A Broken Jewel (Jade Book 1)

by Lucy Rains

  Jason shrugged and looked at the ceiling, “Last I saw them together was a couple months ago. I thought, they had even moved in together.” He scratched his chin for a moment and then dropped his hand. “Anyways, let me know if you change your mind, I have a nice place in mind for you.” He picked at the paint on the wall for a second, like he was suddenly very interested in the room’s decor and letting the damage of his words settle into my mind. Without another word he left me standing there, reeling in emotion.

  When I heard him taking the stairs down, I leaned forward and put my hands on the desk in front of me. Nausea threatened my stomach as I let out a heavy breath. My eyes pinched together in pain, trying to understand what I had just learned.

  What if he was lying? Could he be lying? I wished that he was, but unfortunately I felt no deception. Satisfaction, yes. Ridicule, yes. But no deceit.

  I had only known the guys for a few days, of course there were things they hadn’t told me. Relationships, past romances, why would they want to share this with me? I tried to reason, that I didn’t need to know about it. I didn’t need to know that both Pierce and Kyson’s hearts had been wrapped around another girl. My heart was aching through my chest and my head was starting to pound.

  Irrational tears brimmed in my eyes. Images flashed through my mind, picturing them with another girl. That's when my eyes opened and I remembered on Monday when I went to school with Kyson. The blonde girl in the bathroom, she had seen Kyson with Katie. This sent my jealousy raging through my blood at an even faster that I couldn’t stop.

  My hands went to my hair. Why did I think I would be their only one? They were warm blooded men that I’m sure had needs, but no reasoning lessened my rage and pain. No logical excuse made it easier for me to accept that these guys had been intimate with other girls. Their hands on their bodies, their lips on their mouths. Red began filling my vision.

  A prick of concern pushed into my mind and I gasped. My eyes opened and I swallowed deep breaths to push out my anxieties. Someone had picked up on my jealousy. I focused on pulling up a mental barrier to shield off my emotions.

  Gavin with his resentment.

  Pierce and Kyson with other girls.

  Dead bodies in this apartment because of me.

  My mother was out for me.

  Jason wanting me.

  My head pounded and my teeth ground together.

  The thought of facing any of them was more than I could bear. Being in their presence, seeing their faces. How suddenly I had shifted from wanting, needing their touch, to now needing to be away from them.

  I needed out.

  I needed to get away. My deep breathing continued and my muscles relaxed slightly. Putting a plan into action helped to calm the rush of feelings I was working to control. The guys already knew I was upset. And they would act. I could only hope they were detained in their debriefing process to act too quickly.

  I swiped at the moisture lining my eyes with the backs of my hands and walked quietly out of the room. Two guys in suits stood outside the door of the room filled with children, looking in and talking on cell phones. Making sure I wasn’t noticed, I headed back to the room that we entered in. The light had been flipped on, but the window was still open.

  My head peered out the window and I stepped out onto the mini balcony. The night air had cooled and my skin pricked at the sensation. Cigarettes burned nearby. I looked over the rail. Red and blue flashing lights lit up the streets 2 blocks away in both directions. Black SUVs lined the street in front of the building. Various people stood around the vehicles, all busy with cell phones, clipboards, and coffee cups.

  I wrapped my hands around the cold steel and stepped to the other side of the balcony. My knees bent, while my hands found secure places at the bottom of the rails. I let my body hang over the edge before dropping down to the pavement.

  The fall was more painful than I hoped it would be. Sharp pains shot up through my right ankle as I rolled out of the fall, my breathing coming out in a choked gasp. There was no time to sit and wait for the ankle to heal, I stood up and moved as quickly as I was able, away from the building.

  I limped to a nearby alley and disappeared into the shadows, watching an ambulance pass by the street in front of me. Within a few minutes my ankle was completely healed and I let myself run at a steady pace away from the building.

  I shifted my weight to my toes for the first few blocks, trying to move soundlessly away from the building. When the vibrations in my chest stilled I knew the guys would be alerted to my absence and I was even shorter on time.

  Unfortunately, in my anxious state of mind to get away from the scene, I had not paid close enough attention to my location and my surroundings became unfamiliar. The area I found myself in made me nervous, jumpy. It was not a good place for a girl to get lost in. I kept walking, hoping a familiar landmark would turn up. The buildings were too tall to try and find the empire state building as a point of direction. I considered pulling out my phone but I had turned off my GPS tracker and wanted to keep it off.

  I passed by drunks on street corners, homeless bodies either curled up for the night or talking to themselves in alley ways. When I had finally reached a street with an Asian market on the corner, I knew I was going in the right direction. The smells were familiar and I knew we had passed by here earlier. I just needed to know which way to turn.

  My sensitive ears perked up to quick footsteps and heavy breathing. Aggression, lust, curiosity. Such a bad combination. My feet began moving again, hurrying towards what I hoped was a public area.

  Out running them wasn’t a problem, but knowing which direction to run was. I swung around a corner that I thought led to another intersection, but my heart dropped when I saw it was a gated dead end. With a large dumpster in the corner, rancid garbage reeked, the smell of rot filling the air. I heard shouting from a nearby apartment. An infant crying. When I turned around to venture to another corner, my stalkers had blocked my exit.

  Tall, dark, hooded figures. My hands shook. The confidence I had felt earlier in the evening escaped me. Now I was a lost girl in an unfamiliar environment, all on her own.

  I took a step backwards, watching them amble towards me without hesitation. Their light skin contrasted against the night, the whites of their eyes peering at me. Their full lips pulled across their stained teeth into sick smiles. I heard one of them mumble something to the other and they paused. A knife glinted in one hand, a rope appeared in another. I held my ground, knowing they needed to get closer before I could act.

  I brought my trembling hands up slowly in front of me, making sure to aim a palm at both men. They didn’t slow down. I held my stance firm, my feet shoulder width apart. Their faces remained empty. Energy burned in my palms, ready to be released.

  They never looked at my hands, their eyes scanning my body, anticipating how they would take me. I swallowed hard, waiting.

  They would never touch me.

  When they were a couple meters away from me, I let out a gust strong enough to throw them backwards and onto their backs. Their skulls hit the ground with a prominent crack and they laid stunned for a moment. Not waiting for their heads to clear, I approached the two young men. Probably the same age as me. They cradled their heads, one leaning on an elbow, the other trying to sit up. I walked up and threw out another force into the center of their guts, making them double in half, then gave a swift punch to both their groins. Garbled moans escaped their lips as I left them huddled on the oily asphalt.

  My pace was faster now, knowing I had lost valuable time in dealing with the rapists, and hurried towards town. I eyed taxis as they passed by me, wishing I could lift an arm towards one. It would be so much easier to disappear, to get away. But with only a couple dollars in my pocket, I had to head towards the subway.

  I debated on my next move. With such little cash on hand I was extremely limited. I had such few contacts, hardly any resources, my only option at this point was to pawn my phone and use t
he cash to take a bus ride back to Baltimore. Once there, I wasn’t sure. I considered contacting Mia but that could be dangerous as well. I needed to get away from everyone.

  What was my end goal? How long did I want solitude? Hours? Days? Weeks? Did I even know what I was doing? My mind raced in different directions, my eyes wide, my chest heaving. I cursed inwardly. I should have brought my wallet and cash cards. Hell, I should have stayed home.

  I bought my subway ticket and stared at the large map covering the grey cinder block wall. The lines were overwhelming. The routes, the colors, the different stations. It was more than I could process with such little time. Narrowing my eyes on how to exit the city, I gasped when my chest started to hum.

  Cursing again, I turned towards the tunnels and started flying down the stairs. I moved in and out of crowds, darting between people, heading towards larger groups to try and blend in. When I got to the bottom, there was no train car to disappear into. My head turned to look right and left, unsure where to go, where to hide. The vibrations were getting stronger, the warmth starting to fill my chest. I eyed a women’s bathroom and began moving.

  I made it about ten steps before the overwhelming presence tripped me and I paused.

  “Jade!”

  Above all the noise that filled the platform, Pierce’s deep voice echoed around me. My shoulders dropped and my eyes closed. My attempt had been weak at best, a failure for sure. Deep down I knew it had been futile.

  My heart ached, feeling his pain, feeling my own pain, having no idea how to deal with it. My hands went up to my head and I leaned against a wall.

  As I waited for him to come closer I tried to figure out how I was going to explain myself. Angry that I had to. Stubborn resentment kept my mouth closed.

  “Jade?” His body filled my line of vision. I saw him reach for my face but I moved out of the way. The confused pain he emanated was pushed on my mind. “What is going on?

  I sniffed, my eyes burning already. I avoided his stare, looking at the people that ignored us as they passed by.

  My mind was blank, not knowing where to start, what to explain. I didn’t understand myself, how was I supposed to make him?

  I shook my head, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” I admitted. “I don’t know what I want. Hell, I don’t know what you want,” I motioned towards him. I ran a hand over my pony tail and dipped my head. “I have never felt so vulnerable,” my voice came out strangled, “This,” I motioned between us, “with all the guys, I just don’t know what I’m doing. I’m kissing you, then killing people.” My voice cracked on the last word, and I swallowed. “I am breaking apart and I can’t hold myself together anymore.”

  “Jade-”

  “I killed someone tonight!” I hissed. “Two people! I’ve never,” I swallow, “What the hell?!” I shook my head again. “I don’t know what I am, what I’m doing. I haven’t had a freaking chance to figure out myself before I get thrown from one screwed up situation to another.”

  I finally found the courage to lift my eyes to his, and it broke my composure. He was beautiful. I wanted him, and I hated him. Hated him for touching another girl. Hated myself for hating him. Hating my hot jealousy.

  His eyebrows came together as he felt the shift within me, “What is it?” he asked, perplexed at my emotions.

  My breathing quickened and my mouth opened, working but no words coming out. His hands came up and I didn’t move away when they touched my arms. My eyes closed at the warmth from his skin and I shivered. “I can’t,” my head shook.

  “What,” he asked again, “What is it?”

  I braced myself and opened my eyes, “Why didn’t you tell me about Ariana and Katie?”

  Pierce’s hands stiffened and I locked on his eyes, daring him to play stupid. When he didn’t, I took a step back, my chest about to rip in half. Knowing a confirmation of his relationship would tear me apart.

  “Is that what this is about?” He asked, disbelief in his voice.

  My eyes blinked back tears, unable to speak I looked at the ground.

  “Jade, it's not what you think.”

  “Oh my gosh, please spare me.” I pushed off the tiled wall and turned away to start walking. This had been a mistake.

  “No, Jade, stop!” He stepped in front of me, and I had to stop quickly to avoid running into his broad chest. He reached for me again and I backed away. He held up his hands in defense, “Please just listen.”

  “No.”

  “They were a job, Jade, they were nothing to us.”

  “Stop.” I swallowed, staring straight ahead, debating turning around to try and run.

  Pierce continued, speaking faster, “We, Kyson and I, we were doing an undercover operation. Trying to flush out a drug lord. Jason paired us up with them to help our cover. It was nothing, I swear, we felt nothing for them.”

  My teeth worked my bottom lip and I let myself study his face. He took my pause as a good sign and stepped closer to me. “It was a 3 month long assignment, we had to pretend to be in a serious relationship with these girls because of their connections. As soon as they bagged the bad guys, we have never spoken to them again. It was all a facade, just a show.”

  I crossed my arms and my breathing slowed, soaking in his words. There was a question, the one question I needed to know. But damn how I hated to ask it. The wrong answer would kill me.

  I swallowed and looked hard at his face, watching for any twitch or blink. “Did...did you sleep with them?”

  “No,” he whispered passionately.

  “Did they stay at the house?”

  “Yes, but nothing went on when we weren’t in the public eye where the enemy could see us.”

  A breath I didn’t know I was holding left my mouth and I wiped at my forehead. “I just...I don’t know. Being with you guys, it's consuming me. I don’t understand it.”

  “Neither do we.”

  I looked up at him, processing his words. “It’s true, for all of us. We have never felt anything for another girl, like what we have felt for you.”

  “For how long?” I whisper, my fears spilling out of me, laid bare before Pierce. “Until you guys tire of me? Of sharing one girl?”

  “No,” he growled, “You know it's different.”

  “My heart is getting wrapped up with the four of you. It’s not normal. You know its not.”

  Pierce shook his head again, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration. “Nothing about any of us is normal. Our pasts, our bodies, our lives.”

  I stood there, thinking about his words, turning them over in my mind. I looked away from Pierce, it wasn’t enough. Not enough to change my mind. To hold me in place.

  A train car sounded down the tunnel, pulling up to the platform I was standing at. I looked up at Pierce and took a step backwards.

  He registered my action and shook his head slowly, “Don’t do this.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to tell you Pierce! I can’t do this. I just need some space. Let me, have, space. Jason, my mother, you guys, my damn mind and body! So many obstacles are hell bent on ruining me, ruining us, I can’t handle everything that’s being thrown at me.”

  “Let us help you!” he begged. “Jade!”

  I turned away from him and stepped onto the train car. When I faced him again he was still shaking his head, “You’re better off with us.”

  “I know you think that. You’ve been watching over my every move the second you hit my car! Why?”

  His jaw tensed and his words ground out in a low tone, “Because it’s not safe for you. And we need you.”

  I watched him, and he stared back at me standing on the train, the seconds ticking down before the doors sealed. The look of desperation in his eyes pulled at me, his emotions wrapping tight around me. Was I doing the right thing? Was there another way? I closed my eyes, trying to make that final decision. Doubt filled my mind like a water from a hole in a boat. What would I do? Where would I go? The guys faces filled my mind, and suddenly
the pain in my chest was too much, I knew I needed to go about this a different way.

  Jade

  Pierce’s voice rang in my head, clear as a bell. I looked up in shock. Had he just spoken to me through my mind?

  My eyes met his and I began moving forward to step off the subway car when suddenly strong arms wrapped around my neck and waist, pulling me backwards. The train door slid shut.

  “Jade!” I heard Pierce bellow.

  The train car pulled away from the platform, picking up speed, in my struggle I could see Pierce begin banging on the window, running until he couldn’t keep up with it anymore. And then the banging was gone, my chest empty of warmth.

  CHAPTER 24

  My body was being pulled backwards as a gloved hand covered my mouth, preventing me from screaming out. Another hand wrapped around my chest and arms, holding me tight against a hard body. I struggled against the arm that had me pinned down, trying to get my arms up, but it was useless. My attacker was too strong in the position we were in and his angles of offense were better than mine.

  Fear gripped my chest and I struggled to breathe in enough oxygen. My body jerked against the attacker, trying to break the hold. I looked around for help, searching for someone to notice me, but the 3 people on our train car had their backs to us with headphones in.

  Suddenly the hand on my mouth disappeared, and I sucked in a gallon of air at the same time trying to whip my head around to see who was kidnapping me. Realizing I was wasting time, I planted my feet into the ground and threw myself backwards, forcing a heavy huff from the person. I tried to lean forward, straightened my legs to try the shove again, but was distracted by the suddenly pierce of a needle going through my black shirt and into my left forearm.

  A rush of desperate panic ran through me. My muscles tensed, twisting, and squirming against the hands that held me. The hand was back on my mouth, pinning my head backwards against him.

  My fear jumped to a whole new level when I felt my limbs going weak, my muscles not responding to my commands. My head was becoming too heavy to hold up. I cursed repeatedly in my head, trying to continue fighting but quickly losing strength.