Protect but never serve

Chapter 32 - AJ

"I'm so sorry. That's so embarrassing" I say dropping my head to my hands.
"Don't be. you were drunk and super cute." Elijah smirks and I roll my eyes.
"this breakfast is amazing," I say
"you had a phone call last night," Elijah tells me and I raise my eyebrow at him.
"from who?" I ask
"She said she was an old friend," He says and I had this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, I had a feeling I knew what was coming, "she said she was in town and was wondering if you would see her" He carries on. I felt cold and I knew I was going pale. "she said if I mentioned AJ you would know who she was" Elijah finishes then I throw up on the kitchen floor. "Jade?" Elijah says rushing to my side
"I'm fine," I say.
"Who is she?" Elijah asks "please don't lie, don't say no one. I saw the way you reacted Jade. you can't hide that from me" He says
"The three musketeers. Me, Sam and Anna. Anna Jenkins, we called her AJ." I say. "The three of us inseparable. They were my only friends. We kept no secrets from each other until Sam joined the Mafia. It was just me and Anna, until" I stop not wanting to recall these memories but I knew I had to "until I found out Anna was pregnant with Sam's baby. I was pissed off but then she tried to kill herself and the baby. She said she was too young, and she wasn't going to have a baby if it meant the risk of being involved in the Mafia. she almost died. I found out when her mother rang me to say she had moved Anna to London. She wanted Anna to have a fresh start. I was hurt and so pissed off. every time Anna is mentioned or I think about her I get pissed off then I feel sick at the fact she stabbed herself 20 times in the stomach. I hacked the hospital records and the police database. I saw what she did to herself and her baby. The baby died after the first stab wound. I haven't spoken to her in years, I haven't even seen her." I tell him
"she's your best friend Jade. Are you going to stay mad at her forever?" Elijah asks me
"No. but it's hard especially when she up and left. we told each other everything, Elijah. she didn't tell me she was pregnant, she didn't tell me she didn't want the baby, she didn't tell me she stabbed herself or was in the hospital, she didn't even tell me she was moving to London. I have every right to hate her" I say
"but why have you not spoken to her in years?" He asks me
"because I know the second I hear her voice or see her face. I will forget everything she has done and forgive her. I guess I wanted to punish her for not telling me" I say.
"She sounded scared and worried on the phone," Elijah says
"I guess it's time to make up," I say
"one thing I want to know is how did she get your number after all these years?" Elijah asks
"I keep in contact with her mother. She was like a second mum to me" I tell him
"ring Anna. Meet her" Elijah says
"ok," I say and I get my phone
"Hello?" She answers
"AJ?" I say
"Jade," she says and she sounded like she had started to cry
"what's wrong?" I ask her
"It's just so good to hear your voice," she says and I chuckle trying not to cry myself
"we need to meet." I say
"yes we do. Can you meet me today as soon as possible?" She asks
"yeah, I can text you when I'm ready?" I suggest
"Like old times," She says and I knew she was smiling
"yeah. oh, I have a bodyguard now so he will also be with me." I let her know
"ok text me," She says and I hang up.
"Elijah we're going out" I call to him. He was in the shower. I don't bother dressing nicely, I just throw on a jumper and some jeans with a pair of converse. I wait in the living room for Elijah to get dressed
"I thought you would be waiting in my room," Elijah says coming into the living room in one of his suits
"I was going to but then I knew you would be coming out in a towel," I say looking up at him
"is that bad?" He asks wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close
"quite the contrary. I would have ditched Anna and spent the day with you" I say leaning up and kissing him.
"come on," He says. I had already text Anna, she gave me somewhere to meet her.
"I'm driving," I say snatching the keys from his hands. He laughs and we get in the car and I drive us to meet Anna.
"where are we going, we have been driving for ages" Elijah whines,
"you thought I was secretive you wait until you meet Anna," I tell him
"she's worse than you?" He says surprised
"yeah. way worse. I simply don't tell everyone anything. I keep all my secret's to myself and only tell the ones I trust the most. Anna will lock herself away. she will sneak around. she's careful about places to meet and talking over the phone. She only spoke to me over the phone because she knows I keep my line safe" I tell him
"that can't be healthy" Elijah says
"Anna get's by just fine. Her mother doesn't help though. she is always trying to change Anna, she doesn't understand her like I do. Anna's mother made it clear to her that she wished I was her daughter. Anna cried for days" I tell him as we drive out of town
"was she angry at you?" Elijah asks
"no. she was angry at her mother and she used my shoulder to cry on" I say.
"what made her become so secretive, what made you become so secretive?" Elijah asks me
"Sam joined the Mafia at 16. That's when we both became secretive. We stayed friends with him, we were good at hiding our secretiveness. Anna became pregnant at 18 and cut all contact with him. She kept in contact with me until she stabbed herself. she tried to get back in contact with me but I avoided her" I say.
"but why? he was your best friend would he really betray your trust?" Elijah asks
"Of course he wouldn't but if the Mafia suspected anything they would torture him, kill him" I explain
"and we all know what the Mafia are capable of," Elijah says sounding angry
"Sam knew I was down there. I didn't remember at first but I saw him" I tell Elijah. I lowered my voice hoping that maybe he wouldn't hear me
"Why didn't he help you?" Elijah asks
"It's the Mafia Elijah and Sam knew I would have killed him myself if he helped me." I tell him
"then why hasn't he contacted you?" Elijah asks "to make sure you're ok?" He says
"they know who I am now. They have either killed him or he's being careful. There's nothing I can do but hope he get's in contact" I tell him
"what if he's dead" Elijah says and I try not to show any emotion
"I can't think like that. He's my best friend and I have to think that he's still alive" I say and we finish the drive in silence