Chapter Six
Jade
The car ride home sucked. I ignored Stephan as best as anyone could ignore a gorgeous, demanding, bossy, and arrogant guy. It was late afternoon by the time we got home and I hoped Grandpa wouldn’t be angry. I was back before dark, but I knew Sunday night was one of his busiest nights.
Stephan pulled around the back even after I asked him to drop me out front. “No way, little bit. Did you see all those bikes and cars? Anything could happen while you were getting back here.”
Rolling my eyes, I got out of the car and grabbed my bag. Stephan followed. Oh no. I didn’t want him following me. There was no way I wanted him to see how I lived. I’d seen his house, well mansion. The whole apartment was almost this size of his bathroom. “Stay here. I’m fine from here.” But of course he didn’t listen as usual and followed me up the steps. No way was I opening the door. “I’m here now. You can go.”
“I want to come in and say hi to your grandfather. I also want to help you set up the phone.” There was no way he was seeing or talking to my grandfather, and I had forgotten about the stupid phone.
“Grandpa is downstairs. It’s busy tonight.” I snatched the phone out of his hand. I knew he wouldn’t leave unless I took it. “I can set this up myself.”
Stephan gave me a stern stare, the one he used to make me cave, but not this time. I was too embarrassed about how I lived, no way was I showing him and I hated feeling like that. He must have known I wasn’t going to fold because he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.
“Fine, you win this time. But you better have the phone tomorrow. I’ll call you in the morning and if you don’t answer, I’ll be around. Okay?”
I nodded because right now I’d agree to anything as long as he left. I opened the door, slipped in, and shut it in his face. Leaning against the door, I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. Opening my eyes once I knew he was gone, I clutched my bags and went to my room to play with my new phone.
*****
The ringing woke me and I shot up out of bed searching for the mobile before it woke Grandpa. Grabbing it off the charger, I slid my finger across the green phone icon. “Hello?”
“Hi, little bit.”
I got back into bed groaning until I saw I’d slept in and my alarm hadn’t gone off “What do you want?”
“That’s not a nice way to talk to me, especially since I’m ringing to tell you I’ll be there to pick you up in in half an hour—so be ready.”
It took a minute for my still groggy mind to register what he’d said, and then it hit me. “What. No. You can’t pick me up. I can get to school on my own.” I was too late though, he’d hung up. Wanker.
Getting back out of bed, I emptied my school bag of clothes and put my school things back in. Gathering my school clothes I rummaged in my garbage bags for clean underwear then headed for the shower, grabbing a towel from the closet on the way. I needed to be ready and out front before Stephan got any ideas of coming up the apartment.
*****
Stephan
Jade met me out the front of the pub for the next four days. I made sure she had her phone with her every time she left. My goal was to get her into the habit of taking it with her wherever she went.
I’d finally started to crack her hard shell. I picked her up and drove her to school. On Monday she’d retreated as soon as we arrived, but every day since then it got a little better.
“Thanks for the lift.” Jade smiled at me and jumped out of my car almost running to the school. I let her run and hide. I’d find her later in the day.
At recess on Monday she’d hid. Her friends thought it was hilarious and wouldn’t tell me where to find her. At lunch I didn’t let her hide. I may not be in any of her classes, but my brother was in a few. When he wasn’t able to be there, one of my friends were with her. Brad had been in her class before lunch and I’d asked him to bring her to where we sat. If she kicked up too much of a stink Brad would follow her and call me.
Brad called me. “She doesn’t like to be told what to do and she has some mouth on her—some of the things she called me…” Brad chuckled. “She’s in the library. I’ll wait for you here.”
I’d gone to the library and found her in a back corner reading.
Brad whacked me on the back. “Good luck. I don’t even think me Mum’s death stares are as vicious as hers.”
She knew the instant I came in because she put the book down and gave me her best glare. I don’t think she realize how hot it made her look. I ignored her glare, kissing and hugging her until the librarian, Mrs. Vren, interrupted.
“Mr. Silverman, take it outside.”
I’d picked up Jade’s bag, wrapped my arm around her, and guided her out of the library.
We walked through the school and down toward the oval where I sat.
“Let me go. I can walk by myself.”
I pulled her closer, almost carrying her.
“Stop it. Everyone is looking,” she hissed.
I knew why they were watching. I’d never dated or shown any interest in any of the girls at school. Not that it stopped them from throwing themselves at me or propositioning me. “Of course they’re watching. They’re wondering how I scored such a pretty girl.”
Jade snorted. “You’re such a liar.”
I stopped in the middle of the lunch courtyard and turned Jade to face me. I tilted her head up, leaned down, and kissed her in front of everyone. I knew all their eyes were on us, but I didn’t give a fuck. I coaxed her to open her mouth and tangled my tongue with hers. Kissing her deep while I showed everyone she was mine. I ended the kiss and stepped away from her, grinning.
“That was just mean. You knew I couldn’t stop you with everyone watching.”
Of course I knew she wouldn’t deny me a kiss, she didn’t want to cause an even bigger scene. She may fight me at every turn but I knew she liked me, especially my kisses. “I knew you liked me enough to show everyone. I also wanted everyone to know you’re mine.” I shrugged. “I will do it every day if you don’t meet me at recess and lunch.”
“Fine.” Jade straightened and walked down to the seats where we always sat.
The next couple of days she joined me for recesses and lunch. Her friends came down and sat with us too.
Afternoons had been another fight. Jade and Cassie had become fast friends so she’d been spending most afternoons with her and their friends. I let her spend Monday with Cassie, but Tuesday when I had rugby practice and I wanted her there.
“I thought rugby practice was on Friday?” She’d sulked because she’d wanted to go with Cassie like she had the day before. I had been waiting for her at the entry to the car park.
“It is. Tuesday and Friday.”
We’d gone back to my house and she’d tried sitting in the car.
“Little bit, if you don’t get out of the car now I won’t go to practice. I’ll stay here with you.” I laughed when she jumped out of the car and ran inside. She refused to come up to my room while I changed for practice, but I’d let her have that boon. I was supposed to be taking it slow, and I knew last time she was in my room it spooked her.
On Wednesday I’d waited for her at the car park entrance. We’d gone back to my house, but I’d invited our friends over and we all hung out
Today I didn’t wait in the car park entrance, I waited out by her last class. I had a free period on Thursdays afternoons. I’d spent the first thirty-five minutes in the library studying. The HSC exams (Higher School Certificate) wasn’t too far away and I needed good marks to get into my course.
My parents messaged me to tell me they’d arrived home and were looking forward to seeing my brother and me. I was going to make sure I got to spend some time with Jade, even if it was just driving her home.
The bell rang and Jade was the last out of the class. Her eyes widened when she saw me. “What are you doing waiting here?”
Grabbing her hand, I brought it up to my lips and kissed it. “Just coming to get my girl. Thursday afternoons I have a free period.”
“You didn’t have to wait for me. I could have gotten the bus if I couldn’t find one of my friends.”
“There’s no reason for you to get the bus. I like making sure you get home,”
Jade smiled at me. I knew I was slowing changing her mind about being with me. “Thanks, but I can look after myself. I’ve been doing it now for nearly eighteen years.”
“You have me now.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t rely on you always. What happens when you’re done with me or we go to separate universities?”
I stopped. “What are you talking about? I will never be done with you. You’re mine. We will be going to the same university.” I wanted to shake her until my words sank in. How could she think I would leave her?
Jade nibbled on her lip and I honed in on the action and as always it made me rock hard.
“Stephan, I know your reputation. I don’t want you to make promises,” she said, turning away from my stare and continuing on to the car.
Frustration and unease seeped into me as I opened my car. Jade got in and I followed getting into the driver’s side. “I can make you as many promises as I like because I’ll keep them. I’ve been taking things slow for you," I said and started the car, driving toward her house. “If I had my way you’d be living in my house and I’d be fucking waking up to you every morning and going to sleep with you in my arms.”
“Don’t say things like that.”
“Why the hell not?”
“How many women have you had living with you? I couldn’t do it and be kicked out when you’ve had enough.” Tears slid down her cheeks and I tried to reign myself in but I was pissed.
“I haven’t lived with any other women. I’m friggin' nineteen. You are the only woman besides the cleaners and my mother to ever be in my rooms. You will be the only one—ever—to be in there.”
“I just can’t do this.”
I was angry, and Jade wouldn’t even look at me.
“I can’t get attached to you, you’ll break my heart. I haven’t been with anyone. I’m not experienced like you and I don’t have a mansion or even anything close. I have fifty dollars to my name and it isn’t even mine, it’s yours, you snuck it into my bag. Sure, tomorrow I’ll have two hundred in my account thanks to Centerlink, but I bet it isn’t even a quarter of what’s in your account.”
“What on Earth brought all this on? You’re acting crazy.”
“I’m not. I’m being realistic and protecting myself. We can have a relationship like we’ve been having, but I’m just asking you to tone it down, and stop saying things that will hurt me later.”
The insane girl believed what she was saying. How the hell was I supposed to make her see I was serious? I pulled into the pub and drove around to the back.
“Fucking hell, Jade, I don’t want to leave you now my but parents just got home and I said I would spend time with them. I’m thinking I need to tell them I’ll see them later.”
“No. Go home to your parents.”
Turning off the car, I ran my hand over my face. “I don’t know what you want from me. I’ve told you you’re mine, and I’ll never let you go. I’ve told you I want more, and I’m taking it slow for you. What more do you want?” I banged on my steering wheel, anger and frustration flowing through me. I knew if I stayed here we’d continue this argument, one of us would say something we regretted. “Look, go inside. I’m going home to cool off and see my parents. I’ll see you in the morning. Promise me you’ll stay here?” If she went out I’d crack.
“I promise.” She got out of the car and ran up the stairs.
I drove home taking a long detour. I needed to calm down before I saw my family.
*****
Jade
I went to my bedroom and cried. Stephan was getting to me, breaking down my guard, making me rethink that maybe not all men were arseholes. He was slowly convincing me I could have him even though he was way out of my league. I had nothing and trash to his royalty.
When I saw Stephan waiting outside of my classroom today, my heart had missed a beat and a lightness came over me. I knew in that moment he could really hurt me, not like my mother or any of her many boyfriends, but break my heart to pieces kind of hurt. I don’t think I have the strength to survive that kind of hurt. I don’t have much, but what I do have I’m desperate to keep.
I don’t know how long I cried and felt sorry for myself when I heard my grandpa yelling for me. I wiped my tears and went to find him. As usual when he was home, he was on the couch in the lounge room.
“Get here now, girl.” I hesitated for a moment and Grandpa stood, his face was red, his fist clenched at his side and the anger radiating off him. I tried to think what I’d done the last few days that might have pissed him off. Nothing. I went to school, hung out with my friends or Stephan.
He grabbed my arm dragging me to him. Stumbling, I righted myself. “Yes, Grandpa.”
“You don’t listen do you?” He shook me.
I tried to relax so it wouldn’t hurt too bad. When I didn’t answer he slapped me across the face. The sting of his hand brought tears to my eyes and I fought to keep from crying.
“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I don’t know what I did.”
He punched me so hard I fell onto the flat screen TV. The screen smashed and I cried out as the glass cut into my legs. Grandpa dragged me off the TV swearing.
“Look what you did, brat.” He turned me to see the broken TV. “You broke my new TV.” He pushed me to the floor and kicked me over and over. I curled into a fetal position as he yelled, “I told you to stay out of trouble. I warned you I didn’t want any attention on me. You are a stupid, stupid, whore of a girl, running around with a Silverman boy. I have everyone watching now.” He yanked me up by the hair and I couldn’t help but scream from the pain. “Do you realize how many customers I’ve lost in the last couple of days thanks to you and your whoring ways?” He spat in my face with each word, then slapped me and punched me in the stomach. I fell to the floor and vomited, which only made him angrier.
I had been beaten many times by my mother’s boyfriends and clients who came for product and she’d run out. I’d fought back every time with them, but this was different. This was my grandpa. I had no one else but him, but I couldn’t take anymore.
He came at me again, and I gathered what little strength I had and I kicked and hit him. Screaming, I fought with all I had left in me. Then I hit him in the balls and kicked him while he was down, then I grabbed my bag by the door and ran out of the house. I needed to get away before he got up and killed me.
*****
Stephan
My phone started beeping, and I frowned as I pulled it out of my pocket. Jade’s phone tracker was going off telling me she wasn’t at home. I’d turned on the tracker, scared she’d something stupid after our argument—but it had been hours ago. I’d driven around, finally calmed down and was now home with my parents.
“You okay, son?” my dad asked. We were playing pool. He and Mum against me and Derick.
My chest hurt and something didn’t feel right. I hopped she hadn’t been at home stewing and was now running or going out. “I don’t know. I feel off. Jade promised me she wouldn’t go anywhere, and her tracker is telling me she’s out. We did have a fight, but it was hours ago. The tracker is moving but not fast like she’s in a car.”
“Stephan, if your gut is telling you something is wrong check it out. You know Jade. Would she leave tonight?”
Jade did like to defy me, but I had a feeling she wasn’t doing that now. I looked at the screen and saw she’d stopped. It was weird though, stopped in what I knew to be bush land not far from where she lived. “Something is not right, Dad. Look.” I showed him where the tracker had stopped.
“Maybe she dropped the phone?”
“But why would she be there anyway, even if she did drop it.” I rubbed the ache that formed in my chest.
“You’re right, Stephan. Let’s go.”
Dad, Derick, my mother, and I ran to the garage. “Mum, stay here. I need you here in case she shows up. I may need you to call your friends too.” Mum nodded and I hugged her as Dad grabbed the keys to the Range Rover.
We all got in and Dad opened the garage door and started speeding down the driveway toward the location on my phone. “Call Brand and make sure he’s ready. We don’t know what we’re going into.”
Driving to Jade’s usually took me twenty minutes, Dad made it there in under fifteen. I jumped out of the car even and ran toward the beeping only to be held back by Brand and David.
“We go first. Stay close behind.” Five men surrounded us as we walked into the bush. We were quiet, we’d been trained well.
As we got close to the location flashing on my phone, I heard a voice. “You can’t hide, brat. I know you can’t have gotten far. Come to me now and the punishment will end quickly.”
My skin chilled and I prayed we got to Jade before the other person did. I clenched my first and swore whoever it was would pay if he’d laid even a finger on my little bit.
I saw her before the others. She lay sprawled out on the ground. I broke from the circle around me, not caring about anything besides getting to Jade. I crouched next to her as the late afternoon sun was almost hidden from the trees. She didn’t move and my heart was beating a million miles an hour almost stopped. She was covered in black and purple bruises, one eye was swollen over and the other not in much better shape. Her lips were swollen and cut.
I didn’t want to touch her worried I’d hurt her more. I didn’t even know if there was anywhere not bruised or battered, from what I could see nowhere looked pain free. “Little bit, I’m here. You’re safe. Wake up. Show me those chocolate beauties.” She didn’t answer and I looked up at my dad and the guards. “Dad?”
Dad knelt beside me. “We’ve called the ambulance. They’ll be here soon. You need to move, son, so I can check her pulse.”
I nodded numbly as my dad reached over and gently placed his fingers underneath her neck. “She’s alive, Stephan.”
I blinked. It hadn’t even crossed my mind she could be dead. I just knew she was hurt. Looking around now, I noticed Derick and three of the guards were gone.
“Brand and Royce went to see who was calling to her, and your bother and Owen went to flag down the police and ambulance.”
I couldn’t talk. I nodded and gazed down at my bruised and broken woman. Rage like nothing I’d ever felt before spread through me. I stood, and then stomped off in the directed we’d heard the voice. I knew Jade was safe with my dad but the dickhead who hurt her was fucking dead. I cleared the trees to see the pub and noticed Royce and Brand holding an old fat man who was trying to fight them.
Going to them, I let all my rage out. “Let him go. I want to beat him while he attempts to fight back.” Brand let go and stepped away but Royce studied me for a moment before he nodded to me and let go of the arsehole. I got right up in the bastard’s face. “You like hitting people who can’t defend themselves. They are half your goddamned size? Let’s see how well you fight with someone who can hit back and harder.” I punched him in the face dodging his fist. I repeated my action again aiming for his other eye. I smiled when I heard the crunch of his nose breaking. I kept hitting and punching until Brand pulled me off.
“You need to go. I can hear the sirens.”
I felt a lot calmer now as I stared at the beaten man. “How you gonna explain that?”
Brand shrugged then punched the concrete wall of the pub. “There we go. I defended myself and he fell a lot.”
Royce chuckled and I looked over to see him giving a filthy look to the scum doubled over. Royce glanced up at me. “Go, kid. We’ve got you covered. Your girl needs you.”
I ran back to where my dad and Jade. He was on the phone still sitting next to Jade. I plonked down on the other side of her. She groaned and I leaned forward. “Wanker, you’re here. I met your dad.”
My girl was okay if she was calling me names. “I’m here, little bit. I’ll never leave you.”
“I hurt,” she rasped out.
I swallowed the lump clogging my throat. “I know. I’m sorry.”
She didn’t answer and her eyes closed again.
“Stephan, you need to keep her awake. Don’t let her sleep. The ambulance is here now. I was told not to let her sleep.”
Crap, I didn’t know what to do to keep her awake without hurting her further. Leaning down, I gently brushed her hair away from her face. “Jade, you need to stay awake.”
“Mmm,” she groaned.
I needed her to stay awake. “I put the tracker on your phone and linked it to mine. It’s how I knew where to find you.”
“Hate you.”
I smiled and thanked God I knew how to press her buttons. “I bet you don’t. I bet you love me.”
“Err, dream on.” Her voice was getting fainter but she was still fighting with me.
I stroked her cheek and glanced at my dad who was still talking on his phone. “I do. They are all filled with you.”
A wretched sob escaped and tears slid down her cheeks. My heart crumbled at the sight. I’d never felt so useless. I sighed when I saw Derick and Owen guiding the paramedics to us.
The paramedic took in the situation and went to Jade. They went to work asking her questions trying to keep her awake. When she stopped they turned to my father who was still on the phone. Dad pointed to me and the paramedic turned back to me.
“Can you tell me about her? We need to get her out of here fast so walk with me.” Two paramedics lifted her onto a stretcher and I chased after them scared when she didn’t wake while they were moving her. “I got out of her that she is Jade Black, seventeen, and not allergic to anything that she knows of. I need to know if she has had anything broken before, and everything you can tell me that might help her.”
I was glad for the report I’d gotten on her and told them everything I knew. The police were near the road and I could see them talking to Royce and Brand, but I didn’t see the bastard. I got in the ambulance still talking. I wouldn’t leave her, they would have to pry me from her side.
*****
I knew why my dad had been on the phone. As soon as we’d arrived at the hospital a group of doctors took over. A nurse came over to me and dragged me from Jade. “She is in the best hands. I have no idea who she is but she must be important. They are our senior doctors and I’m told we have a doctor flying in from Sydney and arriving any minute.”
I owed my dad big time. He must have pulled favors and pushed his weight around. I paced the waiting room eager to hear any information on Jade. It was my mother’s arms coming around me that had me stopping. “Your father and I just became temporary guardians.”
Love spread through me as I looked down at my mum. My parents were awesome, repeating again that I owed my dad big time. I knew then for sure who the bastard was I beat. “It was her granddad, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. He is in custody and it doesn’t look like he’ll be released. The police searched his place. They got a tip and someone came forward claiming something. The police are now searching his property. They found a couple of judges happy to help them.”
“Thanks. I’m lucky to have you.”
My mum stretched up on tiptoes and brushed my hair out of my eyes. “I didn’t do anything, baby. It was all your father.”
I knew she was lying. The judges where Mum’s friends.
I don’t know how long I waited, but minutes passed by like hours. Derick and my dad soon joined my mother and me, and David and Owen were hovering around.
“How are Brand and Royce? They aren’t in trouble?” I didn’t want them arrested for what I did to Jade’s grandfather.
Owen smirked. “Nah, you didn’t get them into anything they can’t handle. I heard from Royce about ten minutes ago and he said the police seem preoccupied with what they’re finding at the pub, and the arresting officer saw how clumsy her grandfather was tripping and falling everywhere.”
I nodded and clenched my fist feeling my skin stretch over my cuts. I didn’t realize I’d hurt my hand when I was beating the arsehole.
Finally a doctor a friend of my parents, Steve Deed, came over and spoke to dad. “Jade’s in recovery. She had a stomach bleed, which we stopped and will monitor. Her appendix was damaged and we removed it. Her left arm is broken in two places and her right is sprained. Her jaw was dislocated and we have fixed it. She has stitches placed on the back of both her legs, but what we are most concerned about is her concussion. We can see from her scans she has been hit on the head several times. The records sent over show that she’s had several broken bones. I’ve spoken to DoCS and been told she was removed from two situations. I will be sending my assessment to them and the police.” The doctor’s eyes softened. “Lucas, Evelin, if you need anything to help keep the girl safe, don’t hesitate to ask. Poor girl needs a break.”
My dad shook Steve’s hand. “Thanks for coming, Steve. I hope your report and recommendations help.”
“That’s okay, Lucas. I’m glad I came and could help. I’m staying until she’s awake and out of the woods.”
Before Steve left, I asked, “When can I see her?”
“I’ll send a nurse to get you when she’s ready.” I nodded to Steve and watched him walk away.
I turned to my family, my mum had tears running down her cheeks and Derick looked dazed. Dad looked how I felt, furious. “I should have killed him. I should have moved her in as soon as I knew who she was to me.”
Mum hugged me. “This isn’t your fault, son.”
“Never again. I will listen to my instinct. Never again will I hesitate. Never again.”