Wishing on the Water (Water Series Book 1) (23 page)

“
Here comes my favorite part,” Christina said, as she moved in front of the fireplace. I wanted to grab the guns in the back of my jeans and shoot her in her face, but I wouldn’t.

“
When the clouds roll in and sing you a thunderous song, please know that glorious event is the world’s way of telling you that I am thinking of you. I will love you with every breath I take until I take my last. I will always and forever be your water-wishing girl.”

I watched as Christina crumbled the letter and tossed it into the fireplace. She flipped the switch on the wall and turned it on. I watched my words burn, and turn to ash. She was lucky she didn’t reach for the fireplace remote on the coffee table, because I probably would have punched her.

“
I took it from his mailbox so he never had to read your lies. I thought surely if he thought you just bolted, he would hate you. It helped when he went to California and you were happy after Andrew took over as your boss. All Andrew had to do was play Jax’s part and you were happy. Jax saw and came home, and removed you from his heart.”

“
What are you doing here, Christina?” I asked, as I reached for her and she moved further away.

“
Brooklyn, we should make popcorn.” Vanessa called out, showing that she had one shot too many from earlier. Brooklyn shushed her and I lunged for Christina while her head was turned.

I pulled her to the ground and climbed on top of her. I punched her in the face as she reached up and tried to restrain my hands. Then she flipped us and she was on top of me. I didn’t care; I reached up and ripped her hair out as she slapped me. Then, when I turned my face back, I punched her in the face with all the force I could gather, the blow was so strong I managed to knock two of her teeth out. I had to shake my hand out, it hurt so bad. Then we rolled again and I had the upper hand being on top of her. I continued to punch her while I screamed at her.

“
You let them kill Chase. You were going to let them kill Jax. Now I am going to kill you, bitch!”

Christina and I were fighting on the floor between the fireplace and coffee table. Blood was dripping from my mouth down onto her as her blood pooled on the hardwood floor from the two missing teeth and the scratches I had given her. I would surely wear a black eye as she would sport a broken nose.

She punched upward and hit my chin. I retaliated, punching her in the ribs, and smirked as she gasped. I had knocked the air out of her and it felt good. I have never in my life wanted to kill anyone more than I wanted to kill her then and there. I was so into the moment that I didn’t hear anyone say my name. I was focused on hurting her until I felt hands pick me up and I began swinging on whoever had me.

“
Candice, stop.” I heard Jax’s voice and felt arms hold me down. I reached behind me and placed a hand on my gun as I realized it was Jax. My adrenaline was coursing through me and I was having trouble gaining control of my body to keep the tremors down.

Jax carried me over to the couch and sat down, placing me in his lap. He had a tight grip on me, so there was very little I could do. I watched as Vanessa ate the popcorn she apparently had made for the fight. I watched as Brooklyn and Mark hugged, as Christina laid on the floor, groaning.

“
You know I can arrest you.” Jax whispered in my ear.

“
Do it! The punishment would be worth the crime.” I bellowed.

Jax held me tight, as I struggled to come down from the high.

“
Brooklyn, why didn’t you break up the fight?” Jax asked as I slowed my breathing down. Looking down at Christina lying on the floor bleeding soothed an ache I had had in me for months.

“
I felt like Candice had it under control.”

Mark hugged her to him and I relished the relationship they had. I slowed my anger down and laid back on Jax. Christina started to get up and I kicked my leg at her to make her lay back down.

“
I will handcuff you and put you in the car, if you cannot restrain yourself.”

“
Handcuffs might be kinky.” I responded with a light kiss on the lips. I winced slightly, as my lips were sore and swollen from getting hit. Jax smiled at me and loosened his hold as I calmed down.

“
You went from beating someone up to being flirty. I swear you women are like rollercoasters. I never know which way you’re going to go next.”

Brooklyn and Mark laughed at the comment as thunder shook the house. I felt a draft roll through the house as the storm had strengthened. I looked out the kitchen window and swore I saw Chase looking at me with disappointment. I closed my eyes and opened them again and there was nothing there but a branch scraping the window.

I would now wonder if my behavior was the wrong thing to do. I would love to say it was the right thing to do because it felt right, but that was not always true. I had been wanting to mangle Christina’s face for months, but now that I had guilt settled in my veins.

Jax sat me down on the couch and glared at me as if to say don’t move. Then he walked over to the freezer and got a bag of frozen peas.

“
You should eat fresh organic veggies.” I stated as he came near.

“
You should learn not to fight unless it’s in Jell-O.” Jax responded and laughter was heard throughout the room.

“
I love you, Jax.” I whispered, as Jax sat on the couch beside me.

“
I absolutely adore you. You make me want to be a better man.”

Jax placed the cold peas over my eyes as the storm knocked out the power. Jax used his cell phone to light up the way to the kitchen, where he pulled out candles and began lighting them all over the house.

“
Jax, you shouldn’t be here,” I whispered, as he came closer. He mumbled something, but I could not hear it over Christina’s persistent groaning. I watched Vanessa pick up the popcorn and bring it to the coffee table. She sat it down and placed her hands in her back pockets and stared at Jax.

“
I guess it’s over?” Vanessa spoke in a saddened tone to Jax. I hate that she got hurt over nothing. Christina and Andrew had planned this entire charade and it hurt a lot of people. I hope they went to jail for a long time.

“
I’m sorry. I wish I could say it’s not; but, the truth is Candice owns that part of me you want. You are a wonderful woman and deserve better than what I have given you over the last few months.”

“
These last few months were everything I needed.” Vanessa whispered, as she looked away from Jax.

It was hard to watch Jax break her heart. I wondered if that was what I looked like when Chase died. Vanessa took a candle and excused herself to go upstairs and went into the guest room. There was no leaving with the storm raging on as it was, and it had to be hard on her to stay here with us.

“
What’s with all my guns being out?” Jax asked, as he turned to look at me.

“
I am prepared for war,” I replied

“
Who are you going to war with?”

“
Andrew,” I whispered.

The entire room went quiet. No one had anything else to say, apparently. I heard quiet sobs coming from upstairs. I excused myself as thunder rumbled loudly through the house. I walked up the stairs and knocked on the door, but Vanessa didn’t answer.

I turned the doorknob and walked in to the room. It was dark and the only light came from the candle in the bathroom.

“
Vanessa, are you alright?” I asked, as I crept into the room.

Suddenly, there were hands over my mouth. They applied pressure over my busted lip and held me there. I heard scuffling around and averted my eyes to see that Brent was holding Vanessa.

“
Miss me Candy?” Andrew whispered in my ear and a shiver traveled down my spine.

I tried to elbow his chest and kick behind me to get him to let me go. I struggled and fought, but he was so much stronger than I was at the moment. I had exhausted most of my energy on his sister. I hoped someone would hear, but the thunder was echoing through the house as the storm bared down on the house.

“
I love it when you fight me. It makes killing you so much more enjoyable. Fight me, Candy. Fight me harder.” Andrew whispered in my ear.

I found renewed strength and began fighting him again. I tried to get my gun from the back of my jeans, but he had me too tight. When I heard the thunder settle I wanted to scream for help, but there was no way I was going to let him use me as bait to get to Jax.

As the thunder rumbled again we fought and moved around the room, I aimed to get us over to the window. It was still open and water had pooled on the floor. Vanessa allowed herself to be subdued and stopped fighting Brent. There was defeat written across her face.

As we moved closer to the window, I used a maneuver I learned in self-defense class that Chase had made me take. I stepped on his foot as hard as I could and elbowed him in the gut. When he leaned forward, I threw my hand back to hit him in the nose. The second I got some distance between us, I kicked him in the groin and reached for my weapon. The weapon that was no longer there.

“
Looking for this?” Brent asked, as I saw he was holding Vanessa right behind me.

“
Let her go.” I pleaded with Brent while Andrew groaned; cupping what was left of his manhood. Lightning cracked out of the window and the storm raged loudly over the house.

“
No, she belongs to us. She ran away from Andrew which is why we are here, right Niko?”

Then a man walked out of the bathroom. He was short and stocky. He did not look like anyone that Andrew could be related to.

“
Vanessa should never have run from us. We came here to find her and your police detectives stumbled across a shipment of women; and, let’s just say the first dead cop was a warning.” Niko uttered, as I watched him lean on the door frame.

This was the moment in time where you get the ‘what ifs.’ What if I screamed? What if I ran? What if I did nothing?

“
You bitch!” Andrew groaned, as he stood back up and back handed me. It sent me to the window as I struggled to catch myself before going out the window. I was going to fall.

Andrew came at me and I stopped trying to catch myself and fell out of the window. I landed on Jax’s shrubs. I felt as though every bone in my body had been hit with a sledgehammer. The impact made me think I was dying, but the cold heavy rain cascading down on my face wouldn’t let me give up.

I rolled off the bush and crawled to the back door as hail starting falling around me. I was so battered and bruised I couldn’t stand up. I knocked on the door and waited. No one could hear me with the storm raging on. I slapped the door until Brooklyn finally opened the door and yelled for Mark and Jax.

Jax lunged for me. He helped me to my feet and carried me to the couch to look me over.

“
What happened?” Jax asked, as he pushed my wet hair off my face. I merely pointed and took a second to get the energy to speak.

“
Andrew is in the guest room,” I whispered in agony.

Just then gun shots rang out in the guest room. I nearly fainted with the thought that Vanessa was dead. I didn’t know her well, but I knew she was caught up in this and was innocent of everything. She did not deserve this.

Jax and Mark pulled their weapons and they headed up stairs. Jax went into his room to come through the bathroom while Mark busted through the guest room door.

The five minutes I laid on the couch waiting with Brooklyn by my side for more gunshots seemed like an eternity. The seconds ticked by as slowly as centuries. I saw Mark first as he came down the stairs and his gun was holstered. He walked over to Brooklyn and whispered something that had her reaching for her phone. Then he reached for his phone.