AJ's Salvation

by Sam Destiny

  He checked it; his thoughts being on the things Shannon had said until his heart froze. It was an unknown number sending him one simple photo.

  He should have known his words would lead her straight into the waiting arms of that Spencer guy, especially because he had predicted it. Jam closed his eyes for a few moments and tried to regain control of his thoughts. Aly deserved to have a happy life without his scars hurting them both. There’d always be something between them because he wasn’t ready to face any of this. He’d never revisit his time with Collene again,

  “Don’t count on Aly. In fact, I’d prefer if we keep her out of this fully,” he then whispered, throwing his phone on the table.

  “You … don’t … want Alessia to have your son again?” He had thrown Shannon off her game and felt sorry for it, but they needed to get it done without Alessia, too.

  “She’ll get him back. As soon as I have full custody and the Karmisons have no right to him whatsoever, that boy will be back with his mother.”

  Shannon thought for a moment and then collected her papers. “Okay, I need to rethink our strategy. I’m sorry, but this is not exactly the best way to solve this.” She got up, and Jam stood.

  “I sincerely apologize for causing trouble, but I owe her. She has to stay out of prison. Nothing else is acceptable.”

  “Jam, between you and me, as friends, I’m asking you to talk to her. Seriously, if she's anything as I remember, she’ll understand why she needs to spend a few nights in prison. She saved a child. Illegally, but she still did. She’ll be a hero in there. You and I know this. It won’t be long. If we have the lawsuit in place, she’ll be a savior. Just a few days. Try to talk to her,” she pleaded, touching his chest.

  “If we can manage this without her, let’s do it.”

  “Okay, there's a way, but Jamison, don’t you think there is one thing you’d like even less than having her in prison? Sadly that’s the only other option we have.”

  There was nothing that … “No, Shannon, I can’t.”

  “Either you share your story with the world or you bring Aly in for a few days. It’s your choice. Just let me know which I need to prepare for. I’m leaving now, but call me as soon as you know. We don’t have endless time,” she insisted and then turned away.

  “I need to see Alessandro.”

  She looked at him over her shoulder. “They call him Zack again. And if you go and ring their doorbell and they let you in, it’s okay. If they turn you away at the door, do not, and I repeat, do not force your entry. The more you violate the rules, the less I can do for you.”

  “Duly noted,” he commented and then was actually glad once she left. He needed time to think, and he was worried. As much as he was sure Thea wouldn’t hit Alessandro, he didn’t trust Collene’s father.

  The Karmison residence was a little outside of town, and he buried his hands in the pockets of his jeans, wishing for his favorite hoodie. Something about your favorite pair of jeans or this exact sweater that made you feel a little more secure with who you were. His little piece of security was back at Aly’s. What irony—since she already owned his heart and soul, she should also own what little else still mattered to him.

  It took him nearly forty-five minutes to reach the mansion, and even then, he realized that as much as he wanted to see Alessandro, he never wanted to enter that house again.

  It took a few moments for someone to open the door after he rang the doorbell. Jam had never seen the maid before, and he didn’t care.

  “I’m Jamison Loane, and I'm here to see my son. Tell Mrs. Karmison that, please.”

  “That’s my dad. I heard my dad! That’s my dad!” He could hear Alessandro, and his heart sped up. At least he was okay so far.

  “Zack …”

  “That’s not my name! Dad!” Jam forced himself to stay exactly where he was. It was hard to follow Shannon’s advice, but if he wanted to reach anything without involving Aly, he needed to stay within the limits of the law.

  There were noises of a struggle then he heard a hiss, and the next moment, children’s feet were hurrying across the marble of the foyer. “Dad!” Jam knelt and then spread his arms to catch his son. The little body was shaking, but Jam actually was sure it was just from the exercise and nothing else.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No. I was mean to Mom, and now, I want to go back. I want to see Tom and the waves. I miss the water. I only went with this woman because she said I could see you, but she lied. And she calls me Zack. I’m not Zack. I don’t understand why I’m here and not with you. Can I go back? This woman even said my mom isn’t my mom.” Jam should have known that the Karmisons would go with the truth, and it made him realize that after all this was over, his son would most likely need a psychologist, too.

  “I’m so sorry,” Jam whispered, and Alessandro hugged him tighter.

  “Me, too.” Even though he was sure that Lesso had no idea what he was apologizing for, Jam still patted his back.

  “No one’s mad at you, buddy, but you need to hold out a little longer. I’m gonna get you out, okay? I’m sure they gave you a lot of stuff.”

  “I don’t want any of that. I want to go back home.” Jam only nodded.

  “I know, but the best thing you can do is play Xbox or whatever you have there. Do what they tell you to do, okay? Promise me,” he pleaded, grabbing his son’s shoulders.

  “But Dad!” he instantly protested.

  “You need to promise me!”

  “Why are you crying?” Alessandro asked, reaching out to brush a tear away. Jam took a deep breath, hoping to gain control of his emotions. He was too scared that they would hit his stubborn son eventually. It could lead to terrible injuries since Alessandro was small and the Karmisons didn’t know their strength.

  “Because I’m scared for you. Those people aren’t nice. Just listen to them, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

  He heard heels clicking on the floor, and he knew time was running out. Thea came into view, holding her thigh.

  “You kicked me,” she almost screamed, and Lesso pressed himself closer to his father. Jam picked him up just so he was towering over the woman who was responsible for his son at the moment.

  “He wanted to see his dad. Hello, Thea. I just needed to see that he was fine.”

  “Took you long enough to come,” she snapped, and Jam swallowed, telling himself not to let the woman provoke him. The truth was that for a day, he had dealt with Aly’s more than pissed and worried brother then he had taken a day to regroup, and after that, he had met Shannon. They had discussed how to make those meetings happening without the Karmisons realizing what he was doing, and they agreed that it would look best if he were dating her. So it was lunch, dinner, and unexpected visits until she had a rough idea of what was going on. And she had advised him to stay away at the moment, but since he had a feeling he had lost Aly for the second time in as many weeks, he needed something to hold on to. He needed a reminder of who he was doing this for.

  “I’ll be back soon. Please, believe me, Lesso. I love you, okay? Be a good boy.”

  “Soon, Dad,” Alessandro pleaded so quietly that no one else could have heard. Jam nodded and then let go of his boy.

  “I’m so sorry, Grandma. I was just too excited to see Dad.” Alessandro looked at Jam and then got out his sweet boy smile. “Do you still have time to look at the birds with me?” he then asked Thea. Instantly, the older woman’s face softened, and Jam breathed deeply.

  “I’ll be back soon to check on him,” Jam said loudly.

  “I can’t wait, Dad. See you soon. Grandma and I watch the doves now.” His son was such a smart boy, reaching for Thea’s hand.

  “Until soon,” Thea said coldly then she walked away and Jam left, hoping for a beer and a moment of peace.

  It was hell for Aly to walk through her routines without having to take care of Alessandro. She got dressed, opened the café, and then actually managed to talk to patrons who came in. She knew
that most of them were out for gossip since she looked like a ghost and Alessandro was gone.

  “Where's that handsome boy of yours, darling?” an elderly lady asked, coming in. Aly recognized her from the Women’s Committee, and she pulled up a shoulder.

  “Meeting a redhead back in his hometown,” she whispered, and the lady placed a hand over her heart, looking appalled.

  “Now, I don’t believe that. Miss Rhyme, he was head over heels in love with you. My Bernie and I, bless his soul, he would look at me like that. There wasn’t a chance in heaven or hell for him to notice any other woman. This boy would never leave you for anything in the world,” the woman explained, and Aly noticed how the whole café had turned silent, all trying to catch the words.

  “Since he wasn’t really mine, I can’t say anything concerning that. Alessandro’s dad and I probably never were meant to be,” she said quietly, and the woman took her coffee, sitting down at the table closest to the counter.

  “Tell me about the first time you knew you were in love with him.”

  Aly wasn’t sure if this would make things better or worse, but she figured it would at least keep her occupied and her patrons returning for more. People were suckers for a heartbreaking story. She moved around the counter and then pushed herself up on it, collecting her thoughts.

  “Jamison was older than I was by three years, and he was always such a handsome boy. I was fifteen, about to turn sixteen when one afternoon Greg, my brother, and Jamison got out of the car …”

  “Honestly, do we need to take your little sister along?” Aly felt her little heart break. She was so happy about the new bikini she had gotten the day before and how she filled it out at least a little. She didn’t have any of the boobs those girls from Jamison’s class had, but she had some.

  As the boys passed her, Jam didn’t even look at her, and Aly sighed. She had a crush on him and her best friend, Mary, always made fun of it, but seriously, how was a girl supposed to see other guys when Mr. Hottie himself was her brother’s best friend?

  “Yeah, we do. Hop in, Aly,” Greg called out to her, and she took a deep breath, walking slowly toward the car. She was excited to go to the nearby lake with them, but Mary had ingrained in her that she needed to look cool and relaxed.

  “Pigtails, really?” Jam snorted up front, and Aly touched her hair. She had heard him telling one of the cheerleaders the day before that her pigtails were sexy, so Alessia had instantly taken note of it. Now, she wanted to cry, especially since Jam still hadn’t looked at her.

  “Lighten up, man. You can still be nice to all the girls! Aly is probably gonna meet her own people there,” Greg announced, getting back in the car with them after having gotten the picnic basket.

  “Yeah, some will be there,” she mumbled, ready to cry at the perspective of not spending the afternoon with Jam by her side. She’d be the coolest kid in school then. So much for that plan.

  “Flake, too?” Greg asked, and Aly noticed how Jam’s eyes flickered to meet hers in the mirror. There was something dark in them, and she couldn’t help but feel challenged by it.

  “Definitely. He’s hot,” she said casually, seeing from where she was sitting how Jam’s jaw ticked. It made her smile, but she pressed her lips together to keep it from escaping.

  “He’s a manwhore. He hangs out with the pretty girls and tells them all they are the one,” Jam commented, his voice low with fury.

  “I don’t see how he’s any different from you then,” she gave back, almost gasping at her own boldness. She never talked to Jam like this. In fact, she never talked to Jam at all.

  Greg burst out laughing, punching Jam’s shoulder. “She got you there, man.” He grinned and Jam turned to him, lifting an eyebrow with a smile.

  “At least, I’m handsome. Flake is just skin and bones.”

  “Well, you clearly haven’t checked out his ass yet,” she snapped as Greg parked the car. Maybe she should reconsider crushing on Jam. He was a damn idiot. She opened her door, trying to grab all her clothes at once, but she still felt her towel hitting the concrete of the parking lot. Before she could bend down, Jam was there, picking it up and gently placing it on her shoulder, his fingertips brushing her bare skin. She held her breath, knowing she probably looked at him with parted lips, but she just couldn’t get herself to shut her mouth. Her heart was doing crazy things in her chest, and she wanted to melt on the spot. The way he was looking down at her was what fantasies were made of.

  Just then, the unthinkable happened and Jam reached out, touching one curly pigtail and letting it glide through his fingers. “No, I haven’t, but I’ve heard enough about him. Be careful around him, Aly. He eats girls like you for breakfast,” he warned, but there was nothing dangerous in his words. They were more like a silent plea. It was then that Aly knew she wasn’t just crushing on Jam. She was in love with him.

  “ … He turned around and then walked away. Not two steps from where I was standing, he slapped a cheerleader on her skinny ass while I stood there, arms full of my towel and a bag and whatever else I thought I needed to carry. Greg came around and patted my head, saying something about Jam being Jam. I think he knew back then what I was feeling.”

  Aly actually smiled to herself. She hadn’t thought about that day in so long, and now, looking back, it suddenly seemed so different. Jam’s expression was a lot softer, his words a lot less annoying, and his face so much more beautiful than before. It had been scar-free back then.

  “I think that boy was in love with you back then already,” a woman her own age commented. Aly hadn’t seen her before, so she guessed that she, too, had been drawn in by the gossip.

  “I don’t know if it was anything that serious for him, but I guess he really did see me as something other than his best friend’s little sister,” she admitted, hopping down from the counter to get back to preparing coffee. Six or seven people had asked for a refill, and she happily provided that then she looked up as the door opened.

  Just like with Jam when he had come in, people were staring at Spencer now. Her heart had skipped a beat before now plummeting in disappointment. As soon as people realized it was not Jamison walking in, they dismissed Spence as unimportant, starting up little whispered conversations. Aly heard Jam’s name more than once, and she knew it wasn’t fair to Spencer, but she couldn’t help it, either. If she had a choice, she’d prefer to be talking about Jam, too. Only then did she notice his tense expression and she cocked her head.

  “Someone’s trying to put you in prison,” Spencer announced without further ado, and her jaw dropped. “I know, Alessia. I got a letter telling me everything.” He waved a paper, and she looked around her little escape, noticing that suddenly Spencer was a lot more interesting than before.

  “And you tell me that here and right now why?” she asked, suppressed anger coloring her voice.

  He leaned in closer; lowering his voice just enough so she knew he didn’t mean to patronize her. “Because if I get information like that and don’t do anything about it, they’ll find another person until you’re eventually reported and brought in,” he fussed, and she shook her head in disbelief.

  “No, I don’t …” She reached for the paper, snagging it from him and then reading it. “They deliberately left out why I did it,” she whispered, and he arched a brow, waiting. She crossed her arms, knowing she was challenging him. “You don’t think there’s a good reason, do you?”

  He closed his eyes and then drowned his hands in his hair, looking as if he was ready to pull it out. “I’m here alone, aren’t I? I was hoping it wasn’t true,” he admitted, and she looked at him, waiting. “Tell me. Right now, right here,” he demanded, and she pressed her hands flat on the countertop.

  “He was Jam’s, and just like his father, he was being abused. Except he was only a baby. Jamison handed him over to me when he was no older than four months and asked me to take him away. I refused … until Jam unwrapped the blanket and a bruised body appeared. I didn’t know
there was more to the mother’s beating until Jam returned and I saw his scars. So did I do something illegal? Yes. Do I regret it? No.” She held Spencer’s eyes, knowing though that everyone else in that room had heard her.

  “How bad?”

  “Jam feared for his life. He stayed away because he worried someone could figure it out,” she explained.

  “Well, girl, someone did. The woman who took away your son. How did she do it?” The elderly woman, who earlier had talked about her and her husband, got up and came over.

  “How did she do what?” Aly wanted to know and another woman got up.

  “How did she figure out that you had the child? Did Jam tell her?” she inquired, joining the little group forming in front of Aly’s counter.

  “She said she remembered from the one time he said I was beautiful. I kidnapped her grandchild, and she figured it out because of something he said,” she whispered, surprised at how free it made her feel to talk about it with strangers who, very clearly, weren’t judging her.

  “It probably was the way he said it. It felt real to her. She saw on his face that he loved you. Have you ever been a couple?” another woman chimed in, and Alessia shook her head. It was weird, but she suddenly didn’t care if they locked her up. She still had the pictures the doctor had taken back then of the injuries on Alessandro’s body. This way she could at least try to get a lawsuit and make sure Jam would get her son. Maybe she should return to Townsend. Someone needed to stop the Karmisons.

  “No, never. I didn’t think he ever had feelings for me, but it seems I was wrong all those years. He tried to protect Alessandro and me by staying away. No court of law would ever let me get away with what I did, no matter the reason. And everything was fine until this woman showed up because her abusive daughter is missing. I’m functioning, but that’s about all.”