A Love to Last

A Love to Last Ch. 07

Comments, critiques and tips are welcome!

***

A loud crack echoed as Ben's neck jerked to the side. He was pulled off his feet and fell face first on the floor. It hurt like hell.

"How could you do this to me, you bitch?" Jim barked.

Ben winced as he slowly raised his head to look at his angry brother's hate filled eyes, with blood dripping down his face from the cut on his brow.

"jim?" Ben sounded surprised. His hand found his cheek and he didn't even realize that he was bleeding.

"Don't you dare call my name." Jim warned, pointing his shaky finger at Ben. "Don't even come close to me, shameless whore."

"What?" Ben gasped, rising from the floor. He was so confused. "What have I done? Why are you mad at me, Jim?"

"You're gonna pretend like you don't know." Jim snapped. "You're gonna pretend to be a saint and try to convince me? I trusted you... and..." He paused and sobbed. "...you stabbed me in the back, you whore."

"What did I do?"

"You seduced my boyfriend, you whore!" Jim snapped, cracking his hand on Ben's face.

Ben stood there staring at his brother with wide eyes, ignoring the pain on his cheek. His heart was racing so much he felt he was gonna have a heart attack. Fear slowly crept on him like a ghost and he felt shivers go down his spine.

"What?" He gasped, shaking his head. "You must have mistaken something. I didn't do such a thing and you know that."

"Really?" Jim yelled with tears following. "You're gonna deny the whole thing when I saw it with my own eyes? I saw you in David's office. You seduced him and you kissed him."

The pain Jim felt was like a sharp knife in his gut. "I heard what you were talking about. You had sex with him? How could I have been so stupid." He cried at the top of his voice. "You!" He angrily pointed at him. "I trusted you with my life."

"No, Jim, please." Ben put his hands together. "Listen to me, what you saw at the office isn't what it seemed. I have never slept with David while you guys have been together, I promise you. You need to believe me."

"Believe you?" Jim's face hardened as his teeth clenched. "All my life that's what I did but I didn't know that you were busy plotting my pain. You knew how much I love, David, and you still went ahead and fucked him?"

Ben covered his mouth, shaking his head. "I did not, please..." He tried to get close but Elena blocked him. "...listen to me, Jim. Things are not as they seem. I knew David before you guys even met. Things are so complicated that I don't even know how to explain them to you. You know I love you so much and I want nothing more than your happiness. I would never do anything that would hurt you. Believe me."

"Wow!" Elena clapped harshly, chirping at him. "That was a great speech, Ben, really award deserving. Even when caught, you're still trying to act like a saint." She chuckled wickedly. "What I have been saying about you has been true all along. Am I not vindicated?" She opened her arms, laughing harshly. "But no, my son was so blinded by your fake love that he couldn't see beyond that. But a mother is a mother after all. I see everything and I know everything. I could see right through you, cheap just like your mother."

Tears spilled over the side of Ben's eyes. He didn't care about what Elena was saying. All he wanted was to speak to his brother.

"Jim, please, listen to me..."

"Don't call my name!" Jim warned, breathing like a monster in a cave. "You shouldn't ever call my name, you stupid whore."

"Jim, please, listen... I'll explain to... ouch!" Ben screamed out in pain when Elena gripped his jaw painfully.

"Didn't you hear what he just said to you? Leave my son alone." She warned, digging her nails in his jaw. "I knew what you were up to. You couldn't stand to see my son happy. You wanted him to be miserable so you made it your mission to make him miserable, right?"

"That's not true." Ben cried, still staring at his brother. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you, Jim."

"Oh really?" She gripped his hair and pulled on it hard. "Just look at him." She yelled. "Look at my son. Does he look like he's not hurt? Does he look like he's okay? You caused him that pain and you're not even ashamed to continue pretending like you care."

"Jim please..." Ben felt like she was ripping his hair but he didn't care. "...listen to me."

"Stop it!" She slapped him hard on the face. "Even when you're caught, you won't stop pretending."

She used her might and pushed him so hard he went flying to the floor. But before he could completely fall, Ben felt strong hands holding him and helping him up. He thought it was his father but...

"Are you okay?"

Ben stopped crying and he slowly raised his face to look into the eyes of the man that held him. He looked really sad, so sad. But Ben didn't care much about that. He wondered how the man had followed him to his house.

"You're bleeding." David spoke softly. He quickly ripped a piece of a shirt and applied pressure on the cut. "What have they done to you?"

Ben cried softly. "What are you doing here?"

"When I was on my way out of the building, the security told me that Jim had come to my office." He said softly. "I didn't see him so I figured he saw us. I knew there was gonna be trouble and I didn't want you to face it alone."

"David?" Jim sobbed uncontrollably and rushed to him.

David quickly took Ben's hand and put him behind, shielding him from the two. Jim rushed to him and wrapped his arms around him, crying uncontrollably. The pain he felt was from out of this world but holding the man felt so good.

"My love, thanks for coming here." He sniveled. "I knew that you wouldn't leave me. I knew that bitch was trying to separate us. I know he seduced you but I forgive you. We'll fight this together."

David felt so bad but he carefully held Jim's hands and ripped him away from his chest. He stared into his eyes and saw nothing but pain. His eyes were blood red.

"Listen," David said, his face serious. "Ben didn't seduce me and he's not been coming after me. He's been trying to keep me away from him because of you, because he doesn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want to hurt you too and that's why I wanted to tell you earlier. I am in love with Ben and I have been in love with him even before I met you."

Jim's lip quivered, and his shoulders dropped in resignation. He didn't even feel when Elena held him. He just stared at the man he loved with tears only speaking for him.

"You're a good guy and it hurts me to tell you this but if I don't say it, I'll only be deceiving you and myself." He said softly. "Ben and I met by coincidence and I have been in love with him ever since. This is something I have always wanted to tell you since that time I met him again at dinner but...

"No!" Jim screamed, grabbing David's hands with ruthless pressure. "No, you're lying. You cannot say that to me. You do not love that whore. He seduced you, that's why you're saying that."

"Jim, listen..."

"No!" He furiously pushed the man aside and he found himself on the floor. Jim was now staring at Ben with so much anger. "What did you do to him, you whore? What the fuck did you give him? You knew he loved me."

His finger was directly pointed into Ben's face.

"Jim..."

"What did you do?" Jim smacked Ben so hard across the face, sending him to the floor. "He loves me and not you."

"Stop it!" David rose furiously and rushed to Ben, wrapping his arms around him. "Ben didn't do anything. If you wanna hurt someone then hurt me." He rose and stood still, facing Jim. "Go ahead and hurt me. I am the one that has hurt you and not Ben. All he has ever done is try to protect you at the expense of his happiness. Ben..."

"No!" Jim covered his ears. "No, you cannot say that. You're mine." He gripped David's shirt, pulling him closer. "You only love me and I only love you. Love me!"

David didn't even resist, he just stared at Jim without saying a word to him. He was hurt because he hadn't planned on breaking the news to Jim like that. Now the damage had already been done.

"You're mine, David." He wailed, breaking Ben's heart. "You're mine."

Jim felt so weak like his energy had all been drained out. His day had began so well and now it had been ruined. He let go of David and cried like a baby even when Elena held him tightly.

"How could you do this to my son?" She seethed, giving him murderous eyes. "Are you that weak that you couldn't resist being seduced by that dog?"

"Ben didn't do anything of a sort. You wanna blame someone, blame me." He said harshly. "I am the dog that has been following him because I love him."

"And what about my son? What about your love for him?" She barked. "What do you say about that? You led my son on and you were about to get engaged in a few months."

"I am sorry, ma'am, but I cannot control my heart anymore." He was trying to be as respectful as he could be. "I never wanted to get in a relationship with Jim in the first place because I feared something like this would happen. It was your son and all of you that forced me into this relationship. You were the one that was pushing all the engagement things."

"Are you blaming me?" She furiously pointed at herself. "How dare you?"

"I am not blaming you. But this is between Jim and I." He said rudely. "Let us resolve this issue. I am trying to be as respectful as I can be judging from the situation. Do not let me say something that I am gonna regret."

To say Elena was shocked would be an understatement. She tried to say something but she was dumbstruck by his statement. She eyed Ben wickedly who was looking back at her with so much fear.

"Jim, listen..."

"I don't wanna hear anything." Jim screamed, shaking his head. "If you're not gonna say you love me then I don't wanna hear it."

"Jim please, you're a good guy and..."

"Please, leave me alone." Jim screamed.

Suddenly, Jim felt himself getting dizzy as the headache struck him like lightning. He felt light and everything started spinning. Before he knew it, he was heading for the floor with a thud.

"Jim!" Elena rushed to him and held him in her arms. "Baby."

"Jim." Ben gasped, tears rolling down like a down. "Oh my God, no!"

David tried to move but Ben gripped him. "You need to go." Ben pleaded. "I am so sorry for this but you should go home."

"I will not leave you alone." David gripped his arm. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want you to get hurt."

Ben shook his head. "Maybe I deserve it because I caused it. He's in so much pain and seeing you here will only make it worse."

"Ben, understand..."

"And understand me too." He said, staring into the man's teary eyes. "This is my family. Let me handle it. You have a family waiting for you too. They must be worried sick."

"No, Ben..."

"I am begging you. Do this for me and just go. I'll be fine."

The last thing David wanted to do was leave Ben alone after what he had seen happen. He held him tightly without wanting to let him go.

"Okay, fine." He sighed. "But I won't stay away for too long. If I call and you do pick up, I'll come back."

Ben nodded. David glanced at Jim who had passed out for the last time before he left. Ben was so scared that he just wanted to be with his brother. He slowly started getting closer.

"Don't you dare come closer!" Elena warned, pointing angrily at him. "You caused this, you shameless bitch. This is supposed to be your brother."

"I didn't mean for this to happen. Please, believe me."

"Believe you?" She yelled. "Am I out of my mind? What I can promise you is that for this pain that you've caused my son, I'll make you pay. You're not gonna run away from this. You'll pay for every tear that my precious son has dropped here. Mark my words."

She called one of the guards who picked up Jim and took him to his room. Elena followed but that was after giving Ben a very deadly look. Ben remained standing there in tears. This wasn't how he had planned things to go. He didn't plan on seeing his brother so sad and so hurt.

If only he could turn back time, then he'd have changed things from the very beginning. His brother wouldn't have been so hurt. Question is, will Jim listen to his explanation?

***

Claudia was pacing about the room with the feeling of something inside her wanting to escape. She didn't know what it was until she saw her son entering the door. She glanced at her watch and the time read 11:35 PM. She became breathless with anger and her hands clenched into fists. Her body trembled and she let out a harsh breath.

"Welcome!" She chuckled bitterly, wearing a smile. "You're welcome home, your highness. You just missed the party, your own party."

"Mom, please, can you allow him rest." Amber pleaded, rushing to her brother. "He's obviously been through a lot."

"Of course, that's why I am welcoming him so nicely." She slightly bowed her head. "After all, cheating requires a lot of energy."

David stood there staring at his mother like she'd grown another head.

"Cheating?" He gasped. "What are you talking about? Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, I hear a lot of things." She crossed her arms on her chest. "I also heard that while your family, the people that loves you were busy waiting for you here, you were busy fornicating in the room with that useless bitch!"

"Please, don't!" David said harshly, shaking his head. "Don't call him names. You don't know the whole story."

"And what is there to know?"

"A lot, mom." He yelled. "I was not fornicating with anyone. I love Ben so much and I..."

"Shut up!" She snapped, pointing angrily at him. "What do you like about him? Is it the fact that he's an illegitimate son or his dirty body? How dare you disrespect me out there with a nobody. Don't you have any sense of shame?"

David felt a great wrench of sadness. "Mom, why would you say about him? You don't even know this boy."

"And what's there to know? I don't give two hoots about it." She yelled. "Now listen to me, whatever it is that you've been doing with him better end it as soon as possible and get back with your boyfriend. Do I make myself clear?"

David chuckled bitterly, putting his hands on his hips. He knew his mother was seriously but he found what she said very funny.

"What I am doing with him? I love Ben, mom, and that love isn't gonna fade away." He said confidently. "Ben is my love and I will not leave him. I am sorry."

"Oh, you will." She warned. "You are gonna break up with him and you'll go back to your boyfriend. Everything else will go as planned. So better be done with that bitch as soon as possible."

"I will not do such a thing, mom." He retaliated. "Your forced me to get into this relationship but I should have stood my ground even then. You've been dictating how it should run and I have not been saying anything.

Ben is someone that I love so much and I am not gonna just leave him because you say so." He paused and took a deep breath. "I have done so much just for this boy to accept his love for me to just lose it now. I am sorry that things didn't go the way you wanted them to but there's nothing I can do. My heart has won and I will not continue being with someone I do not love just to make you happy."

"Love?" Elena snapped. "You're preaching to me about love? What do you even know about love?"

"Enough to want to stay with ben." He answered rudely. "And if you cannot understand this then I am sorry, but I cannot help you."

"David?" Amber gasped, holding his arm. "Don't you think you're being too ruthful? Mom is just trying to help. You've been in a relationship with Jim for almost a month now and you only met his brother barely a week ago. How come you're now claiming to love him. You know this is wrong."

"No!" He looked at his sister with a serious face. "You're wrong, Amber. I have known Ben for over three months now. I just didn't know who he was and where he was until I met him again that night at Jim's place. Ben is the boy I spent a night with three months ago."

Amber stood there unblinking, trying to process what she had been told. Her lips parted in silent surprise.

"What? How is that possible?"

"I don't know but this is the boy I have been looking for." He said with a smile. "Seeing him again, I was reminded of my love for him. I wanted to tell you but Ben didn't want to do anything with me and he was scared because his step-mother would have hurt him if she found out. I spent the last week trying to convince him and with so much difficulty, he confessed his feelings. So..." He sighed. "...Ben is not at fault here. What's wrong is me being in a relationship with Jim knowing fully well who I love. It's better this way."

Claudia began clapping when she heard her son speak.

"Wow, great words." She laughed. "But over my dead body will I let you date that boy. Don't you care about my reputation and the reputation of this family."

"Is that all you care about?" He snapped. "I love Ben and it's not up to you. I will stand with this boy through thick and thin. I am not an 18 year old that you can control, mom. I just turned 22 and I know what's good for me. If you can't understand that then I am sorry but I cannot help you."

With those words, he stormed out of there and rushed upstairs, ignoring his mother's calls. Her lips grew thin with anger and she felt like exploding right there. She'd never been so angry at her son before. But he wasn't to be blamed. She knew exactly where to direct her anger.

"Mom, don't worry. I will talk to him." Amber said as she rushed upstairs.

"Ben!" She chirped, breathing harshly. "You've just stepped on a tail of a tiger and you are gonna have to face the consequences. You think you can seduce my son and get away with it. Get ready for the storm that's about to hit you."

***

Ben was coming down the stairs slowly, feeling uneasy with every step he made. He wore a white t-shirt with a black skinny jean with sandals on his feet. His hair was tied in a ponytail and he had a stitch on his forehead. His eyes went straight to the living room where Elena and Jim sat.

"Please, my love, you need to eat something." Elena pleaded. "You haven't had anything since yesterday. You'll get sick if you continue like this."

"I don't want anything." Jim spoke weakly. "The only thing I want is David, mom. He's the only food I need right now."

"I know, my love." She caressed his cheeks. "But eat first and then we'll go and see him. He loves you so much, remember? Not even some desperate whore will separate you."

Ben's mind was engulfed with negative thoughts. He exhaled, releasing some of the tension that had built up in his shoulder. He tried to tell himself nothing was going to happen as he felt his heartbeat race. It was early morning and all he wanted was to talk to his brother and make him understand. It hurt him seeing in that way.

He took a deep breath and slowly walked to the living room. Jim raised his face and when their eyes met, he saw nothing but hatred in those eyes. It hurt but he still needed to try. Waves of pain washed through his mind.

"Jim!"

When Elena heard that voice, she felt like she had been possessed by some evil spirit. She furiously rose from the couch like she'd just sat on needles. Her eyes went crazy wide and her face got red.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" She sneered, her nose flaring. "How dare you show your face to my son after all that you did. Are you trying..."

"Mom..." Jim spoke softly, holding her hand.

She stopped and just stood, staring at him like she wanted to kill him. Jim on the other hand stood and faced his brother. He had never hated anybody in his life like he did at that time. His eyes were glittering with hostility. They were wild and fearsome.