Redemption(4)

Grabbing the towel, I wrapped it around my waist, then headed for the intercom. I picked up the phone, Jimmy’s face coming up on the monitor. “Jimmy, what the fuck? Are you so excited to see me that you can’t even wait a couple hours?” I huffed out a laugh, but he didn’t crack a smile.

“I’ve been trying to call you for the past fucking half-hour. Where have you been?”

I shrugged. “Working out. I just got out of the shower. What’s up, chump?”

Jimmy smiled wickedly at the camera. “I think you’ll want to let me in first. This is something I have to tell you face to face.”

I nodded and pressed the button to let him in. It wasn’t long before he emerged from the lift, staring at me with that fucking grin of his.

“What’s made you look so fucking cocky then? By the look on your face before, I thought you wanted to punch me.”

Jimmy shook his head and crossed his arms. “I was only pissed because I couldn’t find you and tell you the news.”

I stood there for a few seconds, waiting, but I knew he wasn’t going to give it up that easily. “What fucking news, Jimmy? Tell me!”

Jimmy chuckled. “You owe me big time for this, buddy. The love of your life called her parents.”

My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I couldn’t believe I finally had something. But then realization kicked in. She would never normally call her parents. There’s something wrong.

“Is she okay? Why did she call them? She never fucking calls them.”

Jimmy’s smile vanished and was replaced by a frown. “I don’t know. All I know is she said he’s sick, and now Tyler’s mum and dad are making arrangements to fly over and see her.”

I nearly punched the wall. “Fuck! I have to find out where they’re going, Jimmy. I need to follow their every move.”

Jimmy smiled again. “Already on it. They’ve booked a flight to Washington Dulles and I’m booked on the same flight. You’re booked on the flight after. I got your back, man.”

I could have hugged Jimmy at that moment. In the last four years, I had told him about my history with Tyler. He listened with a sympathetic ear, told me I was a fucking twat, then offered me all the help I needed to win her back. Apparently, he was a sucker for a love story, despite being a fucking giant who liked to torture people as a hobby.

“Fuck, man. Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me.”

Jimmy beamed. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever praised me. I could get used to this.”

I playfully punched him in the arm. “Don’t get fucking used to it, chump. I don’t hand them out easily.”

Jimmy stood there and gazed at my lack of attire. “Don’t you think you better get packing? In fact, my plane leaves in under four hours so I gotta go.” He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Here. These are all the details you need.”

I took it from him. “Thanks, Jimmy.”

He smiled and headed for the lift, turning to salute. “Anytime, man. See you in the good ol’ US of A.”





Chapter 3



Tyler





I don’t know why I picked up the phone and called my parents. I couldn’t decide whether I was stupid or just plain desperate. Probably a bit of both. All I knew was that I was alone. Desperately and unforgivably alone. For the second time in my life, I needed my mum and dad. I needed their comfort and their shelter from the immeasurable pain I was in. I had been placed into a situation that brought back nightmares.

My Jeremy. The boy I would never forget, never get over, and would always hold dear to my heart. He gave me the strength to carry on all that time ago. He was my reason for embracing life, embracing your firsts…and embracing the love of Twiglets.

The nightmare I endured in that hospital four years ago never went away. Even after all these years, I would sometimes find myself waking up in the middle of the night sweating because I had yet another bad dream about that day. I could never shake it, could never seem to put it behind me.

And that was why I found myself in the most painful situation imaginable. I had acted on impulse. Acted on the terror of what this day now represented. My only excuse for phoning my parents was my own desperate attempt at reaching out. But the problem was that I’d put myself and my son in danger. Dean would probably find me because of my stupid decision. Dean attracted peril. It followed him around. I couldn’t allow him to crawl back under my skin. I couldn’t allow him to come back into my life, bringing with him the danger he represented. I had someone else to think about now and his safety was my number one priority.