Wilde at Heart (Completed)

Chapter 30

"LAYLA!" the scream came from Aunt May and Layla dropped the cake box she was carrying and followed the sound to the back den. It was Jester's birthday today and she'd gone to pick up a cake for him. He was fifteen.
"Layla come quick!" Layla burst into the den to see her Aunt handcuffed to the banister of the stairs while Leon leant over an unconscious Jester in front of the fireplace. His fists slammed into Jester's bloodied face for the last time as Layla gave a scream of pure rage. Her eyes literally saw red. She'd never been so mad in all her life. Leaping over the upturned couch, she tackled Leon, knocking him off of Jester and onto the floor. Jester fell in an unconscious heap, blood leaking from his face and a wound on the back of his head. A broken beer bottle lay on the floor nearby and Leon quickly rolled to his feet and grabbed a shard of glass. He'd already bashed Jester's head in with it, now it was Layla's turn.
Layla watched him warily as he stood watching her craftily. He was drunk she could tell, but while most men lost their equilibrium when intoxicated, Leon remained alarmingly steady on his feet. Aunt May's screams echoed across the walls of the house and she could only hope the neighbors would hear and call the police. The two people circling each other eyed each other with the intent to kill. She didn't want Layla in prison and she didn't want her dead if Layla didn't manage to get him first. She strained at the handcuff holding her captive, screaming until her voice was hoarse. Tears streamed down her face as her gaze went to her baby boy lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. Then her eyes went back to her niece. The willowy eighteen year old had stood up for Jester again and again content to take the beatings meant for Jester as long as he wasn't harmed. She was strong. So much stronger than May.
Layla watched, waiting for Leon to make the first move ignoring the taunts he sneered at her. He finally did, lunging at her and slashing her thigh with the glass when Layla didn't dodge fast enough. Layla felt a twinge of pain, but pushed it to the back of her mind as she grabbed the fire poker. She swiped his legs out from under him and he crashed to the ground with a thud, his head hitting the corner of the hearth. Layla didn't see that he was unconscious from hitting his head. She wielded the fire poker like she was possessed. She looked into Leon's face and saw every beating, every ounce of pain, every time Jester cried, every time Jester woke up with nightmares. She saw the man that had reduced her life to nothingness and everything else faded away. She didn't hear her Aunt's plea to stop. All she felt was a consuming rage and victory. FINALLY! She had the chance to pay him back for everything he'd done.
She gradually came back to reality when she felt hands pulling on her, forcing her away from Leon's battered body. Someone pulled the fire poker out of her hand. She became aware of the blood trickling down her leg, and the tears streaming down her face. Then she saw Jester, a medic hovering over him, and she wrenched away from the police officer holding her and shoved her way through to Jester.
They had to pull her screaming and crying off of him. Nothing could calm her, not even Aunt May. Then they'd taken her away.
Aunt May had talked to her; told her Jester woke up in the hospital with no memory of anything; told her Leon had gotten a lawyer and he had a very good case. It was all lies, but everyone believed him. Aunt May was too scared to speak out against him. Layla was behind bars and Jester didn't remember his life.
Layla had found out how Jester refused to speak to anyone, shutting himself off. She ached to go to him. He'd always trusted her; he'd always had her. They'd always had each other. Three weeks passed and then the neighbors had come forward and testified. Aunt May had found the courage to stand up against her abusive husband and Layla had been released. Scarred for life, but free for the time being. The people in charge had insisted she go to a special school. Get some therapy and try to overcome her emotional scars. First, she had to help Jester.
She'd arrived home back to the house where she'd lived since her mom had died. Aunt May had greeted her with a hug and tearful smile, but Layla was stone faced. "Where's Jester?" she demanded.
Aunt May pointed upstairs and Layla took the stairs two at a time, before stopping outside Jester's closed bedroom door. "Jester!" she yelled, "Open this door."
"GO AWAY," he yelled, "Leave me alone!"
"Don't make me break this door down," warned Layla, hearing the pain in his voice and hurting for him. He must be so confused right now.
"Leave me alone!" he yelled again, his voice breaking, "I don't know you. I just want to die. Just let me die."
Layla kicked the door down furiously, her gaze snapping to where Jester stood in his bathroom door way, a razor blade held to his wrist. His wide eyes met hers, his hands shaking as tears slowly trickled down his face. "Don't you dare," spat Layla, slowly walking towards him, "Don't you even think about it. I didn't spend the last three weeks in prison to come home to see you like this."
Jester's eyes fell to the floor. "You must be Layla," he muttered, the hand with the razor dropping to his side, "The woman downstairs told me about you."
"That woman is your mom," said Layla, her voice growing softer as she saw she'd gotten through to him.
He clenched the razor blade in his fist as he growled frustrated. "I can't remember her. I can't remember you. Hell, I didn't even know my own name. My birthday."
Layla took a step towards him as he looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears, his lips trembling. "M-mom," he said the word with difficulty, "Mom said you saved my life."
Layla nodded taking another step towards him. "You know why?" she asked, on the brink of tears herself.
He shook his head, his mop of blond hair falling into his eyes. "I saved you because that's what I do," she said softly, now standing so close she could reach out and touch him, "I saved you because I love you, kiddo. I saved you because you're like a little brother to me. I'd do everything I had to do again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you with me. I know you don't remember me right now, and that's okay. Maybe with time you will. But if you don't that's okay too. You're going to be fine."
Layla reached for the fist that clutched the razor blade and slowly uncurled it, the blade clattering to the floor. Jester's shoulders heaved with a sob and he lurched forward, wrapping his arms around Layla. She cried with him, wrapping her arms around the skinny lanky boy and praying to God he never remembered. At least he would be spared.
After the breakthrough, Jester slowly got to know her and Aunt May again. Without Leon there, he became the funny guy that knew how to make everyone laugh and together as a family, they'd moved on.
Layla was snapped out of her thoughts when two warm arms wrapped around her waist pulling her back into a rock hard chest. She released a shaky sigh realizing it was Canon. "What are you doing out here, love?" his husky voice was right by her ear and Layla leaned back against him.
Canon tightened his grip on the woman he loved as she said quietly, "Just remembering. How long have I been out here?"
Canon glanced at his watch and said, "Around thirty minutes, baby. Jester showed back up in the kitchen without you and promptly disappeared with Rose."
"I didn't tell you," explained Layla, "But the day I tried to kill Leon Hernandez was the start of time for Jester."
Canon looked puzzled and Layla turned to face him as she continued, "He doesn't remember anything before his fifteenth birthday. In a way, I'm glad. That means he doesn't have to deal with the nightmares and the bad memories. But he's having a hard time dealing with the fact that Leon is out of prison. After all, he blames the man, and rightly so, for his memory loss."
Canon whistled under his breath in complete shock. "That's—that's." He was at a total loss for words.
"I know," said Layla quietly.
Canon cursed. "That filthy bastard has hurt too many people," he muttered, "He deserves to die."
Canon tightened his grip on Layla who suddenly shivered, feeling the cold wind against her skin as the blanket slipped off her shoulders. "Let's get you inside and warmed up," murmured Canon concernedly.
He didn't wait for Layla to agree, just scooped her up bridal style. Layla didn't complain, closing her eyes and snuggling up to his chest, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. He carried them down the hallway to their room and closed the door behind them. "What about work?" asked Layla quietly, as he laid her down on the bed.
"I'm the CEO," grinned Canon, bending down to take off her leopard-print flats, "I'm sure they can manage without me for today. If they can't; well, I don't care."
He placed a kiss on her toe and Layla blushed before murmuring, "I'm not complaining."
Layla rubbed her arms trying to get warm, cursing herself for getting so lost in her thoughts she stood in the freezing wind for thirty minutes staring at an empty yard. Canon got rid of his own shoes and then crawled into bed beside her, lying down and pulling Layla onto his chest. Her hands wrapped in his black sweater were so cold. He could hear her teeth chattering. Slowly, her body warmed absorbing his heat.
Canon looked at the petite woman lying on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist, her hands wrapped in his sweater and felt an overwhelming desire to protect and love her for the rest of his life. He'd never felt like that before. He watched as her eyes drooped and he murmured, "Sleep, baby."
Layla smiled sleepily, a yawn threatening to split her head wide open. Layla loved it when he called her baby. It made her feel cherished and protected. "Just a little while," she whispered.
Canon kissed the top of her head. "I'll be here when you wake up," he promised, pulling the blankets up over them and then going back to holding Layla.
"You better be," threatened Layla.
She didn't hear Canon's chuckle or his promise. "I'll always be here, Layla."
She was asleep.