Conflicted

Back at Hildy's apartment, Jack sat on the couch, looked straight towards the floor. After the night he had, it was amazing that he didn't get any sleep, at least not yet. However, because he knew that Hildy had been in danger, it was his turn to return the favor. Hildy was kidnapped and was lucky to escape, but what were the chances that she would be abducted again, or worse?

On top of that, Jack reflected on the dream he had before he woke up and then was tortured afterwards. Was it just a dream, or was it a message? Frank, his father, told him only a little about the case and was killed before he could have gotten any answers. Hildy had also told Jack about what Frank had been working on, but only knew so little otherwise she could have helped. The dream had to have been a sign.

"Is something wrong, Jack?" Jack looked up and Hildy stood there as she was about to sit down on the couch with him. It was odd that she asked this, especially what she went through that night.

"I'm just thinking right now," Jack said. "How's your friend doing?"

"Dominique is fine," Hildy said. "She called her brother, who lives a town away. She is going to stay with him and his wife until all of the shit dies down. I am still really worried about her, though."

"What happened to her?" Jack asked.

Hildy sighed in concern. "I'll tell you later. I just hope she gets better. I mean it's hard enough to..."

Hildy paused for a bit. She took a deep breath.

"What? What's wrong?" Jack said.

Hildy maintained her silence for a few seconds until she took another deep breath. It was hard for her to let it out.

"Come on, Hildy, just tell me," Jack said. "You poured your heart out to me last night, you can tell me what is wrong."

Hildy sighed. "Okay, I…killed someone tonight."

The look on Jack's face went from curious to surprised. Not so much that he was disgusted by her, not even close, but more that he did not expect her to say something like that.

"Tell me what happened," Jack said. "Also, tell me what happened to your friend. I am here for you. I told you how I felt. I know I was in denial about my feelings for you, thinking that what we had was all in the past, but I wasn't sure what to say when you started working for my dad. You can tell me about this. I know something is wrong. I am no psychologist, but I have seen plenty of witnesses who were scared and couldn't say anything. So please, tell me."

No amount of deep breaths prepared Hildy for this. This was hard for her to share, but after seeing what her friend went through, she had to do something. For all Hildy knew, she could have been another victim of Boris's sick form of lechery. She knew how lecherous he was after seeing how he would look at her when she danced at the strip club. Although she may have danced naked on stage and for patrons who all looked at her and her scantily-clad body while tipping her or paying her for lap dances, but it was different with Boris.

But it was time for her to let it out. She told Jack everything, ranging from Dominique's trauma from being assaulted to being cornered by Boris while trying to escape. She had also mentioned the part about one of Fahook's twin bodyguards shooting that poor woman right before her very eyes. She had also noted that when she was abducted, she suspected that Fahook ran what appeared to be a sex slavery operation.

Jack looked at her with an expression of mild shock. He didn't say anything. Deep down, he wasn't sure if he should be shocked or impressed, because regarding the latter, Hildy protected her vulnerable friend. However, the part about Hildy becoming a potential sex slave made Jack angry, as well as the part about Boris forcing himself onto Hildy's friend, especially since Ruby told him the same thing.

"I don't know what to say."

"It's okay."

"You did what you had to do. You could have been killed, and believe me, Hildy, if I had known you were at the docks, I would have tried to look for you."

"I wanted to look for you, but I didn't have to worry about you, but Dominique, she went through a lot."

"That shows that you're a good friend. You did everything you could to protect her."

"Thank you. I know that Dominique was mostly a work friend, but I couldn't let them hurt her. I'm really worried about her. After what she told me, I can't imagine what she is going through."

Jack put his arm around her. Hildy turned and wrapped both of her arms around Jack.

Hildy backed away for a bit. "Guess who I ran into as well."

"Who?"

"Ruby."

"What?"

Hildy continued. "I found out that she is working with that Fahook guy, but not like how you told me. She looked like she was higher up in his circle. She acted weird. One minute she was talking down to me, then the next thing she did was help me, Dominique, and the other ladies escape. It was weird because she was fronting, but I wonder how she got mixed up with people like that."

"She gets in too deep, she might end up in a far worse situation," Jack said.

Hildy looked at Jack with a touch of confusion. She was aware that Jack had dated Ruby, as well as knew that Jack's relationship with her wasn't serious. What Ruby said to her earlier that night made her question what she meant. If it meant what she thought it meant, then she needed to know for sure.

"Do you still care about her?" Hildy said.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because earlier tonight, she mentioned you and taunted me. She claims that she was fronting but I doubt if any of it is true. You said you ran into her the other night. Tell me something – what happened?"

"I told you what happened."

"Not everything."

Jack sighed. "Fine, you want to know? I met Eve that night and we got information out of some scumbag who was at Black Orchid. Ruby went with us. Ruby wanted to be safe and she stayed at my hideout."

"Let me guess, you two fucked," Hildy said with a stern tone. The way she said it really showed a level of jealousy mixed with a tone of "How could you?" After she admitted her feelings the night before, it was only now that she was told that someone she has perceived as her first love had slept with someone whom she felt Jack was too good for.

Jack sighed. "It just happened. She told me everything that she had gone through and we just got caught in the moment."

"Why didn't you tell me, especially after I poured my heart out to you?" Hildy said.

"Because she left me and Shadow all alone after the fact!" Jack said.

"What? What do you mean?" Hildy said.

"I'm not proud of what I did," Jack said. "I can't take back what I did. As for last night, I didn't lie to you about what I said. I know I was in denial for a long time about my feelings for you, but when you worked for my dad, it put me in a rough spot. All of the old feelings came back, but this when I was still seeing Ruby. Remember, I was in jail for six and seven months. I could have fucked one of those girls at Black Orchid. I was temped, but I didn't. I only wanted information that night, that was it. That stuff with Ruby, yes, I slept with her. I can't change that, but the fact that she walked out before I got up says something."

"Then why do you care about her?" Hildy said.

"Because she has no idea what she is getting herself into," Jack said. "I don't blame you for being upset that I slept with her, but what's done is done. Everything I said to you about you and I was true, I swear to God. But this isn't about you and me, or having feelings for Ruby. I still need to get some answers, but after what you told me with Ruby getting involved with those people, she has no idea what she's dealing with."

"So what are you going to do?" Hildy said.

"I don't know yet," Jack said. "But after everything I went through tonight, I feel like I am left with nothing. Let me tell you about this dream I had before I got tortured. I was back in prison. You came to visit me, Chris came to visit me, and my dad came to visit me."

"What?" Hildy said.

"He told me that I need to finish what he started, something about Gloria Exner," Jack said. "I can't fucking believe this. It's like my dream was telling me something."

"Remember, you asked me what your dad was doing before he got killed."

"I know, but I feel like I'm left with nothing. I bust out of jail and try to find information, only to find that the biggest crime boss wanted me dead, and now I got caught up in the mess with some other crime lord. I feel like I am nowhere near solving my father's murder."

Hildy went and sat next to him and put her left arm around him. "Let me help you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's too dangerous, Hildy," Jack said. "I appreciate that you want to help, but you'll get yourself killed."

Hildy sat there and looked him dead in the eye and shook her head.

"I don't know how you can live in the face of fear like this," Hildy said. "I know you think you have nothing to lose, but I really think you're getting in over your head."

"Maybe that's the point," Jack said.

Right then and there, those words hit Hildy like a punch to the gut. Although she confessed her feelings that she never got past, as well as admitted that one reason she worked for Jack's father was because she wanted to reconnect with Jack. But in her case, she knew. She knew what those words meant.

"I hope you don't mean that," Hildy said as her voice started cracking.

"First my mom, now my dad," Jack said. "I have no one anymore."

"Don't say that," Hildy said and leaned in to give Jack a hug. Hildy's emotions made Jack see the light. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his left hand up and down her back. When Hildy leaned her head against Jack's shoulder, he ran his right hand through her auburn hair. Before she leaned in, Jack saw the emotion right in her green eyes. So much tension flowed both of their veins. Jack felt like the boy who fell for this girl when they were younger. All of the feelings never left, but they laid dormant for roughly a decade.

Hildy backed up from Jack's shoulder and looked up at him. "When I said last night that you have more to lose than you think, I was serious, and I was serious about everything else I said. I really am afraid that you will die, but I can't stop you from what you want to do."

"It's not what I want, it's what I need," Jack said. "Come on, don't you see that this whole city is a fucking shithole? If my dad didn't die, then he would have had something to bring down all of the corruption in this city."

Hildy nodded her head. "I know I can't help you like that. Shit, Jack, I'm still shaken over killing someone tonight. That was the first time I shot someone. But what if you get hurt again? You try going to the hospital, someone will report you to the police and you're fucked."

"I'll think of something," Jack said. "But in the meantime, you might want to go somewhere else to lie low. For all we know, Fahook might send some of his men to look for you. They don't know where you live, do they?"

"I don't think so," Hildy said.

"Still, you might want to find somewhere to lie low," Jack said. "Personally, I think you should maybe talk to any family or friends you have outside the city. Have you talked to your mom or your brother?"

"I haven't talked to my mom in about a year, but I got back to talking to Mike recently," Hildy said. "I'll see what I can do."

Jack remembered that Hildy and her mother didn't have the best relationship, at least since her father's passing. However, her brother Michael was someone she had a decent relationship with. Michael worked as an auto mechanic and knew Jack as well, as Jack and Hildy were in a relationship many years prior.

Jack got up. "I can't leave you alone, though."

"I'll be fine," Hildy said and stood up. "But please, stay with me tonight. I need to be safe."

"I'm not leaving you alone, not like this," Jack said. "After you told me what happened to you, I know that I can't let that happen to you again."

"I know you're not ready for anything like this, but just know that I don't want to lose you," Hildy said.

"You won't," Jack said.

The two looked each other in the eye and then hugged each other. As they gazed each other in the eye, as Jack gazed at Hildy's beautiful green eyes, and she did the same to Jack's blue eyes. She went forth and ran her right hand through Jack's black hair and leaned in, and Jack did the same, as the two kissed each other on the lips.

The two backed away and looked at each other. They kissed the night before. Did this sort of happen because of the heat of the moment, or was this genuine? The two leaned in and kissed once again and started to make out a bit. The two then started touching other in other parts of their bodies as Jack started kissing her neck. She put her arms right on Jack's shoulders and then jumped and wrapped her legs around Jack's back.

Jack carried Hildy to her bedroom while Shadow lied asleep in the living room. Jack set Hildy right to her bed. Both of them slipped off their shoes and Jack went and reached for the hem of Hildy's shirt and started pulling it up, revealing her toned and shapely body, as well as a white bra. He noticed how toned she was as she kept in decent shape as she was a stripper, at least until recently.

But he wasn't done as he reached for the waistband of her jeans and started undoing her belt and then unbuttoning, unzipping, and wasted no time in pulling off her jeans while she lied on the bed, revealing some gray panties.

Hildy sat up and started to unbutton Jack's shirt and quickly pulled up his white tank-top. One thing she was intrigued by was how ripped Jack had gotten. Although he was rather fit before going to jail, it appeared that he worked out a lot while he was locked up, bruises from gunshots that hit ballistics vests notwithstanding.

She continued to help getting Jack's clothes off and they got on the bed and caressed each other with so much heat and passion.

"Wait," Hildy said and backed up a bit on her bed and reached for her drawer and pulled out a condom. Jack looked at her with some confusion, but this wasn't the right time to question it. The fiery passion burned within and the heat was on.

The two had sex. Jack felt that this was much different than when he had sex with Ruby a few nights prior, as well as the other times they were intimate when they were together. The passion was real, as if they had long overdue tension for each other that needed to be let loose. Jack wondered why he denied his feelings for Hildy, when it was clear to him that she never got over him.

After they were done, the two lied in bed naked.

"Wow, I haven't had this feeling in a long time," Jack said.

"Was this different from…you know?" Hildy said.

"Yes, even looking at the nights with her was just for fun, but there wasn't love, at least I didn't think so," Jack said.

"I wasn't happy when you told me that you had sex with Ruby, but I am glad that we both confessed our feelings for each other," Hildy said.

"I'm glad, too," Jack said and rubbed her pretty face, and she did the same to his face, too. They leaned in and kissed each other.

Although Hildy was a stripper, she didn't go home with patrons. He figured that although she had some friends-with-benefits at some point, she usually had sex, or made love with men she was in a relationship with, but FWB situations weren't a stretch for her. Jack knew this woman. She was different than the type of woman Ruby was.

After a few minutes, Hildy fell asleep on the bed, but Jack was still awake. Jack got up from the bed and put on his boxer briefs and reached for the pants with the wallet and got out Eve's business card.

Not wanting to wake up Hildy, Jack walked towards Hildy's living room. It was after midnight, but he had to make this call. If she was asleep, he would talk to Eve tomorrow. But he felt the need to talk to her right at this moment.

He punched in one of the numbers that was on the card on the phone and let it ring until a woman's voice said, "hello."

"Eve, you're up," Jack said.

"Yes, I am, I just got home, what's up?" Eve said.

"Something I forgot to tell you, Patch was at the docks earlier tonight," Jack said. "I had him in my sights."

"He was? Shit, I missed him by a bit," Eve said. "Now that you mention it, after you left with your doctor and that other girl, I went to go scope around for Patch, or anybody from Mayhem Inc. for that matter, until someone told me something."

"What's that?" Jack said.

"The guy I talked to, let's just say I got him to spill his guts," Eve said. "It appears that someone came to Gofer and Patch about going after Gloria Exner. Something about a debate."

"Wait, a debate? Did you also say Gloria Exner?" Jack said.

"Yes, I did, why do you ask?" Eve said.

"I'll explain later," Jack said.

"I will tell you this," Eve said. "If it leads to Patch, it should make my job a little easier."

"Well, you and I should meet soon," Jack said.

"What for? Patch is my problem," Eve said.

"If it means that Patch is going to try to take out Exner, then maybe I will kill two birds with one stone," Jack said. "I need Exner alive, and I will need Patch alive to tell me what's up. I have my shit to deal with regarding him. After that, do whatever what you want."

"All right, handsome, you got yourself a deal," Eve said. "One more thing, I found some things along the way, things that might interest you. When we meet, I will give them to you."

"Sounds good, see you soon," Jack said. After he got off the phone, he went back to the bedroom and saw Hildy sleeping. He slowly approached the bed and lied down next to her. It wasn't long until he fell asleep.

Author's note: Man, this took me a bit to complete. I had a hard time with this one. It was mainly dialogue, but I needed to put in some downtime, especially stuff with Jack and Hildy.

I had debated about their love scene and decided to just make it implied instead of detailed. I didn't feel like making an erotic or explicit scene after a while. It was like that in the sex scene with Ruby a while back. Speaking of whom, her story isn't done yet. She will be back.

Next up, Jack and Eve crash a debate. Stay tuned.