Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(83)

I nodded sadly. Poor Adam.

“Would you hold up against Adam?”

William sighed. I could tell he didn’t like to think along these lines. “If Adam was in a rage, it would be a toss-up. I did a little boxing in my youth, so I have a slight advantage there, but a man in a rage like that—if I didn’t lay him out early, or really keep my head, I don’t know. I like to think I would win, but that is ego talking.”

William changed the subject. “If Adam knew what was good for him, and if Lump was half-crazy enough to go for it, Adam should marry her.”

“What? What are you talking about? Let’s forget for one second that they hate each other. Which they do. They aren’t compatible. Totally in different worlds, those two. How would they get married? We, you and I, are crazy compatible, and we aren’t talking about marriage! You have gone nuts! Seriously. Nuts.”

“Talking, no. Thinking...”

“Don’t even joke, Davies! Don’t even joke. People my age and with my immaturity do not marry. Next thing you’ll be trying to have kids or some stupid thing!”

“Well?” He smiled in good humor.

I just scoffed. Talk about kids having kids. Age meant nothing when it came to me.

“But seriously,” he said, “she is perfect for him. She is tough, she is easy going, she sticks her ground, and she knows how to navigate violence. She also knows, better than anyone in the world, how to push his buttons. That must mean she gets him.”

“Cripes, Cupid, don’t quit your day job. I think you need to relax and stop trying to get all your friends hooked up. Let the guy be single. They don’t like each other. Leave it alone.”

William just shrugged. “If only she wasn’t going back I would work on it like a Jewish mama!” he said with a playful smile.

“Well... Um,” I winced, “actually, she’s staying.”

“What?” he said with bright eyes.

“She is staying. She has nowhere to go. She is staying with Gladis for a while until she gets a job.”

“Then what?”

“If you must know, she is going to get her own place.”

“Here?”

“Somewhere in the city, yes.”

His smile got bigger. “Really?”

“Don’t get any ideas, you!” I said, needling him.

He just laughed and pulled me into a hug. We laid together enjoying each other’s arms until we finally fell asleep.

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning William and I were heading into the big house for breakfast. Since the conversation with Gladis's kid, I was no longer feeling great about partaking in Gladis's kindness. What if I was somehow taking what was not due me? What if I was taking daughter rights of kindness or something? I don't know--it seemed like that Shauna girl was pissed about something, and it was obviously something I was doing.

Going into the lounge I ran into Lump. She asked if she could talk to me. I excused myself from William, who was relieved not to be involved, and took her outside into the crisp morning air. Fresh air was always good to help the brain turn.

"Listen, Jess," Lump started. "I’m sorry about last night. Adam brings out all these emotions in me. Sometimes it is hard to sort through and figure out what it all means."

"Don't apologize, that’s stupid. What happened after we left?"

She sighed and her eyes got distant. "I’m not sure how long we sat there, but he started telling me some of the horror he grew up with. Some of the pent up feelings that no shrink could ever fully help him get rid of. I guess he took to heart what I had said, and, with the help of William came to grips with himself, and came to find me to apologize. He wanted William there in case he spun out of control.

"I think part of him thought I was sent by God to test him. But when he came to find me, and then saw me...in that state, he realized I was mortal or something. He had a flash back to when he had seen his mother or sisters like that... It wasn't good. The full reality of what he did hit him, I think. Or what he might have done, I guess."

We were quiet for a few minutes, walking through the grass. I hadn't known Adam was so troubled. He was always so kind hearted and warm. I always felt safe with him. I said as much to her.

She still had the faraway look in her eyes. "Yes. I think he has those demons mostly under control, but something about me sparks it. Him in me, too. I haven't ever told anyone this, and I hope you don't repeat it to anyone..."

Shivers went up my back.

"My mother was abused at times but I didn't find out about that until adulthood. I was never touched except for once, so until that once I didn't think my dad had it in him. He was always so controlled, so disciplined. I found out later he went into martial arts to find that control and discipline- to focus the mind.

"Anyway, I was just starting Muoy Thai, already had a black belt in another discipline at that point—I must have been about sixteen or so I think. Something I did set him off. He went into this, like, animalistic rage. I still, to this day, don't know what set him off. It wasn't human. He wasn't human. He came at me with everything he had. He was fast. So fast... And strong. My God, his strikes were fierce. Hard. I’d trained against men, of course, men his height. I had trained against him often, even. But he was wild. Beyond wild. My father wasn't in there. I wasn't ready for what took over.”