Chapter 33
33
JAYDEN
I can’t stop.
I can’t stop the rage. The anger. The blind wrath. I’m not even sure what I’m mad about anymore, but I can’t stop.
Cole let Jo walk out of here before I was done with her. Instead of chasing her, I lean into Ralph’s face. “Where’s your porn, hmmm? Delete your history? Go onto the dark web?”
Ralph shakes. We’ve been watching the account that I’m having him transfer his Bitcoin into. I made him damn near empty his accounts to make sure we have enough, plus a little extra to set us up for where we’re going. I want a nice little home where I can lock Jo up until her resistance fucking whithers away.
Jesus Christ, it’s taking a while.
“Here, let me check on something.” Cole grabs the computer.
“Where’d Jo go?” I snap.
“She’s cooling down, give her a minute.” Cole taps on the keyboard.
I don’t want to give her a fucking minute. I don’t want to give her anything! I had her where I wanted her. I saw it in her eyes, and Cole ruined it.
I broke her. I fucking broke her.
Cole already gave her a leg up by dismissing her from the room, but I’ll break that down quickly. Once I ensure we have the money to spirit her away, I’ll teach her to obey.
My hands shake with impatience. I whirl on Ralph. “Give me your fucking phone.”
Ralph shakes as he hands it over. Rage courses through my veins. I go through it, trying to find something, anything to settle me. I can’t find any porn searches. I even check Reddit, WhatsApp, and Snapchat. Nothing.
I growl in frustration, then search a folder he has labeled “Extras.” Kik is in there, and I open it with glee.
Oh, this stupid motherfucker.
As I go through the messages, I find nothing but dick pic after dick pic. All adults. With nasty messages back and forth.
Ralph is sitting still, staring straight ahead. I shove the phone in his face. “What the hell is this?”
Ralph takes a second to focus on what I’m showing him and swallows.
“Well?” I grip Ralph's hair and yank his head back.
“That’s…nothing.”
I bark out a laugh. “Really? Cause it looks like a whole lot of dick to me.”
Ralph starts shaking again. “Please…it was a mistake. Just don’t tell Marian.”
I toss the phone down in disgust. Ralph is boring me. Just like Sage bored me. He’s frozen. Not fighting me, not running, just frozen.
I’ve broken him. And all it took was a punch to the face.
It should mean everything, but the victory is empty. Hollow. His submission is not what I want. I want Jo’s. In fact, I need it more than my next breath.
I snap to my feet.
“Please,” Ralph pleads. “She doesn’t know.”
What a puke. I whirl and land a punch on Ralph’s face. “Where is the kiddie porn?”
“What?” Ralph wails. “What are you talking about? If you want it, I don’t have it.”
“I don’t want your fucking filth.” Rage courses through me, and I don’t think before I throw another punch. “Did you touch Sam?”
“Sam?” Ralph screeches.
I go for another hit.
“Wait!” He screams. “I don’t know what you’re talking about! Marian wanted to adopt Sam, and I said go ahead. It…looks good, you know? A happy family. Please, I’m just running a business.”
I stare at him.
Ralph sobs. “Please don’t hurt me.”
“Why were you friends with Pat?”
Ralph sobs harder.
I lean down by his ear and chuckle as he flinches away. “Why?”
“We fucked, okay! We fucked.” Ralph cries fully now.
I freeze. That’s not the answer I expected.
Cole chuckles. “Does that make us Eskimo brothers?”
I snap a nasty glare at Cole, and he throws up his hands. “We’ve got it.” He shows me the computer screen, flipping to my wallet. The Bitcoin is showing live.
I turn on Ralph. A look of relief covers his teary face. “It worked!”
Suddenly, I have no more use for Ralph.
“You’re not going to say anything, are you?” I grab a decorative pillow.
Ralph gives a giddy laugh. “Never! I’d never. This stays between us. Thank you, thank you.”
“You’re right, it does.” I grab Ralph and shove him so his back hits the couch.
“What?” His eyes widen, but not in time.
I drop the pillow over Ralph’s face and put all my weight into it, dropping my knees on Ralph’s chest to push all the air out of him.
Ralph screams and panics, flailing his arms and legs. He gets a good hit in, which only pisses me off further. I lean my entire weight into him.
“Jesus, Jay,” Cole mutters.
“You want to run the risk he runs to the cops?”
“Course not,” Cole scoffs. “But try not to look so crazy, will you? This is just business.”
I snort. Like fuck it’s just business.
But part of me hates myself. I’m reacting. I never react. I think through everything. But I can’t stop. I can’t fucking stop.
Ralph puts up a good fight, but I’m too big. When he stops moving, I continue sitting on him for a while to ensure he never draws another breath.
“Where the hell is Jo?” I snap.
“She’s taking a breather!” Cole snaps right back. “You went too hard on her, Jayden. Even I’m fed up with you.”
“Too hard? I almost had her!” I curl my fingers into the pillow.
“You’ve never been further from having her, Jayden.” Cole’s voice is full of disgust, and he looks down at me. “I don’t know if she’ll forgive you for any of this! I’m starting to not recognize you anymore.” He steps into my face. “And, in fact, you’re starting to act a lot like Pat.”
The words hit me straight in the gut. My world grinds to a halt.
Cole shakes his head and stalks away.
He thinks I’m acting like Pat?
I’m not. I’m not acting like him.
Suddenly, I’m more angry than I’ve been all morning. This anger burns through me with betrayal.
How dare he? How fucking dare he?
I jump off Ralph’s body and stalk after him. “Don’t fucking walk away from me.”
Cole ignores me and slams the bathroom door shut.
I pause, frozen between beating down the door and chasing after Jo.
Frozen.
Again.
Fucking hell! I rip myself away and stalk to the bedroom. I saw Jo grabbing something from here before she left, and I confirm my fears.
She took the keys.
A slow grin curls up my face. Oh, she’ll pay for this.