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"I have seen the park, but it is also accessible to anyone coming off the road."
"And Jaylen has cameras everywhere."
"Which is a very good thing. I do not like that the loft is so remote. Your nearest neighbor is several miles away. That entire area is too private and too secluded."
"It has to be. And I happen to love the quiet. I work in the city and as much as I love the whole bustle and hustle of it, I go home quiet and relaxed. It's magical."
"And a pervert with passable skills in electronics could do his thing to get to you.'
"Now who is being paranoid?" she asked him mildly as she reached for the glass of water.
"Just saying." He shrugged. "I want you to be careful."
"Yes, Mom."
"Bite me."
"I prefer to do that to my husband."
He gave her a look which had her laughing. "When we were at home, did we ever dream that our lives would turn out like this?"
She shook her head. "You pushed me to be the best. I recalled you saying to me that the only way to get back at the people who abandoned us was to be the best at what we do." Her eyes teared up again.
"You encouraged me to study, to never stop reaching for the top. You provided a home for me, made certain that I did well in school. You took jobs so that we could have food on the table." A smile touched her lips. "Remember that first apartment?"
"That old hole?" he laughed softly. "The place was too hot in the summer and icy in the winter. We had to bundle up or strip down to almost skin. We spent two years there and as soon as I got a better job, we moved the hell out."
"The second place was not so bad."
"Just tiny. We barely had space to move around."
"And then you went off to college and took me with you."
"I wasn't going to leave you alone. You are my family," he reminded her gruffly. "Always will be."
"I love you." She smiled when he jolted. "I know we never really said that to each other, but falling in love with Jaylen, opened me up to a lot of things. I find that I can express myself easier now. I just want to say that anything I have is yours."
"I don't want your damn money."
She gave him an offended look. "I was not talking about money. It's just that you took care of me for years and I wish there was something I could do for you."
"It was my pleasure and I- I happen to love you too. You are my sister."
They stared at each other a little uncomfortably before going back to eating the meal.
*****
Joelle Brody stared at the glossy photos. She had spread them out, to get the full impact. It had been risky, but she had decided that it was well worth it. And following the bitch into the ladies' room a few nights ago had been necessary.
She had no idea that she was being targeted. Jaylen was hers. She had seen him first. They had grown up together, in the same circle, from kindergarten. She had been in love with him ever since.
Yes, he had gone to a different school, an all-boys school, but she had kept up with his progress. Whenever they had crossed over, her school going to his for competitions, they had spoken briefly.
His mother had been friends, well not exactly friends, but acquaintances with her parents. He had gone off to college, and she had gone to Europe to further her education.
She had tried to make him see her, not just the occasional smile or a dance or two at the various functions. She had been angry and bitter when he was in a relationship and was his biggest fan when his modeling took off.
She had approached him at a function and made it obvious that she was available and he had just spoken to her kindly and walked away. But still, she had hoped, until the bitch took him away. Tears blurred her vision as she stared at the photo.
