Jason's P.O.V
As I walk down the hallway towards the elevator, I think about the events that just occurred. Guilt lays heavy in the pit of my stomach. How could I cheat on Saiya? We're getting married. I drag my hands over my face and groan. What the hell does any of this mean? Does this mean that I feel something for Soren? No, it's that other side of me. The side that's been devoured by instinct and is void of thought isn't me. That part of me acts on lust and pheromones. It was the mark heightening my senses. There was nothing romantic about that encounter. But I did cheat. I need to tell Saiya, but how do I do that without explaining everything else? I don't want to dump this on her when I tell her about what I am. It's too much. Secondly, I can't keep hurting Soren. Something has to change. I have to change. It would be better for both Soren and me to distance ourselves and remain professional. We can figure this out without being as close as we are now. And when everything subsides, we can act like friends again.
The elevator stops on the first floor and I exit. I walk up to an angry Damien and Dylan. My two security men, Brady and Brad, hold them back and prevent them from entering the building. "You can leave this to me," Brady and Brad look at each other, and somehow understand each other through their shades. They nod and step to the side, but they don't go far. "What the hell are you doing to my sister?" Damien says with venom laced in his voice. I admire how quickly he can switch up when it comes to his family. "Which one?" I ask. He and Dylan seethe. Damien grabs me by my shirt and forcibly pulls me toward him. I let him, knowing that I deserve this and would only make the situation worse by resisting. Brady and Brad step towards us, but I put my hand up, signaling them to stay where they are.
"You know exactly who I'm talking about, asshole. Her car is in the front." Before I have a chance to respond, Luke walks through the door with a bag. He points to the elevator and I instantly know why he's here. I let him pass and my bodyguards stayed where they were. "What the hell are you doing here? Are you a part of this?" Dylan asks. "I have no idea what's happening. I simply go where I'm called," Luke hurries to the elevator, and judging by the look on his face, he's trying to rush it. "If you were called here, then you're going where Soren is," Dylan observes. Luke hurries into the elevator and Dylan adverts his attention towards me. "We need to see her. Now," Dylan makes no room for discussion. I sigh, knowing what a total fuck show this is. "She'll be coming down any moment. First, can you tell me what exactly you think happened between her and me?" I know how bad Soren sounded on the phone. I need to do a quick damage control before this gets back to Saiya in the wrong way.
"We don't have the slightest clue as to what happened. All we know is that Soren called us in pain, asking for help, saying she couldn't take it anymore. So someone had better start explaining." Damien's face contorts with anger, but the worry is evident. "I hurt her. It wasn't on purpose, but I did. I sincerely apologize. I promise you that it's not what you think. I would never punch or slap her. I'd never lay my hands on her in a harmful way. That's not what happened." I try my best to be honest and assure them. I can't tell them what happened. Even if I could, that decision is up to Soren. "If you didn't physically hurt her, then why was she screaming for help? Why did she call your name afterward?" Dylan's voice isn't aggressive. It's assertive. It starts to rub me the wrong way as my instincts make my skin crawl. I restrain myself from asserting dominance. "I-" Before I'm able to get a word in, Soren comes down. "Soren!" Damien hurries over to her. Soren's face gives nothing away. Damien wraps his arms around her in what appears to be a bone-crushing hug. He then pulls back and examines her from head to toe. She grabs his hand and reassures him. "I'm fine. Sorry for the scare,"
Dylan walks up to her but hesitates. He reaches out before putting his arm down. "That was more than just a scare. You sounded seriously hurt," Soren walks up to him before she embraces him in a hug. Shocked, Dylan doesn't hug back. Soren pulls back before he can. "Thank you for worrying about me. Both of you. I really do appreciate it, but I'm fine. It was some bad cramps. I came here to discuss some business with Jason so that we could look over the files together. Do you remember the bad stomach cramps I got before the gala's opening? They came back. Jason helped me through them. He deserves a thank you, not an accusation."
She makes a quick cover story. The guys look at each other, skeptical. "Then why didn't he tell us that?" Damien asks. "Are you sure it wasn't something more? You just hugged me. It's literally been over a decade since you've done that. As a matter of fact, you've only done that once when you were in high school."
Soren looks at Dylan as if he's deranged. It almost makes me laugh as I lift my lip upwards in a semi-smile. It quickly drops when I understand what Dylan said. Soren said she was fine, but if what just happened was bad enough to show Dylan affection…"You remember that?" She cocks her eyebrows and takes a step back. Luke sits back, watching everything. "Of course. That was the first time you bothered to give me the time of day. You looked terrible. Yet, no matter how many times I asked you what happened, all you could do was cry. I spent the entire night holding you. I figured it must've been a bad breakup or something. One of those teenage things." Dylan reminisces. His tone no longer holds threats, but comfort. Under all of the height and tattoos, he's a big teddy bear when it comes to his girls.
Soren scoffs as an unhumored laugh escapes her mouth. "Is that how I looked? Like I had just been broken up with? Sorry, it's not you. I'm remembering some bad times. Anyway, it wasn't Jason's place to tell you anything." She quickly changes the topic. "He said he hurt you," Damien inputs while Dylan ponders on Soren's previous words. Soren looks at me, confused. "I did. I hurt you and it wasn't okay. I didn't know," Shame envelopes me. "You can't blame my cramps on you. Jason didn't know how to deal with them, so he tried some hot water because he thought that they were period cramps. He ended up burning me with the water. It's not that big a deal. The pain subsided, eventually." Her lie is quick and on the spot, adjusting to my comment. When we engage in eye contact I can only hope she sees how truly sorry I am. She nods her head and looks away.
"So you called me on the phone because you were cramping and Jason was burning you with hot water?" Damien clearly doesn't believe the lie, but he asks to clarify anyway. Saying it out loud sounds ridiculous. "No, I never meant to call you. I meant to call a friend. That didn't work out, so I called Luke instead. He bought me some extra clothes since mine got ruined."
"It wasn't a bad breakup, was it?" Dylan says. He doesn't ask it as a question. It's more of a statement. Soren looks him in the eye and says, "No, it wasn't." Dylan clenches his fists. "You do realize that you can tell me anything, right? You don't have to be alone anymore. I know it was shitty of me and your mother to overlook your pain when you were younger. We were twisted in so many different directions with the kids and our jobs. We didn't try hard enough to communicate with you. We're trying to do better. Please, let us do better." He pleads. Soren's face remains impassive. She walks past him and me. She stops at the front door and looks back. "I was returning home from work and was stopped by a group of guys. They roughed me up a bit and tore my clothes. They attempted to rape me, but they were stopped by a coworker of mine. I later found out that my ex sold me and my location off to lighten his debt." She leaves the building with Luke leaving us all shocked.
None of us says anything for a few minutes. Dylan furiously punches one of the walls, leaving a hole in it. "Damn it! I failed her. How could I not notice? I didn't see any bruises. Her clothes were fine, yet…" He cuts himself off and puts his head on his fists. Damien stays where he is. His face comprised of only two emotions, anger and frustration. I leave them alone and head up to the elevator. Nothing I can say will help. I never knew why Soren had such a bad connection with her family. I figured it was because she was always busy. Never did I ever imagine she suffered in silence for so long. When I walk into the house flashbacks of what occurred come to me. Fuck! If there wasn't any indication that Soren and I had to distance ourselves before, it's crystal clear now. I can't bring her any more pain.
Soren's P.O.V
"You never told me that story," Luke says after a few minutes of silence. "Luke, you know that I'll tell you everything, but my past has no relevance. So, unless you ask, I won't tell." I recline my seat and close my eyes. "Why didn't you tell your family?" I wait a few seconds before answering as I try to calm my raging headache. "You heard Dylan. My family had enough to deal with. They couldn't handle trouble from my ex's gang or whatever he was in. I'm glad that was the only encounter I had with them. My parents barely had enough money for us. That's why I went into stripping in the first place. They never asked that of me. It was my decision as well as every other bad thing that happened after. I don't blame my parents for not knowing, how could they? I never told them anything. I guess the inner child in me that never had a proper childhood is angry at the fact that they knew something was wrong, but could only focus on the twins and Saiya. And now they're trying to sing kumbaya as if nothing ever happened. They're apologizing for things they don't even know about just so that they won't have to talk about it. My family and I are never going to have the kind of relationship that they want. I'm not going to play pretend and cut a clean slate for them. I'm not that kind. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm not envious of the kind of relationship that they all have right now. The boys have women they want to grow old with. They have children. They seem like the perfect family without me."
Luke soaks in my words and so do I. I don't want to think about anything right now. Not my past, not my family, not Jason, not Keith or Sebastian, or even this crazy ass infiltration mission that I'm going on. I just want to sleep. "You know, they'd be an even better family if you were there with them. If you want to talk to them, then go to a family therapist." I sigh. "Luke, you're missing the point. I don't want to be the one to make the first move. I want my mom to stop trying to erase the past as if my dad doesn't exist or as if we were never poor. I've seen her posts, Luke. I don't want her to advertise the fact that we were begging on the streets or anything, but she makes it sound as if she's always had the perfect life. She's completely erased both the good and bad memories before Dylan. And Dylan, he tries so hard to be my dad. It's weird for me. Yet, no matter how many times I tell him to back off, he keeps coming.
It's really fucking weird. I want their acknowledgement and yet I can't stand Dylan's pushiness. I'm all over the place. And Saiya is a completely different ballgame. She's such a princess. Her presence alone irks my soul. I don't understand how someone can still be so ignorant and naive. Not to mention ungrateful. So, I'm doing the one good thing for her that doesn't involve me actually being around her. She is right about one thing. I'm a crappy sister. I spent so much time trying to be a third parent that the only thing I cared about was their physical health and money. I never really communicated with them. My brother had a child and I didn't know. My other brother got a woman pregnant and I didn't know. Saiya got engaged, and I didn't know. I owe it to my brothers to be better. I never had a problem with them, but I was always bitter. And I can't be mad at Saiya for existing. It's how she was raised. I'll go to the stupid family gatherings, be there for Aaron's child's birth, and help Saiya get married to Jason." None of this is for me. Jason and I are nothing.
"You do realize that you can do things for yourself, right? This entire time you've been going on and on about everybody else. When are you going to start living for yourself?" Have I been talking about everybody else? God, I don't know. This is all too much. Luke puts his hand on mine while his other remains on the wheel. He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Fuck," I say as I remember something. "What is it?"
"I left my car. Again." I groan. Luke laughs and we drive the rest of the way in silence.
~~~~~
I received a text from Keith after Luke dropped me off at my house. 'Don't forget about our plans tomorrow. Lunch with my parents from 12 to 3, and then you get to meet the gang right after for however long it takes.' I feel my muscles automatically tense. 'You always know exactly what I need to hear. What a boyfriend,' I don't send any emojis as I'm sure that he can sense my sarcasm from the other side. 'You know me, ever the thoughtful lover. Don't worry, I'll treat you to something afterward. I don't need you to burn out before any progress has been made.' His response shocks me. 'What happened to the guy who has been telling me to figure things out?'
'He can appear at any moment. I've caught you in a web. I already know you're going to do what you have to for the man you love.' I do a double-take and reread his text. 'We don't have to do the boyfriend/girlfriend role play. Besides, I don't think we are at that part of our relationship.'
'Is that how we are going to play this game? Okay, then. Well, if that's the case, it pains me that you think so. I'm introducing you to my parents and you're telling me that we aren't even in the love stage.'
'That sucks for you. This was your idea.'
'I suppose. My parents would think it's weird if I brought a random girl home and said I loved her. Don't dress in anything cutesy. That isn't my type and my parents know that. They'll instantly suspect you.'
'Noted. Does this mean that you've brought girls home before?'
'Would that surprise you?'
'You seem like the type of guy who would only introduce a girl to his parents if she was marriage material.'
'I'm introducing you to them, and as you've said, we're far from the love stage.'
'Yeah, after things didn't go well with the other girl.'
'What makes you so confident that I've fallen in love?'
'You hold your heart to your chest.'
'Is that not where it's supposed to be? Somebody didn't take anatomy or pledge her allegiance on the right body part.'
'Is that how we're going to play this game? Okay, then.' I throw his words back in his face. He abruptly ends the conversation with 'Goodnight,'
I charge my phone and fall on my bed. I wonder if Delilah has a spell to stop time. I could really use that right about now.