Chapter 46
Jamie
It’s Sunday, which means it’s my weekly fun day with Raj to spend our money on junk, then complain about having no money while we slurp ridiculously expensive banana milkshakes.
On the way back, I get a text from Arnie, and I know as soon as I read it telling me to stay away from the house that Jed has finally made his appearance.
“Raj, can I tell you something?” I hadn’t intended to tell him anything; I just wanted this day of fun before my future unfolded before me.
“Of course, you can tell me anything, Jamie. Didn’t I tell you like a bazillion times I was your new bestie today?”
Unsure of how Freddie will take that news, I briefly have an image of them fighting in Jello over me, and I roll my eyes at my brain’s complete inappropriateness given the situation. Raj is just so likeable, and I hope he still wants to be my (second) bestie when I tell him about Jed.
“So, it’s a long story, but the gist of it is that I need to get back to my house. My stepdad is on the run from the police and has been trying to find me. I think he’s appeared, and I can’t leave Arnie to deal with it himself,” I say in one long drawn out breath.
Raj watches me for a moment, then nods.
“Right, let’s get to the car. I’ll drive there as fast as I can, and we can kick his ass if he’s causing bother. You get the police on the phone while I’m driving. My cousin is an officer, so if you get into any bother, tell them to get there fast. Tell them Raj says, Get fucking moving!”
I blink back shock and amusement at Raj’s brazen plan and can’t help but admire his bold commitment to helping me when he barely knows me.
“Don’t get that look, Jamie. Take the help. I’m your friend; I want to help. Now get in the car. We’ve got your stepdad to deal with.”
With that, I run after him to the car park, dialling the police on my way and hoping Arnie isn’t in any trouble.
Knowing Jed, he probably has a weapon.
***
Arnie
“Time to sort this shit out once and for all,” I state, knowing, regardless of what happens next, Simmons will have my back.
About an hour after Jamie left, waving from Raj’s car, there was a call to my cell from an unknown number.
When I answered, there was nothing but heavy breaths for a moment, then an ugly, crackling voice telling me I was a dead man walking and whoever it was, he was coming for Jamie.
Christian had gone to work at a local cafe.
The coincidence of them both being gone had me wondering if it was Jed’s plan all along to hurt me to get to him.
Simmons had been over, helping me out with my new job’s paperwork as I was finishing up my last few weeks at the university. Thankful that he was here with me when the call ended and heavy banging started on the front door.
With a plan of action ready, Simmons runs out the back door as I quickly send off a text to Jamie telling him to stay away from the house until I tell him it’s safe. I then stalk to the front, swinging it open just in time to see Jed attempting to smash his bat into the door window.
“Oh no, you don’t, you fuck,” I shout, shoving him back as Simmons runs behind him. He grabs him by the waist and pulls him up as I grab the bat from him, throwing it inside behind me. A loud thud echoes as it rolls down the hallway.
“Get off me, you FAGGOT!” he screams, spitting at me as he thrashes in Simmons’ hold. But Simmons is huge; this homophobic asshole isn’t going anywhere.
My fists balled tight, I lose that last bit of control, ramming one of them into his gut. He grunts in response to the blow, but it shuts him up for now.
“I don’t take kindly to homophobic abusers like yourself, Jed. I won’t allow you in my home if you carry on trying to fight. I’ll hogtie you outside and leave my neighbours to watch you until the police get here,” I spit at him, my eyes scorching with venom and hate.
This dumb fuck has messed with the wrong guys if he thinks I’m giving up the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Jamie deserves nothing but love, not a life with an abuser. He has a world of community to help him sort out this piece of shit, and I’ll be damned if my boy ever has to do it alone.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Jed shouts through hard breaths. I give him another blow to the gut, and he folds into Simmons’ arms in agony. I would not go easy on him; I want him bruised so he remembers who finally stopped him.
We drag him inside to the living room. I run to the laundry room where I keep the spare rope while Simmons restrains and keeps Jed in check. Five minutes later, and he’s hogtied with nowhere to go.
“I just want my boy back. He’s unwell, you see. Not right in the head. I just want to take him back to his mother. She’s worried he’ll hurt himself. He ran off and left us worried sick; it’s taken years to find him,” he says, lying through his teeth, crocodile tears in his eyes.
“Not right in the head? You ABUSED ME!”
We all look up to see Jamie standing holding the discarded baseball bat, his face scorched with anger, his cheeks wet with Raj behind him.
“No, Jamie. You’re unwell, remember? I tried to help you, but you had those… disgusting tendencies. Your mom and I, we tried to help set you straight,” Jed stutters pathetically.
If I had any doubt that the man Jamie has become would have crumbled to the blatant gaslighting coming from Jed’s mouth, then I’d be wrong. Jamie looks fierce, dominating and headstrong as he looks directly into Jed’s eyes as he speaks to the trauma that nearly took him from the world. From me.
“I hate you. I hope you fucking rot where you’re going, you sack of shit. For what you did to me, that poor boy, and any others out there that you got your filthy hands on.” Jamie drops the baseball bat, clearly realising that the man tied before him is no longer a threat.
I’ll do whatever it takes, Jamie. Let me lick your wounds and tend to your agony so sweetly, so that you never have to return to the dark.
Jed doesn’t have time to offer some flimsy excuse for his criminal behaviour though, as sirens pull our attention to the front window where officers are raging up the steps to meet us.
A blonde officer begins to say, “We received a phone call from a Jamie — “ but the unusual scene in front of him interrupts whatever he was saying. More officers come in, and the next hour is a blur as we all give statements and see Jed taken away in cuffs.
When the last of the officer’s leave, letting us know that they’ll be in touch soon, Simmons leaves with Raj and the weight of what has happened in the last few hours hits me as I pull Jamie into me with the most consuming hug I can summon.
“You were so brave, blondie,” I say as I console him. I rub my hand up his back, my face buried in his curly hair. I kiss his temple over and over as I take comfort in him and he in me.
“Thank you. For everything, Arnie. I would never have found the confidence to have walked into this room with him here, let alone stood my ground to tell him how I felt,” he says through hiccups. His overwhelming emotion shown clearly through the redness of his cheeks and puffy eyes.
I pull back slightly and look down at him. “Jamie, thank you. For being yourself and showing me how strong you truly are. You’re remarkable, do you know that?”
His chin wobbles, but he nods before placing his head on my chest. A deep, contented sigh coming from him.
“Let’s get some dinner. It’s been a long day, and I want to take care of you. C’mon,” I assure him as I sling one arm over his shoulder and guide him to the kitchen.
Our future finally lay ahead of us after Jed’s departure.
My golden prince, my boy, my Jamie. How did I get so lucky?
I couldn’t wait to find out what was ahead for us both, but I knew for certain I was never letting him go.
I’d follow him to the ends of the earth, protecting him, watching him flourish, and above all, loving him like every day might be the last.
THE END