He stood directly in front of her, skin to skin.
No words were necessary. He brought his face closer to her neck, inhaling her skin once, frowned and repeated it a second time. He stepped back, eyeing her from head to toe.
“What are you doing? Where's Alex?” She couldn't think. Her eyes made a frantic search of the bedroom, trying to find the crib in the shadows. Jake pulled her out of the room.
“I don't wanna wake him, I just put him to sleep. Why are you suddenly so concerned? You were supposed to be back hours ago. Cassandra was here waiting for you.” He pushed her to the wall, holding onto her shoulders.
Their eyes locked. There was no room for hysterical behavior. She delved deeper into his eyes. So far, they were emotionless but calm.
The calm before the storm.
“Jake what's wrong with you? I told you I was meeting Micky today.” She couldn't say Logan. Maybe he wouldn't remember him. That was her hope.
“And Logan, right? What, you can't bear to say his name? Wasn't he the main attraction? What did you do, shower before you left him this time? I couldn't smell his stink!”
The rapidly brewing rage inside of him blazed in his eyes. She attempted to speak, he placed his finger to her lips and kept going. “You promised it was over with him, remember? You swore to me you wanted to move out and be with me. Remember? I gave you the chance to back out, but no, you said you loved me, not him. Why the hell do you think I came all the way down here?”
“I do! I meant it! I didn't do anything!”
I can’t break down. Not today. I have to be strong.
A devastating premonition warned her it was a matter of life and death. “You don't understand, do you? He's about to go to prison... for me! It could’ve been me!”
“You're wrong, I understand all too well! You think I'm some kinda idiot, your sucker full-time babysitter while you sneak off to fuck him! You're addicted to him—you love the pain!”
“That's not true Jake, and you know it! I'm involved in this too and I had to be there. I can't just walk away!”
“That’s beautiful—you had to be there! Don't fucking lie to me again Kristen, meetings with lawyers don't go on all day!” He came to an abrupt halt, his hands flying to his head, his eyes lighting up with recognition. “Unless it was the three of you fucking this time, huh? Was that it? You always wanted Micky anyway. Shit, he flew all the way down here just to be with you. Don't tell me there wasn't some reward involved.” He grabbed her face, squeezing his fingers into her flesh, pulling it close to his.
Her voice was lost in her throat, rendering her breathless. This is definitely a bad time to argue! I have to get away. I have to get him off of me!
On instinct, her leg rose.
“Oh no, no no, Kristen! You're not planning to kick me in the balls are you? I’m not Logan! You really think you’re gonna get away with it?”
A laugh built inside of him at the absurdity of it. His hand landed on her knee, clasping it, pushing it down effortlessly. With one rough jerk he pressed his body into hers. She gasped, the wind knocked out of her. When the air re-entered her lungs, she wrestled him, desperate to free herself. Swinging wildly, her hands lashed out in every direction. It didn’t take much for him to grasp one arm, then the other, thrust both above her head and pin her to the wall. The cold concrete dug into her back. She winced opening her mouth. Before a sound came out, he crammed his hand to her lips.
“Shut your mouth Kristen. If you scream…” His eyes narrowed, the viciousness of his own words reverberating in his ears.
I can’t believe this, I’m actually about to hurt her. How could I allow the darkness to suck me in again? I have to stop!
“I don't wanna hurt you baby. Just be quiet and calm down, ok?”
“What about you Jake? I didn't do anything! I'm just trying to defend myself against you and your crazy...” Unable to continue, she burst into tears. “I want to see my baby! What did you do with him?” She gasped for air between sobs, continuing the frantic struggle to break free.
“What did I do with him? Are you kidding me? What are you doing to him? You are the one that….” He stopped short, her glare penetrating like a knife in his stomach. “He's sleeping in his crib, right where I put him.”
He stood mute, distracted by her body jerking with each sob, the mass of copper hair toppling across her tortured face. It was too much for him. He eased his weight off of her, let her arms drop and stepped back. Those sad green and red speckled eyes locked on him, her chest rose and fell with each renewed deep breath. Like always he fell under her spell, the anger dissolving. He stood directly in front of her without blinking before stepping back to eye her from head to toe.
She studied him, measuring the distance.
This is my one and only chance!
She bolted down the hall to his makeshift art studio. Stupefied, he went rigid then burst after her. Just as he entered the room, she spun around to face him. Something hard bounced along his arm, scratched his skin, crashed to the floor. Shocked, he trailed the noise to the lamp shattered across the tiles. Shaken, Kristen crouched next to it, her face pale. She jumped up, banging into an open cabinet. It clattered to the ground spilling a variety of art supplies all around her. Rushing to regain her balance, she grabbed fistfuls of everything she could, escaping his hands as he lunged for her.
One by one, tubes of paint, brushes, mixing knifes, flew by his head, as he frantically ducked out of the way. Her eyes crazed, she ran back for more and began hurling. A sharp burning sensation spread through Jake’s arm. Instantly the piece of glass toppled from her hand, the other remaining embedded in his skin. He yanked it out. When he touched his arm, felt the warmth of his blood trickling out, he snapped.
“You're the only crazy one around here!”
“Really? I hate you! I wish I never met you!”
Every muscle in his body tautened, He headed towards her.
Panicked, her eyes darted to his clenched fists. “Wait…Logan!”
Oh shit! Recoiling, her hand flew to her mouth.
Logan? Jake froze, the red flash behind his eyes, blinding him.
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. The words taunted him. He couldn’t shut them out.
With a cry he pressed her to the wall, his fingers digging into her arms. She tried to scream. To beg. To call his name. Nothing came out. All she could do was stare into those cold, dead eyes.
She scratched and clawed, aware she was no match for his madness. Suddenly, his face contorted in anguish. He raised his arm.
I can’t believe he’s doing this! This time when she opened her mouth a piercing scream filled the room.
Jake’s mind and body went numb. He never felt his hand clench into a tight fist. When he heard Kristen scream, his eyes widened in shock. With a roar his fist shot past her head, smashing into the wall behind her.
Somewhere in a nightmare, a baby’s cries echoed in her ears, as she sank to the ground, shaking.
The faint cries in the distance were getting louder, more distinct. Dazed, Jake shook his head over and over in an urgent attempt to revive himself.
It’s Alex. My son needs me! What the hell is happening?
He blinked, struggling to bring the blurry room into focus. Kristen’s bright red face became clearer.