Navy
The bed rustles a bit then goes still. I know I need to wake but can’t force myself to. Moments pass then the bed moves again. I pry open an eye to see Belle staring down at me. I startle awake.
“Mommy, you was snoring.” Belle’s sweet laughter falls around me. “Oh, and I went pee all by myself.”
“Nice job, baby girl.”
I groan, stretching out. I glance over at the clock to see it’s eight in the morning. Fragments of last night come back to me. I fell asleep in J.J.’s bed. I’m now in Belle’s room. I don’t remember being moved.
“Mommy, J.J. left us a note.” She pushes it in my direction. “Here. Read it.”
I slide my back up the headboard and pull Belle to my side. She snuggles in until she’s cozy. My heart hurts studying J.J.’s masculine, slanted handwriting on the front of the envelope.
I unfold a piece of paper to see it filled with his sexy script.
Girls,
Gone on business for a few days. Be good while I’m gone. Eat all of your fruit and veggies. When I get back, we will return home and start our fairytale. As I write this, I look forward to all of our movie nights, vacations, and memories we make. I’m shit at saying this, but I love you two little ladies something fierce.
Love,
J.J.
PS—Belle, make your momma finish that book. I left the bookmark in a good spot and also downloaded one of the Hank the Cowdog books or whatever the hell they are called on my Kindle. It’s next to my bed.
Belle leaps off the bed and sprints out the hallway to grab the Kindle. I smile, holding back the tears and tamping down the fear. Only my sweet, scary J.J. would cuss in a letter to a little girl. It’s him. He doesn’t hide the fact he doesn’t fit in any box. He lives out loud.
I notice another smaller piece of paper in the envelope. I pull it out to find it’s addressed to me.
Sparrow,
I promise you that when this shit show is over our lives will be different. We went from strangers in a fucked up situation to cuddling and kissing to making love, skipping everything in between. When we are back home, I am going to give you everything. Dates, family movie nights, vacations, an engagement of a lifetime, a wedding fit for a queen, and endless happy days.
It makes me feel like a shit of a man knowing what I’ve given you these last weeks. The world will be yours, baby, because I’m going to give it to you.
Love Always,
J.J.
My heart sinks, because as beautiful as this note is, it’s as if he’s saying his goodbye and everything he wanted to get out. The feeling settling over me isn’t a promising one. No, it’s far, far from it. Dread creeps in, pooling in my soul. I haven’t believed in God for a long time. How could I when I endured Jordan? I drop to my knees, clasp my hands together, and pray like I never have before.
The morning creeps by. I feel each tick of every single second as they pass. Faye keeps up her façade of bravery. Belle was oblivious to it all as she flitted around the cabin, going from her coloring book to her Legos and taking breaks for me to read her book to her. Her eyes light up every single time she flips the page with her little finger.
J.J. loaded a ton of preschool games for her to play as well. I find myself brushing tears out of my eyes before they have the chance to fall thinking about him. I set down the knife in my hand to do just that.
“Anything else to cut up?” I dust my hands on a towel.
“If you could cut up that round steak into slices, then I’ll be ready to start battering the finger steaks.” Faye shoves the large piece of meat on a cutting board my way.
“So these are the doctor’s favorite?” I quirk up an eyebrow.
“Sure are.” She smiles at me.
“Have you dated anyone since your husband passed?” I ask, slicing through the fresh steak.
“No. Never had the desire to. I kind of feel like a teenage girl with a crush.”
“You are acting like one.” I poke fun at her, sawing with the knife.
“Here. Be careful, this one is very sharp and for meat.”
I quit talking and put all my concentration on the task ahead of me. My cooking skills are still below average at best. Of course, Faye was right, and the knife cuts through the steak as if it were butter.
One of Faye’s songs begins playing, taking me right back to J.J. I swear I can hear the man pitching a fit about her music and Faye flinging his shit right back.
A hand settles on my shoulder. “He’ll be back. Stay strong, sweet girl.”
I peer over to Faye. “How did you know?”
“The silent tears running down your face.”
“I’m a mess.” I use the back of my hand to wipe them away.
A loud bang startles me. Faye’s head whips to the door. Three more loud booms echo outside, and it registers what it is. Gunfire. I race to the living room, scooping up Belle. Faye is hot on my heels, hollering for Dr. Asten. We trail each other down the stairs until the safe room comes into view.
“I know she’s in here.”
That voice makes me sick. Bile rises in the back of my throat. He found me. I set Belle down and nudge her in the room. Faye and Dr. Asten rush in.
“Don’t fucking move.”
I glance up at the top of the stairs to see Jordan pointing a gun at me. I react with the only thought of protecting my little girl and slam the door shut. He takes the steps one at a time until he’s standing before me, the end of his gun pointed to my forehead.
This time I do puke all over his fancy boots. It earns me a punch to the side of the head with his gun. The pain doesn’t register because everything goes black. When I wake back up, I’m upstairs between the kitchen and living room on the floor. There’s a puddle of blood next to my head. I move my hand up to the wound before thinking.
“Good, you’re awake.” Jordan kneels down in front of me. “Enjoy your little vacation?”
I don’t say a word.
“Promised I’d come back for you. You were so damn upset that day I sent you to him.” He grips on to a handful of my hair. “Tell me something, Navy, you enjoy meeting our daughter?”
I remain silent.
“Fucking answer me.”
I refuse to speak a word to the devil.
“For old time’s sakes.” He pulls a gun from the back of his pants, places it in my mouth, counts to three, and then pulls the trigger.
I flinch when it dry fires.
“Still a fucking coward.” His poisonous laugh fills the once safe cabin.
“We need to get going, Jordan. He’s going to be here anytime now. He’s a smart man.” A new voice comes from somewhere.
“Plans have changed.” Jordan stands, ripping me up by the hair. “I’d like to say hello to my old friend, J.J.”
The man at the front door shakes his head and walks back out. Before he closes the door, I see bodies and blood out front. Even staring death in the eyes, I’m thankful Belle is safe and away from this monster. Then it hits me—J.J. is alive and will be heading this way. I’ve got to stay strong until he blows through the front door. He’ll save me.
“Nice place here. York been treating you well?” Jordan rips my shirt from me then does the same with my bra.
The material cuts into my skin with his action, making me wince in pain. I don’t have a chance to process any of it before he’s yanking my head to the side.
“You fucking whore.” His pupils flare in heated rage.
I glance down at my chest to see the love bites J.J. left behind then back to him. I see it as it happens. The recognition on Jordan’s face upon seeing my slightly swollen belly terrifies me.
“Were you fucking him with my baby in you?”
My body trembles, and I remain silent.
“Fucking answer me!” he roars, ripping out a handful of hair.
“It’s not yours.” My words were intended to come out powerful and brave, but they flop.
“Liar.”
“I swear, Jordan.”
“Do you think I’m a damn fool? Two and two equal four, Navy.” He steps back, undoing his pants, letting them drop to the floor. He slides down his boxers next, stroking his cock. “Pull down your pants.”
“No.” I stumble back. “Don’t do this.”
He licks his lips, continuing his motion with his hand. The evil glint in his eyes is telling me I’m going to die today after he rapes me. I’m pressed against the counter face down. The sound of my pants ripping away squeezes my heart. I do my best to fight him off, throwing back an elbow and kicking backward, being careful not to put too much pressure against my stomach.
“I have my work cut out for me. You used to be so docile and well-mannered.” Jordan grabs a handful of my hair and slams my face into the countertop, rattling the contents sitting on it.
That’s when I see the steak and the knife next to it. It’s out of reach. It would take me a good leap to get my hand around the handle, and with Jordan pressed against my back, it’s impossible.
“Fucking have missed your dry pussy, baby.” He leans down, whispering in my ear and running his dick up and down my ass.
“I hate you.” Something inside of me snaps. The reality is he’s going to kill me, and I’m done with not fighting back. “You are a motherfucker, and when J.J. gets his hands on you, he’s going to kill you, and when he does, it’s because of me.”
He laughs long and hard, steadying himself behind me, ready to push in. I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting to shut out my feelings. J.J. appears behind my dark eyelids. His brilliant smile and caring, strong hands are what I focus on. Something clatters, and Jordan moves quickly. I open my eyes to see J.J. busting through the door.
Jordan keeps a palm pressed down on my back and his gun to the back of my head. J.J.’s gun is aimed right at Jordan.
“It’s not loaded,” I blurt out.
Jordan erupts in laughter and cocks the gun. “You dumb, dumb bitch. Nice to see you, J.J. Thought I’d make myself at home in your cozy cabin, fuck my wife, and then greet you.”
“Let her go,” J.J. grits out between clenched teeth.
“Not a fucking chance. You want to watch me fuck her alive or dead? It’s your choice.”
“Your men are dead.”
“Yours too,” Jordan replies.
J.J. takes a step toward us.
“Don’t fucking move or her brains are going to be splattered all over your kitchen.” Jordan pushes the gun harder into my skull.
“Shoot me.” J.J. sets his gun down.
“No!” I yell.
“C’mon, you fucking coward, shoot me!”
Jordan swings his gun toward J.J. “You’re setting me up again, York. I’m not a fucking fool.”
I catch movement in a window, knowing it has to be Kemp. Jordan’s hand on my back disappears. I react, lurching forward until the handle of the knife connects with my palm. The deafening sound of a gunshot hits me hard, but I don’t stop as I twist my body and lunge forward with the knife.
I put all of my power behind it, catching Jordan off guard. The gun falls from his hands, and I push the knife harder and deeper into his chest, my hands coated in his warm, dark blood. Jordan steps back, looking down at the knife and back up to me. I keep pushing and twisting the knife. The sound of his flesh and bones grate on the edge of the knife.
Jordan tumbles back, the knife still in his chest as he falls to the floor.
“Move.” Kemp pushes by me, aiming his gun point blank between Jordan’s eyes. “Lights out, motherfucker.”
Boom.
Brain matter flies in every direction. Jordan doesn’t move, and Kemp fires three more bullets into his head. I remain frozen, staring at my blood-covered hands until a groan catches my attention. I turn to see J.J. on the floor covered in his own blood. I bolt into action, running to him and dropping to my knees.
“No. No. No.” I press my hands over the gunshot wound. “No. No. No.”
J.J. raises a hand and covers mine. A weak smile on his face. “You’re free, Sparrow. Fly free.”
His eyes flutter shut. “Kemp, help. HELP!”
My vocal cords rip in my throat as I scream for help over and over. I’m pushed out of the way, knocked back down to my ass by Dax. Kemp picks up J.J. and rushes out the door, leaving me in a pool of blood from the only man I’ve ever loved.
Anger and rage like I’ve never felt courses through me. I’m up and on my feet before I know what I’m doing. I stop over Jordan’s dead body, seeing red. I fall to my knees, my fists flying into his chest over and over until I’m pulled back. My legs swing in the air, thirsty to connect with the monster who just took everything away from me.
“I got you. I got you, Navy,” Kemp whispers into my ear, holding me tight to him. “Dax is taking him to a hospital.”
Kemp sets me back down on my feet, places his palms on the tops of my shoulders, and gets right in my face. “You are going to go take a shower and meet me in the garage in twenty minutes. I’m assuming everybody else is in the safe room. I’ll get them loaded up so they don’t see a thing, and then we will go to J.J.”
Kemp nods his head in slow motion, waiting to see if I understand him.
“He-He-He—” My chin trembles. “He killed him.”
“You need to stay strong, Navy. He’s going to need us. Don’t give up hope. Now go.” Kemp guides me upstairs and helps me in the shower. He doesn’t leave until I’m under the spray of hot water. I watch hypnotized as the bloody water swirls around until it meets its demise.