So i had every intention of this chapter including the Midsummer event, but there was so much else included here that it was just too much.
Anyway hope you enjoyed this.
As always all my errors are my own, but hey this is fun.
Next chapter is Midsummer and Roe's dad comes back. The Pogues also look into the Grady White.
Hope you guys stick around :)
Thanks for reading as always.
It was hard not to like JJ. From the moment I met him I felt the butterflies. It was more then just the toned body, messy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, it was his laugh, the side smile he would give when he thought something was funny. It was the intense protectiveness he had for his friends, the way he would do anything for those he cared about. For the four years I knew him and got close to him I convinced myself we would never be more then friends. I told myself I didn't fit the bill for the girls he liked or he saw me like he saw Kie.
I don't know if it was the adrenaline from the fight, the booze, or the bottled emotions that caused me to be direct but here I was telling JJ Maybank to kiss me. To get over himself and the anger he was holding in and kiss me.
When his lips met mine I hesitated. I was surprised. Once my brain caught up to what was happening I brought my hands up to rest on his placed on the side of my face. The kiss was soft but the electricity that I felt when we connected was something I didn't realize I needed until that moment. After several seconds we separated, but only slightly. His forehead pressed on mine. One hand released my face moving down my arm but the other gently brushed hair behind my ear his thumb brushing long my jaw. I opened my eyes and his were locked on mine almost immediately. We stared at each other as if asking each other if 'this' was okay. I searched his eyes for any regret, any sign that he was going to bail, but I couldn't see any. My eyes moved to his lips again just as his thumb brushed my lower lip. Looking back at him the approval was there and before either of us could change our minds our lips collided again.
The first kiss was slow and soft but the second time there was a desperation in it. One of my hands went to the back of his neck pulling him closer the other gripped his shirt. I could feel his hand as it gripped my hip as he backed me into the tree. I felt him deepen the kiss as he pressed his tongue against my lips and I opened my mouth allowing him in. When I pictured kissing JJ, when I started to have a crush on him I always thought I knew what to expect, how I would feel, but here kissing him the sparks that I felt the tightness I felt in my chest was something I was unprepared for.
Finally feeling the need to breath we broke apart both out of breath. I didn't want to open my eyes, didn't want to open them and find out this was a dream.
"Roe?" his voice was husky and quiet and be place a very chaste kiss on my lips a calloused hand brushing my cheek and down my neck. I kept my eyes closed but shook my head slightly.
"If you're going to tell me this was a mistake, please…"
"I have wanted to kiss you for the last few years." He interrupted me and I opened my eyes surprised and confused. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."
"Why didn't you?" I asked my hand resting on the side of his face where a bruise started to form from where Rafe had punched him earlier.
"I… I didn't want to lose you." He whispered closing his eyes leaning his forehead to mine again. I shook my head and let a small laugh escape my lips before I forced him to lift his head to look at me.
"I'm not going anywhere." I smiled at him biting my bottom lip searching his eyes. His eyes brightened and he smiled and I couldn't help but smile wider in response both of us laughing. Down the beach I could hear Kie and Sarah calling my name and I had to force my eyes from JJ's to over his shoulder at the party still raging behind us. Without a word he moved his head in the direction of the party in a nonverbal statement that we should head back.
With a sigh I nodded pulling myself from his hold. "Wait" he pulled me back in a smooth motion placing his lips on mine again. I smiled against his lips as he started to walk back towards the party with me finally breaking our connection smiling back at me. Taking my hand we walked together towards the Pogue group sitting by one of the campfires. Sarah had taken her place in front of John B and Kie was returning from her search with two beers in hand giving one to Pope. As we approached I could see Sarah raise an eyebrow to me her smile widening.
"There you are!" John B called
"Where have you two been?" Pope asked and JJ and I just shrugged trying not to smile to big. As we sat down. JJ not so subtly put his arm over my shoulders pulling me close to him.
"Wait… what?" Kie questioned and Sarah added her own "Oh my God."
"Is this finally happening?" John B asked sitting up a bit straighter and all I could do was bow my head with a shy giggle as JJ pulled me closer to him.
"God it is about time!" Kie stated and I just glared at her.
"Seriously, the tensions has been almost unbarable." Pope added and I rolled my eyes.
"Okay Okay can we move on now." I say with a laugh. The others followed suit and I could feel the angst from the day and night pass as we all sat laughing and reminiscing.
JJ POV
I woke up the next morning in a four poster bed with Rowyn on the other side. I have woken up next to her multiple times, whether it was due to a bad night with my dad or hers waking up with her beside me always gave me a sense of peace, something I wasn't accustom to growing up. But today waking up there was a different feeling in my chest, a warmth that wasn't there yesterday. Smiling I rolled over, her back was against my chest, brushing a long dark strand of her hair that covered her face and placed it behind her ear.
From her position facing the wall arms under her head I saw a small smile creep on her lips and felt myself smile. Leaning down I planted a kiss on the soft skin where her neck and shoulder meet. I heard her made a soft wound which just encouraged me to continue a trail of kisses up her neck and down her jaw until I found myself staring down at her. I watched as she rolled over and looked up at me.
I stared at her a little struck by how beautiful she was, even with her hair everywhere eyes unclear from sleep I couldn't take my eyes away. "Morning." She said softly and I responded by placing my lips on hers. After I pulled away I reached my arm under her and smoothly rolled back over taking her with me so she was laying against my chest. I could feel her instantly curly up closer to me and I ran my arm up and down her arm looking up at her ceiling. I wasn't a fan of silence never had been, I had a tendency to fill it with random conversation or noises, but laying here with here, the silence I didn't mind not with her next to me. We laid there for an uncalculated amount of time before her phone rang from the nightstand, the cell towers having been fixed the day before. With a groan she reluctantly rolled over to grab it, moving back beside me once she had it in hand.
"Its John B." she said sitting up turning to look at me. "He said he needs to talk to us." We took our time getting ready leaving her house hand in mine.
"Regardless of what we may think is on that boat, I'm calling it off." John B stated. Rowyn was sitting off to the side with Sarah and Pope and Kie were between John B and myself. I started at him in disbelief. For as long as I had known John B. giving up was not something he did. "Peterkin said, if I say out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS."
"And you believed her?" I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah JJ I believe her." He stated back to me.
"An actual cop John B. you believed a cop?" I was in disbelief. I stood up and turned my back away from him pulling my hat off feeling the frustration rise in me.
"He has a point," Rowyn added walking up to lean on the beam behind Kie. "Cops really haven't ever done any of us any good." And she was right, they never seemed to be on the side of the Pogues, we were always being blamed pushed around… They never did anything for us.
"Well yes I actually believe her." John B stated, "Look if all I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days and she helps me out, then yeah I think its reasonable." John B shrugged looking around. I looked back at Roe and then to John B shaking my head.
"They always win, don't they man?" I said quietly looking at my boots before looking back up at him squinting my eyes against the sun. I moved closer so I was standing a few feet from him. "Kooks versus Pogues. They always win." I let my voice rise as I swung at the buoy punching it before turning away.
"JJ…" Rowyns voice came in quietly but I just shook my head.
"They don't want us to do down to the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there… and you know it… I know you do." I was on a roll and wasn't planning on stopping until I got my point across. "And I understand why you don't wanna go," I continued looking at Pope, "You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk. And you three…" I pointed at the three girls standing together before meeting Rowyns eyes seeing her search mine raising an eyebrow, "And no offense Roe really but you guys are already rich as fuck anyway. I mean why would you bother." The response from the three of them was almost simultaneous with a scoff noise from Kie, a quiet 'wow' from Sarah and an eye roll and arm cross from Rowyn, but for the time being I ignored them looking back to John B. " But you and me, man, we got nothin' to lose! We really don't all right?"
John B was doing hell of a job trying to avoid meeting my eyes.
"And I know it didn't used to be that way for you."
"I don't want to talk about this." He said finally looking at me and I could see the anger and confusion in his eyes before he pushed past me knocking his shoulder to mine. "I don't want to talk about it." I was worried he might actually walk away from us.
"Look man I have a plan." I said walking up to him taking ahold of his shoulder. "Look all we need is to go down and look into the marsh and head down to the wreck. Whatever is on that boat is gonna save you man. You don't see rich kids going into foster care do you?"
"And how do we do that, huh big guy?" John B asked and I smiled looking back at Sarah and then back to John B.
"Cameron's got scuba gear on his big boat yeah?"
"No, absolutely not." He shook his head.
"I mean I can ask my dad." Sarah commented shrugging when she saw John B shake his head and my smile grew pointing at her.
"Yeah tell him your going out with me on the reef or something looking at marine life." Roe added, "As long as he thinks your with me it should be easy."
"There we go!" I exclaimed and next to me John B bowed his head realizing that there was no talking his way around the plan.
"We do realize that what ever we find. If it is contraband or shit that someone could be looking for it right?" Pope said skeptically. "I mean taking it could be monumentally stupid."
"Pope you know what they way." I went up to him throwing my arm over his shoulder. "Stupid things have good outcomes all the time."
"What do we think is on the boat?" Kie asked a few hours later, sitting on the counter in Heywards shop as we all stood around talking while Pope was help out his dad.
"Could be anything really. Grubs was never the straight laced kind of guy." I shrugged.
"So what Sarah gets the scuba gear and we head down to the marsh tomorrow?" Rowyn asked
"Yeah I mean it should be pretty quick if it goes the way we want." I nodded wrapping my arms around her and felt her lean back into me.
"When has anything ever worked out for us?" Pope asked and I felt Roe giggle in my embrace.
"Hey Pope, someone here to see you," Heyward said walking towards followed by Shoup and several other officers.
"Uhh… Evening officer." Pope stuttered. Roe pulled away from me to move closer to Pope and Kie jumped from the counter top to do the same.
"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property" Shoupe stated walking right to Pope and ignoring Heywards scowl and protest.
"What?"
"Keep your hands on the counter where I can see them," Shoupe said with a hand behind his back grabbing cuffs. "Young lady, out of my way." He directed to Rowyn who had placed herself between him and Pope. Pope's eyes were wide and I could see the fear as the cuffs were place on his wrist behind his back. He looked back at me and I met his terrified eyes and shook my head urging him to keep his head and continue to deny everything.
"Shoupe what'd he do?" Heyward requested, almost demanded.
"Look at the warrant."
"Wait im sorry your arresting him?" Kie questioned as Shoupe started to leave the shop and we all followed.
"Shoupe this is ridiculous." Roe stated and followed close behind. Shoupe started reading Pope his rights as they went down the stairs and all I could do was watch as Kie and Roe argued with officers outside trying to get to Pope. Heyward was directly yelling at Shoupe.
Pope was in a state of shock and I couldn't stand the look I was see on his or his dadas face. Rowyn stopped and looked back at me as put my hand on my head trying to come up with a plan. Pope had everything going for him he was getting out, this couldn't be happening to him, not because of Rafe and Topper. I clenched my fists and met Rowyns hazel eyes conveying my intent. She bit her lip and touched my arm but I looked away and stepped to the side.
"It wasn't him!" I yelled. My heart was hammering in my chest as everyone in front of me stopped. Beside me I heard Roe say my name ever so quietly but I didn't look back, I couldn't turn back, not now. "It was me. He tried to talk me out of it, but I was made because he'd just been beaten up."
"I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit." I continued looking at Pope smiling slightly. I prayed he let me do this prayed he would let me take this hit for him understand why I had to do it. "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. You've got too much to lose."
"JJ…" It was a small voice behind me that made my breath catch for a second.
"What are you doing?" Pope questioned.
"I'm tellin' the truth!" I said with a laugh, "For once in my goddam life, I'm gonna tell the truth." I moved my attention to Shoupe who didn't at all look surprised at my admission. "He's a good kid… and you know where I'm from."
"Yeah," Shoupe sighed nodding his head.
"This was all me." I said quieter looking him dead in the eyes.
"That the whole truth?" Shoupe asked, his question directed at Pope who was still just staring at me.
"Whole truth, swear to God." I nodded.
"I know what you think, damn it, I'm asking Pope here." Shoupe rolled his eyes his tone harsh. I locked my gaze with Pope for a moment willing him to go with it. After a long pause Pope nodded almost defeated.
"Yeah that about covers it." Shoupe seemed to accept his answer because he turned and undid the cuffs on Popes wrist and transferred them to my own pushing me to the back of the police car. As Shoupe closed the door my eyes went over Pope and then Kie finally landing on Rowyn standing behind them. The look in her eyes was on he hoped she would never have, she had unshed tears built up and her lips were pressed thinly together. She nodded at me and I had to force myself to look away at my feet. My whole life I had been told I would end up here but Rowyn she never saw that, I never wanted her to see that and now… now I had no idea what was going to happen.
ROWYN POV
"Shit!" Pope shouted as we watched Shoupe pull away from us. He threw his hat on the ground before picking it up and walking past us his father yelling at him. I looked up at the sky trying to push down the lump in my throat and the sudden pain I felt in my chest.
"What the hell is going on." Heyward exclaimed as he followed his son up the steps.
"Come on Roe." Kie said beside me. I finally tore my eyes away from the dust filled road, the cop cars no longer in view.
"You know I don't even want to know what just happened here." Heyward said again and all I could do was walk past him and out to the deck where Pope was pacing. Without stopping to see if he wanted me to I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug. He didn't waist anytime in reciprocating the hug and bury his head on my shoulder. Behind us I could hear Kie on the phone no doubt calling John B and Sarah.
It wasn't for some time after that, that we sat on the Heyward boat with everyone except JJ. "Topper is a fucking pussy." Sarah spat angrily from her place on the stern.
"It wasn't Topper." I shook my head and she just stared at me. "Topper hasn't done anything for himself, like ever… this was his mother."
"It doesn't matter, I have to go down and tell the truth." Pope said, "I cant let him take the fall for me."
"Yes you can." I say and Pope just stares at me. "Look you go down there and tell them, then JJ sacrifice means nothing and you lose everything. JJ knew what he was doing."
"She's right." John B nodded.
"So what we just leave him there?" Kie asked, "They are going to call his dad… what do you think is going to happen when his dad picks him up?"
"He can protect himself, he has the survival skills of a cockroach." Sarah states and I couldn't help but laugh a bit at her statement. Picking myself up I start to head off the boat.
"Where are you going?" John B asked.
"Kie's right. His dad is going to pick him up and God knows whats going to happen." I say jumping to the dock. "I'm going to go get him." I didn't wait for any argument, just left heading down to my car. As I got closer the feeling I had when I watch JJ got taken away was back and stronger. I had no idea what I was walking into, but he was not going to do this alone.
Pulling up to the Maybank home for the second time in the last few days I felt a sense of repetition as I got out locked my car and made my way up the steps. I could hear yelling from Luke Maybank coming from the other side of the door.
"Im gonna tell you right now! You are a worthless piece of shit!" Luke yelled. After hesitating for only a second I knocked loudly on the door. There was shuffling and more yelling before the door swung open. In front of me stood a very drunk Luke bottle in hand, clad in a stained dirty tank top. He leaned heavily on the door frame as he regarded me. "What the hell do you want."
"I want to see JJ." I stated firmly refusing to back down from his stare.
"Oh yeah. The little shit isn't seeing anyone right now." He spat with a small smirk taking a drink.
"You misunderstand Luke… I wasn't asking." I said pushing past him heading to the stairs.
"This is my home and you are trespassing!" Luke boomed and grabbed my arm yanking me back. "And that sorry excuse for a boy aint seeing no one until I get the money he owes me."
"Then call the cops. Im sure they would love to see what you have around here." I threatened yanking myself free. "And as far as sorry excuses go the only one I see is you, you are a sorry excuse for a father and you don't deserve a son like him!" I received a shove back his forarm going to my throat as he pushed me hard into the wall pressing so I could barely get any oxygen.
"Get off of her!" I heard from the top of the stairs and before I knew what was going on JJ was down the steps and tearing his dad from me throw a punch.
"Oh big tough guy trying to show your slut that you're a real man." His dad said spitting blood from his mouth to the floor. I watched as Luke came full tackle at JJ and JJ was taken to the ground. He kicked his at him but Luke was too heavy for him push off. I tried to pull him back yelling for him to stop but Luke pushed me back into a table. Luke continued to rant out curses at his son and a punch went across his face. I considered for a brief second calling for help but by the time the thought finished JJ got an upper hand and was able to make a hit at his dad side and push him off of him. After reversing the positions JJ gave one solid punch and his dad stopped his struggling and was knocked out. I don't know if it was a hard it or it was a mixture of alcohol, drugs and the punch but for the time being Luke was silent and still on the floor. JJ rolled off his dad. I stood on shaky legs and walked over to him pulling him up. He tried to look away but I kept my hand firmly on his face.
"Look at me." I said firm but soft. He had blood on his face and knuckles and all I could do was look into his lost blue eyes. "Lets go come on." I nodded to him and he slowly nodded pulling away from me and moving back towards the stairs. I waited keeping an eye on the unconscious Luke wondering if he would just pop back up. JJ returned backpack on. He had a lost look in his eyes as he walked back over to his dad standing over him. I watched, arms around myself, as JJ pulled an object from his pack and held it towards his dad.
Standing up a little straighter I made a step forward but didn't way anything. I kept my eyes on his hand. It shook as he was trying to come to terms with the decision he was about to make. I watched as his lip quivered and tears built up in his eyes as he stared at the man that had abused him for years. Finally after a minute JJ dropped his arm in defeat and turned away from his dad and walked out the door. I followed behind unlocking my car doors and watched him get in a tear sliding down his cheek.
I didn't want to drive back to the Chateau or my house, both places just seemed like to much at that moment so I choose to keep driving until I felt like we were far enough away from everything. Parking the car so we were facing the ocean I wasn't sure what to say. JJ's knee was bouncing and his jaw was clenched tightly.
"JJ.." I said his name quietly but his response was to get out of the car and walk down to the beach in front of us. Sighing I closed my eyes and grabbed my phone sending a quick message to John B before getting out and following him with a blanket in hand.
"You shouldn't have come." He said as I approached. He had taken the hat off his head and was gripping it tightly as he looked down.
"JJ…" I sat down beside him and tried to have him look at me. "Look at me." I said again and he struggled to try and avoid my eye contact. "Seriously… look at me." I said more firm and he finally looked at me. This was the first time I was able to see the damage that Luke had done. His lip was split and he had a cut above his eye and along his cheek both had bruising around them. "You realize that you have told me that multiple times and I have never once listened."
"He could have… you could have been hurt." He said and I heard his voice crack.
"Hey…" I said moving so I was on my knees taking his face in my hands. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." I reassured him and I leaned my forehead to his. He nodded in against me and his head dropped to my shoulder. Readjusting I sat pulling him with me, his arms wrapping around me I could feel his grip on my shirt. It was quiet but I could here the quiet sob escape him and I felt tears come to my eyes.
"JJ. What your dad said about you… he was wrong." I say finally and I could feel his breath hitch. We had moved so we were laying down my head on his shoulder. His hand stilled on my arm before he replied.
"Maybe." Was his response. I scowled sitting up on my elbow.
"I'm serious." I state. "You took the blame for Pope, you JJ Maybank are and will always be better man then your father."
"If you say so Roe." He chuckled and I resigned myself back to my spot on his arm.
"Always will. Even when you forget I will continue to say it." I whispered. The following morning we woke up still on the beach. JJ's face looked as bad as it had the previous day but the bruising was more visible. Sighing I ran my finger along his face brushing the injured skin.
"You don't have to worry it will heal like always. Nothing I cant handle." He said as he opened his eyes.
"But you shouldn't have to." I replied. Stretching out we both got up and worked our way to the car slowly his arm draped over my shoulder.
"Hey I gotta ring it out." He commented suddenly running off and all I could do was laugh. I shook my head opening my car tossing the blanket in the back before checking my phone that I had left there the previous night. I had a few missed calls from John B and Kie even Pope had blown up my phone.
"Hey." I said when John B answer my call.
"Hey, did you find him? How's he doing?" John B asked quickly and I looked over my shoulder. JJ still hadn't appeared yet.
"He'll be okay, eventually." I replied scuffing my shoe on the gravel below it.
"That bad?" I could hear the cringe in John B's voice and the guilt.
"It wasn't good…" I answered hearing the rustling of branches. "Look I have a shift at The Wreck he'll be there later. Did Sarah get the gear?"
"Yeah we can talk about the plan during your shift." He said and I told him it sounded good ending the call.
"Who was that?" JJ asked leaning over the hood.
"John B, he is going to meet us at The Wreck later to talk about whatever plan he has for the Grady White mess." I answered getting in the jeep.
"Nice then lets head out." He said tapping his hand on the hood before jumping in the passenger side. As I started the ignition I felt his hand on mine stopping me before putting the car in gear. "Wait." I turned confused only to be met with his lips on mine. "Thank you." He said when we broke. "For being there."
"Always." I smiled.