31. Jackson
31
JACKSON
I continue to stare at the text message on my phone long after it’s been received. Every time I read it, all I can think about is the imminent danger Kelley is in.
But she fucked up. She did this. Not me. I gave her every chance. I trusted her. If Benny wants her to attend a meeting at the club, then she’ll have to go. I have no say.
Part of me regrets ever having told the head of the underground racing club that Kelley was a reporter and that I had her under my wing. This was where things went horribly wrong. I might have been able to protect her if I kept my mouth shut.
But at the time, she meant nothing to me. I’m not sure she means anything to me now. Considering the betrayal. It hurts.
I harden myself against those doe eyes of hers and head to her room.
She's huddled in a corner when I burst in, fear etched into her chocolate features. Her brown eyes are wide and glistening with unshed tears, framed by curtains of long chestnut hair that falls over her shoulders. Her lips tremble, forming the words she can't seem to voice.
"Jackson," she whispers eventually, her gaze darting towards the door then back to me. "Please."
But I don't have time for this. Benny's orders are as clear as polished glass; her presence is required at the underground racing arena. To defy those orders would mean signing my own death warrant.
Despite the turmoil tearing me apart inside, I stride towards her and grab her by the arm, pulling her up off the floor. She flinches but doesn't resist, not even when I maneuver her towards the door and push her into the dimly lit corridor outside.
I feel the piercing pain of regret twist further into my gut as we make our way to the car parked outside the motel. The night is unusually cold, a chilling wind causing me to tighten my grip around Kelley's hysterical form. She sobs quietly now, begging me with every breath to let her go.
But there's no going back now.
The engine roars to life as I start up the car, a grim reminder of what awaits us at our destination. Between us, only silence stretches out like an open wound. I am forced to swallow my sympathy; for tonight, there was no room for emotions - not if we hoped to survive this ordeal.
As we begin our dreaded journey towards Benny's domain - a place where no mercy is shown nor expected - I convince myself that it's just another job.
Yet, deep inside, somewhere under layers of hardened resentment and betrayal, a raw nerve twitches with guilt – a harsh reminder that I was the one who put Kelley in this position to begin with. As the neon lights of the city streak past in a dizzying flute of colors, I steel myself for what's to come.
Pleading or not, Kelley is going to face the music. She may not have meant anything to me once, but as the cityscape blurred into the wild darkness of the racing grounds, I can't shake off the growing unease that maybe... just maybe... her life matters more than I care to admit.
A half-hour of grim silence later, the ominous silhouette of Benny's mansion looms into view. Hulking and monstrous, it sprawls across acres of prime land like a malignant tumor.
Its countless windows glitter with an eerie light, casting long, grotesque shadows over the manicured lawns and finely sculpted hedges. The malice practically radiates from it, a sickening aura that seems to warp the very air around us.
We pull into the gravel driveway, its crunching echo reverberating through the night like a death knell. Kelley whimpers beside me, a pitiful sound that scratches at my conscience like a clawing beast. Her hands tremble in her lap as she wrings them together nervously.
Suddenly, she turns to me, her eyes wide and anxious, gleaming with unshed tears in the dim lighting.
"Jackson," she pleaded, her voice desperate and raw. "You have to believe me. I didn't betray you.”
Tears pool in her eyes, reflecting the malignant glow of Benny's domain. Each syllable she speaks is laced with dread, her words tumbling over each other in panic.
"Please..." she gasps, her fingers frantically clutching at my arm like a lifeline.
I force my gaze onto her, studying the desperation painted across her face. There's fear in her eyes; raw and unfiltered fear for what awaited her inside. She swallows hard, her bottom lip trembling with every breath she takes. She whispers again, her voice barely audible above the car engine's brutal purr.
"I didn't betray you.”
It’s as if her words solidify into a plea, echoing in the hollow space between us. The car's engine continues its cold mechanical growl, undeterred by the tense atmosphere of our last moments together. I stare at her, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a drummer gone mad.
A wash of emotions flood my senses; anger, distrust, confusion. It feels as though an invisible hand grips my throat, strangling the words I long to say.
"Kelley," My voice emerges from deep within me, sounding broken and raw. I reach for her trembling hands, resting them within mine in a gesture of comfort or surrender, I can't tell which. Her fingers are cold and clammy against my own, but I don't pull away.
The mansion looms ominously ahead of us. Its towering silhouette stands stark against the night's abyss, with arrays of lights illuminating its grotesque grandeur. The large iron gate creaks open for our arrival, the monstrous gargoyles on either side leering with silent menace that matches Benny's own.
I glance at Kelley one more time before pushing open the car door. Her eyes are shimmering with fear. Sobs hitch in her throat but she swallows them down bravely as she steps out of the vehicle.
The gravel beneath our feet crunches ominously as we make our way towards the mansion - a symphony of noise mirroring our dread-filled silence. Each footfall feels like a step towards an irreversible endgame. She falters next to me, her breath hitching audibly in the chilling night air.
The massive doors swing open revealing a lavishly decorated hall filled with Benny's twisted artifacts of power and cruelty. Kelley gasps beside me as we step inside, her eyes darting around the opulent monstrosity.
And then I do it. I push her forward, towards Benny waiting at the far end of the room. She stumbles, falling at Benny's feet who watches everything with quiet amusement.
Her scream rips through the silence as I turn away, each plea for me not to leave her etching itself into the very bones of my being. I don't look back. My heart roars in protest but I ignore it.
"I didn't betray you!"
Her words echo in my head, but the doors close behind me and all is silent again, save for the damning sound of my own heartbeat.
Outside, the moon hangs heavily in an ink-black sky, like a silver talisman warding off unseen evils. I feel its muted light seeping into my soul, a cold reminder of what I've just done.
Each step away from the mansion, away from Kelley, is like walking against a tide of remorse that's threatening to pull me under. But I march on, driven by an inexplicable force.
Suddenly, her scream pierces the stillness once again, this time louder, more desperate - a tortured symphony that echoes through the emptiness surrounding the mansion. The sound ricochets within my eardrums, hot and sharp as a branding iron.
My heart thumps like a frantic drum in my chest, pounding out a rhythm of guilt and regret. For a moment, I stop, paralyzed by an overwhelming surge of guilt.
I didn't betray you.
Her words flash through my mind again. What if she’s telling the truth?
Steeling myself against the mounting dread within me—I decide. I won't leave Kelley to Benny's dubious mercy. I can't.
With newfound determination fuelling my every step, I turn back toward the mansion. Pushing open the mammoth doors with newfound resolve, I re-enter Benny's den of terrors, where Kelley awaits her fate alone.