Family Comes First

Chapter 55: A Heated Discussion

 Jimmy rocked me as I cried into his chest. My eyes burned with tears as I tried to control myself from sobbing. It was pointless. I couldn't stop crying.

"Once you leave -" I started to explain.

"Ssshhh," Jimmy shushed me as he leaned down to press his lips against my forehead.

"Tommy-" I started.

"I'm right here." I opened my eyes to see him leaning against the doorframe. "I don't think there is anything you need to say. You should probably rest. Especially if you're pregnant."

His silent threat hung heavy in the air.

"He's right," Jimmy said. "You need to get to bed."

I bit my lip to hold back a whimper. I buried my face in his chest. I took in a deep breath of his scent. God, I was going to miss this smell.

"I promise I am going to take care of you and Hunter." His hand slipped over my belly. "And our new little baby."

I shook my head. "I don't think I am pregnant."

"You never know," he said. "Now, let's get you to bed so that you can rest."

Jimmy got up off the floor with me in his arms. He curled me into his chest and I clung to his shirt. I squeezed my eyes shut and listened to his heartbeat. I listened to it every night for the past two years. I don't know how I am going to fall asleep without it. I'd rather kill myself than spend the rest of my life with Tommy.

Jimmy placed me down on the bed. He pulled my arms off him. His lips were spread into a smile. He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my leg to comfort me. I reached up and cupped his face, letting my thumb trace along the scar on his cheek.

"Sleep for an hour," Jimmy told me. "You can return to your chores once you feel better."

"I feel fine," I said. "That's not why I was sick."

"Why were you sick then?"

I sucked in a deep breath. I wanted to tell Jimmy, but Tommy would kill Hunter. There is no way that Jimmy could protect us all the time. Tommy would sneak into the house during the day and snap Hunter's neck.

"When are we moving?" I asked. "You said we could move to that house down the street and it's been over a year."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"The Fergusons?" he said. "They haven't moved out yet. Besides, what is this sudden rush to get out of this house?"

"I hate the way Tommy treats Carrie," I said. "I don't want to witness it anymore."

"Now that Dad has died it probably won't be for a while. I don't think Tommy will want to leave Carrie alone in this house right now."

Jimmy grabbed my chin and leaned down to kiss me.

"Don't worry about where we live," Jimmy said. "We have the rest of our lives together."

I bit my lip and nodded. Jimmy kissed me before getting up off the edge of the bed. I rolled onto my stomach and cried into the pillow. I wanted to hide my crying from the family.

I kept lifting my head from the pillow to check the time. I waited for an hour to pass, just like Jimmy told me to. Time ticked by slowly as horrible images filled my mind.

Charles' death had distracted Tommy from me. My stomach twisted whenever I thought about what I have done with him. I could not let that be the rest of my life. I'd have to lie back and let Tommy do whatever he wanted to me. My skin still felt dirty from where Tommy had touched me.