"Uh, hey... you're awake," Keith awkwardly said while slowly entering the room. "I, uh, brought these for you..." he handed her the bouquet of roses.
"Thank you, Keith," Janessa accepted them with a warm smile. "I'm sorry for earlier. I should have listened."
Keith looked back and forth between Janessa and her mother before clearing his throat to address her. "Rachael, good to see you again," he nodded at her before turning his attention to Janessa, "and yes, you should have listened... so listen next time okay?"
"I promise," she said as her lips were itching to kiss him.
"From what I've heard, you're my daughter's hero... so thank you, Keith," Rachael stood with the intention to shake his hand.
"It's really no problem. I actually wanted to speak to you and James about something," He looked over to Janessa.
"Well, James should be here soon." Rachael slightly smirked, making Janessa wonder just what her mother was up to.
Just as she was about to confront her mother, the door opened and James entered with Marshall right behind him. Marshall greeted everyone then gave Janessa a hug before pulling up a chair.
"I come bearing good news. I just came from questioning both boys back at the station. Stanley refused to talk but Reese—or Luke, as he likes to call himself, said he'd cooperate if I did one thing for him."
Narrowing her eyes, Janessa dreaded what was coming next. "What thing?" She said through clenched teeth.
"Basically beg for your forgiveness."
"No." She instantly said to him.
"Just hear me out, okay? The guy already talked so I'm just doing this out of courtesy. That nurse, Jenna Lorde?... was one of Stanley's playthings. Luke told us she was the one that pushed Priscilla down the stairs. He told us where she lives and police officers are on their way right now to arrest her."
"How do you know it's the truth?" Janessa straightened in the hospital bed. "They lie. That's what they do!"
"You should have seen the kid, Janessa. He spilled everything because I promised him that I'd talk to you and tell you that he's sorry." Marshall searched her face for any emotion.
Sure, those two brothers hurt and played with her but the look on Luke's face was enough to get Marshall. The kid looked pitiful and heartbroken— for what? Marshall didn't know but it was obvious that it was linked to Janessa.
"Why me? Why is it always me?" Her voice started to escalate.
"Maybe you should ask him yourself. They'll be at the precinct until trial—and I suggest you testify this time." Marshall patted her on her knee before nodding to everyone and leaving the room.
"Let's give her a moment," Rachael said while ushering both James and Keith out.
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After being released from the hospital, Janessa was holed up in her room for days— deep in thought about Stanley and Luke. She wasn't sure if visiting them was a smart thing to do or not.
—but she had questions... against her better judgment. She needed answers.
Calling a cab, she made her way down to the police station where Marshall greeted her before escorting her to the jail cells. Janessa had to take deep breaths while walking down the corridor. How many times must she endure this?
How many times must she be victimized and manipulated?
"I won't be too far away from you. Just stand a good six feet away from the bars and Stanley won't be able to get to you." Marshall told her.
"Actually, I don't want to see Stanley. I'm here for Luke... or Reese... or whatever he calls himself now."
"Thank you for cooperating," he said to her before opening the door at the end of the hall.
Walking through it alone, she was instructed to keep her head straight and go to the very last cell. What she saw was Luke sitting in a corner reading a book. He looked so innocent and fragile. Nothing like the confident man she used to speak to every day and definitely nothing like the man she saw in that dingy shack.
She cleared her throat and he immediately looked up. A sad smile spread across his face as he approached her.
"Thank you for coming," he greeted her.
"What do you want?"
"To explain everything," he crouched down before sitting on the floor and indicating that she should do the same but she remained standing.
"Make it quick, I'm tired of visiting police stations and facilities."
"Janessa, I am so sorry for the pain my brother has caused you— the pain I caused you." He looked down. "It was about four years ago when I first saw you. You were walking with Maria in the mall and I was in the store hiding from a few paparazzi. When I saw you, it was like nothing I'd felt before." He looked up at her with sincerity in his eyes.
Janessa wasn't sure if he was acting or not but she felt as if he was actually being truthful. What more could he gain by lying?
She slowly crouched down before finally sitting on the floor across from him.
"All I could think about was that I had to tell my brother about you." Luke continued his story, "he was proud that I had found someone I liked because I never had a serious girlfriend before and I thought that if I saw you again, I'd make my move..."
"But you didn't," she commented.
"I was invited to that pool party along with my brother... the very same pool party you two met. Unfortunately, I had a casting job that day and couldn't make it but if I did... you'd have been mine. My brother took that from me." He scowled. "He knew who you were and that I liked you,"
"Why didn't you say something to him?"
"He already had you... what was the sense?" Luke shrugged. "My point is, I saw you first. I liked you first. He continued to be with you to spite me until he fell for you. The same way I fell for you the moment I saw you."
"Luke..." Janessa sighed.
"I know it can't change anything now and that I've done bad things but I just wanted you to know that I would have never hurt you,"
"But you sent me those disturbing packages!"
"After everything blew up between you two... I wanted to be there for you but you didn't know me. I thought that if I sent you a few pictures that I took, you'd be flattered."
"I was creeped out, Luke. You took pictures of me; both on the street and on my movie set... which brings me to this question, how the hell did you get onto the set to take those pictures??"
"I found out who the director was and bribed him. I told him that the pictures would send his movie through the box office roof and he believed me. I'm sorry, I leaked those pictures because I was jealous of you and Henry."
"So Reese—or Stanley, whatever... had nothing to do with this?"
"He told me to keep my eye on you but keep my hands off," He scowled once again. "Even in that place, he tried to intimidate me... always threatening to kill me if I spoke to you."
"I don't understand why he got that way. Your father said he was bipolar but I don't believe that."
"Stanley was always aggressive and impulsive. It didn't help that my father used to beat us up because our mother left..." he hung his head in shame. "They're charging us with her murder. I deserve it."
"Did you do it?"
Luke shook his head. "But I helped to move her body," his eyes watered a little. "She wasn't the best mother but she deserved a better husband... and better kids."
"Yes, she did. Did you push my stepmother down the stairs?"
Releasing a sigh, he shook his head. "Stanley wanted me to but I refused. I sported a black eye and a busted lip days later for not following orders. One of his fuck buddies from the facility posed as a nurse and pushed her."
Feeling overwhelmed, Janessa scratched her head trying to put the pieces together from his story. "Look, Luke... I hear your apology but I don't think I can move on from it right now. Okay? I came and I talked to you, that should be enough to show that I cared about you. You were a great friend to me when I needed one the most,"
"So were you, I never expected to meet you that night..." he smiled at the memory. "When I saw you walking towards our table in that tight red dress... it was as if the universe was finally on my side. I thought that maybe this was my chance. Then Stanley messaged me while we were at Nigel's party saying he was there but you had already gone to the bathroom. By the time I could get through the crowd, he was leaving the bathroom and I just knew I was too late to save you..."
"Why didn't you just tell me everything?" She scooted closer. "Things would have never gotten this far!"
"But I wouldn't have had the chance to know you! That was the one thing I wanted more than anything—more than my own life! I just wanted to know that I was your friend... but Stanley ruined that again."
"Yeah, at my expense! You never stood up to him, though. That was your fault." She spat at him.
"He's my brother, Janessa. At the end of the day, we only have each other. Of course, I couldn't stand up to him. He used to take my beatings from my dad because I was too weak to take any more. He got me my first date with a girl... he taught me most of what I know now."
Janessa had to mentally take a step back and think about what he said. He was right. At the end of the day, his family was what mattered. Luke would have protected his family despite being abused and intimidated.
"What changed? With Stanley I mean... he was never mean or manipulative when we were dating. I don't know what flipped."
"Jennifer was his biggest mistake, in my opinion. I told him to leave her alone. I mean, he had you!" Luke shook his head. "He let that sixteen-year-old girl into his bed and once she got pregnant, he knew things would change between you guys. It was his worst nightmare since he was planning to start a family with you instead. Jennifer ruined his idea of the perfect future with you."
Janessa held her abdomen and tears immediately started streaming down her face. No matter how many times she convinced herself that it was for the best, she still hated the fact that the choice of having a baby was taken from her by the same man she loved.
"I don't know if he told you but I was pregnant," she heard herself saying to him. "I wasn't far along but I still lost a piece of me. He took that piece of me forever."
"I'm so sorry Janessa," he extended his hand through the bars and she took it. It felt good to have her friend to talk to again, but it wasn't right.
"I can't be your friend anymore, Luke. I'm sorry."
"I understand even though I wish you would reconsider. I may not have loved you as deep as my brother got to but I do love you, Janessa. I love you as a person and as my friend. I never meant to hurt you."
"Thank you, Luke." She stood and looked down at him, praying this was the closure she needed. "Goodbye,"
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Thank you so much for reading!
It took me fucking forever to finish that chapter!
I had serious writer's block!
That plus like 15 assignments and projects that were due...
Next chapter is the last one!!! *cries*
Well, if you don't count the epilogue that is.
Xoxo, Bri