Imaani
"How's the food?" I ask Giselle and take a bite out of my chicken.
"I love it, thank you" She smiles and cleans her mouth with a napkin
I place my hands on Jax's hand that's on my thigh.
He's been rubbing my thigh since we all sat down to eat. I shoot him a glance and smile at him reassuringly.
"So, Imaani how's work going?" Veronica asks. This is her fourth glass of wine, if not more.
"It's going good thank you." I smile "What about you? What are you doing while you're here"
"Oh nothing you know, just staying in Jax's hotel and having fun. You know how it goes"
"No I don't, but okay"
"Veronica take it easy on the alcohol," Jax tells her
"Don't tell me what to do, it's none of your business"
"Okay... that's enough. How's work son? I heard you own a company now?" Giselle smiles at him. It's obvious she's trying to communicate with him
"Jax." He pauses "Not son, you lost the right to that when you abandoned me for years" His jaw clenches and I immediately place my hand on his
"Okay, Jax, I'm sorry" Giselle mutters
I hear the sound of liquid pouring and I turn my head to find Veronica pouring herself another glass of wine.
"Why did you do it? If you're going to sit here and act like the perfect mother you owe me that much of an explanation" He drops his fork on his plate and faces her
"Damn," a drunk Veronica mutters under her breath as she pays attention to the conversation about to play out in front of her.
"I didn't leave you intentionally Jax. He promised to kill you if I stuck around. He said I was making you weak" she sniffs trying to fight the tears from falling "I didn't know what to do. I swear I never would have left you with him if I had a choice" This time she doesn't hold it anymore and starts sobbing "I tried to tell him that he could leave you and me alone and focus on his other kids, but he said no"
Jax cocks his eyebrow "Kids? I thought Vanessa was the only child he had elsewhere?"
I genuinely feel like I'm intruding on a conversation I'm not meant to hear.
"No, you have a brother," Giselle says cleaning her tears
"Half brother" Jax corrects "What's your excuse for not coming back after he died?"
All heads turn to Giselle but she's quiet.
Jax scoffs "That's what I thought"
After that scene, everyone is quiet and just eats.
"So Imaani, how are you handling the business so far"
"I'm confused, what bus-" I glance at my phone "Sorry excuse me" I pick my phone up and click on the text message.
It's after I've read the message do I realize I don't recognize the number.
I read the text.
A liar and a murderer what else is he hiding?
1 attachment:
I play the video and for the first fifteen seconds, all it shows is a dark place. And Then the camera adjusts and I see a tall figure.. a man.
I increase my volume to see if it has any sound but it doesn't.
The man in the video has his side to the camera. This video was captured from a hidden camera. I can tell because of the quality and the horrible positioning.
My heart thuds when I see the man in the video bring out a gun and point it at the person tied to the seat.
There are a lot of people surrounding them but they all do nothing. The camera zooms in on the tied-up man's face and he looks battered beyond recognition.
He's moving in the chair and he looks like he's begging.
The man standing cocks the loaded gun he took from his belt and shoots him in the forehead.
My body jolts from what I just saw.
"Imaani, are you okay?" I hear Veronica asks
"Imaani what's wrong? talk to me, love"
I can hear their voices but they all sound like echoes and background noises.
I don't take my eyes off the screen as I watch the man in the video tuck the gun back into his belt and turn around to face the hidden camera.
Jax!
My phone falls from my hand unto the table and I look up to meet all the eyes glaring back at me.
But I only look at him.
No, it's not possible. I'm finding it extremely hard to believe that Jax is the one in the video.
He takes my phone and plays the video I watch his reaction to seeing if it will show me anything to make me believe that the video is false.
He drops the phone back on the table and looks at me "Baby, I can explain" He didn't even complete the video!
My head is spinning and it feels like all the walls are closing in on me. Oh God!
"Breathe love, just breathe with me" He holds my hand in his
"Don't touch me!" I yell at him
"Imaani what's wrong darling?" Giselle asks calmly
I look at her and then turn to Veronica who's quiet.
And that's when it clicks.
"You knew didn't you" I laugh at myself "Of course you did, you're his first everything".
She smiles and sips her drink
"Let me just explain, love" Jax pleads reaching out to hold me. I pull away and stand up from my chair beside him
"Explain what Jax? How do you explain to me that you killed someone and you didn't even flinch? Almost as if it wasn't your.... first time" My eyes widen and he avoids my gaze "Oh my God!" I cover my mouth
Veronica chuckles "Told you she couldn't handle it"
I scoff and face Veronica "You know what? I'm sick and tired of you acting like you're all that, meanwhile, you're just a dumb bitch who's still hung over her ex. Get a life, Veronica! You're too pretty to be pining over a man"
Her head falls back from laughing. "I'm not one that just found out that my boyfriend is a drug lord and a murderer who kills for sport"
"Veronica shut the fuck up!"
"Oh my God"
Giselle and Jax say at the same time.
I hold my hand up "No let her speak" I face Veronica "You have a lot to say to me, say bitch, I'm all ears"
"Imaani, baby please l-" I raise my hand to shut Jax up
Veronica scoffs loudly and shakes her head "You see what I'm talking about. Oh my God!" She grips her hair with her hands "You have him so wrapped around your finger it's sickening! Jax I know doesn't care what anyone says. I mean this is a man that-
"Veronica shut up! Jax slams his fist on the table "Just shut the fucking hell up"
"I'm just saying the truth, we all know you kept this side of you from her because sweet little Imaani is too weak to handle it," she said in a mocking voice
This bitch.
All I saw was red, the anger I was feeling was all that gave me the boost I needed before
I lunched for Veronica, grabbed her hair, and yanked it before slamming her head down on the table.
I feel hands grabbing me and pulling me away from her "You're so fucking lucky I took my nails out!" I yelled at her "You deserve a makeover you dumb bitch! Leave me alone" I try pulling myself away from Jax but his grip is firm.
"Imaani, baby stop, please"
"I'll kill you! You fucking hear me I'll end your fucking life" Veronica yells with Giselle still standing in front of her blocking her path.
"Yeah, take your shot! That was just the tip of the iceberg, come for me again... I'll make sure you lose a fucking tooth you dumb bitch" I pull myself away from Jax and he lets go, but stands in front of me.
"You bastard!" Veronica escapes Giselle's grasp and comes toward me but Jax holds her.
"Get out! Now!"
"What?" She chuckles "You're sending me away all because of her?!" She hits his chest "After everything I've done for you!"
"Oh shut up you killed his father so what? Don't forget you fucked him too... you whore!" I spit venomously. I'm so angry I barely recognise myself or the words I'm hurling.
This animal called Veronica just has a way of bringing out the worst in me.
"What?! Giselle speaks up.
Shit, I forgot she was here.
"You slept with Christopher? She pauses "Wait you killed him?!
She stutters "I-i did it for Jax" She ignores Giselle and turns to him with teary eyes as if trying to make him change his mind.
"Bitch, please" I mutter "You're just as horrible as they come"
"I've done a lot of things for him! I loved him!... I still do" she says calmly with her eyes on Jax"
"Fuck off" He pushes her away and turns to face me "Can we just get out of here so we can talk, please?"
Veronica scoffs loudly "You see!" She faces Giselle "He puts her on a fucking pedestal knowing fully well she won't accept him for who he is. She's going to try and fucking change you all because she's too soft for that life"
The loud thud of my heel hitting Veronica's stomach and then the floor is the last thing I hear before Jax's security escorts her out of the building.
I pause for a moment collecting my thoughts as my hand "Giselle I'm sorry your dinner was ruined." I walk towards her and hug her "I hope you have a nice stay in New York" I pick up my shoes and then my phone, and put them in my purse so I can leave.
Jax picks up his phone and calls his driver to take his mum home I don't hear the rest of the conversation because I'm going into his bedroom to look for my car keys.
When I come out it's just Jax left "Great" I mutter under my breath before heading to the door.
He stares at me and doesn't even try to stop me. My heart breaks a little but I ignore it and keep walking.
I get to the door but it doesn't budge.
What the fuck.
I punch in the security codes but it keeps saying the code is incorrect.
"If you keep trying, we're going to be locked in here for two days," Jax says to me
That smug bastard! That's why he didn't stop me!
"Unlock the door please, I need to leave."
"Not until you hear what I have to say" He makes his way towards me
"Never happening" I try the code again, and again, and again.
"Lockdown Initiated!" An automated voice sounds out of nowhere within the house
I turn to look at Jax for help but he smirks "Told you. I hate to say this but now you're going to have to listen to me, love"
"Fuck you!" I yell angrily. I turn and try the codes again "There's no way I'm going to be anywhere near you"
"You're just wasting your time, love" He walks closer to me "It won't work"
I kick the door angrily
"Lockdown set for seventy-two hours" I feel like this automated voice is taunting me
"You said two days!" I yell
He just shrugs and crosses his arm "I guess that's the new feature update Tiago was talking about"
I sigh defeatedly "Fuck you!" I flip him off "I'll be sleeping in the guest room" I drop my purse and keys with my phone only, and I head to my room.