by Kasey Krane
“It’s fucked up but I’ll get her out of there. So, it’ll be fine,” I said, trying to brush it off. In the past couple of days, I’d been talking about my feelings and stuff more openly, and I felt like I just needed a break from all that. I needed to focus on the task in hand and just get the job done, and the only way I could really do that was by keeping my emotions out of it.
We were on Marley’s floor now and all three of us went quiet. I pointed at the door which was her apartment and Edge went up to the door beside her apartment and put his ear to it.
After he few moments he turned around and shrugged. Then in the next moment, he was starting to pick the lock.
“Doesn’t seem like the apartment is occupied,” he said in a hushed tone. The door swung open within a minute. Edge was an expert at that, and the three of us stepped in.
Edge was right, this place looked like nobody lived here or somebody had recently moved out. There wasn’t even a piece of furniture around. The first thing I did was run to the balcony. I needed to see if I could make it into Marley’s. The guys followed me out.
Then the three of us stood on the balcony, looking towards Marley’s apartment; trying to think of an impossible plan to get into her place which was any way other than through the front door.
I rubbed a hand over my face. The distance between the two balconies seemed to be much wider than it looked from downstairs.
“Fuck that, man, we’ll just have to think of a different way to get into the apartment,” Edge said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll be able to make it,” I insisted, refusing to admit defeat.
“Spade, c’mon, man. We can call some of the other guys, call for backup. Let’s just wait it out and do this together. These guys won’t know what hit them,” Rook insisted but I was shaking my head.
“The last thing I want right now is for River to be in the middle of a full-blown shootout. That puts her life in direct danger. It’ll be safer if I can get in there and just extract her out of the apartment,” I said. Rook and Edge were exchanging looks. I knew they thought this was a bad idea and that I was just going to plunge myself to death, but I wasn’t going to stand around and wait for their approval. I walked up to the edge of the balcony.
“Fuck! Spade!” Edge hissed, rushing after me, but I had already swung my legs over the railings, grabbing it with both hands. I’d already noticed a ledge on the side of the building. It was the thing that connected the two balconies and that was what I was going to use to get myself to the other side.
“Stay the fuck alive, man!” I heard Rook hiss from the balcony.
I reached for a brick that was jutting out of the wall, and using that as support I carefully stepped on the ledge.
It was narrower than I expected. I could barely fit my feet on it, but I slowly started to slide myself across the ledge. If I lost my footing now and fell, there was no doubt that I would fall to my death. But what did that matter if River’s life was in danger? Nothing else mattered.
Marley’s balcony was now slowly coming into my reach. Focusing on her railings, I was able to reach up and grab them with both hands. I could feel all the air beginning to leave my lungs. This had required stealth, and I could feel all my muscles burning and aching now. But they weren’t really hurting yet. I couldn’t actually feel the pain still.
Slowly, I started to hoist myself up onto the balcony using the pressure I was putting with both hands on the railing. I hadn’t really formulated a plan with Edge and Rook on what they should be doing next. I was just glad I’d made it into this balcony.
The balcony door even seemed to be open, I could look inside the living room and initially, it seemed completely empty till I saw two people sitting on the couch.
***
I met River’s eyes across the room and the first thing I felt was relief. She was still alive, and seemed to be unharmed. There was a rag around my mouth, preventing her from making any noise and her hands were tied behind her back…but other than that I couldn’t see any wounds or bruises on her body.
Beside her, Marley was sitting in the same state on the couch. They had both turned to look at me and I knew they were relieved too. At least we were in the same place now.
River communicated to me that they were alone and whoever was holding them captive was in the kitchen. It was all I needed to know and I knew what I had to do next. I was not looking for a confrontation; even though I wanted to kick their ass—whoever was responsible for this.
But what was important now was to take River and Marley away safely, put some distance between them and Mr. Money’s men before we could wage a full blown war on these assholes.
I had my gun out and I scanned the room before I rushed up to her.
There was so much I wanted to say and do. I wanted to hold her in my arms and stroke her hair and kiss her and cradle her. I was filled with an overwhelming rush of emotions. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this relieved and happy to see someone, not even at the Church when I saw that she had returned for her father’s funeral.
I’d been blaming myself all this time. I knew that if something happened to her I would not be able to forgive myself, so seeing her alive and unharmed was one step of victory for me.
I’d removed the rag from around her mouth and then the ropes that were keeping her hands tied. River looked dazed, even a little confused. It was natural because of the trauma that she was going through. I pushed my gun into her hands. Even though we hadn’t made a sound and it didn’t seem like the man or men were coming back into the room, River needed to keep herself protected.
She didn’t seem keen to have it or even hold it, but I tried to reassure her. She was going to be alright.
My next task was to focus on Marley. She looked very scared, even more afraid than River and I looked into her eyes, trying to reassure her, while I tried to untie her.
Even though the rag came off easily from her face, the ropes on her wrists seemed more complicated and tighter than River’s. Or maybe I was just more agitated. I was having a hard time trying to get them undone.
But they were finally coming off, she was going to be free but I heard footsteps behind me and I knew someone had walked back into the living room.
“Stand up!” I heard a man’s growl. Before he could do or say anything more, I’d pulled my other gun out of my boot. It was easy since to do since I was already crouched on the ground. I jumped up, pointing the gun in the direction of the voice.
I didn’t recognize the man but it was obvious he was one of Mr. Money’s thugs. He had his gun pointed at me at first, but then slowly, a smile started spreading on his face and I watched him turn his gun to River.
“Make one wrong move and your girl has her brains blown out,” he hissed. Behind me, I could hear River’s deep breaths. From the corner of my eye I could see her raising the gun I had given her. She was pointing it at the man now. It made him smile even wider.
“You think you’ll be able to shoot me before I shoot you little girl?” he asked. His stomach jiggled as he laughed. From what I could tell he was alone. There was nobody else in the apartment with us, which was technically a good thing. It meant he was outnumbered, but as long as he had the gun pointed at River, it meant her life was going to be in danger.
“Why don’t we all just quietly wait here till my friends arrive?” he continued. I gritted my teeth, I was going to tell him to go fuck himself but the front apartment door started to open. Edge and Rook were walking in, shouting, with their guns held up ready to shoot.
Their entrance was exactly the distraction that we needed. It startled him and he swung around towards the door. I would have shot him, but it was River who fired the shot instead. She might not have been aiming for his head but that was where her shot got him.
Quickly, he dropped to the floor but his gun went off and another shot rang out in the room. Marley was struck in the shoulder. She screamed in pain and fell back on the couch and I heard Rive
r’s cold shriek too. I turned to find her jump towards her friend on the couch.
“Oh my God! Marley! Oh my God! Someone help! Spade!” River couldn’t stop screaming. Rook ran over to the man on the floor who wasn’t going anywhere, he was dead already. Edge and I rushed towards Marley, who needed to go to the hospital, but River continued to scream. I tried to peel her off her friend, but she wouldn’t let go.
“River…” I struggled with her. Marley had already passed out and she was bleeding out from her shoulder profusely.
“No. No. It’s my fault! Marley! I’m sorry!” River screamed, while I tried to hold on to her so Edge could lift Marley off the couch.
I wanted to tell her she was safe, that she was going to be okay but right then nothing else seemed to matter to her than the safety of her best friend.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
River
After I felt the trigger move and the gun shake in my hand, everything else was a complete blur. I had no idea what happened next. All I could see was that Marley was bleeding and then she staggered backwards and fell on the couch. I knew she was hurt and I was screaming. I couldn’t stop screaming.
I had my arms around her and was trying to shake her, trying to get her to wake up again, but she wouldn’t open her eyes. I had no idea if she was still breathing…it was all my fault. My own voice was deafening me. I couldn’t hear anything or anybody else.
Then I felt Spade’s arms wind around me. He was forcibly pulling me off Marley. He was behind me, and his arms like iron clamps were around my torso, holding me in place. I could see Marley being picked up by Edge, he was carrying her out of the apartment, running out with her.
I tried to wriggle free, to go after her; but Spade wouldn’t let me go. I felt his warm breath in my ear. He was trying to talk to me. I could feel that familiar feeling of being safe, of being protected and warm again now.
“Calm down, River, just breathe, just breathe…”
His voice and his words seemed to be breaking through the surface of my haze and I could focus on him again. I didn’t know if I was still screaming. I knew I was panting hard. I could barely breathe. His arms were still around me. I could feel the protective glow of his own body against mine. My heart was beginning to finally slow down, I could finally breathe again.
“Spade…” I whimpered his name. He loosened his grip and spun me around and I turned to look into his eyes.
“W…what is happening…what am I…where is Marley?” I stammered.
Spade was shaking his head.
“She’s been taken to the hospital. Doctors are going to take care of her. You are safe now, River, there is nothing to worry about.”
The tears were flooding down my cheeks. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. I fell on him, pressing myself to him for support as he held on to me tightly, stroking my hair.
“This is all my fault. If I didn’t come to live here, if I didn’t get in touch with her; none of this would have happened to Marley. She would still be safe.”
Spade was rocking me gently back and forth.
“You did everything you could and everything that needed to be done to keep her safe. She’s going to be fine, River. You can’t blame yourself for this.”
I looked up into his eyes and I couldn’t believe he’d found me, he’d rescued me from this. I was glad I had him in my life.
***
Spade and I were sitting together in the waiting room of the hospital, and I’d lost track of how long we’d been there. He’d spoken to Edge on the way here who informed us that Marley had been taken into emergency surgery. Because she had lost a lot of blood, it was difficult for the doctors to make any promises.
I didn’t want to go anywhere, even though there was no news on her and Spade sat with me. Edge was pacing up and down the corridors of the hospital and seemed to be agitated too.
It was Spade’s patience with me that had eventually helped calm me. When we sat down on the bench in the waiting room, I’d leaned in towards him and told him I wanted to know everything that was going on.
At first, he seemed worried and like he wanted to protect me from the truth but I insisted that I wanted to know.
Spade sighed but nodded his head and started narrating everything they had kept from me till now. How dad had set up the casino, the kind of money they made, how the casino’s success had ended up pissing off the bigger businesses. Spade finally filled me in on Mr. Money and the war he had started.
I had no idea about Ace’s brother Asher, and then the danger that Spade’s nephew was in. My dad had died a hero and I was proud. I knew Spade and the others were going to keep his legacy alive.
It sounded dangerous. While he spoke, I could picture the scenes in my head. Even when there was no war waging between The High Rollers and Mr. Money or some other group; it seemed like there was always some potential of one of these guys getting seriously hurt. That was the environment that my father had lived in everyday too. It was no surprise that he wanted me to leave the city, to go somewhere far from here.
He was hoping that sending me to Texas would keep me safe. That was all he knew to give me. Safety from the men who were constantly trying to kill him.
“I shot a man today…” I said the words after Spade and I had fallen into silence for some time. My voice was hollow and I was staring at a blank space on the wall in front of me. Spade had his arm around me still. I was leaning towards him. The only way I knew how to keep going was by leaning on him.
“You did what you had to do. You pulled the trigger at the right time. You or Marley or one of us could have been seriously injured or killed if you let that man breathe for a second longer.”
I looked up at Spade and he was nodding his head.
“Is he dead?”
Spade’s silence was enough of an answer.
“What is going to happen to the body?” I asked.
“Rook and some of the other guys from the MC are going to take care it.”
I gulped. Knowing that I had the support of an entire Motorcycle club around me, men who had been trained by my own father; was somewhat of a comfort to me. I knew they would take care of everything. I had nothing to worry about, but I was still worried.
“How long have we been here?” I asked him after some time. I was sitting with my head on Spade’s shoulder and he had his hand on my knee, caressing me.
“At least two hours,” he replied and I sighed. There was still no word about Marley. The only thing I wanted to hear was, that she was going to be alright. That she would recover from this. I wanted to apologize to her, to tell her how sorry I was about everything. From now on, I was going to try and distance myself from her in every way possible. I had no right to drag her into her.
“She’s going to be fine,” Spade interrupted my thoughts, like he could read my mind. “And I want you to stop blaming yourself for what’s happened. If it’s anybody’s fault, it’s mine,” he said. “I’m the one who got you and Marley involved. I should have been more responsible about your safety. It’s just that I’ve never been responsible for another person and I still need some time to get accustomed to that.”
I nodded and gave him a half smile.
“I trust you, Spade. I know you’re going to do your best.”
A doctor came towards us and when I saw him approaching us I jumped up. Edge had come up to us too.
“You’re Ms. Jones’ friends?” he asked and I nodded. “The surgery has been a success and she’s going to be fine.”
Those words were like a healing balm to me. I nearly fell back into Spade’s arms when I heard the doctor speak.
“Can I see her now?” I begged but the doctor was shaking his head.
“She needs to rest. Please come back in the morning. She’s barely even awake right now.” With that, he walked away from us and I looked at Spade for support. He weaved his fingers into mine.
“She’s going to be fine. Don’t worry about it. You heard what the doctor said.
Edge can watch her for the night.”
He looked at Edge who nodded his head.
“I’ll guard her room, you don’t have to worry,” he said to me and that was some relief.
Spade pulled me to himself, wrapping me in his arm again.
“You’ve had a long day, River, you need to rest.”
I knew he was right but I wasn’t sure how I could switch off my brain. It seemed to be buzzing. Flashes from a few hours ago when we were imprisoned by a dangerous man, kept rolling through my head. I didn’t know if I could ever sleep again.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Spade
I didn’t know what to do, how to handle the situation that River was in. I never had to deal with something like this before and I wanted to be careful. River had been crying the whole time, ever since Marley got shot and I had tried to do what I instinctually felt was right. I protected her and tried to keep her warm and make her feel safe. But I had no idea if it worked or not. River still looked sad.
I knew she was relieved and glad when the doctor came up to us and told us Marley was going to be fine. Even though we couldn’t see her yet, at least it was one hurdle passed. I knew Edge would look after her well, he’d make sure that nothing happened to her overnight and he’d guard her door like his life depended on it.
For now, I figured that the best thing to do would be to take River back to my place. She was hesitant in going. She didn’t really want to leave her friend alone in the hospital but I didn’t want her spending the night here either. She needed to rest.
“Spend the night at my place and we’ll figure something out tomorrow,” I suggested to River. She was still adamantly standing in the hospital waiting room, looking around her with widened eyes. I could sense she was still in shock even though she wasn’t the one who’d been shot.
She looked into my eyes and I reached for her shoulder and squeezed gently.
“I promise, tomorrow we’ll figure out a more permanent living situation for you and Marley too. We have spare rooms at the clubhouse, maybe the two of you can move in there. You’ll be safe there. You’ll always be watched.”