As my kids would say: Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Chapter 7 – Secrets
We all have secrets.
Some secrets are harmless, little white lies we keep to ourselves or tell others to spare them needless pain. These kinds of secrets we keep to protect others. The downfall in this thinking lies in the fact that there's rarely a secret time doesn't reveal.
Some secrets we keep for reasons that aren't so altruistic; we keep them to protect ourselves. We harbor these private feelings because we are under the impression if we told anyone our secret they would never look at us the same again. What we fail to understand, most of the time, was that if we surrounded ourselves with the right people it wouldn't matter what we divulged, they'd accept us no matter what.
Then there are secrets we keep for the sole purpose of hurting others. My grandmother, YaYa, use to tell me these types of people were courting the devil, and would pay for their debauchery in Hell. YaYa was intense, and somewhat crazy. I'm pretty sure when I was nine I helped her hold a séance to commune with her dead friend Patty. After my dad found out I wasn't allowed to be alone with YaYa anymore. She may have been insane, but she was right about one thing, people who had secrets like this were assholes.
My mother always told me that when I found the right woman, a true relationship, I'd know because we'd tell each other anything and everything. There would be no secrets, no lies.
My mother's theory didn't account for Josephine King. She was the exception that disproved the rule. Shit, every rule if I was being honest.
I knew, and accepted, the fact Jo had secrets. Hell, her secrets had secrets. Trying to get information out of her was like trying to bust into the NSA and steal state secrets. She kept some out of sheer self-preservation, and others out of a displaced desire to protect those around her. It didn't come from a place of dishonesty or a desire to do harm. No, I didn't believe that for a second, and it was how I knew my mother never considered someone like Jo when developing her meddling theories on soulmates. She'd never contemplated someone whose heart was shrouded in secrets they'd been powerless to fight off simply by a happenstance of birth.
Trust wasn't something Jo was well versed in. Relationships, of any kind, were even more foreign to her. Expecting her to understand these complex concepts overnight was like asking her to translate Mandarin or give up candy, not gonna happen.
The woman was a conundrum, wrapped in an enigma, surrounded by a paradox. It was because of this that I kept quiet, and pretended to not notice while she and Lowery plotted mayhem and destruction. It took all the willpower I possessed to not corner her, and shake her until she told me what was going on. Confronting Jo would be like trying to bitch slap one of the raptors, someone would come away bleeding. Besides, I didn't want to force the truth out of her. I wanted her to trust me enough to come to me on her own.
Patience I told myself, about 400 times a day. It wasn't that I didn't have the ability to wait her out; it was that I doubted my ability to maintain a good attitude while waiting.
"I want to build an extension for the bungalow here," I told her, standing in the front of my house pointing to back patio.
In the weeks following the events with the missing technician Jo and I had been inseparable. At first, it was simply due to logistics. Jo could hardly move, and I'd taken it upon myself to ensure she took her pain meds and ate something other than Twizzlers. Erasing the images of her on the riverbank that night broken and withering in pain were not easy to come by, and I needed reassurance that she was going to be OK. Plus, it was easier to douse her food in the pain meds she refused to take if I was with her.
Most people would probably kill for a few weeks of paid vacation doped on drugs strong enough to bring down a horse, but Jo wasn't most people. We were four days into her mandated six weeks of medical leave when she'd assaulted me with her pill bottle. I swear she hurled the bottle at my head with the velocity a professional pitcher would envy. There was no way either of us would survive five more weeks with her confined to her camper, so instead I instituted the "Bring Jo to Work" policy. It was either that or one of us was going to die, plain and simple.
Barry and I kept her stocked with enough candy to send anyone else into a diabetic coma, and in return she took her medication willingly. Plus, it had the added bonus of being able to keep an eye on her. I'm all about the win-win.
Somehow spending time together at work had morphed into spending time together outside of work. I cooked her food each night while she transcribed notes on the girls from that day, and then we'd make our way to her camper to watch TV until Jo fell asleep and started drooling on my shoulder.
"Why?" she asked, confused. Jo was allergic to manual labor.
"A workshop," I supplied. "I still have a storage unit full of stuff stateside."
She looked like she'd rather rip her fingernails off one at a time.
"I'm not helping. I don't care what food you withhold as punishment."
I cocked my head to the side studying her. She narrowed her eyes at me as she fought the urge to fidget under my gaze. I felt a smile tugging at my lips as I formulated my plan.
"Oh, I think you could be persuaded." She shook her head, taking a small step back. "I'm sorry to hear that. I guess I won't need to make my fettuccini alfredo anytime soon."
She swallowed hard, her mouth dropping open in horror. I turned towards my bungalow pretending to ponder my new workshop. This was really too easy, I was just getting warmed up.
"I was going to make chili sometime this week too," I confessed.
I could hear her muttering under her breath from behind me, and couldn't stop the ear splitting grin that broke out across my face. Just wait until I brought out the big guns.
"I should call Barry and tell him to forget grabbing that salmon from Enrique. I've never really loved herb crusted salmon anyway."
She scoffed, outraged at such a proposition. "Fine, you sadist! I'll help with your stupid shed!"
I turned around, offering a condescending smile. "Workshop, and thanks for volunteering."
"I hope you don't want your shed anytime soon because my doctor says I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a laundry basket."
I ignored her, turning back around. I didn't need a reminder of her physical injuries. I remembered them all with stark clarity. I had a feeling even if I washed my brain out with bleach I wouldn't be able to erase the memories from that night. Besides, I didn't really need her help with the workshop, I just wanted her around. I was such a pussy.
I heard her phone vibrate on the table, and fought the urge to turn around. I had to constantly remind myself that Jo was still under the impression she was Robert Redford in Spy Game. Normally, the woman's cellphone ringer is set so loud I can hear it when she's in her camper so the fact that a week ago it went dark was a dead giveaway she was up to no good. Jo's mysterious switch to silent communications was like a toddler who was quiet for too long while unsupervised, huge fucking red flag.
It wasn't until last week while I was at headquarters that my suspicions were confirmed. I was just leaving a meeting when I bumped into Lowery at the front doors. I'd left Jo with Barry at the paddock to work through some of the reports we were "modifying" before sending to InGen. If Jo's employment at Jurassic World ever fell through she had a promising career as a fiction writer ahead of her. Barry had moral qualms about lying on official reports so I left Jo in charge of the afternoon's creative writing session. She didn't have moral qualms about anything.
Plus, the last time she came with me to headquarter she stole a bunch of magazines then hunkered down with them at the paddock for hours like the pages held the secret of life. I'm not sure how 'Drop Two Sizes in 2 Weeks' or 'Easy Ab Diets' was striving towards world peace, but I have to say if she was interested in my opinions on the 'How to Have Sex He'll Love' article I was more than willing to lend a helping hand.
On my way out the door I collided with Lowery who was hunched over his phone texting with a speed I'd never been able to personally achieve. How they guy had the coordination to text and walk at the same time was one of life's great mysteries.
He slammed into me, his phone clattering to the ground as he tumbled backwards awkwardly. I left him to fend for himself against gravity and reached down to retrieve his phone. Just as I picked it up a text message beeped on the home screen. I'm a guy who values privacy, believe me, but when I saw Jo's name appear just above the message I knew the chances of me not reading the text were somewhere in the range of 'never gonna to happen' to 'yeah fucking right'.
My eyes danced across the phone, reading the message. Jesus, it was hard being right all the time.
Calm down, it's not a felony. It's barely a misdemeanor. Besides, you won't get caught so it doesn't matter. Stop Googling shit! – Jo
And to think, I was just getting over being pissed off about coming all the way to headquarters for a meeting that should have been an email, and just like that, here we go again.
I slowly raised my eyes to Lowery taking in his terrified appearance. His eyes were as big as saucers and he was shifting his weight back and forth trying to decide between fight or flight. Personally, I wouldn't recommend either.
"You and I need to talk," I barked at him, handing him back his phone. He hesitated slightly, his eyes darting between me and the phone before he hesitantly took it.
"You can't make me talk," he stuttered, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Clearly he'd watched Goodfellas one too many times with Jo. I raised my eyebrows at him, placing my hands on my hips.
Could I beat the truth out of Lowery? Sure.
Did I need to? Not really.
The guy was about two seconds from pissing his pants and I'd said five words to him. All it took was another 10 seconds of silence before he cracked. God help us if Lowery ever fell into the hands of the enemy.
"OK, I'll tell you. Just don't hurt me." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "At the bonfire.."
"Not here," I cut him off. "Follow me."
I led Lowery down Mainstreet to Margaritaville. It wasn't open yet, which guaranteed no one inadvertently overhearing us. As we entered the restaurant I saw Marco emerge from the kitchen carrying boxes of beer.
"Anything I can help you with, Owen?" Marco questioned.
"Nah man, just need a table for a few minutes. That cool?"
"No problem. I'll be in the back if you need anything." That was one of the things I liked about Marco, he didn't ask questions.
"Sit," I ordered. Lowery slunk into the chair opposite me, his eyes glued to the table top. "Listen Lowery, this doesn't need to be difficult. It's obvious you and Jo are in way over your heads. Why don't you do us both a favor and tell me what's going on."
Lowery glanced around the restaurant before pushing his glasses up his nose. "Jo will kill me if I tell you."
That wasn't true. For some inexplicable reason Jo liked Lowery so I seriously doubted she'd kill him for spilling the beans. Maim him? That was a definite possibility, but there was no need for fraidy cat here to know that.
"Jo isn't the person you should be worried about right now," I threatened. Truth was Jo would probably kill me if I hurt Lowery, and as much as the sight of the guy irritated me, I had no desire to harm him. Much.
He swallowed, biting his lip and weighing his options. He obviously didn't want to betray his friend, but he wanted broken fingers even less.
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell Jo," he whispered, defeated.
"Cross my heart and hope to die."
He sat up straighter, scooting his chair closer to the table before launching into his explanation, "Jo asked me at the bonfire to do something." I narrowed my eyes at him. "OK, she asked me to hack into a server and poke around a bit."
I ground my teeth together, my fingers tapping against the table in annoyance. My bullshit detector was reading 'false'. Oh, I had no doubt Jo had asked him to illegally hack into the company's computer system, but there was still a shit ton he wasn't telling me.
"Lowery, I'm only going to say this once. Jo means something to me. I'm not the kind of guy who has heart to hearts so me telling you that is paramount to us painting each others toe nails at a sleepover," I told him in clipped tones, cracking my knuckles before proceeding. "That being said, if she's planning something that could result in her getting hurt I'd like to know. You and I both know she tends to overlook the ramifications of her actions."
Lowery nodded in response, "Yeah, I know. It's just…"
"Listen, tell me what's going on and let me see if I can help. I'm not saying Jo doesn't have a good reason for committing a felony, but you two seem like you could use all the help you can get."
"I knew it was a felony," he muttered under his breath. "She wants me to hack a server, an InGen laboratory server specifically."
Now we were getting somewhere.
"Why?"
"The guy who shot up the lab said some stuff to her before she, you know…"
"Killed him," I supplied.
Lowery cringed, "Yeah. Well, he told her that they were messing around with DNA. Made it sound like it was unauthorized. Jo confronted Simon about it, but he brushed it off, didn't take her seriously. She's convinced something is going on and wants proof."
"Messing around with DNA how?" The lab was required to "mess around" with DNA to fill the gaps in the DNA. It was part of the job description.
"That's what we're trying to find out. It's public knowledge the lab fills gaps with all kinds of DNA, but that guy didn't kill people because of standard operating procedures. He made it sound like InGen was making something…something that Mr. Masrani, everyone, was unaware of."
I sat back in the chair, crossing my arms across my chest. If that were true this was a fuck up of epic proportions. It would mean history repeating itself. It would mean another Jurassic Park.
Holy shit.
"What have you found?" I asked.
"Nothing yet. I've been working on creating a back door so I can access the servers without alerting anyone. It takes time, and it's not like I can do it at my station during normal business hours."
Made sense, I guess. Most of what Lowery said sounded like gibberish to me. It was like talking to a Wookiee.
"Keep working on it, and let me know what you find out," I said, rising from the chair.
"You, you won't tell Jo I told you, right?"
Want to know the definition of stupid? Knowing the truth, seeing the truth, but still believing the lie.
"Sure thing," I lied, striding towards the door before stopping and turning back. "Lowery, if you keep me in the dark again you and I are going to have a problem."
Exactly one week later Lowery made a breakthrough. He hastily called me and spent 20 minutes explaining in agonizing detail the entire process of hacking the server. I understood four words "Hi Owen, it's Lowery". Bottom line, he finally had some news, and he was meeting Jo tonight to discuss it.
So when Jo's phone vibrated with an incoming text message I knew it was Lowery. I kept my fingers crossed that Jo would confide in me, but from the look of her currently snoring softly on my couch while I finished dinner I wasn't holding my breath.
When she said nothing about her impending plans during dinner then made some lame excuse about being tired at 8:30 I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep a straight face, much less keep my mouth shut. As it turns out personal restraint was my superpower.
"Man, I'm wiped out. I think I'm going to hit the sack early tonight." This was delivered complete with a fake yawn. I was almost embarrassed for her.
"Alright, need me to walk you home?"
"Nah, I'm good. Thanks thought." She at least appeared genuinely sheepish as she lied to my face.
She was really trying to sell it on her walk to her camper as she pretended to trip and zig zag across the distance. Personally, I just thought she looked drunk, but whatever floats your boat I guess.
While she continued to unnecessarily stumble to her camper I flipped off all the lights in my bungalow, getting in my Jeep and heading out. The fact that Jo had the patience of a toddler who'd ingested one too many Red Bulls, coupled with the fact her meeting with Lowery was drawing closer, told me she'd wait a total of five minutes before sneaking out.
On the way to the meeting point I tried not to let my anger take over. Jo didn't trust anyone, herself included, so I couldn't get upset at her for not opening up to me. At least that's what Barry had told me, repeatedly, when I'd brought him into the loop on this whole fiasco. According to him, it wasn't fair to punish her for not meeting an expectation I'd unknowingly placed on her. Having Barry as a friend was like spending time with Confucius.
I parked my Jeep out of sight at the meeting point and began the descent to the beach. How Lowery ever found this place was a mystery. The guy certainly had a flare for the dramatic. Barry was already waiting with Lowery when I finally arrived.
"She's on her way," Lowery informed me, nervously fidgeting with the flashlight in his hands.
"I figured," I told him, glancing at Barry. "Let's wait over in those caves until she gets here. If she sees us down here she might high tail it outta here."
Barry and I walked into the caves, the darkness within swallowing us up only feet inside, completely obscuring our presence. I could hear bats flapping deeper in the cave and had to prescribe myself a healthy dose of man the fuck up because those things creeped me the fuck out. This place was like Doctor Seuss' worst nightmare.
"Did she tell you anything?" Barry asked.
"What do you think?"
He snorted, "No real surprise there. Go easy on her tonight. This is all new to her."
Tell me something I didn't know buddy. I wasn't really mad. I was disappointed. I wanted her to feel what I was feeling, to need me the way I knew I needed her. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do if that never happened.
Thankfully I was saved from my inner musing by Jo's arrival. She walked down the dirt path towards Lowery with the pale moonlight glowing behind her, bathing her body in an ethereal glow. She moved with grace and strength, the breeze from the ocean blowing her hair over one shoulder. Looking at her was like taking a punch to the gut. Jesus, I was in serious trouble.
"Hey Lowery," she greeted the nervous control tech warmly. Lowery looked ready to puke and I knew it would only take seconds for Jo to notice. "What's wrong? Are you OK?"
"Let's go," I nudged Barry, walking out from the cave. We might as well get this party started right now before Lowery had a heart attack.
"Jo, I'm sorry…" Lowery started, but stopped as Jo's gaze fixed on us. She immediately withdrew a gun from her back, shoving Lowery behind her. I felt myself smirk; I should have known she'd come armed. She probably slept with a samurai sword under her pillow.
It didn't take long for her to realize who was standing in front of her. Her mouth dropped open and her head snapped around to Lowery. It didn't escape my attention the gun was still pointed at me.
"Hey Jo, fancy meeting you here," I said casually. "Wanna put the gun away?"
She dropped the gun to her side as she leveled a gaze at Lowery that clearly shouted, "you and I are not done" before turning to look at me. She seemed at a loss for words as her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. I think she would have handled a T-Rex strolling out of that cave better than this.
"What did you do?" she hissed at Lowery. I thought that was fairly obvious, but Jo apparently needed more information before she came to a conclusion.
Lowery looked like he was trying to melt into the sand so I decided to throw the guy a life preserver since this was really my doing.
"I think the better question is, what are you doing Jo" I spat at her, not even attempting to keep the ice out of my voice. "Because from where I'm sitting you're taking reckless chances."
"How do you even know about any of this?!" she fired back. At least her attention was now focused solely on me, I wasn't sure Lowery could take the full brunt of Jo's wrath.
"Lowery volunteer the information," I answered.
"That's not exactly…I wouldn't say…" I cut him off with a hard look. He mumbled something incoherent under his breath, dropping his head. Smart man.
"The way I understand things, you have Lowery here risking his job to hack into an InGen secure sever. Is that about the gist of it?" I supplied.
The venom in my voice would have had anyone else ducking for cover. Jo squared her shoulders, straightening out her spine in an attempt to match my height. I still towered over her, but it was a clear sign she wasn't intimidated. It was one of the things I loved about her normally, but right now, it made me want to strangle her. In the most loving way possible, of course.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to Lowery," she stated. She meant it too. Jo didn't let just anyone into her life, but once you got the all access pass she would die to keep you safe. It was the reason this whole plan terrified me.
"And what about you?"
"What about me?" she asked, clearly confused. Concern for her personal safety had never entered the equation. Typical.
We were nose to nose at this point. My body was rigid with anger, and the need to grab the woman in front of me and hide her away from the world. I knew she'd never let me, and what's more she would hate even the idea of that, but keeping her safe was the only thing that mattered in my world at this point.
Barry cleared his throat from behind me, "I think we should focus on what Lowery has to say. The what or why is irrelevant now."
Jo huffed in response, holstering her weapon at the small of her back and turning away from me towards the ocean. I kept my eyes fixed on her as she tapped her fingers against her forearm in agitation. So she was pissed, good, I'd been pissed for weeks.
"Well, ah, I've made some progress getting past their firewalls. Their system has triple redundancy and operates completely outside Masrani's normally protocols. Which is weird. I'm not sure anyone even realizes how well insulated InGen's research actually is," Lowery addressed the group, pushing his glasses up on his nose.
"So you found something?" Jo inquired, finally turning away from the ocean. It didn't escape my notice she avoided looking in my direction.
"Um, well, no. I mean, I have found some research, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that everyone in the company doesn't have access to or would find strange."
Well then why and the fuck were we standing on a secluded beach in the middle of the night? For a smart person Lowery was really fucking stupid sometimes.
"I'm sorry I asked you to take such a big risk for nothing Lowery. I appreciate you giving it a shot," Jo told him, moving past everyone towards the dirt path that led up the cliff.
"Wait, I didn't say there was nothing," Lowery called out and she froze. Hell, we all froze.
"What did you find?" I probed. Why didn't he just say that to begin with?
I will not kill Lowery. I will not kill Lowery. This was becoming my daily affirmation.
"There's an isolated server housing terabytes of information that isn't connected back to the system. That's highly unusual. I can't access the server's contents without physically getting into the server room, but I did see something interesting in the other accessible servers. The lab keeps records on every dinosaur in the park, not surprising. What is surprising is there were two shadow files on the computer I hacked that essentially had nothing in them but filler information made to look like actual files."
"Which two?" Barry asked, stepping closer to Lowery.
"The Velociraptors and something called an Indominus Rex," he answered.
Well, fuck.
I didn't know what an Indominus Rex was, but the fact that my girls were essentially being spied on was enough to get my blood boiling. Taking this job was not doing my blood pressure any favors, or my homicidal tendencies. When I was in the Navy killing people wasn't really an issue, sure, it was frowned upon sometimes, but it was a fact of life. Here at Jurassic World I was almost positive killing someone would come with a life sentence.
"I'm not that up-to-date on my dinosaur history so feel free to stop me if I'm wrong, but whatever it is you just said is not a real dinosaur, right?" Jo asked the group. We all shook our heads. "That's what I thought."
"What did it say about the raptors?" I snapped, my fist clenching and unclenching in time with my rising heart rate. "Did you find anything that pointed to what that Domino Rex thing actually is?"
My first priority was ensuring my girls were safe, but something told me the unidentified dinosaur was a direct threat to their well-being. Was I paranoid? Maybe. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an illegally created, possibly genetically engineered, killing machine roaming the island.
"Indominus Rex," Lowery corrected. I scowled in response and went back to repeating, "I will not kill Lowery" in my head. "Right, not important, and no. The files for both dinosaurs look like basic research, theories and some reports from you guys, but like I said most of the files are inaccessible remotely. I couldn't access any tangible information on either dinosaur."
Essentially we had shit ton of circumstantial evidence, and not much more. If we went to Simon with this bullshit he'd fire us all, throw us off the island, and probably have us arrested. Not necessarily in that order.
"That's it then. If we can't get to the information there isn't a lot we can do," Barry stated the obvious.
"Well, maybe…," Jo muttered, her voice trailing off as her face got the look that screamed, 'I'm coming up with a plan that is most likely equal parts illegal and dangerous'.
"Jo, the only way to access those files would be to at the server itself. Before you ask, I checked, and that server is located on the top floor in the most highly secure part of the building. It requires an access card that only a handful of people have. I mean, what do you plan to do, break into the server room?" Lowery laughed.
I had to agree with the nerd on this one. I'd seen Mission Impossible movies with plot scenarios more achievable than what he'd just described, and those guys blew up the Kremlin once.
"Pretty much," Jo replied, blunt as ever.
Lowery cleared his throat instantly sobering, "Oh, well, OK."
"Barry, why don't you and Lowery call it a night. We're not coming up with a plan now. I'll link up with you tomorrow at work," I declared, dismissing the two. I needed a few minutes alone with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest here.
Barry nodded, grabbing Lowery as he passed by. I saw Jo try to move towards the dirt path in my peripheral.
"Mind hanging back for a minute?" I asked, trying to maintain some sense of civility.
She glanced up at the retreating figures on the walkway longingly, watching until they disappeared from view. I was reasonable certain she'd rather be waxing Hoskins back hair than standing here with me right now. I watched as she shifted her weight around anxiously, chewing on her fingernails as she glanced between the ocean, the beach and me.
It was exhausting to watch. I'd wager she could keep quiet for about two more minutes, max.
"Are you going to say something or just stand there all dark and broody?" she asked only seconds later.
Two more minutes, what was I thinking? This was Jo we're talking about. My eyes' narrowed on her and she took a tentative step back.
"Do you really think baiting me is in your best interest right now?"
"No?" She phrased it like a question unable to gauge my mood.
I grumbled in response, dragging my hands through my hair in frustration. I felt her instantly deflate, her shoulders slouching.
"How long have you known?" she whispered.
I paused before answering, "Since right after the bonfire."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me yourself," I answered, turning away from her. I really didn't want her to know how much it hurt that she hadn't. "I came tonight because I was worried you might do something rash without thinking it through."
You know, like breaking into a server room to steal proprietary information.
I heard her take in a harsh breath and turned around. Her eyes were downcast, but I could see unshed tears filling those beautiful, brown eyes. I was momentarily shocked speechless. I wasn't sure Jo was capable of tears, but here she was, almost crying right in front of me.
"I do trust you," she cried, her voice breaking, "I didn't tell you because I couldn't protect you if this went sideways."
Protect me? Mother of all things sacred. I appreciated the notion, but it was completely unnecessary. I was fairly certain I could handle everyone on the island, with the exception of the maybe Jo.
My heart swelled at her admission of trust. It made all the difference in the world that she'd kept information from me out of a misplaced desire to protect me, and not because she didn't trust me. Most people wouldn't care about the subtle nuances of deceit, but with Jo this was a monumental breakthrough.
Earning her trust was like locating El Dorado. You spend your life seeking it, only to find out it could never be found.
I slowly stepped in front of her, gently running my hand down the side of her face, hooking my fingers under her chin as I tipped her face up. A lone tear escaped, racing down her cheek. My eyes softened as lopsided smile broke out. I used my thumb to brush away the tear, studying her face in the moonlight. She looked troubled, haunted, embarrassed. I wanted nothing more than to crush her to me and chase away all thoughts but us.
"I appreciate the gesture Jo, but you don't need to protect me. I can handle myself."
"Yeah, well, there isn't a whole lot you can do if they just up and fire you. I couldn't let that happen. I know how much the girls mean to you."
I flashed her a 100-watt smile, wrapping my arms around her as I led her towards the dirt path. Hidden underneath Jo's I don't give a fuck attitude was the heart of a person who cared more deeply than anyone I'd ever met.
"Just out of curiosity, how were you planning to explain Lowery's involvement if your evil plot was uncovered?"
"First of all, my plot was not evil." Debatable. "Second, I would just tell them I held a gun to his head and made him do it," she finished, sniffling as we reached the top of the cliff.
"And you couldn't say the same about me?"
She started laughing then grabbed her ribs as they protested the action.
"I don't think anyone would believe I coerced you with the threat of physical violence," she patted me on the back as she looked around. "What…where the hell is my Jeep?!"
"Barry took it. You can pick it up tomorrow at the paddock," I stated, smiling bright. It was a shameless ploy to finally get her on my motorcycle.
She kept looking at the spot her Jeep had been parked like she could conjure it with sheer willpower. Her brow was furrowed as she glanced into the jungle then back at her former parking sport, her lips compressed in a thin line. I sat on my motorcycle patiently waiting for her to snap out of whatever mental gymnastics routine was currently taking place in her head. At the rate it'd be morning before we got out of here.
She looked up, looking even more confused as she met my expectant eyes. What did she think; I'd make her walk outta here?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She glanced behind her like there might be someone else here I was waiting on.
"Are you going to get on or just stand there all night?"
She looked like she was going to stand there, all night.
"But, but, that's your bike," she stuttered, obviously uncomfortable.
"Motorcycle."
"Whatever," she responded dismissively, waving her hands.
"Josephine King, are you nervous to get on my motorcycle?" I taunted, reveling in her discomfort.
She couldn't maintain eye contact with me as she bit her lip. Taunting her was a total dick move, but she was just so darn cute when she was like this I couldn't pass up the opportunity. In all seriousness, I was having a hard time placing her anxiety. As far as I knew Jo was only scared of dead rats and the possibility of a candy apocalypse.
"Jo, you look ready to bolt. I promise it's totally safe. You know I'd never let anything happen to you."
She looked confused for a second before shaking her head in agreement. Clearly, this was not the root of her distress, but she sure as hell wanted me to think it was. I was starting to consider the possibility of having to walk out of here when she closed her eyes, and started shuffling towards me. She swung her leg over the motorcycle, sitting down behind me so close to rear fender I wasn't sure how she didn't tumble off.
"Uh Jo, you're going to have to get a little closer for this to work."
You know, they say the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. As Jo slide her body forward, wrapping her arms uncertainly around my waist I found out the truth of that statement. I felt her breasts pressed into my back as her hips slide forward, her long, lean legs practically wrapped around me. She let out a small whimper as her hands cautiously explored my abs struggling to find a hold. I closed my eyes tight, thinking of anything to keep my libido in check.
In an effort to distract myself from the temptress sitting behind me I kick started the motorcycle. Jo's arms instinctively tightened around my waist with a yelp, pulling her so tight against me it left nothing to the imagination. And I'll be completely honest; my imagination had taken a nosedive into pornographic territory. When the soft scent of her shampoo wafted by my nose as her hair fell forward I felt my dick jump in response, and knew I was on the wrong side of a losing battle.
This was either the best or worst plan in the history of the world.
"Not that I don't enjoy all the noises coming out of your mouth right now Jo, but if you don't stop we won't be leaving this spot any time in the near future."
That was the god's honest truth. I was practically vibrating with the need to touch her, to taste her. I was overcome with the urge to make her mine in every sense of the word. I wrenched back on the throttle, shooting us into the jungle at a breakneck speed. I felt Jo bury her head against my back, and eased up on the throttle. No need for us to both die because of a little sexual frustration. I tried to keep my focus on the drive, the beautiful scenery, the reports I had due tomorrow. Anything to distract me from the feeling of Jo behind me, her hands on my body, her head lying peacefully on my shoulder.
Fuck my life, this was some beautiful torture.
Too soon I was slowing down in front of Jo's camper as she gracelessly tumbled off the motorcycle. Jo and clumsy went together about as well as her ham and potato sandwiches so I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from the ride.
"Thanks for the ride," she mumbled, making a beeline for her front door.
I sat on my motorcycle, watching the retreating back of the woman who meant more to me than anything else in the world. What the fuck was I waiting for, an engraved invitation?
"Screw it," I thought, climbing off my bike. I was done waiting. I reached out, grabbing Jo by the hand and swinging her around. I pulled her towards me, crushing my lips against hers. She hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around my neck, opening her mouth to me. I slide my tongue along her lower lip, eliciting a moan from her in response. When her tongue brushed against mine I growled, pulling her even closer, my arms wrapped around her waist, pinning her to me.
I couldn't get close enough, and my dick was all too eager to remind me that there was a very simple remedy for my current dilemma. But it was more than that. I wanted anything and everything she was willing to give me. Meeting Jo had filled a void I'd never even knew I possessed. She left me thirsty with longing for a life I didn't know I wanted until I found it.
The need for oxygen broke us apart as my eyes drifted over her face. Her hair was tussled and windblown from the ride, her lips deliciously red and swollen from our kiss, her eyes content, she was fucking beautiful. She smiled at me shyly, running her hand down my face tenderly. She took a deep breath, wincing from the pain in her ribs.
"Get some sleep, and take your pill. I can tell you're in pain," I told her, lightly placing a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."
She nodded and I gave her a crooked smile as I walked back to my motorcycle. I gave her one last look before heading home for the night. I knew this moment had changed my life forever. She was the reason for my existence, and I was willing to do whatever it took to keep her safe.
As I drove back home I tried to decipher the fleeting look of worry that had crossed her face as I left. I was sure it had something to do with what we'd discovered tonight, but my gut told me there was more to it.
There was a storm coming. A raging inferno of hostile combat that we might not all survive, and we had placed ourselves directly in its path. Jo had the look of a woman readying herself for battle. She was steeling herself for what lie ahead. It was what she was used to, what she was good at. She'd always had that look about her, that look of otherness. Like she'd seen far too much, and it brought about thoughts that carried her off the edge of the world.
Yeah, Jo had the look of a woman prepared to face the wrath of the storm alone to protect the one's she loved. I hated to break it to her, but she'd never be alone again.
Not as long as I was still breathing.
angelicedg: Sooo much fun to write drugged up Jo :) I'm glad you liked the last bit. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, thanks for reading/reviewing!
thakidisbac: I know exactly what you mean. When I'm writing it I always have that story up and re-read the parts before I write Owen's. It's kinda cool to see it take shape from both of their perspectives. Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot!
BlueEyedPisces: Nice work with the trashcan punch. These days I'm down for the count after one beer. I'd probably go into a coma if I got within 10 feet of trashcan punch, so much props! I hear you on Owen, poor guy, but I think he knows what he's signing up for when it comes to Jo :) I loved using the greek tragedy line, always cracks me up! Thanks for sticking with the story!
LynxOnSmoothies: I tried to put Skeletor in this chapter, but when I re-read it, it just didn't fit. She was just kinda "there" for no reason other than it makes me laugh in a sadistic kinda way. But don't worry, I'll figure it out. Skeletor is never far...LOL! When this story is done I'm going to start on the sequel to BJW. It will takes us through the events of the movie, with some additions/deviations since Jo will be there, but it will stay true to the general plot. I'm thinking of telling chapters from either Owen or Jo's perspective depending on whose perspective would give us the best insight. I don't think I'll do another complete story from both POVs. Thoughts? Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)
jahoney: I'm sorry the last chapter didn't live up to the hype. I understand what you are saying and tried to address some of those issues in this chapter. Hopefully, it worked. Let me know what you think. I was definitely trying to delve a little deeper into what everyone is feeling and how it is affecting their decisions in this chapter. Again, thanks for your insight and comments!
