Dark Destiny (Dark Brothers Book #4) (14 page)

“You know, there were some nights I honestly wanted to save every girl in that place. I really did. It was so hard seeing them, being forced on their knees, being forced to take numerous men at once. Worse, how they were so used to it, so brainwashed, it was an everyday occurrence for them. The first time I saw three men on a girl, it shocked me so badly I couldn’t move. I knew what went on, I thought I had myself prepared, and yet when it came down to it, I froze. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t defend the poor girl. I just sat there like the other slum, and watched it happen. Deep down, I knew I couldn’t stop it, but fuck, I should have tried. Then one night, I saw Summer on her knees, her master was beating her.”

I gasp. “Jagger…”

“He was beating her because she acted up and he didn’t like it. I saw his hand come down on her cheek, and I beat the living shit out of him. I beat him so badly he had to be flown out and he didn’t return. I remember the look of emptiness in her eyes when she watched me beat him. A few times she even cried out. Yet really, deep down, he was her security blanket, he was what she’d come to know. That’s the sad thing about it, is that they are so brainwashed, they honestly believe it’s where they are meant to be.”

“I’m sorry,” I say gently. “I can’t imagine how hard it was for you.”

“I should have done something, Willow. I should have beat every one of them.”

“You know Mick would have put a stop to that.”

“I know, but fuck, I felt so damned helpless.”

“What I said earlier, it was right. You were surviving, Jagger. Sometimes, surviving isn’t pretty, heck, most of the times it’s ugly but you have to do it, you have to battle on to protect yourself. You can’t always be the hero, honey. You know that better than anyone.”

He’s silent a long moment. Then he speaks, and his voice is pained. I don’t comfort him, though. He needs to get this out, without me interrupting.

“You know, when I shot Mick, he thought I wouldn’t do it.”

I squeeze his hand tighter, it’s the only comfort I can give him right now.

“He thought that I wouldn’t do it, he thought I was all talk, that I didn’t have it in me because he was my father. Why is it parents think that? They think that they can fuck you up your entire life, but it will never backfire. It doesn’t work like that. You can’t make someone’s life a misery, and expect that they’ll never retaliate. He surely knew it was coming for him, how could he not?”

I stroke my fingers over his knuckles, letting him know I’m still listening.

“He stood in front of me, pushing me, taunting me. He said “You’ll never do it, you don’t have the fucking guts” it was almost like he wanted me to do it, and when I did, I was sure the relief would be instant, but it wasn’t. Fuck, Willow, it wasn’t. I thought everything would just get better, I’ve killed before, I move on, but with this…it just didn’t happen. I felt something inside of myself die, and I don’t understand why. He made my life a living hell, how could I care that he was dead?”

“Because he was your dad, honey,” I say gently. “A certain part of you, no matter how hurt, still remembered that. He was your parent. You are a part of him. It was never going to be something that was easy to get through.”

“Sharleen saw it you know?”

I think about Sharleen, and I close my eyes. I haven’t seen her, none of us have, she’s still in jail and I imagine that won’t end for her anytime soon. I know Jagger feels some pain that it was how her life ended up, how could he not? She was his wife, for Christ sakes. Even he’s not that heartless.

“I’m sorry, Jagger.”

“She loved him, for whatever twisted fucking reason. She honestly did, her face when I killed him, her screams, it haunts me.”

I stroke my fingers up his arm, gently rubbing to try and soothe him. There isn’t much I can do for him, much I can say, he just needs to get this out and have me hear it.

“Then I found out about Aunt Mary and her betrayal. It hurt me Willow, to my very core. She was like my mother, she was meant to be on my side. She was meant to have my back. Who do you trust in life, when your own Aunty is the one to bring you down? And when Maggie blamed me…”

“Honey, she doesn’t blame you.”

“I never let her fight out her demons with Mick, I took him, and with that I took her chance at letting go. She had to look after me, she was always like a mother to me and she didn’t have to be. She never got to be young, be free, feel alive. She was always looking after me, trying to help me. She never deserved it, and yet she made something of herself, but when I look at her, I see the pain that’s still there. I see the longing in her eyes, the longing to just feel something. Maggie is great at what she does, she’s a fantastic doctor, but that’s all she has you know? She has never held down a relationship, she has never gone out and made a fool of herself or gotten drunk. She has never danced around with her girlfriends at a slumber party. She’s had life ripped from her, because of Mick, because of me, because of our mother and I took away any chance of letting her deal with that.”

“Maggie is a strong girl, she won’t be angry at you forever Jagger. She just needs time. She doesn’t need Mick to be able to find something worth living for. She just needs the right person in her life, the right friend, the right man, something to help her through.”

“I let her down.”

I snuggle in closer, breathing him in. “No, you did what you had to do.”

“Maybe, but I still let her down and she needs to hear that I’m sorry.”

“She will, give her time.”

“And you Willow, what I did, how I treated you…”

“Jagger, hey, it’s…”

“No,” he says, cutting me off. “Don’t say it’s ok, because it’s not. I did things to you, that shouldn’t be done to anyone, let alone your own wife. I treated you wrong, Willow, and I know all the apologies in the world won’t change it and I know you’re willing to forgive me and work it out, but baby, I fucked up and you should know that I will do everything in my power, for the rest of my living days, to make this right.”

“Honey,” I murmur against his chest. “You being here is making it right.”

“I said I would fight, babe, and I will.”

“I know you will, but I want you to let this guilt go, you’re holding so much. I understand it, I do, but you need to let it go. I forgive you, we moved on, we’re ok now. Don’t hold the guilt over me and let it eat you away, baby, I forgive you.”

“Why are you so fuckin’ incredible?”

“It’s love, honey. No one ever said it would be easy.”

He’s quiet again for a long moment, then he sighs. “I should go back to bed.”

I nod, trying to understand, even though I want to be selfish right now and beg him to stay. I won’t though, because he’s not ready. “Ok,” is all I say.

“Soon, I’ll get back in here with you, I promise.”

“I know.”

He rolls, pressing his warm lips to mine and kissing me so softly, my whole body shudders. Then he presses his lips to my head, holds them there a long moment, and then pulls back.

“I love you, Willow baby.”

“I know you do, big man.”

“Sweet dreams.”

He slides out of the bed, gives me one last lingering look, then he’s gone. I sink into the mattress, already missing his warmth. With a deep sigh, I close my eyes and try to focus on anything but the cold, empty patch beside me.

Anything at all.

~*~*~*~*

WILLOW

“Oh, god, Ace.”

I flutter my eyes open to the sounds of a woman’s cries. It takes me a moment to register where I am, and what the hell it is I’m hearing.

“Ace, more.”

Seriously? Is Ace banging Jenny under my roof? I slide out of bed, sure I’m hearing things. I tiptoe to my door, and creak it open. I can’t see anything, so I sneak out further. Maybe it was a dream. I walk into the kitchen and flick on the light, might as well get myself a drink. I scream when the scene before me comes into view. Ace, jeans down, ass on view, having sex with a blonde woman I do not know. He spins around when the light comes on and I get a full sight of Ace front on, pants down. I scream, the woman screams and I slap my hands over my eyes.

“Oh my god! Ace!”

“Fuck it, Willow!”

“Oh my god, I should leave!” The girl cries.

“No, wait on.”

“No…I’m going, thanks, err, Ace.”

I hear her pick up her things, I hear Ace’s belt and when I dare to peer through my fingers, I see Ace glaring at me. Why is he glaring at me? I drop my hand, happy to see he’s pulled his pants up. The girl is gone, and a moment later I hear a car start up. I turn to Ace, shocked and kind of angry at him.

“You fucked someone else?” I cry. “What about Jenny?”

“Fuck Jenny!” he snarls, then storms off down the hall, shirtless, jeans undone, and hair all sex ruffled.

“Oh no you don’t!”

I chase after him, and when he gets to his room, he slams the door in my face. I grip the handle, throwing it open and I stomp into the room. Ace turns angrily, giving me a truly fowl expression.

“Not now, Willow!”

“Listen to me, Mr. Pissy. Don’t get all emotional because I caught you out. Sit your ass down and tell me why you were screwing some random woman!?”

He crosses his arms and glares at me.

“You don’t scare me, Ace.”

He tilts his head and continues glaring at me.

“Speak up, or I make myself at home in that big ass, comfy bed of yours.”

With an angry huff, he starts pacing the room, so I make myself at home on the edge of his bed and watch.

“I was out, after you and Jagger went down, I thought I’d go have a beer. Jenny and Ava showed up, they were lookin’ for Angel. I got into it with Jenny, and she told me she slept with that fuckin’ lunatic she’s been seeing. She said it was a mistake, that he wasn’t right for her, but she wasn’t sure I was either. She said she was sorry, and wanted to spend more time with me. Seriously? Spend more fucking time with me,
after
she fucks someone else. What the fuck, Willow, I thought Jenny was better than that?”

So’d I. My sister was getting her ass kicked.

“I’m sorry Ace, I don’t know why she’s doing that.”

“I like her Willow, quite possibly more than I’ve liked anyone but I can’t keep playing this little hot and cold game. She wants me, but she doesn’t want the life I have. I can’t change who I am, I fuckin’ can’t.”

I pat the bed beside me. “Get over here, come on.”

He walks over, flopping down beside me. He puts his head in his hands and growls angrily.

“So your way of revenge was banging hot blonde in there?”

“She fucked him.”

I sigh. “I know honey, but did it make you feel any better to do the same?”

“Yes!” he snaps.

“Ace…”

“Fine, no it fucking didn’t. Can we drop this now? I’m done. I’m tired. Can you leave?”

I lift my fist and hit him in the shoulder. He snaps his head up and drops his mouth open.

“Honest to god, what’s with you men tonight? Big pussys. I’m going to kick your ass if you speak to me like that again, Ace.”

His brows go up, then he bursts out laughing. He wraps an arm around me and pulls me close to his side.

“Only woman that could hit me and get away with it, I tell ya.”

“Tough ass.”

“Sorry about that before…”

“Yeah, there are parts of you I did
not
need to see, Ace. By the way, I now know it’s not your nozzle that keeps the women away.”

He bursts out laughing again. “Why is it that I don’t even find it disturbing that you saw…my nozzle.”

I stand, spinning around and gripping his face in my hands. I press a kiss to his head and look him in the eye. “Because me and you, we’re like…two halves and all that bullshit. Besides, Jagger’s is way better.”

He head-butts gently me and I giggle.

“Jagger must have a nozzle made of chocolate, the way you beg him for it. Oh Johnny, Johnny!”

I shove him back and laugh as I spin towards the door.

“Jealousy’s a curse honey.”

When I get to the door, he calls out my name. I turn and face him.

“Thanks kid, this time I owe you.”

“Never. Night handsome.”

“Night.”

I leave with a smile on my face. I also leave knowing I need to give my little sister a pep talk. The girl is clearly dealing with some shit right now.

It never ends.

Sheesh.

CHAPTER 9

WILLOW

“Don’t start on me, Willow!” Jenny grumbles.

“Don’t start? Are you serious? Jenny, what’s wrong with you?”

She crosses her arms, and glares at me. We’re sitting outside, in the garden, drinking latte’s and eating cake. It’s good cake too, all gooey chocolate. Jenny is giving me her best ‘I’m pissed off with you’ look, but I’m not backing down. Hell no, she’s going to tell me why she’s been playing around with two men. That’s not my sister. She just doesn’t do things like that. She never has and she’s certainly not about to start. I know I haven’t been sister of the year in the past few weeks, but things are better for me now, so it’s time for me to focus on her.