Chapter Fifty Three
The ride home was full of silence and awkward conversation. Jaime hated what had happened to her and how she couldn't forget. All she wanted to do was forget.
"Jaime? Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked, as she stepped out of the sedan. "You look a little distracted."
Jaime smiled. "I'll be okay. I…well, I just keep remembering things. And I keep having these odd dreams. I can't sleep at night."
Elizabeth nodded. "I totally understand. It was like that when I got raped a few years ago."
Jaime looked at Elizabeth. She thought she recalled Elizabeth mentioning something along those lines, but wasn't quite sure. "I guess. It's just, well, with Rosco, it's different."
Jaime walked with Elizabeth into the warm house. "It's…well, I don't hate him!" Jaime exclaimed in horror. "How can I not hate him for doing what he did to me?"
Elizabeth put her arm around her shoulder. "Did he hurt you Jaime? Or…you know, try to you know…"
Jaime looked up at Elizabeth. The unspeakable phrase that Elizabeth was unable to utter flew passed Jaime and she shook her head vehemently. "Oh, no. It wasn't like that!" Jaime denied. She closed her eyes, and the rough, deliberate pulling on her shirt seemed to linger and then disappear. "Someone tried to hurt me like that."
Elizabeth pulled her down onto the couch and handed her a near-by tissue. "Who?" Elizabeth coaxed. "What happened Jaime?"
The soft words and the warm soft arm around her brought the tears that Jaime thought she'd finished crying, tumbling down again. "One of the guards attacked me." She paused, wiping the tears away. "He tried to…rape me."
Jaime felt Elizabeth's arms tense around her, supporting her. She shrugged Elizabeth away. "But that isn't what the problem is, Elizabeth!" Jaime jumped up from the couch and ran her fingers through her ebony hair. "Rosco rescued me."
Elizabeth looked at her curiously and confused. "Wait. Do you mean, his thugs attacked you and he saved you?" Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief.
Jaime shook her head. "He wasn't a jerk Elizabeth. I've known him for a couple of years Liz and he's a ruthless and calculating man. He's an enforcer, and for him to save me like that…it…I don't know Elizabeth. I can't explain it."
Jaime walked towards the french doors that opened out into the garden. "You know I hated him when he kidnapped me and then all of the sudden he was this nice guy. Not completely nice, but decent, which is not how I remember him. And he took care of me. I…I can't explain it, but I even felt." Jaime took a deep breath. "I felt attracted to him!" She shook her head at the memory.
Elizabeth seemed to shrink at the admittance. "Wow!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I never expected that!"
Jaime turned around to face Elizabeth. "You're not kidding me! I would be repulsed if I weren't so confused."
Elizabeth shook her head. "Don't be. I mean, it happened to my best friend Emily. Jason's sister? It's almost like the Stockholm syndrome, identifying with your captors?" Elizabeth explained. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Jaime bit her lip. She could only hope it was that. And that it had nothing to do with some twisted illogical emotional attachment. "I think so. Did she get over it?" Jaime inquired hopefully.
Elizabeth's face sunk. "Uh, no. They began dating."
Jaime laughed out loud. "Thanks, that definitely puts it in perspective," she replied sarcastically.
Elizabeth quickly shook her head. "But they didn't last. And it was different. I mean, it was a freak thing with Emily and Zander. Completely different from your situation with Rosco and the mob."
Jaime slumped into the cream colored couch. "How so? Did she kiss him before he decided to leave her alone in an abandoned villa?"
Elizabeth swallowed. "You kissed him?"
Jaime nodded repulsively. "Sort of. He kissed me. Although I can't say that I hated it either."
Elizabeth drew herself closer to Jaime. "I don't know what to say?" Elizabeth answered honestly. "But what I think is that it's over and you realize that it was some messed up reality. Something you wouldn't do if you weren't put in that position."
Jaime opened her mouth to answer, but the main door opened and closed in that moment. She recognized the familiar leather jacket and jeans. "Jason!" she sighed. Jaime looked over at Elizabeth who seemed to want to hear more, but she shook her head and walked over to her male counterpart. "Where have you been?"
Jason seemed to peer over her shoulder at Elizabeth and then quickly back at her. "I went to see your father," Jason stated.
Jaime stopped in her tracks. "You went to see who?"
"You heard me Jaime. I went to see your father. He had to be filled in on what went down and the progress in tracking Rosco."
Jaime tilted her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you talked to him. Jason you know I don't want anything to do with him!" Jaime exclaimed. "And what does he need to know? I don't want you to go after Rosco. I mean it Jason!"
Jaime stared at the emotionless man in front of her and then peered over at the startled Elizabeth. She bit her lip again and ran up the stairs to her room.
***
Elizabeth glared at Jason incredulously. "Did you see that?"
Jason nodded. "I can't say that I'm surprised."
Elizabeth peered at her frustrated friend. "Why?"
Jason swallowed and took off his coat, slinging it over the empty chair, which stood close by. "Jaime hates violence. She always has and that's why she can't be around her father."
Elizabeth frowned. "Well, if she hates violence, why does she fight?"
Jason sat down beside Elizabeth. "Sparring is different. She does it for self-defense, and Jaime doesn't like to use it unless she's provoked. But she knows Mr. Nam's going to retaliate against Rosco if he ever finds him."
Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair exhaling loudly. "Is he close?"
Jason pursed his lips and shook his head. "Luckily no. Rosco has seemingly disappeared without a trace. Which is good for him and Jaime. I don't think she could take being responsible for someone's death."
Elizabeth couldn't believe how ruthless the distinguished elderly man could be. "Couldn't she ask him not to do it?" she suggested.
Jason shook his head and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "It doesn't work that way," Jason stated. "It's better if he just stays gone."
Elizabeth felt a shiver run down her spine. "You know I was talking to Jaime before you came home."
Jason studied her intensely. "And what did she say? Did Jaime tell you what happened?"
Elizabeth knew that Jason was getting emotional, well, as emotional as he could be. "One of Rosco's men tried to hurt her," Elizabeth said cautiously. "But Rosco put a stop to it."
Jason's fist was clenched tightly against his thigh. "And…" Jason waited for more.
"And apparently, Rosco kissed her."
Elizabeth could tell that Jason was upset at the presumptuous nature of her assailant. "Did it go any further than that?" Jason inquired anxiously.
She shook her head. "No. What are you going to do Jason?" Elizabeth asked curiously. "Jaime did say she didn't want anyone to go after him."
Jason closed his eyes and rubbed his thighs as if wiping some dirt off his palms. "I don't know. I should find him, if not just to warn him. I should make him pay...." He spoke hesitantly, uncertain of his course. "I…"
At that moment Jaime returned down the stairs, her face slightly blotchy from the tears, but more or less, composed. "You are going to do nothing."
The statement hung in the air as the group of friends stood and sat motionless. Jason nodded slightly towards Jaime. "I know you…"
Jason didn't finish before Jaime shook her head and interrupted. "It's exactly how I said it would be." The firmness and the authority that seemed to surround Jaime left Elizabeth nervous. "We're going home in two days and then everything will be over. I'll be fine and we'll go back to doing what we were doing."
With that final word, Jaime excused herself and silently made her way towards the quiet garden. Elizabeth and Jason were left with nothing else, but worry for their hurting friend.