Keeping You: KJ Elite Inc. (35 page)

“Never been better, brother. Thanks.”

We part ways and I head straight for Luke’s above ground bat cave.

The door sits open as usual and I spot Luke licking his wounds in the corner with an extra-large coffee.

“How’s the leg? And the shoulder? And the pride?”

“My pride? How about you, getting your ass shoved around by two tiny women who don’t weight more than a french fry, standing in the pouring rain.”

“Wait, who’s in the rain, the fry or the girls?”

I just shake my head.

“Did you get me what I asked for?”

“You been askin’ for a lot lately.” He grumbled, handing over a piece of paper.

“My brotha! Hand me the phone.”

“Already called. We need a second jet. They’ll be here in…” he checked his watch. “Two hours. Might want to clean up, you smell terrible.”

“I smell like success so you can bite me.”

I give him a big smile and head to our room.

Chapter 17

“Jamie! My sweet girl, just who I was looking for.” The calm and kind voice called to me before I could duck into the bedroom.

“Hello Mrs. Kane.” Turning around, I see she’s just behind me with her arms extended coming in for a hug.

“I told you it is just Cynde, honey. But you can call me mom or ma, if you like.” Her eyes twinkled brilliantly. She was ecstatic.

“Don’t mind me. Noah’s not my first boy to get married, but it’s wonderful just the same. I am so happy for you two.”

Her excitement and acceptance just makes me want to cry, on top of my already emotional state. I’ve done a pretty good job of keeping the water works in today, so far.

“Thank you…mom.” The word is foreign but it just feels so right.

“Are you busy? Would you care to have some tea with Vicki and me? We have lots to discuss.”

A thought rolls into my foggy brain and I’m rather tickled with myself.

“As a matter of fact, I’d love to. I’ve got a few questions for you, too.”

“Terrific! We’re just in the kitchen.”

She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and pulled me with her. Diesel followed by my side loyally.

* * *

Jamie’s not in the room when I manage to stick my way down there. Doc forced me on the damn crutches or threatened to leave the bullet in my shoulder. I told her I’d just grab a pair of pliers or a gerber and yank it out to which she answered by shoving her thumb in my wound.

I’m pretty sure that’s not ethical, but to be fair she was there on our mission to clean us up after our very illegal execution.

With Jamie being gone it’ll be easier to shed all of this gear, blood encrusted and sweat soaked, without all the questions and worry. Not like I won’t get that, but the first day or so is always the worst. Which is a lie, I’m telling myself because the next week will be hell as all the bruises get brighter and the high completely leaves my body.

There in the shower, is a chair for the elderly or handicapped. My brothers are dicks.

But…holy Hell, it was pretty comfortable and helped a lot.

Once cleaned up and presentable, which took way longer than I expected, I sneak back up top and head to the helipad.

It only takes five minutes for the helicopter to land, bringing me face to face with three very emotional faces. One older man, his wife and their daughter. Then my dad hopped out behind them.

“You really are Superman.” I said feigning childlike shock.

“Don’t I wish, boy. They picked me up over in Concordia.” He thumbed over his shoulder.

“How you feelin’?”

“I’m alive. So, I’ll go out on a limb and guess that you know these folks, here.”

He just grinned at me, giving me the original, signature, panty-dropping Kane grin.

“I suppose I’ve got more explaining to do. Think you can manage to show them over to your house?”

“Yes, sir.”

He clapped me on the back and took off towards Betty.

“I’ve got my truck just over here. You wouldn’t mind, would you?” I asked, holding the keys out to the older gentlemen.

“Not a bit.” He took the keys and helped the women into the truck.

I picked up my cell phone and dialed Luke. He knew me well, because Jamie picked up.

“Hey, sugar. I’ve got a little wedding gift for you. Why don’t you meet me at home?”

“Okay. Should I bring Diesel or will he just end up locked out of the bedroom whining?”

I laugh at her open playfulness. This is the Jamie I want for eternity; when she’s quiet and scared of everything, it breaks my heart.

“Bring him. We’ll save the mattress dancing for later.”

The man eyed me wearily but with warning.

Whoops.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“I’m looking forward to it, sugar.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

We hang up and are already at the house. I directed him with one single point towards it and the rest was cake.

“Can I get yall anything to eat or drink?” I asked, showing them to the kitchen.

Before anyone could answer, my mother came flying into the house, straight to the kitchen and started working her magic.

She poured everyone coffee and fussed over me to sit before I hurt myself.

“I’m already banged up, ma. I’ll be fine.”

“You ain’t too old to go over my knee, son.”

The younger of the two women giggled but tried to hide it behind a cough.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The front door opened again and Jamie jogged down the hall, Diesel in tow.

He ran to me and whimpered, nosing my legs.

“Hey, boy.”

Jamie stood in the doorway, tears running down her cheeks. I tried to stand but my mother tapped my good shoulder with a wooden spoon from behind me.

“Noah Ernest Kane, are you out of your mind?”

I choked, pretty much on air, when she drew out my whole name.

She winked at my mother then stared me down, hands on her hips.

“Come here, sugar.”

For no longer than a quarter of a second, she hesitated then strode over to me and threw her arms around my neck. Openly sobbing, I bit through the pain when she applied too much pressure to my collar bone and rubbed her back.

“I’m right here. I told you I was coming home to you, Jamie.”

“I know. I was just so scared for you – all of yous.”

Her adding an s on to you, made me chuckle.

“Hey, I got some people here I want you to meet.”

She pulled back, finally realizing there were other people around the table, watching us.

“Nice to meet you.” She said sweetly, wiping her tears and looking down.

I put my finger under her chin and pushed up.

This time, the door in my kitchen opened up, and in stepped my father.

He walked over and gave my mother a kiss before turning to Jamie. I grabbed her hand as she stumbled backward, grasping for breath.

“There’s my girl.”

Not waiting for the okay, she ran straight into his chest, wrapping her arms around him.

Now she was sobbing. So was dad.

“Seems we’ve all got some stuff to get out, today. Mine is small, so I’ll go first.” Ma said, coming around the U-shaped island and seating area. She placed her hand on my cheek and said, “You’re a damn fool if you think for one second that I don’t know you are missing part of your leg. There’s no prettier way to say it, so there it is. You are my child and you have an outrageously dangerous job. But someone has to do and I am proud of you. All of you. Your father thinks I don’t know about his job – his real job – either, but you don’t fool the Kane women, so stop trying. I love you both very much but it’s so much easier if we get it all out in the open and stop pussyfooting around these issues. The prosthetic doesn’t make you less of a man or a soldier and I don’t think it handicaps you in any way. Now that you’re coming to peace with yourself and growing, I want you to know that I’ve known and I am not mad at you for trying to hide it from me.” She kissed me on the other cheek and then looked over to my father. “Nolan - as they call you – we’re having supper at home tonight, don’t be late.”

She placed a pie in front of us and poured everyone coffee before leaving.

“Huh.” Dad said, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He stroked his chin and then looked back to Jamie. “Jamie, this here is Roland, Sue and Maggie.”

Sue. It clicked for her.

Her eyes widened and she stiffened.

“Come sit with me, sugar.” I nodded my head to the side and held out a hand for her.

“Uh-okay.” She sat on my right side, taking the end of the bench, Diesel on her other side sitting at attention.

“Now, I know Luke and this dodo bird told you that Marcus was not your father. I’m sorry, but that’s not true. He was your father, Jamie. However, the good news is, he’s gone and I have these people here I really think you’d like to get to know.”

Jamie pursed her lips and looked around nervously.

“Hi, Jamie. Like he said, my name is Maggie. I’m – well, I’m your mom.” She gave Jamie a mega-watt smile that was better than any DNA test.

Maggie took after her mother, like they could have been sisters. Blonde hair, thin faces with perfect bone structure and aged at the pace of a snail. They both had Jamie’s caramel colored eyes and thin frames. Roland had a head full of salt and pepper hair, a little shaggy but well kept. Dull hazel eyes and an aged face, tired. Despite his age being worn on his face, he was still a good looking guy.

So much for two good looking people make ugly babies.

Jamie squeezed my hand for reassurance and scooted a little closer to me. Parents, grandparents or God himself, if I wasn’t so fucked up right now, she’d be curled up on my lap.

* * *

God, they look exactly like me. I look exactly like them. Oh, God.

I’m going to hyperventilate right here. Full blown panic attack.

Then Noah wraps his arm around my shoulders and whispers in my ear, “I can’t wait to get inside of you later, sugar. I need you so bad.”

Under the table he reached for my arm and put it in his lap. Hard a granite.

A smile broke across my lips and I felt myself relax. I took a deep breath and shook my head at him.

“These are my parents, Sue and Roland. I don’t really know where to start so just ask a question when you have one.”

I have a million.

“I didn’t give you up. I didn’t abandon you. Marcus and I did not date. I was in college in New York when we met at a little diner. I was studying and needed a coffee fix so I figured it was probably best if I just went to a diner or café, somewhere where coffee was on tap. He was charming and alluring. I went to the bathroom, he must have slipped something in my coffee because the next thing I knew, I was tied down to a bed and he was regularly injecting me. It wasn’t long before he started pimping me out, high as a kite. I’m not proud of it, but it wasn’t a choice. My sister came looking for me and he essentially pulled the same bit with her. When he realized our parents were loaded he figured he’d black mail them, but by then we were making him so much money he didn’t really need to.

That’s when he decided to murder two of his girls and put them in my car. He lit it on fire and made it so the bodies were unidentifiable but laid out ‘proof’ that helped the P.D. determine it was my sister and I. When he took me, he raped me and that’s when I got pregnant with you. Told me that he had to sample the goods before selling them. I was a virgin. When I was pregnant, he still pimped me out but found other ways to keep me incapacitated. I didn’t have a single thought in my head. It’s a miracle you lived. He must have thought so too, because when you were born he separated us and left my sister in his bed to care for you. I need you to understand that as much as I hated him, I would have endured him for a lifetime to keep you.”

She reached across the table to touch my hand and I couldn’t help but reciprocate.

“I found her after Marcus had beaten her so bad one night he just assumed she would die. High as a kite and beaten to a bloody pulp, he just dumped her, literally, beside a dumpster a few blocks away. We took her into protective custody and got her clean. Once we knew who she was, we contacted Roland and Sue and explained the situation. They couldn’t be together again until Marcus was caught. They’ve only just had their reunion as well. I found out about you, girl, because your aunt had one very minor moment of clarity and sent an anonymous tip about you and Marcus’ dealings.”