Chapter 78 Jason opens up
JASON'S POV
We were sitting on the porch watching the sunset when Caitlyn asked me about my past. We had been discussing small things, and then she just came out and asked.
"Why do you hate Collin so much?" she said. "I mean I know he is terrible. But it feels like there is more to it than just him being a bad person."
I had been waiting for this question. Knew it would come eventually. But I still was not ready to answer it.
"It is complicated," I said.
"Everything is complicated," Caitlyn said. "But I want to know. I want to understand you better."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I love you," Caitlyn said simply. "And I want to know what made you who you are."
I took a deep breath. "I had a brother. His name was Marcus. He was two years younger than me."
"Had?" Caitlyn asked quietly.
"He died five years ago," I said. "He was twenty-three."
"I am sorry," Caitlyn said. "What happened?"
"He got mixed up with the wrong people," I said. "Started dealing drugs for one of the local gangs. I tried to get him out but he would not listen. Said he needed the money."
"And Collin was involved?" Caitlyn asked.
"Collin ran the gang," I said. "Not directly. He was too smart for that. But everyone knew he was the one calling the shots."
"What happened to Marcus?" Caitlyn asked.
"He tried to leave," I said. "Told them he was done. That he wanted out. They said okay. Said he could go. But then a week later he was found dead in an alley."
"Oh Jason," Caitlyn said.
"The police said it was an overdose," I said. "Said Marcus shot up too much heroin and died. But Marcus never used it. He only sold. He was too smart to use."
"So it was not an overdose," Caitlyn said.
"No," I said. "It was murder made to look like an overdose. And Collin ordered it."
"How do you know?" Caitlyn asked.
"Because one of the guys who did it came to me later," I said. "He felt guilty. Told me everything. Told me how they held Marcus down and injected him with enough heroin to kill a horse. Told me how Collin gave the order himself."
"Did you go to the police?" Caitlyn asked.
"I tried," I said. "But the guy who told me refused to testify. Said he would be killed if he talked. And without his testimony, there was no case. So Collin walked free like nothing happened."
"That is horrible," Caitlyn said.
"That is when I decided to bring him down myself," I said. "I started my crew. Started hitting his operations. Taking his money. Freeing his workers. Whatever I could do to hurt him."
"And that is why he hates you," Caitlyn said.
"Yeah," I said. "That is why he hates me. I have been a thorn in his side for years. Cost him millions. Made him look weak."
"He killed your brother," Caitlyn said. "You had every right to go after him."
"I know," I said. "But it has not brought Marcus back. Nothing I do will ever bring him back."
Caitlyn moved closer to me and took my hand. "I am sorry you lost your brother. I know what that feels like. To lose someone you love to Collin."
"Your dad," I said.
"Yeah," Caitlyn said. "My dad. Collin killed him and made it look like a heart attack. Just like he killed Marcus and made it look like an overdose."
"We have both lost people to him," I said.
"Which is why we need to make sure he pays," Caitlyn said. "We need to make sure he goes to prison and never gets out."
"That is the plan," I said. "Rourke is building a solid case. With your testimony and Viktor's testimony, Collin will go away for life."
"I hope so," Caitlyn said. "Because I do not think I can handle it if he gets away with everything."
"He is not going to get away with it," I said. "Not this time."
We sat there in silence for a while. Just holding hands and watching the sun go down. It felt good to tell someone about Marcus. To share that pain with someone who understood.
"Do you think about him a lot?" Caitlyn asked. "Your brother?"
"Every day," I said. "I wonder what he would be doing now if he were still alive. If he had gotten his life together. If he would be married with kids. All the things he will never get to do."
"I think about my dad the same way," Caitlyn said. "About all the things he will never see. Like this baby. His grandchild. He would have been so excited to be a grandpa."
"I am sorry Collin took that from you," I said.
"I am sorry he took your brother from you," Caitlyn said.
"We are a pair," I said. "Both of us damaged by the same man."
"But we are healing," Caitlyn said. "Together. That has to count for something."
"It counts for everything," I said.
Caitlyn rested her head on my shoulder. "Thank you for telling me about Marcus. I know that was hard."
"It was," I admitted. "But it also feels good to talk about him. To remember him. I do not want to forget him."
"You will never forget him," Caitlyn said. "He is part of who you are."
"Yeah," I said. "He is."
"Do you have any pictures of him?" Caitlyn asked.
"A few," I said. "Back at my old apartment. I left everything when we went into hiding."
"Maybe someday we can go back and get them," Caitlyn said. "When all this is over. I would like to see what he looked like."
"He looked like me," I said. "Same dark hair. Same eyes. But he was shorter. And he had this smile that could light up a room."
"He sounds wonderful," Caitlyn said.
"He was," I said. "He had his problems. Made bad choices. But deep down he was a good person. Just lost."
"A lot of people are lost," Caitlyn said. "That does not mean they deserve to die."
"No it does not," I agreed.
"Collin has destroyed so many lives," Caitlyn said. "My dad. Your brother. Margaret. All the people who worked for him who got hurt or killed. How does one person cause so much pain?"
"Because he does not care," I said. "People like Collin only care about themselves. About power and money and control. Other people are just tools to be used or obstacles to be removed."
"I was a tool," Caitlyn said quietly. "A way for him to look legitimate. A pretty wife to show off at business dinners."
"You were never just a tool," I said. "You are a person with thoughts and feelings and dreams. And he never saw that. That was his loss."
"Do you see that?" Caitlyn asked. "When you look at me do you see a person or do you see someone you rescued?"
"I see both," I admitted. "I see someone I want to protect. But I also see someone strong and brave who does not actually need protecting. Someone who survived something horrible and came out the other side."
"I like that answer," Caitlyn said.
"Good," I said. "Because it is the truth."
The sun finished setting and th
e sky turned dark. Stars started coming out one by one. It was beautiful out here and peaceful, like the rest of the world did not exist.