by Stahl, Shey
As a man nothing can threaten your family, nothing.
Hot Pits – Jameson
“You’ll ruin your career if you go through with this.”
“Don’t you fucking get it?” Tears spilled over. I stepped forward. “She is everything to me! That baby is everything to me! I’d walk away from it all right now if she asked me to, so fuck my career.”
He pushed in front of me as Kyle stood on the other side blocking.
“Jameson!” he screamed in my face. “He’s already in trouble...let the police take care of this. He broke the restraining order.”
“IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!” I roared back. I could feel the veins in my neck pulsing, my fists clenching as my heart pounded. “He doesn’t deserve jail! He deserves more!”
Everyone in the bar turned to look at me, including Darrin.
My stare locked with his. He was waiting for me, I knew that.
It was his plan all along. Take her to get to me. Eye for an eye.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Darrin asked standing up knocking beers aside. “Shouldn’t you be comforting your broken girl and child?” With a bitter laugh, he casually took a drink of his beer.
As soon as my dad heard his voice, he let go of me, his hands falling to his sides as he stepped back.
It was as if he was silently telling me to go for it.
“Looking for you,” I growled making my way toward the table completely forgetting everything around me. I grabbed the edge of the table and sent it flying toward the wall leaving me standing directly in front of him. “You didn’t really think you’d get away with that, did you?”
“I gotta say, Jameson,” the bitter laugh returned as he focused on me. “Seeing her crying and beggin’ for me not to hurt the baby was...” his expression grew black. “Everything I’d hoped it would be.”
Anger pulsed through me, trembling and begging to be released. I wanted to kill him.
I wanted him to die the most painful death imaginable for even touching her and my child.
“You have to be the dumbest motherfuckers I have ever met.” Spencer said darkly shaking his head, taking another step closer to Mike.
Dad, Kyle, and Van stood by protectively by the entrance to the bar, blocking anyone from coming in.
Darrin chuckled as he took another drink of his beer casually as though he wasn’t fazed. “You don’t have it in you to kill me.”
“Watch me.”
I was so angry I wasn’t paying attention when he swung, hitting me in the jaw. I couldn’t feel it. I was numb. I jumped on him and began hitting him as hard as I could and envisioning Sway’s broken body with every punch. Darrin struggled violently underneath me but his attempts were useless. He knew where to hit me though, and connected a few blunt blows to my ribcage; I could feel the sharp pain shooting throughout my body as my rib snapped under the pressure.
It was nothing compared to the pain I was already feeling.
I welcomed the pain.
I wanted to feel physical pain over this crushing emotional pain.
Spencer had knocked Mike unconscious. He laid bleeding profusely from his mouth; appearing to be missing some teeth.
Darrin squirmed under me again and I punched him once more, shattering his jaw, knocking him unconscious, but I couldn’t stop. I kept hitting him and repeatedly slamming his head against the ground until I felt someone pulling on me.
I wanted to kill him.
I wanted him to feel the pain I was feeling...the physical pain Sway was feeling.
I needed to kill him.
I needed him to feel this too.
My gaze shifted behind me.
Aiden.
“Jameson, you have to stop.” Aiden urged me wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “You’re killing him.”
“That’s...the fucking point, Aiden.” I growled back, continuing to hit Darrin.
The fury had consumed too much of my rationality.
I had no control left.
Aiden grabbed a hold of my suit yanking me backwards with the help of Kyle.
“Stop Jameson!” He yelled. “If you kill him now, you’ll never see her.”
He was right...I knelt there trying to calm down and stop the scene from replaying in my mind but couldn’t. The images wouldn’t stop.
I fell back to my knees, struggling to breathe, covered in Darrin’s blood. He was starting to stir slightly. I had half a mind to kill him now, but restrained myself. I couldn’t leave Sway.
I reached down and yanked him forward by the collar of his soaked black t-shirt. Blood spilled from his mouth as he tried to speak but couldn’t.
I struggled with myself not to just snap his neck and end it. But then again, I didn’t know if that was something that actually worked or it was just in the movies.
“Don’t you ever touch her again, you hear me?” I leaned closer. “Do you fucking hear me? Next time, you will not be walking away from this. I will kill you! Do you understand?” I growled into his ear as Van walked in. I don’t know how I expected him to answer, he was out cold. Maybe even dead.
“I’ll take it from here Jameson. You need to leave before someone realizes you were here.” Van advised slowly walking over. “Jimi is waiting for you.”
Spencer and I shuffled toward the door.
“What are you going to do to him?” Spencer asked Van, wiping blood from his hands with his shirt.
Van ran his hand across the back of his neck, his eyes hard and tense as he looked into the darkness of the parking lot. “It’s probably better if you two just leave.”
14. Fuel Pump – Jameson
Fuel Pump – A device that pumps fuel from the fuel cell through the fuel line and into the carburetor.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
We were finally happy, together, loving each other the way we should have been all those years—it’s not fair.
Why couldn’t we have the happy ever after, the fairytale she wanted? Didn’t she deserve at least that much?
This just didn’t make sense to me, when would enough be enough?
“Jameson Riley, we need to ask you a few questions. Come with me please.” I looked up to find a stalky officer standing in front of me. He was dressed in street clothes but I could tell by his demeanor, he was a police officer. Or maybe it was the badge he flashed that gave him away?
I sighed heavily as I stood and walked with him to a private room.
We had just arrived back at the hospital where the police were waiting. I wasn’t surprised.
He led me to a small conference room, opened the door and motioned for me to enter.
“My name is Officer Tim Henley.” He said taking a seat. I sat down across from him. “I’m going to ask you a few questions here.”
I nodded when he placed a tape recorder on the square wooden table angled toward me. The room was small with all white walls, I squinted at the brightness the room had on my irritated eyes.
“Can you tell me what happened last night?” He asked reaching forward to turn on his tape recorder; clicking his black pen obsessively.
My thoughts wandered to last night.
It was now two in the morning and I still hadn’t slept or seen Sway. I was still dressed in my driving suit that was now covered in blood, Darrin’s blood. I was also supposed to be back at the track in less than six hours for the race that was cancelled yesterday. I needed sleep but I knew it wasn’t going to happen. No, that wasn’t happening with these thoughts.
After we had left the bar, Van had left with Darrin. He was still unconscious and at that point Van was actually wondering if I had, in fact, killed him. Unfortunately, the motherfucker still had a pulse. Mike was so scared when he woke up missing teeth that he left and told the police he fell. I wasn’t sure we’d ever see him again.
“I think you know what happened.” I replied sarcastically. If he thought I was really going to lay it all out, he was out of his mind. I wasn’t admitting to shit. In
my mind, I did nothing wrong.
“Riley.” He breathed through his nose and reached turning off the tape recorder. “I know what happened, I’m not an idiot. I know who Van Lambert is as well.” He held up a file. “Van Lambert, age thirty-two, ex-Navy Seal, specialized in Special Reconnaissance missions for nine years. Phillip Clemons hired him as your body guard.” He placed the file down on the table. “I’d like to know what happened and why Darrin Torres, who is wanted for attempted murder, is now missing.”
I stared at him with a blank expression, my body radiating tension. Like I gave a shit who he knew or what he knew.
“Just cooperate with us,” Officer Henley suggested. “I’m sorry for what happened to your fiancée. Please keep in mind though that I also have an investigation to do here.” He shook his head. “Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that given the chance, I wouldn’t have reacted the same way if that was my fiancée and child.”
I looked away, crossing my arms over my chest, feeling the pain once again. He had no fucking idea what I was going through. He had no idea the pain I was feeling right now.
“But Jameson, I have a job to do here and I would really appreciate some cooperation,” He intoned leaning forward to turn the recorder back on. He reached for the folder in front of him and I caught a glimpse of the photos inside. There was my Sway, bloody, broken, and naked. The photos must have been taken when she first arrived as part of the investigation but just the sight of them had me hyperventilating.
I looked down at my hands in my lap, trying to control my breathing as tears started to fall.
“Were you there when Emma Riley found Sway?”
“No.” I said with virtuously. “I was in my race car. The race was on a red flag when Emma Riley found her.”
“So you are a NASCAR driver?”
“What in the hell does that have to do with anything? I mean, don’t you have more important questions to ask besides my career choice?”
“Fair enough,” I think he knew I was in no mood for small talk. “How did you know where to find Darrin Torres?”
“I didn’t,” I mused shrugging indifferently. “I got lucky.”
“Were you at Boars Tavern at approximately 10 PM?” He made a few notes on his white note pad, his eyes watchful of my every movement. Like any trained detective, he was waiting for me to give him a clue.
“Yes.”
“And what happened while you were there?”
“Darrin and I had a discussion.” I smiled wickedly.
His lips twitched into a small smile. It was pretty fucking evident by my appearance more than a discussion took place. “But you don’t know where Darrin is at now?” Officer Henley looked up at me. His confusion was transient as he took in my dark stare.
“I have no idea where he went when I left the bar.” I answered.
“When was the last time you saw Van Lambert?”
“He was with me at the bar.” I ran my fingers through my sweaty hair. “I haven’t seen him either since I left the bar.”
“What time did you leave the bar?”
I shrugged. “I don’t really know but I would say it was around 11pm.”
“If Mr. Lambert is your body guard, why wasn’t he with Sway?”
“We agreed for him to have the week off since I, or a family member would be with Sway this weekend.”
“So you haven’t heard from him since the bar?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say that.” I smiled darkly.
“You’ve been in contact with Mr. Lambert?” He scribbled a note as if this would be his answer.
“Yes, we spoke about an hour ago. I asked him to please come to the hospital to keep an eye on Sway.”
“Where is he?”
“I didn’t ask him that.” I told him. “He just said he would be here tomorrow sometime.”
Henley leaned forward again and turned off the recorder. “Well I can tell you that Darrin is missing, but something tells me you know that already. There is a warrant out for his arrest and when he does turn up, he’ll be going to jail for a long time for violating a restraining order. It’s a serious crime. He will also be charged with attempted murder of Sway, as well as your unborn child as well. As far as the other charge...it’s pending a test.”
My fists clenched immediately at the word that had been haunting me...rape. I looked at him intently; I could have burned a hole through him. Slowly, I leaned forward against the table, waiting for his eyes to meet mine. I could be one scary motherfucker if I wanted to be. Right now, I needed to be.
“Are we finished here?” I asked then laughed manically. It was becoming apparent that I had seriously lost my goddamn mind at that point.
“Yes, you may go.” He tipped his head the direction of the door. “I hope your fiancée makes a full recovery.”
I said nothing, the door slammed behind me.
Spencer and Aiden were waiting in the hallway for me when I walked out; both leaning against the wall.
“Is everything okay?” Aiden asked hesitantly, his forehead glistened with sweat.
“Just calm the fuck down, Aiden.” I turned toward Spencer. “Give him some sleeping pills or something.”
He’d been a nervous fucking wreck since we left the bar, convinced we were all going to prison for life. Emma got him hooked on some TV show called CSI. He was sure some forensics bullshit was going to put us all away.
I was moments away from bitch slapping him.
We weren’t in the waiting room a few minutes when a doctor appeared asking for me.
“Are you listening to me Mr. Riley?” Dr. Clayton asked when I approached the critical care units with him. Our pace seemed stalled.
I was trying to listen to him, really I was. He was explaining how Sway and the baby were doing. But as his lips moved, I couldn’t hear the words being spoken. I shook my head trying clear my thoughts as if that would help. There was no clearing my head right now.
“Sway is being sedated at the moment. She’s woken up a few times but whenever we tell her about the baby, we have to sedate her again.” His eyes were just as watchful as the detectives had been.
It seemed everyone was waiting to see when I’d break. The problem, I already had.
“The baby is in distress but the heartbeat is steady. The ultrasound indicates everything is stable. Originally, we thought the baby was seventeen weeks but after this last ultrasound an hour ago, the baby is measuring at eighteen weeks, two days. This is good news. The heart and lungs are developing nicely. I’ve asked someone from Obstetrics to come down and talk to you guys in the morning, well, later this morning.”
I used the wall to steady myself as he continued. “From what we can tell, and from what Sway has told us the times she’s been lucid, Darrin found her in the stairwell. They got into a disagreement and he pushed her down the stairs. She doesn’t remember anything after that.” He glared down at her chart. “She has a broken arm that we’ve put in a cast, along with a broken hand. The ribs we can’t do anything about beside keeping her comfortable. It’s a good thing the baby is small or the kicks could hurt her. She lost a considerable amount of blood from the laceration to her scalp that required nineteen stitches. Sway has also suffered from a condition called placenta abruption. Usually this is not caused from a fall, but it’s hard to say. Placenta abruption is where the placenta begins to separate from the uterus. There are three stages to this and in Sway’s case it’s fairly mild but is serious enough that it needs to be monitored closely. She will be on bed rest the remainder of her pregnancy.”
I groaned aloud, she was going to hate this. I could already hear the complaints but welcomed them if it meant she would be all right.
“I think it’s best she stays in the hospital for at least three weeks, maybe longer. After that, we will see how the baby is doing and assess the situation from there. We will be performing daily ultrasounds to monitor the baby’s lung development, and whether or not premature delivery is necess
ary. Sway recently began having contractions so we have administered a drug called magnesium to slow the contractions down and try to prevent the cervix from dilating. The goal is to get Sway to at least thirty-two weeks when the baby’s lungs are mature. Right now, if the baby was delivered, the chance of survival is minimal.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat. “So they are both okay?” my voice was hoarse and broke with each word despite my attempts for them not to.
“Yes, they are both stable for now.” He told me. “We’ll be monitoring both of them closely.”
You know, as a race car driver, I hated to lose control. It was a sign of weakness in my mind.
But I also knew there were times when all I did was lose control and everything I knew got away from me and my world crumbled. No matter what I tried to do to hold on, I fell, hard.
“What about the uh...other test?” I still couldn’t even say the word.
Dr. Clayton nodded. His face was grim as he looked over the chart. “The test was inconclusive. No traces of DNA were found...” he looked up at me, his eyes narrowing, gauging and judging.
My entire body was trembling, waiting; tears once again fell from my eyes. I stared back at him fearing the worst, hoping he didn’t say the words.
“Are you sure you’re okay Mr. Riley?” the doctor’s voice brought me back as he surveyed my appearance. Scratches covered my face, my lip was swollen and my nose was most certainly broken. Bloodshot eyes, a body cracked, bruised and broken beneath the surface silently begging him.
“I don’t think she was raped,” I flinched at the word. “but I do believe that if your sister hadn’t found her when she did...that it was his intention as it does appear that’s what he started to do but then abruptly stopped. Maybe, we don’t really know.” The doctor shook his head. “Ms. Reins is sleeping right now but I can let you back there for a few moments. Can you handle this?”
I only nodded. The truth was, I couldn’t handle any of this. I was beyond handling anything anymore.
Without Sway by my side, I was helpless and hearing the truth about what happened to her was like a knife ripping through my already broken heart. I let this happen. I didn’t take the threats seriously in Summerville when I had my chance. I pushed him to her. This happened because I allowed it to so like I said, I had no control and I was beyond handling anything right now.
