Audacious//JJ Maybank (Outerbanks)

Chapter 31

{The Truth}

I wake up the next morning with JJs arm wrapped around me as I rest my head on his chest. 'Morning, beautiful.' JJ groans before placing a light kiss on my lips. 'Morning.' I whisper. 'We should probably get up and wait for Kie and Pope to come here, John b should be back from his fishing trip with Ward in an hour.' I say sitting up but JJ quickly grabs me and pulls me back down. 'Ten more minutes.' He whines snuggling into me and pulling me closer to him, I let out a chuckle. 'No, now get up, sleepyhead.' I say removing his hand and get out of bed before he could get the chance to pull me back down. 'My girlfriend just had to be an early bird.' He scoffs and I roll my eyes before grabbing my towels and head to the bathroom.

Two hours had past, Kie and Pope came by an hour ago and we all waited outside the Chateau for my brother to come by so we can go get the gold. 'Where's John b?' Pope asks JJ and I as we sit on the edge of the hot tub. 'He's out fishing with Ward Cameron, but he should've been home by now.' I answer and Pope looks at me furrowing his eyebrows. 'Speak of the devil.' JJ snickers, I look over to where JJ was and see my brother speed walking towards the house, something was off. 'Dude, I set up the entire winch and pulled up the gold and everything.' JJ lies and Pope glares at him as I sigh following after my brother.

'Hey, Johnny! What's up?' I ask but he ignores us and walks into the house, we all look at each other furrowing our eyebrows in confusion. 'Uh, what's that all about?' Pope asks directly towards me. 'I was gonna ask you the same question.' I answer as I walk into the house after my brother, the others follow behind me. 'You all right, man?' Pope asks as my brother searches through all the drawers and cupboards. 'John b, what is going on? You're scaring me!' I say but he continues to ignore me. 'Bro, what's going on?' JJ asks as John b walks over to the couch and throws off the cushions and grabs the gun, all our eyes widen in shock.

'John b, what do you need the gun for?' JJ questions walking up to him. 'Talk to us!' JJ shouts but John b shoves him back. 'John b, chill!' I yell and he looks at me before walking past Kie and I, shoving Pope out of the way, and he leaves the Chateau. We all quickly glance at each other before running after him. 'John b, what the hell are you doing?' Kie asks as my brother hops on JJs bike and starts the engine. 'John Booker Routledge!' I yell as he finally turns around to face me, tears fall from his eyes as he looks me straight in the eye. 'Ward knows about the gold.' He informs us and I sigh in frustration as JJ walks up behind me and places his arm around my shoulder. 'Okay, but why do you need the gun?' I ask and he sighs rubbing his temples.

'Ward killed our dad.' He states as he drives away, my eyes widen and my whole world freezes in front of me, tears roll down my face uncontrollably. Ward killed our dad. The person that became our legal guardian killed our father. Our dad's dead. He killed or dad. 'W-What, he, but, I—' I try to mouth words but I can't as my knees buckle from underneath me and I fall to the ground. 'NO, No, no!' I scream as I feel a strong pair of arms wrap around me and pull me closer, I inhale JJs scent as I cry into his chest.

***

After Kie and Pope left to go find my brother, JJ stayed he couldn't leave me in the state I'm in. JJ and I sit on the couch as he just cuddles me and comforts me but after a while, I had to distract myself so I started to clean around the house. 'Jackie..' JJ whispers as I place the dishes in the sink aggressively. 'Go!' I mutter and he walks closer to me and turns me around to face him, my eyes are puffy and red and my whole body's shaking. 'P-Please, leave! I want to be alone.' I say looking at the ground and he pulls me in for a hug. 'No, I can't—' JJ goes to speak but I cut him off by placing a light kiss on his lips. 'I love you, JJ but I just need some time alone. John b will be back home soon and I just want to be here when he does.' I explain and he lets out a sigh before pulling away from our hug. 'Okay, but call me if you need me or anything, I love you, Jackie.' He says placing a kiss on my forehead and I nod. 'I will. I love you too.' I reply as he leaves the Chateau.

I decided to go sit out on the dock, dangling my legs above the water as I take a hit from JJs blunt, I let out a heavy sigh as a tear falls from my eye. I hear footsteps behind me and I didn't have to turn around to know who it is, it's my brother. 'Hey..' he sniffles as he sits down beside me. I look at him and he immediately pulls me in for a hug as we silently cry until we humanly couldn't anymore. Until our bodies were too drained from everything that has happened to us these past few weeks. 'I made this..' he speaks up as he holds out a small boat made out of drift wood, with a picture of our dad in the middle and a candle holding it up. 'Do you want do it?' John b asks as he hands me his lighter and I nod my head in agreement, taking the object off my brother and I place a kiss on the picture of our father before lighting the candle.

'I miss you' John b sobs as I place the boat in the water. 'Goodbye, Dad.' John b and I say in unison as I let go of the boat and it slowly starts to drift away. He leans his head on my shoulder as I place my hand in his hair and stroke it. I let out silent cries as I watch the boat disappear into the water. John b and I never got the chance to say goodbye. No farewell words were spoken, you were just gone before we knew it. The loss of our father will forever hurt and sting us. But now, we finally have closure. Everything that I do in life will be in honour of him, I will always remember and celebrate his life. I will tell my future kids how amazing and adventurous their grandfather was, that he truly was a hero.

***

The next day, John b and I woke up on the docks and he quickly gets up and starts to panic. 'Shit! We need to go!' John b says as he grabs my hand and pulls me towards the van, he immediately starts the van and we drive away from the chateau. We drive all the way to the Crain house and my brother quickly hops out of the van. 'Stay! I'll be back in a minute.' He says and I nod in agreement as I wait anxiously in the van. After a few minutes my brother runs out and hits his hand off the bonnet of the van. He hops back into the van and slams the door. 'Fuck!' He shouts as he hits the wheel. 'What? What's wrong?' I ask and he looks at me. 'Ward took the gold.' He states as he screams again and my eyes widen in shock. 'What! No!' I gasp as I start to cry once again. 'H-He can't do this, he can't just take everything from us.' I yell as tears stream down my face, my brother pulls me in for a hug as he strokes his hand through my hair trying to calm me, but he couldn't. How could I calm down? Ward fucking Cameron took everything from my brother and I. First, our father. We nearly got separated because of him and now, he's taking our gold, our money. I was livid and I wanted nothing more than to see Ward suffer.

To Be Continued...