His Ever After (Love Square) (28 page)

“Sure, come in and have a seat.” I gesture to the chairs by the window and walk over to sit across from him. “What’s up?”

“My mom’s boyfriend is dealing drugs. I’m afraid to tell her that he isn’t clean anymore. If she finds out I’ve been following him, she’s going to be pissed... I mean mad.” He censors himself when I give him “the look” as all the kids here call it. Apparently, it’s my “you know better” face.

“Why would she be angry with you?” I ask in confusion. His mom always seemed supportive of her son. She doesn’t strike me as the type to hold the transgressions of another against her son.

He looks at the floor, and I can see his throat work when he swallows. He genuinely appears nervous about talking to her. Maybe I missed a sign or red flag about his home life over the years. I place my hand over his, offering him my silent support.

“She really likes this one. I don’t want to come between them. I hate to see her alone. Sometimes I can hear her cry. I’m supposed to be the man of the house, but I don’t know what to do when she cries. I want her to be happy, Miss Andrews.” His words are so heartfelt and earnest that my heart constricts for his turmoil.

“I understand that and it’s very mature of you to want that for your mom, but if her boyfriend is doing illegal things, it’s putting her at risk for more than just heartache. How would you feel if she was arrested by association? Even if she didn’t do anything directly wrong, it could still happen. Especially if he’s been bringing drugs into your house.” I try to explain to him.

“I know you’re right. I just can’t bring myself to do it. Will you talk to her for me? Tonight? She’ll be home and he’ll be out. Please, Miss Andrews? I really need your help.” Jerome turns his big, sad eyes on me, and I know I’m going to help him. I have no choice. My job is to make life better for these kids. To teach them how to deal properly with the threats and realities of the real world. What kind of help would I be if I left him to figure this out on his own?

“Okay. I’ll help, but you need to be there. We’ll tell her together. That is the only way I’ll agree to this.” I concede to his request.

“Thank you so much! I knew I could count on you,” he says while giving me a huge hug and then running out the door.

“You’re welcome!” I call out to his retreating back and get back to work.

A couple of hours later, Jerome peeks his head in and tells me that he is heading home. I let him know that I’ll meet him there, before finishing up the report I’m working on. My day is almost over, and I know Brad is picking me up tonight. I don’t want him involved in what I have to do, since it’s very personal for Jerome and technically confidential given my job. I pick up my phone and text him that I don’t need a ride tonight. Then I try to call Jacob to let him know my change in plans. Jacob asked me to always check in, and I figure it is the least I can do to keep myself safe and to keep him from worrying unnecessarily.

When his phone goes to voicemail, I leave a message letting him know where I’m going to be and what time I should be home. I put my phone in my back pocket and pick up my purse, turning out the lights as I leave.

Jerome doesn’t live far from where I work, eight blocks at the most, so I decide to walk instead of call a cab. Once I’m done talking to his mother, I‘ll catch one home.

I walk at a brisk pace and stay cognizant of my surroundings the whole way to Jerome’s house, just like Jacob had once told me to do. When I get there, I walk up the front porch and knock on the door. I continue to knock over the next few minutes, but there is still no answer. My skin begins to prickle like I’m being watched, and I’m getting a bad feeling about this. Jerome promised me he would be here. I look around while still standing on the porch and try to consider my options. I knock again, hoping that I got here before them and this is all a misunderstanding.

My phone rings and makes me jump. I take it out and see that it is Jacob calling. I feel a small sense of relief at seeing his name.

“Hey –,” I start, but he starts talking over me.

“Where the hell are you? Brad said you told him not to come and then I get your voicemail saying you’re going off on your own. You promised me you’d be careful,” he all but shouts into the phone.

“I made sure to check in like you asked,” I remind him snottily. I can’t stand when people immediately jump all over you without giving you the benefit of the doubt. “I’m walking back to the center now. No one was home at Jerome’s house.”

“What do you mean?” He asks with his voice on alert.

“I’m not sure. He said his mom would be home tonight and that he was going to meet me here. And I hate to admit it, but I’m a little creeped out. I feel like I’m being watched.” I turn quickly when I hear footsteps behind me, but I don’t see anyone. Damn, now my brain is playing tricks with me.

“Damn it, Kara! Get the fuck back to the center and do it now! I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Jacob barks into the phone.

“Okay,” I give in, feeling stupid for coming here by myself. “I’m only a few blocks from –” But I don’t get the words out because I’m being tackled from behind. I let out an audible oompf as I hit the ground with a heavy weight on my back. I watch in horror as my phone slides across the pavement and lands out of reach. My palms are scraped and burned from trying to catch my fall.

“So glad you could come out to play,” a menacing voice says in my ear. Oh fuck! This can’t be good at all.

“Jacob!” I scream out in sheer panic, hoping the phone didn’t disconnect when it hit the ground.

Pain slices through me when the man grips my hair tightly and pushes my face down on the ground. I can feel the concrete biting into my skin and burning my cheek.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch! If you aren’t quiet, your boy is going to get what’s coming to him too.”

He jerks me up from the ground roughly and covers my mouth with his hand, while he shuffles me down a narrow alley in between two buildings. Once we’re back far enough from the street, he throws me face first into the brick wall of one of the buildings. My head throbs from the force with which it hit the hard, unforgiving surface. My body is trembling, and I’m really struggling not to freak out. How the fuck does anyone stay calm in these situations?

“Look at me, bitch!” He demands, and I turn my body to face his. I know the best thing for me to do right now is to listen to what he says. If I can keep him here long enough, I know Jacob will come find me. I don’t want to set him off and have him take me somewhere else.

I cringe as his arm comes up, and he backhands me with as much power as he can get behind it. Pain explodes in my cheek, and my head snaps back against the brick again.

“That’s for making me wait.” His chest heaves with exertion as he hits me again, even harder this time. “And that’s for being a prick tease.”

I start to cower. I know I shouldn’t, but it is an involuntary reaction at this point. My vision is blurred with unshed tears and from being hit repeatedly.

“You want me to really believe that you’re scared?” He taunts me, taking a step closer. “I know you’re gagging for this. You want my cock. You’re nothing but a dirty, little whore. And I’m going to show you what I like to do to dirty, little whores. Don’t worry, baby. You’re going to love it!” He starts caressing my cheek.

My body is shaking and folding in on itself, trying to become small enough to keep him away from me. He grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me back to a standing position. Holding my head in place with his grip on my hair, he shoves his tongue in my mouth. His other hand rips my blouse open and grabs my breast so hard I gasp out in pain.

His fingers dip into my bra and squeeze my nipple. Tears start falling down my face. Between the pain and knowing what he’s about to do, I’m terrified and paralyzed with fear.

“We don’t have much time,” he murmurs while undoing his belt buckle and jeans. He lets go of me long enough to push them down his hips and free his hard on. “You going to take this willingly or are you going to let me play? I like it when they fight back,” he whispers against my neck, grinding his erection into my leg.

“Fuck you,” I spat out. I’m taking a chance by fighting, hoping to bide enough time for Jacob to come find me.

He laughs maniacally. “That is exactly what I was hoping for.”

Next thing I know his fist is connecting with my eye, and my body is falling to the ground. My head cracks on the cement. I reach back and feel blood wetting my fingers. I lay there frightened and watch as he pumps his cock in his fist. His eyes have a crazy look in them, like he isn’t altogether there.

Keeping focus is getting harder to do. The pain radiating through my body is crippling and almost impossible to ignore long enough to come up with a plan. I attempt to get up, but his booted foot connects with my side. “Stay down! Or better yet, try to get up again. I told you it turns me on when you fight back.”

I force my body to stay still. I don’t want any more pain inflicted on me. He goes back to pumping his cock and smearing the liquid over the head.

“Please. You don’t want to do this,” I beg as he lowers himself over me and pushes my skirt up.

“That’s where you’re wrong. First, I’m going to take this sweet pussy of yours and then I’m going to make you suffer for what you did. Just like all the others.” His tongue licks up my chest, and his hands force my breasts out of the cups of my bra. I close my eyes when he bites my breast hard enough that he had to have broken the skin. I whimper when he proceeds to suck my nipple roughly.

When he rips my panties and positions himself between my legs, I scream out hoping someone will hear me. His hand clamps down on my mouth, and I can feel the head of his penis pushing against my opening. I squirm underneath him, trying to get away. I just need more time. I can’t let this happen.

I attempt to close my legs while squirming, but his free hand grips my thigh and squeezes hard. I scream out behind his hand in blinding pain. His hand yanks my leg to the side, and I feel like he may have dislocated my knee.

I’m losing the fight, and my body is starting to tire. I have no idea what else I can do to get out of this nightmare.

When he tries pushing into me, I bite his hand and turn my head to the side when his grip loosens. “Please, please, please,” I beg, tears flowing down my face. “Don’t do this. Please don’t do this.”

My body is not prepared to accept him, so he’s met with resistance each time he tries to get inside me. His anger and frustration is palpable. He looks down at me with empty, cold eyes as I beg him to stop.

“I told you to shut the fuck up!” He slams my head on the concrete, and that’s the last thing I remember.

***

Jacob

“Damn it, Kara! Get the fuck back to the center and do it now! I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” I yell at her through the phone.

“Okay. I’m only a few blocks from –” I jump up from my chair when her words are cut off, and I hear the phone hit the ground.

“Kara!” I shout into the phone, but I’m met with silence.

“Mack, get a unit over to the youth center. Fast! Tell them to comb the area looking for Kara. I think she’s been attacked.”

“Kara!” I shout into the phone again. I start jogging out of the station and to my issued cruiser. My skin crawls, and I feel like I’ve been thrown into a bath full of ice water when I hear her blood curdling scream. “Jacob!”

I shut the door and crank the engine, tires squealing as I pull out.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch! If you aren’t quiet, your boy is going to get what’s coming to him too.” I hear a man’s voice say loud enough that I can make his words out.

When nothing else sounds on the line, I put my phone on speaker and set it on the seat next to me.

Please God. Don’t let this be happening. Not to my sweet, perfect Kara. Things were just starting to go well between us. She was finally starting to feel comfortable with our relationship. And all that could possibly be taken away from us in a matter of minutes. I once thought I had found my soul mate and then had her taken away from me. The pain and helplessness I felt then, is nothing compared to the possibility that I could lose Kara. If fate takes her away from me now, I’m not sure I’ll be able to survive it.

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. I’m twenty minutes from the youth center. Too far. I know that by the time I get there, Kara won’t be in a good place. I just pray that a patrol unit got there fast enough.

“Mom, please look out for Kara.” I send the wish up to the heavens and continue to navigate through traffic. The sirens and lights open up a path for me, but I know I’m still not going fast enough.

I was supposed to protect her. If I hadn’t been interviewing a potential witness to the latest serial killing, I would have answered her call, and she wouldn’t have gone alone. I knew something wasn’t right when she said no one was at the kid’s house after he asked her to meet him there. That feeling I’ve had lately in my gut intensified when I was talking to her.
Shit!

I pull onto the street that the center is on and see three patrol cars blocking it off, along with an ambulance pulling up on the other side. I slam on the brakes when I get close, throw the car in park and dash out towards the edge of the alley where everyone is crowded.

Mark Stevens, a uniformed officer, puts his hands up and stops me from racing down the alley where paramedics are now running towards her body on the ground. “Whoa! Whoa! Where do you think you’re going?” He asks, still blocking me from the alley.

“That’s my girlfriend down there!” I say forcefully, trying to push my way past him.

“Then I can’t let you go down there, man. You shouldn’t see her like that,” he says with a hint of sadness in his voice.

“Listen to him, Jacob,” Mack says from behind me. I was so worried about getting here, that I didn’t even realize he was following me. I should have known he’d be there for Kara and me.

Against my wishes, I stand helpless while the paramedics attend to Kara. For as much as I want to storm down there and wrap her in my arms, I know she needs proper care, and I don’t want to cause a scene and get in their way. Instead, I continue praying to God that she makes it out of this okay.