Chapter 36: Chapter 14: Scared

JOCELYN

I quickly grab my two suitcases and pack as much stuff as I can. My mom says she will pack the rest of my stuff overnight and have it all brought over tomorrow so I can unpack.

After throwing in the necessities, I bring my suitcases out to the hallway. Jessie runs up the stairs and grabs them to carry them down to the cars.

I make my way down the stairs to meet my parents, and I am thankful they are not having me go back.

“Jocelyn, remember what I said.”

“Mom, believe me, nothing will happen. I will be just fine.”

She gives me a hug and I see my dad look at Jessie.

“Don’t make me regret this, Jessie.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, you have my word that you will not regret this. I love your daughter and would die protecting her. I also know your wishes and would never jeopardize my job, my friendship with your son, or my relationship with you two.”

“I know, Jessie. You look at her like I look at Eva.”

He nods his head then he wraps his arm around me and we all head to the cars. We load up and since we are taking two cars, Kyle, Jessie, and I are in one, and Luis, Carlos, Nate, and Mandy are in the second.

I snuggle into Jessie’s side when he places his arm around me, and we drive off. The feeling I get just being close to him makes me feel loved, and I feel protected.

“Jocelyn, your brother told me what was said. Ricardo made a threat about taking you and that Nate should watch Mandy too. You know we shouldn’t have any issues there as the bottom floors are housing for most of our guards.

“I will be staying with you and Mandy. So will Kyle. So, please, if things go down just listen to us, okay?”

“Of course, Jessie.”

He leans over, giving me a kiss. His lips are so soft, and his kiss is so tender. It feels like he is barely touching my lips. I pull back just as he flashes me that killer smile and pulls me into his chest.

I just listen to his heart while looking out the car window, watching the scenery go by. We start making our way into town and it gets brighter with the streetlights.

We pull into the parking lot and quickly unload our stuff, dragging it all upstairs.

My brother has his room upstairs, all the way to the right. There are two rooms to the right and two on the left side of the stairs. He tells me to go to the last room on the left and Jessie can be the next on the left.

Kyle, Luis, and Carlos will be on the bottom floor. There are more rooms since the entertainment and exercise rooms were moved down a floor.

I go up to my room, dragging my cases, and start to put stuff away in the closet and bathroom. My room is white with a couch right at the entrance. There’s a king-size bed on the right side wall when I walk in, facing the window on the opposite wall.

Past the bed there is a walk-in closet with a dresser built in. Then there is the bathroom. It has a bath and a walk-in shower and is done in tans just like the bedroom.

Since we will be here for a while, I am sure I can get Nate to allow me to get some new sheets. Maybe even some nice decorations to make it more girly.

I do have a TV in my room, so I quickly grab a shower, change into some nightclothes, and flip on the TV. After a while, Jessie knocks on the door and snuggles in next to me to watch.

We are watching a comedy show and laughing when my brother and Mandy walk in. They come sit on the bed, and I get an official introduction.

“Jocelyn, this is Mandy. Mandy, this is Jocelyn.”

I shake her hand. She is so pretty, but I still see where she has a lot of bruises—poor girl. My brother made a good decision with her; I can’t wait to do girly stuff together. Spa days, hair salon, nails… oh, we are going to have so much fun!

I quickly text Mary and Kerri that I won’t be back this year, but they can still hang out at the apartment.

“Mandy and I ordered pizza, and it should be here soon. Tomorrow, we will have groceries delivered. Also, anything else we will need, we can have delivered,” Nate says.

“Nate, can we get different sheets and some decorations for this room to make it more girly?”

“Of course. Here, Mandy, I will hand this to you. It’s a gold card with no limit. Get whatever you want for the apartment.”

“Yay, Mandy! Shopping spree!” I exclaim.

Mandy just stares at Nate, confused by the card.

“What do you mean ‘no limit’?”

“Mandy, there’s no limit. Spend five hundred dollars or fifty thousand dollars. Get whatever you want for the apartment. Want better cookware, get it. Want new towels, get it. Whatever you want, babe.”

We all jump up when we hear the notification that someone is in the elevator. Nate can see it’s the delivery guy and gives his guards the okay to let him come up.

When the elevator opens, we grab the pizza and take ours, running back up to my room to keep watching TV. We have a few pieces and after letting it settle, Jessie says goodnight to let me sleep.

I snuggle in and hope I can get some sleep. I am rudely woken up by hearing the security alarms go off. I try to hide since I can’t find anyone at that moment.

I’m running toward the secret room in the back of the closet when I feel my hair get pulled from behind and my head yanked back.

I twist in their grip and see Ricardo holding me by my hair. He punches my face, instantly making everything go black.

***

I slowly start to wake up and find that I am tied up to a chair. I can feel the ropes digging into my wrists. I must have been dragged down to some kind of basement because it smells damp and mildewy.

I start crying when Ricardo leans over and starts screaming in my face. The fear I am feeling is terrifying, and my breathing gets rapid. My hands start to sweat, and my heart starts to race.

I don’t understand where everyone is. Jessie was supposed to protect me. Where did he go? Why would he leave me?

“You’re mine, you bitch. You will never be anyone else’s, and to make sure you understand, we took care of someone.”

I see the door open and a dead Jessie is shoved through, landing at my feet. I instantly start screaming, trying to back up away from him but getting nowhere.

“No, no! Why? Jessie! Jessie! Wake up!”

Ricardo steps over him and leans forward, grabbing me around the neck, laughing in my ear, and squeezing tight as I try to scream. I can barely get any air as I keep trying to yell for Jessie to wake up.

“You promised! Jessie!”

He keeps squeezing until a rush comes over me. Spots are starting to form in my vision, and I feel like I am about to pass out. The spots are getting larger and starting to become black while the air is leaving my lungs and not returning.

In a split second, he is gone and I am getting yelled at.

“Jocelyn, Jocelyn, wake up! I’m here!”

He shakes me and my head gets really fuzzy as I am jolted from my nightmare. Opening my eyes, I see that Jessie has me by my arms, and Nate and Mandy are standing there with Kyle, Luis, and Carlos.

I start bawling, crawling into Jessie’s arms, begging him not to leave me. Nate comes over and rubs my back, telling Jessie to stay with me as long as it helps me get sleep.

We all need sleep, and no one will get any at this rate. Jessie nods and as everyone leaves, he snuggles under the covers, holding me in his arms. I sob into his chest, shaking, while he holds me and rubs my back.

“Jocelyn, baby, what happened?”

I sit up next to him and trace the tattoos on his chest. My fingers slide over the muscles moving under his skin while I follow them with my eyes.

“Ricardo kidnapped me and had me tied up. He said you wouldn’t come save me and dragged your dead body into the room and you fell down at my feet. I kept screaming at you but you never moved. He then started choking me, laughing in my face.”

I start shaking again, and he quickly sits up, pulling me into his arms and having me straddle his lap. He places his hands on each side of my face, wiping away the tears. He just stares into my eyes, and I can’t believe he is all mine. Well, in due time.

“Jocelyn, baby, look at me. I swear on my life that fucker will never touch you again. I promise you I will protect you until I am dead. I have been trusted to protect you by your brother and your father because they know how much I care for you. Jocelyn, I love you.”

I just stare at him in shock as he leans forward, crashing his lips on mine. I throw my arms around his neck and part my lips just slightly as his tongue dives inside my mouth. We kiss each other with so much passion.

He pulls back, leaning his forehead against mine while we gasp for air. I look at him, smirking from having felt his cock spring to life during the kiss.

“We need to get to bed before we get in huge trouble.”

I nod, climbing off his lap and lying down as he snuggles in next to me. Before we know it, we are both passed out and sleep until the morning.