Jim dropped his chin to rest on the top of Jessica’s head.
“You alright?” Scott asked.
“Nope.”
Scott nodded, “Me neither.” He looked at Jessica passed out in Jim’s arms. He thought about the times he and Jessica were alone in his room looking through magazines, masturbating together. Somehow he had to find a way to trust her completely. “Going to work out my frustrations downstairs.” He finally said, “Later.”
Jim heard the door to the basement close behind Scott. He felt like shit. He knew Scott was right … but he couldn’t for the life of him think of how to get them to a point where she would return to them of her own free will. That depressed him all to hell. It was true that the men were his family, the only family he had left … and he loved them dearly, but he wanted, needed, Jessica in a way he couldn’t describe even to himself.
Jessica murmured something quietly.
“I’m here Jess, what do you need?”
“I want to go home,” Jessica sobbed quietly. The words hit Jimmy like a ton of bricks. So, she had been up to something.
“You are home Jessica,” Jimmy whispered.
“Dad?”
“No, Jessica, it’s Jim. You’re not well right now. Go to sleep and you’ll be better soon.”
“Mom, Dad, Jeffery!” Jessica called as the delirium of the fever overtook her.
She began to thrash on Jim’s lap. “Mom, Dad, Marcus! Cain! Jeffery!” she called out increasingly loudly.
“Jessica, shhh, Jessica, it’s okay, calm down,” Jim said restraining her and patting her cheek.
Outside on the front walkway, Angus paced before Riley.
“Josh talks to me like I’m some two-bit punk and you call me out!” he thundered.
“Forget about them for a minute, will you!” Riley replied. “What the hell did Jessica do that was suspicious?’
“He treats me like I’m the enemy when little missy in there would just as soon knock his block off as she would blink … “
“Forget it for now Angus!” Riley said grabbing his arm as he strode by. “Tell me what you found to be suspicious.”
“Everything. She just rolled over and took everything. Didn’t fight, and did everything she was supposed to, and when I … did it … with her, she closed her eyes and lay there.”
“Closed her eyes?”
Angus nodded “And just took it. She has never, ever, just taken it before.”
“So you hit her for it?” Riley asked trying not to sound as incredulous as he felt about it.
“No … you think I should have?” Angus asked clearly misunderstanding the Riley’s tone.
“No I don’t. Jessica closing her eyes isn’t exactly a capital offense. You sure you didn’t hit her? She had all those bruises and gashes.”
“Those were from the other night. I didn’t hit her but I fucked the shit out of her. Told her to hurry up and do whatever she had planned but she wouldn’t. ” Angus said.
“Let me get this straight, you fucked her into a fever?” Riley demanded.
Angus shrugged, “I guess. I did fuck her a lot. Pretty much all damn night that’s why I was so fucking tired this morning. But don’t worry Riley, she knows her place and even though she’s scheming something I made damn sure she knew who was boss.”
Riley was speechless. Angus was looking for Riley’s praise. He honestly thought he was doing Riley’s bidding. And why wouldn’t he. Riley had made sure that Angus and the other men did just that without even having the decency to do so himself. He felt an uncomfortable knot in his stomach. He never recalled having it before Jessica entered his life. He tried to formulate a response that let Angus know he needed to cool it with his abuse of Jessica while still praising Angus’ loyalty and misguided sense of accomplishment but he was interrupted by a screech from the house.
“I want to go home, I want to go home!” Jessica’s high pitch scream emitted from the house.
“What the hell?” Riley asked.
He and Angus ran for the door. They rushed in just as Scott and Josh came through the basement door. They found Jimmy trying to contain Jessica, who, eyes closed, head thrown back and dripping with sweat, screamed for her family.
“She’s completely delirious!” Jimmy shouted as he tried to catch her arms in his and stop them from flailing.
“Run the water in the tub again!” Riley ordered Scott.
He scooped Jessica off of the sofa and followed on Scott’s heels to the bathroom. While the water ran, Jessica fought against Riley as he held her in the tub.
“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry!” Jessica cried.
“Jessica!” Riley shouted as her nails caught him across his cheek.
It was on the tip of his tongue to repeat the phrase he’d used so often in the past, when they had aimed at torturing rather than nurturing her ‘they’re dead Jessica, D E A D, dead!’ but he caught himself.
What to say instead?
From the corner of his eye he saw Angus move in behind him, and a moment later there was silence.
Angus stood back rubbing his hand, while Riley kept Jessica from sliding beneath the water. A red mound appeared on her cheek where Angus had struck her. He’d used enough force to cause her head to hit the other side of the tub, and make her unconscious.
“Christ Angus!” Scott said and quickly turned the running water off and unplugged the tub. “Is she alive?”
“Yup.” Riley answered after feeling for her pulse. “Get me a towel.”
When Jessica lay on the sofa again, partially covered by the towel, the men stood looking at her.
“I told you she was up to something!” Angus said triumphantly.
“She’s always up to something,” Riley replied, “that’s nothing new. But this isn’t the answer Angus. Once her temperature is under control, we’re having a meeting. Do me a favor till then and sit on your hands … “
“She was out of control …”
“I know … you did a great job Angus, just relax for a bit, will you?”
“You can’t seriously believe she deserved any different …”
“Angus … I agree that she needed to be dealt with, you did great, we’ll discuss this more at the meeting. “ Riley said resting his hand on Angus’ shoulder. “Why don’t you go out and work on the corvette for a while? I’ll call you in for the meeting.”
“Right, okay,” Angus said and moved for the door, shaking the hand he’d struck Jessica with as he went.
*************************************************************
Several hours later Riley stood looking around at the men. He had spent the time trying to think of a way to reel Angus in without making it obvious he was targeting Angus. In the end the reality of their situation lent itself perfectly to his needs.
“Her temperature’s down. She’ll be fine.” He reassured them. Jessica had been moved to the sofa bed in the basement. Now Jim sat on the sofa in the living room, head in hands, Josh slouch with a dejected air beside him. Scott sat in the rocking chair, rocking a mile a minute, and Angus stalked back and forth behind the sofa. With his proclamation Jim, Josh and Scott were visibly relieved though clearly still pissed at Angus.
“I think it’s time that we regroup a little.” Riley began. ”It’s obvious that there are some of us who trust Jessica a little more, than others do. We also have different ways of dealing with her … in the past it never really mattered. What happened to Jessica was largely inconsequential. Whether she lived or died, our cause benefited. But now, some of us care whether she lives or dies, and this is affecting us. Splitting us up. Does everyone agree?”
The men nodded.
“Fine. Then from now on, there will be no more individual administration of punishment to Jessica. We will meet and discuss any actions to be taken, and I will have the final word. Is that understood?”
“She’s planning on escaping Riley, I don’t intend to let her!” Angus said in a controlled voice.
“None of us intend to let her,” Riley said. “but I intend to apply suitable punishment once she’s actually tried to escape. I trust I won’t get any argument from the rest of you?”
The others shook their heads.
“If she tries to escape, “Angus said, “just try to stop me from punishing her, my way!” and he turned on his heel and left the house, slamming the front door behind him.
“That went well,” Riley muttered under his breath.
“He’ll come around … “ Jim began.
“And you!” Riley said pointing at Jim, “There will be no more sniping at Angus about Jessica, am I understood? You have your opinion about her, he has his, and there is no proof that either of you are right, so you keep your thoughts to yourself … that goes for you too Josh. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” Jim and Josh answered. He turned to Scott, who had stopped rocking and sat listening.
“Are you onboard?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Josh, you take care of that damn dog, Jim you bring Jessica up here. Handcuff her to the sofa leg …”
“She’s in no position to move …” Jim began.
“Handcuff her to the leg of the sofa, unless you’d rather we put her back on the leash …”
“No, no, the sofa is fine,”
“I thought so. We have work to do, let’s get to it.”
Having brought Jessica’s upstairs and lain her on the sofa Jim fastened the handcuff to the leg of the sofa, and then to Jessica’s wrist. He looked at Jessica lying unconscious before him. A purple bruise staring at him from her cheek. He looked around. The men had all gone. He leaned in to Jessica’s ear.
“Jessica,” he whispered. “If you can hear me, listen carefully! There is no Mom, no Dad, no Marcus, Cain or Jeffery …” in his mind’s eye he could see the bodies draped around the car floor. Those people had meant the world to Jessica … by destroying them, the men had hurt Jessica in the most profound way they could. There was nothing that could be done about that now, but maybe, just maybe he could help make her life bearable.
“There’s just us Jessica. Me, Josh, Scott, Riley and Angus, we’re your only family. Remember that …” He pressed his lips to Jessica’s hot forehead. “Things’ll be better for all of us, if you can just remember that …”
************************************************
That night
Riley lowered Jessica onto the bed.
She’d been in a state of semi-consciousness for the remainder of the day, and she showed no signs of coming out of it. She could barely move, and likely couldn’t attempt an escape even if she wanted to, but Riley wasn’t taking any chances.
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