Lightning Read online

  Chapter 5

  Brooke

  It was a beautiful day in Laguna Beach and I had just come home from shopping with a few of my girlfriends when my dad called me into his office. Setting my bags down, I stepped inside and saw a younger gentleman, an incredibly good-looking gentleman, sitting across from him.

  “Darling, I would like you to meet Brandon Jackson. He’s the CEO of Jackson Software, the company that is designing the new software program for my company.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Jackson.” I smiled as I extended my hand.

  “Please call me Brandon. It’s nice to meet you too.”

  “You wanted to see me, Dad?” I asked as I took a seat next to Brandon.

  “Brandon would like to talk to you about something. He has a job offer for you. Naomi says that dinner will be ready shortly and I have a meeting to attend. Why don’t the two of you go sit out on the patio where you can talk in private?”

  This was strange and I was feeling confused.

  “Yeah. Okay. Just let me go upstairs and change and I’ll meet you out on the patio,” I spoke to Brandon.

  After changing into a pair of comfortable leggings and a long cotton shirt, I threw my long brown hair up into a ponytail. What the hell was going on and who was this Brandon guy? He owned a software company. What kind of job could he offer me? Stepping out onto the patio, I sat down at the round glass table across from him. Picking up my glass of wine, I took a sip and spoke, “I’m really confused about what’s going on here.”

  He smiled as he cut into the chicken Naomi prepared for dinner. “I have a job offer for you and I’m hoping that you’ll accept.”

  “Okay. Why don’t you tell me what this job is and then I’ll let you know if I’m the least bit interested.”

  “My brother is a professional hockey player and plays for the New York Rangers. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. His name is Logan Jackson.”

  “No. I’m sorry. I don’t follow hockey.”

  “Okay. Well. Two months ago, he was in a serious car accident that left him with a broken leg and severe nerve damage. The doctors told him that he’d never play hockey again and he’d more than likely walk with a cane for the rest of his life.”

  “I’m sorry.” I sipped my wine.

  “I spoke to your father about my brother and he told me that you might be able to help him. He’s going to need physical therapy and he’s resisting. He’s given up, so to speak. He doesn’t leave his bed. He doesn’t talk to anyone. He’s irate, agitated, angry, pissed off at the world, and I don’t know how to help him anymore. The nurses that I’ve hired to take care of him have all quit within a couple of days because of his attitude and violence.”

  “Violence?” I cocked my head.

  “He likes to throw things at the hired help. He’s a good man and this accident has destroyed his heart and soul. This isn’t my brother, Brooke. I’m desperate and I need your help. My family needs your help and I’m willing to compensate you extremely well for it.”

  “I just finished my residency and I have two job offers I’m considering from very well respected hospitals.”

  “I know. But I hope you’ll give my offer great consideration.”

  “Is his leg still in a cast?”

  “Yes, but he’s getting it off in about a week. He’s a mess, Brooke.”

  “You say he plays for the New York Rangers, so if I considered taking this job, that would mean I would have to relocate to New York for a period of time.”

  “Yes. Do you have a problem with New York?” he asked as he arched his brow.

  “No. Not at all.” I smiled. “Let me give this some thought and I’ll let you know in a couple of days.” I extended my hand to him.

  After Brandon left, I found my father had returned from his meeting and I walked into his office.

  “Hello, darling. How did it go with Brandon?”

  “Fine. But you know I have two job offers at the moment. Why would you have him talk to me?”

  He removed his glasses and set them on his desk.

  “You know why, Brooke.”

  “This is a temporary job, Dad. What do I do when it ends?”

  “Sweetie, you know you will have no problem finding a job. Remember why you got into physical therapy in the first place. You like challenges, and I think Brandon’s brother could be the ultimate one for you.”

  I sighed and walked over to him, kissing the top of his head.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “You have your whole life and career ahead of you, baby. You’re only twenty-seven. This man desperately needs someone like you to help him.”

  I gave him a small smile and went up to my room. Grabbing my laptop and sitting on my bed, I googled Logan Jackson. Whoa! I bit down on my bottom lip as I stared at his picture. He had a disconnected haircut, where it was short on the sides but longer on the top. In some pictures, he had the messy beachy look, which was totally sexy, and in others, he wore it slicked back for a more professional look, which was equally sexy. Too sexy. His brown hair matched the color of his eyes and his strong masculine jaw, which enhanced his square-shaped face, sported just the right amount of stubble that I found incredibly attractive. After studying his drop dead gorgeous face, I read up on his career. Even though I didn’t know this man from Adam, there was something about him that tugged at my heartstrings. After reading about his career and what a phenomenal hockey player he was, I read about his accident and what the press called “The end of a short-lived professional career.” I tossed and turned all night while thoughts of Logan Jackson invaded my mind. This was the perfect opportunity to get out of California for a while.

  The next morning, I placed a call to Brandon and met him for breakfast at The Boathouse Diner.

  “Good morning.” He smiled as I sat down in the booth across from him. “I was surprised to have heard from you so soon.”

  “I am going to accept your job offer and I’ll try to help your brother, but I can’t make any promises.”

  A smile graced his handsome face. A face that resembled Logan’s.

  “Thank you. It won’t be easy.”

  “I know it won’t be.” I smiled. “But I can handle him and whatever he throws at me.”

  Brandon chuckled. “When can you start?”

  “When do you want me to start?”

  “As soon as possible. He lives in a four-bedroom apartment on West 50th Street. So I was thinking that you could stay there since he really needs to be looked after at all times. Right now, my brother and I have been taking turns staying with him. I hope that won’t be a problem for you.”

  “I don’t have a problem with it, but I’m sure he will, especially if he’s in the state of mind you say he is.”

  “That’s too bad. He’ll just have to get used to having a beautiful woman staying at his place. If he has a problem with that, then he’s worse off than I thought.” He grinned.

  I felt my cheeks heat up after he said I was beautiful. Brandon Jackson was definitely a sexy man like his brother. They looked alike with the same color brown hair and almost the same haircut, but Brandon’s eyes were blue instead of brown. I remembered him mentioning there was another brother, so I was curious.

  “You said that you and your brother were taking turns staying with Logan. So there’s the three of you?”

  “Yes. My other brother, Owen, is a lightweight champion boxer. He’s training hard for the heavyweight title.”

  A small smile crossed my lips. “Logan is a hockey player and Owen is a boxer. You’re not into any sports?”

  He chuckled. “No. My dream was to own my company. I leave the sports to my brothers.” He winked.

  Taking a sip of my coffee, I held the cup tightly in my hands. “Okay, just give me a couple of days to pack and get things sorted and I’ll hop on a flight to New York.”

  “Excellent. I’ll be wrapping up some business here in the next couple of days so we can fly out together on my private jet.
”

  I stood up from my chair and held out my hand.

  “Thank you for the opportunity, Brandon.”

  “No, thank you, Brooke. You have no idea how much this means to me and my family.”

  “Just so you know, I can’t make any promises that I can help your brother. I’ll do the best I can, but if he doesn’t want to be helped, it’s his choice.”

  “I understand that. But just you trying is good enough.”

  Chapter 6

  Logan

  I lay in bed and watched my team on TV as they lost the game. An anger ripped through me as I threw the remote across the room.

  “Emily!” I screamed.

  “Yes, Mr. Jackson.” She walked in.

  “I need my pain meds. Get me my fucking pain meds!”

  “You just had a pill a couple of hours ago. It’s not time yet. I’m sorry.” The look on her face made me want to rip her fucking head off.

  “I DON’T CARE IF IT’S NOT TIME YET! YOU BETTER GET ME MY FUCKING PILLS OR ELSE, YOU STUPID BITCH!”

  She stomped away, and a few moments later, she stood in the doorway and threw the bottle of pills at me.

  “Do what you want. I’ve taken your abuse for the last time. I quit. Good luck to you, Mr. Jackson.” She walked away and the front door slammed.

  “Stupid bitch.” I grabbed my phone from my nightstand and called my brother, Owen.

  “Hey, bro. How are you?”

  “You know how I am, so stop asking me. Emily quit.”

  I heard a long sigh. “She’s only been there two days, Logan.”

  “And?”

  “I’ll be over soon.”

  “Where’s Brandon?” I asked because I hadn’t seen him in a few days.

  “He had some business in California. He told you.”

  “No he didn’t,” I snapped.

  “Yes he did. I was standing right there. You just don’t remember. I’ll be over soon.”

  “Bring some food with you.”

  I hung up on him and set my phone down. I couldn’t change the channel because the remote was across the room and I wasn’t getting out of bed to get it. As I lay there shaking my head, my phone rang. It was my agent, Bruce.

  “Yeah, Bruce,” I answered.

  “How are you doing, Logan?”

  “Like shit. The same I’ve been doing over the past couple of months.”

  “Words out about what the doctors said about you never being able to play hockey again. Your endorsements are concerned and Nike dropped you. I’m sorry, but I had to tell you. Believe me, I did everything I could.”

  “I’m in a contract. I’ll sue those motherfuckers.”

  “The contract is only valid as long as you’re playing on the team.”

  “So they’re just giving up on me?”

  “It’s all about the mighty dollar, Logan. You know that. Get some rest and I’ll talk to you later.”

  The burning anger that was already inside me erupted like a volcano. I tightly held the bottle of pills in my hand. I had hit rock bottom and I couldn’t climb back up. There was no use living anymore. I lived for hockey and now that it was taken away from me, I felt an emptiness inside that was more than I could handle. I’d fought my whole life to get to where I was and now that it was gone, the fight in me was gone. There was nothing left to fight for. I needed to end my pain and the pain of my family. They’d get over it. They’d move on and I would no longer be forced to live in the pain and misery that consumed my life.

  Opening the bottle of pills, I heard the front door open and Owen calling out my name. I quickly put the cap back on and threw the bottle on my nightstand.

  “Hey. I brought burgers.” He held up the brown bag.

  “Thanks.”

  “How about you come and sit at the table and eat?” he spoke.

  “Nah. I don’t want to. I’m fine here.”

  “You haven’t left this bed in two months, bro. You need to start moving around. You’ll feel better.”

  “What the fuck do you know, Owen?” I snapped. “You think if I move to the kitchen, I’d somehow feel better? You’re wrong. My days of feeling great are gone. The only thing I have to look forward to is sitting in that fucking wheelchair or walking with a cane for the rest of my life like some eighty-year-old man. No thanks.”

  “Dude, do you hear yourself? So what are you going to do, just give up? Dad is worried about you. Aunt Vanessa is worried about you. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for her. We owe her after everything she’s done for us. Do you think Mom would want you to just give up?”

  “Don’t you dare mention her!” I yelled as I pointed at him.

  “Whatever, bro. I’m going out there to eat.”

  ****

  Finishing the last bite of my burger, I heard the front door open and thought that Owen had left, but I heard my brother Brandon and a female voice coming from the other room. Did he actually bring one of his girls here? Because if he did, I was going to kill him.

  “How are you, Logan?” he asked as he walked into my room.

  “Just peachy, bro. Living the life. Can’t complain,” I spoke in a sarcastic tone as I turned my head and looked the other way.

  “There’s someone here I would like you to meet.”

  “I’m not meeting anyone, so you and your girl can get the fuck out.”

  “That wasn’t very nice,” I heard a female voice say as she entered my room.

  Turning my head, I saw this beautiful woman who stood approximately five foot seven with long brown hair and bright blue eyes standing two feet from my bed, staring at me.

  “I’m not a nice person. I’m sure my brother filled you in.”

  “I’m Brooke Alexander. It’s nice to meet you, Logan.” She held out her slender hand.

  I didn’t extend mine. I just wanted everyone to leave me the hell alone.

  “Okay,” she spoke as she put her hand down. “You may leave now, Brandon and Owen. I can take it from here.”

  “Are you sure?” Brandon asked.

  “What the fuck are you talking about, lady?” I yelled. “You better get your ass out of my apartment with them.”

  As she walked out of my room with my brothers, I heard the front door open and close. Good. They all left. I reached over and grabbed my pills from the nightstand. Shaking them into my hand, I looked up and saw Brooke staring at me from the doorway.

  “What are you going to do? Kill yourself?” she asked with her arms folded.

  “I thought I told you to get the fuck out of my apartment. Who the hell are you anyway?”

  “I’m the person who was hired to help you, and just to be clear, I don’t scare off that easy. So you can throw things at me, belittle me, swear at me, and scream all you want, but I’m not going anywhere.”

  Who the hell did this girl think she was? Even though she was incredibly sexy, I didn’t want her here.

  “This is my apartment and I want you out. I don’t want, and I certainly don’t need your help.”

  “I don’t care what you want. I’m here and I’m staying. Now which bedroom should I take?” She cocked her head and glared at me.

  “What? There’s no way in hell you’re staying here! Now get the fuck out before I call the police!”

  “Nope. Sorry. Call the police. I’ll take those pills right from your hand, flush them down the toilet, and then we’ll see how long you last without your pain medication.”

  “You come near me and I’ll hurt you.”

  A small smile crossed her lips. “You can’t. From what I understand, you haven’t left this bed in two months, only to go to the bathroom, correct? You know why you can’t hurt me, Logan? Because you’re scared. In order to hurt me, you’d have to leave that very spot you’re lying in. You’re afraid if you leave this bed, this room, that you’ll have to face the real world and the scariness of not being the man you were before the accident. You’ll have to deal with things in life you never imagined you would ha
ve to and that right there is what keeps you in that bed.”

  “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” I scowled.

  “Give me the pills.” She walked over to the bed with her hand held out.

  “I could hurt you right now with you standing so close to me.” I glared at her.

  “But you won’t because you’re not that guy.”

  I laughed. “You don’t know fuck about me, bitch.”

  “I know enough to know that you wouldn’t hurt me. Now, hand me the pills, please.”

  Chapter 7

  Brooke

  This wasn’t the man I saw on the internet. His hair was longer and messy. It looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. The sexy stubble on his face had grown into a bushy beard covering his chiseled cheekbones and his strong masculine jaw. He looked like a homeless man that hadn’t bathed in months and the brightness of his brown eyes that his picture displayed was gone, leaving darkness and rage in its place. Logan Jackson was self-destructing and I knew damn well he was trying to end his life.

  He scowled as he opened his fist and dropped the pills into my hand.

  “You want the fucking pills, take them. Just get the hell out of here and leave me alone.” He looked away.

  “Which bedroom should I take?” I asked.

  “Take any one you want. I don’t give a fuck. My brother is wasting your time and his money. There is nothing you can do to help me.”

  I looked down at the remote that sat on the floor. Walking over, I picked it up and handed it to him.

  “Did you throw this?”

  “Yeah. I threw it.”

  “Why?”

  “What are you? Some shrink or something?” He looked at me.

  “No. I’m not a shrink. But I would like to know why you threw the remote to your TV across the room when you knew damn well you wouldn’t get up and get it.”

  “I threw it because I was pissed off.”

  “Pissed off at what?”

  “My team lost the game. They lost because I wasn’t there to help them win it.”

  “Okay.” I nodded my head. “I’ll be out there if you need anything.”