A Few Weeks Later;
Shayne Ackles...
Lounging in my front room, the news playing on the TV - talk of the new strains of the virus that has plagued the world for the past 18 months or so - should have my attention but my mind is elsewhere right now. I know that I should be paying attention but try as I might my mind seems intent on wondering.
Grabbing the remote I shut the TV off completely - there is no point in having it playing when my brain won't focus. Things have been mostly quiet on the Jonah front, I mean in the literal sense, inadvertently he has become much more aggressive. More texts. More phone-calls. Deliveries of flowers, chocolates, even heart-felt cards with declarations of love and the promise to change. My stomach honestly churns with just the thought - so all deliveries end up in the trash, while his texts and calls still remain unread and unanswered. I don't know what else I can do. Short of leaving. He has even taken to parking right outside my home - his surveillance of my home is scaring me more and more.
I don't want to say that he is obsessed but it is certainly beginning to feel that way. I feel like I am in a fish-bowl - every direction I turn he seems to be there. Whenever I leave the house - he follows. When I am inside; he sits outside just watching. Don't get me wrong, I am more than thankful for the fact that he has stopped banging and kicking and yelling at my door, but this level of attention is definitely skirting the stalker fringes.
What can I do though? It is almost as if when I called the cops on him, he adjusted his behaviour to something that he can't get in trouble for. Little does he know that my brother is winding tighter and tighter, and it is taking both Hailey and I everything we have to hold him back. I know my brother - he is super protective of the people he loves, and I know that he loves me almost more than anyone else, so for him to see me going through this - well he is more than on edge. He is practically chomping-at-the-bit to be let loose. How much longer can Hailey and I realistically hold him back?
Then there is Jeremy - he has been nothing short of super supportive, but he has also expressed his need to have a word with my ex. Ever since we had that moment on the day we called the cops on Jonah, we have grown closer. Spending time together - getting to know one another, laughing, and just hanging out, we are both pretty big movie-buffs, so we spend a lot of time watching movies. There have been a couple more 'almost' moments - you know what I mean - where we are so lost in one another that the only natural conclusion would be to kiss but I simply don't know that I am ready. And honestly, I'm not at all sure that he is ready either.
After he explained what had gone down between him and his ex - Jessica, I could fully understand why he had come to the conclusion about me that he had. I don't blame him, and I certainly don't hold it against him. I don't know many people who would have handled that situation with the type of compassion that he clearly had. That screams to me of the type of man he is. And if it is at all possible, it only made me like him even more.
So, tonight my brother, Hailey, Jeremy, and I were going out to a local hotel for a meal. I was waiting for everyone to come here, and we were all going to leave in the same car. I am kind of excited if I am being honest, it has been so long since I have had people to go out with and I planned on enjoying myself, no holds barred. It was time to push away Jonah and the hold his possessiveness was having on me. I am a big girl and I have to learn to cope with this to the best of my ability. It isn't like he is stupid - he is only doing things that can't be construed as threatening, and what would come down to nothing more than an, he said, she said contest that the local authorities love to ignore.
Just as I was about to get up to go to the kitchen, my phone buzzed with a text, quickly checking to see it was Jeremy, 'just locking my door now, be there in less than a second! -R 😃.' Smiling, I got up and popped the lock on the front door and left it off the latch for him as I moved back into the kitchen to grab a drink and get him a beer. This was our routine; he'd text just as he was leaving his house so that I could have the door open for him.
Pouring myself a tumbler of Jack-Daniels and then grabbing a bottle of beer from the fridge, I turned just as Jonah stalked into the kitchen, "get out!" I exclaimed instantly, dropping the drinks on to the counter and rounding the island to push at him.
How dare he come in here and breeze into my kitchen like he owns the place. This is my home. I pay the mortgage. It is my name on the house-deed and I pay my own bills. I have never asked him to contribute, so he has no claim to anything in this place, least of all me. "Don't be like that!"
"I said get out. I have been clear that you are not welcome here Jonah, we are done. There is no us anymore -,"
"You don't mean that. You just have too many people in your ear telling you that we don't belong together -,"
"Have you lost your Goddamn mind?! We were done long before anyone else was even involved, we are no good for each other Jonah now please get out!"
"No, just let me prove it to you -," his hands gripped my shoulders in a bruising hold, it happened so fast that I didn't have any time to react, or to push him away before his lips were slamming against my own. My fists beat against his chest trying to dislodge his mouth from mine in any way that I could, "stop fighting me - you know I am the only one for you, you just need to be reminded of it!"
"No, get off me, this isn't happening Jonah!" Taking advantage of the fact that he pulled his lips from mine, I pushed harder against his chest but there was no budging him. Damn it, had he grown roots because it truly felt like trying to move a damn tree.
Then as if something snapped in him, he pushed me until I was back against the island in the middle of the kitchen and he was right there, not giving me an inch to slip free, "you want this baby, you will always want me, I just need to remind you -,"
"Jonah please don't do this, this isn't what I want!" I pleaded as his hands began pulling my floor-length skirt quickly up my legs. Trying to keep calm, but I know I am in trouble here. My heart is pounding with a renewed fear that is sweeping through my entire body. I can see what is about to happen before it even happens and my breath is frantic as I try to focus on him, looking for an opening, a moment where I can break free from what is about to happen.
Where are you, Jeremy? Oh God, did Jonah do something to him? Is he not coming? He had said he would be here in less than a second, but it has been far longer than that. Where is he?
Oh God, my skirt is now around my waist and Jonah ripped my thong from my body with force that ramps up the fear inside me. I am standing bear to him from the waist down and he is fumbling with his jeans - there isn't even enough room for me to raise my knee into his junk. My hands are beating against his chest, and I suddenly remembered that I had read a book once - a story of a rape survivor, whom had been in a situation with a man who was much stronger than her, she had fought him the entire time, and when she realised that her fate was sealed, she had done everything in her power to get as much evidence on herself as possible.
With renewed vigour my hand rose to his face and scratched down the side of his jaw, hard and deep enough to draw blood, that was when he howled and slapped me hard in retaliation and the metallic burst of blood exploded in my mouth. "Get fucking off me!" I screamed as loud as I could in the hope that someone, anyone could hear me. I knew it was unlikely but there was no way I was going to give up. If he was intent on this - I sure as shit wasn't going to make it easy for him.
"Shut the fuck up!" He snarled into my ear, I reared back and spit in his face.
"Fuck you!" The bastard actually laughed as finally he seemed to free himself from his jeans and underwear.
Pressing his upper body into me; pinning me against the island, while his hands gripped my thighs, his nails digging into the flesh hard enough that I felt the flesh tear and prized my thighs apart, thrusting forward - he buried himself deep inside of me in one fluid motion. Pain erupted from the point of contact and the subsequent invasion. My vision blurred and I couldn't tell if it was from the tears threatening to fall or from the pain that was now building.
"No! Stop! I don't want this - get fucking off me!" I thrashed as much as I could; given, that he was literally pinning me in place. Pain was swelling inside me for how rough he was being, and lack of foreplay made it feel like his cock was made of sand-paper. "No! Jonah stop...you're hurting me, no please, stop!" I could hear myself begging and I hated that I had been reduced to this but fighting him was only making the pain worse, but I couldn't, I wouldn't give up. That isn't who I am.
My pleas landed on deaf ears as he continued to push his way in and out of me. Tears were falling from my eyes as I realised that no one was coming to my rescue - I was being reduced to a victim. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it - he was too strong, too intimidating and he had all the leverage.
Jeremy Irvine...
My Father's voice resounded in my head - Jessica is dead, son. A part of me can't believe it. It's not like I was still in love with her - I mean, yes, I still cared but my love for her had vanished over the course of being here. I just can't believe that someone I had once loved was dead. Gone. Forever. I had thought she was in the best possible place, but she had managed to kill herself - how is that even possible? And what am I supposed to do now?
Should I call her parents and offer my condolences?
Should I go back for the funeral? I fear going back would set a weird example. I feared that they blamed me. I mean, it was me who had brought out the damaged side of their daughter. It was me who had gotten the ball rolling in their child being sectioned in a mental facility. How could they not blame me?
I had been about to head over to Shay's place when my dad had called to tell me about my ex.
Shay.
The woman has seeped into my mind, and my heart far quicker than I would have ever predicted possible. I swear at times it's all I can do not to grab her and kiss her. I mean we have had moments - you know where we are looking at each other and the world around us seems to just melt away into nothing until it is just the 2 of us staring at one another, our eyes dropping to each other's mouths and I just know that she feels it - this weird tugging that simmers between us, but she isn't ready. I could see that and feel it because every single moment we share, she is the one who breaks it. I can feel her reluctance when she does but it's there, she just isn't ready for whatever it is that's between us to go any further right now. I can respect that. I may not like it, but I get it. And I will wait however long it takes.
Reaching the top of her driveway, I can see her door is ajar. That's not right. Shayne doesn't open her door like that when I am coming over - she unlocks it, yes but she never leaves it actually open. Spinning to stare into Jonah's car - it's empty and that is when I hear it. Shay's voice piercing the otherwise tranquil atmosphere, "Jonah stop please you're hurting me, no, please get off me!"
Tearing a path so quickly I am surprised there isn't smoke behind me as I race down the drive and into the house, I can hear flesh hitting flesh as I rip my way to the kitchen in the back of the house. I can't see Shayne, but I can see Jonah. Pinning her to the island, in the middle of the room, with his upper body, his hands roughly prying her thighs apart; his jeans and underwear around his knees, as he thrust himself into her with rough abandon. I can make out her frame slightly as she fights for her life to push him off.
In a daze, I reach forward and yank him backwards and it causes Shayne to cry out in pain. My stomach clenched and threatened to spill everything out at the sight of her - her shirt ripped down the front, her bra almost ripped in half, her beautiful face streaked with the mascara tears, her lipstick smudged across her face and once again her mouth split and swollen as the bruise was already forming. However, it was her lower body that caught my attention - blood coated her thighs as she slumped to the floor, clearly unable to hold her own weight in that moment. Painful, guttural sobs rang through the air, and it made my heart clench in pain for her.
Whirling around to find Jonah trying to crawl away on his back. I could see the blood smeared on his dick, my eyes rose to his face, 4 bleeding scratches ran along the length of his jawline on both sides of his face, his eyes wild as he stared at me defiantly. Moving with more speed and anger than I have ever felt, I grabbed his shirt again and pulled him up at the same time as I brought my fist down to connect with his face. The red mist descended, and I wasn't in control anymore. Shayne's sobs fuelling me and acting as a soundtrack to the pummelling I was giving Jonah.
"What the fuck did you do?! What gives you the fucking right!?" I roared like a man possessed.
God if I hadn't taken my Father's call. If I had just waited to call him back when I got here. I had known that she would have opened her door the moment that she got my first text. This was all my fault. I knew better. I knew what Jonah had been doing. The sound of him laughing was enough to propel me at him even harder. I could feel the flesh over my knuckles begin to split and I felt the way his own flesh tore under my continued punches.
I don't know how long I was punching him before I felt a pair of arms wrap around my own arms, effectively pinning them at my sides and pulling me back from my mission in making him suffer. He had to suffer. He had to pay for what he had done to her. I would rip this world apart to get her justice. "It's ok man, I think you got him!" Jensen's voice penetrated the haze I had been in, and I slowly came back to myself.
" -yes, an ambulance and the police please -," the sound of Hailey's voice was somewhat calm with an edge of hysteria as she spoke into her phone, while she quickly grabbed the tumbler of liquid that was lying on the counter and handed it to Shayne, "drink!" She ordered her friend before turning back to the person on the other end of the phone and gave the address to the property. Once she hung up, she looked to her husband, "go get me a blanket!" She ordered, clearly having taken control of the situation.
I took a step forward and stopped unsure if a man coming close would-be what Shayne wanted, or needed right now but I needn't have worried as she shakily reached a hand-out to me. I took it and sank down on the ground next to her, thankful that Hailey had covered her as best as she could for the moment.
I don't think that I am going to ever be free of the first view I got of her when I pulled Jonah away from her.
Shayne shakily rose the glass to her lips and sipped the amber liquid that I knew to be Jack-Daniels. It was then I saw the way her nails were somewhat bent and broken but she had blood under the nails, and I knew that she had fought as hard as she could given, the situation she was in. It was when I saw the bruising developing around her eye, she had bite-marks around her chest. Bastard had bitten her?!
Anger began to rise again as I assessed the mess of her tiny body. And then I heard it - Jonah laughing, while spitting blood from his mouth and my body tensed as I fought to reign it in, but I needn't have worried because that was the exact moment Jensen raced back into the kitchen. Hearing him laughing, his foot rose and kicked the asshole right in the gut, but it didn't stop him from laughing maniacally. Leaning down, Jensen punched him square in the face, "shut the fuck up!" And just like that Jonah was out cold.
Silence descended as we waited for the cavalry to arrive. The only sound was Shay's shuddering breathing, the sobbing had ebbed away as she realised that she was finally safe. My heart ached as she inched closer to my side, burrowing herself into my side and I gently lifted my arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, careful not to touch her too much because I knew that the police would need to gather as much evidence as possible.
My gaze caught Jay's and he nodded - he didn't need to say the words - he was thanking me for saving his sister. How could he be thanking me? How could he think that I was the hero in this scenario? It was my fault this happened. I hadn't been where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be. If I had just declined my dad's call and called him back once I got inside this house. I don't think that I am ever going to be able to forgive myself for this.
God, would Shayne ever forgive me?
Would she blame me too? Why wouldn't she? I had allowed this to happen. Guilt began to eat away at me as we waited as patiently as we could but all of us were thinking the same thing - how fucking long would we have to wait?
Shayne was shaking in my arms. I could feel it controlling her body, but she simply laid her head on to my shoulder and kept quiet. In fact, she hadn't said a word since I pulled Jonah off of her. Was that normal?
Hailey pulled the glass from her hand and poured another measure before handing it back, "drink!"
Eventually the flashing blue lights alerted us to their arrival, Jay stalked to the front door to let them in. And the following 20 minutes were a whirlwind of questions and the paramedics taking all of her stats and vitals. They informed us they would take her to the nearest hospital to get her checked over. Shay reached for me, "come with me, please?" I could see it in her gaze, she hates begging but she needed me.
I couldn't deny her. So once the paramedics assured me it was fine, I climbed into the back to the ambulance with her. Sitting opposite where she was lying on the gurney, the medic who remained in the back with us ensured she was secure before the other medic began to turn the engine over.
I had no idea what to expect but this wasn't about me. This was about Shay and ensuring that she was as comfortable as she possibly could be. If I afforded her even a small piece of comfort, then I was here for however long she needed me.