Tough Love (Hidden Secrets)

by Belden, P. J.

  “…so that’s when I called you guys. She’s really got his nuts in a sling here. Is there any way that he can get out of this with his name still intact?”

  “There might, but someone is going to have to be held responsible. If we can prove that this wasn’t going back to Jackson or anything related to him then we might be able to get this on Rachael rather than him. Can we get the proof?”

  “Hold on a sec.”

  She walked out of the room and my dad and brother stared at me dumbfounded. “Hey I’m just finding out about all this too. I’m so grateful for it though.”

  Eli sat back, his breathing was increasing and sweat beaded his forehead.

  “Son? Are you okay?” My dad asks concerned.

  “Yeah, just haven’t eaten yet. I think my blood sugar is low.”

  Just then Shannon walks back in the room with a folder, handing it to my dad. “This is all the information I can get for you. The money was deposited into an account in Rachael’s name. I think she was overconfident that she wouldn’t get caught. My gut is telling me this is part of something bigger.”

  “I…agree. You’re…amazing, Shannon.” Eli pushed out, his face pale and his arm heavy to his side.

  “Eli?”

  “Get him some sugar son. He needs something to raise it.”

  “This isn’t because of his sugars…” Shannon said running to the phone. “Yes, my brother is having a heart attack.”

  “Fuck!” I shout.

  Quickly I run to my cabinet, struggling with the keys to get it unlocked. Finally opening it, I hurriedly searched before I finally found the aspirin. Heading to Eli, Shannon has Eli lying down on the couch.

  “E, I have some aspirin for you. You need to chew them up and swallow, okay?”

  Eli’s eyes are big, but he nods his head and opens his mouth. Giving him the aspirin, Eli starts to chew them up. Shannon’s talking to him softly. My father almost seems frozen in his chair. Few minutes later the EMTs arrive. Moving Eli to the gurny, then wheels him out to the awaiting ambulance.

  Locking up, Shannon and I rushed to my car while Dad got in his. We all head to the hospital while Shannon called everyone to tell them to get to the hospital. The drive seemed like forever, but the wait to hear how he’s doing was even longer. I paced the damn waiting room.

  “How did I not see that? I’m a fucking doctor!” I roared.

  “Hey,” Shannon wrapped her arms around me. “My grandma had heart attacks and we had to take a class to know what to watch for and all that. I could see the early signs. It has nothing to do with you failing, Jackson. You got the aspirin. That right there probably saved his life. All I did was call 911 and lay him down on the couch.”

  “Son?” My dad says.

  “I’m sorry,” I started but my father pulls me into a strong hug.

  “Don’t you dare apologize for anything son. Don’t you dare.” My father choked out.

  Just then the waiting room doors burst open. Everyone comes running in at once. Everyone is seeking answers, hell I wanted answers. No one knew what the hell was going on. I worried that because of my lack of focus that my brother might be in serious danger. Looking around the room, everyone was broken. This was Elijah, first born and leader of the pack. He wasn’t supposed to get sick. My attention then fell to my mom. Seeing her in tears breaks the anger in me and I move to her immediately. She sobs into my chest. Hugging her tighter to me, I have to work real hard not to cry. My father took my mother from me and I hugged my brothers and sisters tightly, but noticed Shannon sitting over in the corner with her head on her lap. Walking over to her, I squat down in front of her lifting her head softly in my hands.

  “Hey?” I ask softly.

  She sits up and wipes her face. “Sorry” She leans forward hugging me. “How are you doing?”

  The doors to the waiting room open just as I’m about to answer her. In walks a nurse.

  “Elijah Williams’ family?”

  We all stand up and look at her with hope in our eyes. “Is…Is my son okay?” My mother sobs.

  “He’s stable. There are only two visitors allowed at a time,” the nurse states flatly looking at all of us.

  Mom and Dad leave to go up first and we all just stand there and wonder what’s happening. The wait seems horrendous though none of us would ever rush mom and dad, but it was killing us not knowing what was going on. Shannon was acting funny, I couldn’t put my finger on why. She just wasn’t acting like herself. I don’t know if it’s because of Eli or the Rachael mess or something different entirely, but she just wasn’t as bubbly as my beautiful Princess was only hours earlier. Few minutes later she excused herself to go to the restroom. Even the others noticed a change in her.

  Mom and Dad walked in a few minutes later. “He’s asking for you and Shannon.”

  I nod my head then my parents give me the room number and floor. As I walked out of the waiting room, I saw Shannon walking.

  “Shannon?”

  She spun around and looked at me. “Yeah?”

  “Eli’s asking for us.” I walk up to her and cup her face. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Let’s go see Eli.”

  Taking her hand, we walk toward the elevator. The whole ride in the elevator and walk to Eli’s room, she didn’t say a word. We walk into the room, I wasn’t prepared to see my brother look so fragile. It caused my feet to freeze in spot. Shannon squeezed my hand tightly, but I couldn’t move.

  “Jack, I’m okay. I look worse than I feel. I promise,” Eli rasped out.

  “How…How are you feeling?”

  He laughs making him take a deep breath. “I’ve been better, I won’t lie.” He takes another deep breath. “I want to thank you guys for what you did for me today. The doctors say you guys saved my life.”

  “I didn’t…” I started, but Eli glared at me.

  “You did a lot Jackson.” Another deep breath. “I’m here because of the actions you guys made. Dad told me you’re blaming yourself for not seeing it, but Jack the fact of the matter is that whether you noticed right away or not, your actions saved me,” he turns and looks at Shannon. “I’m never going to be able to repay you for this. Thank you.”

  “You don’t have anything to repay Eli. You’re family.”

  “Thank you.” He held his arms open looking at both of us.

  I leaned down and hugged him. The minute his arm came around me, the dam broke and I started crying.

  “You have to get better. I can’t continue on without you. You’re the fighting force in all of us kids. You have to get better. Please.”

  “Jackson…” It was all he said but it was said so sadly that I cried harder.

  “You’re not going to get better are you?” I pulled back looking down at him.

  “I don’t know. They tell me that I have Congestive Heart Failure.”

  “What?” Shannon gasped. “No,” She breathed.

  All I could do was shake my head back and forth, unable to form any words at all. My brother, my strong brother was not telling me that. There’s no way. This is a damn nightmare. A huge fucking nightmare that I’d give my last fucking breath to wake up from!

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The Stalker

  My heart stopped when I saw the ambulance pull up to Jack’s office. Actually I started running toward the office until I saw them wheeling out some other guy. I saw another man run out of the building and then my Jackson running with Shannon to his car. Anger boiled deeper in my gut. She got to be around for everything. Well she hasn’t met his family yet. That would piss me off if he’d introduced her to his family. That was what he was supposed to do with me, not some slut with freaks for kids. I arrived at the hospital only a few minutes after they did. I walked around trying to find where they were, when I spotted my Jack pacing in the room.

  “How did I not see that? I’m a fucking doctor!” He yelled loud enough that I could hear him outside the room.

  That little bitch wr
aps her arms around him. A huge group of people came into the room and I watched as he embraced all of them. They were all upset. It was then that the similarities in the faces of some of them dawned on me. The fucking tart has met his family. They hugged her like they knew her anyway. Rage boiled strong and hard. I had to turn and leave to keep from drawing attention to myself. That’s the last thing I need right now.

  Now was time to plan. Now was time for action. The problem was I couldn’t do this alone. I needed help. So I went to visit the one person I thought might be able to get me that help. It was a long tedious drive and gave me far too much time to think about that little hussy making her way into my love’s life, but this time I needed the anger. I needed the rage. If I was going to get the help I needed, I needed to be plenty pissed.

  The house was set far back in the woods. The driveway was a dirt road that had many ruts and holes in it. There was a worn out wooden fence lining the road. Dead overgrown weeds and grass completed the creepy ambiance that surrounded the drive up to the house. The house itself was a perfect example of what a haunted house would look like. The wood siding was rotting, the roof was sagging so much that it was only a matter of time before it just broke right through. Probably one more good rain would be the end to this roof. Some of the windows were busted and the porch groaned under the weight of my feet. Dim light flickered through the windows casting eerie shadows on the walls.

  With a shaky hand, I reached out and knocked on the door. In my head I kept repeating, this is for Jackson. This is for the love of your life. This is for your happiness. I waited for one of the scary ass dudes to answer the door. Meanwhile, I’m trying to get my nerves under control. These men could almost smell fear. I didn’t want them to see anything but confidence. If I was to pull this off, I needed their help.

  The smell of cigars and cigarettes was almost suffocating as the door opened. Next, the stench of old stale alcohol hit me, almost making my stomach roll. A tall, bald, muscular man stood in the doorway blocking all light out making him seem like a huge shadow.

  “What you want?” The man barks.

  “I’m here to see Hector.”

  “Sorry no one by that name here,” he starts to shut the door but I stop it with my hand.

  “Tell Hector that Ray is here, you pig!” I hiss with as much venom as I could muster.

  “Mmm, feisty. I have a thing for feisty bitches,” he says. “Wait here,” he barks.

  The minute the door closes my breath whooshes out. I’ve never liked coming around Hector when he was with his thugs in arms, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ve tried getting amateurs to get the job done, but it failed. I can’t afford any more failures. These guys lived for dirty, lived for wrong, lived for the thrill of making people suffer. They were what I needed to get this stupid bitch away from my man.

  The wait gave me time to over think my plan and I started to get flustered. It wasn’t until I smelled the stench again that I snapped back to action. My heart hammered in my chest, but on the outside I was cool as a cucumber. Well, that is what I hoped to portray. The door opened and the shadow of a man smiled.

  “Come on in sweet cheeks. Seems Hector is here after all.”

  “He was always here dumbass,” I said rolling my eyes as I walked past him.

  Walking in, there was a long hall that opened up to what was supposed to be a living room. However, this was not the actual place they lived in. They wanted the outside world to see this house as abandoned or poorly cared for when behind the house built into the mountain side was the actual house. This house was top of the line, but the only way to get to it was through the older house, into the pantry and through the door that most would assume led to a cellar.

  I was familiar with this house. I’d been here a lot when I was younger. Hector used to be a friend of my father’s until the idiot sold him out to the cops. Now they were enemies, but Hector promised me that we were still okay. He’s not done anything toward me to show me otherwise so I tended to believe him on that.

  Once through the secret passage and into the actual house, the stench finally dissipated. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, I turned the corner and waited to be let into the room where Hector was. Shadow man walks in front of me, knocks twice on the door, waits then opens the door.

  “Go on in sweet cheeks, he’s expecting you,” he smiles at me.

  Rolling my eyes, I walk into the room. There sitting behind a desk is the grey haired man I grew up with. Though looking at him brought back good memories, I wasn’t letting my guard down.

  “Hector,” I said entering the room.

  He looks up and he smiles, causing the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth become more prominent. He wasn’t old by any means, but he wasn’t young either.

  “Oh Ray, it has been far too long. You’ve grown so much and you are so beautiful,” he stands walks around his desk and kisses both of my cheeks before hugging me.

  “It has been. Getting away from father proved more difficult than I thought,” I said sadly.

  “Has he hurt you?” Anger in his voice.

  “No, not other than showing me I mattered not to him, but as a bargaining tool.”

  “Oh Ray. You know you are always welcome here. I’d do anything for you.”

  “I know. It’s kind of what brought me here.”

  “Anything you just tell me what’s going on.” He says patting my hand.

  “I was wondering if I could get some of your guys to help me kidnap someone, possible torture, maybe even kill? Not sure the lengths that will need to be taken at this point.”

  “You sound like you might be in some trouble. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine other than this stupid bitch that keeps getting in the way of my happiness,” looking up at Hector I put on my best sad face, “I deserve happiness. It was taken from me for so long.”

  “I agree, child. I agree. Well as much as I am the boss around here, when going off my work I’ll have to ask for volunteers. What is the payment offering?”

  “Um, I don’t have much. Father took a lot from me when I finally got away.”

  “It’s okay child. I’ll talk to them. If you want to go sit in the television room, I’ll have a quick meeting with those that are available. You’ll know soon.”

  “Thank you, Hector. It means a lot to me.”

  “Don’t mention it my child. You know I’m always here even when you don’t need anything.”

  “I know,” I smiled.

  Leaving the room, I walk down the hall into the television room. I couldn’t bring myself to watch anything. My stomach was in knots. These guys were being given a choice and I really didn’t know if they’d take the task considering there wasn’t really payment in it. All I could hope was that because Hector was asking that they’d do it for him.

  Soon Hector’s voice came over the intercom telling me to come back. As I made my way back to the room, my stomach was doing flips. Stopping for a second outside the door, I took a deep breath to calm myself before walking in the door. I held my head high and walked confidently into the room.

  “I have talked to my men. These are the three willing to accept other payment outside cash.”

  “Okay… What payment are you all wanting?” I asked looking at the men.

  Shadow man was one of them and the other two almost looked like twins. They had short hair, piercing brown eyes, muscular. Shadow man had blue eyes. All of them were easy on the eye but I could tell could be seriously scary if they needed to be.

  “My child?” I turned back to face Hector. “They want you in place of money.”

  “As in my body not me, correct?” I asked turning to the men.

  They all nodded their heads. Putting on my think face, I weighed the pros and cons of the whole situation. Was giving over my body to these three men, worth getting Jackson in the end? It really was a no brainer. Jackson was mine.

  “Fine,” I state.

  “Child, know that thi
s is for the duration you need them. They can have you as they see fit.”

  “I understand.”

  Shadow man steps forward, “I’ll start by taking my payment now sweet cheeks.”

  Nodding my head, I let him lead me out of the room. He led me down the hall that leads to the bedrooms. Once inside, he immediately started taking my clothes off.

  “I’ve been wanting a piece of your ass since you mouthed off. I’m going to really enjoy this.”

  “Well what are you waiting for? You’re talking way too damn much. I sure hope you’re an action man or you’re going to need to pay me.”

  He growls and smashes his mouth down to mine as he finishes undressing himself. Then he carries me to the bed, throwing me on it. Quickly he climbs over me, biting my nipple hard causing me to cry out.

  “Oh yeah, get loud sweet cheeks. It’s about to get real good.”

  Leaning up on his knees, he slides on a condom then without any hesitation he just pushes into me. There was no build up, no getting me ready, he just pushed home. He pounded into me like there was no tomorrow. Did I feel cheap or dirty? Nope, because I was getting my Jackson in the end. His love is enough for me. Just as soon as I get this stupid bitch out of the way, he will see how much he loves me and needs me.

  “Say my name sweet cheeks,” he grunts in my ear.

  “Asshat,” I breathe.

  He bites my neck hard and I cry out. “Say my name, bitch,” he hisses.

  “I don’t know your fucking name,” I hiss back.

  “Ceo,” he moans.

  I moan his name. He pounds into me faster. His grunts get louder and out of nowhere my climax hits me and dug my nails into his ass and it sent him over the edge too. He roared as he jerked inside of me. Flopping to the side, he crawled off the bed, threw his condom away and pulled his pants on. There was a knock on the door. He walks to the door and the twins stand on the other side.