Read Online Fragments (The Broken Series Book 2) by Carrie Cox - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carrie Cox
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he was stuck inside the simulator, and I was sure Dominic O’Brien had taken his time before pressing the release button. The slimy worm .
There wasn’t anything I could do or say to make Jack feel better, and I hated it.
I shouldn’t have encouraged him to go to the Grand Prix, let alone to take on something like the simulator when he wasn’t ready for it.
He still wasn’t sleeping properly at night. Physically, he might be almost back to normal, but mentally, he was still very damaged.
The scariest thing about it was that he refused to talk about it. It was almost as if he was ashamed. It was horrible to see him like that.
I had always thought there were two sides to Jack — a happy, teasing version and an angry, brooding version. I’d spent pretty much equal time with both sides of his personality, and I was used to that, but this was something new, something scary.
Sitting beside me in the car, he was completely silent, and his face was blank.
I loosened my seatbelt a little and reached over to hold his hand. He didn’t react, but at least he didn’t pull away.
So we sat in tense silence as Antonio drove us back to the Harding residence.
The journey had never seemed so long before. I stared out of the window, watching the huge sandstone mansions flash past, and felt tears prick my eyes. But I was determined not to cry. That would only make Jack feel worse.
When the car’s wheels crunched over the gravel in the driveway, I felt a wave of relief. We were home. Perhaps Jack would be more relaxed now; perhaps he would talk to me.
But Jack barely waited for the car to stop before opening his door, getting out and striding off towards the house.
I thanked Antonio for the ride home and fumbled with my seatbelt before chasing after Jack.
I knew he must have heard me call after him, but he didn’t slow down or turn around. He didn’t stop until he’d reached his wing of the house.
I found him sitting on his leather sofa, staring blankly ahead.
I threw my purse onto the kitchen counter and walked into the sitting area.
I perched on the edge of the sofa.
“Jack, I’m worried about you,” I said. “I’m really sorry that it was such a horrible experience, but it’s okay, it’s over now. You never have to do it again if you don’t want to.”
He turned to look at me, but he didn’t reply. His eyes were filled with so much sadness that it just about broke my heart in two.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and quickly stood up, horrified that my eyes had started to fill with tears.
“Do you want a drink?” I asked, walking back into the kitchen area.
“No, thank you.” His voice was so quiet.
I busied myself in the kitchen filling the kettle, ready to make tea, something I always did when I was nervous. My mother always used to say a cup of tea helped even the most difficult situation. I never really understood that, but I guessed I’d picked up the habit from her.
After I made my tea, I stood by the kitchen counter, waiting for Jack to do something or say something. I didn’t want to push him, but I needed to be there if he wanted to talk.
He didn’t pick up his iPad or turn on the television. He just sat there.
After finishing my cup of tea, I left my cup on the side and went to sit back down beside him on the sofa.
“Why don’t we do something? It would help to take your mind off things. We could go for a walk?” I suggested. “Or we could watch a movie?”
Jack hesitated for a moment, then he said the words that crushed me.
“Actually, Kristina, I just need to be on my own for a little while.”
“But…” I started to protest.
“Please, Kristina.”
I swallowed hard and stood up. Tears were stinging my eyes.
“Okay,” I said in a quiet voice and backed away.
I picked up my purse from the kitchen counter and headed out of Jack’s apartment, back into the main house.
14
Jack had never shut me out quite like this before, and it terrified me.
After
There wasn’t anything I could do or say to make Jack feel better, and I hated it.
I shouldn’t have encouraged him to go to the Grand Prix, let alone to take on something like the simulator when he wasn’t ready for it.
He still wasn’t sleeping properly at night. Physically, he might be almost back to normal, but mentally, he was still very damaged.
The scariest thing about it was that he refused to talk about it. It was almost as if he was ashamed. It was horrible to see him like that.
I had always thought there were two sides to Jack — a happy, teasing version and an angry, brooding version. I’d spent pretty much equal time with both sides of his personality, and I was used to that, but this was something new, something scary.
Sitting beside me in the car, he was completely silent, and his face was blank.
I loosened my seatbelt a little and reached over to hold his hand. He didn’t react, but at least he didn’t pull away.
So we sat in tense silence as Antonio drove us back to the Harding residence.
The journey had never seemed so long before. I stared out of the window, watching the huge sandstone mansions flash past, and felt tears prick my eyes. But I was determined not to cry. That would only make Jack feel worse.
When the car’s wheels crunched over the gravel in the driveway, I felt a wave of relief. We were home. Perhaps Jack would be more relaxed now; perhaps he would talk to me.
But Jack barely waited for the car to stop before opening his door, getting out and striding off towards the house.
I thanked Antonio for the ride home and fumbled with my seatbelt before chasing after Jack.
I knew he must have heard me call after him, but he didn’t slow down or turn around. He didn’t stop until he’d reached his wing of the house.
I found him sitting on his leather sofa, staring blankly ahead.
I threw my purse onto the kitchen counter and walked into the sitting area.
I perched on the edge of the sofa.
“Jack, I’m worried about you,” I said. “I’m really sorry that it was such a horrible experience, but it’s okay, it’s over now. You never have to do it again if you don’t want to.”
He turned to look at me, but he didn’t reply. His eyes were filled with so much sadness that it just about broke my heart in two.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and quickly stood up, horrified that my eyes had started to fill with tears.
“Do you want a drink?” I asked, walking back into the kitchen area.
“No, thank you.” His voice was so quiet.
I busied myself in the kitchen filling the kettle, ready to make tea, something I always did when I was nervous. My mother always used to say a cup of tea helped even the most difficult situation. I never really understood that, but I guessed I’d picked up the habit from her.
After I made my tea, I stood by the kitchen counter, waiting for Jack to do something or say something. I didn’t want to push him, but I needed to be there if he wanted to talk.
He didn’t pick up his iPad or turn on the television. He just sat there.
After finishing my cup of tea, I left my cup on the side and went to sit back down beside him on the sofa.
“Why don’t we do something? It would help to take your mind off things. We could go for a walk?” I suggested. “Or we could watch a movie?”
Jack hesitated for a moment, then he said the words that crushed me.
“Actually, Kristina, I just need to be on my own for a little while.”
“But…” I started to protest.
“Please, Kristina.”
I swallowed hard and stood up. Tears were stinging my eyes.
“Okay,” I said in a quiet voice and backed away.
I picked up my purse from the kitchen counter and headed out of Jack’s apartment, back into the main house.
14
Jack had never shut me out quite like this before, and it terrified me.
After
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