Lisa Ch. 06: Changes

"You heard us?" Jessica asked.

"Better believe it." Riley growled.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Riley paused. That wasn't the reaction he'd expected. Denials, excuses, diversions, yes. Riley exhaled and shook his head.

"That kind of defeats the purpose of spying." He said, but he was beginning to calm down. Jessica's demeanor took the anger out of him. If he didn't know better he'd think she was glad that they'd overheard them.

"I'm sorry that you felt you had to spy ..." Jessica said so gently that she took any remaining the steam out of Riley's anger. He dropped his hands to her waist. "But if you overheard us, then you know that I wanted you and Angus there with us. I certainly did not prefer to be with Josh, Scott and Jim."

Riley lowered his head.

"I wish you would have come out and told us you were there." Jessica added.

"It seemed that you had some pretty big secrets you preferred to keep from us."

"So you thought that you'd help us keep them?" Jessica asked completely stumped.

"We were going to ask you about it tomorrow, once the other guys were gone." Riley said but he was beginning to feel like he and Angus were these petty little kids playing stupid games.

"Oh." Jessica said. She lowered her head too and began fiddling with the fabric of his shirt.

"Oh?"

"Riley," Jessica said raising her eyes to his, "I can't tell you the secrets."

Riley exhaled.

"They're not my secrets to tell."

"Jessica ..."

"You and Angus both made me go to the source when I was asking about Beth and your parents. You said it wasn't your place to tell me. It's the same thing with the secrets. They're not mine to tell."

"Jessica. Are you, or are you not involved in whatever these secrets are protecting?" Riley asked.

Jessica hesitated. She sensed a trap.

"Are you?" he demanded.

"Yes." She said with reluctance.

"Then they are your secrets to tell."

Jessica shook her head.

"I really, really, really, want it to be the guys who tell you. You heard them say very specifically that they wanted to tell you. By going behind their backs now you're eroding their trust. And they've ... we've, already eroded yours. This can get a lot worse or it can start to get better. The right thing to do is to let them tell you."

Riley stared at Jessica. Man this sucked.

"Okay. Let's go ask them." Riley said sliding Jessica from his lap and to her feet.

"Now?" Jessica asked, glancing at the clock on the side table. "It's midnight. Won't they be asleep?"

"I doubt it, but if they are we'll wake them up."

"But they're leaving early tomorrow ..."

"Then we'd better get a move on ... " Riley said stepping to the side and sweeping his arm toward the door. "Ladies first ... "

"Can't it wait until they get back?" Jessica tried again.

"I don't want this hanging over our heads while they're gone. Let's get it out in the open ... and then we can all relax for the next few days. After you ..." he said indicating the door again.

Jessica took his hand and moved for the door.

"I hope you're right." She mumbled.

When they got to the living room, everyone was still up. They were watching some action flick on the TV. Machine guns sounded and intermittent explosions boomed through the sound system.

The men were on the edges of their seats ... they looked completely jacked up. Jessica groaned. Angus in particular seemed to be completely into the action.

"Shoot him! Shoot his fucking ass!" He was screaming at the TV ... "And that's how it's done!" He added and leaned back on the sofa, sweeping his eyes toward the hall. He froze when he saw Riley standing there, Jessica holding his hand but hanging back, just behind him. She looked like she was trying to disappear.

"Riley ... Jessica, what's wrong?" he asked, getting to his feet.

The other men turned to look at them in unison.

Josh sprang to his feet and tried to move to Jessica, but Riley blocked his way.

"Are you okay Jess?" Josh asked, trying again to get around Riley.

Riley planted his hand on Josh's chest and shoved, knocking him back a few steps.

"Riley!" Jessica gasped.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Josh demanded.

"You are! Why do you assume that if Jessica is with me she has to be hurt?"

"He just assumed something was wrong Riley ..." Jim said, "you never come back out once you've gone to bed. None of us do."

"Thanks for that insight Jim. Jessica was right, you do have the gift of vision. Since you have an uncanny way of seeing the future ... what do you think is going to happen next?"

"Shit ..." Scott hissed, sliding his eyes to Jessica who had moved from behind Riley when he'd shoved Josh. Jim and Josh looked at her too, their mouths hanging open.

"Excellent!" Angus growled and moved to stand next to Riley.

"Don't look at her like that." Riley said, "She didn't betray you. Angus and I heard everything. And in the interest of building trust I'm now asking you to your face about the secrets you're keeping ... As Jessica suggested it would be wise to do." He added when Angus looked at him like he was nuts ... and the others gaped at him.

When no one spoke, Angus moved to the coffee table, picked up the remote and turned the TV off.

"Now spill it." He ordered.

Scott, Jim and Josh looked at one another. They hadn't really thought about exactly how they were going to explain things to Riley and Angus. But one thing Jim did know was that telling them in front of Jessica was a big mistake. These weren't little secrets, these were 'Riley and Angus are going to kick our asses' secrets. And losing it like that, fighting in front of Jessica, was not going to help Jessica feel any more comfortable around them.

"We'll tell you." Jim said, "But on one condition."

"I hardly think you're in any position to dictate conditions." Riley said.

"Stupid shit!" Angus muttered under his breath as he tossed the remote on the coffee table and moved to stand right next Jim, fold his arms and glower at him.

"Actually, believe it or not, I'm doing this for you more than me. I'm trying to keep you from making a huge mistake." Jim said, glowering back at Angus, "But since you mention it, I'm in the perfect position. You obviously didn't want to wait for us to get back to tell you." He said to Riley. "Why else would you bring Jessica back out here. So if you want us to tell you everything right now, you'll meet my condition. Otherwise, you can wait till we get back."

"What makes you think you can go anywhere until we say so?" Angus growled, shoving Jim.

"Hey!" Scott yelled, stepping between Angus and Jim and shoving Angus back. "Back off!"

Josh took a step toward Angus but Riley blocked his path.

"Stop! Don't fight!" Jessica yelled and slipped past Riley and Josh to stand between Scott and Angus, planting one hand on Scott's chest, and one on Angus'. "You haven't even heard the condition ..." she said to Angus. "Maybe it makes sense ... somehow." She added when Angus growled. He looked from Scott to Jessica's hand on his chest. When he raised his eyes to Jessica's she shuddered. His eyes were the steel hard grey he used to always get when he was angry at her. Angus covered her hand on his chest with his and squeezed as gently as he was able given how angry he felt.

"Alright." He said threw gritted teeth. "What's the condition?"

"We'll talk, you'll listen. You don't pass judgment right away. Spend your three days with Jessica, and when we get back, we'll discuss."

Silence hung in the air. Jessica could feel Angus tensing again and he glared at Jim.

"Fine!" Riley said. "Fine, get on with it."

"You may want to take a seat." Jim said indicating the sofa. He wanted as much physical distance between himself, Scott, Josh and Jessica as possible. Jessica started to move to the sofa but Angus caught her by the waist.

"We'll stay right here thanks." Angus said pulling Jessica against him. Jessica's heart was pounding a mile a minute. He lay his hand over her heart. "Easy Jess. Everything is just fine. We're talking that's all."

Looking up his eyes fell on Riley. Who was watching Jessica intently.

"Shit, sorry." He said to Riley, remembering that it was still Riley's night with her. "Go to Riley." He said into her ear and gave her a gentle push in Riley's direction.

Jessica went into Riley's arms. "Please don't fight ..." she said in an urgent tone.

"We're not Jess. Just talking, that's all." Riley replied. Jessica buried her face in his chest. She didn't want to watch. She couldn't watch.

Riley looked up at Jim. "Get on with it."

"Okay. Just keep in mind that none of these things have had an adverse effect. In fact, they've helped get us to where we are now. So stay calm ... save judgment for when we get back."

"Yeah, yeah." Riley said. "Spill it!"

"K." Jim said taking a deep breath. "Jessica used to be on a competitive rifle team. She's an ace shot. We've been having target practice with her."

"Target practice ..." Angus repeated.

"Was that what that crap about your eyes was about?" Riley asked.

Jim nodded. "Apparently I need glasses."

"Keep going." Angus prompted, feeling optimistic that the secrets may not be as bad as he'd feared. Target practices wasn't so bad ... but then Jim began explaining about the wild dogs that Jessica shot ... and the neighbors she met. Angus' mind went blank. He couldn't get his mind around what Jim had said.

"... they would have been suspicious if we kept her hidden." Jim was explaining.

"She's met outsiders?" Riley interrupted.

"Riley ..." Jessica gasped, his arms had been tightening around her.

"Not a word." He said into her ear but he loosened his grip slightly.

"When?" Angus demanded.

"A few weeks ago." Scott answered. "And Josh and I were worried at first ... but Jim pointed out that if we didn't introduce Jessica and act like everything was normal, they would be suspicious and call the cops."

"It's been a few weeks now, and no cops." Josh added.

"And Jessica?" Riley asked.

"Aside from being extremely embarrassed by Scott and Josh's rude and anti-social behavior, she was fine. You can see that for yourself." Jim said.

"Anti-social behavior?" Angus asked.

"We weren't very friendly." Josh said.

"There's an understatement ..." Jessica muttered into Riley's chest.

"For Christ sake!" Angus thundered ... "You should have sho..." He was on the verge of saying 'shot their fucking asses' but Jessica had whipped her head around to look back at Angus. She looked like she knew what he was going to say and was completely horrified by the statement. He couldn't think of a better way to state the same thing so he snapped his mouth shut.

"Like I said ... don't react now." Jim said.

Angus wanted to deck Jim something awful and his expression must have conveyed that because Jim took a step back.

"Is that everything?" Riley demanded.

"Not quite." Scott said stepping toward Angus. Jim had taken enough flak. And given Riley and Angus' attitudes he wasn't in the mood to sugar coat it. "Jessica is racing Ebony for me at the casino next week. She's been officially entered."

"You're pulling our fucking legs." Angus said. "No way, no way would you do something that God damned stupid! Letting the neighbors see her, let alone meet her, was asinine, but it happened by mistake. Purposely taking her out there where the whole world will see her ... you're not insane or fucked up enough to do that ..." Angus shook his head.

"Sean and Corey did the paperwork. She's racing." Scott said.

"Sean and Corey?" Riley demanded.

"Yup. Came over and met Jessica too. Wanted to see who was going to win them a few grand."

Riley and Angus stood stalk still and glared at Scott.

"Is that it then?" Riley asked in a monotone voice. "No more insanity to fess up to?"

"That's it." Jim said.

"Good. Now get out." Riley said.

Everyone froze, including Jessica.

"We're leaving in the morning." Josh said. His eyes fixed on Jessica.

"No, you're leaving now. I don't care if you haven't packed. Just walk out that door, take your fucking horse, and go. You can buy clothes somewhere tomorrow."

No one moved.

"You heard him." Angus said taking a step toward Jim again.

"No way." Josh said and he looked at Jim. "While we're gone, they'll pack her up and disappear. We'll never see her again!"

Riley gaped at Josh in complete disbelief. Angus turned to face him, mouth hanging open.

"What kind of a paranoid, delusional, fucked up thing is that to say?" Angus boomed. "You're kidding right? What would make you even think of something like that? How could you dream something that ridiculous up?"

Riley had been looking from Scott, to Jim, to Josh and he saw something in their expressions he just didn't want to believe.

"They could dream it up if it was something they'd planned to do." Riley said slowly. Jessica groaned into his chest. That and the guilt that slid across the mens' faces told him all he needed to know.

"When we came home." Angus said with growing horror. "When you had those guns. You weren't going to clean them ... you were going to use them. On us!"

"You were fucking hurting her! Hitting her, grabbing her, raping her!" Josh yelled. "You didn't look like you were planning on changing any time soon. Christ Riley, Angus, what would you do if one of us was doing that shit to her now? Would you just let us? We weren't going to shoot you, we just wanted to leave."

"But if we didn't let you leave?" Angus said quietly, "What then?"

Josh didn't answer ... he couldn't answer.

"But you didn't go. Why?" Riley asked.

"Jessica wouldn't go." Jim said. "She wanted to give you time to come around."

Silence again. For Jessica it was unbearable. She wanted to say something to smooth things over. Make everything better. But, she couldn't find the words.

"Stay out of the way." Riley growled into her ear and suddenly Riley spun her away from him, and pushed her behind him. Then he lunged for Scott, knocking him to the ground. On cue, Angus smashed his fist into Jim's face.

To be continued ...