Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
SIMONE
I watched as the blood drained out of Elias’s face as he listened to the other end of the line. Whatever had happened at the mall, whatever the phone call was about, I got the feeling they were both connected, and none of it was good.
“Yeah, Prez. I’m on my way. I understand.”
He hung up and tucked his phone away, but he didn’t automatically speak to tell me what was happening.
He actually swayed a little, like whatever he was told scared him so much, he couldn’t remain upright.
I put my hands on his chest automatically, supporting him.
His arms came around me and when he dropped his forehead onto my shoulder, I cupped the back of his neck, hugging him as tightly as I could.
“Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.”
His hold tightened a little, but he didn’t answer. Just held me until his hands stopped shaking and he could stand without swaying. When he straightened, he had a grimace on his face. “I hate to ask, you’ve done so much for me already, but–”
“Go. I’ll watch the kids,” I told him without waiting for him to ask. Whatever was happening was obviously important and I didn’t mind sticking around. I’d already planned on spending the evening here anyway.
He didn’t argue this time or try to justify his request. He just nodded, kissed my cheek, and walked out, closing the door and locking it behind him. That was telling in and of itself. I had a lot of questions, and I figured if Elias couldn’t answer them for me, then Jasper could.
Heading up the stairs, I heard drawers opening and closing like Jasper was looking for something.
His door opened roughly when I reached the top of the stairs, but he didn’t look at me, heading for Isla’s room with her on his hip and a duffel bag over one shoulder.
I watched as he set her down gently and then started ripping open drawers in her room too, grabbing handfuls of clothes and stuffing them into the bag.
“Jasper? What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer me, twisting around to the closet to grab more clothes for Isla.
His movements were frantic and caused more clothes to fall onto the floor than in the bag, but it was the terror in his eyes that made me step in.
He was scared. Scared teenagers were impulsive, and from the look of it, he was going to run and take his sister with him if I didn’t intervene.
“Jasper. I need you to stop for a second. Put the shirt down.”
For a moment, it looked like he was going to ignore me, his hands shaking as he grabbed a pack of diapers and tried to stuff them in the duffel.
I didn’t physically stop him, that would only make things worse, but I wasn’t sure he could pull out of the fear spiral on his own.
I put my hand on his, squeezing gently, projecting reassurance without forcing him to put the bag down.
His movements hesitated, which was when I noticed he was breathing heavily, almost like he was close to having a panic attack.
“You’re scared,” I murmured, studying his face. His eyes darted around and his face was pale. Something was very wrong. “You’re allowed to feel like that. But you don’t run with an infant without telling an adult why. Tell me what happened, Jasper, so I can help you.”
His eyes snapped to mine and anger tried to replace the fear. He was fighting to regain control, and lashing out was his go-to when he felt out of control.
“You won’t help me! You’re with him! All you care about is what he wants! I don’t care what he wants! I have to keep Isla safe! I promised!”
I didn’t flinch or waver, keeping my tone low and steady to remind him I wasn’t going to back down when he was like this.
My teacher voice seemed to be the only thing he was willing to listen to right now.
“I understand you want to keep Isla safe. I do too. But I can’t help you do that if I don’t know what you’re afraid of.
What’s going on, Jasper? What happened at the mall? ”
His breathing got sharper and tears welled in his eyes.
To settle him a little, I grabbed Isla from where she’d been playing with the spilled clothes on the floor, handing her to Jasper without a word.
He dropped the duffel and held her tight, backing up until his back was against the wall and he had nowhere else to go.
“Look. She’s safe. She’s here with you and no one is going to hurt her. Tell me what happened.”
Just like I’d hoped, holding Isla went a long way in steadying him. He’d always prioritized her. He might be scared, but he refused to scare her in turn by shouting while holding her. Instead, he hugged her tighter as he finally told me what happened.
“We were approached at the mall. Some bikers from that crew causing trouble kept trying to convince me to go with them. When I refused, they started asking about Isla. Said I couldn’t expect Zero to protect her.
It sounded like a threat.” Setting his jaw stubbornly, he lifted his chin.
“I promised I’d protect her. It’s not safe to stay here. We have to go.”
While I understood his fear and the logic behind his actions, I couldn’t let him think he was making the right choice.
As an adult, I could hear the manipulation in the words.
Bringing up Isla was a tactic. They wanted to lure Jasper out of the house.
Scaring him enough to run would be a simple and easy way to do that.
“Thank you for telling me.”
He blinked, surprised by that response, and seemed unsure how to respond.
Taking a breath, because I knew my energy would only fuel his, I projected firm guidance as I said, “Now listen to me very carefully. You’re too young to understand what’s happening, but right now, you’re doing exactly what those men want you to do.”
His brows snapped together and he shook his head, confused, but before he could argue, I cut him off.
“They want you to run, Jasper. I don’t know why, and I don’t want to even think about what they have planned, but think about it. They were trying to get you to go with them. You refused. What’s the easiest way to get you out of the house if you won’t come willingly?”
He looked away, his frown deepening. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the light dawning while his instincts still screamed at him to take action.
I understood the urge. He was scared. So was I.
If armed men were threatening Jasper and Isla, my first instinct would be to move them too.
I also knew if Elias truly felt there was a threat, he’d move them first, even if it meant giving them up.
They hadn’t reached that point yet, otherwise he’d be doing the exact same thing Jasper was doing now.
I had to believe Elias would do what was right, and the best thing we could do right now was to stay put and wait it out.
“If Elias truly thought it wasn’t safe, he’d move you. You know he would. He rearranged his entire life to take you and Isla in. He would move heaven and earth to protect you two. Think it through, Jasper. Do you really think he’d stay?”
His face twisted and he shook his head slowly. “I don’t– They said–”
“They said exactly what they needed to say to get what they wanted. They want you to run, Jasper. And I won’t let them use you that way.”
He let out a choked sob, staring up at me like I was the only thing standing between him and the people who wanted to hurt his sister.
And I’d gladly stay that way. This poor boy had been through enough in his life.
Losing his parents, upending his life and moving in with a cousin he didn’t even know existed, starting from scratch in a new school, new town, new home.
Adding threats to the one person who mattered the most to him was not only unfair, it was cruel.
“I can’t just do nothing,” he croaked, his words tight with emotions he was just barely holding back. “I promised…”
Pressing my lips together, I sighed. “I know. And I know sitting still feels impossible right now. Normally, I wouldn’t put this on someone your age.
You shouldn’t have been pushed into this position.
But I’m going to ask you to do the adult thing right now and wait.
Wait for Elias to come back. Wait for him to tell us what happens next.
He went to meet with his crew. They’ll either come up with a plan, or he’ll make the decision to leave to protect the two of you. Either way, we need to wait for him.”
His shoulders shook as he fought back tears.
Isla was confused by everything that was happening, tipping her little body to get a better look at her brother’s face and frowning at him.
She didn't understand what was happening, but she knew the person she loved was upset. When she hugged his head and patted him gently, it seemed to break the last of Jasper’s reserves.
Gut wrenching sobs escaped him and he sank slowly to the floor.
Moving to sit beside them, I put my arm around Jasper’s shoulders. When he leaned into me, I squeezed a little tighter, silently reassuring him that I was there.
“No matter what happens next, you aren’t facing this alone, Jasper. You’ve got people on your side. People who will fight for you and protect you. You’re not all alone.”
We stayed that way on the floor until Isla started squirming and demanded to be put down. She didn't go far, even a baby seemed to be able to tell that Jasper needed support. She grabbed some toys and kept giving them to him until a smile cracked his face and he let out a long shaky breath.
A car door slammed just outside and Jasper stiffened, looking up at me with wide eyes. I put my hand up to stop him, pushing to my feet to look out the window. Those bikers were nowhere to be found. Instead, our biker was the one in the driveway, already racing toward the garage.
“It’s Elias,” I informed Jasper. “Stay here. Let me find out what’s happening.”
He agreed, picking up Isla and taking up a post by the window to watch. I hurried down the stairs, throwing open the door just as Elias’s motorcycle roared to life. I met him in the driveway, no shoes, practically shouting to be heard over the engine.
“Elias?”
Walking his bike backward, he stopped beside me, his face firm. “Hey! I can’t explain right now, but I need you to watch the kids! We might have a solution for all this!”
Shaking my head, I stepped closer, putting a hand on his shoulder. It was then that I noticed he was wearing a leather jacket, one with his club logo on it. He’d said he wasn’t allowed to wear that anymore. What was going on?
“Elias–”
“I’m sorry, Simone! I don’t have time to explain right now! Call Skylar! She can tell you what’s happening!”
He backed up more, careful not to get too close to me, but before he could drive away, I grabbed his jacket, leaning close enough that I could see more of his face hidden by his helmet.
“Promise me you aren’t going to do anything reckless. Those kids need you, Elias. They need to come first.”
He nodded once, leaning in to press a quick kiss to my lips. “I promise, we’re not headed for a fight. I would never do anything to put you or the kids at risk. But there’s a girl missing. If we find her, this can all be over. Don’t wait up for me, okay? I’ll be back when I can.”
And then he was gone, roaring down the road on a motorcycle I’d never had a chance to see him ride, his shoulders tight with determination to see through whatever plan they’d come up with. I could only hope he’d come home safely.