Damned If I Do

Chapter 23

JJ spins me around to look at him. "Lexi, I'm sorry about everything. The shit with JB I didn't know." He's being truthful. "No, JayJ, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry." I wrap my arms around him and he squeezes me in a bear hug. "How'd you get in here?" I pull away to look at him once more. I'm in disbelief. "We're pogues, baby. We're unstoppable." He smiles at me. I didn't realize it much until now, but I really missed him. "Rafe texted me and said you were in trouble." JJ continues on. I guess that was the least the jagoff could do.

"JayJ, we need to go like now." Panic starts to creep up on me. "I need to wait for the signal." JJ responds after pulling out his phone and sending someone a quick text. "We don't have time, Jay. Rafe- Rafe and Ward betrayed me. They're going to sell me to one of the men at that party in less than thirty minutes." I urge. "What the fuck?" JJ asks visibly becoming angry. "We have to go." I beg. "I'm not going to let that happen, I promise. Just wait for the signal." JJ says as he finally locks the door and grabs my hand.

There's the sound of a buzzer over the house's speaker system. Shit. It's for the countdown. A man begins speaking into a microphone and listing off a bunch of women's names, who must've been in a different room, because I haven't seen one woman here tonight. "Jay." I whisper, tightly gripping his hand. "Lexi, I've got you." He assures me. It's not long before the smell of smoke fills the room setting off fire alarms. Sprinklers built into the ceiling begin to shower entire mansion. "Ready?" He turns back to me and smiles. I nod. "Whatever happens, don't let go of my hand." He says before opening the door. We begin to make a run for it. This reminds me of the old times with the pogues. It's risky, but it feels right. It feels normal. I smile ear to ear as JJ looks over to me as we continue running for our lives. There's complete chaos happening all around us. People running and screaming. Water raining from the ceiling, making it hard to see where we're going.

JJ makes a sharp left turn, his shoes screeching as he turns. I slip on the wet floor, JJ's arm instinctively wrapping around my waist catching me before I completely lose balance. It feels like we're running in slow motion. "Baby!" Rafe calls out from behind us. JJ and I continue to make a run for it. Shoving through the crowds of workers flooding the hallway. "Almost there, Lex." JJ says in a hurry. The memories of Rafe and I play out in my mind as I continue on. "Don't call me "baby." Look at this Godforsaken mess that you made me. You showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else." Lyrics flood my mind as JJ and I approach our exit. "Lexi!" Rafe screams gaining on us. I don't turn back this time. "Don't call me "baby." Look at this idiotic fool that you made me."

JJ kicks the door open, guiding me down a dark, gated path in the back of the mansion. There's a truck, similar to the one I was brought here in on, waiting on us. I hesitate seeing John B driving it. "Lexi." JJ says pulling me into the back of the truck. Kiara, Sarah, Pope, and the girl from the cargo ship are waiting in the back for us. They all look happy to see us, to see me. I fall into JJ's arms as we fall back in the hay. I begin to cry as John B starts the engine and finally gets us the hell off the property. Kiara and JJ exchange a few looks while he rubs my head as I continue to cry.

"You're safe now." Pope says as he gently grips my shoulder. "We got you, Lex." Kiara says scooting closer to us. "P4L." JJ says and it pulls on my heart strings. After I betrayed them in the worst way they still saved me. I can't wrap my head around the fact that John B saved me, too. Once we're far enough away from that prison that I feel fully confident I'm safe. I knock on the window separating us from JB. The ride turns bumpy as he pulls onto the gravel on the side of the road. John B opens the truck door and stares at me. I don't know how to feel. I'm still hurt by what he did, but he saved me. Isn't that enough of an apology? Would that be considered true redemption? I mean, he lied to me. He never sold me out and tried to have me trafficked.

"Hey Lex." JB finally speaks nervously. "Hey." I say, climbing out of the truck to talk with him privately. "I'm really sorry, Lexi. I just didn't want to ruin what was happening between us or our friendship. I was starting to have feelings for you and I got scared." JB explains. "I forgive you." I playfully nudge his arm and give a soft smile. "You do?" He's surprised. "Yeah, you guys all put your asses on the line to save me. I kind of have to forgive you after that." I laugh as he exhales. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Sarah, too. I didn't know what was happening here.." he motions between us, "everything with Sarah just kinda happened and it felt right. I was worried I'd lose you as my friend at least." He avoids my eyes and looks down. Clearly embarrassed. "I understand. We all do stupid shit when we fall in love. I betrayed my best fucking friends for a man who just tried to sell me into trafficking. We all get funnel vision at some point." The words are hard to speak.

"We good?" JB asks. "We're good." I say as I reach to hug him. "Finally!" JJ shouts from the back of the truck. "I'm all for this, but guys we have to go!" Kiara screams pointing to headlights coming from the direction we just left. JB and I jump inside the together truck this time and peel away. He catches me up on all I've missed. JJ's piece of shit dad has finally been arrested. JJ and Kiara are dating now. That's new. Pope is dating the newest member of the pogues, Cleo. Sarah and John B are doing well. And Topper is still on the loose. We pull up to a marina. "We're stealing a boat?" I laugh as JB puts the truck in park. "Come on." He says and smiles at me as the rest of the pogues file out of the back. We approach the boat and I recognize it instantly. I turn my attention to JJ. I don't know what he did to get it, but he pulled out all the stops to get me out of here. "The Phantom." I whisper.