Beginnings (Brady Trilogy) (29 page)

            “Trust me. If Brady knew I was visiting his woman late at night he’d try to kick my ass.” Jake chuckled. “Lucky for you, I’m not scared of him and I’d kick
his
ass.”

            Isabel giggled despite wanting to. She really liked Jake. He rarely spoke but when he did it was with brutal honesty. He was a type of man she should fear being around, but she was oddly at ease with him. Maybe since Luke and his family trusted him immensely. She studied his tattoos again. The one’s etched on his arms. This time, she was close enough to see the writing she had seen before was in a foreign language she wasn’t familiar with. She frowned while studying them. Jake’s tattoos were as much of a mystery as he was. But she didn’t dare ask him the meaning behind them. Something told her that’s a boundary not many would attempt to cross.

 
           “Luke’s worried about you.” Jake’s deep voice cut through the silence. “You’ve really pushed him away.”

            Isabel exhaled deeply and pulled a pillow into her lap hugging it close. She missed Luke so much. Missed his sweet kisses. His gentle touches. The way he made her body come alive with the slightest touch of his hands. In a short amount of time he had become her world. Her lifeline. Her reason to get up in the mornings. Now she spent sleepless nights alone with dark thoughts haunting her. “He became too overbearing. I didn’t know how to cope with that.” She confessed.

“They can’t help it. It’s in their nature to save people. That’s just how the Brady’s are.” Jake told her.

Isabel pondered that thought. Pleased she was able to meet a man who came from a family of good morals. Distressed that she was right as to why Luke was so determined to help her. “So I was right, he’s doing this out of pity. I’m helpless and he wants to save me. It’s in his nature just like you said.” Isabel saddened with pain too unbearable to overcome.

“No. You’re wrong.” Jake spoke sternly.
  “He’s in love with you. Trust me I was shocked as well to find out Luke’s in love but he is. And it’s killing him that you won’t believe him. He’s just trying to do the right thing but be able to keep you at the same time. You’re a smart woman Isabel. I thought you’d figure that one out on your own.”

Isabel was taken aback by Jake’s sudden determination to prove her wrong.  She’d clearly heard an insult somewhere in that statement but she agreed with him reluctantly. “When did you become such a wiseass?” she muttered.

Jake grinned. “I’ve been called worse.”

Isabel lightly laughed and then the room was back to being silent. She knew Jake was just being considerate and remaining quiet so she could gather her thoughts. She restlessly tossed the pillow aside as she got up to pace her living room. The tiring stress of the past few days was weighing in on her. Her mind and heart were having an internal battle, confused if she was at fault or Luke, for the sudden strain on their relationship.

“What are you thinking about?” Jake finally broke through her thoughts.

“I’m just confused and a bit lost. Not to mention petrified. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to live through it again.” She looked at him.

Jake nodded reassuringly. She didn’t need to explain she was referring to taking Dean Scotts to trial. “I’m going to help you. Luke won’t be the only one there to support you I promise.”

“Why? Why are you so determined to help?” Isabel asked. She was glad her question didn’t come off as offensive but curious instead.

“Because I know what it’s like to be the victim.”

Isabel’s eyebrows rose. Jake’s response had just shocked her. One look at the man and it was nearly impossible to picture him as any type of victim.

“I was fourteen years old, had no parents and lived with a drug addict, alcohol infused uncle. He gained custody of me when my parents died.” Jake spoke with cold bitterness in his voice.

Isabel watched Jake’s chest rise and fall from his heavy breathing. He was no longer looking at her. As if those two sentences had taken him back to a time he much rather forget. She didn’t speak as she slowly walked back and took her seat next to him on the couch. She gave him a comfortable distance because Jake’s entire body had gone rigid with intensity. 

“He’d come home high and beat the living shit out of me.” Jake let out a humorless laugh and scratched his chin roughly. It was still difficult to talk about he realized. But he needed to let Isabel in so she could understand it was alright to be scared and learn how to overcome your fears.

“I had just met Luke and sometimes we’d walk home from school together.” Jake continued. “They always had a driver to come pick them up but Luke knew I walked home alone and refused to go with their driver so he’d walk with me. Sometimes he’d convince me for their driver to drop me off. Their parents worked long hours at the time and wanted to make sure Luke, Andrew and Emilia all got home safely.”

Jake paused. He had to order his body to relax. These memories brought a whole new level of anger and hatred for the man who single handedly scarred his life. In more ways than anyone knew. He sighed heavily and continued, “One day, Luke and I decided to go play ball at a nearby park so we stopped at my house first so I could grab some gym clothes. I assumed Joe, my uncle, wouldn’t be home. But when we got there and I saw his old truck parked out in the driveway, I told Luke that Joe didn’t like guests and to wait for me outside. I can’t explain to you the fear I felt walking into that house.” He looked at Isabel when he confessed this and she nodded her head silently willing him to continue.

“He was never home at that time. So I felt something bad was about to happen. Luckily the piece of shit was too high to do much damage. He yelled at me, slapped me around a few times but I managed to grab my shit and get out. He came after me as I ran outside cursing and saying ‘Wait till you get home.’ Luke saw him and tried to ask me what was going on but I told him I didn’t want to talk about it. We played ball for hours until the sun went down. Not much conversation took place and we just played.”

“Finally, Luke said he had to go home before his parents got worried so we walked back to my house. He asked me if I was sure I wanted to go in and I assured him I was fine. I was embarrassed as shit, thinking Luke could see my fear. I always hit Joe back, even though I wasn’t as strong as him, I always managed to fight back. The more I fought back the angrier he got. I went inside regardless of how scared as fuck I was. I was fucking relieved when there was no sign of him. Just as I walked into the kitchen, he came at me from behind. Knocked me to the floor and pounded his fists into my face. I managed to get up and fight back, hitting him with every available object I could find. But he still managed to get a hold of me. His heavy fists kept repeatedly landing on my face and I was on the verge of blacking out when I heard someone yelling.” Jake looked into Isabel’s eyes, “It was Luke. He came back.” He smiled.

Isabel slowly smiled back. Jake had really cold green eyes, but his eyes warmed at the memory of Luke coming to help him. She knew this held great value and fondness to Jake. Something told her he was surprised Luke came after him. As if the idea of someone coming to his aid was so foreign and impossible.

“He shoved my uncle off of me. Joe was a coward to hit anyone else so he didn’t stop us when we ran out of there and we didn’t stop running until we reached Luke’s house. My heart was pounding the entire time, thinking he could have followed us. Or worse, Luke could have gotten hurt as well. I ran in after Luke when he broke through their front door. All hell broke loose. His entire family heard us. I think I lost it. I must have collapsed to the floor because everything passed by in such a damn blur.”

Silence fell heavily between them. Isabel saw Jake’s jaw twitch. This was just the tip of the iceberg of his past and problems. This wasn’t all that haunted Jake, but she figured this was the easiest to confess. Any fool could see Jake’s problems were deeper than that. How much deeper can there be? Child abuse was bad enough.

“What happened then?” Isabel spoke softly.

Jake
exhaled harshly and leaned deeper into the couch. “Luke’s father did everything in his power to send Joe to jail. A warrant for his arrest was issued that same night and they found drugs and an unregistered gun in the house. That added to the charges, for not only beating a child but exposing a minor to such indecency. Thomas fought for custody and he did everything in his power to make sure I didn’t end up in foster care. God knows how much money he spent on lawyers to gain custody of me.” Jake shook his head in disbelief. He pushed away from his seat and paced just like Isabel had earlier. “He was relentless. He made a promise to me and he kept it. I always thought Luke was my hero until I met his dad.” Jake laughed warmheartedly. Luke’s family had been his savior in every possible way. They saved him. Not all of him. But what lay on the surface was saved. Everything else buried deep inside could never be salvaged.

            “This isn’t about just you anymore Isabel.” Jake turned to her. “This is also about the intern Dean raped. Just imagine how scared she’s been all this time.”

“I tried to help her Jake I swear I did.” Isabel cried immediately jumping to her feet needing him to understand. “I know I was weak and waited too long but I tried to do the right thing. She didn’t want our help.” Isabel’s voice broke into a whimpering sob and she clamped her mouth shut with both hands. Time had not erased the guilt she still felt for Marcy. A young, beautiful, vibrant girl who had been at the mercy of a disturbed, sickening monster.

Jake hurried towards her. He pulled her into his chest and stroked her trembling back. “I know you did sweetheart. I know you did. But maybe we can try again?” He murmured.

Isabel pulled away from him and looked into his light green eyes. She’d always pictured Jake as emotionless. One could never read his expressions because his eyes were always aloof. He was a distant man who barely let the outside world in. But she now knew of the man inside. The one who had suffered as a child. He had willingly shared a small part of his past.

“Thanks for sharing your story.” Isabel wiped away her tears.

Jake nodded. “You’re welcome. So what do you say? You’ll join us during the trials against Dean and confess against him?”

Isabel took a step back when realization hit her. “Wait. What? The trial against Dean?” She shook her head in misunderstanding. Then her face became still as a stone. “Luke and Travis Reed have still been going through with this haven’t they?”

“This is Brady we’re taking about.” Jake smirked. “He put his mind to it and you can throw all the tantrums you want babe, he’s still going to go through with it.”

Isabel wanted to be angry and feel further betrayed but she couldn’t. Not when realization of how much Luke loved her radiated within her. He wouldn’t give up, even if she had. He was still fighting to get her the justice she had only dreamed of. And he did it all out of love. She sees this now and feels like an idiot for being so immune to it. For being insecure and pushing him away.

“Every night I go to bed with Marcy’s shattered imagine still lurking in my thoughts.” She spoke and surprised Jake with the sudden change of subject. “She comes into my dreams, angry at me for not helping her. I see her laying there naked and bleeding and she screams at me to help but I just stand there. I blame myself every day for not going to the police that same night.” More tears stream down her face.

            Jake cursed and shook his head. “That’s some fucked up shit to carry around all this time.” He gently wiped a tear from her face with his thumb, amazed at himself for being able to show any affection towards another human being. His responsiveness usually is nowhere near gentle. When Emilia does something to put herself in danger and piss him off, he’s usually yanking her away into another room to yell and scold her. But Isabel seems so fragile he’s afraid she’ll break.

            “I’ll confess during the trials.”

 
           Jake’s brows rose, shocked and relieved all at the same time. “You will?”

Isabel nods her head confidently. “Yes. I will. It’s time this was finally behind me. Thank you Jake.”

Jake grinned from ear to ear. “Anytime. And thank Luke instead.”

Isabel frowns and looks at him nervously. “Can this stay between us for now? Trials haven’t started yet and I need to wrap my brain around a few things. I need to mentally prepare myself before I can walk into any courtroom. If you could please not tell Luke yet about my change of mind?”