I hated when Cara did that. She knew I had dealt with my brother's death. I had been in therapy for over a year. I had confronted everything from that night, but still didn't mean that those thoughts didn't rise. The one thing I hadn't confronted was my relationship with Jackson. She knew me better than I knew myself.
My cell phone vibrated on the table, and I leaned forward, reaching for it as Cara began going on about all the things I could be doing there, trying to convince me to return.
I opened the text from Jim and read the words, tears forming in my eyes again. It was final. He had messaged me to let me know he was on his way over and would leave my items from his apartment in the lobby of my apartment building for me to pick up. Which meant that he must have packed them up over the past couple of weeks while I'd been laid up with the flu. This all felt as if he had been planning it for some time. I turned my attention back to Cara.
"...and honestly trying to plan a wedding for a couple hundred people in only a few months is going to be hard enough, but I know with you by my side, it will go off like a hitch. What do you say? Will you come home and help me? Please?"
I hadn't been paying one bit of attention to anything she had said and had no idea what I was agreeing to as the words, "I guess I am coming home," flew from my mouth.
2
Jackson
I pulledmy truck into my driveway and glanced over at the passenger’s seat to see Zoe smiling back at me. "What are your thoughts on the situation?" she asked.
I hadn't heard a word she'd said because I had zoned out on the drive home. I'd gone into Hooligans for a beer after work, just to unwind a little bit. Now here I sat wondering what the hell I had been thinking when I'd invited Zoe back to my place.
Zoe and I had been involved for the past six months. When I say involved, I don't mean a relationship. I mean she is the longest running bed buddy I'd had since, well, since my life had done a complete three-sixty five years earlier. Keeping her at a distance was the easiest way for me to walk away when the time is near, and I was beginning to feel that time might be now, except for the fact that I was feeling weak tonight. I'd watched her across the room, her body swaying to the music, and soon all I could think about was having her body underneath me.
"Come, let’s go inside," I said, trying to divert the fact that I hadn't heard a word she'd said.
She smiled and slipped her hand into mine and we walked up the path to my doorway together. I'd just shoved the key into the lock when I felt Zoe press her body into me from behind, her small hands running around my sides, down the front of my pants. I felt my cock jump as she ran her hand over the bulge that had already begun forming in my pants on the ride home.
I grabbed her into my arms and kissed her hard, throwing the door open. Once inside, I pushed her up against the wall, holding her there with my body as I kissed her neck, my left hand grasping her ass as I shut the door and turned the lock.
She slid out of her skirt, while I kicked my shoes off, then she wrapped her arms around my neck. "Let's go slow tonight, Jackson," she moaned in my ear.
I gripped her ass and hoisted her up, allowing her to wrap her long legs around my waist. I didn't want to go slow. It had been a long day, and tonight I wanted nothing but quick, rough, hard, animalistic sex. I carried her to the bedroom, ripping her shirt off as we went, and threw her down on the bed. I pulled my shirt off over my head and allowed my eyes to wander over her body as she lay sprawled before me.
"Go slow, Jackson." She moaned again as she slid her hand into her panties and began rubbing herself, her other hand wandered up her breast, and she gently squeezed her nipple between her fingers. "Make love to me."
I bent down and pulled both cups of her bra down, grasping her breasts in my hands. She ran her hand through my hair and then reached her hand into my boxers to stroke me. I bent down farther, taking her perfectly shaped rosy bud between my teeth until I heard her gasp. There was going to be nothing slow about tonight. I already felt as if I could blow at any second. I grabbed the box of condoms that lay on my bedside table, pulling one from the box.
I pushed her hand off me, rolled the condom on, and gripped her panties, ripping the delicate lace away from her body. I knelt onto the bed, gripped her leg, resting it on my shoulder. Holding onto her hips, I lined myself up and entered her in one swift movement. A harsh moan escaped her mouth. I didn't give her a second to get adjusted to me. Instead, I went right to it, pumping hard and relentlessly into her until she was begging to come. I slowed my pace, and within seconds of her release, I felt my own roll off me.
I collapsed on her, breathing hard, and then rolled off her, getting up to dispose of the condom. When I returned, I flopped down on the bed, and she lay beside me for a couple of minutes, and then I heard her murmur something about leaving. She got up and immediately began collecting her things. This was a usual scene for us.
"I've got to get going. I left my car at the bar, so I'll need a lift."
"It's late. Just stay. I'll take you in the morning," I murmured from where I lay with my eyes closed. Even though I wanted my bed to myself, I also didn't want to get up and take her anywhere.
She let out a huff, then I heard the bathroom door click shut and the water start to run. I stared up at the ceiling. I really should just tell her we are through and take her home, I thought to myself. I ran my hand over my face, wondering if I shouldn't just take her back to her car now, when I heard the bathroom door open, the light shut off, and the patter of her feet padding across the carpet towards the bed.
"Night," she said, kissing my cheek and snuggling into my side, closing her eyes.
I could feelthe tickle of sweat dripping down my back. The vest I wore was heavy and hot as I ran. I was soaked, and I felt as if I were never going to reach the end of the alley. In the distance, I could see two men standing across from one another, both with their weapons aimed at one another. I could hear my partner warn him to drop the weapon when shots were fired.
I picked up the pace, signaling at the others who ran behind me to hurry. My heart was beating through my chest when, in the distance, I saw my partner up ahead, now shielding himself behind a car. He stepped out, shots were fired, and down he went, his body now lying sprawled out on the concrete, lifeless.
I stopped, drew my gun from the holster, and eased around the corner, checking for signs of the shooter, but he was already gone. I was just about to do another check when I heard the gurgled call for help.
When I was sure it was clear, I ran over to where my partner lay and dropped to the ground. "Connor, man, where you hit?" I questioned, looking over his vest for signs of damage while I pulled my flashlight from my belt.
"He's been hit!" I yelled out as Ryan and Grant came running over. Grant was already on the radio and an ambulance was on the way.
"Did you see who did it?" Ryan called, running up to us.
"They are on their way, man, hold on," I pleaded with Connor.