“Look Blade, I’m a grown ass woman and I can take care of myself. I’m not your responsibility,” I retort.
He walks closer to my desk, staring at me intently. He places his hands on my desk and leans forward, “Either I fucking take you or I fucking follow you. Your choice but either way, I will be going with you.”
Shit, he’s dead serious. “Whatever, I don’t have time to argue with you,” I grumble as I gather my things. He closes up his office with a smug look on his face.
The drive there is strange. He’s rather quiet and I’m lost in thought as to why he acts the way he does. We arrive in front of what looks like a small, abandoned warehouse. It’s really rundown but enough out of the way that the music won’t bother anyone. Blade opens my door and forcefully takes me by the hand. I think about jerking my hand back but I just want to get to practice and not have another go around.
Everyone’s already here and I get to meet Jax. “I hear you got some magical fingers there,” he says.
“Not as magical as yours I’m sure. I’m just a fill in until the real talent heals up,” I assure him. I introduce Blade to everyone as my friend. I don’t feel like explaining the boss thing or the step brother thing. They all seem to like him but Jade hasn’t spoken to either of us.
Styx hands me a small stack of music sheets, “Think you can handle these?”
I thumb through the pages. “I think I can manage,” I grin. We begin to practice and it’s going really well. After about an hour, we take a break. Jade disappears into another room for a while but the rest of the band just hangs out and talks with me and Blade. I get to know a little about each of them.
Jax is a thirty-one year old black man and he’s the joker of the crowd. He’s about six foot four, thin but muscular and he keeps his head shaved. He has a twinkle in his eye that reminds you of a child at play.
Styx is twenty-nine and he started the band. He’s a six foot white guy, extremely broad shouldered, with blond hair that he keeps in a ponytail at the back of his neck. He has a neatly kept beard and mustache and lots of body art.
Aces is a thirty-one year old, Hispanic music teacher but he doesn’t look like any music teacher I’ve ever seen. He’s a six foot three inch wall of muscle with an extremely pleasant demeanor.
Shaft is the quiet one, who just sits back and takes everything in. He’s taller than the rest at about six foot six and has to be from Indian decent, Cherokee maybe. Long black hair, tanned skin with very high cheek bones. There’s something about them all that makes me feel comfortable, like I fit in here.
After the break, things get a little strange. Jade keeps getting lost with the timing of the songs. About three songs in, her words begin to slur to the point we can barely understand her. I see the other band members shooting each other weird looks but I’m not sure what’s going on. Blade looks confused as well.
Finally, Jax steps up and I hear him ask Jade if she’s okay as he brushes her hair away from her face. There’s something in the way he speaks to her. I can tell instantly that he really cares for her. He looks at Styx, “That’s it for tonight, man. Jade’s not feeling well.” Styx gives him a disappointed nod and closes out practice telling us all that we’ll do it the same time on Thursday.
Once back in the car, I can’t help wondering what was going on with Jade. “I’ve seen that look before,” Blade says out of the blue.
“What look? I question.
“The look in Jade’s eyes. She wasn’t sick. She was high.”
“High?” I say in disbelief.
“Yes. I’ve seen it a lot. We don’t really know her but I would say her life is not a pretty picture right now. That shit will chew you up and spit you out before you know it,” he explains further. I stare out the window wondering what could be so bad that it takes somebody down that road. Blade reaches over and takes my hand, stroking it gently with his thumb. It’s like he knows what I am thinking and his touch is comforting.
I’m at work early the next day to get the contracts to legal. I still can’t help but wonder if Blade was right about Jade. I almost feel sorry for her. Doesn’t she know what she’s doing to herself? Doesn’t she care? I wonder if this is why the other band members accept her talking shit to them all the time. Maybe they feel sorry for her too. I also find myself wondering how Blade knows so much about all this. I’m glad when my work day picks up a bit and takes my mind off it.
On Thursday, Blade comes to my desk, “You almost ready to head to practice?”
I shoot him a frown, “This is ridiculous! It’s not your job to follow me around making sure I’m safe. I’ve taken care of myself for most of my life. I can damn sure take care of myself now.”
He smiles slightly, “I’m sure you can, baby girl. Now hurry up or we’ll be late.”
At this point, I’m pissed. I gather my things, ride the elevator down to the first floor and walk briskly to the front of the building. Blade is on my heels the whole way. Once in the parking lot, I get into my car and slam the door closed. Maybe he’ll get the idea. I pull out into the street and make it to the first red light before I see him. The son of bitch is following me.
I pull up outside of practice and hurry inside. He still doesn’t get the message because he follows me in. My eyes shoot daggers at him but he just smiles. We begin to play and Jade’s headed down hill early. Each song seems worse than the last. We take a break and I’m glad, playing isn’t fun tonight.
“We need to change things up a bit. Do something that will grab people’s attention,” Styx pipes up.
“You’re fucking crazy. Why the hell would we want to mess with things now,” Jade scolds him. Everyone just kind of ignores her and starts throwing around idea.
“Do any of you write songs,” I ask. Aces and Styx start talking about several they have written. “How about doing originals. The covers are great but you can really make a name for yourself with great originals. You guys should pick out a handful and get them copyrighted so no one can take them,” I suggest.
Jade walks over and gets right in my face and begins to shout, “Don’t be a stupid bitch. Who the hell do you think you are any way? You come in here with some damn savior complex and think you know exactly what we need. You’re nobody bitch and you need to remember that.”
Before I catch myself, I punch her in the mouth and knock her to the ground. “You’re the fucking bitch and don’t ever fucking talk to me like that again. I’ve done nothing but try to help and I’ll be damned if a cunt like you gets in my face. You do nothing but talk shit to everyone here. Well not me and if ya don’t like it, you can have more of what I just gave you,” I storm.
“You’re not worth it,” she says as she picks herself up and leaves the room with Jax close behind her.
I’m finally back to myself and look around to some very stunned faces, especially Blades. I feel my blood begin to heat again, “Don’t look at me that way. Y’all may accept her shit but I be damned if I’m going to.”
Styx walks over and asks, “Can I talk to you in the other room for a minute.” I agree because if he has a problem with what just happened, he needs to tell me now.
Blade follows us into the other room, of course. “Sheridan, calm down please. I don’t want this thing to go south. You’re really talented and I really appreciate all you’re doing for us,” Styx begins.
I look him dead in the eye, “Styx, I’m calm now but I’m not going to take her bullshit. Hell, I don’t know why y’all do.”
He rubs his hand through his hair in frustration, “I understand completely and I really don’t blame you. Jade is like a sister to us and she hasn’t always been this way. Jade used to be happy. She had a fiancé named Jacob and a two year old son that we all called Little Jake. About a year and a half ago, they were all in a horrible car accident. It was snowing; they were trying to get home when another car lost control and hit them. Jacob and Little Jake were killed. Jade was driving and she blames herself. Ever since then, she barely cop
es and that’s why we cut her so much slack.”
Holy fuck! I feel like the biggest asshole on earth and it must show on my face. Blade takes my hand and begins stroking it with his thumb again. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what she’s going through,” I frown and feel my eyes welling up.
“You couldn’t have known. I just wanted to give you some insight into what the deal is. We really appreciate all your help and its wild, but we already feel like you’re one of us. I just don’t want all of this to run you off.” I nod in confirmation and give him a slight smile just before he goes back to the others.
“I need to go talk to Jade,” I turn to Blade and insist.
“I’ll go with you,” he says.
I look at him dead serious, “No, I need to speak with her alone.”
“Well, we’ll find her and I’ll wait outside.” I’m not fighting about this so I go off to find Jade with Blade in tow.
I find Jade sitting in a small room, on a ragged couch. She’s about twenty-five years old and way too thin. Her white skin is so light that the circles around her eyes appear darker than they actually are. Her long black hair helps add to the intensity of her paleness. Her five foot two inch frame looks so fragile; you have to wonder if the slightest touch might break her.
She glances up at me as I walk in and I take a seat on the other end of the couch. She takes a pill bottle from the table in front of us, opens it and pours several out into her hand. Then, she pops the pills into her mouth and chases them down with some whiskey from the bottle she’s holding.
“That shit will kill ya,” I speak up softly.
“I can only hope,” she gives a slight giggle.
My heart hurts because I know she’s serious. “Listen Jade, I know you have a lot on your plate and I’m sorry about earlier. I jus…”
Jade interrupts me. “No you listen, sis. You don’t know a damn thing about me,” she slurs. She looks me dead in the eyes, “Have you ever lost someone you love?” I nod in confirmation. “Have you ever lost everyone you love in the blink of an eye?”
“No,” I say quietly.
Her head begins swaying and her speech is almost unrecognizable. “When you do, come back and tell me what you know then,” she mumbles just before passing out.
When I walk out of the room, Blade wipes the tears from my eyes before following me back out to the others and I let them know the state she’s in. “I’ll take care of her,” Jax pipes up. He almost runs from the room to go to her. I think he has a deep love for her but Jade doesn’t have anything to offer to anyone else right now. If he can hang in there long enough, maybe he can help pull her back out of this dark hole she’s in.
The others are apologetic for the events of the night and I assure them that I understand now. “The idea about the originals is a good one so we’re going to work on those copyrights,” Styx says. Aces and Shaft seem to agree. We set our practices for next week and say our goodbyes.
That night, sleep does not come easy. I keep thinking of Jade and all the pain she has had in her life. I try as hard as I can but I can’t imagine losing everyone the way she has. I am ashamed of myself for wallowing in the pain of my life when there’s someone that has gone through so much more. I know she takes the drugs to numb the pain and I’m not sure I wouldn’t do the same. She’s broken into more pieces than I am.
CHAPTER 6
Revealed
The next week passes quickly with work and band practices. Blade has continued going to practice with me even though he has to know it’s safe by now. I’m okay with it because we have become friends. I think he wants more, but I just don’t have it to give. I don’t know if I’ll ever have it to give. And besides, he is my step brother, which is a little odd and kinda taboo. Mother and Carter would have a coronary and I’m sure people would have a lot to say.
On Saturday, Donna arrives for her week with me and I’m so excited. I’ve missed her beyond belief. I pick her up at LaGuardia airport after work and we head for the apartment so she can get settled in. We spend the evening catching up. She’s excited about her move to the University of Kentucky and she has found a roommate she thinks she can stand to live with. I catch her up on all the goings on at work, Blade and the band. “I can’t believe you got up in front of a room full of people and played. You’re really coming out of your shell. Being in the big city has really changed you.” I hadn’t really thought about it until she said it. She may very well be right. It has definitely changed my life.
The weekend flies by and its back to work for me. Donna has plenty of shopping and sight-seeing to do, so I don’t feel so bad about leaving her. When I arrive at the office, Blade is already there. I hear several voices coming from his office so I prepare his usual but also make a tray of coffee for the others. I have my hands full so I knock on the door with the edge of the tray and Blade opens it, almost immediately. He smiles a huge smile and takes the tray.
“Come on in, Sheridan, I’d like for you to meet someone,” he says as he is placing the tray on the table. I enter the room and I am instantly sick. “Sheridan, this is Jarrod Davis. He just started in our legal department today,” Blade continues. Oh God no! The devil himself is standing before me and I am in shock.
Jarrod reaches out to shake my hand and I hesitate. “It’s nice to meet you, Sheridan,” he smiles his evil, sadistic smile.
My knees immediately begin to buckle and Blade rushes over to steady me. “Sheridan, are you okay?” he says with concern in his voice. I don’t say anything as he leads me over and sits me down on the couch. “Gentlemen, if you will please excuse me, we’ll continue this later,” he ushers them out of the room. Turning his attention back to me, “Sheridan, what’s wrong?” I remain silent, almost in a daze. He comes over to sit beside me on the couch. “Talk to me. Are you okay,” he asks again.
“I…I just don’t feel well,” I murmur back.
“Do I need to get you to the doctor? Or do I need to take you home?”
I shake my head no, “I’ll be fine.”
He brushes my hair back with his hand and a chill runs over me. “I’m not sure you’re okay,” he says when he sees me shiver.
“No, really, I’ll be fine. I just need to get back to work.” I stand to leave the office and I feel like all the energy has been drained from my body.
“If you keep feeling this way or start feeling worse, I want you to let me know,” he orders as he walks me to the door. I nod in confirmation and head for my desk.
As I sit here, still in disbelief, I feel instantly sick and the tears begin to flow. I rush to the bathroom and lose all my breakfast. I’ve probably been in here over thirty minutes and I know I need to get back to my desk but I just can’t stop crying. Why the hell is he here? How can this be happening? My whole life was rearranged so that I would be away from him and now he is here. As I hear the bathroom door swing open, I cap my hand over my mouth to stifle my sob.
“Sheridan, honey, are you okay?” I hear Caroline’s concerned voice.
I take a deep breath and try to sound as normal as possible, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Honey, are ya sure. Blade said you were sick and sent me in to check on you. You don’t sound okay.”
“I’m okay. I’ll be right out.” I wait until I hear the door open and close again then I exit the stall. I clean my face up as much as possible and regain my composure before heading back to my desk.
Blade is waiting just outside the door. “Damn it, Sheridan. You’re not okay. Get your things, I’m taking you home,” he orders. I’m not sick but I’m damn sure not going to tell him the truth. So I don’t resist and I gather my things. The car ride home is quiet and I’m thankful. Talking would probably only lead to crying and I don’t know how I would explain that. Blade is holding my hand and stroking it with his thumb, as usual.
I’m still trying to process the fact the he’s here in New York and was standing right in front of me. Just before we get to the apartment,
Blade speaks up, “Baby girl, I’m taking the rest of the day off. I’m gonna stay with you to make sure you’re okay.”
“That’s not necessary. Donna is here for the week and I’m sure she will look after me.”
“We’ll see. I’m at least walking you to the apartment. You’re not well and I’m not leaving you alone,” he insists. I decide not to be my normal stubborn self and just accept him caring for me.
We enter the front door and I think we startle Donna as she’s making herself a drink. Donna and Blade greet each other with a hug. “I think we have a sick girl on our hands,” he says to Donna as he returns to me and leads me to the couch. “I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to be here alone.”
“Of course, I’ll be right here with her,” Donna insists. I wish the two of them would just stop. They have no idea what’s going on.
“I’ll check on you later, baby girl,” Blade kisses my cheek and turns to go. He and Donna have a quiet and brief conversation at the door before he leaves.
“Hmmm, baby girl,” she grins at me, “this guy really does have it bad for you.” I shrug it off. “What’s wrong Sheridan? I know you and you’re not sick. What’s going on?” she questions as she sits down on the couch beside me. I try to keep it together but it’s no use. I lose it completely and begin to sob a deep, gut wrenching sob. “Jesus Christ Sheridan! What the hell?!” she pulls me into her and hugs me tight. I’m crying so hard that I couldn’t answer if I wanted to. Donna holds me and just lets me cry for what seems like forever.
“Come on. Let’s get you into some pajamas and to bed,” she finally insists. She practically leads me around like a child and I don’t think much of it. I feel disconnected from everything. She puts me in bed and crawls in beside me. She holds me like a child and says, “Now, I know that something is very wrong and you’re gonna tell me what. You haven’t been yourself since before you left to come here. You’ve been distant and sad.” The tears begin to stream down my face and she holds me tighter. I can’t. I can’t tell her. I can’t tell anyone. What will she think of me? “You go ahead and cry all you need to. I’m right here with you but you’re going to tell me,” she demands with great love in her voice.
Broken In Pieces: Billionaire Stepbrother Romance (Wounded Hearts Book 1) Page 6
