Full Contact (Worth the Fight #2) (23 page)

When she looked up, the first thing she noticed was Dennis staring at her. His eyes were crazy-looking, almost unseeing. His nostrils flared. His jaw twitched. How had she been with this man for so many years? What did that say about her? she wondered. He was getting worse and worse as time went on. This was the face of a deranged man, and when their eyes locked she couldn’t help but flinch and lean back a little.

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. Jessica turned and was surprised to see that the comforting gesture and kind smile were coming from Chrissy. She wasn’t sure if Chrissy would ever forgive her for hurting her brother. She wondered if Jack had told her the plan and if she knew all along that it had been for show.

The prosecutor spoke first, then the defense. Witnesses were called, and finally it was her turn. Her palms were clammy and her throat felt tight. She felt like she was on the verge of passing out. But then she looked over at the abusive nut job who had made her into this frail, weak woman, someone she hardly recognized, and she dug down deep inside for the strength to somehow stand up straighter, her head held high. She would have to walk right past him to get to the witness stand.

As she crossed the front of the courtroom toward the witness stand, everything seemed to happen all at once.

First she heard Dennis shout, “I warned you, bitch!” Then he stood up so fast, the chair he had been sitting in screeched across the floor and fell back with a loud thump. His hand grabbed for her, but she instinctively ducked out of the way, so that only his nails scratched her wrist.

She looked up, terrified but prepared to defend herself. Then she noticed a hand with long red fingernails wrapped around Dennis’s neck and his arm bent back in an unnatural way. When she was able to focus on who was restraining him, her mouth opened in a big O. Francesca, whom she had not noticed sitting in the row directly behind Dennis, had him in some sort of hold. In her beautiful gray suit, perfectly arranged hair, and flawless makeup, she didn’t even look as if she’d broken a sweat.

A big strong arm wrapped around Jessica’s waist and pulled her to the other side of the courtroom, away from Dennis. She assumed it was Jack, but all she could do was watch as the bailiffs converged to take hold of Dennis, handcuff him, and drag him away. Francesca brushed off her skirt, smoothed her hair, and then gave Jessica a wink. Jessica almost couldn’t believe her eyes.

The lights from the cameras were blinding. The noise from the spectators was making her dizzy. And the banging of the gavel as the judge shouted, “Order in the court!” echoed in her head, making her feel as if she was about to lose her senses.

Jack was talking to her and Chrissy was standing in front of her with a concerned look on her face, but Jessica was trembling and couldn’t hear a thing. It was as if she were in a tunnel of sound and light. The only thought in her mind was,
Where the hell is Slade?

“Jess? Jessica?” It was Chrissy. “Go get her some water. Someone bring her water!” Chrissy was ordering. “And get her a blanket or sweater or something. She’s shaking.”

As if a mute button had suddenly been released, the vortex disappeared and the jumbled noises slowly began to make sense again. “Move away. Give her room. Jack! Get everyone to move away. Get the cameras out of her face!” Chrissy continued to bark out orders, and Jack and the other officers assisted in clearing out as many people as possible. The judge was also giving orders to the attorneys for both sides. It was complete and utter pandemonium.

“Slade,” she croaked, sounding like a stranger even to herself.

Chrissy placed a Styrofoam cup of cold water against her lips. With shaky hands Jessica sipped.

“Slade,” she repeated, more clearly this time.

Chrissy seemed to understand. She looked around, then asked Jack, “Where’s Slade?”

Jack shrugged. “Since he was supposed to testify later, I just assumed he was getting ready with the prosecutor or something.” Jack walked over to speak with one of the prosecutors.

“They’ve been calling him all morning. He didn’t show up,” Jack said worriedly as he came back over.

Jessica instantly saw on Chrissy’s face how concerned she was. And warning bells were going off in Jessica’s head too. There was no way in hell that Slade Martin would not testify. He was not a man who backed down. If he wasn’t here, it was because something had happened.

Just then the judge announced that, due to the circumstances, the defendant had agreed to a guilty plea, and therefore the trial was over. Next she addressed Jessica directly, telling her that she could follow one of the officers to the station to file a police report for the new charges.

She could leave? She could really leave now? Jessica pushed everyone aside and ran out the door.

She hadn’t even gotten to the courthouse steps before Chrissy, Jack, Francesca, Cain, and Travis burst out after her.

“Come on.” Jack grabbed her hand and led her and Chrissy to his police car. He turned on the siren and they headed off to find Slade.

“Are you okay? You haven’t said a single word,” Chrissy said, sitting in the back with Jessica and holding her hand as Jack drove.

“I’m okay. I’m just worried. Slade wouldn’t have missed this trial. He would not
not
be here.”

Chrissy released Jessica’s hand and pulled her cell phone out. “Yeah. I know.” After a few seconds, she hung up. “It just rings and rings.”

“I saw him after the fight last night, and he assured me he’d be at the trial this morning,” Jack said from the front.

“Fight?” Jessica asked.

Chrissy hesitated before answering. “I don’t want to make you feel bad. I don’t. But after you stormed off the way you did, Slade was so angry, he decided to enter a last-minute fight when someone cancelled. It was last night. He won. I was so mad at him for fighting. And at you for leaving. But maybe you never intended to leave?”

“No. I had to pretend to break things off and leave town. Dennis was threatening Slade—I did it to protect Slade. Jack can explain later. I hope Slade will understand.” Her lips trembled. “You should’ve stopped him. He shouldn’t have fought. Oh, God, I have a bad feeling.”

Chrissy glared at Jack. “You knew? You knew and you didn’t tell me?” She smacked his arm.

“Couldn’t tell you. It had to seem real. Dennis is a maniac, as you just saw. Had to keep Jessica and everyone else safe.”

“We’ll deal with your little omission later, Jack.” She turned back to Jessica. “I didn’t want Slade to fight. I did everything I could to stop him. I told you that Slade almost never gets angry, but when he does, he’s uncontrollable. Well, it happened this time. I pleaded, cried, begged. He did it anyway. He won. He’s fine.”

“He was sloppy,” Jack said.

“Yes, he was. But he was okay. The other guy barely touched him.”

When they arrived at Slade’s house, Jessica pulled the handle of the door, but of course it was a police car so the door wouldn’t open. As soon as Jack opened the door, she pushed himj out of the way.

His car and bike were parked in the driveway. She banged on the door. Chrissy and Jack also knocked, but there was no answer. “Go get the spare key, Chris,” Jack ordered. Chrissy ran next door to their house.

But before Chrissy returned, the doorknob turned, and slowly a pale-faced and confused-looking Slade opened the door.

“Slade!” Jessica was so relieved to see him she threw herself at him. He didn’t react. She pulled back. “Slade?”

His unfocused eyes looked at her and then at Jack. He stumbled forward and Jack caught him by the waist just as Chrissy returned.

“Bro. Are you wasted?” Jack asked.

“Oh, shit! He’s not drunk. Call an ambulance!” Chrissy yelled—right before the strongest, most resilient, most fearless man Jessica had ever met collapsed.

“Oh my God! Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?”

Jessica closed the door to her house and walked down to the curb, where a taxicab had just dropped off her parents.

“We’ve been calling you from Europe but you didn’t answer. We were worried and decided to take a detour on our way back from the airport before heading back home.”

“It’s not a good time,” she told them. “I have to go.” It had been forty-eight long hours since Slade collapsed. This was the first time she’d left his side, and it was only for a quick shower and change of clothes. Now she had on sweatpants, a T-shirt, and sneakers, with her hair in a ponytail and no makeup.

Her mother, in a Chanel suit and sensible heels, looked her up and down.

“Go? Where could you possibly be going dressed that way?”

“Mom, I don’t have time to argue. I just came to take a quick shower. I have to go back to the hospital.”

“Hospital?” her father asked.

“Look, I’ll explain later. Here.” Jessica reached into her purse. “Take my keys and make yourselves at home. I’ll see you later.”

“How about we go with you and you explain on the way over there?” her dad said in a stern voice.

Jessica let out a big breath. “Fine. Come on, let’s go.”

After a period of silence while Jessica drove, her mother finally spoke. “This town is so…”

“Quaint?” Jessica said.

“No. Backward. I don’t like it.”

Jessica rolled her eyes.

“I don’t like you living here all alone,” her father added.

Jessica said nothing as her parents continued to criticize the town.

When she arrived at the hospital she parked and led her parents into the building and up to the intensive care unit’s waiting area, which was basically just a small group of chairs near the nurses’ station. The ICU beds, for easy access in case of emergency, were not in discrete rooms but just separated from one another and from the nurses’ station by curtains for privacy.

Seated in one of the chairs, they found Chrissy looking at something on her phone.

“How’s he doing?” Jessica asked.

“Same,” Chrissy said. “The doctor emailed me his chart. I’m reviewing it.”

“Christine Martin, meet my parents. Thomas and Shannon Cross.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Dr. and Mrs. Cross.”

“Likewise. My daughter’s told me about you. You’re her new little friend, aren’t you?” Mrs. Cross said. Chrissy nodded politely and then went back to her phone.

“Honey, you still haven’t told us what’s going on. Who’s hurt?” her father said.

“Slade Martin. Chrissy’s brother.”

“Okay…,” her mother said, clearly waiting for more information.

“He’s—he’s someone very special. Someone…” Her chin quivered and her throat closed up. “He’s in a coma.”

“How did he end up like that?” her father asked.

But before she could answer, a nurse came out and called to Chrissy. “He’s waking up. Come on.”

Chrissy gave Jessica an anxious smile and followed the nurse back to Slade’s bed.

It was the longest thirty minutes of Jessica’s life before Chrissy walked back out looking relieved.

“He’s awake,” she told Jessica. “He’s confused, but he’s awake and talking a little.”

“Can I see him?” Jessica asked.

Chrissy grabbed hold of Jessica’s hand. “Sweetie, I’m going to have to say no. I’m sorry, but he’s been through a lot. I don’t want to upset him, and the way you two left things, he doesn’t know the whole story yet. So give me some time to explain it to him, and if he wants to see you, I’ll let you know.”

As Chrissy was talking, Francesca came in, followed by Travis, Jamie Lynn, Cain, and Tony, who all gave Jessica a hug. Except for Francesca and Cain, the rest of the group were all tattooed and pierced. When her parents saw the group, they gasped.

“Jessica Ann Cross, who are these people and what kind of hoodlums are you associating with these days?”

“Mom, please! Keep your voice down. The patients can probably hear you, and you are being disrespectful. These are my friends.” Her chin quivered. “Well, they were.”

“No, darlin’, we
are
your friends. Jack explained what you did for Slade, and we really do appreciate it,” Travis said.

Jamie Lynn came forward and gave Jessica a big hug, “I knew it!” she squealed. “You came back. I just knew you would.”

Tony and Cain both nodded at Jessica. She knew that, coming from them, a nod meant as much as a hug.

“Chrissy, please go tend to Slade. I understand why you wouldn’t want me around. I am sorry. Really sorry. Please tell him that.”

“Does that man inside look anything like these people? I certainly did not raise you to consort with the likes of them,” her mother sniffed.

“Mother! I will not have you speaking to my friends this way.”

“Dennis would never have allowed you to associate with people like this,” Mrs. Cross scolded. “You’ve been out of control since he left you. Honestly, Jessica, if you were parading around town with these
people
”—she spat the word—“no wonder Dennis dumped you.”

Her mother had always been judgmental, but those were the most hurtful words Jessica had ever heard from her.

“Mother! Stop it this instant! You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Her father gave her a look. “Don’t raise your voice at your mother, Jessica. And don’t use foul language.”

“I am a grown-ass woman, Daddy, and I have had enough. These people”—she pointed at her friends—“helped me when I needed it most. That man—the man you have yet to meet but are already judging, the man that I love—saved my life twice.” She held out two fingers. “His name is Slade Martin, and he’s wonderful and perfect and has the biggest tattoo you have ever seen. And guess what—it doesn’t fucking matter!” Her voice cracked and tears ran down her face, but she continued to yell at her parents. “For your information, your beloved Dennis beat me to within an inch of my life. Look at this!” She pointed to the scar on her jaw. “It’s my daily reminder of what that monster did to me. I was in the hospital for over a week. Remember when I emailed you and told you I was going on a last-minute getaway? It wasn’t a getaway. I was in the hospital recovering from broken ribs, a broken arm, a collapsed lung, a busted lip…you name it, he broke it. He broke
me
.” She patted her chest hard. “That man in there—the ‘hoodlum,’ as you call him—took me to physical therapy, stayed by my side, loved me. He never once judged me for making the stupid decision to stay with Dennis even after he became abusive. He doesn’t care that I order a big ol’ bloody steak for dinner and drink whiskey and can’t walk in heels,” she sobbed. “And you know how I repaid him? I hurt him and pushed him away. Your precious Dennis threatened me while he was out on bail. Told me he would destroy Slade. Kill him. So I lied to Slade in order to protect him. Well, I thought I was protecting him. I had to disappear for a week in order to keep up the charade that I wasn’t testifying against Dennis. I was holed up in a motel, scared and alone, waiting for the trial to start so I could testify, all the while knowing that I stood to lose everything I had built here if I came back and was not forgiven. But as you can see, this town, these people, they can be very forgiving.”