This Love Will Last an Eternity

Chapter 11 - Done

(morning)
I was at my mirror, doing my hair and makeup for the day...I looked up and just now noticed, James staring ominously at me.
"James...are you alright?" I asked tilting my head confused and a little nervous.
"I had hoped you'd stay up and be...a little more enthusiastic last night" James said bitterly. I looked down for a moment, then looked back up at him
"You stayed out pretty late with fine gentlemen. I was tired James. I'm sorry" I said, trying to defuse the situation.
"I'm sure you were after your exertions below from last night" James said coldly. I gulped trying to form words but clicked my tongue shaking my head with a smirk.
"Of course. Cal's henchman followed Rose and I again. How typical" I said rolling my eyes.
"You are never to behave like that ever again. No wife of mine-"
"I'm not your wife yet!" I yelled turning around to him angrily. The second I saw his face I regretted every word I had just said.
"You are mine!" he yelled slapping me across the face. I fell to the floor and held my cheek where he had slapped me. My cheek stung and I was in so much shock tears started to fall.
"You will honor me the way a wife is supposed to understand? I will not be made a fool of. Do we have an understanding?" James said stepping closer to me. I didn't answer just cried but yelped in pain and tears as he roughly grabbed my chin
"Do you understand?!" He yelled and I nodded furiously.
"Yes! I understand" I said scared out of my mind.
"Good. Now if you'll excuse me. Do clean yourself up. You're a mess" He said and left the room. The second he did I began to take deep irregular breaths trying to calm myself of what just happened. I began to cry my eyes out. He hit me....he hit me hard! I stood up and looked in the mirror seeing my cheek was red. I gently touched it and flinched as it stung to the touch.
I quickly dressed in something more casual and ran fast to the lower level.
I was done.
I couldn't live like this any more.
I just couldn't.
When I got down stairs I ran to the rec room I was at just last night. I looked everywhere but I didn't see Tommy. My heart began to race and I was beginning to panic. My eyes finally laid upon the little girl Jack had been dancing with last night. I quickly walked over, trying to avoid attention on me and bent to her eye level.
"Hello sweetie, have you seen Tommy or Jack?" I asked sniffling trying my hardest not to burst into tears seeing the piercing blue eyes of this beautiful little girl.
"Are you okay miss?" She asked tilting her head. I smiled shaking my head.
"Yes, yes I'm fine, just looking for Tommy" I said. She smiled
"I'll take you to his room then"She said grabbing my hand. She led me down the hallway, taking a few turns until she stopped out front of this door.
"Here you go miss" She said smiling up at me.
"Thank you. Here" I handed her a Silver coin. She smiled excitedly and took it happily, running off. As soon as she was out of sight my breathing became raged again as more tears fell.
I banged on the door desperately. Nothing. I banged again, a little faster this time, and the door swung open. There Tommy was, his hat off, looking sluggish. He must have been sleeping
"Jess? What are you-" he stopped seeing the left of my face completely red.
"What happened love?!" He asked alarmed but I just instantly hugged him and started crying.
"Jess tell  me what happened?!" He asked instantly hugging me back. He began to gently rub my back as I sobbed into his chest.
"Come in here" he pulled me in his room and lied me on his bed
"Och what's wrong with the lads?" Asked one of Tommy's roomies
"Not now Elijah" Tommy said as he lied next to me and held me. He just rubbed my back until I was calm enough to speak.
"James hit me!" I said through my tears. Tommy sat up and looked at me in shock and anger.
"He did what now?! I'll kick his bloody arse!What kind of man puts his hands on a lady! I'm gonna go up there right now and-"
"No! Please...I don't want to go back..I wanna stay here....with you" I said weakly.
He hugged me again and we just stayed like that. Laying on his bed as I cried. Eventually my breathing became deeper and more calm. I had fallen asleep in Tommy's protective arms.
Tommy kissed my forehead and whispered as I slept
"I'll protect ya Jess. I promise I won't let anything happen to ya"He said as he gently stroked my hair. We must have stayed like that for hours....until we heard a knock
"Aye, who's at the door?!" Tommy asked protectively, afraid it might be James
"Tommy it's Jack! Please tell me Jess is with you? Rose is worried sick!" We heard Jack from outside the door. I sat up sighing
"It's okay" I said looking at Tommy. He sighed and opened the door letting him in and then quickly closing it again.
"Jess I'm glad I found you. They're looking for you...Rose..she wants..nothing to do with me" Jack said looking down sadly. I looked up at him with a raised brow
"And you believed her?" I asked making him snap his head up. I looked at them both now
"There's something you guys need to know.. Cal...his henchmen followed Rose and I last night and they found out about us going to this party...James.. he said I was making him look bad and then..he slapped me...I'm sure Cal threatened her too....i just don't know if he slapped her.. even if he did.. I know her well enough to know she can take it..but me? No I've never been as strong as her" I said pulling my knees to my chest
"That's a damn lie" Jack said making me look up
"Och lass he's right. You were strong for coming here. You've been strong since I met you. Yer no' givin yerself enough credit. You and Rose... you feed off of each others strength. Didn't you realize that ya silly lass. Rose is your strength. Ya both have been there for each other and now she needs you. James wouldn't dare touch you in the pubic eye. He has reputation ta uphold. Ya need to find'er and see if she's alright because we canna" Tommy said gently touching my cheek, the good side. I sighed looking down
"I don't want to go back. I ran away from them" I said still in Tommy's arms
"You need to at least find Rose and talk to her. She's worried sick about you and her mother and Cal won't let me anywhere close" Jack said. I shook my head
"Tommy you're right you know.. we do give each other strength.. but I've made my decision that I'm not going back. I know she will too she just needs that extra push...Jack I mean you.. Listen they're going to be taking a stroll on the docks soon. By the escape boats. There's a storage room where they'll be walking right passed.You can pull her in and talk to her before the men even notice. Tell her I'm fine She'll make the right choice you know...being with you..she's not happy there..once she realizes I'm running from this life....she's gonna run to...and she's gonna run to you Jack. So go. Go now before it's too late"I said. He stared at me for the longest but then ran off quickly. I smiled at him but Tommy sat next to me and took my hands on his. I blushed looking into those beautiful eyes of his...
"Jessica..I don't have anything to offer ya...but"
I smiled covering his mouth with my hand, to his surprise.
"Dont..don't belittle yourself.. I don't care about money...I just need your comfort right now" I said smiling. He smiled back
"Aye, lets go outside for some fresh air yeah?" He said. I smiled nodding and we went to the back of the ship. I watched as we passed the sea before us.
"I don't think I've been this happy Tommy. When I'm with you...I don't know you just...lit something in me that I haven't felt ever in my entire life..I'm scarred but...I don't want to run any more" I said looking at him. He smiled, taking a step closer to me.
"So don't love...I want nothing more than to see ya happy. Yer fun, and yer real....and so beautiful...and deep...I want that every day with ya...for the rest of my life...I guess what I'm tryin ta say is-"
I cut Tommy off by wrapping my arms around his neck and jumping into a deep kiss. It was fiery and passionate.
I realized then and there....
I was falling deeply in love with him...
I had been the moment I laid eyes on him......