Page 16 of His Brother's Wife
Ama wanted to cry. It was such a relief to be able to be honest with someone about her feelings for Enda. “It’s true. It’s just complicated.” She told Inca about the threats Jackson had made.
Inca nodded sagely. “I get it. Look, Ama, I don’t know how much Enda has told you about my past, but I had some pretty serious …enemies, shall we say. There was a lot of violence and I nearly didn’t make it. So, I’m saying …I’ve dealt with the kind of things I think Jackson is threatening.”
“And you made it out.”
Inca nodded, her lovely face serious. “I did. And I want to help –you—we both want to help you and Enda. I don’t know how, yet, but we will. Jackson has a lot of power, and now with even a third share of his father’s fortune, he’ll think he’s untouchable.”
Ama sighed. “You’re right. Did you know about Penelope?”
Inca nodded. “Yes. Look, Ama, I’ve had some experience with obsession. It’s unpredictable. I think our first step would be to secure both your and your family’s safety.”
“I agree. My family comes first, though. If Jackson’s going to take anything out on anybody, I’d rather it was me.”
Inca gave her a strange smile. “You and I are more alike than you think. I would rather die than let anything happen to Raff.”
Ama smiled. “He worships you, and I expect he’d say the same.”
Inca laughed. “He would. Hopefully, that part of our lives is over and done with.”
Ama squeezed her hand. “And now you’re on a mission to save mine.”
“You betcha.”
After her talk with Inca, Ama felt lighter and more positive. She rejoined the wake. People were starting to leave, and she saw Enda and Olivier talking to some of the stragglers. She moved towards them, but a hand shot out of a group of people, and Jackson hauled her to his side. The smell of alcohol coming off of him was overpowering.
“Isn’t she beautiful, my wife?” He slurred and kissed her on the cheek. Ama tried to not to cringe. Macaulay’s friends looked uncomfortable, but Jackson hooked his arm around Ama’s neck. “I’m a very lucky man, wouldn’t you say?”
Ama tried to deflect attention by smiling politely at the elderly couple. “How are you both? You look well.”
Jackson snorted. “Come on, what do you say? Arthur? Magda? Isn’t Ama the most beautiful woman you ever saw? Her sister’s pretty too, if you know what I mean.”
God.Ama pushed him away from her. “That’s enough, Jackson.” She turned, red-faced, to the couple. “I’m so sorry. He’s taken Mac’s death really hard.”
The elderly couple smiled sympathetically at her and made their escape. Soon only the family, Inca, Raff, and one other couple were left. Jackson lurched at Ama. “Don’t ever contradict me again in public, bitch. That’s not your job.”
“That’s enough, Jackson.” Enda strode over and put himself between Jackson and Ama. “Go to bed and sleep it off.”
Jackson sneered. “Oh, look, it’s thebastard. Are you still here? Daddy dearest has gone now, so you can just go fuck yourself, you Italian asshole.”
Enda kept his temper. “Go to bed, Jackson.”
Jackson looked at Ama again and grinned nastily. “Okay. If Ama comes with me. She can suck my cock while I decide whether or not to fuck her sister too.”
Ama gasped in horror, and Enda, incensed, launched himself at Jackson, landing punch after punch. Jackson staggered back against the window, smashing it, but Enda yanked him to the floor.
It took both Raffaelo and Olivier to haul Enda off the bloodied Jackson. A shocked Inca had locked her arms around a trembling and sobbing Ama and was trying to calm her down.
Jackson scrambled to his feet, wiping his mouth, and then stopped, looking between Enda and Ama. “Jesus Christ …you’refuckingher.You’re fucking my wife. Bastard!”
He threw himself at Enda, but Olivier stepped between them and took the full force of Jackson’s rage. They both staggered back, and it took Raffaelo to steady the pair. Olivier got his arms around his younger brother. “Stop.Stop.”
“You filthy Italian cocksucker,” Jackson screamed at Enda, who glowered at him, “I’ll fucking kill you, I’ll killbothof you.” He struggled against his brother’s hold, turning his white-hot anger on Ama. “Bitch whore. I knew the precious princess act was fake. How long have you been opening your legs for him?”
Suddenly, Ama lost her temper. She extricated herself from Inca’s arms and went to Jackson. “Do you want to know how long, Jackson? Do you really want to know?Our wedding night, Jackson. And do you know what else? I don’t regret one moment of it because I’m in love with Enda. That’s right, Ilovehim. He’s my world now, and you’re just a bug on a windshield to me. Do you really want to me to tell them all what you do to me? How you raped me, beat me, and threatened to have my sister raped too? My father’s business ruined? Fuck you, Jackson Gallo, you’re not worth one billionth of Enda, or Olivier, or anyone.”
There were tears pouring down her face now. “I’m leaving you and seeking an annulment. Screw you. Screw my father for doing this to Selima and me.”
Jackson smiled nastily. “I’ll never agree to a divorce, Amalia. Never. You belong to me.”
