Leticia (39 page)

“I’m not
saying
that, but you have
forever
to make up for it. I don’t.”

“I know...”

“I’ve lost everything,
my
friends, business, my life and the woman I love.”

“Luke...”

“Don’t try and make me feel better,
nothing
you could say would
make this any easier.”

“Do you want me to give you some time on your own?” I asked, standing.

“No, I think I’ve had enough of that. Please don’t leave me.”

I sat down again, only this time
next
to him.
I was about to speak, although I didn't really know what to
s
ay, when he wrapped his arms around my waist and cuddled into me. My heart went out to him, at the end of the day this was someone I was once very close to, who I cared for so deeply. To see him in this state upset me greatly.

“Do you still hate me?” He asked, almost whispering.

“No
, how could I? I admit for a long time I did, I thought it was you
that had turned against me...
but now...
I feel guilty for thinking that.”

“Don’t, don’t feel guilty, as much as it hurts
I can understand why you felt that way. I
won’t
ever hold anything against you.”

He looked up, he was so close to me; it brought back so many memories. His eyes were filled with sadness
and
I wished I could take it all away from him. He slowly
came
closer and closer, and when h
is
face was only a couple of inches away from mine, the door opened. I turned to see Jackson there
.
He
glared at us both for a moment, saying nothing, then walked away slamming the door behind him.

“What’s
his
problem?” Luke asked
.

“Can you excuse me a few minutes
,
” I said moving away from him
.

“Leticia...”

“I’m sorry
.
I’ll be back as soon as I can
.
”

I ran out of the room after
him
. Nancy was stood in the hallway, a look of grave concern on her face.

“Where’s Jackson?” I asked
.

“He’s just grabbed his car keys and stormed out. What’s going on?”

“He just got the wrong end of the stick
,
” I heard Jackson
’s
engine start
.
“
Please
keep your eye on Luke
.
” I grabbed my keys and ran outside. He was now at the end of the driveway about to join the little private road. I shouted
at
him, but he mustn’t have heard me. I jumped in the car and shot after him. As soon as he saw me in his rear view mirror he sped up.
I flashed my lights at him, s
ounded the horn, but he wouldn’
t stop.
The distance between us increased, until eventually he was out of sight. What he didn't
realize
was; I knew where he was heading. Straight to Winscar Reservoir.

I pulled into the little parking area close to the dock. He was leaning against the fence, looking out at the water.
When I got out of the car, he looked at me, seeming rather shocked.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” I asked
.

“Just go away
,
” he turned from me. “I don’t want to talk.”

“You don’t have to, you just need to listen,” I stood beside him and tried to hold his hand, but he pulled away from me, walking onto the grass a few feet away. “Jackson, I don’t know what you think you saw, but whatever it was, you’re wrong.”

“He was in your arms, an inch away from you, don’t try and tell me you hadn’t kissed him.”

“What? Jackson, he was upset, I’d just told him how long he’d been missing. It was hitting him that he’d lost nearly a decade of his life, and on top of that,
his friends, business
...”

“And you.”

“Yes, and me. I’m the only thing he knows here, he just needed a bit of comfort; I don’t see what harm giving a person a hug when they need it...”

“And kissing them, and...”

“No! You’re not listening to me, I didn't kiss him. Yes he was close to me, but Jesus Jackson, how many times did
you
get that close to me without actually kissing me. On top of that, if he had tried I would have moved away.”

“If you say so.”

“I’m with you. I’m not a cheat.”

He turned to look at me
and then sat down on the grass before speaking
. “If you want
him
, then leave
me
. Don’t do it behind my
back
Leticia, be straight with me.”

“You want straight
talking,
” I said,
sitting beside him.
“
Here
you go... I want you. I’m with
you
; why would I want anyone or anything else, when everything I could possible want is right in front of me? Luke is no threat, our time together
ended
a long, long time ago, and I have no intentions of renewing
anything
like that with him. I know he’s hurting, but my god,
I
hurt years ago
and it
lasted
for years
... I know
now
that it wasn’t his fault, but... I lost all romantic, loving feelings for him. I hated him for years, and although I don’t
hate
him now... I don’t love him either... I care for him and I want to help him and be
a
friend to him, but nothing more.
I know it must be hard for you and I under
stand
that you must feel threatened, but you don’t have to.
You’re the one I want... no one else.
Do you understand me?
”
I told him, getting rather emotional.

He pushed me back
in
the grass and half lay over me.
“I just thought you would want him back and when I saw him so close to you... I guess I assumed things.”

“Please stop doing that.
I want
you
, not him.
”

He leaned forward and kissed me
.
This time it felt different, more intense, passionate. His grip tightened on me
and I wrapped my arms around him. His kisse
s moved from my lips. “I don’t ever want to lose you, I want you forever,”
he murmured into the curve of my neck
.

“Jackson...”
H
e silenced me with another kiss. They became more intense and demanding. He freed one of his hands, allowing it to explore me. “Jackson
,
” I giggled. “Stop it, we can’t do this here.”

“Do what?” he smirked.

“
Never
mind
what...”

“
Do you mean t
his?...
Or
this?”

I couldn’t res
pond, when he wasn’t kissing me
I was too busy enjoying him.
It started raining, at first just a fine drizzle, and with my elevated temperature, the coolness of it felt beautiful against my skin. It began to fall heavier and
heavier
but
neither of us cared.
I was about to unbutton his shirt, when his mobile started ringing.

“Ignore it,” he breathed, before kissing me again.

I was going to
until mine also started ringing.

“Jackson
,
” I gasped
, ending the current kiss.
“It must be important.”

He sighed and groaned, then moved away from me.

“
What
do you want!
Now is
not
a good time
!
” he snapped, answering his phone. As soon as he had, mine stopped ringing. “How?” he continued, a look of concern on his face. “We’ll be right there.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Thos
e
two scumbag
s
locked in the basement know Luke!”

“What?”

“Tristan didn’t trust him so he took him down to meet the jerks... they glared at him, they know him,
he
knows them
.
The two shits won’t talk and Luke refuses to speak to anyone but you. Leticia, he’s lying to you!”

“Bastard! I’ll kill him!” I jumped up off the grass and ran to my car. Jackson followed behind me.

When we reached the house
I flew out of the car, straight inside. I was so annoyed,
shaking from head to toe; I was losing control. Nancy came running out of the kitchen.

“Leticia wait...”

“Where is he?” I interrupted
.

“In the living room...”

I heard Jackson walk in the house and Nancy tell him to stop me, but he didn’t even try. My eyes were turning, my nails growing. He’d fed me nothing but lies and like a fool I believed them. I barged into the living room. As soon as Luke saw me he stood up, he looked frightened, but I honestly didn’t care.
I kicked the coffee table that was between us
across the room
and charged at him; gripping him by his throat and slamming him against the wall. His feet weren’t touching the floor.

“You liar!” I snarled
.

“Let..ic..ia..” he choked
,
“I’m..not...”

I kept a grip on his throat, but pulled him away from the wall and onto the floor.

“I should snap you like a twig!” I shot, looking down at him. “You make me sick!” my grip was getting tighter and tighter on him.

“Leticia
,
stop!” Tristan shouted. A second later he had gripped me and pulled me away from Luke. “You need to stop...”

“Get off me!”

He restrained me
while
Nancy
got Luke to his feet. He was choking, clutching his throat and gasping for air.

“Get him out of here
!
” Tristan ordered her.

As soon as they’d left Tristan released me. I was going to go after them, but Jackson was blocking the doorway.

“Leticia, calm down and
l
isten to me.” Tristan said, turning me to face him. “If you kill him, we won’t learn anything and we won’t be able to stop it. We need to know where
our
blood is being kept. Once we
know that
we can find it, destroy it, and then you can kill him.”

“Fine
,
” I said between gritted teeth. “But he’s on lockdown, he doesn’t go anywhere, he doesn’t see anyone.”

“Leticia
,
” Nancy said, walking in the room
.
“He’s begging to talk to you
.
He
swears he hasn’t lied to you.”

“She can’t be left alone with him,” Jackson told her
.
“She’ll kill him.”

“Then I’ll stay with her.”

They waited until I had calmed down and looked human again. Then I went into the larger living room with Nancy. He still looked scared, in fact, I’d go as far as to say terrified.

“Relax
,
” Nancy told him, shutting the door and sitting facing him. “She isn’t going to touch you. But, if you don’t tell us how you know the men we have downstairs, she might.”

“I want to talk to her alone
.
”

“I don’t think that’s wise, it’s safer for you if I’m here
.
”

“I don’t...”

“Luke if you don’t start talking I’ll rip your throat out... how does that sound?” I threatened. “How do you know those men?”

“They came to the lab, but it wasn’t just the two of them, there were about six of them... they stood at the side of that bed... laughing at me
,
” he struggled to say. “They thought I was hilarious.”

The anger that had filled me only moments
ago
had now turned to sadness.