Chapter 7
D ictionary says: Friends with benefits relationships is a term commonly used to reference a relationship that is sexual without being romantic. Typically, these relationships can be between people that consider themselves platonic and friends.
But Jax and I weren’t friends, we barely knew each other. We were married, but only on paper. Two strangers stuck together by default, just because our marriage was beneficial to someone else, someone outside of our legal bonds, which left me wondering, what were we?
Jackal O’Hara was a complicated man. In the daylight he would act aloof, cold and indifferent. I remembered his face, strikingly handsome and carved to the perfection and yet stiff and emotionless when my father announced our engagement. But unlike my father, he wasn’t cruel and unkind, just simply distant, allowing me much free time and privacy.
However after our little marathon it seemed he couldn’t get enough of me, especially naked. I’d be undressed within minutes of his arrival as he dove to explore every inch of my body with his tongue, like he was imprinting me to his memory. I did my best to return the favor, but Jax’s tattoos remained a mystery to me since he stayed mostly clothed during sex.
Being married didn’t turn out to be as bad either as I had initially feared. I suppose I got a taste of marital bliss since we got to spend more time together. We went on the dates I owed Jax, they were many, like concerts, shows and dinners. We even got into the habit of watching at least one movie every week after I found out Jax had never watched The Godfather.
Those moments alone with Jax had become my favorite part of the day. He managed to convince me to lower my guard and allow myself to feel safe, comfortable and truly adored by the man in my life. The only marks I obtained were the ones he made with his mouth, including a few handprints on my ass.
I knew my old scars would never fade properly, but Jax kissed and caressed each one like they were the most beautiful part of me. He never made me feel like I wasn’t wanted or ugly nor made me believe he didn’t care. He did care, in his own way and I had begun to see that.
The house arrest hadn’t been for a punishment but for my safety. Apparently someone had leaked information about Jax and his new bride and that had caused a rise of new threats to the O’Hara’s. His businesses were the first ones to get hit, which is why he spent a lot of time overseas mending the damages.
Next were his business partners, and when that didn’t work they had threatened my life. Jax, looking ahead, made sure I wouldn’t leave the security of his house and expose myself to an attack. And once that threat had been neutralized, he felt more comfortable letting me see the sun again.
Coming to the realization that everything Jax had done was executed with finesse and meticulous thought out intentions, made me swoon. No wonder he was nicknamed ‘The Devil’. It seemed there was nothing, and I mean nothing, Jackal O’Hara couldn’t do. I admired his ambition and dedication, and for the first time I wasn’t afraid, I was happy.
“What are you thinking we should watch tonight?” I asked Jax while piling some pillows on the couch. Rolling up the sleeves, he leaned on the back of the couch, letting me admire his ink.
“You know well enough I don’t know any movies. ”
“I still like to ask for your opinion. You want comedy, thriller, sci-fi?”
“Whatever you pick is fine.”
“But I want you to enjoy it too.”
“I enjoy watching you watching the movies.” He leaned over and placed a kiss on my forehead. When he pulled back, his eyes held a strange softness one could mistake for a smile. “You aren’t afraid of any gore or violence, but your whole body flinches from a jumpscare. You crunch up your nose at romantic scenes but huddle up closer during the steamy ones. But probably the best part is when you laugh so hard while holding your stomach it makes you snort.”
“I don’t snort.”
“Oh yeah, you do snort. Like a little piggy.” That deserved a smack on his chest which I delivered.
“Take that back.”
“Hah. No.”
“You’re mean.”
“I know. Now hurry up and pick the move while I get some snacks for my little piggy.”
I threw a well aimed pillow at his disappearing back but he managed to grab it mid air and throw it back at me. It hit me right in the face and I ended up on the floor with a thud. Scattering back to my feet, I finished building the nest, grabbed the remote and scrolled down to the horror section.
After a while Jax came back, all playfulness gone from his face as he tapped wildly on his phone. He hurried past the living room and towards the hidden cupboard which held his guns and other equipment. Jumping over the couch, I skidded across the floor to his side.
“What’s wrong?”
Jax held the phone to his ear and looked at me while he waited for the call to pick up.
“It’s my father. He’s in trouble. I just got the message.”
Knowing his intentions, I immediately grabbed his leather straps and holster, and proceeded to help him buckle it in. Next I unrolled his sleeves, buttoned up the cufflinks and checked the clips for the guns before handing them to him. He finished the call to his men and as he pocketed the phone, his lips were on mine. It was deep and rushed, but held so many emotions and unspoken words all at once.
“Petras will stay with you. Don’t leave the house.”
“Take care of yourself. Come back to me.” I kissed him again as he stepped into the elevator.
We both knew it could be our last. We both knew the risks as we said our goodbyes. A pit fell into my stomach. The doors closed on the man I was not ready to lose but I refused to cry, blinking the tears away. His last word echoed in my head, just like many times before, when he vowed to return. “Always . ”
I paced in the living room fidgeting with my wedding ring, unable to focus on the movie blaring in the background, as my thoughts remained on Jax and his mission. It was not uncommon he had to fly out the door at a moment's notice to take care of his business. So why am I feeling so anxious?
Petras stationed himself by the front hall and I did my best trying to relax and ignore the bad feeling I had dwelling in my stomach.
When the end credits rolled over the screen, I couldn’t remember anything I had just watched. Frustrated, I turned the tv off and cleared the nest. The house had fallen silent. The only noise came from the candy wrappers I bunched up in my fist to throw away. Crossing the hallway, I saw no sign of Petras anywhere.
Maybe I was paranoid, maybe it was the prickle in my gut or maybe it was the effects of the movie playing tricks on me, but I had an unnerving feeling in the back of my head I couldn't shake. I stepped further into the hallway trying to peer around the corner to see if he perhaps had gone into the kitchen for some reason.
The lights were off and everything seemed normal. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out to me. The counters were spotless and all the dishes had been put away after we finished our dinner. Even the coffee maker was set on a timer for tomorrow morning since the staff had a day off.
I turned, thinking I’d go upstairs to my room, but that’s when I heard the safety of a gun being clicked off. Ducking to the hallway, a bang rang in my ears and a statue across the hall from me crumbled to the ground. Not looking back, I hurried to my feet. As I ran to the stairs, I dodged another bullet flying my way.
“Petras?! Where are you?” Flying up the stairs, I glanced back down to see many masked intruders rushing after me. Fuck. Not good. I counted at least six heads coming my way as I skipped the last flight of stairs to the top floor. “Petras! Help!”
Getting no response meant he was either dead or too far to hear me. My guess was on the first one. To my knowledge, I was on my own. Fear fueling my stride I ran to the end of the hallway and slammed the door shut. Jax’s bedroom had a sturdy lock but I pushed a dresser in front of the door just in case they managed to break in. In that case I would have to defend myself.
Knowing Jax had a gun hidden in his nightstand, I rushed to grab it. It was a fine silver piece with carved details on the handle. I counted the rounds and cocked it just when I heard the first thump against the door.
The walls echoed with each forceful attempt at the door. They took a few shots but didn’t even make a dent in it. For a second I felt the slightest glee at my husband for thinking ahead by reinforcing the doors.
The shouts that carried through the walls were muffled but I could guess they were making threats to my life. I was on borrowed time. It wouldn’t take them long to figure a way to either break the door, which meant I would be cornered and outnumbered. I had to think fast.
First I needed to get my phone. I had left it in my room on a charger and getting it meant I could call for backup. Tying my hair out of my face, I did a quick scan around the room forming the plan. Initially I thought I’d somehow spiderman my way on the outer wall to my bedroom, but when inspecting the glass, I spotted a vent in the corner. A much less daredevil kind of option.
The banging at the door hadn’t stopped and the yelling only seemed to increase in volume as the minutes ticked by. I removed my belt and used the buckle to unscrew the grate. The opening was small but with hope I’d be able to squeeze in by contorting my body. After the first failed attempt, I quickly stripped off a few layers of clothing to make myself as narrow as possible to then try again. I was left in nothing but a bra, a thin top and boyshorts.
This time I managed to slide into the vent more easily. It was dark and dusty but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. My bedroom was not too far from his. I began to crawl, slowly inching my way towards the light and prayed there would not be any roaches on the way.
The sounds of the intruders faded but I could still hear them rummaging around the house. Things were being bashed, furniture turned over and glass was smashed for no reason but to intimidate me. I could only imagine all the destruction Jax would return home to. His beautiful pristine home, completely eviscerated and his wife probably dead, if I didn’t find a way to escape or defeat the invaders.
The dust creeped up my nose and I had to suppress a sneeze and avoid alerting the crooks to my location. I didn’t want them to know I had managed to leave the room they were so desperate to get into. I held my breath passing other vent openings, dragging my body deeper into the tunnel and finally saw the metal grate leading into my room.
It was screwed shut just like the one I had gotten in from. Shit. My fingers could barely fit through the iron bars and there was no way I could unscrew it from this side. Thinking, I would have to break it open and risk causing some noise, scared me. But I had to try.
It didn’t take long till another bang rattled through the house. I timed hitting the grate to the same rhythm as the intruders were still banging at Jax’s bedroom door. Again and again I put my fist and palm against the metal, hissing through the pain from each blow. The hinge cracked and bent, allowing me to push the grate aside and pull myself out of the vent.
I rushed to my phone, quickly dialed and held it to my ear, tiptoeing to the bathroom looking for bandages. Nothing but the empty tone sounded back at me. No answer. Double shit. I tried Jax’s number a few more times with no results. Calling the police was not an option. I can’t risk revealing Jax’s private residence to the force. Bet they would have a field day going through this place . I was no rat. Not even when my life depended on it. This much I knew growing up as the daughter of bratva.
I put the phone next to the gun on the floor and wrapped my knuckles quickly and quietly, while listening to the commotion happening just on the other side of the wall. Okay, new plan. Think, Katy, think. I bit my lip and stilled my breath, willing my racing heart to calm down. Now was not the time to panic. If I could not get help to come to me I would have to go to them. I would have to find my way to Jax, wherever he was. Forgive me. I have to leave the penthouse.
Phone and gun in hand, I tiptoed to the door. I was not going to crawl my way through the entire house. But I was not going to walk in front of the swarming enemies either. One thing about the house was that it was always spotless. Louisa was very matriculate about keeping the mess out of sight, hence there was a utility closet on every floor and a laundry chute leading to the laundry room on the bottom. Laundry room was next to the kitchen, and my way out.
Cracking the door open I peeked out and saw the mob still hammering at the door. They had picked up a table using it like a ram but making little progress breaking down the door. Good luck , I thought sarcastically, as I slipped out to the hallway and quickly snuck my way towards the closet.
It was no bigger than a powder room but held all the essentials for a spotless house. Rows and rows of bottles filled with different cleaning liquids sat neatly on the shelves, a pair of gloves hung on a hook and a cluster of mops lay resting against the wall. I whipped open the hatch to peer down to the seemingly endless pit. This was not going to be easy.
Shoving the phone and the gun under my waistband, I threw my legs over the edge and wedged my body between the narrow walls. Another tight journey, only this time it was vertical. One wrong move and I would plunge to a certain death. Not terrifying in the least.
I swiped the sweat from my hands and began the dangerous climb down the chute. The walls were smooth and made gripping on to them almost impossible. I had to keep my body constantly pressed against opposing walls to remain suspended in the limited space.
The air quality in the chute wasn’t the best either. After what felt like an hour inching my way down in the tube I was panting and sweating profusely. It became increasingly more laboursome to hold my body weight with just the tension of my arms and legs. I should have spent more time in the home gym. I cursed at myself, silently vowing to do more training if I survived tonight. That’s if I survive. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Katy .
Soap fragrant air was my first fresh lungfull I took as I made the last jump into the basket below the chute. My ankles were throbbing and every muscle in my body was filled with acid but at least I was alive, for now. I stilled and listened to the sounds of the house. Nothing new but the steady thumping and shouting coming from above. Fuck these assholes.
Deeming the kitchen empty from the intruders, I stepped out of the laundry room only to trip on something laying across the floor. I planted face first on the ground, almost breaking my nose. I bit my tongue so as not to scream but it hurt like a motherfuck. Rolling around I saw a body, bloodied and tied up, tucked behind the counter.
“Holy fucking shit. Petras?” I whispered, testing for pulse. Alive. Good. I spent a good minute shaking him awake and listening to the sounds coming from upstairs. His eyes fluttered open and I moved a finger to my lips, I motioned him to roll over so I could untie him. “What the fuck happened?”
“I got knocked out. I don’t know who or how they got into the house.”
“We’ve got to get out of here. Can you drive?”
“Yes, mam.”
I glanced around to make sure it was safe to stand before getting off the floor. The sounds from upstairs had gone quiet. “Okay, we’ve got to hurry.”
“On a second though, I think you should drive.”
“What-” I looked down and saw that his entire white shirt was drenched in blood. He doubled down and pressed a hand to his side. ‘ Mother fuckers’ was the only thing I could make out from his muffled grunts. Thinking on my feet, I grabbed a tea towel off the hook and pressed it against his wound. It was a miracle he hadn’t already bled to death. “Easy there. I’ve got you. Lean on me.”
His steps staggered, but with one arm over my shoulder and my arm going around his waist, I was able to hold his bodyweight and lead us towards the door. He was heavy but I wasn’t about to leave him behind. One foot in front of the other, I practically carried him to the elevator.
“Hey! Over there!” I heard a second before the guns began to sing.
The elevator dinged, I pushed Petras into the cabin and pulled out the gun to return fire. Bullets went off flying, hitting the walls, the metal around the elevator and a few of them even made it into the cabin. Hunching behind the narrow side panel for cover, I blindly aimed at the other shooters.
“She’s escaping. Get her!”
I smashed the button for the garage and held them off till it finally closed. The pit in my stomach flipped as the elevator jumped into motion, descending rapidly. 89... 88... 87... Petras was groaning on the ground, bleeding through the towel. 62… 61… 60… My heart was pounding in my head and I was sure I had a few too many close calls from that fight. 37… 36… 35… The floors ticked down as I checked the clip. It was not enough for another fight.
“Keys?”
“P-pocket.” Crouching next to him I rummaged around his jacket till I found the small black puck with a car logo on it. 14… 13… 12… I checked the wound under the towel. It didn’t look good. Putting pressure on it I attempted to get him up but it proved to be more difficult than before. “L-leave me. Just g-go.”
“I’m not fucking leaving you here to die.”
The door dinged again and the freezing air from the garage flooded the cabin. My nipples hardened in an instant and my skin was crawling with goose bumps. Not wasting any time I began dragging him out of the elevator. With the puck still in my hand, I pressed the ‘unlock’ button and a vehicle on the other end of the garage not too far from the exit blinked.
“Just hang in there. Almost there.”
Somehow I endured the coldness nipping at my bare skin as I dragged Petras through the entire parking garage to the car. Heaving, I pulled his body up and pushed him to the back seat. His agonizing cries let me know he was still alive, barely. The guy was a champ. I slammed the door shut just as I heard approaching footsteps coming from the fire escape stairwell.
I ducked behind cover in time for the first bullets to fly over my head and into the adjacent vehicles, popping their tires and windows. Jumping to the driver's side, I shoved the key into the ignition and made the car roar to life. I quickly pulled the car out of the square and pressed my foot on the pedal, skidding the tires on the asphalt while bullets chased after our dust.
I did a momentary victory dance in my head while keeping my eyes on the road. Dialing Jax’s number again, I hoped he would answer this time. Traffic was light which, lucky for me, made it easy to maneuver between the other cars. Ignoring all the red lights, I zoomed past so many crossings I was surprised I hadn’t crashed into anything yet. C’mon, pick up.
Even though the roads were mostly clear of snow, the ice caused the car to drift every time I made a turn. My heart rate was through the roof, holding a death grip on the steering wheel while driving to another dreadful corner. Shooting a glance at the rear view mirror, all I saw was black vehicles racing towards us. Shit, shit, shit. I shifted the car into a higher gear and pressed on the pedal even harder.
Petras kept wheezing, probably bleeding all over the black leather seat. A loud bang rang in my ears as the back window collapsed and the cold air rushed into the vehicle. Bullets rained on us despite my best efforts to sway on the road trying to dodge them. A litany of curse words in my native tongue left my lips as I turned around to return fire. I shot over my shoulder, tagged one of their tires and kept shooting till the clip was empty .
As expected, the gunshots and the reckless driving quickly attracted the attention of the law enforcement. The sirens blare echoed throughout the city.
Pick up your stupid phone. Please.
Red and blue flashed before my eyes, forcing me to make a U-turn. The car spinned on its axis a couple of times, burning a ring at the crossing. Police vehicles to my left and black suv’s to my right, I pulled the car in reverse, revved the engine and hurled down a free street, leaving them in dust.
Clutching the gears, I pushed the car to its limit, driving with no end in sight. Another red light. I almost hit a car, barely missing the front bumper by swaying to the right and crashing into the back of another one instead. The metal groaned, leaving behind a long tiger stripe of absent paint on both of our vehicles as I rushed to get out of the scene. Sorry. I didn’t even have time to look back if they were okay.
I kept calling Jax. No answer. I dialed again, and again and again. Nothing. The dial tone was the only thing I got back from the desperate calling. Hopeless. The situation was hopeless, and I feared it would end only one way.
“Jesus fucking christ answer the fucking phone. I need you!”