind himself to see that Josh had taken a seat and was flicking through a magazine, while Jake was busy texting on his phone.
“Is that idiot with rain dripping off his nose one of yours?” Jason asked as he turned back to watch the man who now used the crease of his elbow to wipe at his face.
“If he was one of ours, you wouldn't be asking me that question. Josh, why don’t you go check that out.” Before the request had completely left his mouth, Josh was on the move.
“I'm on it. What's he wearing?”
Jake slipped his cell into the pocket of his pants and joined Jason at the opposite side of the window, taking precautions not to be seen by their watcher as he too pulled back the side of the drape and stared out.
As he had already had an image of the drenched fool firmly stamped in his mind, Jason rattled off his description as Josh headed for the door.
The brothers remained at the window in silence, watching as the man again disappeared from sight. Minutes later, Josh appeared dressed in a long raincoat and a black fedora hat pulled low over his eyes. He calmly walked up to the crossing, waited for the signal to turn green before strolling across the road, in the direction of the watcher, who was once again coming into view. As the men passed each other face to face, Josh did an abrupt turn and grabbed hold of the man's neck. To anyone who might have observed the move, it appeared that they were acquaintances. Whatever he said to the man he held by the nape of the neck was enough for him to walk as though glued to Josh's side.
Without taking his eyes from the pair now standing by the crossing, Jason could see Josh chatting away as though to a long lost friend. The stranger looked more and more like a terrified, waterlogged rat with each passing second. The brothers watched the two men closely until they disappeared from sight.
“Where's he taking him?” Jason asked, curious as to where Josh could take the inept lookout for questioning. He knew without having to voice it that he was not being brought to the suite.
“He's taking him to the cell.”
“Where might that be, if you don't mind me asking?”
“It's a little place Josh and I have at each hotel where we can take anyone who needs a bit of a talking to. You'd be surprised at how much use that room gets.”
Jason snorted in response to Jake's summation. He had long ago realized that the trapping of wealth didn't negate baser human traits. “Would I now? By the way, does your father know what you two get up to?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The cell...”
“We told you before, our father knows exactly what he needs to know, and right now, you should be thanking God that we're doing what we do.”
“Yeah, and you're not about to let me forget, right?”
“That's not what I meant and you know it. Why do you twist the things I say?
> “You know you sound like a whining bitch, right?” Jason told him with scorn in his eyes.
Jake realized what was going on with Jason. Walking back to the couch, Jake retook his seat and stared at his brother as he began to pace, a scowl marring his ruggedly handsome face.
“You couldn't help what happened, Jason.”
“What?”
“I said you had no way of preventing what happened in New York.”
“Didn't I? I'm the one who was so busy making plans for the future with the woman I love that I very nearly allowed there to be no future. No more Aviva.
“I know what those men are capable of. I knew they were out there, waiting, always waiting for an opportunity to get to me before I got to them. I was so close yet I allowed myself to get distracted.” As he spoke, Jason kept running his hands through his short hair, dragging his palms across the stubble of his chin, prowling, becoming more and more agitated.
“Take it easy, Jason.”
Jake sat up straighter in his seat, ready to counteract Jason's next move. He had come to realize that when his brother was like this, he could do anything. He could also move very quickly, and Jake wasn't about to bear the brunt of his frustrations if he decided that he needed a punching bag. At Jake's word, Jason stopped in his tracks, turned and started walking towards him, scowl still in place. Jake tensed, muscles hardening, ready for an onslaught. It never came.
Jason walked over to the sofa on which Jake sat and dropped down beside him. Resting his elbows on his splayed knees he clasped his hands, and bowed his head, staring down at the carpeted floor.
“I'm scared, Jake. Scared that she'll never forgive me for what I allowed to happen to her. What if they hurt her so badly that she never gets over it? What if they...what if they raped her, Jake? What do I do then? How will I make them pay? How will I make them suffer enough to be sorry their whore of a mother ever gave birth to their rancid existence?” By the end of his tirade, Jason’s knuckles were white and sweat had broken out on his forehead. Jake could also see how the huge muscles in his arms trembled as he fought to suppress his rage.
For Love and Vengeance Page 3