Chapter 15
Jason smiled as he put the groceries in his car and closed the door. He would go home to take a shower before going back to Sam. Maybe he should call Jamie to see where they were now, so he could hurry up when he needed too. He stepped in his car and sighed, as he grabbed his phone and dialed Jamie's number.
''This is Jamie,'' he heard Jamie say when he picked up the phone, and he thought he heard water on the background. It wouldn't surprise him if she was at the docks.
''Jamie, Jason here. I wanted to know where Sam is, because we didn't say a time to meet,'' he said, and Jamie sighed.
''She's at the docks – if you want to come by,'' Jamie said, and Jason smiled. He wanted to come by, and he would.
''I'll be there in a minute,'' he said, knowing he was close to the docks himself. ''Tell her that, and I'll see you,'' Jason added, and he disconnected the line. Now he was on his way to the docks, because he wanted to take Sam home with him.
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Sam tensed, and she watched him approach her. ''You better go, Jason will be here soon – and-'' she stuttered, but Manny just laughed. Another chill shot through her body and she knew he knew she was lying. Jason wouldn't be there soon.
''It doesn't matter, Sweetness – look at you, you look radiant,'' he said, looking her up and down. She felt nausea swim through her stomach and she almost gagged, but she took a deep shaky breath. She cursed her body for betraying her, letting him know she was scared of him.
''What do you want?'' she asked him, and he took another step in her direction. She couldn't step back, or she would fall in the water, and she didn't want to risk it, so she turned around and made her way to the bench, while she could still see him.
''I want you, don't you know that by now, baby?'' he said, and she shuddered again. ''I've missed you, missed touching you. Our little girl would've loved you,'' he grinned when he saw the look on her face, and she closed her eyes. Reminding her of her little girl was low, and he knew it, but he also knew how much it would do. She didn't hear him move, and when she opened her eyes she jumped back in surprise and fear. He was standing within inches of her; with one move he could touch her.
''And you should know by now you can't have me,'' she snapped, ''not anymore,'' she added in a whisper, and she pushed him away. He didn't budge, and she flinched when he touched her face.
''You don't have a say in that Sweetness,'' he whispered, and then he pulled her in his arms and kissed her hard. She struggled against him, but it was no use. Images of the rape and kidnapping shot through her like lightning, and she felt herself grow weak. She knew she didn't stand a chance, and Jamie wasn't around. But suddenly she felt the pressure of his body go away, and she felt her knees give in. She sank to the ground and looked up to see Jason fighting with Manny, and even though she was surprised, she was glad he was there to save her.
''You bastard – I should kill you right now!'' Jason screamed, and Manny just grinned at him.
''You wouldn't, because that would mean you have to give up on everything. I know Loverboy,'' he said, and Jason punched him in his face. Manny stumbled back, and then when they both didn't expect it, he ran away, leaving them on the docks looking after him. Jason jumped in action though, after a second of surprise, and pulled out his phone. Sam didn't hear what he said, but when he put his phone back and came to her she felt the tears. They were streaming down her face, and when he wrapped his arms around her she sobbed.
''Hey, it's going to be ok,'' he whispered in her ear, and she nodded. She knew it would be ok, but she felt like Manny had raped her all over. She was glad Jason had been there to help her, to save her.
''Thank you, Jason – for being here,'' she whispered, and she backed out a little. She looked up at him with a shaky smile, and he sighed and closed his eyes. ''I want to go home, Jason. I want to go home and spend time with you and not think about Manny for once,'' she added in a whisper, and he nodded and held out his hand. When she took his hand he opened his eyes, and she could see the concern in them.
''Are you ok?'' he asked her again, and she nodded. She led him away, to her car, and he turned around when he heard something. She tensed, thinking it was Manny who'd came back, but it wasn't. It was Jamie.
''Jamie?'' she called out, and she walked toward him. He was on the ground, holding his stomach, and Jason frowned.
''Jamie, what happened?'' he asked, and Jamie started telling them what happened.
''They ambushed me and I couldn't see Sam. I'm so sorry, but when I tried to go and look for her but they jumped me,'' he stuttered, and Jason called out for his men.
''Take him to the hospital but don't tell them what happened – think of something that doesn't imply any of what happened. I'm taking Sam home,'' he said, and the men nodded and helped Jamie up.
Sam felt guilty for what happened to Jamie. She knew he wanted and had to protect her and he couldn't because of those men jumping him. She shook her head, she didn't know what had happened but she would make sure she wouldn't get in trouble again. She hated it when someone got hurt because of her. ''Sam,'' she heard, and she looked up to see Jason looking at her. ''It's not your fault, Jamie was there to protect you and he doesn't care that they jumped him. Didn't you hear he only cared about what happened to you? And so do I – Jamie choose this life, Sam, and you didn't make him protect you, I did. Don't feel guilty,'' he rambled, and she smiled weakly at him.
''Right back at you,'' she said, and he looked down. She'd known he felt guilty, and she didn't want him to feel guilty just as he didn't want her to feel guilty. ''Let's make a deal. Both of us stop feeling guilty?''
''Sure, I can try,'' he told her, and she nodded. She wanted to go home now. ''Let's go, I have dinner to prepare,'' he said as if reading her mind, and she smiled at him again. He took her hand again and led her to his car, helped her in and stepped in himself. He looked at her for a moment but she closed her eyes, not ready to talk about what happened just now, and he got the message.
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Jason walked around the kitchen making dinner while Sam took a shower. He understood she felt dirty after what happened, but she didn't want to talk about it. He knew why she didn't, but he hoped she would tell him – talk to him about it. He wanted her to trust him with her feelings, and he had thought they had gotten closed to that before. He didn't know if he was right or wrong anymore, and he still felt guilty about what happened. ''Hey,'' she said behind him, and he turned around and smiled at her. He hadn't heard her come in, and he felt his heart flutter at the sight of her.
''You look better,'' he said, and she nodded. Her hair was still damp from the shower, and she looked freshened up. ''Are you hungry?'' he asked her, turning back around to the stove. He'd made Spaghetti Carbonara, and he hoped she liked it.
''I kind of am, yeah,'' she told him after a moment of silence. He looked at her and saw her smile at him, and he had the feeling they were going the right way.
''I also rented a movie for later if you're up for it,'' he said, and she nodded with a grin.
''Sure, and if I'm tired I'll just sleep while we watch the movie,'' she told him and then laughed softly. He looked at her and smiled, and then she stopped laughing and sighed. ''Listen, I know you want to know everything that happened, but really – I mean, nothing really happened and you came to save me again,'' she told him, and he looked at her.
''I know, but I don't know what he said – come on, let's eat,'' he said, changing the subject when he saw her face. She wasn't ready – and he wasn't going to push her. She smiled and nodded; knowing what he did just now was for her. He put two plates full of Spaghetti on the table and helped her sit down, and then sat down opposite of her. ''You know I like this kitchen,'' he said, and she looked up at him.
''You do? Well that's good right? A nice place for me to learn how to cook – I need to know it pretty soon right?'' she said, and he nodded. He watched as she lifted her fork and took a bite, and waited patiently for her approval. And it came. She moaned when she swallowed, and he looked at her in amusement. ''This is really good, Jason – where did you learn how to cook?'' she asked him, and then took another bite.
''The best place you can – Italy. I learned from the best cook there. She told me she couldn't cook anything and had to learn from making mistakes and from her dad, and she told me she loved this dish. Then she wanted me to cook something for her and I learned from her how to make this after that,'' he told her, ''I don't make much, but I love to cook,'' he added, and she nodded. He took a couple of bites and smiled at her, and she smiled back at him.
''I never got to cook – we never had a kitchen until I was on my own and it was too late to learn. I didn't want to learn anymore though, so I just ordered in. And after a while I just didn't think about cooking anymore – why would I learn to cook when I could order everything I wanted?'' she said, and he nodded. ''But now, with the baby coming – I just can't let her starve, can I?'' she added, and he smiled.
''She wouldn't starve, and neither will you,'' he told her, ''I'll always be here to help you with everything, and maybe eventually we'll move in together and we can just cook together – but I will teach you,'' he added, and she nodded.
''Thank you for this – I needed something to get my mind off of everything,'' she said with a sigh, and he nodded with a smile. He knew what she felt, and when he got up and grabbed the plates, she stood to her feet and helped him. It wasn't much, but he had fun washing the dishes with her.
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Sam sank down against Jason and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. She knew Jason wanted to talk about what happened that afternoon but she couldn't just yet. All night she didn't have to think about it, and she didn't want to think about it. He had picked out an old movie she didn't know, and she was surprised. She knew all the old movies, but this one she never heard of.
''Sam,'' she heard Jason call out, and she looked up at him. He sighed and smiled. ''I thought you fell asleep already,'' he told her, and she smiled.
''I'm tired, but I've never seen this movie so I don't think I'm going to sleep,'' she said softly, and he nodded. ''Jason, I know you want to talk about what happened, and I know you want to know what happened before you came, but there is nothing to tell, ok?''
''I know,'' he said softly, and she sighed of relief. She knew he would find a way to still know what happened, so she sat up and paused the movie.
''Ok, I stood at the docks after going over to Max's to get my stuff right, and that's when I heard something,'' she said, and he looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but she stopped him, ''I thought it was Jamie so I told him to give me some space, when Manny answered. I was scared, but I tried not to let him see, and he said some things, I said some things, he kissed me, and you came,'' she told him, and he nodded.
''Is that really all?'' he asked, and when she nodded, he sighed. ''Thanks, I mean, I know you didn't want to tell me anything even though you trust-''
''Jason, I love you and I trust you, I just – when he kissed me everything came back in full force,'' she said looking down at her hands. He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. ''I remembered that night he raped me and I remembered the night he kidnapped me, Jason, and it's hard. I see it over and over again in my head and I just want to forget,'' she whispered, and he nodded.
''I'm sorry,'' he said softly, and then he kissed her gently. She pressed herself against him and then he broke the kiss. ''I love you, and I'll find a way to make him pay for everything he did to you,'' Jason said, and Sam nodded. She knew he meant it, and she also knew he could make it happen.
''Let's just watch the movie,'' she said, and he nodded and pressed play again.
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Jason looked down at Sam, who had fallen asleep, halfway through the movie, and smiled. He didn't rent the movie for him, because he didn't even like old movies, but he knew Sam did so he rented it for her. He stopped the movie; he didn't want to watch anymore. Then he slowly got up, careful not to wake Sam, and lifted her in his arms. He carried her to the bed and smiled when she stirred, and then she opened her eyes.
''Jason, will you stay?'' she asked softly, and he nodded, helping her out of her clothes and in one of his shirts. He didn't know she had one of those, but he didn't mind as he undressed and lay down behind her and pulled her in his arms.
''Rest, Sam,'' he whispered in her ear, and he smiled when she nodded. She fell asleep right away, and he watched her sleep for a moment before putting his hand on her stomach and closing his eyes. He felt at peace with her in his arms, and with that thought he fell asleep.