The Loss (Heartache series #1)

by Green, Vicki

  “Jase. Alena. Would you two be dears and pose for a picture, please?” Annette asks kindly, and I see Alena’s eyes look my way and then back at Annette. She smiles and takes a side step towards me. “Closer,” Annette smiles. Alena takes another step, stiffly, and looks like she’s ready to run. I put my arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She relaxes but is still on guard. “Perfect! Hold still.” Flashes go off as I look ahead. “One more, I promise. Try to smile a little more and pretend we’re at the junior prom again. Look at each other.” I turn my head, giving Alena a full smile but when she turns to look at me all I can see is the love in her eyes. “Oh, my! You look just like you did in your prom picture!” More flashes and Alena actually giggles. Sweetest sound.

  A throat clears but I can’t take my eyes off her, and it seems she’s having the same problem. “Excuse me,” asshole’s voice says, impatiently. Her eyes blink and she steps away, stiffening again as he hands her a drink. “Don’t drink too much. Reputation,” he says firmly. What a controlling douche.

  People start coming up to me, shaking my hand and talking about all things past, but I can only focus on one person. Alena. “Jase! How’s it going? Oh! Alena Spencer! How are you?” Brandon Walsh walks up and shakes my hand then leans over and kisses Alena’s cheek. I didn’t mistake the sneer on asshole’s face.

  “Brandon. So good to see you,” she remarks and takes a step back.

  “I’ve been in the police force for about four years now. Eddy, Paul and me together. Brute force, ya know?” He laughs and she smiles, looking over at me.

  “I’m just going to go look around. It was so good to see you.” She turns to asshole and whispers, “I’ll be fine.”

  “But I don’t like it when you’re not with me, darling,” he says through gritted teeth. Not obvious.

  “Please, just let me have some time,” she asks but I can hear the fear in her voice.

  “Very well. But not too long. I’ll be waiting.”

  I duck out of the room, knowing where she’ll go. “Where ya going, Jase? The party’s only started.” I cringe at Annette’s voice. So much for a quiet escape.

  “Bathroom. Be right back.”

  I almost jog down the hall, then take a right and soon another right. I test the doorknob. Fuck, yeah! It’s unlocked. I creep into the room, closing the door quietly, and walk to the dark corner. Perfect!

  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

  I didn’t think he’d ever let me walk around on my own. Damn, I need this night to be over and start my plan. When Jase said he’d help me, I was scared for him, but I knew he’d be my strongest ally. Then this afternoon, feeling him inside me, the warmth of that strength all over me, in me, and his loving eyes adoring me, I melted. It was so much more than I ever thought it could be. When he told me he dreams of me, every night, I cried. It was the sweetest, most loving thing anyone’s ever said to me. But truth is, I had already been crying from the beauty of him. The look on his face when he released, the look in his eyes when he looked at me after, and then his tender touch, totally blew me away.

  I walk down the hall, looking at all the lockers, remembering the fun we had with them. Decorating them for Jase’s track meets, the football games and when Hailey locked herself in hers by accident. The one room I really want to see again is our old homeroom. For three years, we met in there every morning. Even though most of the time we walked to school together, the comradery of everyone in that room, made some lasting relationships. Not only was Jase in there but Scott, Hailey, Tate and a few others that made it complete.

  Finally, I round the last corner and walk straight to the door. My hand grasps the knob, and I smile when it turns. It’s so dark in the room it’s hard to make out everything, but I notice how small the desks look as I close the door behind me. I gasp, trying to scream, when a hand covers my mouth. A large strong hand holds my arm but then a mouth replaces the hand on my lips, and his unique smell invades me. He releases his tight hold on my arm as I relax into him, my arms move to his chest and then slide up and around his neck, pulling him closer. His hand grabs my thigh and brings my leg up and around his hip, my dress stifling my movement. “Jase,” I breathe into his mouth.

  I hear the lock click on the door. His arms move onto my waist, and he lifts me with ease. I quickly wrap my legs around him, thankful my dress is knit so it’s flexible, and he carries me across the room, all the while we keep kissing passionately. I feel the hard surface of wood as he lays me down then he stops kissing me and stands up. His eyes are full of desire as he leans down and pushes up my dress until it’s bunched up around my stomach. I can feel the wetness begin as I watch him unbuckle his belt, and pull down his slacks, then his boxers. He’s already so hard. It looks painful. “Jase,” I whisper.

  He smiles as he removes my panties and then lifts my legs gently, pulling me to the edge of the desk. He plunges into me, and I gasp. All the stress of earlier at home, the ride over and then being here with the wrong person, leave me all at once. There’s no one here but Jase and me. He kisses me again, and we start moving together. I’m lost in him. In us. It doesn’t take long for my desire to start churning. Every thrust, every kiss, fuels me. Heats me. My hands grab his upper arms, feeling the muscles and veins. He kisses my neck, my chest, and then I feel a finger rubbing right where I need it. “Ugh!” He captures my moan with his mouth. I moan again when his cock hits exactly the right spot, and that urges him on. I don’t know how long we’ve been in here, how long we’ve been making love, but time doesn’t matter. Time doesn’t exist.

  “God, I love when you moan. I love when you react to my touch. You’re so fucking sexy,” he whispers in my ear, and that sends me off flying. I squeeze my eyes shut. His mouth covers mine again to muffle my scream when my orgasm rocks me to my core. Not that I’ve had a ton of experience but that literally took my breath away.

  I pout when I can’t see him in the darkness as he releases inside me but I feel his body shuddering, and I remember the look on his face from earlier today. Beautiful. His body covers mine. I wrap my arms around him, waiting for him to calm down, loving him. “God, Alena.” He kisses me and smiles against my lips. “That was fucking amazing. You’re amazing.” He rises a little and I’m able to see his eyes, sparkling at me. His hand brushes my hair away from my face then he lays it there, his thumb rubbing over my skin. His eyes turn from lust to another look, love. “I love you so much it hurts not to be with you. To see you with…. I can’t hardly bear it.” My heart races, my chest stutters as I try to hold back my tears. “I’ve waited so long. So long. And now that I have you, I don’t want to let go.”

  I put my hands on either side of his gorgeous face, pulling him down to me and kissing his lips. “You don’t have to. Ever.” His mouth presses harder against mine, and I moan.

  Footsteps sound from outside the door and we still. He turns his head and I kiss his jaw. He looks back at me and I see the worry in his eyes. “We need to go back.” I frown, my brows lowering and my forehead creases. “I don’t want to either but we have to, baby. We can’t have anything stop our plan. Then, we’ll be together.” He kisses me again with love, need and want then he’s gone too soon, his warmth turning into the coolness of the dark room. He takes my hand, helping me to sit up then he bends down, sliding my panties back up my legs. His strong arm wraps around my waist, lifting me to pull them into place. I’m amazed by his strength, inside and out. I sit there quietly until he finishes dressing, then he takes my hand and leads me back to the door. I turn as he reaches for the doorknob, capturing his mouth one last time. His moan is muffled, but I feel it throughout my body. It gives me the shivers and makes me want him again so badly.

  Finally, he turns the knob and breaks the kiss, and I leave with great reluctance. He lets me leave alone, and I watch with sadness as he closes the door behind me. With renewed strength, I walk down the hall and as I turn the corner I
hear him. “There you are, darling. I’ve been looking all over for you.” Bill starts to walk towards me, and I brush my hair back, hoping I don’t look too ruffled. I walk to him, still feeling the effects of Jase’s touch, and he takes my hand. “Let’s go dance. I’m rather bored. I hope you’re not wanting to stay too long. We have an early flight in the morning.” Again, what he wants. But this time I agree as I have a plan to begin shortly after we get home.

  We walk back to the auditorium, people stopping us as soon as we get inside. “Oh, Alena. You look lovely as ever. I hear you have a great graphic design company. How nice. Sounds like you’ve been busy,” Amanda says and everyone around whispers, nods and congratulates me.

  I see movement from behind the crowd. Jase. I take a deep breath and look back at Amanda and smile. “Yes, and that’s not all, is it, darling?” Bill’s voice makes me shift my eyes to him in surprise. What is he doing? He squeezes my hand tightly, enough that I have to bite my lip not to scream out. Everyone is smiling at us, waiting. “Oh, she’s so shy about it.” Totally not like me to be shy and they know it. “We’re engaged.” What? They all whoop and congratulate us, and I’m stunned. “Yes, we plan to marry soon. Isn’t that right, darling?” He brings up my hand, kissing it lightly and I blink rapidly then turn to him and smile. I can’t speak. I have no idea what to say. “She’s a little embarrassed since she’s already pregnant.” Oh, my God! My eyes quickly move to Jase, his face as pale as Amanda’s white dress. No!

  “Oh, congratulations!” Amanda leans over and kisses my cheek, but I can’t take my eyes away from Jase.

  He storms over to the table with the liquor, and I watch him pour from the Jack Daniels bottle into a cup, straight. Surely he has to know Bill’s lying.

  “Do you know the sex yet? You don’t look like you’re pregnant at all, lucky.” No shit! It’s because I’m not pregnant!

  “She’s only just,” Bill says as he rests his hand on my flat stomach. “Darling, let’s go have a dance, shall we?” I look at him. Daggers have to be radiating from my eyes, but I nod and try to smile at everyone around us as he leads me through the crowd. I look over my shoulder to see Jase pour another drink and slam it down his throat. Bill pulls me out to the makeshift dance floor and holds me close. “Keep your anger down, darling. Remember, I hold all the cards. Best respect me and do what I say.” I’m fuming inside and have a hard time keeping up with his lead as we dance. “Soon, we’ll be home where we belong.” Soon, I’ll be away from you. Safe. I hope.

  Jase looked totally smashed by the time we left. He raised his cup to me as we walked by, or I should say, as Bill pushed me out. It’s silent on the drive home. Home. A place where I want to be, to stay, but I can’t yet. God, I hope my plan works. I lay there in bed, listening to Bill snore and the rumbling of thunder off in the distance. I’d heard there was a chance for storms late tonight, but I was hoping they’d move around us. But nothing will stop me, not now. Pregnant. He told them we are getting married and that I’m pregnant. So many people heard the lies. Jase looked so upset. Surely he can’t believe him. After everything I told him about Bill? Maybe it’s because we’d just made love and he’d been drinking. God, I hope he didn’t really believe him.

  I’m sure Mom and Dad will hear all of this by tomorrow and I won’t be able to talk to them to tell them the truth. I can only hope that by the time I get away from Bill and we can get Jase’s dad’s lawyer involved I can be with them soon after and explain. I dare not contact them until the time is right, or I could put them in more danger. The less they know, the better. The contract I signed last year with Bill and worse yet, the people he knows, could kill me and all I love. Literally.

  I carefully slide out of bed at four in the morning. I didn’t sleep a wink. I tiptoe to the closet, having left the door purposefully open a crack last night. I push it open, and it creaks. I still when Bill snores loudly while turning over. I wait, holding my breath. He stills and I make my way into the dark closet, grabbing my t-shirt and jeans, my well-worn hoodie and the small backpack I’d placed on the floor last night. I quickly send a text and leave my phone on the floor. I throw my backpack strap over my shoulder and leave the closet, walk to my bedroom door and open it slowly, hoping there aren’t any more noises. Safely out in the hallway, I make my way downstairs and to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, I close the door, do my normal business and after brushing my teeth, I get dressed quickly. Suddenly, I stop and look at myself in the mirror. My heart is pounding, and I’m so nervous. Will this work? It’s got to. I jump when thunder roars and lightning cracking loudly.

  After putting on my hoodie and bringing the hood over my head, I pick up my backpack, put my arms through the straps, turn off the light and open the door. Still no sounds in the house. I walk through the living room, then the kitchen and unlock the back sliding door, pulling it open then closing it behind me. I had decided to go around the back and stick closely to the houses, staying in the darkness and away from the street lights that light up the area. The rain is pouring down heavily as I make my way through the front yards of our neighbors. A dog barks in the distance, and I quicken my pace. I’m already soaked by the time I get to the trail, the rain making visibility even worse in the darkness. The thunder booms more often. The lightning cracks behind it making it a little easier to see but also easier for me to be seen. It takes another several minutes until I reach the dirt path which is now mud, my shoes hitting puddles of dirty water, some so big it’s hard to sidestep.

  Suddenly, I slip when I step on a rock, throwing me off balance, and I go down, hard. “Ompfh.” My shoulder lands on another rock and my left foot twists. “Ow!” I clamp my mouth shut with my hand to muffle my cry. Pain sears through my shoulder and I wince when I straighten my foot. Dammit! I roll over and push myself up, trying to stand but when I put pressure on my foot, I grimace in pain. Great. So not what I needed right now. Pulling up the strap of my backpack, I hobble up the muddy hill, slowly.

  When I round the corner of the huge trees and get to the big rock, I sigh in relief. I’ve made it. Not many know of the dirt path as it’s fairly well hidden with overgrown brush and trees. I feel safe, for now. Just in case, I make my way through the large brush and go behind the rock. Sitting down on the hard ground, I pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them to try to keep warm. I reach down and grasp my ankle and hold my breath with the pain. Hopefully, it’s just a sprain but shit it’s already throbbing and not gonna help to make my escape any easier. My backpack helps to guard against the roughness of the rock pressing on my back, but my shoulder hurts. I’m sure there’s a scrape, and a bruise will form. According to my plan, Jase should be here to get me in about half an hour. I just need to stick it out until then. I look up from under my hood, the rain hitting my eyes, so I close them and look back down quickly, trying to let it shield me as much as it can.

  I have no idea of the time or how long I’ve been sitting here but I shiver with the coolness of the blowing rain, and my eyes are heavy from lack of sleep.

  Chapter 10

  The night went from heaven to hell in a matter of minutes. Engaged? Pregnant? What the fuck? Why didn’t she tell me? After downing about half a bottle of Jack, Scott walks over to me and pats my back. “Shit, man. You okay?” I look over at him and shrug, but I’m sure the look on my face tells him I’m not. “Come on. Let’s get you home. You look about ready to punch that asswipe’s face in.” I let out a laugh. That’s comical. No, I want to fucking kill the motherfucker. He helps me stand from the chair I’d stumbled to earlier and takes my arm as I swerve while we walk to the door. The place had mostly cleared out so there aren’t many to gawk at me as I wobble out. He gets me in one of the cabs that is waiting and then gets in beside me.

  “Hey, you know that asshole is more than likely lying, right?” I look over at him as the car starts to move and smirk. “Well, think about it. He’s an assho
le and a prick that manipulates your girl. Don’t you think he lied to control the situation even more?” He’s got a point. “Seriously, dude, you’re so wasted you can’t see it?” Fuck! I’m a lovesick, drunken idiot!

  We get to my house, and I shrug off Scott’s help to get to my door. It takes me a few tries to unlock it, but I finally manage and stumble my way in, closing the door behind me and knocking into the end table on my way to the kitchen. I flip on the light and walk straight to the coffee pot, get it set up, turn it on then sit down at the table. I need to get sober and quick. She’ll be waiting for me soon, and I can’t be late. I’m such a fucking fool. Once the coffee is ready, I drink a couple of cups, the first one not going down easily and making my stomach queasy. The plan. It’s not gonna be easy, but I think it’s doable. I hope. It has to be.

  I check out the clock. Four more hours. My eyes grow heavy, even after the coffee settles into my system. Maybe the alcohol is overruling. Pulling out my phone, I set my alarm, stand and walk into the living room, get comfortable on the couch and lay my phone on my chest. Maybe a little sleep would be good.

  My eyes snap open, my heart racing when I hear a strange noise. Beep. Beep. What the hell? I’m late for work! I dig underneath me, finding the foreign object making the noise and pull out my cellphone. My phone! Oh, shit! Alena! I fall off the couch, trying to get up too quickly, and shake my head. Damn liquor. I run around like the world is coming to an end, and it most likely is. After doing my bathroom business and gathering my jacket and backpack full of the things we need, I run out of the door, lock it and amble out on the porch. Lightning cracks and the rain is beating down in front of me. Just great! I flip up the hood of my jacket and run down the steps, realizing I forgot my knee brace but not wanting to stop to go back and get it. I’ll just need to be careful. By the time I get into my truck and start it up, I’m soaked. I back out of my driveway and turn, then quickly drive down my street and turn left and head to the trail. Looking at the clock on the dash, I cringe. Five o’clock, I’m already thirty minutes late and will be even later by the time I get to our rendezvous. “Shit!” I hit the steering wheel with my fist and yell out to no one. She’s out there alone, in the dark and in the pouring rain. Fuck!