Ring
Ring
"Babe!" I say pushing my asleep as a rock fiancée
"It's yours." He grumbles
"Shit" I say dropping my phone "hello?"
An automated voice answers me;
"You have a collect call from an inmate at Mansfield Correctional Facility. Do you accept this call"
"Yes." I squeak
"Danielle?"
His gruff voice is unmistakeable
"Julian."
Jackson sits straight up in bed and grabs my phone putting it on speaker
"Yeah, it's me." Julian sighs
He sounds broken and hurt.
I was broken and hurt once, because he ran me down with a fucking car.
"What do you want Julian." I say harshly
"I- I've had a lot of time to think. I needed to say I'm sorry." He says
Jackson is shaking he's so angry.
"Babe. Calm down its ok." I whisper
"Is Jackson there?" Julian says
"It wouldn't be a wise choice to try and talk to him Julian."
A silence rings through the phone
"I hated you because our mother-"
"Your mother. She was never a fucking mother to me." I interrupt
"I hated you because MY mother constantly told me how great you were and what a disappointment I was. Constantly reminding me that she should have left us and not you. You were her fucking shining star. That having me was a mistake. You were her golden child and that's what I wanted. I wanted you fucking gone. When I saw you at the club I knew it was my chance to her you like you hurt me. She always reminded me that I was just an affair baby, she only had my brother and married my father after your father said there was no hope-"
"I didn't-"
"Just shut up and let me fucking explain-"
"Don't fucking talk to her like that you piece of shit!" Jackson roars
"If you were gone maybe I would have had a chance to win her affection and attention. I was never given love as a child. At least your fucking dad loves you, you have and had Ryder and your dad. I had no one. You had everything, you're beautiful, popular and have people wrapped around your little fucking finger. You have no idea Danielle. You had everything I wanted. Steph messed me up so bad that I honestly believed if you were gone or dead that you'd be forgotten and maybe Steph would showed me some fucking attention for once in my goddamn life. I hated and honestly do hate you with every fiber of my being. But I am sorry that I ya know, tried to kill you. Then I saw you race and you fucking beat me, I regretted not hitting you harder. You're the golden child and I wanted you gone. When I killed that girl in I pictured it as you. That's all I have to say. I'm sorry. But I'm not at the same time. Goodbye Danielle."
The line goes dead.
I didn't even realize I was crying until Jackson pulled me into his lap and I buried my face into his neck and just sobbed. Sobbed like I did the day Steph told us about Julian, sobbed like the day Steph showed up.
We didn't do much that day; sat, watched movies and ate.
My phone rang as I put all the dishes away; I hesitated not answering but knew I had too, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Like something bad was going to happen.
"Is this Danielle James?" The authoritative voice answers
"This is She. Who is this?"
"Ma'm I'm the prison medic, I have you down as an emergency contact and family for inmate 222839 Julian Palmer. I regretfully inform you that he has passed. Julian was found in his cell shortly after noon, we believe it was suicide. We're sorry for your loss."
Julian killed himself? Why was I his emergency contact?
"Jackson." I called hanging up the phone"Jax!"
I hear his thundering steps coming down the stairs as he pulls me into his strong arms
"Juli-" I cry
I don't even know why I'm crying
"He- he- he killed himself. He's dead."
"Shh baby. It's ok. It's ok." He cooes
My phone keeps ringing and I know it's Steph. I can't even bare to answer it. It's not even that I gave a shit about Julian it's that he's dead, gone and never coming back.
It's a scary reality.
It takes me awhile to compose myself, but when I finally do Jackson jumps on the bed with a shit eating grin.
"Come on babe. I have a surprise."
"I really don't-"
"Don't care, lets go."
As Jackson leads me out to his car he continues smiling at me like he's going to skin me and make me into a lampshade
"If you're taking me somewhere to kill me; make it quick." I joke
My smile turns into a scowl, soon. Way too soon.
"You sadist." He laughs "get in you little freak"
That night Julian is quickly forgotten, sounds so harsh but he was never anything in my life. I just don't care, the shock of it all was a lot but alive or dead it makes no impact on my life. He controlled it enough alive, he won't control it dead.
Jackson loves going fast, so fast we go. I know this scenery, the fast cars, beautiful yet slutty women and money. Lots of money.
"Let's go baby." He says opening my door
"Are we watching the races?" I laugh
"No baby. We're winning them." He says with a massive smile "weddings aren't cheap my love."
I hear a familiar laugh and turn to see Ryder and a pregnant Kiely.
"We brought you something!" Kiely squeals
"MY CAR!" I scream as I run to it "baby I missed you so much! I promise no one will ever hurt you again!"
"We're ready." Jackson says
"How did you get her here!" I'm so happy I missed my beauty so much
"Because I love you!" Jackson laughs
I quickly give Kiely a hug, rubbing her tummy and giving it a small kiss
"Love you guys!"
I was so happy, I felt like myself again. My car, my family, my friends. Everything is good.
YOU ARE READING
Playing For Keeps {completed} #projectrichkids
Teen FictionLeaving has always been a specialty of mine, guess thats the one thing my mother ever taught me; the art of leaving. She was a pro, left my dad, brother and I one day and just never came back. My dad was devastated, keeping the house hoping she woul...
