Reckless: A Bad Boy Sport Romance (74 page)

“Give it back!” Jamie screeched, swinging her arms at me like a rabid gorilla.

To our right, Jackson sat up on his bed, blinking furiously as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

“Mommy? Aunt Carrie? What's happening –”

“Come here, Jackson.” I reached for his small hand and helped him off the bed, pushing him behind me. “It's gonna be o –”

“Jackson, come here!” Jamie screeched, the syringe in her hands quaking with the rest of her body.

“Jamie – please, calm down – you're scaring Jackson –”

“No, I'm not. Jackson, get over here.”

Jackson looked up at me fearfully, his eyes still pink from his sudden lucidity. He hooked his fingers into my belt loops, cowering behind me. I reached around and opened the door, gently wheedling him out the door.

“Come on, Jackson, go outside, and let me handle this –”

“No, Jackson, don't leave –”

Before Jackson could slip out the room, Jamie leaped forward and seized him from behind.

“Jamie! What are you –”

I froze, my heart plunging to my gut. Jamie held the syringe against Jackson's neck, her fingers threateningly poised on the plunger. Jackson whimpered, going limp as he sensed the sharp point of the needle poking into his neck.

“Jamie – what are you doing?!”

There was a monstrous, crazed look in Jamie's eyes that I'd never seen before. I held my breath, terrified of moving a muscle. My eyes locked on the needle in Jackson's neck. Just one little slip of Jamie's finger, and it was all over.

“Please, Jamie –”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Jamie screamed over me, the whites of her teeth flashing. “Jackson is mine, and I'm not letting you take him away from me –”

“Jamie, please.” I showed her my palms, raising them over my chest. “I'm not trying to take Jackson away from you. Just put that thing down. Please, you're going to hurt him –”

Jackson burst into tears, his neck dangerously convulsing with his sobs.

“Mommy, why are you mad at me? I'm sorry, please don't hurt me, I won't do it again, I promise!”

As her son's pained, warbling cries filled the room, Jamie stiffened. She looked down at Jackson as if she were seeing him for the first time. And just like that, she let go of him. Jackson keeled over, sniffling as he pushed himself off the ground and back behind my legs. Jamie gazed at the syringe in her hands, then back at Jackson, who was shuddering behind me.

The front door banged open.

“Carrie? Jackson?
” Kingsley's voice came from downstairs.
“Where are you?
”

“Up here!” I called over my shoulder. I pushed Jackson out the door encouragingly. “Go to Kingsley.”

I turned back to Jamie, who was still staring at the syringe in her hands. Only, the stoic look of shock on her face was now overrun by despair. Silent tears were cascading down her cheeks. Her forehead and the sides of her mouth were lined with tormented emotion.

“Jamie, listen,” I said carefully, putting one foot forward. “It's all going to be alright. Just give me that needle – Jamie, no!”

I jumped back as Jamie pointed the syringe to her own neck, raising a hand at me.

“Jamie, don't –”

“I never meant to hurt Jackson,” said Jamie, her voice distressingly composed. Her thumb twitched on the plunger. “I was just trying to make him a little sick. I just want the world to see what a good mother I am. I love my son.”

“I understand, Jamie, I really do.” I clutched my chest with my left hand, reaching out to her with the other. “Just put that thing –”

“Jackson, no!” Kingsley cried out from behind my shoulder.

Jackson squeezed through the doorway, clinging onto my hand.

“Mommy! No! Why are you doing that?”

“I just tried to kill my own son,” said Jamie, her voice choked. “I don't deserve –”

“Jamie, please, I'm begging you. Don't do this – not in front of Jackson.”

“Mommy, please, stop.” Jackson howled, his voice drowning out our words. “I forgive you, Mommy, I do! Please...”

Jamie stared at Jackson crumbling before her. He wiped away his snot and tears, communicating the rest of his anguish with his watery eyes. After the longest 3 seconds of my life, Jamie finally lowered the syringe from her neck.

Following the time lag, what came next was just the opposite. In one fell swoop, Jamie fell to her knees, and the 3 cops I had no idea were waiting outside the door barged into the room. Before the syringe could even roll to a stop at Jackson's bedpost, 2 cops escorted Jamie out of the room. As the last cop picked Jackson up and carried him out of the room, the ambulance sirens from downstairs drifted in through the windows.

I lost all will to stand, collapsing in Kingsley's arms.

“It's okay, Carrie. It's okay. It's over now.”

Epilogue:
Carrie

ONE YEAR LATER

“
Hi, Carrie. Everything all set for your dinner party tonight?
”

“Hey, Sydney.” I hit the “Save” button on my document and closed my laptop. “Yup. The new patio equipment's just arrived. And thank you for recommending that catering service again. Really trying to impress Kingsley's folks tonight.”

“
Not a problem. Listen, great job again on that piece about the trans communities in South East Asia. You're proving to be a great fit on the team.”

“Thank you, Sydney. That means a lot to me.”

“
So, how's your itinerary looking for Phuket?”

“Great. Got the flight and hotel booked, and I've set up an appointment with the embassy for my passes to the press conference. I'll pick them up first thing when I arrive on my way to the hotel.”

“
Wonderful. Very well, I won't be keeping you any longer. Have fun at the party tonight.
”

“Thanks, Sydney. You have a good weekend.”

When I hung up, Jackson burst through the front door. He slammed the door and raced towards me, his backpack flopping behind him. I jumped out from behind the kitchen counter just in time, catching him before he knocked his forehead against the corner.

“Whoa, where's the fire?” I raised my eyebrows, beaming at the exuberant smile stretching across his chubby, flushed face. “How was your first day?”

“Being a first-grader is awesome!” Jackson hugged me and tossed his backpack on the floor. Taking note of my raised eyebrow, he quickly retrieved it and set it down on the kitchen chair. “I miss my old classmates, but I really like our new teacher, Mr. Connolly! And you'll never guess who's in my class!”

“Who?”

“Faith!”

“Is that so?”

“Yup! I showed her my dinosaur book today in class. She thinks dinosaurs are cool, too!” Jackson dragged a chair to the kitchen counter. He climbed onto the chair and reached into the cupboard for a box of cereal with Kingsley's face on it. “But Mr. Connolly told me to put my book away.”

“That's because you need to pay attention in class.”

“That's what Mr. Connolly said, too.”

“Jackson, what do you think you're doing?”

“Having some sugar-free cereal.”
“Nope. Put that away – you'll ruin your appetite for dinner.”

“O-kay,” Jackson sighed. Hanging his head, he put the cereal back into the cupboard and jumped off the chair.

The front door opened once again.

“Hey, guys. I'm home.”

Kingsley cut through the living room, joining us in the kitchen. As Jackson ran up to him for a bear hug, Kingsley chucked his gear bag onto the floor. But when he, too, caught my condemnatory eyebrow, he quickly moved it.

“How was practice?”

“Exhausting, but it was good. Coach is working us extra hard for our game next Friday.” Kingsley leaned in for a quick kiss. He turned to Jackson. “You excited for tonight? You know, Faith is coming over with the Kahales –”

“Faith is coming over?” Jackson blurted. “I have to pick out something nice to wear tonight...”

Jackson's excitement fizzled out like a faulty firecracker.

“What's wrong, buddy?” Kingsley crouched down next to Jackson, ruffling his hair.

“Everyone's coming tonight.” Jackson frowned, leaning on Kingsley's lap. “I wish Mommy could come, too.”

“I know, Jackson.” I knelt down next to them, wrapping an arm around him. “But hey, it's not so bad. 12 more days and I'll take you down there for a visit.”

“Yeah, okay.” The light slowly returned to Jackson's face. “Maybe I can give Officer Smith the picture I drew for him in class today!”

“I'm sure he's gonna love it.”

“Alright, why don't we go get you dressed?” Kingsley lifted Jackson off the ground, balancing him against his chest with one arm. “And maybe watch an episode of Alan the Architect before the party?”

“Okay!”

“Have fun, guys, but make sure you're ready by 6:30!”

XXX

“Carrie, you have a lovely home. And all this food looks simply marvelous.”

Mrs. Kelly reached for her champagne flute of Perrier, elbowing her husband not-so-subtly under the table.

“Right. Lovely home,” Mr. Kelly echoed his wife. He looked peeved with her, but regarded me with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly.” I smiled at them, toasting them with my glass. “I'm happy you're enjoying yourselves. This is actually the same house we grew up in, but we just revamped the place with a few renovations.”

“A few?” Sloane piped in from the other end of the table. “I nearly drove past this place. This place is unrecognizable.”

“Good to know it's money well spent, then –”

“Aunt Carrie!”

Jackson rushed into the dining room, his bottom lip protruding.

“Jackson? Is everything okay?”

“Something's wrong with Kingson!”

“Kingson?” Mrs. Kelly sounded concerned. “Who's Kingson?”

“Oh, it's his toy dinosaur – I'm sure it's nothing.” I patted Jackson's chair. “Why don't we worry about that after dinner?”

“No! You have to come now, it's really important!”

“Jackson, what are you –” I licked my lips, sighing as I rose to my feet. “Sorry, if you'll just excuse me for one moment...”

I whisked Jackson up the stairs and into his room.

“Jackson, what's gotten into you? You know we've got guests –”

“Come on, Aunt Carrie!” Jackson grabbed Kingson from his bed, thrusting it in my arms. “Something's stuck down Kingson's throat, and I can't get it out!”

“Fine,” I gave in, prying apart Kingson's jaws and squeezing my hands into its mouth. “But this behavior will not be tolerated...”

I fished out the small object lodged in Kingson's throat triumphantly.

Jackson dropped the act, squealing gleefully. He bounced up and down, giving himself a round of applause for pulling one over on me. I goggled at the silver band in my hands, the pear-shaped, dark-blue diamond fixed on the center staring back at me.

“You did good, buddy.”

Kingsley appeared in the doorway, signaling for Jackson to leave the room. Jackson grinned, slapping Kingsley a high-five before running back downstairs. I set Kingson down on the bed, but my eyes never left the ring.

“Kingsley, what – what is this?”

He switched off the lights in the room and switched on the extension cord jutting out of Jackson's closet. The string lights set up like pretty vines around the walls flickered on, casting a gorgeous golden glow in the room. The speakers and music player set up on Jackson's nightstand sprang to life, playing the instrumental to “Best Day of My Life.”

Kingsley stepped towards me, taking the ring from my hands. He slid his strong hands up against my cheeks, kissing me. When we broke apart, I blinked back my tears, breathing out my mouth in short, breathless gasps.

“I can't believe The King's actually settling down,” said Kingsley softly, his nose kissing mine. He laughed, but there was an emotional tremor in his voice. “But I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone but you. It's always been you, Carrie. I love you, and I'd do anything to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I – I love you too, Kingsley.”

“Carrie,” Kingsley whispered, stroking my lips. “Will you marry me?”

“Y-yes,” was all I could manage.

Kingsley slipped the ring around my finger, pulling me in for another kiss as he settled the band around the base. It was a perfect fit, as perfect as every single thing about this moment. I blotted my tears with the back of my hand, shaking my head through my wet smile.

“When did you even find the time to do any of this?”

“Jackson and I have been plotting this for over a month,” said Kingsley slyly. He flicked his head towards the door. “Come on. You ready to tell them the news? I gotta warn you, though, Odell could pass out.”