WE PULL UP TO the clinic and alarms are going off. Patients are being brought out of all the exits. My heart is in my throat as I see Bella frantically yelling for Junior. I yell at Mick to keep everyone in the car as Max and I race toward Bella.
“Where’s Junior? What’s going on?”
“He went for an X-ray, and then the alarms went off. I can’t find him. Please find him.”
“Get in the car with Mum and don’t leave. Michael, come with us.”
“I tried back searching from X-ray, but it’s sheer chaos.”
“Max, maybe you should wait in Junior’s room in case he comes back there.” I have a good idea what happened here and I need to keep Max away. He’s not even listening to me, he’s in his zone and running toward the bridgeway. God help us all if Max gets his hands on James. He’s picking up speed; Michael and I can barely keep up with him. We get to the room and the guards are banging on the door. Max begins kicking the door—nothing. I’m yelling for Junior to unlock the door. I hear a loud crash. When I turn around, I see Max has thrown a chair at the window and is climbing outside onto the ledge! “Michael, get the key from the nurses station, I need to follow him!”
I look out and it’s a three story drop. Max has a grip on a drain pipe as he’s kicking in the window. I’ve never seen him like this—ever! He jumps into the room and I’m right behind him. The door swings open and Michael comes racing in. Max grabs Junior and pulls him into his arms.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
“Uncle Max, I’m sorry. I needed to know why everyone was keeping secrets from me. I wanted to know what the big deal was about this guy. I wanted to thank him.”
“Did he touch you? Did he hurt you? What did he tell you?”
“Uncle Max, he said he’s a family friend, that’s it. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Everything is fine. Go with your father back to your room, your mum is worried sick.”
“That’s it? You came racing in here, like something out of movie, and all you can tell me is go back to my room? Why is his last name the same as Uncle Jax and Grams?”
Max looks at me and then closes his eyes. “Uncle Jax, you never lie to me. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“You’re right, Junior, I never lie to you. Just because you are related to someone, doesn’t mean that they should be a part of your life. This man is our father, your grandfather. He is not a parent, he never was. A father . . . he’s the man that raises and loves you. He’s there for you every day through the good times and the bad. This man has done nothing but cause problems.”
“If he’s such a bad person, then why do you want me to get his stem cells?”
“Because I love you more than life itself and if it means that I have to make a deal with him, I will.”
Junior has tears in his eyes, trying to be brave. He walks up to James and extends his hand, and I have to hold Max back. “Mr. Phillips, thank you for your donation. You might not be a good person, but you gave me the best family.”
Michael bends down and Junior climbs on his back. “We need to go; you have a lot of explaining and apologizing to do.”
“Come on, Max, let’s go.” He’s not moving, frozen in place, his eyes tightly shut.
When Junior is out of the room, James turns to me. “At least my grandson has manners.”
Why can’t he just shut the fuck up? Max finally opens his eyes and they are very dark. I know I don’t have a shot at talking him down.
“What the fuck do you know about manners? You’re a pathetic excuse for a man. You could have stopped my family from being killed that day and you didn’t. How do you live with yourself?”
“I tried to get there in time, but I couldn’t.”
“All you had to do was make one phone call—that’s it—and they never would have been in the park that day! You knew how to get a hold of me, yet you chose to do nothing! Don’t think that you will get any redemption for what you’re doing here today. You’re still going to rot in hell.”
“I understand that you’ve found another family to move on with, how does that feel, son?”
The words are barely out of his mouth and Max has him up against the wall with his hands around his throat. Does this guy have a death wish?
“Max, let him go.” He doesn’t hear me, or . . . he just doesn’t care.
“You come anywhere near my family and you will never live to see the light of day again. You will learn what hell on earth is all about.” He lets go and James falls to the floor.
“I’m done here, Jax, let’s go.”
I lift James off the floor, reach back, and punch him in the face. Damn, that felt good. He’s lucky that’s all he’s getting.
“When you are finished here, there will be an envelope waiting for you with the picture and the stolen jewels. I never want to see or hear from you again.”
I instruct the guards to make sure he doesn’t leave this room until the nurse comes to take him. Max and I head back to Junior’s room.
“I can’t believe you broke the window and climbed right out there.” He’s not saying anything. “I can’t believe you hung on a drain pipe and kicked in the other window.” Still nothing. “Max, it’s over, we never have to see or hear from him again. No more secrets, all the lies he told have been shattered like that broken glass. Which, by the way, you’re paying for, not me.”
“Thanks, Jax.”
“For what?”
“For covering my arse, and knowing how to pull me back to the present.”
“That’s what brothers do.”
“Jax, one more thing . . . you can’t run for shit.”
I laugh, knowing Max is back and we will be okay. We get into the room and Dr. Campbell is there with some of the nursing staff. Junior is offering up his heartfelt apology. The kid is good, by the time he’s done, the nurses are in tears.
I lean into Max and whisper, “That kid is going to go far in life.”
“Yeah, mate, he’s a mini version of you; wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Everyone is very quiet as the nurses prep Junior for the procedure. That is, until, my daughter begins banging her spoon singing; music to my ears.
THE PROCEDURE DIDN’T TAKE as long as expected and Dr. Campbell thought it went well. If there is no fever, he can go home in a few days. The majority of his treatments can be done on an outpatient basis. James has been released and Mick personally put him on the plane bound for Capri.
I look around the room and I feel relief. Everyone is doing mundane normal stuff and it feels wonderful. My daughter is fast asleep, clutching her spoon. I don’t think I will be getting that away from her anytime soon. Raven is curled into my side and I’m twirling her hair.
She looks up at me with those beautiful violets. “Penny for your thoughts, Jax.”
“I’m happy that everything turned out okay. I’m sad that so many lives were lost to get us to this point. I’m hopeful for the future of this family. I’ve decided I want to do that foster care program we talked about. Even if we don’t have any more children of our own, I will always be helping children; they are the future. I don’t want to work, making millions anymore. I want to only do philanthropist work. We will always have more than enough and, if I learned anything this past year, it’s that there really is no luggage rack on the hearse. I want to watch our family grow and see what they will achieve. I want to spend the rest of my days, loving you, like the line in our favorite Snow Patrol song, “Chasing Cars,” ‘Would you lie with me and just forget the world?’”
“Always, Jax. There’s just one thing I have to ask you. How do you feel about even numbers?”
She has a huge smile as I pull her hand from her ear and kiss the inside of her wrist, just like I did so long ago, and I feel that familiar shiver run through her. “Sweetheart, are you?”
She giggles, “I am.”
Twelve years Later
I AM SO NERVOUS and yet very excited. Today is
Junior’s college graduation. There was a time, for a quick second, I thought we would never see this day. I could never be more proud of him than I am today. Even after all the interruptions in his education, he still managed to graduate top of his class. He has decided to go to The University of Liverpool for his Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering. I’m happy that he found his niche, doing something that makes a difference. He asked to speak with me alone today, before the ceremony. He probably wants me to run interference for him with his mum. Lord knows Bella can be a handful.
Junior had so much fun showing his cousins all the different tunnels he found. He studied the blueprints Max gave him and explored each one of them. Every new tunnel, he etched Rose’s name on the wall with the date. It’s because of her that he’s here today, and he never forgets it. Since Junior has been away at school, Antonia thinks she can run circles around everyone else. The triplets have other ideas.
They found out she was having triplets a few months after Junior’s treatment. You could have heard Jackie yelling at Max three countries over. Something about titanium sperm and a monster cock. Max barely survived the delivery but God only knows how he’s going to survive the teenage years. The last part of Jackie’s pregnancy, she was on complete bed rest. Raven was at the start of her last trimester and decided she would be a great best friend and stay in bed with her. I think it was their plan all along to have Max and me take care of them and their crazy cravings. Max had it worse than me. Raven craved bubble gum and oranges. Jackie had to have dark chocolate covered graham crackers from a little shop in Cary, North Carolina, called: Chocolate Smiles. The girls found this shop when we went to scatter Rose’s ashes. It was such a somber day, but Rose left very detailed instructions. Raven picked a beautiful song by Beyoncé called “I Was Here” to play, while we scattered her ashes. She talked about the chocolates that Antonio had gotten her on the day he proposed. After that, Max arranged for Lissah, the sales lady, to FedEx chocolates every week.
Jackie didn’t make the full nine months. She tried and fought to keep them safely inside of her for as long as possible. When there was no more room for them to grow, Dr. Patel had to do a c-section. Samuel, Jeffery, and then little Grace. It’s Grace that gives Max the most trouble. She is forever pushing him to his limit. She will either keep him young or put him in an early grave. Hell, she’s even got Mrs. Osla wrapped around her finger.
Raven, on the other hand, went full term. We even made it to the hospital, well, almost. We, at least, made it to the parking lot. My beautiful daughter, Gabriella Rose, made her appearance in the back seat of Mick’s brand new Rover. He only had the car for three days—quite the christening.
Raven’s idea to revamp the foster care program has taken off. She’s even gotten some top companies around the world to donate. Jackie maintains her riding academy with the help of the foster children. A few of the kids even ended up in veterinarian school. All in all, it’s been a huge success.
The knocking on my office door pulls me out of my thoughts. It’s Junior, and he’s not alone. He’s only been home a few times this past year, and the beautiful, young lady with him explains a lot.
“Uncle Jax, I wanted to introduce you to my girlfriend, Heather Davis.”
“Hello, please, have a seat. Why so formal, Junior?”
“This is important and I don’t want to mess it up. Heather and I want to get married. I’m afraid when I tell Mum, she will go through the roof.”
“You want me to negotiate for you?”
“Oh God, no, Uncle Jax—I’ve seen how you negotiate. I just need you to keep her calm, and Grams, too.”
“Why the rush to get married? You’re not even finished with your studies.” I don’t like the direction this conversation is headed.
“I’m not pregnant, sir, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not sure what to think, and please don’t call me sir. Jax is fine. So, why the rush?”
“We’re not rushing. We know this is the next step we want to take in life. I love Heather and she is willing to transfer to Liverpool to finish her Master’s Degree in Education.”
What is it with this family and teachers? “I’ll make you a deal. Can you please give me twenty-four hours to digest all of this?”
He reaches into his pocket and hands me some papers. “I know this is why you want twenty-four hours.”
I look down and see that it is the background check on Heather Davis.
“Sir, I mean . . . Jax, I’m willing to sign a prenup, and so is Michael.”
Before I can say another word, Raven comes barreling through the door. “Jax, you better get downstairs and do something about your daughter. Oh, Michael, you’re early, and you brought your friend, Heather. So nice to finally meet you.”
“What has Antonia done now?”
“She and Grace found the keys to Michael’s golf cart and they are racing around in it.”
“Where the hell is Max?”
“Trying to catch them, now go!”
I get halfway down the hall when it hits me—she knew.
“MICHAEL, ANY MINUTE NOW, it will hit him that I knew about Heather. Did you give him the papers?”
“Yeah, and we told him about prenups.”
“Give him time to digest it, and in the meantime, I can work on him.”
“I hope you’re right about this. I still have to get this past Heather’s parents. I’m hoping with everyone on board, it will make it a little easier.”
Jax comes back into the room but before he can say one word, I hug Michael and Heather. “All your uncle ever wanted was for you to be happy. I’m sure when he sees how much you love each other, he will be reminded of what love can do.”
I glance up at Jax and he’s leaning against the door frame with that crooked smirk I love so much. Even after all these years, it always feels like the first time with him.
“Oh, look whose back.”
“Uncle Jax, I’m going to introduce Heather to the rest of the family. I’ll meet you downstairs.” Poor Michael, he can’t get away fast enough.
“So, sweetheart, how long have you known about Heather?”
“For a little bit. Lighten up, Jax, he came to you first. He didn’t have to; he’s twenty-one, he could have just gotten married. They are trying to be responsible and do the right thing.”
“I need to know more about her and her family before I make any kind of decision.”
“Her family owns the oldest and largest pharmaceutical company in Switzerland. She is an only child; her mother died from breast cancer when she was eleven. Her father never remarried. She is studying to be a special education teacher. I’ve been married to you long enough, Jax, I knew to have her checked out. Now, did you get a handle on your daughter?”
“Why is it when she’s doing something wrong, she’s my daughter?”
“Because that’s when the Jaxson in her comes out.”
“Come on, we have to go, the graduation ceremony will be starting soon.”
WE ALL PILE INTO the auditorium, ready for the next milestone in this family. Jackie and I have to separate Antonia and Grace. “You know they are a younger version of us.”
“Yeah, except I don’t think this world is ready for them. What happened when Michael told Jax?”
“Let’s just say he took it about the same way he did when Mick and An told him they went to the justice of the peace.”
“Oh, well, did Michael give him the background report?”
“Yes, and it helped. I told him all about Heather’s family. He agreed to at least look into them before he said no. I made sure I reminded Jax about how powerful love can be. That might work in Michael’s favor.”
“Did you talk to Jax about that school that Gabriella wants to go to?”
“Not yet. I can only hit him with one thing at a time. You know anything more and he’ll go crazy. He already told Antonia she can’t date until she’s eighteen. Can you imagine what he will do when I
tell him Gabriella wants to go to boarding school?”
“Grace wanted to go to a sleepover and after running a check on the family, Max said no. Apparently, the father has outstanding parking tickets.”
The ceremony starts and of course, with a last name like Vizzano, Michael is always toward the end. When the Chancellor calls him to accept his diploma, he is also given a special humanitarian award for his dedication and service to others. The Chancellor talks about how Michael goes to the children’s hospital once a week to cheer up the kids. He talks to the children about courage and about his journey. Knowing how far this boy has come and all that he’s been through, everyone stands and cheers him on. There is not a dry eye in the house. I’m so proud of the man he has grown to be and knowing that I might have helped in that process is very humbling.
Through all my tears and all the heartache I have survived, some things have always remained constant: true love, respect, and honesty. Without that, no relationship could ever survive. I will love Jax with all that I am and all that I will ever be. He is my end all.
Violet to Blues
The end . . .
~Unedited~
Uniquely Mine
A Fitzy Series
Chapter One
Mark Chambers
Women make it so easy for me. They think I’m broken and want to fix me. I let them try, but I’m not broken, so there is no fix for me. I have a need that only they can fill. I need to feel my hands around their throat, feel their bodies come to life with every smack on their ass. Every gasping breath makes my cock harder. If I close my eyes I can feel each pulse of my blood surging forward. Women see me as the bad boy. The boy that needs to be rescued. They are the ones that need to be rescued, rescued from me; this one tonight is no different. New York, just another city filled with desperate woman. It never ceases to amaze me how woman are so nurturing. Why do they see me as a challenge, like a little boy in need of a bandage? I’m beyond redemption, beyond repair and that suits me just fine.
Shattered Lies Page 34