Fighting Temptation (Men Of Honor)

by LYNN, K. C.

  “Goddamn it Melissa, pick up your fucking phone. Listen the cops already know I have her. It’s only going to be a matter of time before they find the cabin. Get here now!”

  I hear Wyatt’s agitated voice as I start coming around again. I’m not sure how many times I have faded in and out of consciousness since he beat me with my phone repeatedly until it finally shattered against my face.

  A strong smell penetrates my senses, burning my nose. I open my eyes and fight against the wave of pain it brings. Looking over I see Wyatt dousing the walls with gasoline.

  So he was telling Jaxson the truth, he is going to burn me alive. I had begged, pleaded and fought Wyatt with everything I had left in me and it only ended with cruel taunts, inappropriate fondling and severe beatings. It was then I had accepted I wasn’t getting out of here, at least not alive. My broken body was already close to death, I could feel it.

  Pain washes over me, knowing that I couldn’t protect the beautiful little life inside of me from Wyatt’s twisted rage. Knowing I’ll never get to meet, hold or kiss my baby. I knew I had taken a serious risk telling Jaxson I loved him in front of Wyatt. But I needed him to hear those words from me, needed him to know that despite everything that had happened I still loved him. My heart aches knowing I will never again feel his touch, see his ice blue eyes or his sexy smirk. And most of all I ache knowing that this is going to kill him, because even though he acted the way he did about the baby, I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jaxson loves me.

  “Ah you’re awake again. About time. It’s no fun for me if you are asleep.”

  Instead of fear, Wyatt’s taunting voice only fuels the anger inside of me. I hate him for doing this to me, for taking away everything I had always wanted.

  Wyatt drops the gasoline can down and stalks over to me, pulling his shirt off in the process. “Unfortunately I’m not going to be able to take my time with you Julia, plans have changed so we are going to have to make this quick,” then he grins maliciously, “but I promise it will still be fucking good.” He rubs his erection that strains the front of his jeans.

  I turn my head away, not wanting to watch what comes next and pray for the darkness that dances along the edge of my vision to take me under again. It was close, one more hit would probably do the trick.

  Wyatt crawls on top of me, his hot breath hitting the side of my face. I close my eyes and try to keep the numbness in place, not wanting to feel his naked chest on mine, or the erection that settles between my thighs.

  “Look at me bitch!”

  I ignore his demand and keep my eyes tightly shut, “I said fucking look at me!” He slaps my battered face and I clench my teeth from the pain, black spots dance behind my eyes but unfortunately doesn’t pull me completely under.

  Feeling a cold sharp object along the curves of my breasts has me springing my eyes open. Wyatt stares down at me with a cruel smile, dragging a large knife across my chest. I keep my face expressionless, knowing any fear I show will only give him satisfaction.

  He slips the blade under one of my bra straps and freezes, “Tell me you want me,” he pants heavily with lust, his eyes raging wildly with hunger.

  “No,” my response is quiet but firm. I will not let my last words be anything that will satisfy him. I’m hoping he will get mad enough to end my life quickly.

  He chuckles as if enjoying my defiance, “Wrong answer sweetheart.” His hand wraps around my throat firmly, allowing only a small bit of oxygen through, then the sharp blade slices through my bra strap.

  “Tell me you’re mine!” he seethes through clenched teeth grinding his erection against me.

  He eases up on my throat so I can speak and I know the next words I choke out will be my last, “No! I’m not yours, I never have been. I have only ever been Jaxson’s and I hope when he finds you he makes you die a slow and painful death.”

  My words have the effect I expected, a wild rage twists his face savagely, “You fucking whore!” He lands two more solid blows to my face, the darkness taunts me cruelly, almost pulling me under. My eyes close again, but not because I am forcing them to. “I’m going to fuck you until my cock goes limp, then I’m going to light you on fire and watch you fucking burn till there’s nothing left of you but ash.” His hand squeezes around my throat cutting off all oxygen, I feel him fumble with his pants then he grabs the side of my panties.

  Darkness finally begins closing in on me and I blessedly welcome it.

  Right when I am about to fade into nothing an enraged roar tears though the room, “You mother fucker!”

  Wyatt suddenly vanishes, his weight no longer pressing me into the mattress. I gasp and sputter from the released pressure that was around my throat. A loud crash sends a wave of heat exploding around me. I try opening my eyes to see what’s happening, but can’t. Shouts and enraged curses are filling the air, mixing in with the sound of cackling flames. I quickly realize that the candles must have got knocked over starting the fire.

  I hear a sickening crack and then nothing.

  Hands are quickly touching me, but it’s a touch I welcome, one I thought I would never feel again- Jaxson’s.

  He made it.

  My relief soon morphs into sadness when no matter how hard I try I can’t open my eyes. I fight hard against the darkness that only a few minutes ago I wanted so desperately to consume me.

  “Julia baby, can you hear me?”

  “Jaxson,” I sob out weakly, not even sure if he heard me through my tender and raw throat.

  “It’s me baby. I’m here, I’m going to get you out, just hang on.” I feel him pull on my chains, “Fuck! Where’s the fucking key?”

  I whimper when the heat starts feeling too close to comfort. My lungs begin to burn from the thick smoke making it impossible to breathe and my heart breaks knowing Jaxson could very well die with me because of these chains.

  I feel him curse and struggle harder, “Just leave me, please Jaxson. I don’t want you to die too.”

  “No! Don’t fucking say that, I’m not leaving you. We are both getting out of here.”

  His words sound far away and I feel myself drifting, my body giving up. But I fight against it just long enough to mumble what I want my last words to be: “I love you.” I’m not sure if I got the words out before the darkness finally takes me.

  “Julia!” I scream her name, trying to wake her up, “fuck!”

  I try not to look at her, try not to let my mind wonder as to why she suddenly stopped talking or how badly she’s been beaten. I look around frantically for anything to use to bust through these fucking chains but the heavy black smoke makes it impossible to see much. Knowing I’m running short on time I lean back on my elbows and start kicking the shit out of the metal bed frame, particularly close to the pole that the chains are wrapped around. I put all my weight into it, kicking the fucking thing repeatedly, trying to be careful of Julia’s wrists. Finally the pole snaps.

  A loud smashing reins in the distance, “Jaxson!?” I hear Cade yell my name over the roar of the flames.

  “Ya over here!”

  I rip the broken pole out from the smashed in frame and take Julia’s chained wrists throwing them over my neck. Picking her up I try not to think about how still her broken body is.

  “Hold on baby, we’re almost out,” I whisper in her hair.

  Cade, Sawyer and Cooper come tearing around the corner through the thick smoke. Cade holding an axe that would have fucking came in handy two minutes ago.

  “Where the fuck have you guys been?” I snap.

  “We had to find another way in, the fucking entrance burst into flames right after you ran through it. We made a small opening in one of the rooms.” Sawyer quickly explains.

  I had jumped out of Cooper’s cruiser before he even came close to stopping and thank god I did. Thinking about Wyatt’s last fucking threat to Julia still has rage pumping through me. I briefly notice Cooper looking at Wyatt’s lifeless form on the ground, his head twisted awkwar
dly from where I broke his neck. I ignore the question in eyes.

  Suddenly a crash happens behind me and the heat at my back feels a hell of a lot closer than it did.

  “We need to move now!” Cooper shouts over the destruction happening behind me. “We probably have a minute before these flames reach the fucking gas tank.”

  I follow Cade’s lead out through the billowing black smoke, holding Julia close to my chest. He leads me to a bedroom with a hole in the wall that’s barely big enough to fit through. All of them make way to let me out first, once the fresh air hits me I’m hauling ass to get as far as I can away from the house before the explosion comes. I make it a good distance across the grassy field before the fierce blast happens but the force of it still knocks me off my feet. I turn in the air keeping Julia tightly against me and land on my back, taking the brunt of our fall. Once we hit the ground I quickly roll her underneath me and cover her from any falling debris.

  After a minute of feeling nothing fall on us I sit up and look at her; really look at her. And what I see has my heart shattering in a million fucking pieces. “Julia baby, wake up!” I run my hands frantically along her broken body, noticing every bruise that marks her skin. I clench my jaw and grip her shoulders, “Julia! Wake the fuck up!” but she stays lifeless. Panic threatens to choke me when I don’t feel a pulse, “No, no, no!” Picking her up I cradle her body against my chest and gently rock her back and forth. Then for the first time since I was seven years old I cry… big ugly gut wrenching sobs break from my chest soaking her hair from where I have my face buried, “Please don’t fucking leave me, I’m so sorry, so fucking sorry. I love you so much. Please Julia wake up!”

  I thought I had already experienced the most heart wrenching pain that I’d ever feel in my life, but I was wrong. What I’m feeling now exceeds it by a thousand times more than anything I’ve ever felt. My heart fucking aches so bad I’m surprised it’s still beating.

  Seconds later Cooper leans down putting his hand on my shoulder, “Jaxson man, paramedics are here, let them help her.”

  Looking up I see 3 paramedics rush over to us. I lay Julia down gently, but stay next to her holding onto her hand.

  “I’m sorry sir, we need you to back away so we have room to asses her injuries,” one of them says to me.

  I shake my head not wanting to let her go but Cooper grabs my shoulder again, “Come on man, give them room so they can help her.”

  “Be careful with her, she’s pregnant,” I croak out numbly as I let Cooper pull me back. I feel Sawyer and Cade come stand on either side of me, but I don’t look at them, because I can’t take my eyes off Julia.

  I watch on helplessly and feel my dread grow as the paramedics work on her. “Fuck, she’s so still,” I choke out. I ignore the one female paramedic’s sympathetic glance at my tear-streaked face.

  Cooper squeezes my shoulder, “She’ll be alright man, I know it. Have faith.”

  Bracing my hands behind my head I start pacing back and forth. Faith! Something I’ve never had but Julia always did. Closing my eyes I do something I’ve never done before, I pray.

  Please God don’t take her from me. I have so much I need to make right and I swear if you let me keep her and our baby I promise I will love them both the way they deserve. I’ll take care of them and protect them with everything that I am, hell I’ll even go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life. Just please…

  “We have a pulse, lets getting moving,” the paramedic’s loud shout snaps me out of my silent plea.

  “Holy shit!” I expel on a huge breath, hope flaring in my chest.

  Cooper smiles and claps me on the back, “See? What the fuck did I tell ya.”

  “I want to come with her,” I shout following the paramedics as they start wheeling Julia towards the ambulance. One guy nods his head at me, giving me the okay. I briefly notice the chaos of fire trucks and police cars before crawling into the ambulance next to Julia.

  “We’ll meet you over there,” Cooper yells just before they close the door.

  I grab Julia’s cold hand and bring it to my mouth, “Everything’s going to be okay Jules, just please hang on.”

  “Why isn’t she waking up?”

  I briefly come around at the sound of Jaxson’s voice or I think I am. I’m surrounded by darkness, one that’s constantly sucking me in. I try to fight it off wanting to see Jaxson but I can’t, I’m just too tired.

  “Her mind has shut down so her body can heal. I know it’s difficult but be patient Mr. Reid, her and your baby need rest.”

  My baby!

  Relief fills me just before the darkness fully takes me again.

  I’m frustrated when I come around again only to still be surrounded by the darkness. But now I can feel Jaxson holding my hand and I also register two male voices.

  “I know what you’re thinking, so why not just get it over with and ask me?” I hear Jaxson ask.

  “Because I’m not sure I want to know the answer, and to be honest, I don’t really care either way.”

  The second voice is Cooper’s, I fight off my exhaustion, not wanting to let the darkness take me again, not until I know what they’re talking about.

  “Ya well, for your information, I didn’t run in and murder the son of a bitch. We were struggling, it was self-defense. But I’m also not sorry the mother fucker is dead and I’d kill him again in a heartbeat.”

  Wyatt, he’s dead.

  All I can feel from hearing that is pure sweet relief. To know I will never have to face him again brings me a peace that I let sweep over and take me.

  The next time I come around, I awake fully. I’m groggy and still tired but feel completely attached to my body. I know if I want to open my eyes I can. But I keep them closed for the time being because right now I’m feeling peaceful and I’m not sure what awaits me when I open them.

  I feel a warm gentle pressure on my tummy and I soon realize it’s Jaxson’s hand.

  “I’m gonna let you know now kid, I’m probably going to fuck up, a lot,” I hear Jaxson whisper sadly, “I had a real shitty father growing up so I never learned how to be a good dad. Thankfully you have an amazing mom, so hopefully she over-shadows all of the shitty mistakes that I’ll make.”

  I force my eyes open and I’m grateful the room is relatively dark, just a soft glow of the bathroom light that is left on, which helps me to see Jaxson. He looks terribly exhausted. He’s bent over the side of my bed, his chin resting low on his forearm while he looks at his other hand that’s rubbing small circles on my stomach. His gentleness warms my heart but the exhaustion and sadness on his face makes me ache for him.

  “I promise though,” he continues quietly, “I’ll try really hard to make those mistakes as few and as far between as I can. I promise I’ll always love you and I’ll always protect you. I’ll fucking kick anyone’s ass, if they try to hurt you, even if it’s just your feelings.”

  I smile and hold back a chuckle, not wanting to interrupt his moment.

  Jaxson groans and drops his head in his arms, “Jesus Christ, see I’m already fucking up. Listen to how much I’m swearing. Your first word is probably going to be shit.”

  My giggle slips free now, “Actually it will probably be fuck,” I try to say teasingly but my voice comes out raw, not sounding at all like me.

  Jaxson tenses then whips his head up in surprise, “Holy fuck!” He jumps up and moves to sit right beside me on the bed. “Jules baby, you’re awake.” He grabs my face between his hands and starts reining kisses over every inch of my bruised face. “Jesus, I’ve been waiting for what seems like forever for you to wake up.”

  My face is drenched with tears and I didn’t even realize I was crying. With my reflexes sluggishly slow, I bring my hand up to Jaxson’s face, needing to touch him. I become shocked when I realize the tears aren’t my own but that they’re his. He buries his face in the crook of my neck and I thread my fingers in his hair.

  My heart aches when his should
ers begin to gently shake. He makes no sound but I feel his tears fall to my neck. I rub his shoulders, his back, any part of him I can reach. Letting my own tears fall I hold him to me tightly, not wanting to ever let him go.

  Eventually he bring his face up to look at me again and gently rests his forehead against mine.

  “You’re crying,” I say sadly, still stunned by the simple act.

  “I know,” he chokes out quietly, “I started when I didn’t think you were going to wake up and now I can’t seem to stop. I’ve turned into a real fucking pussy Jules.”

  I giggle again but it bursts out with a sob. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him closer to me.

  “I didn’t think I would ever see you again.” My lips softly brush his cheek close to his ear as I cry. “He was awful Jaxson and I was so sure he was going to finish what he started.”

  Jaxson tenses against me before he holds me tighter, “I know baby, but it’s going to be okay now, all of it. The baby is alright and…” he pauses “and he’s dead Julia, he will never hurt you again.”

  “I know,” I choke out softly, “I heard you talking to Cooper… at least I think I did,” I say, feeling a little unsure now.

  Maybe I dreamt it.

  Jaxson pulls back so he can see my face, “You were awake then?” he asks, in shock.

  I nod, “Every time I heard your voice I would try so hard to open my eyes but I never could. I would only come around briefly before I was pulled back to darkness again. This was the first time where I came to and felt control of my body again.”

  Jaxson shakes his head sadly and I can tell it bothers him to hear about it.

  “How long have I been out for?” I ask, a little frightened to know the answer.

  Jaxson lets out a heavy breath before responding, “Two days. And it was the fucking longest two days of my life.” He runs his hands through his hair as he lets out another deep breath, “I have so much I need to say to you Julia. So much to say I’m sorry for. For the things I said and did that night.”