Sunni
“Tell us again about Bella and the time you spent with her,” Jaco says as he hovers behind me.
The dim, flickering light in the interrogation room stirs up a massive migraine that throbs between my eardrums. Jaco has been at this for hours, tugging and prying a fake story from me.
I’m not a scared and frightened young woman living in a small town with no family like I used to be. Back in Iowa, Jaco is revered as a local hero. He’s bluffed everyone, never showing his cold, black heart in public. I, on the other hand, was the small-town success story. The orphan who was never adopted and bounced around in the foster system only to fall in love with the local hero.
It was a modern-day fairytale when Jaco swept me off my feet. Prince Charming never showed up to the game. The fire-breathing dragon appeared every night. It started with a slap followed up by an apology that would make anyone feel special and loved. It escalated from there until Jaco found out I was leaving him. That’s when he punched the final nail in my coffin.
I’m numb from head to toe with the exception of my burning cheek. The fight I had built up over the years on the run has faded into emptiness. The cold pads of Jaco’s fingers wrap around my neck and pinch to a near painful point.
“Sasha, you can make this easy or difficult, doesn’t matter to me. Unfortunately, the cameras in this interrogation room are out of commission. Crazy how little things like that happen. My partner here will be taking all the notes.” He thrusts my face forward until my face is mere inches from the table. “Ball’s in your court, Sasha. What’s your poison?”
I remain silent, refusing to answer. I used to squeal like a pig when under Jaco’s torture. Not anymore. This fact must irritate the devil, because next thing I know, my battered cheek is bouncing off the tabletop. Everything goes black.
“Jaco, you’re going too far this time.” Papers shuffle around the voices. “We’ve picked her up, and you’ve ruined her life. Let’s head back home.”
“Not a chance. I’m not leaving until she’s convicted and put away for life.”
“Was she that shitty of a wife? I wasn’t around when you were married to her.”
“The cunt had the nerve to think she could up and leave me. Made sure that shit never happened. Sasha is nothing but trash. I wasn’t going to let someone like her ruin my reputation. Divorces always get messy, and secrets come out, so I took her down before she could ruin me.”
The steady heartbeat of throbbing pain in my cheek burns throughout my body. The room spins out of control when I lift my head. My tongue is thick in my mouth, emphasizing the dryness.
“Look who’s back with us,” Jaco taunts. “Sasha Brown, did or didn’t you spend time alone with Bella?”
“Yes, I did.” I’m exhausted and want away from this man. He’s done his job and broken me down to a place where I’ll say whatever he wants and he knows it.
“Did you hurt her while she was in your care?” He plants his palms on the table and stares me down. Victory dances over his features. How one person can be so damn evil is beyond me.
“No. I’ve never hurt a child in my life,” I repeat over and over.
Jaco is behind me in two long steps, his fist clutching a chunk of my hair. Tiny jolts of pain spread throughout my skull as my head is ripped back.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Sasha.”
“I’m not. I’ve never hurt a soul. I’m telling the truth.” My words grow more frantic and determined. “You know this. You’ve set me up for everything and ruined my life.”
“You whore.” He leans down and hisses in my ear. “I should fuck you so hard right now just to remind you who is in charge. I’ll break every bone in your face until you get your story correct.”
“Enough.” The other man drops his phone and yanks Jaco off me. “You’re losing your mind. Enough.”
The man’s long arm extends out, shoving Jaco back. A sliver of hope shines in on the situation. A possible good guy who will stand up for what’s right.
“I’ve got enough evidence recorded. We can dictate her confession to fit our needs. You need to cool your shit, man.”
Fool. That’s what I am for even allowing myself to think someone associated with Jaco would have a shred of decency in them. This is still my victory. They can turn in whatever evidence they want, but they will not get a fake confession out of me. Unlike last time, Jaco can beat me until the last beat of my heart, but I’ll never confess to a crime I didn’t commit. Not again.
Jaco’s partner pulls me up by my linked wrists resting behind my back. He’s gentle when he moves me around, unlike my ex-husband who takes any opportunity to toss me around.
He reaches in front of me, swinging the door wide open. The bustle of a police station slams me in the face. I wince, knowing the throbbing in my face has to match the nasty wounds on it. I refuse to drop my head. I keep it held high as I’m led down a hall with dozens of prying eyes judging me.
Rich, loving, whiskey-colored eyes stop me in my tracks. The officer slams into my back and grunts. The metal cuffs nip and bite at the tender flesh on my wrists. It’s nothing compared to the pain of seeing Jag. His family steps up behind him.
I open my mouth to speak his name. Nothing comes out. The dried parched skin on my lips cracks. The tangy taste of blood floods my taste buds. Disgust and hurt stream off Jag. He crosses his arms over his chest as I near him.
I try again to say something. Each word clogs in my throat as I stand in front of Jag. The man who was once on top of the world stands before me, destroyed.
“Come on, Jag. You don’t need this right now.” Trick grabs Jag only to be elbowed by him. Cruz and Boss step up as reinforcements, pulling Jag away from me.
Layla’s eyes are swollen and red. She drops her head and turns away from me. Once Jag turns away from me, he never looks back.
“We got a full admission.” I hear Jaco’s voice as I’m led away from the conversation.
I plant my feet on the tile and struggle with my remaining strength in the officer’s hands. “Jag, I didn’t do it. Jaco is a monster. Please listen to me. Think about it, Jag! You told me you’d never leave me. Please listen to me.”
My voice carries throughout the station, drawing everyone’s attention to me. I don’t give a shit and struggle to get back to Jag. He has to believe me. I know he does. All I need is five minutes alone with him. Jag appears from around the corner, anger boiling and raging from his tightly strung shoulders. He’s livid and in the mood to take someone down. I’ve never feared him until now. Jaco won. He’s brainwashed Jag, turning him against me.
My face cracks with defeat as I slump and finally drop my head.
“You, Sasha, lied to me. It was all lies. I gave you the benefit of the doubt. You wormed your way in and brought this shit in my life. Tell me one thing.”
I look up through the greasy hair cascading over my face. “Did you ever really love me, or am I just another victim in your scheme of chaos?”
“I love you more than you’ll ever know, Jag. He’s the monster, not me,” I mumble, not able to put much effort behind my words.
Jag nods and squeezes the back of his neck. “Got it. I gotcha. Well played, Sasha.”
The venom and hatred in Jag’s voice will haunt me for the rest of my nights. The way he so easily turns from me and strides away will always be the center of my memory. The officers ease me in a cell and lock it without a word or backward look. I’m treated like the animal Jaco has portrayed. A life sentence will be a blessing at this point. I don’t have it in me to live any longer.
I glance up at the ceiling. An exposed pipe sprawls across the ceiling of the cell. The sheet on my bed is the only thing I need to make everything disappear. I tear it from the mattress and begin looping it into a circle. Relief floods through my veins. I won’t be a sitting duck when Jaco visits me tonight as he threatened.