by Jade Jones
Limping over to their elongated, wooden table, Cameron took a seat. The motherfucker actually had the nerve to light a few candles like it was their anniversary. Cam wouldn’t celebrate until she was far away from Jag as she could get.
Cameron’s stomach growled uncontrollably at the sight of the food. His ass was bat-shit bananas, but the man could definitely cook. Jag had prepared Margherita Neapolitan pizza, classic three-layer Italian lasagna, and fresh, buttery, rolls stuffed with pepperoni and mozzarella.
Cameron looked and smelled like a starving inmate as she shoved food down her oral cavity. She ate so fast, that she wound up nearly choking on a forkful of lasagna.
“Slow down,” Jag laughed.
Cameron cut her eyes at him. She was tempted to stab him in the eye with her silverware.
Jag smiled at Cam, completely unaware of her dangerous thoughts. “This is nice,” he said. “Enjoying dinner like a married couple. Maybe that’s what we should do. Get married.”
Cameron almost choked again. Ignoring his stupid ass suggestion, she continued to eat her food in silence.
Jag was the first to finish. Standing to his feet, he collected his dishes, and walked over to Cameron. The hairs on the back of her neck stood when he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He was acting as if nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t tossed her down a flight of stairs and left her to starve.
After dinner, Cameron found Jag in the living room watching Sports Center while sipping a Budweiser. She still hadn’t seen her children and she wanted to make sure they were all right.
“Jag?”
He didn’t look up or answer.
Cameron was only a few feet away, so she knew that he heard her. He was just being an asshole as usual.
“Jag, can I check on the kids?” Cam felt ridiculous asking permission, but she didn’t want to upset him. Jag was a loose cannon; a ticking time bomb.
“They’re resting,” he said nonchalantly. “I don’t think its necessary.”
“Jag, please—”
“Cameron, get the fuck out my face. I’m not gonna repeat myself.”
Cameron turned around with tears in her eyes and slowly trudged off towards their bedroom. Once inside, she curled up in bed and cried herself to sleep. She had to get her and her children away from Jag.
***
The following morning, Cameron woke up alone in bed. She was grateful for that too. Initially, she assumed Jag had left the house for work. However, she was disappointed when she found him sleeping on the couch.
Cameron tiptoed to the kids’ bedrooms to check on them. Each one slept peacefully in their crib, completely oblivious to the chaos happening around them. After making sure they were okay, Cam grabbed her iPhone and disappeared inside the bathroom. Plopping down on the closed toilet seat, she decided to call Roxie. They hadn’t spoken in a couple months, and it was about time she filled her girl in on everything.
It was a little after 9 a.m. Cameron didn’t know if she’d answer or not. She was surprised, however, when Roxie picked up on the second ring.
“Well, hello there, stranger.”
“Hey, Rox.” Cam greeted exasperated.
“Is everything okay? You sound… tired… or like something’s bothering you?”
Cameron felt guilty just pouring her problems out without asking how she was doing first. “I’m so so. How are you though?”
Roxie sighed. “Girl, same. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m happy in life… but shit ain’t been peaches and cream with Magyc. He was so perfect in the beginning. And while he is good to me… I can’t help feeling like he may still be fucking with his ex.”
“Do you have proof he is?”
“Girl, I ain’t got time to police no grown ass man,” Roxie said. “Who the hell chooses to entertain an ex, anyway, you know? Shit, I’ve treated all my exes like trash. Put their asses out and don’t let them back in. But it’s cool. What’s done in the dark will eventually come to light. Anyway enough about me. What’s been going on with you and Jag? I see yo’ ass don’t call nobody no more. Bitches get in relationships, and nobody else matters but their boo. Every time I suggest us hanging out, you make up some reason why we can’t. I swear you’ve got more excuses than a nigga in court.” She laughed at the truth.
Cameron wished she could’ve laughed too. Roxie didn’t know the half of it. “My life is… shit.”
Roxie wasn’t expecting to hear that. She had envisioned Cam and Jag as the perfect couple. But it was easy to assume when you were on the outside looking in.
“Jag… he… I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into him. He’s so fucking angry now. He…” Cameron paused as tears filled her eyes. “I’m scared of him, Rox. I’m so fucking scared of him.”
“Oh my God, Cameron.” There was sympathy behind her words. She had no idea about her friend’s plight. “You need to get away from him. And you need to talk to Jude. I’m serious. That man loves you, Cam. No way he’d ever wanna see you hurt. You know that.”
“I’m lost, Roxie,” Cameron cried. “I’m not sure what to do. I can’t stay here. He’s controlling, possessive… and abusive. He locked me in the fucking basement a whole week with no food when I tried to leave. He’s losing his damn mind, Roxie. The other day, I caught him talking to thin air in the sunroom. He thought he was talking to his sister. A few weeks back, I had found some prescription pills under our bed. And when I asked what they were for, he refused to tell me so I looked it up on my own. Roxie, he’s sick and he needs help,” Cam explained. “I’m afraid for my children and I’m scared he might do something—”
All of a sudden, the bathroom door flew open. Cameron’s heart dropped to her stomach. She grew sick at the very sight of him; that’s how intimidating he had become.
Jag stood in the doorway with a disapproving expression on his face. He had heard everything. A black, leather Hermes belt dangled at his side. “Who the fuck are you talking to?” he demanded to know.
36
“Answer me! Who the fuck are you talking to?” Jag yelled. When she didn’t reply fast enough, he ran up and started swinging the belt viciously.
Cameron dropped her cell on the tiled floor as she tried to shield her face from the belt. Jag ruthlessly whipped every part of her body. The metal buckle struck her skin with such force that it left bruises, whelps and tiny cuts.
Roxie heard everything on her end. She even tried to say something in Cam’s defense, but the screaming drowned her out.
“Ahhhh! Jag, I’m sorry!” Cameron cried. She still hadn’t fully healed from being tossed down the stairs. Now he was beating her ass like Joe Jackson. Jag was heartless.
“Nah, you ain’t fuckin’ sorry.”
WHAP!
“Tellin’ mothafuckas I’m crazy?! Is that what you think of me? That I’m fucking crazy?!”
WHAP!
“Bitch, I’m gonna show your ass crazy.”
Jag snatched Cameron out of the bathroom by her hair and dragged her to their bedroom. Once inside, he roughly tossed her on the bed like a ragdoll. He then stripped naked and pinned her down.
“Jag, don’t do this—”
Cameron’s voice was muffled after he flipped her onto her stomach, and pushed her face in a pillow. Her screams were suffocated by cotton. She could yell to her throat went dry and hoarse for all he cared.
“I’ma tame ya ass one way or another.” Jag spat in the center of his palm and lathered his hard dick. Cameron writhed beneath him, but he was too strong to battle.
Without warning, he jammed his dick deep inside her dry, tight asshole, tearing open the skin. Cameron screamed and cried in agony; the shit felt like fire. She had never experienced anything more excruciating.
Jag was heartless as he brutally raped her until she bled. He damn near suffocated her as he pressed her face into a pillow. Jag bit her shoulder so hard that he drew blood. He was determined to break her down. He wanted her to become so damaged that she was afraid to lea
ve. He wouldn’t have to handcuff or lock her in a basement. She’d be psychologically scarred — too scared to run.
Jag was determined to break Cameron; one gruesome act at a time.
***
“Have you talked to Jude?” Roxie asked the moment Magyc walked in their apartment.
“Damn. Can I get a hug, a how you doin’ or somethin’? I just walked in this mufucka. You ain’t happy to see ya man?”
“I need to know where Jude is. I need to talk to him right now. It’s important.”
Jealousy resonated in the pit of his stomach, but Magyc quickly shook that shit off. He knew nothing would ever pop off between them. “He’s at The Warehouse. Why?”
Roxie ignored Magyc’s question as she walked around him and left.
“The fuck?”
Roxie ran to her car in the parking garage and quickly sped off in haste. Since she had driven over the speed limit, she arrived at her destination in fifteen minutes tops. Roxie barged in that motherfucker like she was First Lady. Whatever Jude had going on needed to wait. It was vital that he heard what she had to say.
Jude was surprised when Roxie stormed in his office uninvited. He was looking over a new list of orders. “What’s up?”
“What’s up is your wife! Yeah. You remember her?” Roxie asked sarcastically. “While you’re out here pretending to be the man, Jag is over there going slave master on Cameron’s ass! I just got off the phone with her about an hour ago and it sounded like he was hurting her,” she cried. “I had to sit there and listen to that shit, and there wasn’t anything I could do. I would’ve called the police but I don’t know her new address. Jude, you have to do something!”
Jude snorted and looked away. “He ain’t my fuckin’ problem no more. She made her choice. That’s who she wanted to be with. Let her deal with his crazy ass.”
Roxie couldn’t believe him. He was talking that shit now, but she knew he still cared about her. It was only natural.
Roxie propped her hands on her curvy hips and shook her head in disbelief. “He has your son, Jude.”
***
After hearing Roxie out, Jude decided to pack and catch a flight to Ohio. If Cameron really was in trouble, he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. He’d never been that type of nigga. Jag would be dealt with personally if what Roxie said were the truth. Cam wasn’t his woman, but he’d be damned if he let a motherfucker put his hands on her.
On the way to his crib, Jude called up his cousin, Tez. He lived in Cleveland, and Jude tossed him something every now and then to check on Cam.
Tez answered on the fourth ring. “What’s up, cuz?”
“Aye, bruh. My peoples came to see me today sayin’ they were worried about Cam. You been keepin’ an eye on her still, right?”
“Ah, man. I ain’t ‘een gon’ lie. My new bitch been keepin’ a nigga preoccupied. I ain’t checked on Cameron in a few months—”
“A few months?” Jude repeated. “Fuck nigga, what am I payin’ you for? And you fam on top of that. That’s fucked up, dawg—”
“Cuz, that’s yo’ bitch,” Tez reminded him. “You should’ve been doing that shit. Not me.”
Jude wanted to be pissed with his cousin, but he was absolutely right. Jude should’ve been checking on her. Now she may’ve been in harm’s way. “Aye, you still got that connect? The one who works at the DMV? I need to get Cam’s new address.”
“Yeah, I still fuck with her. Once we hang up, I’ll hit her line, fam.”
“Good lookin’.”
“You got it, man. And my fault.”
“Nah, you good. You right, fam. It’s my responsibility. And I’ma deal with it.” He couldn’t wait to land at Hopkins and get at that nigga, Jag.
I should’ve killed that mothafucka a long time ago.
***
The sun was just beginning to set when Jude brought his rental to a slow stop in front of Cameron’s home. Before stepping out of his ride, he grabbed a loaded automatic. Tez had pulled up on him after he landed and blessed him with some protection.
Jude carefully made his way to the front door. He was surprised to discover it open. Letting himself in, he quietly walked through the home. It was decorated elegantly, definitely Cameron’s touch. That made Jude a little jealous. So she really was trying to build a home with this cat? Playing house and shit.
Jude temporarily pushed his resentment to the back of his mind. Cameron’s safety was top priority at the moment. Armed and cautious, Jude explored the premises. He expected to see Jag walk out at any second, but he had already left. He had to run to Canton for a quick work assignment.
As soon as Jude ascended the stairs, he heard the sound of soft cries. He slowly headed towards the source. Opening the door with the barrel of his pistol, Jude walked inside…
The heart-rending sight before him was enough to bring tears to his eyes. Seeing Cameron lying bloodied and battered in the bed crushed him. I let this shit happen, he told himself repeatedly. I let this fucking shit happen.
Jude tucked his gun in his pants and rushed over to Cameron. For a second, she believed she had died and gone to heaven. Was Jude really there or was she seeing things?
Cameron tried to lift her head, but was too sore to move. “Jude…?” she said weakly.
“Damn. Cameron. What the fuck?” Tears slipped from his eyes as he took in the damage. Jag had really done a number on her. He could clearly see that she had also been raped. “This is my fault. I’m gonna kill him. I put that shit on everything, Cam.”
“Jude… we have to… get out of here… before he comes back,” she struggled to say. “You have to get the kids.”
It killed Jude inside to see the fear in Cameron’s eyes. She was terrified of Jag. What the hell did he do to my girl?
Jude attempted to lift her up, but Cam stopped him. “No. Get the kids first,” she told him. “I wanna make sure they’re safe—”
“No. I’m gonna put you in the car first and then I promise I will get them.”
Cameron didn’t argue with her husband. Jude quickly grabbed a few of her clothes, her phone, and wrapped her in a blanket. Ever so gently, he lifted her in his muscular arms and carried her outside. After carefully placing Cameron in the passenger seat, he reclined the chair so that she was comfortable, and rushed back inside.
Justin’s room was the first bedroom Jude entered. When he saw his son, he practically froze in place. It had been too long. The toddler cracked a smile as soon as he saw his dad. He hadn’t forgotten and that was a relief to Jude. He worried about Justin remembering who he was.
“Hey, lil’ man.”
When Jude reached his son, he kissed and hugged him tightly. Now that he had Justin, he needed to get his sister. Jude paused in front of Journee’s crib. This was his first time seeing the infant.
There was no real resemblance between them. The test results were still collecting dust on his desk, but Jude doubted she was his. He carefully lifted the baby out of the crib and left the home.
Cameron breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Jude bring the kids to his car. Her heart hadn’t stopped beating erratically. Every so often she thought Jag would magically pop up. He had her shook.
“We have to go… now,” Cameron stressed after he climbed inside. Flashbacks of the incident with Cole came to mind. It’d only be a matter of time before Jag realized she was gone.
“Don’t worry, bay,” Jude said. “I got you. And I will never let that nigga touch you again. That’s on my brother.”
37
Rock me real slowly…
Put a bib on me…
I’m just like a baby, droolin’ over you…
The things you do…
Drake’s “Jungle” played softly on Pandora as Jude took his time bathing Cameron in their hotel. Her knees were drawn to her chest as she stared off into space. She hadn’t spoken since they checked into the Sheraton.
Jude wouldn’t dare force her to talk about it. All he wanted to do was ta
ke care of her, protect her, and be there for her. He would catch a body for Cameron.
Still findin' myself, let alone a soulmate, I'm just sayin'…
Feel like we one and the same, our relationship changed…
That or it never existed…
Whenever they say somethin' bout us, you listen…
As long as Jude lived, he would make sure this shit never happened again. He blamed himself for her downfall. He had spared her once. He wouldn’t do it twice. He loved Cam, and it hurt him to know that she was hurting. If he could, Jude would’ve gladly taken her pain. Putting a hollow point in Jag’s brain was the only thing that could offer him solace right then.
“I’m gonna kill him,” Jude muttered. “I swear I’ma kill the mothafucka…”
Cameron finally looked up at Jude.
“Sorry,” he quickly said. “I’m sorry for all of this. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me. I’m sorry I stayed away. I should’ve been there for you.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Cameron told him. Tears welled up in her eyes. “I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have left and kept Justin away from you—”
“Nah, don’t be sorry, bay. You did what you had to. You hear me? You did what you had to do.”
After bathing her, Jude dried off her body, and kissed every bruise on her skin. Wrapping her in a soft, terrycloth towel, he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down.
Cameron was hoping he lay with her, but he went to get his phone instead.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“’Bout to make a few phone calls.” He didn’t want to tell her he was going to hit up a couple hittas. Jag would have a price on his head before the night ended.
“Can you do that later? Right now I just wanna be next to you.”
Jude placed his phone down and went to Cameron. She was right. That fuck nigga could wait.
“Of course, bay.”
