Lies

Chapter 22

I stood in the shower, streaming water hitting the top of my head when suddenly hands circled my waist, startling me.

"I'm sorry..." Luke breathed against my neck,

I don't turn or answer.

"Remember the first time we met..." he began peppering kisses on my shoulder, moving up the length of my neck, "The moment I heard you speak. I knew right there I wanted to have you, I thought to myself that would be the woman to put me in my place." he said, chuckling afterward, "I had to have her and I did, and you, Jane are my greatest treasure, I'm nothing without you, I cannot even exist without you."

I was touched by his words, but Luke is smooth with words,

"You should have thought of that before you laid your hands on me the first time." I spat, and he tightened, I continued. "You're a psychopath, Luke, and now I run the risk of raising one. Joseph is like you, there's no doubting it. I have heard your childhood stories, I know how you started...."

"I know...." he gasped, spurning me to him, "You have every right to be mad, the last thing I want is for Joseph to turn out as I did."

I looked up at him with pleading eyes,

"You have to fix this, Luke. Joseph can't be anything like you, or help me God. I would-"

"It's okay..." he cuts me off, "I already made some calls."

"What, what do you mean?"

"There's institute for cases like Joseph's."

"Institute, What, are you insane! When did we talk about this?"

"Relax Jane, It's a safe registered institute."

"Don't tell me to relax, when you are talking about sending my baby to some crack house. I know how those places work, they are going to destroy him and make him crazy. My baby is not crazy, he just needs help, counseling would do just fine."

"You think my father didn't try that approach before he died." Luke waved in, shutting me right up, "Jane, believe me this is the best approach for Joseph right now. It's completely safe, and an hour away from home, so you can visit him anytime you want."

I sighed,

I would do anything to turn Joseph into a good man, my baby would be nothing like Luke.

"Joseph would do better there, you would see. I wish someone had taken me, perhaps things would have been different."

"We should book you a room then." I spurted and he laughed shortly,

"Fair enough, I deserve that." he admitted. "Jane, I promise. I'm going to change, this has opened my eyes to a lot of things."

"Boy, please." I laughed in mocking, turning my back to finish my shower,

"Okay, how about I make you a deal?"

"I'm never believing anything that comes out of your mouth again, Luke. It would only hurt me at the end."

"Hear me out first..." he pleaded,

I rolled my eyes turning to him,

"if I ever hurt you again, you can kick me out of the house." He said and I scoffed.

"Like that has ever worked before."

"That's why I placed the house in your name, it's yours, you can have whoever you want in it."

I furrowed my brow, testing him.

"You mean I can bring Jamie and all of those gorgeous men you so brag about, perhaps they could take your closet space, or our bed." I taunted.

He clenched but eyes doesn't snap,

"Don't get ahead of yourself now, Jane.."

He leans and starts kissing my neck hard causing me to giggle. "Things would be different now, Jane." he mumbled, turning and pinning me against the wall.

The following day, Luke was working late and Maria and the kids were out to visit father before he leaves.

I called Dan, an old friend of mine over, Dan is good at installing surveillance cameras. I made sure I discreet, no van.

I didn't want anyone reporting back to Luke. He would kill me, but if I had to build proof against Luke someday, I realized I needed proof.

No one would believe me without concrete evidence, without one it would be the word of striving black woman against that of a white man and we all know how that works.

"I would also need a lot of it in the bedroom." I mentioned to Dan as he was on top of the ladder, installing one the cameras in the living room. Luckily, they blended perfectly. You would hardly notice they were there, which is good because Luke wouldn't find it funny. "Especially the bathroom."

Dan glanced over at me with an arched eyebrow,

"Bathroom? Jane, does Luke know about this?"

"No.." I let out sharply, "And, Dan. You have to promise you wouldn't tell him or anyone." I pleaded with him and he ran his hand through his hair, sighing.

"What exactly are you expecting to see in the video footage, Jane?"

"I just want to feel safe, I haven't been feeling very secure in this house and we just moved in, I thought setting cameras would let me figure it out."

Dan nodded with a huff,

"Okay, I won't tell anyone.." he said and I smiled, "You know we go way back and you did help me a lot of times, so we are good."

I smiled harder at him before leaning in and giving him an appreciative hug,

"Thank you so much, Dan. You don't know what this means." I whispered over his shoulder,

"Always, Jane."

And, with that we installed cameras everywhere. The living room had different angles due to the large area, the kitchen, the dining room, hallway, stairs, guest room, the study, even the yard.

All that remained was the kid's room and then this entire house would be under video surveillance.