Chapter Eighteen

"Absolutely not," Letty said to Vince. He had just asked her if Jocelyn could eat downstairs.

"Aw, come on Letty. You can't expect her to eat up there by herself," Vince said in return.

"She won't be eating by herself. You'll be eating with her," she said as she shoved a plate into Vince's hands.

"This is bullshit. She's miserable up there."

"And there's nothing I can do about it. Doctor's orders remember. You were the one who got pissed off when Dom tried to help her and now you want to disobey them, too?"

Mia walked into the kitchen and frowned. "We can here you two outside. Mind tuning it down?"

Vince sat the plate on the counter and walked out of the kitchen. When he reached Jocelyn's door, he cracked the door open. He found her sleeping on her back. She had pulled her hair up into a sloppy pony tail and several wisps were hanging down in her face. Vince walked into the room and shut the door softly behind him.

He turned off the TV, which sent the room into darkness even though it was only 7 o'clock. Vince walked over to her window and opened up the blinds. Very little light came into the room. He walked back over to Jocelyn's bed and sat down on it. Quietly, he removed his shoes and slipped in next to her. He wasn't really tired, he just felt like she needed some company.

"I'm sorry, Jocelyn," he whispered. "I know you hate being up here, but it's for your own good."

"Tell me I did the right thing," Letty said to Dom as she sat next to him on the couch after dinner.

Dom looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Was it the right thing to say no to Joce eating down here? I feel like the bad guy here. She hardly looks at me anymore. I don't know what it is, but I'm either really scared or really protective around her. I feel so out of character."

"Letty, you're not the bad guy. The bad guy is some ass hole out there plotting the ways he can make her life miserable. You're her sister who loves her."

"I just...it's so weird with her here. I cried the other day for the first time in I don't know how long. Dominic, I don't cry. I'm not the type to express my emotions through tears. I get angry, but I never cry."

"I don't know what to tell you, Letty."

Letty laid her head on Dom's shoulder. "I think I need a massage," she said softly.

Dom smiled and scooped her up into his arms. "I think you do too," he replied as he made his way toward the stairs.

Jocelyn woke up and froze as she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She felt her hands begin to shake slightly as she turned her head to see who was in her bed. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was only Vince.

Light from outside poured into the room. Jocelyn saw that the street lights were on and decided to close the blinds. Recently, she had become uncomfortable with them being open. She moved Vince's hand and put her legs on the ground. Slowly she stood up, hoping not to move the bed too much. Jocelyn padded her way softly over to the window and place on the side of the wall to help balance herself. As she reached to close the blinds, a car parked across the street caught her attention. In the driver's seat sat a figure with a camera pointed right at Jocelyn's window.

Her body immediately froze with fear.

"Vince," she said in a hoarse voice. She had suddenly lost control of her voice.

"Vince!" she screamed, still watching the car.

Vince shot up in bed and looked over at her. Within in seconds, he was at her side and saw the car. Without saying a word, he rushed out of the room and down the stairs.

Jocelyn watched from the window as Vince ran out of the house. The driver of the car started it up and sped off. Her body began to shake as she walked over to her bed. The sound of feet running up the stairs filled her ears. Vince walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Jocelyn nodded. Her control of her voice was lost. Once again, her privacy had been invaded.

"Why won't they leave me alone?" she whispered.

Vince clenched his jaw and looked at her. Her eyes had bags underneath them the size of Texas.

"When was the last time you slept other before today?" he asked.

Jocelyn looked down at the ground. Vince placed a hand under her chin and lifted up her head.

"I haven't slept since before I was shot. I mean I've passed out due to lack of sleep, but as for willingly sleeping I haven't in a week or so."

"Why not?" Vince asked, concerned.

"The dreams keep me up. Every time I close my eyes I either see Carter's death or me getting shot again. It's almost as if I'm afraid that if I close my eyes that I won't wake up again."

"Have you said anything to Letty? I mean does she know that the dreams are this bad?"

Jocelyn walked out of Vince's grip slowly and sat in the bed. She didn't have enough energy to stand.

"No, I haven't. I can't stand it when she looks at me. She gets this sad, empathetic look in her eyes that drives me up the wall. I can tell she wants to help and she wants to know what's going on, but I just can't say anything. I don't want her to worry about me. She has her own life and she doesn't need to worry about me."

Vince walked over and closed the blinds to her room. He silently cursed himself for opening them in the first place.

"Joce, you have to understand that she wants to help you. Letty doesn't feel as if she has to, she wants to."

"I don't want her to want to help me."

Vince sat down next to Jocelyn and pulled her into his lap.

"Everybody needs help at one point in time. You're going to drive yourself crazy fending for yourself. Let us help you. Let us take care of you."

Jocelyn placed her head against Vince's shoulder.

"But if I do that, then that means that y'all will get hurt. Whoever is after me, is going to stop at nothing to hurt me and those who I care for. I just keep thinking that if I am on my own and push myself far away from you guys, that y'all will be safe."

Vince kissed the top of Jocelyn's head.

"You don't need to worry about us, Jocelyn."

Jocelyn sighed. She felt her eye lids growing unimaginably heavy.

"I'm tired, V. Physically and emotionally. I feel as if I could sleep for days, weeks even."

"Well then do it, Princess. No one's going to stop you from getting a little beauty rest."

"Will you stay with me?" she asked, looking up at him.

Vince bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips. "Of course I will."

Jocelyn smiled and crawled out of his lap to her spot. She closed her eyes and within seconds was out like a light. Vince fixed the covers around her and then laid down next to her.

"Sweet dreams, Princess," he whispered before closing his eyes.