Guarding Light Read online

  She smiled at him and then winced as the split in her lip stretched.

  He tenderly stroked her chin. "I am sorry you got hurt."

  "That's, okay." She touched the hand that was caressing her chin. "It was not your fault."

  "Will your mom freak?" Jack was concerned.

  Catlyn shook her head. "No. She will listen to what happened, decide it was an accident and tell me to stay out of it and she might throw in a kiss-to-make-it-better."

  Jack stilled at her comment. And at that very moment he didn't know what guided him to do his next action only that he wanted very much to do it.

  His gaze holding hers he slowly began to lean toward her, giving her plenty of time to stop him if she wanted. "I don't want to leave out the kiss in my first aid." He whispered.

  Other than her deep brown eyes going wide, Catlyn didn't move. He held her gaze until hers flutter closed as his lips made contact with her jaw.

  Gently he feathered kisses along her jaw, cheeks and closed eyes. Her smell was driving him nuts. She smelled like sweet peaches warmed by the sun.

  Softly he put his lips against hers, being careful not to use too much pressure. Catlyn gasped against his lips. Instinctively, he knew it wasn't from pain, her sweet sigh lengthening his cock, pushing it against his jeans. Tempering his desire to crush her to him, Jack put the tip of his tongue to her uninjured top lip, gliding it slowly back and forth.

  She moaned. "Jack."

  Suddenly, Jack pulled back. Just that quick taste of Catlyn had him wanting to bury his cock so deep in her that he didn't care that they were in the middle of the school's parking lot.

  "I am sorry, Catlyn." His voice was husky again. "The last thing you need after being hit by a six-foot football player is being fondled by a six-two football player."

  "You didn't fondle me." Catlyn's voice was lower too and her sweet smile did things to his insides.

  If she was older he would have said something other than, "Legs in." As he stood and waited until she was settled before closing the door.

  He quickly ran back to where Sam, Sara, J.T. were waiting and picked up his duffle that he dropped.

  "Is she ok?" J.T. asked.

  Jack was pissed at him. What was his deal with Catlyn? He didn't know and at this point he didn't care. It was time to nip this in the bud. "Do you really care if she is ok?"

  J.T. frowned. "What kind of question is that? You know how I feel about her."

  Shouldering his bag, Jack nodded. "Yes, I know how you feel about her." He glared at his closest friend. "And I know how she feels about you."

  Jack put up a hand, stalling anything J.T. was about to say. "Catlyn has told you. Sara and Sam have told you." He crowded into J.T.'s space. "Now, I am telling you J.T. stay the hell away from her!"

  J.T. sneered at his friend. "What? Now you want to get a hit of dark meat too, Jack?"

  Jack had started back towards his car, at J.T.'s words he didn't hesitate. He spun quickly, dropped his bag and stepped into a roundhouse punch directly to J.T.'s jaw.

  J.T. went down just as violently as Catlyn had. Jack didn't like violence but he wasn't going to let his friend harass a girl. He wasn't brought up that way. Females were to be protected.

  He stood over J.T. and warned, "I knew you were a pig sometimes when it came to girls. But those girls you did and dumped were willing, your little groupies. Catlyn has told you a million times in a million ways to leave her alone. I've stayed out of it because you are my friend and you were being harmless even though you were also clueless." Jack unclenched his fist as he continued. "J.T. you're wrong! The girl wants nothing to do with you. Be the man I think you are and leave her alone!"

  Jack turned and grabbed his duffle then turned back to J.T. still on the ground. "Now you've been warned by me." He looked at Sam and Sara. "I am giving Catlyn a ride home. I will see you guys at the party."

  Catlyn was silent on the short ride to her house. She didn't live in one of the best neighborhoods. Jack rarely had a reason to venture into the ghetto part of his town. He spent most of his time in his own upper middle class suburb or the more opulent splendor of J.T.'s neighborhood. He really didn't have a reason to be in this part of town.

  He took in the rows of three and four story brick buildings and storefronts. Some of the areas looked very clean and neat. But then just a few blocks over they were unkempt, dirty and graffiti ridden, with large groups of mostly kids of all ages walking or just hanging around on the porches and steps of the buildings. And on the corners were even bigger groups of mostly teens, mostly males and all black.

  "Just make this left and it's the third building on the right." Catlyn's softly spoken words took Jack away from his study of her neighborhood.

  Following directions he pulled in front of the building she indicated and parked. "Is your mom home?"

  She shook her head and opened the door. "Thanks Jack."

  Not wanting to leave her alone just yet he got out of the car and walked with her up the external flight of steps to white double doors. Catlyn's building was one of the nicer ones. She rang a doorbell for the second floor.

  "You live on the second floor?" Jack didn't know why he was lingering but he didn't want to leave.

  "No. My neighbor Latasha does. I live on the first floor." She gave him a look from under those gorgeous eyelashes. "My book-bag, with my keys, is in Sam's car."

  "Do you want me to run and get them or you can ride with me since you can't get in your place." Jack liked the idea a lot.

  "That's ok. Latasha can let me in. I will hang at her place until mom comes home."

  Just as Jack was about to tell her he didn't mind going, the front doors opened.

  An older teenage black girl with a high afro and a huge smile looked at Catlyn. "Hey girl, you locked out again?"

  Catlyn smiled at the girl, nodding. "Yeah, can I hang 'til mom gets back?"

  "Girl you know you don't have to ask." Latasha looked from Catlyn and Jack and then back again. "So who is this fine white boy?"

  Catlyn bowed her head and admonished in a stage whisper. "Tasha!"

  "Oh, gurrl, puhlease! You know he fine!" Tasha rolled her eyes and looked Jack up and down and made an appreciative sound in the back of her throat.

  Jack found himself blushing. He had never encountered such an openly sexual look before. He also found himself liking Catlyn's friend.

  He stuck out his hand. "Well, white boy's name is Jack Gard, nice to meet you Tasha."

  Tasha's eyebrows climbed. "Ooooh, okaay." She took his hand and shook it. "I see you got one of those really whitewhite boys." Tasha cocked her hip, putting a hand on each. "He ain't one of those whiggers."

  "Oh, my God!" Catlyn covered her face with both hands. Jack looked at Catlyn and this time he knew she was blushing.

  He laughed and looked back at Tasha. Cocking an eyebrow at her, he questioned, "Whigger?"

  "Ya know, a white boy tryin' to be black, not a nigger but a whigger."

  Jack studied Tasha to see if she was kidding. But he could see she was in earnest. "Oh, well. I am just me."

  Tasha threw her head back and laughed, giving Jack a slap on the back. "I like you white boy."

  "I like you too, Tasha." Jack found himself meaning it. He wasn't familiar with any blacks other than Catlyn. And Catlyn seemed exactly like all the girls in his circle except for the color of her skin. Tasha and Catlyn even spoke differently.

  "Now, I can see by the look on your face that you was expecting me to be like Kitty Cat here." Tasha teasingly reached over and pulled Catlyn's high ponytail.

  Jack narrowed his eyes at Tasha. "That's good. How did you know what I was thinking?"

  Catlyn gave him a quick look. He couldn't tell what made her give him such a speculative look. He returned it quirking his eyebrow at Catlyn. "What?"

  Catlyn just shook her head.

  "She surprised you honest." Tasha told him with a smile. "I think Kitty Cat wants her some white boy."

&n
bsp; "Oh, Tasha, do shut up!" Catlyn said.

  "Uh oh, she got her prissy-white-girl tone going." Tasha smiled and winked at Jack. "That mean she mad at me."

  Jack looked at Tasha. "Why is she surprised?"

  "Urrr, if you answer him Latasha Kei Williams I will never speak to you again." Catlyn went to her and put her hand over Tasha's mouth as she started to speak, totally ignoring Catlyn's threat.

  Jack laughed. "Ok, I will leave it for now."

  Tasha pushed Catlyn's hand off her mouth and smiled at Jack. "She will tell you herself if you ask right."

  Tasha laughed and kissed Catlyn. Catlyn winced bringing a hand to cup her jaw and lips.

  Tasha reached behind her and turned the light in the hall up. It was then that Jack realized it was a dimmer and it had been on its lowest setting. Light shone brightly now.

  Tasha gasped as she pulled Catlyn's hand away and saw her face. "What happened?"

  Catlyn pulled away, shaking her head. "It's nothing."

  Tasha put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Catlyn. "It was that J.T. asshole, right?"

  Jack was shocked. How did Tasha know J.T. "What makes you say that?"

  Tasha looked at Jack but this time her look was hostile. "Like you don't know, bastard?"

  Jack had never felt so insulted. "Look, Tasha, I don't know you but I can tell you love your friend." He looked at Catlyn. "I happen to like her too."

  "Jack its nothing." Catlyn said as she started up the steps.

  Tasha pulled her back down the two steps she had walked. "Hell nah! You gonna tell him what that white boy has been doing to you right now or I am."

  Catlyn wrapped her arms around herself and the tears began to fall.

  What the hell was going on? Jack was confused. But he responded to the feelings going through him. Putting his arms around Catlyn's shoulders he kissed the side of her temple and whispered. "Baby, tell me."

  Jack forgot that Tasha stood there as his hands began to caress Catlyn's arms soothingly. "Please, sweetheart."

  Catlyn just shuddered and cried harder. Jack took her more fully in his arms. She laid her head against his chest, her hands gripping his shirt. He rocked her, rubbing her back. "Catlyn, what is it?"

  Tasha looked at Jack over Catlyn's head. "I'll tell you. He's been messing with her."

  Jack looked at Tasha. Her look was direct, clear and determined. "Go on Tasha."

  Catlyn shook her head against his chest. They both ignored her.

  "Well, when she was twelve he pulled her in a boys' bathroom, told her to get gone that they didn't want any little niggers dirtying up their honor's class." Tasha stared at Jack as she continued. "When she ignored him, a few weeks after that he pulled her into another boys' bathroom, this time a bunch of his friends were there."

  Tasha's tone and hostile stare drilled him as she asked with her eyes. Jack pulled Catlyn closer to him as he felt her tremble. "I wasn't one of them. I had no idea."

  Tasha stared him down until she seemed satisfied by what she saw and continued. "He pulled her panties down and told his friends to get a good look at a nigger girl." Tasha's voice grew quiet. "I think some of them touched her."

  Catlyn cried out as she pulled out of Jack's arms and ran up the stairs. When Tasha would have followed Jack put his arm out to block her. "Let her have some time alone. I want to hear the rest."

  Tasha stepped back. "Are you for real?" She looked up at him with something close to disbelief but not quite.

  Jack felt his jaw clench tight. "I've never been more real."

  Tasha nodded as though she came to a decision. "Ok, Jack. I will trust a white boy for the first time in my life." She sat on one of the steps and waved him to another. Jack sat and looked at her.

  "Well, he's been doin' it for years, ever since she been at that school." Tasha leaned her elbows on the step behind her. "He's been getting her alone, feelin' her up when he can." She sighed sadly. "Some real sad, sick shit too. He has even showed her his dick. Told her to get ready to be sucking it like the nigger whore she is."

  Jack sat stupefied and then he felt his bile rise in his throat. "D-do you know if he has-". He trailed off. He couldn't even say the words.

  "Has that pig raped her?" Tasha bluntly asked.

  Jack nodded.

  "Nah. Not yet. Besides he says it's all leading up to their graduation 'party' where he will take what is his. Sick bastard."

  He quickly looked at her. Her words put a fear deep in his gut for Catlyn. Why wouldn't she have told someone, at the very least, Sam and Sara?

  "Kitty Cat is still a virgin." Tasha sat forward and shook her head. "Probably gonna stay one too. After everything that bastard has done."

  Jack voiced the question most on his mind. "Why didn't she tell anyone? If what you say is true, they are crimes. He could be charged."

  Tasha moved so fast Jack barely had a second to put a hand up to block the hit coming towards his face. His arm blocked her hand from connecting with his cheek.

  Their arms remained crossed as they stared angrily at each other.

  "What the hell?" Jack clenched his teeth.

  "If? If? It's true that bastard has terrorized her since she has entered that school, scaring her, leaving sick pictures in her locker with notes saying that's what he is gonna do to her. She doesn't want to be kicked out of the accelerated program. She is shooting for a full academic scholarship. All she talks about is leaving Newburgh and becoming a reporter. And, she did tell someone. Me!"

  Jack let his arm fall and asked, "Pictures? What kind of pictures?"

  "Porn mostly ", Tasha was direct in her answer, "White guys doing some master-slave type of crap to black girls."

  "Jesus!" Jack ran a hand through his hair.

  "Jesus ain't got nothing to do with the pictures she showed me." Tasha smirked.

  Jack ran a hand through his hair again, agitated. He could not believe one of his closest friends since first grade was a sick deviant. And he had been terrorizing a child right under his nose.

  "Do you still have some of the stuff he gave her?" Jack wanted to know.

  "Nah, they made Cat so sick I threw them away." Tasha shrugged. "She is only happy when she is home reading one of her books, hanging with Sara and Sam and me."

  "Man, this explains so much about her behavior." Jack sighed as he continued sadly, "And unfortunately it also explains so much of J.T.'s behavior too."

  "So, are you gonna be white is always right and stick with your boy or are you gonna do what is really right?"

  Jack was so surprised at the question he just stared at Tasha in disbelief. "You can't think I would allow this to continue now that I know about it?"

  Tasha just quirked an eyebrow at him and patted her afro. "Yes I do!"

  Jack's jaw clenched. "Well, think again! I am not into harassing little girls or threatening them with rape!"

  Jack got up and started for the door. "Tell Catlyn she has nothing to worry about anymore."

  Jack slammed out of the building so angry he didn't take notice of the satisfied gleam in Tasha's eyes.

  ****

  Jack was true to his word. At the party he single mindedly hunt down J.T. He found him in a back bedroom of Hamilton's mansion, a half-drunk cheerleader vigorously riding him, one of his little groupies. Jack recalled now how at another party this same coed was ordered by J.T. to give the entire team head. Jack had bowed out not really wanting to know if she would do it. Then he had turned his back on his friend's obvious sexually deviant actions. He didn't think it was harmful as long as the girl was willing. But now he wasn't sure if the girl was willing. What if J.T. had threatened her too without his knowing? The very idea made Jack physically ill, his stomach queasy.

  He gently tapped the coed on the shoulder. "Excuse us, Tammy!"

  Tammy looked over her shoulder, then shrugged and quietly got off J.T. and just as quietly left the room, pulling on her clothes as she did.

  "Hey man, what gives?" J.T. slu
rred his words as he sat up throwing the sheet over his lap. "I would have given you a taste when I was finished."

  Jack snapped. He lunged at J.T., slamming his head against the sturdy wooden headboard, his hand going around his throat.

  J.T.'s eyes went wide as the pressure on his neck increased and Jack planted his knee in his chest. He pulled at Jack's hand at his throat to no avail. He began to gasps for air, struggling to breathe.

  Jack shook him by his neck. "Pay attention J.T. 'cause I am only going to warn you this once." Jack did not continue until J.T. stopped struggling, dropping his hands to the bed and was looking into Jack's eyes. "You twisted piece of shit, stay away from Catlyn, in school, out in the streets, everywhere! You see her coming you go the other way." Jack squeezed harder and raised his knee then rammed it back down. J.T. tried to cough but it came out as a weak sputter. "Your torture of Catlyn ends today or so help me God you are going to live to regret it. Catlyn is now under my protection! Do you hear me scum? She's mine now and I protect what's mine!"