Chapter 26 Terror and Truth
CAITLYN'S POV
I was still shaking when I got home from the grocery store. The bruises on my arm were getting darker and I kept replaying what those men had said over and over in my head. Tell Cross he is a dead man walking. We will be watching you.
I did not know what to do or who to turn to. I could not tell Collin because then he would find out about Jason and everything would fall apart. I could not go to the police because what would I even say? Some gang members threatened me because they think I am with someone I am not supposed to know.
I sat in my car in the driveway for a few minutes trying to calm down enough to go inside. My hands were still trembling and I felt like I might throw up. This was all getting too dangerous. I was caught between Jason's world and Collin's world and both of them were full of violence and threats.
Finally, I forced myself to get out of the car. I left the groceries in the trunk because I could not deal with them right now. All I wanted was to get to my room, lock the door, and try to figure out what to do next.
Mrs Chen was in the kitchen when I came in.
"Mrs Hayes, are you alright?" Mrs Chen asked as I stumbled through the front door.
I could not answer her. My throat felt tight and my hands were still shaking so bad I could barely hold onto my purse. The bruises on my arm from where that man grabbed me were already turning dark purple and they hurt every time I moved.
"Mrs Hayes?" Mrs Chen said again and came closer. "What happened? You look pale."
"I am fine," I managed to say but my voice came out all wrong. "Just not feeling well. Pregnancy stuff."
“Do you want me to make some soup for you? You might need it and it will make you look calm as well. It's good for you and the baby.”
“You worry so much, Mrs Chen. You don't have to over-stress or bother yourself. I'm very fine.” I smiled slightly.
“Mrs Hayes, if I don't worry about your well-being, who will do that? It is my job to make sure that you and the baby are safe and very healthy.” She said. I nodded without saying a word.
She did not look like she believed me but she nodded anyway. "Should I call Mr Hayes?"
"No," I said too quickly. "No, do not call him. I just need to lie down for a bit."
I walked past her toward the stairs before she could ask any more questions. My legs felt weak and I had to hold onto the railing to pull myself up. Every step felt like it took all my energy.
Tell Cross he is a dead man walking. The words kept repeating in my head. We will be watching you. Being tied to the Cross will get you killed.
Those men thought I was with Jason. They thought I was his girlfriend or something and they were going to hurt me because of it.
I reached the top of the stairs and walked down the hallway. My mind was racing with everything that had happened. How did those men even know about me and Jason? They said they saw us at the bar but that was months ago. Had they been following me all this time?
And what about Jason? Did he know about these men? Did he know they were threatening me? Or was he too busy with his gang war to care about what happened to me?
I was caught between two dangerous worlds and I did not belong in either of them. Collin's world with his criminal business and corrupt cops. Jason's world is with rival gangs and violence. Both of them could get me killed.
"I just need to get to my room," I whispered to myself. "Lock the door and figure this out."
I reached my bedroom door and grabbed the handle but then I heard something from inside. A woman laughing and other sounds that I could not quite identify but made my stomach turn.
I opened the door without thinking and the scene in front of me made me freeze completely.
Collin was on top of Amanda on the bed we were supposed to share as husband and wife. The bed where I was supposed to feel safe. They were completely wrapped up in each other and did not notice me at first.
Then Amanda looked over and saw me standing there. Her eyes went wide and she made a startled noise. Collin turned his head to see what she was looking at, and when he saw me, his expression did not change at all, no guilt, no shame. Nothing.
He just looked at me for a second and then waved his hand dismissively like I was an annoying interruption. Like I was a maid who had walked in at the wrong time.
Then he turned back to Amanda and kept going like I was not even there.
I could not move. My feet felt glued to the floor, my brain was trying to process what was happening but it could not make sense of it. This was my husband, this was our bedroom, and he was with another woman, and he did not even care that I was watching.
Amanda was trying to push him away now clearly uncomfortable with me standing there. But Collin ignored her attempts and kept his focus on what he was doing. Like, it did not matter. Like my presence meant nothing.
Finally, my body started working again, and I stumbled backward out of the room. I pulled the door shut and stood in the hallway trying to breathe. My chest felt tight and my vision was going blurry. I thought I might pass out.