Jayden, page 21
part #5 of Heroes at Heart Series
So, reveling in the fact that he woke up with Ruby in his arms, Jayden propped his head on his hand with his elbow bent into the pillow and stared at her. She spent very little time in the sun, and so her skin was pale and clear. Her hair glistened in the light coming through the window.
Her thick lashes, light brown in color, lay against her cheeks in crescents. Shifting over slightly so that he could see more of her face as she lay on her side with her hands tucked near her head, his gaze landed on her arm.
Not understanding what he was viewing, he wondered if the sunlight coming through the blinds was casting a shadow. He moved his body more so that he was partially sitting up, gaining a better view.
Her arm was not shadowed but bruised. A large, dark, angry bruise. And the distinct image of fingerprints. No longer worried about waking her, he shifted her to her back so that he could see both arms. Her right arm was not bruised, but the left arm, now completely visible, gave no doubt that someone had grabbed her and held her tightly.
What the hell?
Her eyes immediately jerked open, blue eyes staring up at him, a crinkle between her brows. “Hmmm?” she murmured sleepily.
Realizing he cursed aloud, he continued, “I want to know what the hell happened to you. Where did you get those bruises?”
He watched as she immediately blinked, then her eyes flew open wide as they glanced down to her arm. “What are you not telling me, Ruby? There’s no way you could have gotten bruises like that and not know it.”
She swallowed deeply, mumbling, “Uh…”
His jaw ticked, his body rigid with anger. He swung his legs around to the side of the bed, reaching for his phone.
She jumped to her knees, her hands reaching out to his shoulders. “Jayden, what are you doing? Who are you calling?”
“Zander,” he bit out.
She continued to crawl across the bed, sliding her body around so that she could look into his face. “Zander? Why would you call him?”
His finger halted over the phone, seeing her look of utter confusion. “That’s where you got hurt, isn’t it? Last night at Grimm’s? Because it sure as hell wasn’t there yesterday morning, and I can distinctly see the bruise pattern of fingers on your arm.”
“Jayden, please put the phone down. This has nothing to do with Zander.”
His body strung tight, her words barely penetrated. “And I’m telling you that if somebody manhandled you at Grimm’s last night, then Zander wants to know. And I sure as hell want to know why he, nor the bouncers, took care of you.”
Her fingers wrapped around the phone in his hand and she gave a slight tug, pulling it away. He opened his mouth, ready for a warning, when she said, “It wasn’t there. This has nothing to do with Grimm’s. Nothing to do with Zander, at all. This is all on me.”
He watched as she leaned across him to place his phone back on the nightstand before turning back to him. His eyes locked back onto her arm, the bruises standing out in stark relief on her pale skin. Whatever happened, she was terrified, but he had to make sure she was not terrified of him.
Sucking in a raspy breath as though it were hard to draw air into his lungs, he tried counting to ten but only made it to seven. Forcing his voice to be steady, he said, “Baby, I’m trying to hang on here, but you gotta help me. Somebody hurt you. Somebody put their hands on you, and you didn’t tell me. You gotta know that is not okay. I’m not happy about you keeping this a secret, but you don’t ever have to fear anything from me. But I’m not giving you a choice here, Ruby. I need to know what happened, and I need to know now.”
Swallowing deeply, she nodded. She shifted away from him, saying, “Please, let me get dressed. I’d…I’d feel better if I could do this dressed.”
He did not want her to move but accepted that this concession was important to her. They both stood from the bed, and he jerked on his boxers and sweatpants, keeping an eye on her as she pulled on her panties, a bra, yoga pants, and her red, zip-up hoodie.
“Can we go into the kitchen?” she asked. He started to protest, but she quickly explained, “My mom used to always say that she and Dad kept anger out of the bedroom.”
He thought about those words and how smart and caring her parents were. It sounded like a good plan, so he agreed. They walked into the kitchen, and she turned on the coffee pot. He wanted to rail at her for stalling but forced himself to wait until she felt like she could speak.
She carried their fixed coffee cups to the table and sat down. He followed and sat down close to her.
Her hands clasped together on top of the table near her cup, and she swallowed deeply. Lifting her gaze to his, she said, “Kevin. It was Kevin.”
Jumping to his feet, he was surprised he had not knocked the coffee over. He felt as though his head would explode, but she flew out of her chair and placed her hands on his arms, instantly offering a slight balm.
“Jayden, you have to listen to me. You have to let me explain, please?”
Fury coursed through his veins, but as he stared at the woman he loved, her gentle touch on his forearms, her blue eyes pleading, there was nothing he would not do for her. Nodding slowly, he said, “Babe, you don’t have to beg me to listen to you. You know I’m already angry, but that’s got nothing to do with you. I’m angry at him. So you tell me whatever you need to tell me, and then I’m going to decide what I need to do about it.”
Her eyes widened at his last statement, and she opened her mouth to speak, but he jumped in, shaking his head. “No, Ruby. This I will not yield on.”
She stood, her fingers clutching his arms, staring up at him for a long moment. Finally, resignation showed on her face, and she nodded. She let go of his arms and turned, sitting back down at the table. Taking a sip of coffee, as though to gather her thoughts, she looked over as he settled back down into his seat.
“He’s been texting…not a lot, but some. I’ve ignored them, until the other day when he said that he wanted to see me to apologize. I started thinking about it, and I thought maybe I should do that.”
Jayden wanted to roar at her in frustration but could see the struggle was real for her, so he remained quiet.
“You have to understand, Jayden. Kevin and I have a long history—”
“Yes, one that includes him being abusive,” he bit out, immediately hating the expression of pain on her face. Sighing heavily, he said, “I’m sorry. Please, continue.”
Lifting her chin slightly, her eyes flashing, she said, “I don’t owe you this explanation. If you want to hear my side of the story, then I’ll continue, but if you’re going to argue at every point, then we can stop right now.”
“No, no, baby. I’m sorry. I’m just so upset that he hurt you.” He sighed again and said, “I promise I’ll listen now. Just listen.”
28
Ruby dreaded telling Jayden about her visit with Kevin, but she knew he was truly concerned about her. She just hoped that she could explain the situation in a way that would make him not want to do anything rash where Kevin was concerned. I’d just like to forget the whole thing.
Taking another fortifying sip of coffee, she looked up, seeing his intense gaze staring at her. The tic in his jaw gave evidence that he was barely hanging on. She also could tell that his patience was waning, so she began.
“I’ve told you that he and I were just friends for many years, from high school on. I knew he was bullied at home, and I always felt sorry for him. He was nice to me for many years.” She drew her thin shoulders up in a shrug and added, “There were good times, and I guess I just always made excuses for him. I can see that now. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter, because as you know, it all ended in ugliness. I no longer wanted his negativity or abuse. But when I got a message saying that he wanted to see me to apologize, I started thinking about the good times. The times he would listen when Mama was sick and then after she died.”
Holding his gaze, she said, “I just thought if he was to the point to where he wanted to apologize, then I should allow him to. I wasn’t acting foolishly or impulsively. I truly thought that it was the best thing to do…meet him, allow him to apologize, and then have closure with the whole relationship.”
She waited, warily studying Jayden’s face. So far, no change. He was not ranting, but then neither did he look pacified. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she said, “I gave him a call, and we chatted for just a moment. He begged me to meet him for coffee to apologize in person, and I agreed. We met yesterday morning at a coffee shop, and I’ll admit that by the time he showed up, I was already heading out the door to leave. It no longer felt like the right thing to do, and I hated that I had not told you. I was going to the other night, then all the excitement with Granny happened, and it flew out of my mind.”
“That’s why you were out of sorts the other day,” he said, his voice low.
Nodding, she agreed, “It was bothering me, but I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I couldn’t deal with it at work or at Grimm’s, so I was going to tell you when we came home that night. I decided to just get it over with yesterday morning but hated that I had not had a chance to talk about it with you.”
“I appreciate that,” he admitted, the tic in his jaw still evident. “I don’t want you to feel like there are things you can’t talk to me about. If you’re upset, or bothered, or just having a bad day, I’d like you to be able to tell me.”
Leaning forward, she placed her hand on his arm and said, “I feel the same way, Jayden. I was just waiting for the right time, and then…well, that’s why I started to leave before he got to the coffee shop.”
His voice still gravelly, he said, “Okay. So, let’s get to what happened at the coffee shop and how he went from meeting to apologize to giving you those bruises.”
She felt tears prick the back of her eyes, hating that Kevin still had managed to take control over a situation. Blinking, she willed the tears to not fall, knowing it would make Jayden even angrier. “At first it was fine. We chatted, but it was awkward. I finally had to stand and tell him that I needed to leave. It was only as we walked outside that I finally got an apology from him. When he asked if there was a chance again, I told him that I was seeing someone.”
Thinking back to what he said, her brow furrowed, and she felt Jayden tense. “He said that he had seen me with you—”
Jayden roared, “What the fuck?”
Rushing to calm him, she said, “I asked him if he had been spying on me, but he said that he had driven past Granny’s house one time and seen us. It could have been one of the many times that you and I were standing on her porch.”
“Baby—”
“Jayden, stop. This is hard enough without you blowing up every moment.” She watched as he almost swallowed a growl, then waited as he brought himself under control again.
“I turned to leave, and that’s when he grabbed my arm. He said he needed money.” She watched as Jayden opened his mouth, then snapped it shut quickly. The way he was clenching his jaw, she was surprised that his teeth were not cracking under the pressure.
“His grasp was uncomfortable, but I’m the one who probably made myself bruise when I kept trying to jerk my arm away.” As soon as those words left her mouth, she shook her head and amended, “That didn’t come out right. I don’t mean that I’m the one who was responsible for the bruises. It was all on him.”
“You were out on the street at this time, and no one came to your aid?” he asked, incredulity resounding in each word.
“It happened so quickly,” she replied. She dropped her gaze, unable to hide the shudder that moved through her body.
He jumped up from his seat but this time to scoop her up into his arms. She clung to his neck, as he abandoned the kitchen and moved them into the living room. Sitting on the sofa with her in his lap, he kept his arms wrapped around her.
They sat silent for another moment, this time her mind filled with the difference between Jayden and Kevin. It was true, Jayden could become angry, but it was never directed at her, and she never feared that. Instead, he used his body to shelter hers, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth and security.
He murmured into her hair, “Is that it, baby?”
She hesitated, considering if she should say more. He appeared calm, and she liked that, wanting to keep that mood. But this whole situation was made worse because I did not confide in Jayden to begin with. Knowing what she needed to do, she shook her head. She waited to feel his body tense again, but instead, he kissed her hair.
Murmuring, he encouraged, “Please, baby. Tell me everything.”
“I gave in. I gave him some money. All the tip money that I had in my purse. Probably about three hundred dollars.”
Jayden heaved a sigh, his warm breath puffing against her forehead. Once more, silence ensued, and she slowly began to relax in his arms, the weight of carrying the secret now released.
Jayden held Ruby for a long time, finally feeling her body relax. Rage still coursed through his veins, but he did not want to do anything to frighten her. Shifting her slightly, he realized that she had fallen asleep cradled in his arms.
Standing, he carried her into the bedroom and tucked her back under the covers. As upset as she had been, he was not surprised that she had fallen back into a deep sleep. I hate how I woke her up this morning roaring about the bruises. He also knew that worry and stress had worn her out.
He moved back into the kitchen and grabbed a pad of paper and pen, writing a note that she was not to worry, but that she must understand she was his to take care of and his to protect. He walked quietly back into the bedroom and laid it on his pillow. He grabbed his clothes and moved into the bathroom, gently shutting the door. Once fully dressed, he walked back to the bedroom, stopping to stare at her once more.
The sun was now streaming through the window, illuminating her pale, porcelain complexion, and her hair spilling over his pillow.
Turning, he walked out of the room and carefully shut and locked his front door, determination etched on his face. As he walked to his truck, he pulled out his phone and called Jaxon.
Miss Ethel walked back into the living room, and Ruby jumped up to assist her with the tray, setting it on the coffee table. Pouring two cups of tea, she handed one to Miss Ethel, who had settled into a wingback chair near the fireplace. The material was slightly worn, and it was not hard for Ruby to imagine Miss Ethel sitting in the exact same seat many years ago when Jayden was a young boy.
Taking a sip of the brew, she found that her mind was much calmer in Miss Ethel’s presence. Normally when upset, she would have gone to Granny, but in this case, she knew that Miss Ethel was the only one who could help her.
With grey eyes peering at her through wire-rimmed glasses, Miss Ethel set her teacup to the side and picked up her knitting needles. The clicking of the needles filled the background as she said, “Now, child. Tell me what sent you hurrying over here so early this morning.”
Ruby had woken to an empty apartment, Jayden’s whereabouts unknown other than the note he left for her. While he had told her not to worry, her stomach had clenched at the thought of him going after Kevin. She had no idea where to look for him and did not want to involve any of his friends, so she had hurried into her car and driven to Miss Ethel’s.
Taking another sip of the hot tea, she spilled her entire story, starting with her initial friendship with Kevin many years ago, to the first time she met Jayden and begged him to leave, afraid of Kevin’s reaction. She continued her story, finishing with the morning’s tale of how she had told Jayden of her meeting with Kevin, the bruises on her arm, and the money she had given him. “I don’t know where he went, but I’m sure he’s gone after Kevin. I’m so scared for Jayden. I don’t know what he’ll do.”
Throughout all of that, Miss Ethel remained quiet, nodding occasionally, her needles continuing to click comfortingly.
Finally, exhausting her story, she sat, perched on the edge of the sofa cushion, wondering what Miss Ethel would say. She did not have to wait long.
“I know that Jayden has told you his story, or I would never presume to tell it for him,” Miss Ethel said. A smile curved her lips, and she continued, “I remember introducing Jayden and Jaxon to the other boys the day that they showed up on my doorstep. I had Zander and Rafe at that time, and they were so surprised that Jayden and Jaxon looked alike. I explained to them what twins were, and I believe they were fascinated.”
Miss Ethel sighed and said, “Jayden and Jaxon were so used to staying with different people. They really don’t remember their mother or grandmother, their aunt being the only person who had taken care of them once they were old enough to have memories. Sometimes their aunt would leave them with friends, and so they were quite uncertain about staying here. I remember the first night, I told Jayden that his name meant thankful, and I was so thankful to have them come live with me.”
Her heart ached thinking of Jayden as a child, abandoned. He must’ve been so scared. Thank God he landed here and had Jaxon with him. As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she blurted, “Jaxon. That’s where he would’ve gone…or at least who he would’ve called.”
Nodding, Miss Ethel agreed. “I can assure you that wherever he is and whatever he’s doing, Jayden is not alone. I have no doubt that Jaxon is with him.”
“That does make me feel better,” she admitted, “but I still wish he wasn’t out looking for Kevin, determined to make him pay for bruising me.”
The needles continued to click, and Miss Ethel said, “I had to spend time learning about each of my boys, being very certain to understand that Jaxon and Jayden, while twins, were two individuals. Jaxon, often laughing and joking, was searching. I sometimes wondered if he was not searching for the stability he didn’t have during his very early years. Jayden, on the other hand, always seemed to be protecting. I also wondered if perhaps he was not thinking that if someone had been there to protect their mother she might not have ever turned to drugs.”
