“Leave, take your son. I’m giving you a chance only because that boy is my grandson. Leave, Willow, and don’t come back.”
Then he’s gone, and I’m on the sidewalk trembling.
“Willow?”
I don’t know how long I’ve been standing there, shaking, with Cody crying in the background, but a voice slowly creeps in.
“Willow? Hey, Willow.”
Someone slaps my cheek a little, but I don’t feel like I can move or function. All I can see is her body on his, his arms around her, the way his mouth was slightly open with pleasure. I can see it all, and it won’t leave.
“Willow?”
I turn slowly, realizing it’s my mother standing before me. Her expression is that of concern.
How long have I been standing here?
“Honey, are you okay?”
I sway again and my mother calls out for help while hanging onto my arm. I feel a hard set of arms wrap around me a moment later, just before my world goes black.
15
JAGGER
Why the fuck won’t she answer? I’ve been trying, and she won’t answer. I don’t know what the hell is happening. I don’t even know if she’s okay. A few days I can understand, but this long? No. I decide to take the risk and call Angel, I need answers. When he doesn’t answer his phone, I try Ace. He answers on the third ring, and he speaks quietly, something is off. His voice sounds distant, and he is speaking to me oddly. Then he asks a question that stumps me.
“Why, dude?”
“What?”
“Why’d you do it?”
What the fuck is he talking about?
“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. Where’s Willow? Why isn’t she answering my calls?”
“She knows, Jagger. She knows what you did.”
“What are you fuckin’ talkin’ about, Ace?”
“How could you? She’s fuckin’ been by your side, she has waited, she has fuckin’ broken for you.”
“Ace!” I roar. “What’re you talkin’ about?”
“Mick showed her a photo, Jagger. She saw you in bed with Sharleen.”
What? My mind spins. In bed with Sharleen? How? Maybe he has an old photo, that sick son of a bitch. He would use something like that to get to me.
“It was probably old, I haven’t ...”
“It was recent, you had those damn stitches in your lip. I saw it with my own fuckin’ eyes.”
What the fuck is going on?
“Ace, put her on now.”
“I can’t.”
“Put her on,” I roar, “or so help me god, I’ll gut you.”
Ace sighs, and I hear shuffling, arguing and Willow’s quiet refusal. How could this happen? I close my eyes, and it hits me hard and fast. That night I thought I was drunk, Sharleen took me to my room. That bright light I saw was a fucking camera. Those fucking bastards. I couldn’t have fucked anyone that night if I tried, but I didn’t know if I can convince Willow of that. Fuck, what have they done?
“Jagger,” Willow’s voice comes across the phone broken and silent. “Don’t call me again. I don’t want to talk to you. We’re done. Leave me alone.”
“Willow, listen to me, I—”
“You what?” she cries, “You didn’t do it? You didn’t mean it? You were drunk? High? What Jagger? I saw it with my own eyes, nothing you can say will take that away. I saw it!”
“I know what it looks like, but if you’ll just listen ...”
“I’m done listening. I gave up everything for you. What was this to you, Jagger? A way of protecting yourself? Or maybe you just enjoy playing with two women? We’re done. I’m leaving and taking my son with me. Don’t call me again.”
“Do not hang up—”
She’s gone. Ace gets back on, and I’m panting with rage, still bellowing for her to answer.
“Sorry, boss, but this time we’re going to stick with her. She needs us.”
“Ace,” I rasp. “Fuck it, man, just listen to me. They drugged me. Do you hear me? You know me, you know I would never hurt her. I was drugged. This is all part of his plan. He wants to fuck with her, to fuck with me. Fuck, you know me, brother.”
Ace is silent a long, long moment. “I don’t know what I believe, I honestly don’t. I didn’t think you would do that—”
“I didn’t!” I snarl, cutting him off. “I’d never hurt her. They’re fuckin’ trying to get you all to stop what you’re doing. They’re trying to scare her off. Don’t let her run, Ace, let me fix this.”
“Even if I believe you, man, it’s too dangerous now. Mick threatened her and Cody, she’s not going to risk it. He knows about the island. He knows about our plan. He knows it all. It’s risking her life.”
“How?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“I don’t know. He’s expecting us to do something. We can’t get explosives over, he’ll be waiting for it, he’ll be looking for everything. He will see us bringing explosives.”