In The Spur of Heath (The Spur Series Book 1) (33 page)

“Your real engagement ring.” He confirmed, pulling the ring out of its box and placing it on my finger. It was so beautiful. I hated extravagant rings but this was just – it was gorgeous. I was at loss for words – sparkly, and absolutely breath-taking. The band was a thick solid white gold with tiny round-cut diamonds, three bigger diamonds sat on either side of the massive centre stone.

“Jake?” I gasped, the shine from the diamond refracting on my face. “This looks expensive. Too expensive.”

“Reese, how many times will I have to go over this with you? You’re going to be my wife soon, so deal with it. I want to spoil you as much as I can. I hope you don’t have an issue with this every time.” He smirked.

“No, no, it’s beautiful. Thank you.” I held onto his face and kissed him, tears streaming down my face. “This is amazing.”

I laid my head on his shoulder, staring at my left hand – my new ring.
Wow.
Now I’m engaged to two men? I need to pump the breaks on life!
I was so happy with this man, and I didn’t want to feel happy. I was happy, but I didn’t want to allow myself to thrive in it. Why? Because I was hurting Heath in the process. Life was truly unfair sometimes. But, soon, I’d have no choice but to choose Jake, the father of my unborn, and put Heath at the wayside.

Later that night, Jake and I were preparing to leave each other and return to our pretend lives. As I gathered my things, he handed me an envelope filled with a lot of cash. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Whoa, how much is in here?” Jake paused, eyeballing around.

“Thirty.” He croaked.

“Thirty? Thirty what?” I shouted.

“Thirty thousand.”
What the mother fuck!

“What the fuck? Jake? I already told you, I was fine. You gave me five last week.”

“Reese, if anything happens to me, God forbid, what will happen then? I have no paper work solidifying you and Amara as my beneficiaries. I need to make sure in the event of anything, you still have some sort of sustainability. Right now it’s killing me that I don’t have a secure plan for you, just in case.”

“Oh. Wow. When you put it like that… um. Okay, I understand. But don’t talk like that please. Nothing is going to happen to you. Or me.” He paused in thought.

“Look, I’m going to start organising things for you. Fuck the paper trail. I need to make sure you and Amara are okay.”

“Are you sure? What if Kin finds out and tries something stupid?”

“I’ll make sure and keep it hidden. I’ll have an account set up for you, okay?”

“Alright.” I nodded. He kissed me on my forehead, hugged me and then led me to my car in the garage. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He whispered to me when I got in my car. I smiled. “I love you. Reach home safe.”

“I love you, too.”

I returned home to Heath and continued my life of lies, deception and cover ups. School was more of the same and the only highlight was my new found friend, Malcolm. He was so much fun. Heath wasn’t much of a fan as I used Malcolm as my cover-up to rendezvous with Jake as much as possible.

My stomach was really beginning to show now and Heath was growing suspicious of me. He wasn’t sure of what, but he knew for a fact something was odd. I stopped drinking, I’m craving weird things, wearing bigger clothes, feeling sick all the time – it was exhausting. I refrained from intimacy and any other sort of physical contact. I literally felt ill at the thought of Heath on me while pregnant with Jake’s baby. I couldn’t stand it. Plus I couldn’t let him see my stomach. This was mission impossible.

Jake finally opened an account in my name and deposited over two million dollars, as well as placed me on his will, and listed me as the other owner of the apartment in Pasadena. Things were in place. And soon, Kin’s disappearance would be, too.

Jake converted his office at the apartment into Amara’s nursery and we were in the process of renovating it. He already went all out, buying clothes, toys, furniture, diapers, baby bottles, formula – everything. He was completely compulsive and wanted to be absolutely ready for when she arrived. I was twenty-four weeks already, and thankfully not showing much. But the aches and pains were getting worse.

Kin, the diabolical, manipulator. She was a blackmailing psychopath. A relentless destructive force that would consume all within her path if she doesn’t get what she wants. A pure bully to put it simply. She coerced Jake into being with her, threatening to kill me and bring him down if he did not co-operate or be with her. He agreed and now we were in the shittiest predicament of all time.

Kin was in Jake’s office at his house, rummaging through his personal and financial files. She was beginning to suspect something was up as he was gone a lot of the time, which he just blamed on filming and post-production editing. She wasn’t convinced.

She was dressed in a white fitted Tee and brown shorts, her long dreadlocks wrapped in a bun on top her head. She passed her tongue over her three gold teeth that she had acquired after the accident. Her bruises were almost completely healed and she walked with a slight limp. “Jakey, Jakey, Jakey. Better not be fucking with me, bwoy.” She whispered to herself as she went through his files.

She reclined into his chair and lit a cigarette. Jake continuously complained about the smoky stench around the house due to her bad habits. She then sprung up, took out her phone and dialled a number. “Fitz, is Kin. I good. Recovering. I need fi you to do me a favour. Track Jake’s financial records. I just have a feeling something’s up. Thanks, bwoy.” She hung up the phone, reclined into the chair again and blew smoke up into the air. “Better be wrong about this.”

She then got up from the chair and made her way downstairs, slipped on her brown boots that were standing near the door, grabbed her keys and sunglasses and left.

She was in Jake’s Prius, heading to Palmdale, the city a couple minutes away from Dillcaster. She pulled up in front of a very old, abandoned-looking house. She hopped out her car and entered through the rusted gate, following the stony pathway. As she grew closer, she heard the heavy thumping of music. She then opened the door and a blanket of thick smoke, red flashing lights and shadowy bodies enveloped the room. Kin coughed and started fanning the smoke away. “Kin, what bring you here?” A dark skinned, bald headed guy with a long joint in his mouth asked.

“I came to collect my payment, Kendrick. You better have it.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do. So your brothers sending you to do your own dirty work, huh? Thought you not ‘bout that life no more?”

“Just gimme my shit and let me geh way from here, bwoy.”

He smirked, “Alright.” He then got up and left the room, shortly returning with a pouch filled with money. “Do good, Kin.”

“Fuck off, battybwoy!” She replied and left.

After that, she made her way back to Dillcaster, where she pulled up at Kings Mall. She decided to do some shopping to clear her mind off of her suspicions of Jake. As she sat at a table in the food court, she noticed a familiar face. It was Heath. She raised a brow, trying to remember exactly who he was, and suddenly it hit her! “Aye, excuse me?” She called out to him. Heath slowed and tensed upon seeing her. He knew exactly who she was. “What do you want?” He asked.

“I just realised you’re that Trini girl’s boyfriend. Just thought I’d say hi.”

“Great, hi. Now bugger off.” He spat and was about to move past her when she held him back.

“Listen.” She paused with an innocent look on her face. “I just wanted to apologize for my indiscretions, and what it put ya through.”

“Uh huh, well thanks. I’d be sure to tell Reese whenever I see her again. Now if you don’t mind…”

“When you see her again? Don’t ya live together?” She asked solemnly, her face becoming rigid with anger.

“Yeah, we do, she has just been on her own agenda lately. Look Dr. Phil, thanks for the chat but I gotta go.” He replied and stormed off. Kin stood there mirthlessly, a million thoughts racing through her mind as hatred filled her eyes. She knew. She knew the truth and all she needed was that call from Fitz to confirm what she was convinced was just her paranoia.

She grabbed her shopping bags, slipped on her sunglasses and left the mall. She walked towards the car, stuffed her bags in the backseat and as she closed the door and was about to open the front door, her phone began to ring. It was Fitz. “Fitz, this better be good.” She answered with clenched teeth.

Fitz began to explain to her that he found a transaction of two million to another account, which led back to me, then he went on to tell her about the apartment, the will and a few other weird purchases. Kin gripped onto her phone tightly, then flung it across the parking lot, and screamed at the top of her lungs as she fell to her knees. Everyone around the parking lot paused to look at her. “Fuck you looking at?” She got up and screamed. She then began to kick dents into the Prius in a frantic rage. The security guard came up to her, trying to calm her down and she pulled out her gun on him. He surrendered and backed away. She then jumped into her car and drove off. “Fucking bitch!” She screamed as she beat on the steering wheel. “I can’t fucking believe this!”

Kin drove straight to the address of the apartment in Pasadena that Fitz had given her. She pulled into the garage, spotted Jake’s car, and got out of hers. She picked up the wheel spanner from her trunk and smashed in his windows, headlights and dented the body of the car. She then stomped towards the elevator and got on. “Fucking passcode!”

She called her tech friend who then helped her hack the code to the elevator. She entered it and it began to ascend. As the elevator dinged open at the Penthouse Suite’s floor, she pulled out her gun, making her way up to the double doors. She turned the doorknob and the door opened with a slight creak. She could hear soft music and laughter coming from one of the rooms.
Shiner by Indian Summer ft. Ginger and the Ghost
was playing.

She followed the sounds towards an opened door to the left of the hallway. Jake and I were inside painting Amara’s room. “You don’t think it’s too girly, right?” I asked him as I passed the brush up and down the wall where I stood. “Na, of course not. She’s gonna love it.” He said and rubbed on my stomach. “Oh.” He jumped. “She’s really active today.”

“Well she gets active at the sound of her daddy’s voice.” I smiled looking into his eyes. We both then heard a click and simultaneously turned towards the door.

There she was, her gun pointed at us, her face cold and impassive. “Kin?” Jake admonished. “Jacob.” She replied, her teeth grinding, “You fucking playing with me?”

“Put the gun down, Kin.” Jake replied. I was paralysed by fear. My heart was pounding against my chest. “Kin please.” I implored, my eyes welling up.

“Kin? Please? Bitch! This what you fucking doing me, Jakey?” She faced him. “Pregnant? This bitch is fucking pregnant?”

“Kin stop right now! Just please, stop!” And with no warning, a blast went off. I felt nothing. I didn’t know what happened. It was all so fast. I paused looking around to see where the bullet went, totally unaware that it went through me. Only until I collapsed to the floor and Jake screamed, that I realised I was hit. He dropkicked Kin, clear out the door, sending her crashing against the wall in the hallway. She dropped to the ground and before she could get up, his arms were around her throat, choking the life out of her. Her eyes were wide, as wide as mine.

I looked down at my stomach, blood everywhere. “No!” I whispered as the tears spilled down my cheeks. “Jake!” I screamed. “Jake! Jake! Jake! The baby!” And it all went to black!

Men dressed in white. Latex gloved hands. Red lights. Loud blaring noises. Respirator. Jake’s voice. Panicky voices. Black. It was all a blur.
What happened? I don’t remember. What’s going on?
The smell of medicine and disinfectant clogged my nostrils. I was in and out.

People in blue scrubs. Bright white lights ahead. A white lab coat. Stethoscope. Sharp sting of a scalpel. Gurney. I was in the hospital. Surgery.
My baby? Oh god. What’s happening?
It all went by in flashes and then BLACK!

Kai and Joey ran into the waiting room where Jake stood covered in blood. He was crying, completely distraught. “Jake, we got here as fast as we could, man. What’s happening?” Kai asked frantically.

“Kin, shot her!” Jake said through gritted teeth as he gripped tightly onto his hair.

“Fuck! Where is she?” Kai asked.

“Police station.” Jake said impassively. “I wanted to kill her. I had. My hands. Around her neck. Just squeezing. The baby. Jake, the baby. Reese.” He broke down and Kai grabbed onto him. “Fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Jake broke away, screaming. “Fucking kill her!!!!”

“Jake, calm down.” Joey pleaded.

“Calm? I can’t calm.” Jake sniffled and tried to regain his composure. “Deal with this guys. Deal with Kin. I don’t care anymore if her family comes. I have the shooting on tape. I had cameras set up around the apartment. Just give it to the police. Let them deal with it.” He slicked back his hair and slumped onto one of the chairs in the room as he cried. Joey and Kai looked at each other.

“Alright, Jake. I’ll handle it.” Kai said. “I’ll make sure she can’t even get a phone call while in custody.” Jake nodded, his mind far.

Joey and Kai walked out to the hospital’s parking lot. “Man, I’ve never seen Jake so broken before. Like ever. We should have killed the bitch when we had the chance.”

“Well, we have to make this right.” Joey added. “Let’s go.”

Heath rushed to the hospital and burst into the waiting room, only to see a teary eyed Jake sitting there. “Mr. Cavanaugh? What are you doing here?” Heath asked, his eyes piercing.

“I got wind of it, Andrews.” Jake answered impassively.

“And you arrived in Pasadena so fast?”

“Fuck off, Andrews.” Jake then buried his face in his palms. Heath was shocked. He then sat on one of the chairs, awaiting any news about me.

Kai and Joey went to the apartment to collect the tape. They looked around the apartment. Kai grimaced at the pool of blood on the floor inside the nursery. “Damn, this is fucked up.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. Joey came in behind him and paused at the sight of the blood. “Christ!” He whispered and Kai spun around to him. “Let’s get out of here.”

They got the tape out of Jake’s room and headed back to the Sheriff’s station. Joey handed the tape over to one of his friends on duty and informed him not to allow Kin any phone calls. They agreed and left. They both returned to the hospital where Heath and Jake were waiting anxiously.

“Any word?” Kai asked Jake, taking a seat beside him with folded arms.

“Nothing yet.” Jake sighed as he shook his leg uncontrollably.

After a couple more hours, the doctor came outside. “Who’s the boyfriend?” The doctor asked.

“That would be me.” Heath sprung up just as Jake was about to claim the title.

“She’s asking for you.” The doctor replied. “Come with me.” The doctor led Heath away.

Joey and Kai watched Jake, and he just shrugged his shoulders at them.

Heath entered my room. I was barely awake. “Heath?” I whispered.

“Reese, what in the bloody hell happened?” He asked with teary eyes. My eyes began to well with tears as the incident replayed in my mind. My baby. “Kin.” I barely got the words out. Heath gasped.

“I’m sorry, but the baby didn’t make it.” The doctor informed us.

“Baby? Reese? What is he talking about?” I sighed. “You were pregnant?” He asked and I nodded my head. “And our baby died?” I cringed at the statement.

Before I could say anything else, he stormed out of the room and back into the waiting room. “Cavanaugh.” He yelled and Jake sprung up. And with that,
BAM!
Heath punched Jake square in the face. Kai and Joey were about to back Jake up but he stopped them as he held onto his nose. Heath broke down to the floor. “It’s ‘cause of you.” Heath screamed as he cried on all fours. Jake’s eyes began to tear up again. “It’s your fault. That mad cunt of yours.”

The guard at the hospital and all the nurses at the floor were on guard looking on at the conflict. Joey and Kai tried to calm the staff down and advise them that it’s resolved.

Jake bent his head, feeling the guilt as if he himself pulled the trigger.
It was his fault
. That’s why he didn’t even retaliate to Heath’s violent outburst or accusations. Kin hurt me and his baby because of him.

The doctor returned once again. “Will the father of the baby please come forward?” The doctor asked. And as Heath was picking himself up from the floor, Jake stepped up. “That’s me.” He broadcasted.

Heath froze, his eyes menacing, and turned to Jake. “What?” He growled. Jake just gave him a cold stare before leaving with the doctor. Heath then got up from the floor, blinking rapidly as the information processed in his mind. Hurt spread across his face. Betrayal. Deceit. He looked around at Kai and Joey who tried to disregard him. He then smirked to himself. “Wow, Reese. You really surprised me.” He whispered to himself before bolting from the hospital.

Jake entered my room and sat beside me cringing at how pale and weak I looked. His eyes began to tear up again and he palmed his face. My eyes fluttered open and I placed my hand on his. He shot up. “Reese?” He sniffled.