Chapter Eight #3
Jackson nodded, putting his arm around Henry’s shoulders to lead him out of the office.
He took his keys to lock the front door then helped him into the Jeep.
He got in on his side then turned toward Henry.
The tears glistening in Henry’s eyes caused Jackson’s jaw to clench.
“Are you sure you don’t want to report this? ”
“I can’t do that.” Henry sniffed.
Jackson stroked his cheek then started the engine. He held tightly to Henry’s hand as he drove them home. He parked in Henry’s driveway, got out, then went around to help the other man. He took the keys from his shaky hands to open the door. Angel happily greeted them.
“Let me take care of your daddy, then I’ll take you for a walk baby girl.” Jackson patted her head, then she trotted over to the living room. He put his arm around Henry’s shoulders, steering him to his bathroom.
The silent tears still running down Henry’s cheeks broke his heart.
He started the shower then went to the man, unbuttoning the ruined shirt and pushing it off.
Henry kicked out of his shoes as Jackson undid his jeans and helped him out of them.
Jackson quickly shed his own clothes so that he could draw Henry into the shower with him.
From a hook, Jackson took a washcloth to gently wipe the blood from his lip.
Henry winced. Jackson had never experienced anger this intense, but he had to keep that feeling in check so that he could take care of Henry.
He tilted Henry’s head back to wet his hair.
He traded the washcloth for the shampoo, squirting some onto his palm.
He positioned Henry so that his back was against his chest. Jackson rubbed his hands together, creating a soapy foam.
He put his hands in Henry’s hair, massaging his scalp.
Henry let out a shaky breath as he relaxed against him.
After a few minutes, he helped Henry rinse out the soap.
Jackson poured some body wash on his hands then ran them all over Henry, quickly finishing their shower.
They dried off, then Jackson pulled Henry down onto the bed.
Henry buried his face in Jackson’s chest again, sobbing.
Dammit, what am I going to do? How the fuck am I supposed to protect him if I’m leaving soon? “I’m going to your parents’ house tomorrow to talk to Keith,” Jackson told Henry as he held him close and stroked his back.
“I’m not sure we should do that. It will only make him madder. Besides, it’s not like my parents are going to believe me anyway.”
“This will not happen again.” Jackson placed a light kiss on his lips. “Let me take care of Keith.”
Henry’s hold on him tightened. “I’m so scared, Jackson. I’ve been scared of him my entire life, but this…” he trailed off, shaking his head.
“He’s been doing this shit since you were kids?” Jackson’s jaw clenched.
“Yeah,” Henry whispered. “The second I turned eighteen, Lincoln, Jasper, and I moved out. My brothers waited for me. They said there was no way they were leaving me alone with Keith.”
“I’m guessing that your parents didn’t do anything about it.”
“You’d be right.” Henry sighed. “It was like living in a prison. I had no voice, and Keith could lash out at any time. But the second I stepped out of that house, I was a completely different person. I said and did anything I wanted. When I left my parents for good, I swore I’d never let another person control me. ”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” Jackson tilted Henry’s chin up then gently kissed his lips. He pulled back, stroking the man’s cheek while looking into his troubled eyes.
Henry pressed their lips together again, kissing him deeply. “I need you to make love to me,” he whispered against Jackson’s lips.
Jackson reached into Henry’s nightstand for the supplies.
Henry flipped onto his back, spreading his knees so that Jackson could kneel between them.
As he got him ready, he used the other hand to caress the inside of his thigh.
Henry moaned, head tipping back in pleasure.
So beautiful. Once he had Henry breathing heavily, he put on a condom then slid inside.
Jackson held him close as he set up a slow rhythm.
Henry wrapped his arms around him, returning to their kiss.
Jackson sped up, causing Henry to writhe beneath him.
“Jackson.” The man’s voice was shaky, but Jackson wanted it broken and strung out. He reached between them, wrapping his fist around Henry’s hard cock and stroking. “Jackson,” he cried out again.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me,” Jackson encouraged.
“Yes.” Henry’s breathing was coming hard and fast. “Yes, yes, yes,” he chanted.
Moments later, warmth splashed his hand, and Henry’s orgasm caused his own. When he recovered, he took care of the condom then brought Henry a towel.
“Will you stay with me?” Henry whispered the question.
“Of course, baby. Let’s take care of Angel, get some dinner, and then I’ll spend the night.”
“I don’t want to confront Keith. They’re going to take his side anyway,” Henry said the next afternoon as they were on the way to his parents’ house. The resignation in that statement broke Jackson’s heart.
“We’ll see. Besides, I’m the one that wants to have a conversation with them, not you.
” He reached over and took Henry’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
For the rest of the ride, neither of them spoke.
Jackson could feel the tension rolling off Henry the closer they got to their destination.
Before long, they arrived at Henry’s parents’ house.
Henry was breathing hard and shaking. Jackson got out then went around to Henry’s side so he could pull the man out of the Jeep and into his arms.
“It’s all going to be okay.” Jackson rubbed his back until he stopped trembling. He took his hand, went up the stairs, then knocked a little more aggressively than was necessary.
“Henry, Jackson,” his father greeted as he opened the door. “What a nice surprise. I’m so glad to see you. Come on in and make yourselves comfortable.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Andrews, this is not a social visit,” Jackson told him. “I’m here to talk to Keith about what happened yesterday.”
“What happened yesterday?” His father’s brow furrowed in concern.
“That bastard attacked Henry, and now he answers to me for it.” He wasn’t sure he’d ever been this mad. Just thinking about someone hurting his precious Henry made his blood boil.
“What?” Ray’s voice raised. “Is this true, Henry?”
Jackson pulled Henry in front of him, putting him directly into his father’s view. The older man gasped. The bruises again sent him into a seething rage that he was barely keeping in check.
He saw Ray’s eyes widen and his jaw clench. “How did this happen?”
“Keith came to my office demanding money.” Jackson hated that Henry was so scared there was a quiver in his voice. “This is what happened when I said no.”
Jackson narrowed his eyes, fixing the man with a hard stare. “No one puts their hands on Henry. I don’t care who it is. Favorite child or not.”
Ray’s eyes filled with tears. “I told your mother…” He shook his head.
“I told her years ago that he was heading down a bad path, but she always makes excuses for him.” He pulled Henry into a tight hug.
“I am so sorry, Son. I thought he was just rude and condescending. I had no idea he would resort to violence.”
“He’s been hurting us for as long as I can remember,” Henry whispered.
“What?” Ray pulled back. Fuck, he looked pissed. “What did he do to you?” he asked through clenched teeth.
Henry was clearly uncomfortable talking about this. “Can we go sit somewhere?” Jackson asked.
“Of course.” Ray led the way to the living room.
Jackson made sure Henry was as close to him as possible. “Tell him, baby.”
Henry had a few tears running down his cheeks.
“Living at home was pure hell. Keith constantly tormented us. For no reason at all, we would be punched, or kicked, or slapped. Sometimes he would throw things or hit us with stuff. We had to do all our homework or projects at school because Keith would destroy them. We weren’t allowed to have possessions; he broke anything that was important to us.
The three of us lived in constant fear.”
“This happened to Lincoln and Jasper too?”
Henry nodded. “Do you remember when I fell down the stairs and broke my arm?” Ray nodded slowly.
“Keith pushed me.” Ray’s tears spilled over at his son’s whispered words.
“Jasper is afraid of water because Keith tried to drown him in the bathtub. And Lincoln’s burn came from Keith holding his arm against the burner on the stove.
He would remind us all the time that he could kill us any time he wanted to. ”
“How did we not know about this?” He shook his head then covered his face with his hands. “Why didn’t any of you tell us?”
“Mom knew.” He said it so softly that Jackson wasn’t quite sure he’d heard right.
“Say that again, Henry. There’s no way I heard you right.”
“You did,” Henry said quietly.
Ray looked devastated. “Your mother knew.” Henry nodded.
Tears were streaming down his father’s face.
He came over to sit on Henry’s other side, taking his hand.
“I am so sorry, Henry. I’m sorry we put you through a lifetime of misery.
” The man covered his eyes with the other hand.
“I failed. A father’s number one job is to protect his children, and I failed.
I wish I would’ve known, I swear to you, I would have put a stop to it.
” He pulled Henry into a tight hug, rocking him like a child.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he wondered through tears.
“Mom told us not to bother you with things that had already been settled.” Henry sniffled. “Besides, we thought you were the same. Whenever Keith was particularly horrible, you would bring home treats for him and send the rest of us to our rooms.”