Love You Always

by Lorin, Terra

  Oh God, I want to be saved.

  Please save me, Laura.

  Chapter 30 - Laura

  ~* Laura *~

  Marcus leaves the room as I help Jade change out of her wet sleepwear. The bed sheets are wet where Marcus laid her down, so I change those too while Jade sits in the chair watching me. She’s pretty drunk.

  I hope I got all the glass out of her feet. I’m sure when she sobers up she’ll feel the pain if I’ve missed any. I’ve dabbed rubbing alcohol on her wounds and wrapped bandage around her feet.

  The bed’s done so I tuck Jade in. She seems like a child at this moment. I remember doing this when we were kids and the flashback brings tears to my eyes. I miss that Jade—the Jade who wasn’t this messed up.

  “Laura, I–I–I have something to tell you,” my sister says, slurring her words. She looks as though she could pass out any minute.

  “Why don’t you get some sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “No.” She grabs my forearm as if in desperation and reclines forward towards me. “If I don’t tell you now, I might never tell you.”

  “Okay, Jade, okay,” I say, seeing her need to tell me whatever it is so badly. “What is it? What do you want to tell me?”

  She relaxes now that I’ve relented to her demands and plops her head back down on the pillow.

  “Spence.” Her eyes fight to stay open, she’s so tired and drunk, but she’s battling herself to stay awake.

  “What about Spence?” I ask when she hesitates.

  She closes her eyes and tears trickle down her face.

  “Dad.”

  Again she pauses. She starts to cry again.

  “Jade, what is it?” Why am I getting a queasy feeling in my stomach, as though something bad is going to happen?

  “Spence killed himself because of Dad.”

  “What? What do you mean?” Oh God, what is she talking about? Did Spence see Dad do something terrible?

  “Dad did something horrible.”

  Oh God.

  She’s drifting. I shake her gently because now I need to know what she means.

  “Jade, what did Dad do? Tell me.”

  “Dad hurt Spence,” she weeps, her sadness intermingling with her drowsiness.

  “Hurt him how? Did he beat him?”

  She shakes her head.

  Oh no. Please don’t let it be what I think it is. I hold my breath.

  “Dad molested him, Laura.” Jade puts her arms around me and weeps even harder.

  Oh dear God! My mouth drops open in disbelief.

  I hold my sister until her weeping subsides, then I ease her back down to the pillow. The alcohol takes her completely now and she drifts off. I stare at her sleeping face for a moment, my mind reeling, still finding it hard to believe what she’s just said.

  Then the tears flow because I do believe her. Spence wouldn’t have killed himself unless it was something that terrible. How could Dad do this? Did Mom know and was the reason she left? How could she leave her children in the hands of a child molester?

  I put my hands to my face and I sob. I sob for Spence, for what Dad did to him, for not being there to help him, to save him. Why didn’t Jade tell me this before? Poor Jade. Having to keep this secret all this time, to carry this burden by herself, and to have to live with Dad and know the truth about him, about what he did.

  Did Dad molest her too? No, she would’ve mentioned herself in it if he did. And I suppose he would’ve molested me too, so he must’ve only had this sickness for boys, for Spence.

  Oh, Spence, my poor, dear little brother.

  When I finally compose myself, I leave Jade’s room. Marcus is in the bathroom at the tail end of cleaning up the mess as he wipes down the sink with a dry towel.

  He turns to look at me when he sees me in the mirror. He puts the towel down and his arms encompass me. He holds me, cherishing me, comforting me as I cry in his arms, telling him what my Dad has done.

  “What are you going to do?” he asks me when I’m once again composed.

  “I can’t let my dad get away with this. He’s sick and needs help. And Spence needs justice, and Jade and me too.”

  “We’ll get your sister help too.” Marcus takes hold of my hand. “I’ll contact Angela’s therapist and see if she can take Jade.”

  “That sounds wonderful, but I don’t know if I can afford her right now. I was planning to contact a therapist through a clinic.”

  “Laura, don’t worry about the money. I’ll cover it. This is my gift to you for being here for me when Angela was kidnapped.” He smiles lovingly at me.

  “I’ll repay you someday, Marcus. I promise,” I tell him, smiling at him appreciatively.

  “You don’t repay gifts. They wouldn’t be called ‘gifts’ if you did, right? Just accept graciously. I want to do this for you, and for Jade.”

  This man is something else. He’s just too perfect. I need to find a flaw just so I know he’s human. Doesn’t he ever flub up?

  “Sit on the toilet,” he tells me.

  I look at him with surprise.

  “I want to check your feet. You didn’t yet take care of yourself, right?”

  Oh. Yeah, I hadn’t even thought about that. I set myself down on the toilet seat cover.

  He takes out the rubbing alcohol and a ball of cotton. As he dabs at the cuts under my feet, I flinch, but I continue to stare at this beautiful man who cares for me. My heart is his; I know this already.

  When he’s done attending my wounds, he picks me up and carries me back to my bedroom.

  “Wow, this is what I call service,” I say.

  “I’d ask for the return favor, but then it’ll be a never-ending cycle,” he teases. “Besides, you may get a hernia carrying my bulk around.”

  “Yeah, a hernia’s not too sexy.”

  “I might just take my favors in room service though.” He lifts his eyebrows up and down twice, looking rascally.

  “Well, room service will have to stand in line behind my rain check.”

  “So when’s that rain check gonna get cashed in?”

  I chuckle and give him a kiss before he puts me down.

  “How do your cuts feel?” I ask him.

  “What cuts?” He smiles.

  “How about yours?” he asks.

  “My what?”

  “Cuts.”

  “What cuts?” I smile back.

  “Did that antacid work? How’s your stomachache?” He cocks his eyebrow.

  “What stomachache?” I replicate his cocked eyebrow.

  Marcus gazes into my eyes and his smile tells me he knows what he’s in for. He pulls off his tank undershirt and throws it on the floor. We both strip ourselves naked and our lips converge into a devouring kiss. His hands fondle me, grope me, but he never mishandles my flesh, but rather glides them over my body with sensuality, like an artist kneading and smoothing out his clay sculpture. Every touch brings my loins to ache with anticipation of pleasure—and he does not disappoint.

  He takes me with the vigor of a tempestuous storm, ravishing me to the heights of sexual delights. My desire for him causes my body to quake and quiver with each thrust of his lust into my wanting sex.

  Our breaths huff out with sounds of moans and soft cries as our sweat infuse from our slick bodies while we grapple each other, intertwining our thighs, connecting through our emotions and carnal desires.

  And when we both reach that height of pure ecstasy, he falls to my side, cuddling me in his loving arms as we recover from the tremors of our sexual high.

  I feel so safe with him, so cared for, so wanted, respected—and loved. I want this man in my life; I want him with all my being.

  I want Jade to find this kind of love too. I hope she will, I know she will, and she deserves it, even though she thinks she doesn’t. But that’s not her fault; she’s been through so much at such a young age that she’s never known what love is excep
t from Spence and me.

  Jade will find love, from the right man, a man like Marcus—I know she will.

  I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 31 - Marcus

  ~* Marcus *~

  I’ve just arrived at the park to meet with my dad’s secretary Vivian. She called earlier this morning saying she needed to tell me something but she didn’t want to discuss it over the phone. She sure has me curious as to what it’s about.

  Ah, there she is, she’s arrived before me. I walk towards the fountain where she sits on one of the five benches that surround it. She smiles and waves as I approach.

  “Hi, Vivian,” I say as she stands up to greet me. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Good to see you too, Marcus.” She gives me a hug.

  We sit and her friendly mood turns to concern as she looks at me. Although in her mid-forties, Vivian looks ten years younger, and her vibrant, shoulder-length red hair makes her look like a femme fatale. I used to have a crush on her when I was in my teens. Of course I’ve outgrown that crush, but I always enjoy being around her—similar to a favorite aunt.

  “I heard about Angela. The FBI came to the office yesterday asking questions.”

  I nod my head. “Angela’s been through a terrible ordeal,” I tell her.

  “I can imagine.” Her eyes empathize with sincerity. “Is she all right?”

  “She’s at a retreat for her therapy, and I sense she’s going to come out of this stronger. She saved herself, you know. She killed one of the kidnappers.”

  “Oh my God, I didn’t know that. The FBI didn’t tell us any of that. They basically asked a lot of questions, as though they think someone in the company might know something.”

  “Yes, they think that this incident could be connected to the boating accident. They’re not convinced it was an accident.”

  Vivian touches my hand. Her eyes gaze at me solemnly.

  “Oh Marcus, that’s terrible.”

  I put my other hand on hers.

  “I didn’t tell the FBI what I’m about to tell you because I don’t know if it has any bearing or not, but after they left, I started thinking about all of it and it’s been bothering me,” she says.

  I furrow my eyebrows. “What is it?” I ask.

  “A few months before your father died, he and George had been having disagreements about one of our subsidiary companies. I don’t know exactly what the disputes were about because I was never privy to the conversations, but your father would ask me to bring him files on it right after, so I’m figuring it had to do with that.

  “Now, I don’t want to be thinking George had anything to do with what happened to Angela or the boating accident, because I’ve been at that company for fifteen years, and although I’ve never cared for George, I can’t imagine him doing anything to hurt your father or your family.”

  I’m surprised to hear this. “Is there any reason you didn’t like George?” I ask her.

  She looks at me as though she’s not sure if she should tell me.

  “He hit on me a few times before I got transferred to your dad’s department and became his private secretary.”

  I’m shocked to hear this. George has always put up a family man front whenever I’ve been around him. But Vivian would have no cause to lie, so I believe her.

  “Christ. I’m sorry to hear that. Did you ever tell my dad?”

  “No, I didn’t. Your father and George were close and I guess I was afraid it would’ve been George’s word against mine and they’d fire me. I really needed the job at the time since I was a single parent providing for my two children.”

  Would my father have sided with George? They were close but I can’t imagine my dad would think Vivian was lying, although at that time, she was fairly new to the company and she hadn’t yet developed the kind of relationship she had with him later on. It infuriates me to think she had to put up with that shit and not tell anyone for fear of losing her job. She should’ve had George up on sexual harassment.

  Funny how my respect for George can be diminished so fast, but because I know how loyal, devoted, and trustworthy Vivian had been to my dad, I trust her, she wouldn’t lie to me, and especially about something like that.

  “I’m glad you told me all this, Vivian.”

  “God, Marcus, I hate to think it, but what if George had a hand in killing your family and kidnapping Angela?”

  A sick feeling crawls within my stomach.

  “I’m going to tell the FBI about what you just told me.”

  “Please leave my name out of it for now if you can,” she says with worry on her face. “If they find something on him, I’ll testify and do whatever they need, but if they don’t, I’d prefer not to have George know I made him a suspect.”

  “Yes, of course,” I assure her. I smile at her appreciatively. “Thank you for coming forward.”

  “I would never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t and something more happened to you or Angela. I just hope they catch whoever is behind it all.”

  “Me too.” I kiss her on the cheek and we give each other another hug before we depart.

  As I walk to my car, I dial Agent Crowley.

  “Agent Crowley,” his familiar voice answers.

  “Sir, this is Marcus King. I’ve got some info to share with you. Are you free? Can I come in?”

  “Sure thing, son.”

  “Okay, great. See you in a bit.”

  A part of me hopes this lead turns up something, but another part of me dreads finding out if George was involved, or even worse, was behind it. He and my dad have been partners and friends for a long time, and to do something so horrendous as to have my family killed, and then Angela kidnapped is unconscionable. I can’t even imagine he’d have it in him. He was like an uncle to my siblings and I.

  But hearing about his sexual harassment towards Vivian brought me to see a different side of him, so who knows what he’s capable of. After selling Angela and my shares, he does now hold the controlling shares in the company where previously we had equal control.

  God, could he have done all this for that? It’s obvious I don’t know the man I thought I did. If Vivian hadn’t told me about what he did to her, I probably would’ve gone to talk to him first, not to tell him what Vivian said or to make him think I suspect anything, but mainly to observe how he acts, if he squirms while we talk. I wouldn’t want to accuse him or make him a suspect before sensing these suspicions myself; not after all the years we’ve known him and what he’s been to our family.

  But the sexual harassment throws a dark shadow to his character, and that makes him worthy of the gauntlet in my eyes.

  I hope Agent Crowley will be able to uncover the culprit and end this nightmare soon.

  My thoughts go to my parents and David now. After my meeting with Agent Crowley, I’ll go to the cemetery. With everything that was happening with Angela’s kidnap, I hadn’t visited their graves for a while. It’s time to do so again

  Hopefully, Angela will be able to heal and come with me on these visits too. I won’t stop praying for her to get better.

  Chapter 32 - Laura

  ~* Laura *~

  Jade and I are in the living room, talking about what we’re going to do next about Dad when Marcus walks in. He gives me a peck on the lips and sits down on the sofa next to me. Jade is on the loveseat.

  “Are you ladies talking about something private and you prefer me to leave?” he asks.

  “On the contrary, you might help us figure out what to do,” I tell him.

  “What’s up?” he asks.

  “I called the police to inquire about how they’d handle a child molestation case if the child was deceased and there was only one person who could testify against the molester, but that person didn’t witness it firsthand and only heard it from the victim,” I tell Marcus.

  He gives me his full attention.

  “The officer said it wou
ld be hard to prove, and it would be their word against the hearsay. The hearsay won’t hold up. Another victim would need to come forward to make a case against him.”

  I glance at Jade. It frustrates both of us that Spence can’t be avenged.

  “You’ll have to get your father to confess out of guilt, especially if you tell him that you know about it.”

  “Dad won’t confess. He’d throw us to the dogs to save his own skin,” Jade says with contempt.

  “Yeah, I don’t know if he’d give himself up out of guilt. He’s not that kind of person,” I say, siding with Jade.

  “Laura, you and Jade can stay here with me and Angela permanently. I’m not letting either of you go back there to live with your father.”

  “Thanks, Marcus. I won’t turn down that invitation because after finding out what he did to Spence, I don’t want to be around him. And I don’t want Jade around him anymore either.”

  “In fact, I’ll buy you and Jade a whole new wardrobe, so you won’t have to set foot in that house again.”

  I can’t let him do that.

  “That is so amazing of you, but we can’t accept that. That’s too much. Besides, I have things that have precious sentimental value to me, that can’t ever be replaced,” I tell him.

  “I understand. Of course. I didn’t consider that. So much for my sentimentality,” he says with a sheepish smile.

  I chuckle at his cuteness, the way his handsome face exudes such a boyish charm when he smiles that way—it’s as captivating as his sexiness.

  “Let me know when you want to make the trip and I’ll take you,” he volunteers.

  I won’t protest because I’d rather Marcus be with us if Dad’s home when we go over. I don’t trust what Dad’s capable of anymore. I see him as a stranger, someone I realize I never really knew who has horrible demons possessing him. I just hope he’s not doing his evil on any other child and that Spence was his only victim. It sickens me to think about Dad now—about what he is.

  “The sooner the better,” I reply.

  “You want to go now?”