Jack In The Box

Riley

Ken was standing in the doorway, dressed in scrubs, giving me a weird look. “What are you doing, standing there so awkwardly?”

I had to remain calm.

“I was just making breakfast.” I said, and then a little louder, “KENNETH, if you were going to come home EARLY, why didn’t you call me? I would have made breakfast ready!”

“Why are you screaming at the top of your lungs? I’m right here and I can hear you just fine.” He said, obviously irritated from a twenty hour shift.

“Well, thought you were going to fall asleep any minute. Just making sure you’re awake.” I said.

He eyed the half eaten plate of eggs on on the table. “Sometimes you act really strange, Riley, did you know that?”

I tried not to take offense to that. “How would you like your eggs?”

“Scrambled, if you can. And thanks. I’ll just go get a shower first. I smell like a fucking animal farm.” He said, slipping off his coat and then stripping out of the blue uniform t-shirt.

He started walking towards the bathroom, when I called out to him loudly. “KEN, take as long as you want IN THE SHOWER. Stay there FOR THIRTY-MINUTES or ONE HOUR. No hurry at all!”

“I’m sure I could have heard you if I was four blocks away.” That said, closing closed the door behind him. Next thing, I heard the sound of the shower turning on.

I sighed and hastily prepared the scrambled eggs, the way Ken always preferred and placed the breakfast on the table after which I took Jack’s half eaten breakfast plate into my bedroom. Jack was standing behind the door, just in case Ken walked into my room. I kept the door ajar. I wanted to be aware in case Ken decided to end his shower quickly. Ken mostly spent a long time in the bathroom, especially when he’s had a long shift.

Jack was giving me one of his sweet smiles. I punched him playfully in the ribs. “What are you smiling at?”

“Wondering how I got so lucky this time.” He said, touching my hair. “You’re like a mama bear to him. It’s really cute in a maternal way.”

“We only had ourselves to look out for each other after our parents died. Ken thinks it’s his duty to take care of me but I end up babying him most of the time and its irritates him.”

“I like that quality about you, Riley. You’re always giving, and you never expect anything in return.”

I laughed. “You make me sound like a saint which I’m not.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No!”

“Do you have dirty thoughts about me?” He asked blatantly.

“All the damn time.” I confessed.

“Hmm, I’d love to hear about those dirty thoughts someday.” Jack said and shoveled down the fried eggs.

“And what are your thoughts like?” I asked.

“I have dirty thoughts about you, too, but mine are probably filthier compared to yours.”

I had goosebumps rise at the nape of my neck. I scratched my back feeling the blush creep into my cheeks. “Really? Explain it to me in detail.”

“As much as I’d love to exchange filthy thoughts about each other, and even demonstrate it to you, I think it’s best that I leave right now before your brother walks out of the shower and catches me hiding in his sisters bedroom. Not really in a mood to test a brother’s wrath. I’d be dead before I even stood for trail.”

I gave him a weak smile. He was trying to make the situation light by making a joke but we both knew our hearts were sinking. It hadn’t even occurred to me that he would leave so soon. Did I expect to keep Jack safely tucked in my closet? Besides, if Ken found out that Jack was here, he’d blow a gasket.

“I want to give you something.” Jack said and produced a piece of jewelry from his wallet.

Upon inspection, I realized it was a brooch. A very beautiful brooch with intricate design in the shape of a butterfly. It was embedded with glimmering blue and emerald stones. It was so pretty and vintage, something that I’d see in a jewelry store and only dream of buying it one day when I became rich.

“I want you to have this.” Jack said.

Certainly he wouldn’t go as far as to buy it for me, considering he was in a tight position himself.

“It looks really expensive.” I said.

“It was my mother’s favorite, Riley.” He said, still holding the jewelry out to me. “I know that I’m being too sentimental.”

I shook my head. “You loved your mother.” I took the jewelry from him. “It’s so beautiful, Jack. Are you sure you want to keep it with me?”

Jack chuckled. “It’s yours.”

“But...but...”

He closed his large palm over it. “She told me to give this to the woman I loved, and I want you to have it.”

his chest; I went up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Will you be okay?” I asked, although

Of course, he won’t.

for what I said about your brother. I threatened you with his life, and that was wrong of me. I wanted to be out of the asylum and it was

nodded. “I forgive you,

“Where will you go?”

don’t know but I’ll survive.”

remembered something, walked to

dollar bills and back at me.

money.”

shook his head. “I can’t, Cotton-Candy. I know you need

do. Trust me, we’ll be fine. Take the money,

of cash because he took the dollar bills

hope you don’t

“Go ahead.”

if Brady wasn’t the one who sent those people to kill your Mom, but Antonio? I know it sounds crazy but there’s an aspect that we should consider that maybe Antonio got angry about your mom not leaving Brady for him and

at me for a moment before saying. “It can’t be, Riley.

“Oh.”

left no room for

to see Ezra and find out

the one murdering people?” I

have to take drastic

thing. If push came to shove, Jack would

and I both turned towards the sound. “I have

so I knew this was goodbye. His dark eyes bore into mine, conveying a lot

this alive, I will find you.

“Don’t!”

He was really stubborn

you,

at the bathroom door, I went up on my tiptoes, but he was still so

eyes,” He whispered.

against mine, and then more aggressively, his strong hand snaked around my waist as he pulled me against his body. My fingers brushed his silky dark locks, holding him in place. He kissed me passionately and I heard him groan deep in his throat

your eyes.”

go of my hand. I stood there in the suffocating

doing with your eyes closed?” I

He was gone.

the only man in the family that had a clean page. There were no records of previous assaults, encounters with the law or anything remotely scandalous so how was it that a golden boy had turned out to

the center of all controversies. Each and every tabloid had given a detailed account of Jack tarnishing the family name. With Jack’s IQ being higher than the average as stated in the websites, it was said he was intelligent and

writing pad and a pen and began jotting down all the things that Jack had told me, scratching names and circling some twice. There was something that I wasn’t seeing. This was all part of

those people to get some twisted revenge on Jack and was now pretending to

beside

are you doing?”

the book quickly. “Just writing my

think Jack will confess to

“I don’t know.”

unknown number was flashing on it. I thought it was Jack and quickly answered

partner Scott and

“Yes?”

a chat over

about?” The fed sounded friendlier than usual and I wasn’t sure if that

chat, Miss. Frazer. I

need to bring James

can if you want to, but as I said, it’s informal. We won’t be bringing any tapping devices and Scott won't be

“Yeah.”

best mocha lattes and donuts in town. Around four p.m. that evening, I dressed up in casuals and drove to the place. The agents were already waiting inside the café for me. I checked the watch and it

that they wanted

that’s when the pair of agents noticed me, they stood up respectfully and Scott went as

Gentlemen.” I said and took

would be an informal meeting, they’d been serious. Their usual black suits were replaced by jeans and t-shirts. Flint’s usual disciplined blond hair was styled in casual waves, his white t-shirt highlighting all the right places. Even the Native-American agent was wearing a similar outfit. Both equally attractive and looking totally out of place in a little café. If they thought they seemed

you to accept our invitation, Miss Frazer.”

in acknowledgement. The sidekick who remained silent throughout the interrogation, but noticed the smallest of details from the suspect that was later used by Flint to build another round of questions. I

why you called me at such short

also the owner of the café, Oscar smiled at me and passed

eyes and tried to flirt with the two. Scott smiled politely,

to start this fresh. Suspecting people and pressuring

“Exactly what

said some really personal things during the interrogation whether it was for the investigation or not wasn’t my concern. It had just been cruel for me, but I wasn’t going to say that to the men. “You’re not