I crawled up the stairs and yanked off my clothes, sliding into the bathtub. The water was scalding as I soaked in it unable to stop the tears. With shaking hands I tried to dry off with a towel but my hands wouldn’t cooperate.
Checking my face in the mirror I took note of my swollen cheek and bruised face. My stomach had a half boot print mark on it. I made it to the toilet by inches and dry heaved until my knees no longer worked.
My body started shivering. With energy I didn’t know I had I sunk under my covers and shook myself to sleep.
“Are you sleeping? I’m starving get up lazy ass.” Jackson’s voice startled me.
I jerked awake and hissed as pain pummeled me from the quick movement. The light switched on and burned my sensitive eyes.
“What the hell?” Jackson’s fury hit me almost as hard as my masked visitor hand.
“Shhhh-“ I whispered pulling the comforter over my head which was useless just to have it yanked back down.
“What happened to you?” His cool finger ran down my cheek and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from tearing up.
“I fell down the stairs.” This was the lie I decided while I was in the bathtub.
Jackson’s face was stone as his finger continued to stroke my abused cheek. “Poor clumsy baby.”
My good eye snapped open and his face softened. “Are you hungry?”
I shook my head but my stomach gurgled.
“You can lie but your stomach can’t.” He brushed his lips over my cheek and I had the urge to snuggle into him.
My arms wrapped around him needing his strength. He stilled as my bare breast rubbed over his arm. I felt him hold his breath. I waited for him to pull away from me or call me a loser and when he didn’t I held him tighter.
I let the silent tears slide down my cheek hitting his shirt. Jackson broke out of my arms and I brushed the tears away thinking he was done with me.
Jackson shocked me when he hit the lock on my door and switched off the light. He maneuvered around my room putting my computer on my desk.
Jackson climbed into my bed and slowly crept over to me mindful of my injuries. I stared at the dark wall while Jackson held me.
“What about Dean?” I asked into the dark room.
“I don’t think he would fit in the bed.”
I giggled but stopped quickly at the pain it caused. “That’s not what I mean.”
“He’s on a date with Trina. We lost a customer today and Trina’s taking him out to make him feel better.”
I tried to turn around but Jackson held me closer to his chest. “Was it a big job?” I asked knowing how much work meant for independent contractors.
“We will be fine. Don’t worry about us.”
I fell into a deep sleep listening to the rhythmic sound of Jackson’s steady breathing. Later on Jackson left the room and came back with a pizza balanced on his hand. He helped me wrap the blanket around my naked body and told me about his day almost making me forget what happened.
We heard Dean come into the house and Jackson snuck out of my room before he made it upstairs to catch us.
I layed down in bed and hoped he would sneak back in later. Late in the night when I realized he wasn’t coming back I fell back to sleep with my head on the pillow he had been sleeping on.
7
“Damnit, Lucy get the hell out of bed. I can’t do this again.” Dean screamed at me and I winced pulling the covers over my head.
It had been three days since the incident. As pathetic as it was, each night I would lay in bed and hope Jackson would come back and hold me. He never did.
Food would show up in my room always when I woke up from my millions of naps I took each day. The masked man beat me up more than I realized and my healing was going slow. I would try to stay awake so I could get a tiny glimpse of Jackson but like always was elusive.
Thankfully my work ethic got me so ahead I could sulk in my bed. My bruises were healing from the tiny peek I saw passing the mirror when I dragged myself to the bathroom.
“Leave me alone.” I yelled from under the covers.
“No, I don’t know what put you back to this feel sorry for yourself phase but we’re worried about you. Trina threatened to stop dating me if I don’t get you out of your room.”
I pulled the blanket down so my eyes were visible. Dean’s face had shadows under his eyes. He looked tired and I felt awful for making him look so forlorn.
I wanted to ask him about Trina. It was a surprise Trina hadn’t dragged me out bed earlier. As I waited for Jackson at night I admitted to have waited for Trina during the day.
“I’m sorry, Dean. I promise I’ll be better. Where’s Trina anyway?” I hoped by changing the subject would get him off my back and give me time to think of an excuse to stay in bed longer.
“She’s been busy at work. She’s worried about you and she has been wanting to bust in here to pull you out of this depression you’re in.” Dean scrubbed his hands over his face. He sighed deeply. “What happened to you? Did you hurt yourself when you fell down? Do I need to take you to the doctor?”
“No, the bruising is almost gone. The aches did keep me in bed but I’m starting to feel better. I just needed to rest so I could heal.” Bless Dean for giving the perfect excuse.
“Is there anything else?”
“Nope, nothing,” I said pulling the covers down further so he could hear me without my words being muffled.
“Lucy I don’t know what to do with you. Do I need to call mom?”
I sat up straight panic taking over. “No, I’m fine please don’t call mom. They’re almost home from vacation and I don’t want them to worry. I’ll get up tomorrow. Just give me one more day.”
“One more day, Lucy. And take a shower.” Dean stormed out of the room.
His gruff attitude was fear for me. I knew Dean was worried. Even when he was younger when he was scared it would manifest in anger. A tiny smile lifted my lips and I cringed as they cracked from the small movement.
I threw back the covers and stood up. Lifting my arms up to the ceiling I stretched as my muscles protested from the odd movement.
With slow steady progress I went around the room tidying it up. I changed my clothes and was already winded from the exercise.
I sat on the chair in front of my desk and fired up my computer and plugged in my dead phone. Just the change of scenery felt better.
My phone beeped and I noticed the many calls and text messages from Trina. As I started to weed through my large inbox I dialed Trina’s number.
“Girl, where have you been?” Trina’s voice hit me with even more guilt.
“I’ve been in a pity party,” I told her giving her the truth but leaving out the attack. “Dean threatened to call my parents and he mentioned you not dating him if he didn’t get me out of my room.”
“I did threaten him but he’s so cute I don’t think I could go through with it.”
“Eww, that’s my brother.” I giggled and felt lighter.
“Well, your brother’s hot. I’m sorry I haven’t been over to see you. I had a business meeting and was out of town for a couple days and now I’m trying to get caught up.”
“You weren’t missing anything.”
“I did talk to my boss about getting you on the payroll for graphic design job. If you would have checked your phone you would have known.”
“Thank you for talking to him. I hope I didn’t do anything to make you lose face.”
“No, it’s all good. Since I’ve been gone it wasn’t to obvious you’d fallen off the face of the planet but this is two times in a short time. You need to get over your guilt and start living again, Lucy this retreating to your bed isn’t healthy.”
“I know. This is the last time. I had a big set back but I’m over it now.”
“Good, I have a date tonight but I’ll come over in a couple days and we will have girl’s night.”
“Okay, but I don’t want to hear any details invo
lving my brother.” I shivered over the phone as Trina gave an evil laugh.
“Oh those details are all mine.”
“Good you can keep them.”
“I have to get back to work so I can have time to get ready for my date. I’ll see you tomorrow or the next day for sure. Love yah.”
“Love you too.” I hung up the phone and focused on my emails.
My door slammed open and Jackson stood in the doorway his hair wet as if he just got out of the shower. “Why is it when you sulk it smells like somebody died in your room?”
Jackson went to the window and wrenched it open just as he did the first time he dragged me out of my depression. “Get in the shower.” His command was harsh but I couldn’t see his face since he was too busy stripping the sheets off my bed.
“I told Dean the same thing. I’m not playing this game again.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started it.” He turned his arms full of bedding and locked me with a hard stare. “Know this, Lucser. I will pull you out of bed every time you decide to sink into your black hole of despair. You might as well stop letting yourself get this low because you’re just going to have to fight harder to get to the surface.”
“Know this, Jackson.” I stood up and put my hands on hips. “I never asked you to pull me out of this so called pit of despair. I’m perfectly capable of getting my own self out.”
“I know you are but you take too damn long.”
“Get in the shower. I’m going to throw these in the washer.” He left the room without giving me a chance to argue with him.
What the hell am I doing? How pathetic was I going to let my life get before I did something about it?
I talked Dean into giving me one more day and now Jackson was pushing me to start living my life today.
Balance. I needed balance. The first time I sunk into myself I threw all my energy into my work. Hitting deadlines and making up ground as if to punish myself by showing that I was useful. Now, I slept and refused to focus on any of my responsibilities. How did I let myself get like this?
My back hit the bare mattress and I flung my arm over my eyes to block out the sun streaming through my window. A heavy weight pushed against my sternum and I allowed it to press me further into the mattress. Accepting my patheticness seemed like the smart choice.
“That’s it.” Jackson’s feet hit hard with each step until I could feel him standing beside my bed.
I didn’t move my arm hoping if I continued to ignore him he would go away and leave me to become one with my mattress.
I yelped when his arms swooped me up and with even steady strides carried me out of my sanctuary. “I have shit to do today. I don’t have time for this.”
“Then leave me alone.” I didn’t put my arms around him letting him carry my weight in the awkward position not giving him any help.
When we entered the bathroom Jackson shifted me to one arm and twisted the shower to life. I cracked one eye open and saw the determination on his face.
“You wouldn’t.”
Jackson winked at me before plopping me into the shower and closing the curtain with a swift movement. I sputtered as my clothes soaked in the hot water pouring on me.
“Scrub up good, Luscer. Let me know if you need any help.” The door clicked shut and I stayed on the bottom of the shower before slowly getting up and peeling off my sodden clothes.
The hot water did wonders on my attitude. It also helped that I was seething at Jackson’s take charge attitude. I wouldn’t admit he was right and a shower was exactly what I needed. I would live in my anger a little while longer.
After I had exhausted all of the hot water I snapped off the water and dried off wrapping the large towel around my body. Ignoring the mirror I padded into my room no longer wanting to linger in its confines.
In the shower I’d decided that I would take my computer downstairs maybe even go my old local coffee shop and work. Getting out of the house or at least my room seemed like a necessity.
Jackson was making my bed with clean sheets when I walked in. I stopped just inside the door and caught my breath when his gaze wandered over my bare legs and up until he reached my face. A smirk appeared on his face before he turned back to finish my bed.
“You look better. And the smell had definitely improved.”
“If my odor offended you so much, I would like to remind you it was you who barged into my room. You could have stayed away and allowed your nose to remain free of my stench.”
“The shower made you feisty. Good, now get dressed you’ve already made me late.”
“Wait, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Lucy, You aren’t going to lock yourself back up in this homemade prison.”
I was shaking my head my wet hair sliding against my shoulder blades. “No, I’m going to get up and work outside. I was actually thinking of going over to my old coffee shop. You did your job, Jackson. I’m no longer in my funk.”
“Well your funky smell is gone. The funk is yet to be determined.”
“Haha. Thank you for forcing me into the shower. I do appreciate it even though I don’t agree with your methods it had the effect you wanted.”
“You’re taking the day off, Luce. Don’t bother arguing with me. Like I said you’ve already put me behind schedule. Get dress. Wear jeans and a t-shirt and make sure you wear tennis shoes.”
“Jackson, I have work.”
“It will be here when you get back.”
“I abandoned it for too long. I really need to get to work.”
Jackson raised his hands as if he was going to reach for me but let them drop to his sides as he ground his back teeth. “Do you have to make everything so difficult?”
“If I’m making you late then go. I’m not keeping you here.”
Jackson took a deep breath and came up to me with cautious steps. His thumbs brushed over my shoulders as they headed down my arms linking his hands with mine. “Can you just trust me?”
It was then I noticed that just like Dean, Jackson also had black smudges under his eyes. He looked tired and with that my resolved vanished.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be down.”
Jackson didn’t relinquish my hands we stared at each other and my nipples hardened against the towel. Abruptly Jackson let go and left my room.
8
Jackson handed me a cup of coffee and a bagel when I reached downstairs. He didn’t say anything to me but he nodded in approval since I followed his dress code order. My jeans were falling off of me from my lost weight, and I had to use a scarf as a make shift belt to keep them up.
The weight loss was even more drastic than I thought and even with Jackson bringing me food every day it didn’t change the fact that I was wasting away.
“Eat,” Jackson said as if he had read my mind. He snatched his keys out of the bowl next to the front door and waited for me to follow him.
In his truck he watched me out of the corner of his eye not bothering to hide it. His body relaxed when I finished the first half of the bagel and started on the other.
I recognized the direction he was driving immediately. “Don’t you have to work today?”
His fingers flexed on the steering wheel making them go temporarily white before he relaxed them. “We lost another job. It was scheduled to start today and the client pulled out.”
“Another job? Is this starting to become a trend?” I vaguely remembered Jackson mentioning they had lost a job before I retreated in my room after the attack.
“I hope not. We’ve lost three jobs so far. Thankfully, we have a lot of loyal clients who have no problem sticking with us.”
“Are they giving you any indication on why they are canceling?”
It made sense why Dean and Jackson appeared so haggard. Not only were they dealing with their business taking a turn for the worse they were also worried about me.
“One of our clients said he got an anonymous phone call where the person started bad mouthing
our company.”
“Did you find out who it was?” Fear bolted up my back and settled at the back of my neck.
I’d gone over every detail of what happened when I was attacked. While he was abusing me with his fist and feet the masked asshole never mentioned retaliating against my family. Was it my fault there was someone running wild trying to sabotage my brother’s and Jackson’s business? The business my dad and grandpa worked so hard to build from the ground up.
“What is it?” Jackson asked.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that. You just turned as white as a ghost and you look like you’re about to get sick.” Jackson took the rest of the bagel from my hand and stuffed it in his mouth. He kept looking at me waiting for me to answer.
“Really it’s nothing.” I wrestled with myself wondering if I was being fair keeping information away from Jackson and Dean. Information which may help them figure out why their business had a personal hit man after it.
Jackson warm hand covered my freezing one. He gripped it harder as if he was trying to infuse his warmth into mine just by determination alone.
“Tell me what’s going on. I can’t help you slay your dragons if I don’t know what kind of dragon it is.”
For some reason his words caused a large lump to form in my throat aching as it continued to grow. I cleared my throat but didn’t attempt to talk.
“Lucy.” His voice was gentle but it held a hint of command in it.
“I’m just afraid that maybe I’m attached to it somehow.”
“What do you mean?” Jackson turned onto the dirt road that led to his family’s old farm house. He slowed the truck down allowing it to ride smoothly over the dirt path.
“Well, as much as I tried to keep what happened with my boss on the down low a lot of people found out about it. Especially people I worked with. It wouldn’t be hard for them to find out Dean’s my brother and he’s the head of the our family business. Maybe someone is out for vengeance.”
Jackson parked the truck in front of the sprawling farmhouse. The wrap around porch was newly sanded and the bucket of paint next to it sat proudly on the smooth surface waiting to coat the new wood. The farmhouse transformation was incredible. I could see all the hard work Jackson had put into it. Pride surfaced and I smiled at Jackson who was frowning at me.
First Kiss Page 5