Every Rose Has Its Thorns

Chapter 8

        The bath did little to relax her. Despite the fact that there was a lock on the bathroom door she couldn't stop thinking about Jack barging in on her. More than anything she felt incredibly vulnerable. She spent most of the time thinking about how exposed she was. She had lived alone in major cities long enough to exercise learned caution. She wasn't naive, she wasn't defenseless and in fact, she considered herself quite paranoid. She lived alone in an apartment in a big city. But for three years Jack had watched her and she hadn't had a clue. Pulling her focus back to the present, Jo realized she was shaking so much that the water was rippling around her. She felt like one big exposed nerve. 

        Giving up on the bath, Jo had a quick shower and hopped out, wrapping herself in a towel. Peeking around the bathroom door, she found the coast clear and rushed into the adjacent closet, closing the door behind her. One side of the closet clearly belonged to Jack; crisp suits and button down shirts hung along one wall, the floor lined with various wing tipped, Italian leather shoes, all shined to perfection.

        The other half of the closet, Jo presumed, was for her. There were too many to count. She didn't bother checking everything but something told her that it would all be in her size. She picked out a pair of  sweatpants, a tank top and a zip up hoodie, feeling desperate for comfort from somewhere. She stepped back out into the bedroom dressed, drying her hair with the towel. She wasn't sure how much time had passed but Jack was sure to be back soon. 

        She went back into the bathroom and hung up her towel. Rummaging through the drawers she found a hairbrush which she brought back out into the bedroom. She sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, letting the heat dry her hair as she brushed through the long, tangled, mess. She wished she had some music to get her mind off of Jack, this room, this house. She needed to be far away from where she was and the only thing that helped was music. 

        Jack returned, promptly and as promised, and Jo rose to meet him. She felt warm and sleepy from sitting next to the fire, but her hair was still damp from the shower. 

        "Feel better?" he asked, giving her a smile. 

        She shrugged, unsure of what to do next. He looked at her wet hair and went into the closet, emerging a moment later with a winter coat, hat, and scarf. Jo looked at him, confused. 

        "I thought we could start outside, get some fresh air. It's quite a bit colder here than in San Francisco. I wouldn't want you catching cold."

        "Where exactly is here?" Jo asked, but Jack just smiled as he went back into the closet for his own winter attire. Jo pulled on the jacket, scarf and hat. She thought it was overkill but when Jack lead her outside a few moments later she was silently grateful.

        A sharp chill rushed through her as they walked over the threshold. Jack had had a firm grasp on her hand since they left the room and he didn't show any signs of letting go. They went out the bedroom door, down a short hallway, down a large front stair, and out through the front door, all too quickly for Jo to get a handle on her surroundings. 

        Jo understood immediately why he had wanted to start outside. The grounds were beautiful but the only thing she could focus on was the wall surrounding the estate. It had to stand at least fifteen feet tall and standing next to it, it became clear that it wasn't going to be possible to scale. The gate leading up to the drive way seemed to be the only avenue out but she could see at least two guards monitoring it. She looked for something like a tree, anything tall enough she might have a chance of climbing up to get over the wall but there was nothing. The front yard had nothing but low laying shrubbery and a fountain at the center of a circular drive. 

        Jack remained silent, letting her take it all in, but she could feel his eyes on her. She tried to stop looking at the wall, stealing a glance only when she thought he wasn't looking. His hand held hers firmly and he gently tugged her hand to pull her in different directions, letting her get a feel for the grounds. When they went to the backyard, Jo saw that the garden she had glimpsed from her window was only a small portion of a maze of plant life.

        As it was winter, there wasn't much color to speak of but a small orchard of what appeared to be apple trees covered the back half of the lot. To her dismay, none of them seemed tall enough to help her get over the wall. In the far right corner of the yard was a greenhouse, its glass walls foggy with condensation.

        Jo felt Jack tug her hand a bit and she realized she had stopped walking. He gently lead her towards the greenhouse. He opened the door and stood back as she entered, closing the door behind them. She was greeted with a blast of warmth. Jack dropped her hand and she looked at him surprised. He stood in front of the door - the only possible exit - and she understood why. She couldn't go anywhere anyway. 

        She pulled off her hat and scarf in the stifling room,  her cheeks and nose turning bright red from the sudden change in temperature. She looked around her in awe. All the color that was lacking in the garden outside was bursting at the seams in here. Flowers from every corner of the world were growing and thriving in here. Jo felt a smile tug at her lips, some of the despair she was feeling lifting from her chest at the sight. 

        "Did you do all of this?" she asked, looking around in wonder.

        "I don't always have time to tend to it. There are gardeners who take over when I can't, but it's mine. A little passion project, if you will."

        "It's beautiful," Jo breathed. She reached a hand out to an orchid, it's delicate petals shifting slightly in the warm air. 

        "I'm glad you like it. You're welcome in here anytime," he said, smiling at her. "Someone will have to be with you of course..." he trailed off. Jo struggled not to roll her eyes. Of course, she scoffed. 

        Jo glanced at him as she continued further away into the greenhouse. He stayed stationed in front of the door, his body relaxed but his eyes watching her every move. "Is it just you here?" she asked. 

        "No, this place is usually much busier. I had everyone clear out for the afternoon. I didn't want to overwhelm you." 

        "Who else is usually here?" Jo asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. She couldn't help but feel more at ease in here. The warm air soothed her and there was more color in here than she had seen all winter, her k********g aside. 

        "Oh just business associates. My brother stays here a lot. You'll meet them later," he said, remaining vague. 

        Jo stopped walking and turned towards him, the distance between them making her brave. "What kind of business are you involved in, exactly?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She had a hunch but all her own ideas scared her. She hoped Jack was just a psychotic rich man. That would somehow be easier to handle. 

        Jack smiled at her, narrowing his eyes a bit. "You're a smart girl. Don't tell me you haven't figured it out by now." 

        "I'd rather hear it from you." 

        Jack started moving toward her slowly. Jo tried to keep the distance between them, circling around a section of lemon trees, eyeing the door he had moved away from. "You must have heard of the Toscano family, living in Boston all those years," he stalked towards her, his head tilted to one side, like a lion toying with its prey. 

        "I hoped it was a coincidence." 

        Jack smirked. He continued to circle the lemon plants, following her every move. "You're smarter than that, Jo." He stopped as she did. Behind her was the door. She struggled not to show her fear at his next words. "I am the head of the Toscano crime family." 

        It felt like Jo's heart had stopped. All those headlines she had read during her time in Boston, even sometimes in San Francisco. Murder,  extortion, bribery, p**********n, all just a few of the things his family was involved in. The danger of her situation pressed in on her, stifling in the heat of the greenhouse. They stared at each other, Jo slowly moving backwards towards the door. Jack's eyes narrowed, telling her not to try but the fear bubbling up inside her burst and she bolted. She reached the door quickly, Jack's path to her blocked by the lemon trees she had put between them. "Jo!" he growled. 

        She made it out the door, her hat and scarf forgotten as the bitter cold cut through her but she didn't care. She didn't even know where she was running to, she just had to run. She heard Jack behind her, the greenhouse door slamming shut after him as he pursued her. He had underestimated how fast she was and that was giving her a precious few seconds to get away. 

        She ran along the wall behind the apple trees, searching for a way out, anything she might have missed before. A small indent in the wall ahead of her sparked hope in her chest and she ran a little faster, Jack's calls getting closer and closer. She didn't have much of a lead and it was dwindling fast.       

        Jo reached the break in the wall and found a wrought iron gate that filled a gap in the brick. She looked frantically for a latch, finding it only to discover an equally heavy lock keeping it fastened into place. Just as she turned to run again a force slammed into her, throwing her body brutally against the fence. Her head flew back and struck the iron, her vision blurring at the impact. She crumpled to the ground, and reached around to the back of her head, wincing at the pain. When she looked at her hand it was covered in red, but she was quickly losing consciousness. She lost control of her limbs as the world tilted she could faintly hear a voice cursing and calling her name before she passed out.