Love, Lies & Blackmail

Chapter 10- warning: heartbreak ahead!

"You have your chance to explain yourself to her once you have done, tell Lauren I want to speak to her" Max told Joey, as he walked out of the living room and stared at his nephew as Max walked into the kitchen.

Joey sighed, headed up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Lauren, it's me. Let me explain it to you, please"

Joey heard footsteps and the door opening. He saw Lauren had been crying. She rubbed her eyes and let him in. Joey made no attempt to touch her because he saw Lauren was keeping her distance. She sat on her bed against the wall, her knees under her chin, as Joey sat on the edge of the bed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lauren whispered, her voice broke.

"I didn't want you to judge me" Joey replied, looking at her as she stared across the room. Joey noted she was also refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Judge you? You lied to me then let me lie for you. Telling the police you was driving that night is one thing but to let me lie about you killing someone? That's wrong, Joey, you have to understand that" Lauren told him, looking at him briefly but her posture didn't change.

"Don't you think I know I that? I was a wreck that night. I didn't know what to do. What can I do?" Joey questioned, hating the distance he had created.

"Tell me the truth" Lauren whispered, as fresh tears fell.

"Okay, I went around. We did have an argument then it got heated, really heated" Joey started to say, as he started to cry himself.

"Why? What was said?" Lauren asked, finally moving, relaxing her legs and laying them across the bed. Joey fought the urge to grab her legs and lay them across him so he pull her closer. They were past innocent touches.

"He insulted you, Lauren. I mean, he really insulted you then he threatened you I saw red. I hit him. I pushed him down. I kicked him until he stopped screaming. Until he was dead. He didn't even make a fight. I had no control in that moment. I will have to live with that for the rest of my life. I hated the man but I never wanted him dead" Joey carried on the truth, as tears fell and Lauren quickly put an arm around him, holding him.

"It's not the fact you killed him that bothers me, someone would of killed him one day. That's a fact but it's the fact you didn't tell me after I went on about trusting you again" Lauren said, facing her chin on his shoulder, kissing it briefly.

"I'm sorry" Joey whispered

"I can't be with someone I don't trust" Lauren told him, pulling away. Joey turned and stared at her, upset.

"No, please, don't do this, Lauren. I need you, I LOVE YOU!" Joey replied, trying to grab her arms but Lauren pulled away, standing up.

"And I love you, more than you will ever know but I told you it was hard to trust you again then you do this. What am I suppose to do, Joey?" Lauren exclaimed, crying.

"I don't know but please don't do this, anything but this" Joey told her, grabbing her hands, as he cried too.

"I can't trust you! That's not fair to either of us. Now please, just go because your making it hard being this close" Lauren said, letting herself of his grip.

"Okay, if that's what you want. Just know I will always love you, Lauren. Always"

Lauren sighed "If I can conceive Dad, I will keep my statement the same. You don't deserve prison, I know that much. It will stay between the 3 of us" She kissed him briefly on the cheek and headed downstairs to see Max waiting for her.

"Well?" Max asked, standing up.

"I'm not changing my statement, Dad. We need to protect him but I can't be with him anymore" Lauren told him. Max took a deep breath as he thought about this.

"Okay, if that's what you want, sweetheart then I will keep it a secret. Like I said earlier, it was sooner or later someone killed Derek" Max said before walking out. Lauren nodded and headed out.

It must of been 4am when Lauren walked into house. Drunk. She stumbled into the living room where she sat Joey was sat.

"Oh Hey, I'm just going to bed" Lauren said, slurring her words.

"Your gonna have such a hangover. Come on, let me help you" Joey told her, standing up and helping her as she struggled to stand.

"I'm fine!" Lauren tried to say but she fell on her heels and snapped one of them. Joey sighed, picked her up as she struggled to stand and carried her bridal style upstairs where they tried to not wake Abi. Joey placed her down, kissed her on the forehead and turned to walk away but Lauren grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Stay. Please. I need you here" Lauren whispered, her eyes widen. Joey nodded and climbed into bed. Lauren placed her head on his chest and wrapped an arm around as she fell into a deep sleep.

Hope you like :)

What do you think Lauren is gonna do when she wakes up?:P