Caught in the Middle, Clearly Jaded [best book clubs .TXT] 📗

no one there to save me.
He starts to walk out the door but turns back, "Oh, and I know that you almost told Mace the truth last night." He pauses a smile coming to his face, only there is no feeling to it. It's saying test me and you will see what I can do. "Keep your mouth shut, wouldn't want an "accident" to happen to Mason, would you?" He smile's wider, mocking me as he walks out of the room.
I glance around the room my mind spinning a hundred miles an hour. I grab a pair of jeans and change into them, and quickly put on my shoes.
I know exactly where Gavin keeps his keys, so I am extra careful as I go down the steps. I can hear Gavin talking on his cell phone in the kitchen, and I can see the keys lying on the table in the foyer. I pick them up and close my eyes when they jingle. When Gavin doesn't stop talking I let out a sigh, just noticing that I was holding my breath. I quietly open the front door and sneak out without being heard. I run to the car and start the car quickly, backing out of the drive way just as Gavin jumps off the porch and comes straight at me.

I know I will get it when I get back, but I'm running out of time. I get on the interstate and head back home.
Ready or not Jacks, here I come.
Chapter 9
I’m at the local pub, the place Jacks would do some business at. He didn’t really tell me much about what he did or what he delivered, but I thought this would be a good place to start.
The room is filled with pungent smoke and I wonder how people are able to breathe. I glance around the small space that consists of the bar, pool table, and a couple of booths. A group of men are playing around the pool table so I go and sit at the bar knowing I will attract their attention.
“What can I get ya, honey?” The bartender asks coming up to me. He has a beer gut and his hair is starting to go bald in a few spots.
I smile at him batting my eyelashes, hoping he won’t card me, “A long island ice tea.” I say glancing to the group of men behind me. They notice me now, but they are talking to each other. I know they are trying to rile each other up, getting the courage to come and talk to me.
The bartender hands me the drink and I start to give him some money, when a hand shoots out and hands him a 20 dollar bill.
I look over, my eyes wide, “Eric?” I ask jumping up and he pulls me into a hug.
“Hey Jules, where have you been?” He asks as I pull away from him and we sit beside each other at the bar. I notice that the men at the pool table are glaring at us, but I ignore it.
“I…um… moved in with my step brother.”
“I didn’t know you had a brother.” Eric says then turns to the bar tender, “Just a shot on the rocks.” The bartender nods and starts making the drink.
I nod taking a sip of my drink, “Well we were separated and sent to different foster homes, we just recently found each other.” I pause as the bartender puts Eric’s drink and change in front of him, “Have you seen Jacks?” I blurt out.
“You mean he wasn’t with you?” Eric asks, taking a drink of his scotch. He is hiding something, he was Jacks best friend, if anyone knew anything, it would be him.
I play along with this game, “No, he just kinda disappeared on me, I’ve been pretty worried about him.” I say taking another drink, “When I didn’t hear from him, I came back to see if he was alright.” Then I lean into Eric, giving him a pointed look, “He is alright isn’t he, Eric?”
Eric glances at me and shrugs nonchalantly, but I see something flicker in his eyes, fear? “How would I know, I haven’t seen him since the last time you guys crashed at my house.”
I open my mouth to ask another question when he jumps off the bar stool, “It was nice catching up with you Jules, but I gotta go.” With that he swiftly exits the pub making me more confused than when I first came in.
As I’m finishing my iced tea one of the men from the pool table staggers over to me, a goofy grin on his face. “Hey baby, whatcha drinking?”
“Nothing, I’m finished.” I say and stand to exit the pub when the guy grabs my arm. The guys’ eyes are blood shot from the alcohol and I can smell the liquor on his breath as he leans into me.
“Why don’t you let me buy you another?” He asks looking back at the bartender.
I shake my head plastering a smile on my face, “No, that’s alright, but I must really be going. Thanks anyways.” I try to walk away but his grip tightens on my arm.
“Now, there’s no need to be so rude baby, it’s just a drink.” He slurs stepping closer.
I put my hands on his chest and push him back, “No. I’m fine, now let go of me.” I’m surprised that I’m acting so brave right now.
He squeezes harder making me wince, “Now look b*tch, I saw the way you were looking at me and my buddies over there, so why don’t you just come ahead and join us.” He says as he starts pulling me towards his buddies. I feel fear seize in my gut as his buddies smile at me from afar.

“I don’t think so.” I hear a guy say as a fist lands on the drunk mans’ face making him let go of me and fall to the ground. I look up in surprise to see Gavin, and he is not happy.
He quickly grabs me by the arm and drags me out, not saying a word.
We get to the car and he holds out his hand, “Keys.” He demands.
I quickly dig them out of my pocket and hand them to him. He unlocks the car and pushes me in the passenger seat and stalks around to the driver side. Once he closes the car door he hits his hands on the dash board making the car rock.
“What the hell did you think you were doing!?” He asks in outrage, his face turning a nice shade of red.
I look down at my hands in my lap, “I… I was trying to find Jackson.” I glance up at him to see his features twist from; mad, jealousy, and then rage.
“Why were you going and looking for him? Did you forget that he left you!?” He screamed at me, making me flinch.
“It’s not like that, I talked to Eric and he says…” I start but Gavin cuts me off.
“Eric? Who is Eric? And last time I checked, Jackson was the one who left you on Mac’s couch!” He yelled grabbing my face to make me look at him, “If it wasn’t for me, he would have had his way with you.” His voice lowering, but still held hostility.
I feel tears come to my eyes and Gavin looks away from me sighing in frustration, grabbing the steering wheel making his knuckles turn white.
“Something happened to him, Gavin.” I say at last breaking the silence that had filled the car, “He loves me, he wouldn’t just leave me like that. He would come to me if he was able, but he can’t, something happened.” I plead with him.
“How do you know that, Julia? How do you know that he isn’t dead?” He asks trying to reason with me. “And how do you know he didn’t leave you? A million dollars is a lot of money.” He adds.
I hit my palms up against the dashboard, glaring at him, “Jacks isn’t like that, he would never pick money over me! When Mac said I had to stay with him while Jacks delivered the package, he told Mac no. He wasn’t going to leave me there, but I made him, we needed the money…” I trail off as more and more tears start falling down my face. I start to feel guilty; it was my fault that Jacks went that night and didn’t come back. I quickly wipe away the tears, “I just know something is wrong, I can feel it.”
Gavin shakes his head, “We can’t just go sticking our nose where it doesn’t belong Jules, and we could get killed… or worse.” He quickly adds, and I wonder what could be worse than death but quickly put it out of my mind.
“Eric knows something. I can tell, he kept trying to avoid me talking about Jacks.”
Gavin shakes his head, “That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Yes it does!” I yell at him for the second time that night. I need to reign in my temper before I end up making him mad. “Eric and Jacks were best friends, Gav. When has Mace gone days without knowing where you are?”
Gavin considers that for a moment, then nods in defeat, “Fine we will check it out, but only because my boss is breathing down my back. I could really care less about your little boyfriend.” He says, once again making the word boyfriend sound as if it is a bad word.
“He’s not my boyfriend.” I say and I can feel my face turn red as Gavin faces me.
“Then what would you call him? F*ck buddies? Friends with benefits? Because I wouldn’t mind either of those titles.” He says with a smirk.
I’m appalled that he would think I’m that kinda girl, but I can’t help but smile at him. “Actually we’re just friends, that’s it. Actually my first kiss was when he was leaving to deliver the package and ended up not coming back.”
Gavin looks at me taken aback, “You mean, you’re a…”
“Virgin?” I ask since he’s having such a hard time with the word. I smirk at him, “Yes, actually I am.”
He nods turning away from me as the car is overcome with silence.
“If we are going to try and find Jackson, then we do it may way.” He says changing the subject. I only nod at him and smile.
“This means that I’m going to have to do some planning. So I will work on it as fast as I can, but you have to promise me not to ever do a stunt like this again.” He scolds me.
I blush keeping my eyes on my hands, “Ok, I promise.”
I see him nod in satisfaction and he starts the car and we turn towards home.
“Where are we going?” I ask wondering why he isn’t going to try and find something out about Jacks now.
“Now we are going to a party that your brother is throwing. Tonight we have fun, and loosen up.