Page 97 of Roots of the Wicked

Chapter Forty

Chase

The next evening, Jax sat across from me devouring the dinner of prawns in plum sauce, and fried rice I had cooked for her. She had found it entertaining to learn that I knew how to cook and was convinced I would burn the house down until she tasted my food.

The plan was to cheer her up, since the camera, and listening devices she had taken from the intruder, hadn’t produced any viable clues, as to who was behind the attacks being lobbed at us. The man had also been released on bond, and the authorities were being tightlipped about the release.

“Jax, I want you to be my woman. I want to be your man. I want to take care of you in every way you might need it. I most certainly want to be the only man you’re touching, kissing, and caressing.” I blurted.

If she thought I didn’t know about all the time she, and TK had been spending together since our separation, she had seriously underestimated me. The way he looked at her and reacted to her indicated that he wasn’t going to abandon his quest to cross their bond of friendship.

She sighed in mid-chew but didn’t appear as upset about my demanding request as I had expected she might. I hid my smile as she sat considering my request.

“Chase there is something I need to tell you first. The real reason I stayed away from you after you told me you were innocent of the drone and picture leak.”

I sat my fork down, giving her my undivided attention.

“When I was a child, my nightmares were recorded for anyone willing to pay to see them. Over the years, I along with the help of my father, have poured a lot of time into tracking down a lot of those people who were members of that porn site. Our efforts have led to the arrest of others who own sites just like that one.”

She handed me her phone. “I stopped seeing you even after you proved your innocence because being with you would mean that this would get leaked.”

After only a few seconds of seeing the video, I stabbed at the button trying to turn it off.

“Jax, I’m so sorry this is happening to you.” I reached for her hand, as my brain processed what her being with me truly meant. “You being anywhere near me means your risking them leaking that video.”

This is what she had been keeping from me. This was why her and TK had been together so much. This was much more serious than leaked pictures or even a stalker. This was several horrific crimes caught on film. Rape, incest, and child pornography just to name a few.

“Jax,” I called her name on a low whisper. My heart ached for her. “Someone is dead set on keeping us apart. We need to report this to the authorities as soon as possible.”

She has been through hell and now someone wants us apart so bad, that they are willing to go to these disgusting lengths to try and destroy her reputation.

“Why would you see me, knowing what your risking?”

She shrugged. “Being exposed like that is one of the worst things that can happen to me. But, there is something much more important than my exposure at risk, and it took me way too long to realize it.”

Being forced to participate in child porn and having evidence of her torture resurface as a threat to keep her away from me, was not something to take lightly. They were using an illegal piece of evidence to threaten her.

“I don’t understand. What could possibly be more important than protecting yourself from the kind of nightmare I know you suffered?”

Her phone sounded, and I prayed she didn’t answer. What we were discussing was much more important at the moment.

She answered.

At first a slither of worry moved across her face, before angry creases lined her forehead. She listened to the caller, not speaking a word. Dislike for what she was hearing, played out in her facial expressions. They were probably telling her that they were about to release the video for being with me.

She slammed her phone on the table, startling me and sending the plates and silverware rattling.

“I’m about to play a recording I received from an unknown caller. I need you to explain this shit to me, Chase,” she barked through clench teeth.

What now?

She swiped the face of her phone with hard angry flicks. The sound of my voice spilling from her phone froze me in place, taking everything except my ability to hear.

“She’s the first woman who has introduced me to the word ‘no,’ in a long time, and it drives me crazy. I want her to be mine. I’m willing to do anything to make it happen.”

“If you want her that bad man, do what Greg did to Kathy. Trap her. Women do that type of shit to men all the time.”

The conversation was one I had months ago with Landon. We had a similar conversation recently when he had called to check on me.

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