Finding You

Chapter Eight

Catherine's POV

A week later and I was still as angry as I was the night Damien showed up to my house. I spent most of my days focusing mainly on renovating my house. As always, my parents would show up to help around the house, mum would focus on the garden and dad on anything that looked like it would collapse and kill us all. By Friday that week, my dad obviously couldn't handle it anymore... "Alright, that's it, you best tell me what's got you all riled up. You've been walking around the place slamming things, now honey I don't mind fixing things up to make sure their durable for this so-called storm that's coming, but I think the house has enough damages to it, we don't need you adding some more." He says half-jokingly. I knew he was concerned; I mean I broke the window shutters 3 times slamming them shut. At the time I said I was testing their durability out. My dad had simply fixed them while my mother found an excuse each time. Her last one was "well, if there's a storm coming like the one, she's just got brewing inside her, clearly James they don't stand a chance." Rolling my eyes, I answered "nothing has me riled up, I'm focused on getting this house fixed and...and...well I'm tired." I said the last bit with a sigh. "you broke the window shutters 3 times Catherine...now before you say anything, I know it has nothing to do with god damn durability for a god damn storm that is never coming" he says a sternly. I don't know why I even bothered to try and lie to the man; he was an ex-Navy seal for god's sake.

I stop what I'm doing in the garden bed and sigh, I look up at the front porch where my mother has just stepped out with a tray of sandwiches and lemonade for the three of us. She simply sets the tray down on the little table and takes a seat admiring the non-existent view. Clearly, she was in on this too. Traitor. "It really is nothing dad, just personal stuff. I'll be fine I promise." I try once more, hoping he would drop the subject. Obviously, I was out of luck, "nice try...now spill it" he says angrily, fists on his hips. I slowly stand up brushing the dirt off my knees. "I had a bit of a mis-understanding with someone and they said something that bothered me that's all." I wasn't lying, I just wasn't going to go into detail. Thankfully he took it, sighing and rubbing his forehead he asks "cupcake, I can see you don't want to talk about this so I won't keep pushing but you know I love you; I would move hell and earth for you and your mamma. I know I can be an over protective brute but I'm always here for you. You know, that right?" I could see the sadness in his eyes, I hated that I worried my parents so much. I really was trying to not let my emotions show so much. I wrap my arms around him tightly, savouring his embrace. "I know papa. I love you too." I say softly kissing him on his cheek. The afternoon passed by quietly. We ate our lunch and chatted away. Eventually we were done for the day and my parents left. I had just finished getting dressed after my shower when someone knocked on the door. "Coming!" I yell out as I try to get my arm through the sleeve of my shirt. I open the door to find Jacob with a somewhat angry look on his face "Hey" he says gruffly storming into my house "Um hi, please come right in" I reply back sarcastically. I shut the door and turn to look at him, he's sitting on my lounge, his hands clenched in fists on his knees, his nostrils flaring. "Jacob, is everything okay?" I ask a little worried. I had never seen him this way, in the short time I had known him, he'd been polite and always happy. This was the first time in the time that I'd known him that I'd seen him this way. "It's nothing, I just needed to get out of the house for a little bi..." he was cut off by the loud banging on the door, that made me jump. His eyes shoot to the door and within seconds he's on his feet, has me pushed behind him as he swings open the door. I didn't have to see past him to know who was on the other side of the door. The voice alone was a dead giveaway. I roll my eyes and walk off into the kitchen. That man was the last person I wanted to see. "You have no business here" I hear his deep baritone voice say with authority. "Oh, and you do, right?" Jacob snickers. "Jacob" Damien says in warning. "You dear brother, have no business here. Go back home, she's there waiting for you, isn't she?" I hear Jacob say in cold tone. She? Who was she? I wondered. I tried to distract myself with washing up the single plate and glass from my earlier dinner. Unfortunately, it only took a couple minutes, now I was standing awkwardly in my own kitchen. A loud thud has me rushing over to the front of the house to find Jacob on the floor and Damien glaring down at him. Within seconds Jacob is on his feet launching at Damien sending then both spiralling out the door and down the porch steps. I stare in shock before reality hits me, their fighting! I knew there was no way I could stop this, whatever it was, it had them both angry as hell. "Jacob stop!" I shout but it was no use. I try to pull Jacob off but lose my grip and land on my ass. Damien notices my fall but this only seems to make him angrier. He throws Jacob off and is now pounding his brother. I hear pounding feet rush by, in an instant I watch as Damien is thrown across the lawn. He is up in seconds and is storming back to Jacob but Jackson doesn't back down. "That's enough!" Jackson roars. The outburst has Damien stop dead in his tracks, body full of rage. I sat there in disbelief. The brother that I barely heard talk, had managed to defuse the situation. Jacob was lying on the floor and wasn't moving. I slowly crawled towards him. I couldn't control the gasp that escaped me. Damien had beat his brother to a pulp. Jacobs eye was swollen shut, his lip was split, blood oozing out. His nose was bleeding and his cheek was swollen.

"Jackson, I need your help to get him inside" I say turning to Jackson. Jackson looks at me then his eyes shift to his beaten brother. I see his jaw clench repeatedly before he turns to face his older brother. After a few moments of silence, Jackson walks over and helps me lift his brother. We slowly take him back inside my house and law him on the couch. I get up and notice Jackson is staring at his brother, a hint of sadness lingering in his eyes. I touch his arm softly and his eyes meet mine "I'll make sure he's okay." I say reassuringly. With a single nod, Jackson storms out, I go to shut the door and notice Damien is walking over. It was time to let him know that enough was enough. "Don't!" I say with anger. I step out and shut the door, making sure to block it with my body. I take a few steps forward making sure to stay on my porch before I speak. "Get off my property!" I say with venom. "Stay out if this! It isn't any of your business" he seethes back at me. "Go to hell!" I shout. "It's my business when you bring it to my front door, jackass!" I say fuming with anger. Neither of us noticed the slender woman who came at some point. She was beautiful. Her long auburn hair hanging down her back. narrow green eyes glaring at me. "Baby come home" she says in a high-pitched tone. Lacing her arm in his. A wave of jealousy rushes through me before it's once again taken over with pure rage. "I won't ask again, off my property. NOW!" I say through gritted teeth. My hands fisted on my hips. "Baby?" I hear her say again. Damien is still furiously glaring at me. Suddenly he turns to her and kisses her on the lips before storming away back to his house dragging her behind him.