No Escape | Book 2 of Possessive

FIFTY-SIX

Gabby's POV

I laid in the bathtub, staring at the wall as I contemplated today. Despite the fact that I hated him, I didn't exactly know how I felt about Hayes being dead, and Jack being his killer.

In so many ways, I'm relieved, but I also couldn't imagine Jack doing it. I know he said he did it "for us" and "for our family" but it just didn't feel like him. Like ever since we started dealing with Hayes again, he's changed.

I heard a few light knocks on the bathroom door before Jack's voice came from the other side

"Can I come in?" He asked.

"Yeah." I muttered.

He slowly opened the door and came in wearing black sweat-shorts with a mug in his hand.

"How are you feeling?" He gave me a weak smile as he gently closed the door behind him.

"Im.. fine. How are you?" I asked while pulling my knees into my chest.

"I'm doing fine.. I brought you some tea," He set the mug down on the corner of the bath tub "It has all of the stress relieving stuff in it."

"Thank you, Jack." I smiled at the gesture.

"Of course," He said as he sat down on the edge of the tub.

There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked and I looked up to see him looking down at me.

"Jack, how did you do it?" I asked.

"I just.. shot him—"

"But did he show up here? Did you go to his house? How did it happen?"

"I followed him. I waited until he got himself drunk, then I did it." We sat in silence after he said that.

"The night he confronted me about the plan to kill him he said something to me," I laid my head back on the wall behind me "he was talking about how even if one of us did kill him, he would never not be apart of my life. That he was my first boyfriend, my first time. He said it like he had some kind of binding contract with me so he could never leave me alone. He was right."

"No he wasn't, you just haven't coped with the situation yet."

"Exactly, it's been eight years and I haven't been able to cope with any of it. As soon as he popped back up, he had full control over my life again."

"And now he doesn't anymore," he reached over and rubbed my shoulder "We can get you therapy or go away for a while or something, but he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Yeah, he can't physically hurt me anymore, but the shit he did... and him being apart of my life... That was a huge portion of my life," I rested my cheek on my knee "He took my virginity, the thought of him showing up unannounced has haunted me for years, and even though he's dead it still feels like he'll be back."

"I watched him take his last breath, Gabby. He's not coming back." He said as he lightly rubbed my back with his fingertips. The more I thought about him doing something like that, the more my skin crawled. I never thought Jack could do something like that, but I guess he hated Hayes that much. I wonder if he enjoyed it or had regrets? Or maybe the guilt is weighing on him?

"Can I join you?" He interrupted my thoughts.

"Yeah, go ahead." I nodded.

He got up from the side of the tub and started to untie the string in his waistband and get undressed.