The Proposal: Chapter 13

Keesha sat across from Jax in the sitting room as he read the note in his hand. "Jax?" she questioned at the look on his face. "What is it?"

"Garcia is not here. That is why I have not heard from him." he answered without looking at her.

"Where is he?"

"I am not sure." He crumpled the note, glancing at her finally. "I need to check on something."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

She nodded. Likely he was going to visit Jules, or at least go somewhere where he could find out how Jules was doing.

"I will be back as soon as I can."

"Take all the time you need. I will take care of things here."

Jax nodded, standing from his chair. Keesha watched as he breezed past Maggie, standing in the doorway to tell them breakfast was served. Maggie looked over at Keesha.

"It will just be me."

"Pardon..." Jax mumbled as he walked back into the room.

"What?" Keesha asked as Jax placed his hand on her chair.

He bent, kissing her slowly, right in front of Maggie's shocked eyes.

Keesha blinked, touching her lips as Jax left once more.

Victoria Garcia watched safely from the top of the far away hill as Jax's carriage pulled away from his manor. He had taken the bait, just as it was planned.

She would go to her husband and tell him Keesha was left alone.

And Garcia would get Jules back by using Keesha. Using her to tempt Jax's infamous temper would be easy. She was the ultimate bait.

"He is fine." The man sat down next to Jax on the bench in the park, only a twenty minute carriage ride from Jax's manor. He and Jax continued to stare ahead, not looking at each other.

"And Jerry."

"Well. Jules wants to know when you are coming."

"We may be coming as early as this evening. I might take this chance while Garcia is away..."

"Away? Garcia is not away."

Jax froze. "What do you mean?"

"I mean my wife saw him not even three hours ago...I suppose he could have been on his way somewhere. I suppose."

"Your letter expicitly stated he was gone..."

"I never wrote any letter. I was wondering why you were insisting on seeing me so soon after the plan had taken effect...Jax..." The man turned, watching as Jax bolted from the bench, running off.

He sprinted to his waiting carriage, not saying a word as he unhitched the front horse.

He needed to get back home quickly. Onlookers gawked as Jax hopped on the horse and with one loud "Ya!!" sped off down the road.

"Might I inquire where you are going?" Maggie asked Keesha. "In case our lord comes home before you."

"I am only going to read outside....and yes I know not to leave the grounds." Though she couldn't imagine why she should not be able to, given Garcia was not in the area.

Keesha stepped outside, holding the heavy book by Jax's mother. She looked around, trying to think of the best place to go. It looked cloudy, what if it rained?

Garcia scowled as she went back inside. She always had books, and if he remembered correctly the library was in the very back, on the main floor...Garcia ran around the back of the manor.

"I'll be in the library," Keesha called downstairs into the servent's quarters.

Keesha walked down the hall, humming to herself. She stopped, taking an unlit candle from the mantle in the sitting room, knowing she would probably soon be so engrossed in her reading she would quickly find herself in the dark. Now she was prepared. She continued.



Keesha walked in, closing the doors behind her. She moved over to the bench near the window, pulling the curtains as she stretched out. That's when she noticed and she froze. The window was open.

"Hello..." Garcia came up behind her, from the corner, covering her mouth just as Keesha screamed, muffling the sound. "I am not going to hurt you," he whispered. "Hold still!"

Keesha stopped struggling.

"I just want to know where my son is. I'm going to lower my hand, and you will not scream. If you scream, I will kill you. I know your husband is not here...it is just you, and me-and those people downstairs. And they cannot hear you from here." He slowly started to lower his hand. "I don't want to kill you, but I will." he reminded before removing his hand all together. "Very good...now. Where is my son?"

"Agnes always has Jules this time of day."

"Do not play with me..."

"I believe he has a piano lesson," she continued calmly, as if everything was normal. "I have never met the teacher I am afraid. Therefore, I cannot be of any more help."

Garcia turned Keesha around to face him and hit her with such force she flew across the room. She hit the floor but didn't make a sound, though her face and body throbbed with pain. She maintained eye contact, reaching down and picking up the book, clutching it as if it was the only security she had. "You are making it very easy to forget my promises..." He came over, picking her up forcefully. "I will ask you again...." Garcia yelled as Keesha, using all of her strength, hit him in his face with the book. He fell, looking at her in shock. She knew she'd never make it to the door, so she threw the book at him, hitting him again before running over and jumping out of the window.

Garcia stood, touching his nose, looking at all of the blood on his hand.

Keesha did not know where to go. She looked around in total panic. Garcia was in her home, Jax was not here and might not return for hours, even days. She looked at the trees near the hills and took off her shoes, tossing them behind her as she sprinted.

Garcia picked up a shoe. The way it was facing, it seemed that Keesha had ran down the road heading towards town.

No matter. He had done all the damage he needed. Jax would surely come to try and kill him now.

Jax ran into his manor. "KEESHA!" he yelled.

Maggie ran up the stairs. "She's in the library my..."

Jax ran, yelling Keesha's name. He threw open the door to the library.

Jax looked around, fear rushing through his body. He froze, seeing his book lying carelessly on the ground the pages blowing in the wind. He dove, picking it up and his eyes grew at the droplets of red on the pages. Blood. "KEESHA!" he yelled again and then jumped out the window. He glanced around...had she gone down the road he likely would have passed her. Jax threw his jacket, lightening himself as he sprinted near the hills, calling her name repeatedly.

Keesha gasped at the faint call of her name. She closed her eyes, hugging the trunk of the tree she was sitting in, praying that she was well hidden.

"KEESHA!"

Her eyes flew open, she looked down from the tree. "Jax?" she called softly.

Jax froze. Where...

"Jax..."

Jax looked up at the tree in front of him. "Keesha..." he breathed. "I will..."

"I can make it down..." she answered. Jax had to fight back tears of joy. She was still here...and she was all right...

Keesha shifted down the branch carefully. In the middle, Jax winced as she slid down, holding on to the branch with both hands. She let go, expecting to hit the ground.

Instead of the ground, she found the safety of Jax's arms waiting. Instantly Keesha cuddled against him. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck, biting back tears as he carried her silently away.

Jax stood in his chamber pacing impatiently as Maggie took care of Keesha in the bath. The moment he carried her upstairs and set her down, she fled to the bathroom, asking for Maggie. She had insisted she was too embarassed to allow Jax to help her clean herself; and the only reason he did not fight her was because she had obviously been through enough. But he needed to see her. She had moved so quickly he had not gotten a good look at her. He reached up his hand, but withdrew it right before he knocked. He would wait.

Maggie held the bowl of warmed water as Keesha continued to clean herself. She shook her head, looking at the bruise on her cheek. Luckily her hair had covered it thus far, but if Jax saw it...

"There is a way of coloring skin, right?" Keesha looked at Maggie.

"Yes. However...how will you color your back..." she added with a whisper.

Keesha closed her eyes. "There are marks on my back?"

"Yes...as well as your arms..."

Keesha looked down; Garcia's fingerprints were embedded as bruises on her skin. As for her back, she assumed she hurt that when she fell.

"Clothes...." she decided.

Jax heard the bath door open. He blinked and then opened his door, walking into the bath. Maggie shut Keesha's bath door quickly.

Something was horribly wrong. Jax's jaw twitched and he went over to the door leading to Keesha's chamber. He pushed on it, his worry growing as it would not open. "Damn it Keesha!"

Maggie continued to lean up against the door as Keesha had ordered. Keesha pushed a chair up against it, resting it against the handle, hoping it would help.

Jax tried a few more times and then the women looked at each other as it grew quiet.

Damn.

Keesha pulled the chair and ran to her front door, blocking it just as Jax pushed on it.

"OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR KEESHA!"

Keesha didn't answer, she just pulled the first long sleeved dress she could and quickly began to dress.

"MARGARET!"

Keesha froze. Her disobeying Jax was one thing..."Go." she whispered to Maggie.

"Yes, my lord," she called as she walked slowly to the front door, giving Keesha enough time to finish tying her dress. Maggie removed the chair, having to step back as Jax threw it open. She excused herself, easing past Jax and running down the stairs.

"I am fine," Keesha smiled.

Jax opened his mouth...he shut it, determined not to yell at her, reminding himself she had been through enough. He slammed the door shut, striding over to Keesha.

"I am sorry about your book..."

Jax's eyes grew and he touched Keesha's bruised cheek. She winced. "I'm sorry. How..." his voice was so low it was barely audible.

She stepped away from him. "Probably from when I was hiding in the tree. I was hugging the trunk for dear life...I probably do not know my own strength..."

Jax's eyes lightened slightly. That made sense. "I am going to kill him..."

Just as she feared. "Jax...he will be waiting for you, you cannot go!"

Jax stared at her.

"Please, Jax. I...I cannot lose you."

"I am a far better marksman than he. The only thing lost will be his ability to breathe," he growled, his jaw twitching again.

"If you fail..."

"I do not fail." Jax went over to the bath door, throwing the door open and storming into his chamber.

"Jax..." she called as she ran after him. "Please...this has to be what he wants, it has to be...do not give in..."

"Give me one reason not to rip his heart out!"

"Gar..."

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SPEAK HIS NAME!" Jax's rage finally exploded. "Jules should be here!" his voice broke and tears stung his eyes. "You should not be hiding, hurting yourself out of fear...I promised you both that I would protect you, and I damn well will...you two are my family, you mean the world to me and I will protect you..." his voice trailed. He walked over to Keesha who was staring at him silently. He sighed, lowering his voice. "I did not mean to yell...and I was not really yelling at you."

"I know." Keesha whispered. "But...Jax...please. Do not go looking for more trouble."

Jax sighed again, closing the remaining space between them. He wrapped his arms around her. "I will think of what I will do next," he decided.

"Thank you," she breathed, holding him gently.

"That is not to say I might not decide killing him now is not the best answer," he warned, tightening his hold.

Keesha winced quietly.

Jax opened his eyes as Keesha's body tensed. He pulled away.

"I am rather exhausted..."she began.

"Fine." He pulled back the cover to his bed. "Let's get ready for bed."

Keesha's eyes grew. "I..." She had just calmed him, but if he saw those bruises...

"Take off the dress Keesha," Jax ordered.

Keesha knew she was trapped. Without any further words, she reached behind her and slowly started undoing the strings to her dress. She pulled it down slightly, and Jax saw the bruises on her arm. "They do not hurt as bad as they seem..."

"Is that all?"

Keesha bowed her head. She turned around and lowered the dress even further.

Jax stared, his eyes darkening at the sight of her bruised back. "Did he....did he..." he tried again. "Did he...violate..."

"No!" Keesha whipped around, facing Jax once more. "I swear to the heaven's above that I would rather die before allowing him or anyone to shame your name that way...and he did not try!"

Jax blinked, pain all over his face. "Do not ever say that...I never want to hear that you would leave me...that you would rather die than come home to me. And you will always come home to me. No matter what happens. I will bring you here because...I need you here."

Keesha stared, trying to think of something to say. "I did not mean to hurt you..."

"You did not. But...shame Keesha? Do you think I would be anrgy at you had he..hurt you further."

Keesha dropped her head. Her instincts told her no, but she knew that many men beleived a woman was responisible for her own body's protection, and if a man could force her, she must want to be forced. She looked up at Jax again. Yet, Jax was not like most men. "No."

"That would not have been your doing," Jax emphasized. "So I am asking again, did he..."

"No."

Jax nodded. He walked over, pulling Keesha's dress back up over her shoulders. "May I hold you while you drift to sleep?"

Keesha looked at Jax, deeply touched. "You are so very beautiful," she whispered, her eyes watering. Jax reached up, wiping the tear that fell.

"No, I am afraid that would be you," he smiled.

Keesha shook her head, placing her finger on his lips. "No more words." she pleaded, knowing that if he continued, she would blurt what was in her heart.

Though now she could not remember why she had decided to keep it a secret that she loved him...she didn't want to keep it a secret any more.

"Then no tears," he answered. He picked her up carefully, carrying her to the bed and settling her down, gently. Keesha waited and Jax joined her, laying down. She reclined, resting against his body and closing her eyes as he stoked her side softly.

Jax covered Keesha with a blanket as she slept. He came from the foot of the bed and knelt before her, staring into her face. She seemed peaceful...he pushed her hair back, sighing. She had taken care of herself, and she was still here. Jax sighed again, kissing his finger before placing it on her lips.

He went to the window, looking out at the night sky. Right over that hill Garcia probably laid in bed, resting, his mind and body comfortable...Jax's eyes flashed and right then his decision was made. Jax walked over to his closet, reaching up and retreiving his revolver from it's case. He looked back over at Keesha and his jaw started to twitch. He went to the door and left, shutting the door quietly behind him.