Chapter Eleven
Jade
The weekend had been great. I’d spent Friday night at Cassie’s with all the girls and Saturday at the beach. Stephan had joined us and he’d looked after me. It was becoming harder and harder not to fall for him. He was amazing and he put me first every time. We went to bed early Saturday night and I slept in his bed draped over him.
Sunday we had a lazy day. Well I did, reading and baking in the kitchen. Stephan had gone to the gym, probably to beat the crap out of his bodyguards, or for them to do it to him. I stayed away from the gym and the no go zone of the property.
Now it was Monday and I stood by our meeting place outside of the school waiting for Stephan. He was late. Usually he meets me on my way to our spot or was already waiting for me. I’d just told Cassie to go before her brother left without her. Bringing my bag around I got my phone out and checked to see if Stephan had called to tell me he was running late.
Glancing around, I saw Derick coming toward and me smiling. I moved away from the tree I leaned against and went to him. “Where is your brothe—” Before I’d finished my question gunfire rang out around me. “Get down,” Derick yelled.
A burning pain hit my good arm as I dove for the ground. Yelling and screaming all around me had me staying down and not daring to look. Derick’s body came and covered my own.
“Oh shit, fuck, you’re hit.” I heard Derick’s voice in the distance but my arm hurt and my cast arm felt like it had been cracked again. I felt like I was far away and filled with pain. I wanted to close my eyes, they were so heavy. The weight on me kept reminding me of the pain and I knew I shouldn’t close my eyes.
More shots sounded and cars and what sounded like motorbikes screeched away.
“Derick, get off her. We need to see if you have been hit.” I knew the voice. Who was it?
“Brand, I’m fine. Jade’s been hit. Oh shit, Brand, that’s a lot of blood.”
Ah, Brand, head security. I heard what sounded like ripping.
“Check her over, Derick, to see if she’s been shot anywhere else. David’s called the ambulance and the police. He and a team are waiting and the gates. Try not to move her too much, she’s been hit in an artery.”
Brand lifted my arm and tied a piece of cloth around me tight. I screamed as he tugged. Black surrounded my vision and then nothing.
*****
Stephan
I’d been talking to my business teacher about a makeup test for one I’d missed while away looking after Jade. We agreed I’d come in early tomorrow and he’d give me a do-over. Then I ran out of the room and down to the tree where I meet Jade. I could see the tree in the distance and Derick walking to Jade. I’d asked him to tell her where I was.
Everything happened so fast. A blue Ford car and three motorbikes drove up to the pickup zone, guns appeared and they shot at Derick and Jade. I watched with a sickening feeling as bullets flew by and Jade dropped to the ground. I crouched down and watched Derick crawl to Jade and cover her.
It was only minutes but felt like hours passed before Brand, David, Rex, and Royce showed up, shooting back at the car and motorbikes. They sped off and then the gates closed. I kept low the whole time and ran, ducking and dodging to get to Jade and Derick.
Brand made it before me and I arrived in time to see the once green grass covered in red. Jade screamed and I looked to see the bottom part of her covered in blood. Derick was checking her, running his hands gently up and down her now unconscious body.
Dropping to the ground, I stared at Derick. “Please. Please tell me she’s okay,” I choked out.
Derick grimaced and held his hands over her thigh. “Put pressure here. I need to check her other leg.”
I did as I was told in a haze of disbelief. Blood oozed onto my fingers and I moved so my palm pressed down slowing the flow of blood. Derick ran his fingers over her other half.
“What do we have?”
I didn’t look up at the paramedic.
“Seventeen year old female. Shot to arm that hit artery. I’ve cut the flow with the bandage but she needs care. Stephan is holding what I think may be a graze or a through and through shot. The cast has cracked and she passed out a couple of minutes ago.”
“Son, I need you to move now.”
I pressed down on Jade’s wound too scared to move.
“You can let go now.”
I couldn’t move. I heard the voice, but was terrified to move my blood soaked hand.
“Stephan, the paramedic needs to work now.”
I looked at Derick, he was covered in blood. It never occurred to me he could be hurt.
“Son, you’re covered in blood. Are you hurt?” another paramedic asked Derick.
Derick shook his head and gazed down. “It’s not my blood. It’s my sister’s.”
“The girl is your sister?”
Derick nodded. “She will be,” he said hoarsely.
Brand removed my hand and dragged me back. “Stephan, you have to let them work.”
Gazing up at him, my cheeks felt wet. “Where the fuck where you? How the hell did this happen?” I shook myself out of his hold and stood. I studied the scene around me, bullet holes were everywhere: in trees, cars, the school building, and the ground. It looked like a war zone. “What the fuck happened?”
Brand stood and ran his fingers through his short hair. “There are two vulnerable times, at drop-off in the morning and pick-up time. We monitor both, but there are so many cars and it’s hard to tell if they’re not picking up someone. We were lucky not many got hurt.”
“What do you mean lucky? Jade is fucking almost bleeding out.”
“Only six people got hurt. None are fatal.”
I wanted to yank my friggin' hair out. “We live in Australia. Guns are illegal. Why the fuck did we just have a shootout. This is something I expect Dustan to tell me about in America.” I was furious, but I’d rather be angry than a blubbering mess. Brand didn’t say anything, not that I expected him to. He knew how it went.
The paramedics wheeled Jade away on a stretcher. I ran after them. There was no way they were leaving without me.
“Are you family?”
“Yep.”
They eyed me for a moment before one nodded, I got into the ambulance.
I hovered over Jade. Her eyes were open and she smiled seeing me but it quickly turned into a grimace.
“Hey,” she rasped out.
“Little bit, what am I going to do with you?” I stroked her cheek.
“I’ve never been shot before I met you.”
My heart sank at her words and I cleared my dry throat, was I killing her? Was I the reason she’d been shot at so much. “Angel, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t,” she whispered. “I don’t like that look. You didn’t do this.”
I nodded, but didn’t believe her. I needed to leave her alone. I could make myself live without Jade as long as she was alive. What I couldn’t live with was her continually getting hurt because of me. If she died, I don’t think I would ever forgive myself. I needed to leave.
I couldn’t get the image of her covered in blood out of mind and I thought I was going to be physically sick. I needed to stay away from her and then she’d be safe.
*****
Jade
Something didn’t feel right. I awoke and I was alone. Pain throbbed through me, not the worse I’d had, but I still hurt. I pressed the nurse call button and a woman in her late forties came in. “Hi, is anyone outside the room.”
“No, sweetheart. Are you expecting someone?”
I furrowed my brows and shook my head. “No.” Where was Stephan? I was sure I saw him in the ambulance.
*****
I didn’t see Stephan even after three days. Evelin visited and even his father, Lucas. They wouldn’t tell me about Stephan besides he was fine and thought it best they stop seeing each other. Derick didn’t come by either. Cassie and my friends visited me, but no Stephan. The bastard didn’t even tell me himself he couldn’t be with me anymore.
On the third day in the hospital they let me out. My arm had been recast and my other was in a sling to help it heal. I had stitches in my right leg where a bullet had gone straight through. I felt like shit, but what worried and scared me the most was I hadn’t seen Stephan or Derick. I learned from Cassie, they were both all right.
Sitting on the bed I waited for my guardian to show up and take me home. Cassie and her parents knocked on the door. My heart sank and I knew even before Cassie spoke, I wasn’t with Stephan anymore.
“Guess what. I get to have you as my sister.”
I forced a smile and slowly stood. I should never have let myself fall under his spell. Biting my cheek to hold in my sobs I berated myself, stupid, stupid me. I should know by now not to trust or rely on anyone. Hardening my heart, I stiffened my spine, grabbed my bag, and walked out of the hospital room. Never again. Never again would I let my guard down.
*****
The police wanted to talk to me and this time I didn’t have a lawyer there to tell them to hurry it along or stop them from badgering me. The week I spent recovering was spent mostly in the police station. I’d told them everything I could think of and more. They wanted to know everything about my grandpa and what I saw and the most important, who I saw. The person they were most interested in was the man I’d only caught a glimpse of. I now knew that the police thought I’d been shot at twice now thanks to my grandpa and his dealings. They wanted me kept quiet about who I’d seen.
This shattered my heart into a million pieces, because I’d put people I cared for in danger. I was worried I was putting Cassie’s family in danger. They assured me the two police vehicles kept them safe. A bunch of my grandpa’s associates had been arrested and for the moment I couldn’t do anything.
I was eager to go back to school. Cassie’s parents were fantastic. I only had two weeks until I was eighteen and I promised them I’d find a place of my own then. They told me over and over not to worry, that I was no trouble and welcome to stay as long as I wanted. I was done though. I was done relying on anyone but myself.
“Jade, sweetheart. You have a visitor,” Cassie’s mum yelled to me.
Easing off the bed, I put the book down I wasn’t really reading and went down the stairs. My heart sped up at the figure at the door. Stephan stood with flowers and a basket with goodies in it. He looked like he hadn’t shaved since I’d seen him over a week ago. He had dark circles under his eyes. I felt bad, but I couldn’t do anything except apologize.
“Hi. I’m sorry about everything. I’m glad Derick didn’t get hurt. ”
“Jade, you have nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t pull any triggers. You were innocent in all this.”
“Okay.” I didn’t know what else I was supposed to say. “Is that all?”
“No. I wanted to say I was sorry—”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” My body ached from missing Stephan. My heart was pounding so loud and it hurt at the sight of him. I wanted so badly to jump into his arms and hug him. I wouldn’t though, I would never touch him again. I couldn’t. I had been shot at, had my body cut and bruised, but nothing hurt more than Stephan leaving me. I didn’t have much in my shitty life but what I had, Stephan had taken and stomped on it. “Thanks for this stuff. I’ll see you around at school.” I turned and he grabbed my cast halting me. I glanced down at his hand and back to him.
“Wait. Little bit, I want you to come home.”
I choked on a sob, as he called me by his pet name, how could he? I fought him so hard because I couldn’t take this heartbreak, there were only so many times someone could be beaten down and I was done. I’d had my mum beat me down all my life and I bounced back. I even had my grandpa do it and now the man I loved had done it. No. I’d had enough.
“Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me. Now,” I gritted out. “You stay away from me.” I backed away and dropped the gifts he’d given me.
Stephan went white and I took an involuntary step toward him only to stop when I realized what I did. “Just go, Stephan.”
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
I knew Stephan and he wouldn’t leave me alone. I nodded and walked away. I went up to the room and called the detective who’d given me his number, he was the nicest of the bunch. He had a daughter my age. “Hi, Detective Web. I need a restraining order please.”
*****
Everyone was staring at me. I kept my head down and kept close to Cassie as we walked to lunch. With the retaining order I had on Stephan I couldn’t sit with the girls where we used to sit. They’d moved for me. We now sat in the quad with all the younger people. Even after three days at school everyone was still talking about me.
The first day I jumped at everything. The second I hid in the library. I’d gotten Cassie to give the phone back to Stephan. I didn’t want him knowing where I was. I deliberately didn’t look for him. It hurt too much when I saw him. I couldn’t even gaze upon Derick. I knew some of my friends thought I was overreacting, but I didn’t give my trust easily and I’d given it to Stephan. He’d stomped all over it and my growing love. He’d abandoned me. When I’d woken in the hospital and he wasn’t there, not even one of his family members, I’d never felt so alone in my whole life.
I listened as the girls talked about going to the movies this weekend. “Sure, sounds good.” Right now I’d agree to anything.
I nibbled on my sandwich and halfheartedly listened.
*****
Stephan
I didn’t want to go to school. I didn’t want to leave the house. The bodyguards still watched Jade, but I had received the restraining order. Derick wasn’t talking to me. He was still angry with me over how I’d dealt with Jade after the shooting. My parents had left me be, only putting their foot down about school. So I went to school and rugby.
“I’m leaving. I can’t sit with you anymore.” Derick got up and I followed.
“Where are you going?”
Derick walked toward the buildings. “Away from you. I’m so pissed I can’t even look at you."
He entered the quad and that’s when I saw her. Like a moth drawn to a flame I couldn’t stop myself. She was so beautiful. I missed her so much. She looked almost lifeless as she sat with her head down. I hadn’t slept in two weeks and I couldn’t even lie on my bed. Fuck this shit. I’d had enough. I wanted my little bit back.
Going to Jade, I picked her up. She squealed and fought me coming to life.
“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.” She beat me with her cast hand and I let her, needing to feel something.
I was numb since I left Jade.
“Why couldn’t you leave me alone? Why?” She whacked me over and over, tears streaming down her face.
I heard teachers come over and try to break it up but for once my bodyguards were around and stopped them.
“I hate you. I hate what you did to me. I hate what you made me feel. I hate what you’ve done to me. I hate you. I hate you.” The hitting stopped and her fingers gripped my shirt. Tears rolled down her cheeks and I felt the worst I’d ever felt at the broken look in her sad eyes. I needed to fix it. I’d done this to her. I would do anything to have the look of pain and hurt gone. She collapsed against me, giving up her fight and broke down sobbing, “You left me. You left me.”
I didn’t care about school. I didn’t care about the people watching and I didn’t care about the fucking restraining order. I held Jade in my arms and walked out of the quad and the school. David met me at the drop-off zone and I got in the passenger side with my precious bundle.
Jade didn’t say any more and that scared me more than when she fought me. Brand got in the passenger seat and he looked back at Jade and me. “She was a fragile flower and you had her blossoming and then you crushed her. You gave her everything she’s never had then took it away. You broke her, kid.”
“Fuck.” I held Jade tight as she sobbed in my arms. Her gut wrenching cries cut me to my core and I knew I’d never stop making this up to her. But make it up to her I would, even if I spent the rest of my life doing it.
I took her home and I carried her up to my—our—bed and lay with her in it. Jade cried herself to sleep and I didn’t say a word. I didn’t know what to say. I knew she wouldn’t hear what I said now anyway.
Laying there with her in my arms I came up with a plan. I was never going a night without her again. I couldn’t do it. I knew the gate and the security would only hold the police and the restraining order for so long. I would beg her on my hands and knees if I had to for the rest of my life, but she was going to give me another chance.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew my dad was tapping my shoulder.
“Stephan, Stephan. A Detective Web is at our door with a couple of officers.”
Jade didn’t even stir in my arms. I knew she was probably exhausted. “Send them up.”
“Son—”
“Dad, she hasn’t even woken up with us talking. Look at her. She’s lost weight and is deathly pale. When she was with me before she had a pink tinge on her cheeks, she doesn't now. Bring them up.”
Dad shook his head as he walked out of my room. I turned back to Jade and stroked her back. She snuggled deeper against me and sighed.
“My daughter goes to your school. She’s in the year below you. She’s told me the gossip story but I see there is some truth to it.”
I gazed up to see who I assumed was Detective Web. “What story is that?”
“A Silverman has been caught. That a bunch of girls are now brokenhearted because they have a chance with one less Silverman.” He dramatically rolled his eyes. “My daughter says it’s love.”
“What do you think?”
Detective Web crossed his arms over his chest and studied Jade and I. “I’ve seen Miss Black there almost every day now for two weeks. She’s been a huge help in catching some huge drug runners, but you know that. You Silverman have men everywhere.”
I didn’t say anything, I didn’t need to. I waited and listened, still rubbing Jade’s back.
“I don’t think she’s slept in weeks, and not because of the shooting. That girl is broken. Until she got the restraining order, I didn’t realize how broken. I see now though. By law I have to take her, but as I stand here watching her, I can’t. When she wakes, call me back. If you don’t, I won’t be as nice the next time I visit and you will come with me in cuffs.”
I nodded and watched as the detective left. Jade didn’t wake once and I settled back against the bed headboard.