BEST FRIENDS MAKE BETTER LOVERS

Chapter 3

Riddick sat on the couch and watched Jack work in the kitchen heating up the leftover food she had in the fridge. He couldn’t believe she was the woman in the bar. She had grown up so much and the thought at what she was doing unnerved him. She finished up and brought the bowl over with the heated up chili and 2 spoons in it along with 2 beers.

“This is the last of my beer.” She mused lightly as she set the bowl between them on the couch. She handed one beer to Riddick and set the other one down on the floor. Riddick opened it and took another long drink downing half the bottle. Jack smiled at him. He hadn’t changed a bit she thought to herself. Riddick set the bottle on the floor and stared at Jack as she took a spoonful of chili and put it in her mouth and swallowed. He followed suit, still too flabbergasted at finding Jack after all this time. And finding her in that bar.

They ate the chili in silence, Jack leaving most of it for Riddick. After he finished the last of it she got off the couch and walked to the kitchen and rinsed it out and got a drink of water. She walked back to Riddick and sat on the couch again. She reached down and grabbed the beer she had set on the floor and handed it to Riddick. He cocked his head and looked at her before taking it.

“You look like you need it more than me.” She gestured softly.

Riddick took the beer and downed it while Jack watched him. His throat constricting to allow him to swallow almost made Jack moan out loud, but she kept it quiet. He was as beautiful as she had remembered. He finished the beer and set it down and looked back at Jack.

Jack smiled. “So...how have things been?” She asked quietly. She knew what was going on in his mind but hoped she could keep this reunion from getting ugly.

Licking his lips Riddick remained emotionless and passive. “Fine.”

Jack looked at her hands in her lap. “Why are you here on Dreir 3?”

“Had to fix the ship.” Came his short reply, no emotion involved.

She started fidgeting with her hands, the constant stare Riddick fixed her with getting on her nerves a bit. “Is it safe for you here?” She asked while looking away.

“Cut the shit Jack. Why are you here?” He growled at her.

Jack shot a stare at Riddick and exhaled loudly trying to keep her cool. “The ship I stowed away on came here, I didn’t have money to leave so I stayed, got a job and am trying my best to save up and survive.”

“Why aren’t you with Im-“ Riddick started but was cut off my Jack’s innocent stare to him and her whisper.

“Imam’s dead. Killed by mercs 2 years ago.”

Riddick looked down at the floor and then back at her. In a more controlled tone started. “Why not stay on New Mecca. You should have finished school, become something. I know Imam had money for you.”

Jack stood up and looked into Riddick’s face, his goggles still masking his emotion even though she could feel it in his voice. “Imam was married and had a daughter. She and the widow needed the money more than me. They offered to care for me as well but I knew it would be hard enough for them to take care of themselves, they didn’t need me as a burden.”

Riddick started pacing slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck, his muscles tightening from the tense situation. “You shouldn’t have left Jack....you could have stayed there, gotten a job there, hell....you could have gotten a job in the piloting program for fuck’s sake!”

Jack straightened up at his outburst and looked at him in anger. “I told you I couldn’t do that to Imam’s family. And what kind of job do you think I would have been able to get on New Mecca after what happened, huh? I had no choice but to leave, all that awaited me there was waiting tables for crumbs, washing laundry, or begging on the streets!”

Riddick grabbed her shoulders and pushed into the wall. He pulled off his goggles to look at her eyes. “It would have been better than being a whore, Jack.” He said in disgust.

Jack’s eyes stared back at his in disbelief. The pain in them made Riddick want to take back what he just said, tell her he didn’t mean it.

Jack looked down towards Riddick’s chest to compose herself then looked past him, her eyes full of pain and longing which made Riddick shiver.

“I understand how you would think that.” She whispered. Then she looked into his eyes and gently placed her hands on his facing stroking his cheeks and jaw tenderly. “But I need you to know that I have never ever given myself to anyone. And I would never do that for money, not under any circumstances.”

Riddick saw the compassion in her eyes and backed away. Still not sure what to think he gentled his voice. “Are you telling me that you have never been with a man before Jack?” As much as he wanted to believe her he had a hard time with it considering not only her chosen profession at that time but she was gorgeous, no doubt men were after her regularly.

Jack looked at him and then looked down and wrapped her arms around herself. Riddick noticed this behavior and didn’t like the uncomfortable way she was acting. She took a couple deep breaths and then turned to him, still holding herself. She had a tear that escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek. Riddick softly walked to her looking in her eyes.

“I said I have never given myself to anyone Riddick. That doesn’t mean that someone hasn’t taken it.” Her lip trembled as she said it, the last two words spoken in a silent whisper. She turned from him, ashamed that there time together had come to this.

He looked at her astounded, realizing the courage it took to admit to him that she had been raped, her virginity striped from her. He closed the gap between them and engulfed her in his arms hugging her.

“I am so sorry Jack...So sorry.” He breathed in her ear. She turned in his arms and wrapped herself around him letting the tears flow freely.

“I tried so hard to be brave Riddick.” She sputtered. “So hard.”

Riddick sat her down on the couch but held her in his lap rocking back and forth. “Tell me.” He muttered. “Tell me what happened. Was it here?”

Jack sniffled and then pulled back a bit to look at him. His eyes showing her it was OK now.

“Not here.” She sniffled again wiping her tears off her cheeks. “It was back on New Mecca. Mercs came looking for you. Had somehow gotten information that you knew Imam and I. Thank Allah his family was gone for the afternoon.” She shuttered at the thought of Imam’s wife and daughter possibly being there. “They came in and grabbed Imam throwing him in a chair and trying him down. Two chased me through the house. I stabbed one in the chest with the shiv you left me.” Jack paused a moment and smiled softly at that memory before continuing. “Another one grabbed me and pushed me to the floor. He cuffed my hands and pulled me up taking me back to where Imam was in the dining room. He had already been hit several times, his face bleeding a great deal. They brought me over to the table and threw me on it. One man talked with Imam, threatening him if he didn’t say where you were. When Imam wouldn’t talk they started with me.” Jack paused again as the images came hurdling back at her. Riddick held her tighter, trying to offer her some comfort.

“I told then to go fuck themselves.” She said in a quiet rage filled voice. “They laughed at me and I remember one of them saying something like ‘Not quite what I had in mind, but close.’ They threw me on the table and tore my clothes off me. I had one merc holding my arms above my head and one holding each leg. They put a bit in my mouth to keep me quiet.” Jack looked at Riddick and gently touched the sides of his mouth were the bit always rubs. “I tried to fight, I really did but there were just too many of them. They made Imam watch while they all took turns. I still refused to tell them anything even when they were done and threatening me with more. I was already broken at that point. Saying anything wouldn’t fix me was my thought. I laid on the table, pain consuming me when I heard the shot. I looked over and Imam was dead. Shot in the head and left in the chair. I couldn’t move I hurt so bad. Imam’s wife found us. I was in the hospital for two weeks.”

Jack got quiet as Riddick sat there holding her. Inside he was raging at what had happened. Angry with himself and wanting blood from the mercs. Jack turned to him taking a long breath. She smiled softly and then wrapped her arms around his neck and whispering in his ear. “God I missed you so much.”

Riddick hugged ger back and kissed her cheek. “I’m so sorry kid. If you hadn’t ever met me-“

Jack pulled back and put her fingers on his lips to quiet him mid sentence. “Don’t. Don’t ever say that to me. If I had never met you Riddick I would have died on that planet. Imam and I both would have. And if that would have happened Imam wouldn’t have a beautiful daughter to carry on his legacy. And I...I wouldn’t be here at all. I will gladly take a little pain and misery over not having ever met you and knowing what the other would entail. Don’t ever be sorry that I we have met.”

Riddick looked into her eyes surprised, after all she had told him, all the horrors she had witnessed and all she had taken from her, her eyes held nothing but hope and acceptance in him. He pulled her tight and kissed her cheek, then put her forehead to his and closed his eyes. “I can’t leave you Jack, not again. Please say you will come with me when I leave.”