by Eilish Rose
“We’re not injured in any way, but we need to go to hospital to make sure Kara and the baby are fine,” Jasper kept his gun aside and tried to touch her again with so much caution. She was still hiding her face, all trembling and shaking her head. He was relived when she didn’t flinch this time.
“No. No… no… I want to go home,” her trembling voice pierced through his heart, and he hugged her.
“Please Kara, you have to get the check up done, it’ll be over before you notice it,” he tried to reason with her, but she shook her head.
“That’s fine Jasper. I’ll send someone at your home for her check up,” Aaron offered a solution when he knew she was not going to change her mind.
“Also, carry her to that car. One of my men will drive you home,” Aaron stepped away to give Jasper space to get out.
Jasper went to passenger door, and removed her hands from her face. Her tear strained face was clutching his heart, and he hated himself in that moment for scarring her. Kara refused to look at him, and he let it go. Carefully, he picked her up in his arms and walked towards the car Aaron gestured to.
As they reached the car, Jasper was about to say something to Aaron when he spoke, “I’ve got my eyes everywhere, Jasper. Everything is under control,” Aaron nodded while conveying the message in his own discrete way that Amelia was safe , and Jasper understood him. After all, their service in the military had taught them how to pass massages in cliched sentences without raising much doubt while being among civilians. Jasper nodded.
He sat in the back seat still holding her in his arms. Her shivering didn't stop, so he started to rub her back in slow motion and lowered his head to inhale the flowery scent of her hair.
“Take rest, Kara,” his emotionally thick voice made her to slump against him. During the entire ride she didn’t look at him and this was eating him alive. He wanted to look into her green depths so that they could tame the monster inside him. He also didn’t want to see disgust in her green orbs.
After a while the car pulled in front of his house, and he got out first and carried half asleep Kara in his arm to their bedroom.
He then helped her to get change in dim light because he knew she wouldn’t be comfortable being almost naked in bright light. After helping her, he also got ready for the bed. When he emerged from the bathroom, Kara was shaking in her sleep, and it was obvious she was having a nightmare. He went under the covers quickly and pulled her to him. He kissed her forehead, and rubbed her arm while massaging her head.
She became a little conscious as his touch made Kara aware that she was not alone in the bed, but her sleepy mind was replaying the scene when he shot that man. It was not easy for her to see such brutality, and her brain was screaming at her to stay away from this man because he was much stronger and powerful than her ex-fiance.
She got up with a start, and started rubbing her hands in nervous manner while her face. Jasper got up as well. Her lips were moving but no sound came out. She looked here and there frantically looking for something.
Jasper tried to touch her, but she cowered away from him. He remained seated and looked at her, “what is it Kara? What are you looking for?” he asked in the gentle tone, not wanting to hurt or scare her further.
“Phone… my phone… Amelia, she… she,” she couldn’t complete her sentence as her voice shook.
“Amelia is fine, Kara. She’s asleep in her house. Safe and sound,” hearing last part she looked at him with tear glistening eyes.
She nodded repeatedly. “But… phone… I need… need…,” Jasper stood and brought her phone from her purse— actually, Aaron handed it over to him when he changed the car.
Jasper watched her the whole time, and he was disturbed. He never saw her this vulnerable and it took everything in him stay calm.
She took her phone and unlocked it with shaking hands. After scrolling down through her media files, she played an audio. Jasper stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Amelia’s voice singing ‘ Something Over the Rainbow’. A scene flashed in front of his eyes— the day he went to Kara’s house and heard her pleading Amelia not to stop singing lullaby to her. This made whole fucking sense now!
He couldn’t ponder over his thoughts any longer as he saw Kara lying on the bed in fetus position hearing the song. He felt helpless looking at his hurting wife. He wanted to hurt everyone who hurt her. He wanted to hurt himself also because in this moment she was hurting because of him.
But he was fucking helpless!
Inhaling deeply, he went to the bed carefully not disturbing her. He faced her, and looked at her tear strained face. She was trying hard not to let out any voice, but her choked sobs escaped involuntarily.
She then looked at him, and they both kept looking at each other unmoving. When her chin trembled again, Jasper’s control snapped and he pulled her into his arms tightly and kissed her forehead. He whispered sweet nothings while ‘Something Over the Rainbow’ played in the background. After some time, tiredness took over body and she drifted away in her dreams once again. But Jasper’s sleep was miles away. He was up thinking about everything that transpired today.
CHAPTER 19
An hour later, Aaron accompanied Kara’s gynecologist to Jasper’s house and she checked her before prescribing medicines and supplements for her. She told them to visit her clinic for proper check up next day.
“How are you holding up, man?” Aaron asked.
“I’m fucking pissed. I’m feeling like I’m failing her. One moment everything seems clear and the next everything falls apart.” Aaron squeezed his shoulder.
“The attacker was a hired man to kidnap her, but he doesn’t know who hired him. The only opportunity was that since she doesn’t go out of the house that much.” Aaron informed. “By the way, thanks for not killing him. It’d be fun to break him.” Aaron chuckled.
“Talk to her, Jasper. What she knows, nobody else does. We can’t rely on bits and pieces, we need more information. The more you prolonged this, the more dangerous it’d become.”
Jasper nodded and Aaron left.
Kara was wide awake, trying to think what happened when they came back. She cursed herself for showing her vulnerability, and she was ashamed that Jasper saw her at one of her lowest. She never even let Amelia to see her like this. But how could she react normally when he shot the man.
She was in thoughts when Jasper entered the room. She refused to look at him. He walked towards her and sat beside her, but she didn’t make any attempt to get up.
He looked at her and knew what she was feeling. He grabbed her hand, and when she tried to pull it away he didn’t let it go.
“What is going on in this head of yours?” he massaged her scalp gently.
She didn’t look. Sighing he leaned down and their faces were mere inches apart, “are you afraid of me, Kara? You think that I’m a monster because I pulled the trigger. I assure you, I didn’t kill that man. He’s just unable to use his right hand for some time. You know I used to be in army. Did you?”
Finally she looked at him and a sigh escaped from her mouth.
“Don’t fear me Kara. Yes, I am dangerous, but to those who try to harm innocents and the people I love,” his voice was thick with emotions.
“And I’d shot that man thousand times again if he ever tried to hurt you,” Jasper was trying to communicate with her. He needed her to be open to him because time was ticking away.
When she didn’t say any word, he stood up.
“I’m hungry,” her soft voice stopped him, and he turned smilingly.
“Okay, I bring something,” he went out.
After 20 minutes Jasper entered the room with food tray containing veggie sandwiches, some fruits, juice and few muffins.
“I had no idea what you wanted to eat. Besides these were easy fix,” he shrugged and placed the food tray on the bed and helped her to sit up.
Gingerly, she took one sandwich and took a bite, and a moan escaped her mouth. Jasper was looking at her, and a mischiev
ous smile played on his lips.
When she saw him, her face reddened, and she bowed down her head.
“Don’t hide this beautiful face from me,” he made her look at him placing a finger under her chin.
“These are tasty,” she complimented the sandwich.
“Thank you,” he replied.
“You made these?” she was astonished.
“Yes, I learned some basic cooking during my time in military. Oh! You haven’t tried Ethan’s cooking yet. He is pro, trust me.” He tried to keep the conversation going.
“But I think nothing can compare to these,” she said in her usual soft voice but it had little strength now.
She then asked him to eat as well, and he had a sandwich.
Kara was eating berries when she became all serious, “can I trust you, Jasper?”
Her low voice and question got his attention.
“Of course, Kara.”
She shifted a little and played with the berries for few seconds and he waited patiently, “I want to get out of this, but I don’t know how. I want to pour my heart out, but I’m scared. The things I have been hiding inside my mind are extremely volatile. I’m afraid if I told anyone, it will burn everything.”
By then Jasper scooted closer and placed his hand on her knee to show her that he was there for her.
“If I tell you, will you trust me? Will you help me?” her voice shook a little.
“That’s what I’m trying to say Kara. I know things, not all but some of them. Right now I’m not able to picture this whole facade. There are gaps. I want you to help me fill those,” he assured her.
“Just a minute,” he went up and brought his tablet and sat down besides her.
“Before you tell me, I want you to show something. May be then, you can trust me.”
He gave the tablet to her showing the pictures he received on the day of William’s death.
Kara gasped and her face went pale, and Jasper was quick to hold her shivering body in his arms.
“Don’t fear these, let me explain first,” he waited for sometime and when she didn’t say anything, he continued, “I received these on day of the his accident. Someone was trying to frame you Kara, and I believed these photos in that moment. But my heart never fully agreed with the logics of my brain, so I started observing you. But you never struck me a criminal type. Trust me, because in my line of profession, I have seen plenty. In this moment I want to be honest with you,” he made her look at him.
Holding eye contact he continues, “yes, when I agreed to marry you, I wanted to uncover the truth, but two days later everything changed in that trail room. The vows I said were honest and pure. I made you my wife for real, not for any secret agenda. You’re my wife, mine to protect and mine to love,” he confessed his feelings to her, and her throat contracted with emotions. Jasper touched their foreheads and they stayed like that in soft light of their bedroom. He, then, kissed her cheek tenderly, and his gesture started evoking dead feelings in her.
“Love?” her voice thick.
He shrugged with a charming smile.
“This is not the time for these deep confessions, will do soon when everything settles down. But remember, you’re mine to love,” he said again.
She hugged him real tight and he hugged her back nuzzling her neck.
“I don’t know where to start?” she spoke.
“Tell me, when did he first show the sign of a monster? And what did he have to keep you silent? Or how this all started?” she looked at him baffled because he didn’t say the name but she knew whom he was talking about because he had confirmed it on their wedding day.
She straightened a bit and Jasper helped her to sit comfortably leaning against the headboard.
Jasper took her hand and squeezed it gently to encourage her to speak.
“Our meeting was typically out of a romance novel or movie. I went to Black Publications for the interview when I met him. I actually bumped into him dropping the files on the floor along with my tablet which broke,” she chuckled sadly at the last bit.
She took deep breaths and then continued, “he helped me, and I was already a fan of him which really did play a great role in making me fall for that guy. I admired him, and when he showed interest in me I was actually spellbound. But now I think I was stupid for believing it to be true. But he never gave me any chance to doubt him, and I was a dreamer. Living in fantasy world was part of my studies and my profession, and him sweeping me off my feet was not less than a fairytale. And he was every bit of the prince charming. For a year it went well, and you know these special days are really like bad memories. And he made sure to give me something to remember the important days in my life. On my birthday, he threw a party. Everyone was there— our parents, friends and relatives except you.
“After the party, he took permission from my parents to take me on a week long celebration. Little did I know I was going to see a side of him which shook me to the core. We went to his house in California, and—” she trailed off as mind was wandering those dark places and it was getting hard to speak. Jasper was silent the whole time, he was preparing himself for the next parts which already had imagined but imaginations could be wrong many times.
“And when we—,” her voice shook, and Jasper went closer and cupped her face in his hands and made her look at him. She had unshed tears in her eyes. It was struggle for her to talk about because it was the first time she was voicing her fears, and for her it was easier said than done.
“Don’t punish yourself, Kara. Let it out, and share your pain with me. Trust me, I know what this world is, and how people wear masks to fool others. I’ve mourned my brother two months ago, and you should also remember that especially the part when you threw your engagement ring in the grave. You freed yourself that day, and you’re free regardless the fact that that man is pretty much alive. I know Kara, I’m asking for a lot, but only this time let all your insecurities go and put your trust in me. I won’t let you down, I promise.” He pressed her cheeks gently to get a reaction out of her.
She nodded with trembling chin, and pressed her eyes to make her tears go away. She had to tell him every thing, if not for herself then for Amelia. Because William still have everything that could ruin her sister, and it wasn’t even the last thing she wanted.
Chapter 20
“Upon entering, he slapped me hard. I was stunned, I wasn’t quick enough to understand what happened, and then he slapped twice,” Jasper’s hand tightened on hers, but he let her continue without any interruption. “I was crying mess. He left after this, but came back after 15 minutes. I was still in that position, and it angered him more. He dragged… dra… dragged me upstairs grabbing my hair, and there he gave me those scars with a burning rod. He said that it was my punishment for being a sl… slut.” She whispered last part and her voice was shaky but she refused to let the tears fall.
“He said that he did this because I was wearing revealing clothes and I was trying to get other males’ attentions. After burning my skin, he left and didn’t come for three days. I was alone in that house. He locked me inside and took my phone. I had no way out. There was nothing to eat in that house and he starved me for three days. Those three days were enough for me to make my mind up to report him, but as if he I knew I was going to do this, he blackmailed me.” She stopped and took long breaths.
When she didn’t continue, Jasper embraced her and rocked back and forth. He rested his cheek on her head before pacing a kiss.
“How did he blackmail you, Kara?”
“He brought Amelia in this.” She leaned back a little to look in his blue orbs. “Promise me, you won’t tell anyone about this. Amelia doesn’t know what he did. I don’t want to snatch her innocence,” she pleaded.
“Okay Kara, I won’t let it public, but I might need to share it with Aaron and Ethan because I can’t keep them in dark when we are trying to catch him. You can trust them. Okay?”
She nodded, and rested her head in his
chest. This gesture was enough for him to melt his heart. He was falling deep everyday, and this tough neither scared him nor felt foreign.
“Okay,” she agreed with his condition. “He had Amelia’s photographs and videos, naked ones.” She let out a shaky breath and Jasper gasped in shock. His body stiffened and he felt like he was hit by train million times. Out of all possibilities he had never imagined this outcome.
“I know Jasper, this is too much to take in but it is the truth. William is sick,” she spoke his name for the first time in this conversation.
Cupping her soft face in his big and strong hands, he made her look at him, “I have nothing to say to you, Kara. I can’t even imagine what life you had endured.”
“I couldn’t come out and point fingers at him when so much was on stake. So I just kept quiet and started to find any opportunity to have access to those files, so that I could delete them. But that day never came. Now he is back, I am scared he’d try to use those.”
“How did he got the pictures and videos?” he inquired.
“I’m not sure where and how he did, but it was not our home. And I couldn’t ask her.”
Jasper started to think about any place where those pictures could be recorded from.
“There are few possibilities, one he photoshoped the pictures but doing on the video could be hard. Another place I is think could be any public bathroom which she used. Restaurant, hotel room and shopping mall, but those are some difficult places to place a camera and there is no guarantee when she’d used. On the other hand, school bathroom could be possible.”
Kara jerked back when she heard this, “she is in athletics team, and she uses gym bathrooms. Oh my God! Jasper did he really do this, but how?” she was trembling.
“Someone helped him. I’ll figure it out,” he tucked her hair behind her ear. She nodded.
“And what happened two months ago?” he asked.
Kara leaned back and rested her head on the headboard and stared at the ceiling gathering her thoughts, “he was becoming much more abusive, and I decided to report him because being in that toxic relationship was eating me alive. I thought about Amelia too, I realized that keeping my mouth shut wouldn’t do any good because he could do much worse. He could use those pictures and videos in some other way. I made a mistake of threating him with this, and he somehow kidnapped Amelia from her school trip and contacted me to meet him at that building. He clearly told me to come alone and if I told anyone he’d do much worse to her. And… I had… had no choice. Mom and dad were in France, and I was alone scared to death for Am. My mind was numb, and I went to him. There he had tied Amelia with ropes and that scene broke my heart. I was responsible for that. I brought William in our lives. If I had never went for that internship, this wouldn’t have happened.” She sobbed and Jasper felt helpless.