Secrets Unveiled

By Jill Patten

In the second and final installment, Jaxon and Courtney are forced into a world of more secrets. Some have been harbored from within, some are unknown, and some are just forming.

When the truth finally does come out, will their fragile love for one another be strong enough to hold, or will the weight of deceit break the string that tethers their hearts together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jill Patten
• Release date: Jan 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310700927

Jill Patten

Jill Patten was born a Yankee, but raised a southerner. She lives in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina which was made famous by a popular TV show back in the sixties. (Maybe there will one day be a statue of her at the end of Main Street. Ha! A girl can dream, right?)Jill has always loved to read, even during reading labs in middle school for reading comprehension. Judy Blume was her first author she hero-worshipped, maturing to revere the works of Stephen King. With all the fantastic authors today, she simply cannot choose a favorite. Her taste is very eclectic and she loves almost all genres. When she's not captivated by her fictional characters, she spends time with her sweet husband and two beautiful children.Music is her muse. Jill also loves elephants, sarcasm, and anything made with sugar, especially sweet tea. She enjoys all things rude and crude and laughs at stuff she probably shouldn't. She has been accused of being bossy a time or two, but doesn't really see it herself.All in all, Jill is just a small town girl in this great big world trying to enable your book addiction.Oh, and if you read her book, please leave her a review - good or bad, she'll love you forever.

Book preview

Prologue

A month later...

Back and forth, back and forth, I rocked on my bed with my phone clenched tight in my hand, waiting impatiently as each ring seemed to echo in my ear. Stay calm. She'll answer. She'll be there. She's always been there.

The sun was just beginning to peek through the blinds in my bedroom. All my classmates were heading down to Myrtle Beach early this morning. It was the typical senior trip after graduation. Sadly, I wasn't going. Not only was I around ten weeks pregnant, I also didn't have the spare cash to blow on a trip with so-called friends. Kendra had begged me to go. She even offered to pay for everything, but I had to focus my attention on becoming a mother. My days of playing and being irresponsible were numbered.

What's up, Court? Kendra cheerfully chimed on the other end of the line.

Can you pick me up real quick? I need you, I choked through the tears, straining to hold back. The phone shook uncontrollably in my hands as I assessed the blood soaked sheets on my bed. Severe cramps had woken me from a deep sleep. I was dreaming about Jaxon. He was telling me goodbye; that he didn't want a slutty girl that slept around with everyone. In my dream, he was saying malicious things to me just as Phillip always had, and it hurt. It hurt so bad, it felt like knives stabbing me repeatedly in my gut. But it wasn't knives, and it wasn't Jaxon. Relief washed over me as I awoke and realized it wasn't real. Only the excruciating pain was real, and I knew then that something was terribly wrong.

Oh God, Court! Is everything okay?

Although I knew Kendra couldn't see me, I shook my head. Just hurry, please! I pleaded then touched the end button.

Another surge of panic hit me with the thoughts of my mom walking in and witnessing the unusual amount of blood on my bed. Sweat began to bead on my forehead and upper lip. I frantically began to pull the sheets from my bed, wadding them up into a large bundle to throw in the trash. In the process, I accidently knocked off a small picture of me and my mother from the nightstand. As I achingly bent down to pick it up, it dawned on me that she was at work. She had told me last night that she had to be there first thing in the morning to greet the delivery guys. To make any sort of coherent thought lately was turning into a difficult job for me.

I had to erase any traces of my pregnancy from my mother. She couldn't know. She could never know. Ever. I would never be able to face the disappointment in her eyes. She expected better of me, and I wanted her to always think I was smart enough to never make such a foolish mistake.

Kendra kept a key to the house, so there was no need to worry about waiting on her. I turned the hot water as far as it would go as I leaned my sweaty forehead against the cool tile until I could see the steam emanating from the water. As I let the hot water run over me, my cramps only continued to get even worse. A sharp spasm hit me hard enough to bring me to my knees. The tears flowed down my face along with the water, mixing together with the remnants of a life I was slowly losing.

Kendra came barging in the bathroom as I lied curled up in a fetal position in the tub. Oh my God, Court! I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, she repeated frantically as she tried helping me out of the tub.

With my arm slung around her neck, she helped me to stand upright, leading me to the bath rug as she proceeded to dry me off. The blood continued to trickle down my leg as Kendra grabbed my towel and shoved it between my legs. Here hold this while I get you some panties and a pad. We've got to hurry and get you to the emergency room.

Without a piece of clothing on, I stood there as I felt the onset of another round of cries emerging from my chest. As much as I didn't want this child of Phillip's, I had finally reached the point of accepting it. I had finally instilled the practicality in my brain that I was going to become a mother, and I would love this baby as much as I loved myself, if not more.

Was this how Jaxon felt every time someone he loved was taken from him? Was this the pain he felt when I told him to leave? Was I being punished for my own cruelty? If so, I deserved it.

Here, put these on. I'll comb and braid your hair real quick, and then we'll leave, she said a bit more calmly, handing me panties, a bra, yoga pants, an oversized sweatshirt and a pad.

While Kendra combed and braided my hair, she asked me question after question, wanting every single detail from the time I noticed the blood until she arrived. I left out the dream, having never told her the complete truth about what happened that day and, from what Kendra had told me, the only thing Jaxon would talk to Reed about was strictly business.

On the way over, we decided a trip to the hospital wouldn't be wise. I didn't want to risk someone seeing me then telling my mom. Luckily, Kendra's cousin worked at Planned Parenthood, so she was helpful to get us seen by a doctor right away. After hearing the doctor confirm I was having a miscarriage, everything else came in a quick blur. The last month of my life had felt as if I were in a huge bubble of fuzz without a way to escape. I barely remembered graduation. Without Jaxon there, I really didn't want to remember. I'd had high hopes that he would've at least called to congratulate me, but I'd never heard a single word from him. I can't say that I blamed him after the way I pushed him out of my life.

I'd also avoided Phillip and the Bitch. I decided to drop the title 'Ice Queen' because she was an absolute bitch through and through.

After leaving the hospital, Kendra took me to her house so I could stay with her for a day or two. Thankfully, my mom wouldn't be suspicious since this was something we had done from the time we were pre-teens.

Well, that was another drastic change in the life of Courtney, huh? Kendra tried to sound jovial. I knew she was trying to make light of the situation.

That's an understatement, I huffed then turned to look at her studiously, tears beginning to brim my eyes again. Am I that bad of a person to deserve all this shit?

Kendra's face faltered when she looked at me. Oh, Courtney, you're not a bad person. You just got caught up in a bad situation. Things can only get better from this point on. I know this is all hard on you right now, but look at it as a blessing. You no longer have any ties to the Wilkins'. You're free now. You're free of everything. You get a fresh start, she said cheerfully with her eyebrows raised high yet displaying a sympathetic smile.

I know, I said trying to believe she was right.

I placed my hand over my abdomen as I thought about the life I'd just lost. I should've felt relieved but I didn't.

She reached over to rub my arm in comfort.

Thank you, I whispered. I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend. That was one part of my life I was sure about.

Kendra pulled into her driveway to drop me off before leaving to pick up my prescription and then erase all evidence from my house.

Chapter 1 ~ Jaxon

After Jaxon arrived home from North Carolina...

Tap, tap, tap. Jaxon.

Tap, tap, tap. Jaxon.

Someone was calling out to me, but it was faint.

Smack! The impact jarred me from my slumber. Jaxon, wake up! My name now came to me loud and clear. I reached up to touch my cheek where I could still feel the sting. I forced my eyes open to assess my rude awakening.

What are you doing out here? God, you smell, Valeria complained, her nose scrunched in a way of disgust. Have you been drinking?

Shut up. Leave me alone, I moaned. My head felt like I had an axe wedged right in the back of my skull. I closed my eyelids. Even the overcast sky was too bright for my sensitive eyes. I heard my truck door close and I was thankful she decided to listen to me for once.

The passenger door opened and I felt a shift in the truck before the door closed. Maybe not.

My eyes remained closed. I feigned sleep, hoping she would go away. Wishful thinking. She caught me off guard and pried my eyelids open. She examined my eyes, most likely searching for enlarged pupils. Dammit, Jax! What the fuck happened to you? she whispered to herself, but asking me at the same time. What the hell did she do to you?

I squeezed my eyes tight. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture.

She started to speak again, What—,

Stop talking. Just shut the fuck up! I interrupted, not wanting to hear another word from her annoying mouth.

You're not pushing me away, you need my help. I've always been here for you in the past. Don't think I'm giving up on you now, she pointed out while assessing me with her hands from head to toe. She was only there for me because she used me.

Motherfucker! Dammit to hell! Are you fucking kidding me, Jax? she retorted. Shit.

Cocaine? Again? You're mixing alcohol and cocaine? What would your damn gramma say, huh? Is that what you're shooting for? To join her? I could feel her in my face and I wasn't in the mood for any lectures.

Answer me, dammit! she shrieked, an inch or so away from my pounding head.

Looking through heavy eyelids, I blew an exasperated breath. I didn't use it. I mumbled then rolled my head against the window that was now warming up to the morning sun. Now leave me the fuck alone, I grumbled, pushing her out of my face.

Valeria was relentless. She began screaming at me in Spanish, with her arms flailing all around the inside of my truck and her head tilting in every angle possible. I was only able to catch a word here and there, but it was enough to send me over the edge.

Catching her wrist in midair, I squeezed it enough to let her know I was serious. Then pulled her close to me so that she could see the rage in my eyes. Get the fuck out of my truck and leave me the hell alone. And don't make me tell you again, I spat out at her through clenched teeth. I jerked her wrist out of my grasp and her eyes widened at the gravity in my voice. A look of fear flashed across her face, and it was the exact response I was looking for. Finally I had got my point across.

The fear in her big brown eyes quickly turned to madness. She grabbed the door handle slinging the door open with too much force. She was trying to get back at me by man-handling my 'baby.' I didn't have time for her antics. I just wanted her out of my face before she started snooping around for more things I didn't care for her to find.

Not wanting to give her the pleasure of my attention, I turned my head back to rest against the warm glass.

Fuck you, Jaxon Vaughn! I'll see you at your funeral you fucking crazy crack head! she screamed before slamming my truck door shut.

I peeked out at her through a small slit in my eyes and watched her as she plodded into the bar. Very slowly, I leaned up to open my glove box. And there it was—my saving grace, my painkiller that had always helped me forget all the darkness in my life. Reaching in, I grabbed the syringe, spoon, and the small packet that contained the tiny rock. Big things really do come in small packages.

The sound of a car pulling into the parking lot put me on edge, causing me to toss all contents back into my glove compartment. Peeking up over my dash, I saw that it was Troy. Shit!

Needing to get inside and fix a bit of damage control, I pulled out a small packet I had hidden between my seats. Very steadily, I poured out a tiny trail of the white powder onto the length of my finger. After taking a couple of quick snorts, I inhaled deeply a few more times, then checked my face in the rearview mirror. Damn. I looked like fucking shit. Slowly leaning back in my seat, I pulled my cigarettes from my pocket and lit one up real quick.

I let the coke numb all feelings from within, and closed my eyes, relaxing back into my seat with a taste of nicotine between my fingers.

Courtney.

Heather.

Courtney.

Heather.

Courtney.

My eyes sprung open; it was the only way I could stop the flashbacks of their faces imprinted in my mind. Sleep was no longer a part of my nightly ritual. Every time I closed my eyes, a slideshow of the two girls I loved came to haunt me. I needed something to make me forget. Something to erase them from my life. Something to help me escape this world for a while. My eyes shot back over to the heroin sitting in my glove box.

Heroine was what my mind craved, but my body knew all too well what type of suffering I would come face to face with.

Fuck you! Take me, dammit. Take everything I've ever had, you motherfucker! I yelled out in a mad rage inside my truck. My fists beat against the stirring wheel, receiving the brunt of all my aggressions.

My nerve endings buzzed with agitation. I needed a release. I needed an out. I needed to swim, but I was too fucked up to get in the pool. The fucking cocaine had me on edge, and I needed a downer. My eyes jumped back over to the glove box again.

Making a spontaneous decision, I turned the key in the ignition, bringing my truck to life. She hummed loudly, which only intensified my edginess even more. Troy was going to be pissed I was bailing on him, but I was pretty sure Val had already filled him in on the state she found me in the parking lot. I couldn't take a chance on going in there feeling wired up like a live electrical current. One little remark would be all it would take to set me off. Fighting with Troy wasn't something I wanted to add to my plate right now.

Somehow I made it home without killing myself or someone else. Leaning across the bench seat, I opened my glove box and made the irrational decision to take the ludicrous contents with me.

Fuck, I needed a dog or some kind of pet who would greet me with unconditional love when I returned home. My loneliness was swallowing me into the depths of perdition. Hell fed on all the black and grey that crept throughout my being.

Numbness: I wanted to feel it extricate every slice of agony that filtered through my veins. Rubbing the outside of my jean pocket, I was reassured that my tiny slice of Heaven was still there.

Stumbling into my house, I dropped my keys onto the floor and staggered to the spare bathroom. I was coming down fast from the coke. My world surrounding Courtney and Heather was rushing back into my mind and my off switch was broken. I closed the toilet lid, sat down, and pulled my lifeline out of my pocket, laying it across the sink counter in a display. My heart accelerated with anticipation. Not much longer. God, I couldn't wait to relax with that warm, tingling sensation flowing through my body.

It had been so long, would I even remember how to do this? Grabbing the little baggie, I opened it up and placed the tiny white rock onto the spoon. Then, I dabbed a little bit of water onto the H, using the needle to dissolve it by swishing it around. It liquefied well enough so that I didn't need to heat it.

With shaky hands, I pulled the plunge on the syringe, making sure I didn't waste a drop. In the past I would need a tourniquet, but seeing as it had been so long since I had used, my veins were thick and strong. Finding my most reliable source of blood flow, I pricked my skin more smoothly than I had ever before. The blood rushed in and I pushed it back through along with the monster that was about to consume me.

Immediately, my viscera turned into a ray of sunshine, glowing bright, lifting me into a stream of clouds. My eyelids grew heavy and my body began to float into the weightless air.

*****

Opening my eyes turned into a tough task. They ached and burned as the sunshine from the skylight shone directly into them. The corners of my mouth cracked open when I yawned. My lungs were in dire need of full expansion. I yawned once more trying to catch my breath. A dried, crackling substance covered my bottom lip and chin. It wasn't until I reached up to rub my eyes did I notice the syringe dangling from the inside of my elbow. Son of a bitch. How long had I been out? The blood surrounding the needle had dried up, and the trail of blood from the injection had also dried into a puddle on the white ceramic floor.

Once I assessed my surroundings, I realized I was still in the bathroom. My head was somehow wedged between the wall and toilet. Very easily, I pulled the syringe from my arm and slung it into the sink. My body was stiff and sore. My muscles ached all over. I felt like pure shit. I reached up to rub my eyes, feeling the scruff against my palms which had grown much thicker. I was too weak to move.

With my arms wrapped around my shins, I pulled my legs up to my chest as I leaned up against the sink. My phone caught my attention on the floor and I slid it in between my legs. Dropping my head down, I glared at the date on my phone, realizing I had been out for three days.

God, I was such a fucking waste of life.

Chapter 2 ~ Courtney

It was exactly a week after my miscarriage, and the day I officially became an adult. Before my break-up with Jaxon and the pregnancy, I couldn't wait for my eighteenth birthday to arrive. Yet, I didn't feel much like celebrating anymore. Two months ago I would've thought for sure that Jaxon would be here with me celebrating a day that would finally unite us together.

Kendra was on her way to pick me up. She said she was treating me to a shopping spree, but I had a feeling she had something else up her sleeve. Mom had been busy lately with the opening of Joey and Zack's. She kept apologizing to me about not being home for my birthday, but I understood Reed needed her more than I did since the grand opening tonight.

Because I wanted Jaxon to be close to me on my birthday, I took the silver elephant ring he had given me for Christmas and slid it on my finger. While I twisted the cute little trinket around my finger admiring it, I heard Kendra blowing the horn to let me know she was here.

I snatched up my purse and phone, and walked out the door. Kendra was bopping up and down in her leather seat, and the lyrics to Blurred Lines came barreling out of the car. She sang along to the words as loud as her vocal chords would allow. Gah! Don't you get tired of this song? It only plays on the radio five times in an hour timeframe, I said sarcastically.

Robin Thicke is a sex god. Have you not seen the R-rated version of this video? It makes his sex appeal even yummier, she said, piping right back into the chorus.

My hand itched to either turn the radio down or change the channel. She had a 'no touch' rule in her car. She thought whoever was driving should have control over the radio, heater and air conditioner. I should just do it anyway then claim innocence