Chapter 12

Jacob

Saturday came quickly. Andrew had both Mark and Marge cremated after the two-day wake. He was down in the dumps the entire day. Not knowing what to do, I held tightly onto his hand and so did he onto mine. I wanted to show him that I was there for him and that he shouldn't carry his burdens alone, and that he doesn't have to. I wanted to show that I was there for him and that I wasn't going anywhere.

Something changed between us though, it isn't a significant change, I think. But it's probably pretty big. I went into his room and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, seeing that he was preparing for the day out with my sister. He smiled softly kissing me again, before turning back to fixing his closet.

"Yeah, just didn't know this was so messy," He gestured to his worn down closet with clothes strewn around like a child played inside it for hours and left it like that.

"Well, good luck to you," I said as I already had my clothes out and was preparing to take a quick shower.

"Want me to scrub your back for you," Andrew was suddenly behind me, his arms instinctively wrapping around my waist. His voice, deep and sexy. "I could scrub something else too," he said as one of his hands landed on my ass, pinching it softly. I blushed crimson red and smacked him away playfully.

"I can do that myself," I told him as I went to the bathroom. The thing that changed between us, aside from the constant kisses, was that he touches me and the patch of skin doesn't burn anymore. It's starting to feel normal, I'm starting to feel normal again. Also, I have fewer and fewer flashbacks of that time now, which is the best thing. To have to re-live that situation over and over again is just way too f*cked up.

A few nights ago, we were snuggling up in bed when I decided to tell him everything. I told him how that man touched me, where he touched, and how it made me feel. I told him that he somehow got me aroused and it was the most shameful moment of my life. I told him that I felt like I was so used afterward that I wasn't even sure if I was still myself anymore. I told him everything that weighed me down and to just know that he knows, made me feel so much lighter. The fact that afterward, he hugged the crying mess I was and soothed me without saying anything but just by being there. It was just him. Him in general. He makes me feel safe now, knowing he would do anything to keep me safe strengthens that fact in my mind. And I never felt so grateful to anyone in my life. Sure he dragged me into this mess but honestly, this gang, this group of individuals, felt much more family than my mother or father ever felt.

BANG.BANG.BANG

Loud incessant knocks shook the door. "Jacob? Are you still okay in there? Say something please." Andrew sounded anxious, and I know why. The last time I had spent too much time in the bathroom, it didn't end so well.

"I'm good! I'm good," I said and I heard him sigh in relief.

"Alright, I'll be right here," He replied. This happens here and there, usually when I let my thoughts run loose and I stay too long inside the bathroom. I feel sorry for worrying him so much like this but I guess it's just a wound that needs it's own time to heal.

I finished my shower and went outside to find that Andrew was waiting exactly behind the door. "Sorry, I was anxious," he said rubbing his forearms. I looked into his eyes, it held so much concern for me, for my well being that it makes me want to melt. I placed my hand on his stubbled chin, rubbing his cheeks with my thumb.

"I'm sorry for making you worry," I said leaning up to give him a quick kiss. He placed his hand behind my head and kissed me back tenderly, as he always does. I break it, seeing as we're running quite late. "Go take your shower Shay's going to be feral if we're too late." I know my sister and she's heavy when it comes to being on time. It's one of the things I taught her that I didn't implement onto myself, a typical hypocrite of a brother. Shay grew up well, I'm proud of what she became despite how much my parents insist on spoiling her. Probably because I'm her favorite out of the three of us. I'm pretty proud of it if I do say so myself.

I was dressed and waiting by the time that Andrew finished his shower and left the bathroom with just a towel around his waist. He dropped it and let his dong out for all to see, again still as impressive as the first time I saw it. "Déjà vu?" I jokingly asked him and he smirked as he shrugged on his polo shirt.

"You know, I would've f*cked your cute little ass back then if I didn't sense you were a virgin to any sort of intimate contact," He said, giving me the side-eyes like he was mocking me that I stayed celibate for so long.

"I wanted my first to be my wife," I said pouting and looking away from him. It's one of those things I learned from my parents. Dad was a serial sex maniac and had done it with so many women that I actually have 6 other half-siblings. All of which dad paid a hefty amount of money and a contract saying that they should never come near his family again. It was a whole mess I had to witness when I was 5.

I felt a soft kiss on my lips and looked up to see a smirking Andrew, standing in front of me in his tight baby blue polo with a pink necktie under a dark blue suit. He looks dashing. "Well you can give it to your husband instead," he said with a wink. I felt outraged and severely embarrassed as he walked away, laughing at my expression.

I stood up and followed after him, smacking his arm for his ridiculous comments. "You are an ass," I said laughing along with him as we bid farewell to the other gang members.

"Should I book a hotel tonight for you two?" Clarence asked from the breakfast counter and Andrew just gave him an annoyed look, which sent the man into a frenzy of laughter and tears. Wendy is going to be watching over us, and Aiden is going to keep tabs of our location along with any potential threats. What happened to my sister has Andrew on edge, thinking it might happen to me.

"Clarence sure is something," I said and Andrew had a fond smile on his face. Not the type he shows me but more of how a father looks at his growing son.

"He sure is, he knew nothing when I first let him join. Found him beaten close to death, kicked out of his own home, and fired from his job. I took him in, no questions asked." Andrew said buckling himself in. " He did all he was told, I trained him to use every gun we had and how to kill with no remorse," he said, his eyes flitting towards me for a second. "I'm sorry we had to kill that night, it was just-"

"I know Andrew, I understand," I said placing my hand on his, that was on the steering wheel, thank god we weren't moving yet. He turned his hand over and intertwined his finger between mine, he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it.

"Thank you," he released my hand from his grip and began driving towards the mall that Shay instructed us to go to. It was a large mall, and not to be discriminatory or anything but from the outside already, you can tell that it's not your normal day to day mall. Andrew let out a low whistle as he scanned the pristine mall with marbled pillars and shiny glass windows. It looks wonderful, definitely a treat for the eyes.

"Your sister ain't kidding around," Andrew said as a man instructed us to stop and get out of the car. Andrew slowly did and the man asked for the keys.

"Valet parking sir, It's free," The man said taking the keys from a reluctant Andrew and handing us a ticket for later.

"They have free Valet?" Andrew whisper screamed in my ear to which I also gave him a surprised look.

"I didn't know, it's my first time here too," I said and we both entered the glass doors as a security guard checked us. The inside of the mall was as, or even more, gorgeous than the exterior. The floor was made of marble and glass chandeliers hang on the topmost ceiling of the mall. I looked up, seeing five floors in total, railings made of black stainless steel, preventing people to go over the edge.

"This is crazy," I heard Andrew whisper to himself. He was staring at all the chandeliers, all the jewelry, and designer bags and clothes that are on display, it was ridiculous and I had to agree with Andrew's statement all of this is crazy.

"She said, she'll meet us in an Italian restaurant called ##### first," I said and we began looking around. Even in a suit, I feel underdressed around these people. Yeah some of them wore like everyday clothing but I swear I saw a guy with like a pair of Derek Rose boxers. Carrying around his girlfriend's Channel handbag. Everyone here was one of those rich stuck ups that I so despise. Andrew was blending well though, his initial shock diminished and he was now walking around like he had the money to outshine all of them. It's working. The suit Andrew was wearing, it was a cheap rented suit, but he's carrying it like it's worth thousands of bucks and custom made. He looked at me and offered me his arm, I wrapped my own around it with a chuckle.

"How are you blending in so well," I whispered to him trying to go along with his act, I did pretty good. Considering I was born into a lifestyle like this.

"I had to spend time trying to mingle in crowds like these, after all, it's where I can catch the big fish." He said showing me a diamond embezzled watch that he magically has on his wrist. "Suits me?"

"How? Where'd you get that?" I asked looking around and checking if anyone has a similar watch or if someone was looking for it. It's supposed to be our day off, to calm down and relax, I don't want to spend it worrying if the police will get onto us.

"Relax he had like three or so on both wrists, he wasn't even checking his wrist for the time, too focused on his phone." He said.

"Can you not pickpocket today? Please? just so I don't worry the whole day that someone catches onto us," I said and he faltered for a moment, losing the façade he held so well earlier.

"But you can keep that, you look good when you look like some rich guy," I said and Andrew perked up immediately, with a new re-found pride in his step. I asked myself if it was the right thing to do, to you know tut his horns even further. But I just let him walk more confidently than before, as I held onto his arm.

"Jacob! Oh My God!" Shay exclaimed and the two of us turned to where she was standing, at the entrance of an Italian restaurant. She stood there in shock with her hands or her mouth. "You two look like newlyweds and it's just the best thing ever," She said running towards me and wrapping me in her arms, I had to bend down so that I can hug her too.

I didn't bother correcting her because, honestly speaking, I kind of like the thought of getting married to this man. When I looked at him, I think he's thinking the same thing I was.