Double Jeopardy: EMMANUEL & THOMAS

by tarskeewee08

Evangeline pulled her robe closed after closing the door. Eve stood there looking at her with pity, she knew exactly what she was going through.

Evangeline's hair was wet and matted to her head partially tucked into a braided bun. Her face red and scrubbed free of makeup, looking at her hands they were red too and Eve could imagine what the rest of her body looked like.

Her eyes were puffy and red and there was a dark bruise on the side of her face. Eve walked over to her and moved her head to get a closer look at it. "How did this happen?" she asked.

Evangeline bit her bottom lip and said nothing. Eve touched it tenderly and she flinched. Taking her by the hand she led her to the couch and sat her down. She went into the kitchen and got a zip lock bag and put ice in it. Eve looked over at Evangeline and she was sitting extremely still with her head bowed. She looked so defeated. After making the home made ice pack she walked over and sat next to her and put the ice to her forehead to make the swelling go down.

Evangeline looked at her and smiled and put her hand to the ice keeping it close to her head.

Eve sighed. "They both love you dear"

Evangeline shook her head no and let tears fall from her face. Eve saw that this would be difficult. "Let me explain something. First of all you did nothing wrong. It's only natural after loving John for as long as you did, that you would meet and fall in love with his Lorenzo. You had no understanding of why you connected to him. But the connection was real."

Evangeline looked at her with pain in her eyes "Why did they keep that from me? Was I just some pawn in their sick hatred for each other? Were they keeping score?"

"No….no baby" Eve said touching her face. "I think that Lorenzo may have had ill intentions when he arrived to town but he has fallen for you. It has nothing to do with John. And John has always loved you. ALWAYS….the pain of his father's death and my involvement made it hard for him to trust in love. They should have told you and they will have to explain why they didn't but understand, neither wanted to use you"

Evangeline looked away from Eve and thought about her own guilt. John told her not to trust Lorenzo and she refused. Lorenzo asked that she not sleep with John and separate herself from him and she refused. She wanted them both and part of her enjoyed the chase. Disgusted with herself she dropped her head.

Eve rubbed her hand "I loved Lorenzo's father. I met him when I was singing in Miami at a club in Coconut Grove. He was the sexiest man I'd ever laid eyes on. Tan, tall thick wavy black hair. Lorenzo looks a lot like him." She says smiling.

"When he courted me I enjoyed the attention. It was like I was the most important woman in the world. By the time he proposed I'd tossed my dreams aside and readily fled to his world of danger and secrets. Soon I found my prince had a dark side. When I realized it I was already pregnant with Lorenzo. I still loved him and closed my eyes to his horrors. I knew of his trafficking drugs from South America to Miami and so did the FBI. They couldn't touch him in Miami and sent special Agent Thomas McBain to do the job."

Evangeline looked at Eve and softened. Seeing her pain over the loss of both men she felt some kinship. Eve squeezed her hand and continued. This was just as therapeutic for her.

"Tom, was like no man I had ever seen. He had the piercing stare like John, you know the one that silences you without saying a word. The one that pulls you in. He befriended Emmanuel and was soon staying with us."

"At first it was innocent flirtations. I loved my husband and three year old son. Loved them deeply. But the attention I craved from Emmanuel was slipping away because of his other life. Soon I learned of his love for women as well. The realization that he would betray our vows hurt me deeply" Eve said wiping at her tears. Evangeline could see even now she loved this man.

"The affair between me and Tom came from nowhere. I swear one minute I was crying over the destruction of my faith in my marriage the next I was in another man's arms. After that Tom revealed who he really was and asked that I leave with him. I couldn't. I just couldn't leave my precious baby behind. Tom grew to hate Emmanuel and I knew that part of him hated Emmanuel's hold over me and the fact that I still loved him. A month went by and I discovered I was pregnant. I hadn't been with my husband in months so I knew it was Tom. Now I had no choice. Emmanuel would kill him and my unborn child."

"We plotted our escape but my mother in law discovered the plot. She told her son because she thought the baby was his. But Emmanuel knew it wasn't and his rage at Tom was murderous."

Eve stood up from the couch and started to pace in front of Evangeline. Evangeline watched her wring her hands and saw the pain on her face. She didn't want her to relive this for her. "Eve, please it's not necessary…."

Eve looked at her with tears in her eyes. "You need to understand why John and Lorenzo hate each other so blindly and why John is tortured the way he is. Why Lorenzo blames John. Their love for you sweetie is separate. Their hate for each other runs to deep to involve third party. Let me finish."

Evangeline nodded and leaned back into the sofa. Eve's voice was comforting and it distracted her from her own pain. She wanted to hear more.

"Tom was captured by Emmanuel's people and tortured for 12 hours straight. Evangeline you may or may not know this but the torture given in that region of the world can be extremely brutal and relentless" she said tears running non stop down her face.

"Emmanuel and I fought. I begged for Tom's life and Emmanuel almost relented. He said if I aborted the baby and stayed with him he could forgive me. That I was his and he couldn't let me go. No matter how bad I'd hurt him he couldn't bare to loose me. I could never agree to killing my child. So Emmanuel locked me up determined to kill Tom. My mother in law over heard and learned that the baby I was carrying was not her sons. She wanted me gone. She unlocked my door and told me she would help me free Tom but I would have to leave Lorenzo behind. She swore to keep me posted on his growth but I could never return. It was the life of the man I loved and the life of my children. I made the only decision I could and saved Tom's life." Eve hugged herself she was now shaking from her pain.

"The next weeks on the run in the South American jungle pregnant and dehydrated were torturous, but we made it to Tom's contacts and they got us out of the country. When Tom told the Bureau he wanted out I made him swear not to give them the info on Emmanuel, my son's life would be ripped apart. That was mistake number one. He agreed if I promised never to contact him again. Tom didn't care that I wanted Lorenzo he said we would have our own family now and that he was my husband. I was to be his alone. That was the mistake number two. I couldn't do it Evangeline, I couldn't abandon my baby, so I secretly stayed in contact until it all blew up in my face making my betrayal of Tom's trust my final mistake."

Evangeline got up going to Eve hugging her "It's not your fault.."

Eve hugged her back crying "It is because I was weak, I still loved Emmanuel despite what he did and if Tom hadn't arrived at the airport to stop me I would have left my sons behind and went back to South America."

"No, you wouldn't have….you were protecting John and his father."
Eve shook her head "I want to believe that."
"Believe it" Evangeline said smiling.

Eve looked at her. "My sons are good boys, they have a lot of problems but it's not beyond them to love someone. I saw them tonight Evangeline and they both love you so much."

Evangeline let go of Eve and stepped away from her. "I don't believe that…"

Eve rubbed her arm "Don't listen to your head, don't replay betrayal and pain over and over again….like I did…listen to your heart. Who do you love sweetie….in here" she said pointing to Evangeline's heart.

Evangeline looked at her and smiled. Eve looked into her eyes and saw her choice and smiled too. "Then you hold onto that love and you fight for the right to be happy with him."

"But I don't want to hurt…."

Eve nodded "He will be hurt, it will be painful for him and he may try to convince you to change your mind. But life is short and love is so precious that you have to fight for it."

"I need time Eve, I need to make sure that my love for him is enough….so much has happened."

"Take as much time as you need. I think they both need time too cool off as well. I will make sure they respect your wishes. When you are ready you can tell them your choice."

"What if I choose to let them both go…what if loving him isn't enough now Eve?"

Eve smiled "Loving him is more than enough….you know that" she said smiling again and hugging her.

Evangeline hugged her back and walked her to the door.

Saying good bye she locked the door and walked slowly back to her room. Her body still raw she opened her robe and looked at the welts. She still couldn't believe she'd come apart like that.

Tonight was painful but she felt a sense of relief in knowing why John was so tormented and closed off from her.

She also felt a sense of closeness to Lorenzo understanding why he is so needy with the woman he loves. When he lets someone in his heart it becomes a very vulnerable place. They both were good men and she knew they didn't use her, she'd actually used them to feel whole again. Now she had to choose between an old love that never had a chance to grow and a new love that was just beginning.

Sighing she took off her robe and got under her covers naked. Pulling the cool sheets over her aching body she felt her anxiety melting. She would work through this and escape this pain. Closing her eyes she dreamed of them both and this time she didn't scream. She half smiled and let them walk her into sleep.

John's Place

John sat in his dark living room listening to his Coltrane cd drinking beer. Tonight had gone all wrong. His mom was right, he'd done this to her on purpose. He wanted her to feel hurt and betrayed like he felt when she chose his brother over him. He knew he had no right to make her regret hurting him after what he'd done to her. But he couldn't help it. He always thought that she belonged to him no matter what. His stupid pride is what got in the way causing him to lash out at the one woman in the world he loved the most.

He understood his mother now. His father had done the same thing to her. His pride forced her to give up her son after they escaped South America. She was pulled apart by both men and their need to dominate and control her.

He wouldn't do that to Evangeline. He loved her to much. If she wanted to move on he'd let her go. It would be his final gift to her. Drinking the bitter warm beer he looked around in the dark. His hate for his brother had eased some tonight. He could never accept him into his life but he could let go his vendetta to destroy him. He didn't know how he would live with the notion of them together. He'd rather they both loose her than have to deal with that.

"Dammit!" he hissed then swallowed the rest of his beer. Taking the bottle he through it against the wall breaking it into pieces. "Evangeline baby please come back to me…." He whimpered.

Lorenzo Alcazars Place

Lorenzo sat in his study with his brandy sifting it in the large brandy glass looking into his fireplace.

"Is there anything else sir?" Bradford asked coming into the room looking at his boss.
"No" Lorenzo said dryly turning up the glass and drinking the rest of his brandy.
"Very well sir"

Lorenzo thought about Evangeline, her smile and touch. He remembered the way they made love this morning and how he twirled his fingers in her long mane as she slept on his chest. He could smell the soft apricot aroma of her shampoo. Closing his eyes he could swear he could feel her soft breast pressed against his chest. His desire for her so strong he squeezed and broke the brandy glass in his hand.

Opening his hand he saw the glass shards stuck in the palm of his hand oozing his own blood. Rising he took the broken glass to the trash and then walked out of the study to the adjourning bathroom to clean his wound. Looking up in the mirror he saw his face and noticed the tears. He hadn't even realized he was crying.

It wasn't just the idea of loosing her that caused the tears. Tonight he heard his mother's version of the truth and it uncovered the wounds that he thought he'd healed with his hatred and vendetta against his brothers. Now he has let go of some of that bitterness. He may never be friends with Mike and John but his need to kill and destroy them was over. He just wanted Evangeline and a chance at happiness with a woman that loved him only. Loved him better than his mother ever would.

Sighing he ran his hand under the warm water and watched the blood swirl down the drain of his porcelain white sink. He hoped that Evangeline was okay. He hoped that she knew how much he loved her.