Chapter Nineteen

Just when I thought the nightmare was over, reality comes forth hauntingly to show me that the worst is yet to come.

“He does,” I question, hoping somehow that Jay is joking. That it isn’t true, and that I was wrong about Will’s obsession for control, but Jay nods. He tenses beside me. I reach up and caress his cheek.

“Please don’t stress—”

“He wants you back to hurt you and the thought of him laying a fucking finger on you makes me want to snap his fucking neck. I don’t even want to see that fucker because I will snap in a way you’ve only heard stories about. You won’t like who I become,” He says, his breathing heavier, his words gritted through clenched teeth.

I hush him and lean in to press a kiss to his lips which he allows me to.

“It’s okay. We can figure it out. I can go talk to him. Maybe he’ll offer compensation to make up for what he did politically,” I suggest.

“Oh, he’s going to, but I know he will put up a fucking fight if we don’t give you back to him.”

I’m quiet for a moment as I contemplate what to do and say.

“Well, how about you let me go with him. I know it’s not ideal, but I don’t want you losing everything because of it,” I rush quickly. I know he is not going to agree easily, if at all, but it’s worth a shot.

“Giving you back to him is losing everything!” Jay snaps before he rolls away from me, wincing from the sensitive wounds on his side before he climbs out of bed.

That’s exactly what I didn’t want him to do.

He pulls out a cigarette and lights it up quickly, the room filling with a pillar of smoke; smoke that I’ve gotten accustomed to.

“Then maybe you should just let him go… be free of it. And I’ll stay with you,” I offer. He takes a deep breath.

“But what does that say about me if I let him walk? What will the mafia think about a leader who lets people get away with things? I have a reputation to uphold.”

I wince as I sit up and Jay shakes his head.

“Lay the hell down.”

“No,” I state firmly and climb out of bed, attempting to ignore the pain in my shoulder. I move towards him.

“Akira, I’m being serious. Get back into bed. You need rest.”

“I’ve been resting for how long?” I snarl.

He huffs and drags a hand through his hair. “Two days.”

Whistling, I snort. “Two days? Why does it feel like an hour?” I murmur the last part hoping he doesn’t hear but he does.

“Bed. Now.”

I get to him and press the hand attached to my good shoulder on his chest.

“Now that I know you care for me, I think I’ll be able to get away with disobeying you.”

He huffs angrily.

“You’ve become a major pain in my ass.”

“Good,” I reply and grin as I splay my fingers on his chest. “That makes me happy.”

“Does it?”

I nod and my breath hitches in my throat as his eyes linger on my lips. I’m dying for him to lean in and place a kiss on them. It’s as if I’m being deprived of air the longer he remains unmoving, but finally, he leans forward and gives in to my desire.

God, I love him.

I don’t know how I’d get by without him… I don’t know how I thought I’d be able to.

He has become the only safe, stable thing in my life.

The kiss is passionate but it ends sooner than I want. I whine and he shakes his head as he steps back and continues smoking his cigarette.

“I can’t. You’re injured… And I have some things to tend to,” He rejects me.

“About Will?” I ask. Jay nods and puts the cigarette out on his arm.

“Stop that! I don’t want you hurting yourself!”

Does he not feel pain?

“It’s fine,” He replies, shrugging.

“No, it’s not!” I hiss at him angrily. I’m fuming as I move back towards the bed.

“I don’t like to see you abusing yourself like that.”

“It’s who I am,” he concludes.

“You are much more than you give yourself credit for.” I remain perched on the bed. He frowns and shakes his head for a moment.

“I’ll be back, okay?”

“Fine,” I reply dryly.

I watch him leave and sigh when the door closes behind him. I stare after it before I contemplate whether I should leave the room.

If I’m no longer a captive, then I should be able to, right?

I move to the door and twist the knob, excited when it turns and I’m able to open the door and peer into the hallway. The same man I saw who expressed his loyalty to Jay is a few feet away from my door and he looks at me as I emerge from it.

“Hi,” I greet.

“I’m not supposed to let you out of your room,” he states.

“What’s your name?” He shakes his head.

“Look, I’m supposed to keep you in your room…” He trails. He huffs and places a hand on his side. “Considering I’m not allowed to touch you, it’ll prove difficult because my authority goes no further than firm verbal instruction.”

“Ah, so basically you’re helpless.” He nods and crosses his arms over his chest. “Well, in that case, I was just going to explore.”

“Explore?” He looks taken aback. As if it’s the weirdest request. Who would want to explore a den of lions? Someone clinically insane. Someone who has been captive and is no longer satisfied in the imprisonment of fancy walls.

I shake my head and move down the hallway, eyes scanning over the doors before I get to the stairs and begin to ascend them one by one. I look behind myself at the man who was guarding the door. He’s following me.

“You don’t have to follow me if you have other things to do,” I say.

“Ha, yeah. Jay would physically kill me if I didn’t watch over you.”

“You and him are close, huh?”

He nods and a nostalgic look takes over his face. I get to the top of the steps and that’s when he continues speaking. “Jay uh, he saved my life.”

“How?”

I’m almost certain the man won’t continue as I creep curiously down another hallway toward a small group of voices.

“I was nothing but a junky who he saved from death during one of his… jobs. He could’ve let me die. He probably should’ve but he didn’t.”

To think he’s shown compassion outside of me is absurd. It’s shocking. But somehow I knew that part of him still remained.

It warms my heart to hear that. I swallow and suppress tears.

“You were worth saving,” I say as I glance at him. He smiles politely.

“My name’s Mitch by the way.”

“Mitch,” I repeat. “Well, nice to meet you, Mitch.”

He nods.

“Do you know where Jay is now?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s not in that office, is he?”

Mitch shakes his head.

“He doesn’t use Dominico’s old office. They convene somewhere else.”

“Can you show me?”

“He would have my head… they are discussing private matters.”

“If it is about me then it’s not that private, is it?”

Mitch rubs the back of his neck and shakes his head.

“I suppose not.” He doesn’t move to show me. I huff, agitatedly.

“If you don’t show me, I’ll just search until I find it. Without you,” I state matter-of-factly.

“Fine.” He spins around on his heel and begins stalking off down the opposite direction. I follow behind him until I get to a room with double doors. I stop and listen intently as Mitch moves to the side of the door and gestures with his hand. He listens just as intently as I do.

“Are you going in?” Mitch whispers.

I shake my head, narrowing my eyes as I listen intently to the conversation. I faintly hear Jay.

“I don’t care if I have to go to that fucker myself… I will,” Jay growls at someone in the room. An unfamiliar voice replies.

“He says he won’t meet with anyone but you. But I advise against it, Sir.”

“He’s not getting her,” Jay booms.

“He is a politician and I’m sure he will bring people with him in order to get what he wants. You put yourself at risk for her…”

For me?

He does not listen.

“I don’t care. I’ll go tonight,” Jay announces. I cover my mouth with my hand. How could he be so damn reckless?

“Will you bring back up?”

“I will have Mitch and another man waiting in the SUV but I will approach him alone.”

No.

I reach for the handle about to push my way into the room when I stop myself.

He isn’t listening to reason.

Not anymore. And I don’t want Will to hurt him.

I turn back around and head towards the stairs, Mitch is hot on my heels.

“Akira? What’s wrong?” Mitch calls.

“N-nothing,” I stutter nervously as I begin forming a plan.

Hopefully, he can’t tell I’m lying.

I won’t let Will hurt Jay because of me.

I will give myself to Will.