High Tide // JJ Maybank

Chapter 37

"Look, babe, I'm sorry." JJ speaks up as we turn onto my street. "I didn't mean to freak you out so bad, okay?"

"Do you realize that if anything bad happens to you, I'm done for? Without you, what is there to live for?"

"Woah, hey, don't say shit like that." JJ stops walking, grasping my arm. "You've got the Pogues, you've got your brother. You've got a whole future ahead of you."

"Not without you, I don't." I state.

"Kat..." JJ says exasperated.

"You are my future, J." I tell him. "One day you'll be my husband, the father of my children, my life partner.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere, okay? Where you go, I go, remember?" I nod at the boy. "I mean it, Kat."

"I know."

"I love you. With everything I've got, I love you." JJ grabs my hips, pulling me toward him. He presses a soft kiss to my lips.

"I love you too, J."

"Good, now let's get moving."

We continue walking, finally making it into our property.

"Wait here," JJ tells me as I walk over to my car. "I'll be right back. Go ahead and start her up."

I climb into the driver seat of the Jeep and start the car. I look up just in time to watch JJ eat shit as he tries and fails to jump over a short sticker bush in the yard. I cover my mouth as I stifle a laugh.

JJ turns to look my way as he continues running. "I'm okay!"

JJ disappears around the shed. He doesn't come back into sight for several minutes. I sigh, climbing out of the car. I assumed the boy was having trouble finding what he was looking for.

"Hey, JJ!" I call out. "You find it?"

I turn the corner JJ had disappeared around moments before. I freeze when I realize what had been taking so long. Luke Maybank stood in front of his son, cornering him in the covered area.

"Luke," I snap, catching the man's attention. "Back the fuck up."

"Good to see you, Katarina."

"Wish I could say the same." I walk over to JJ and pull him away from his dad.

"JJ." Luke speaks up.

"No talking!" I spit at the older man. "Stay there."

I pull JJ around the corner, looking up at him.

"Kat.." JJ breathes.

"I'm not gonna like it, am I?" I question.

"He just needs to get off the island." JJ informs me, taking my hand in his own. "We'll drop him off at the marina.

"He doesn't deserve your help. He never has."

"He's still my dad."

I sigh, pulling JJ into a hug. "You're the best person I know, you know that, right?"

"I mean a pretty girl once told me so." JJ tells me as he pulls away.

"Go get your dad."

I walk back over to the car, shortly followed by the Maybank men. I look at Luke in the rearview mirror. A stone cold glare was written all over my face as I eyed the man who abused my boyfriend for years. I felt sick about the fact that he was in my car, let alone that I was about to help him flee from the cops.

"Kat--" Luke speaks up.

"Absolutely fucking not, Maybank." I cut him off. "I told you no talking."

I start the car and pull onto the road. The ride was for the most part quiet. I could feel the anxiety rolling off of JJ in waves. I knew my own emotions were still written all over my face as I kept glancing at Luke in the backseat through my rear view mirror.

After about a mile of driving, Luke speaks up again.

"Hey, pull up to Home Food here. I'm gonna need provisions."

I roll my eyes as I pull into the gravel parking lot of the market. JJ hops out of the car, walking toward the store.

"Crackers and baked beans and tuna, all right? And some salt and pepper. Enough for five days."

"I know." JJ quips as he walks away.

Luke starts banging on my seat to the beat of the music as we wait. I whirl around to look at him, eyes big.

"Will you fucking cut it out?" I snap.

"Damn, sorry." Luke apologies sarcastically.

"You're an asshole." I inform the man.

"Yeah? What else?" Luke taunts.

"A real shitbag and the most pathetic excuse of a father I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot because I've seen Ward Cameron. But at least he kinda cares about his children."

"Wow, you sure told me."

"You've got an incredible son." I inform Luke.

"He's a thief is what he is."

"Well where the fuck do you think he learned that from? You think you're better than him? You're a sad excuse of man who has spent his life on a tiny island because he can't do shit except get so high or drunk that he can't see straight. There's nothing good about you except your kid."

"You think you're good for him?" Luke demands. "Just another lowlife Pogue with no future. Everyone left you, you know why? 'Cause you are a naive little girl, just like your mama. You'll never leave the Cut, let alone the island. You'll marry a Pogue like my son, you're heart will break when he lands himself in jail or you'll get bored and run just like your mom did--"

I reach back and swing my hand across his face. The man gasps as my hand connects with the stubbly flesh of his face. My hand stings as I pull my arm back into my lap.

"You've got no room to talk. Your wife left your tweaking ass too. I meant it when I said 'no talking,' so shut the fuck up." I finally snap.

JJ finally comes back to the car, putting the bag of groceries at his feet. He looks over at me, a concerned look crosses his face when he notices my angry expression.

"The fuck did you say to her?" He demands, looking back at his dad.

"Nothing that ain't true." Luke replies nonchalantly.

"It's fine, J." I say, pulling out of the parking spot and back onto the road.

"Kat.." JJ mumbles to me, trying to avoid his dad hearing.

"Just drop it." I plead. "We're not talking about this right now."

He sighs, looking forward.

Moments later we pull up to the Marina. JJ and Luke climb out of the car.

I roll down the window as JJ turns to look back at me. "I'll be right back." He assures me.

"If you're not, I'm coming out swinging."

A small smile spreads across his face. "I know you will."

I wait for him in the car for around fifteen minutes but just like the last time he was alone with his dad, I give up on waiting. I climb out of my car, making my way down to the dock. I reach it just as the boat begins to pull away from the dock and into the open water. JJ stands at the end, staring at his father as he disappears.

"Hey," I say, catching the boys attention. He turns slightly, seeing me. I step up next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. I use the other to wipe at the tear that was making it way down his cheek. I press a soft kiss to where the tear had just been on his face. "You ready?"

A sniffle escapes the boy before he finally nods. He grabs my hand, giving it a light squeeze before we begin to make our way back to my car.