Heart Beats

by Davidson King

  “Okay, then what?”

  “I told him to get off the car and fuck off. But he wasn’t looking at me. It was as if he was looking through me to Trinity.”

  That was odd. “Did he say anything?”

  “He waited until she stopped shouting and said, ‘Ledger could never love you. Stop fooling yourself.’ ”

  It was as if my stomach dropped and all the blood in my body drained out of me. “What?” I whispered.

  “Yeah. That’s what I said. He looked me in the eyes then and fuck, Ledger, it was dark in there. Like no one was home. And Trin, she lost it. She reached over my shoulder and slapped the guy. He laughed. Fucking laughed. And he said since she wasn’t able to make it right, he would. And walked away.”

  “I spoke to a detective. He said a car chased you.”

  Ziggy nodded. “Right. So, we got in her car, and we both agreed we had to get to you. I knew you were working and wouldn’t answer your phone, and we were only a couple of hours from you. You’d still be working, and it’d be okay.”

  He asked for some water, so I grabbed the light-pink pitcher and a small cup. The nurse said he was on an all-liquid diet and had to take it easy, so I only filled it a little bit. Once he took a few sips, he took in a breath and continued the story.

  “We drove out of the parking garage, and it was obvious we were being followed. She said she just needed to get to you before this crazy nut did.” Ziggy chuckled but he winced, and soon a tear slid down his cheek. “She knew.”

  “Knew what?” I asked as I held his hand in both of mine, wishing I could hug him and apologize until I had no voice left.

  “That she was going to die.” He sniffed but the tears flowed freely now. “We had hit the highway and the car—it was keeping pace. She looked over to me and said to make sure no matter what that you were safe.” I pulled a tissue from the box and dabbed his eyes. “Ledger, she said to tell you she was sorry.”

  “Ziggy, I know who she is…was. We’d have worked it out.”

  “The car hit her rear bumper, and she was going so fast to get away from him, she spun and…” He didn’t have to say any more. The rest was history.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He squeezed my hand and as gently as I could I held him while he sobbed. Trinity was a handful. A bitch most of the time, but she was our friend and this lunatic, this motherfucker took her from us. I’d figure out who they were and make them feel this anguish.

  The nurse came in a short while later and said Ziggy needed rest. I waited until he fell asleep, and then I went back to the waiting room to see Shane. I had to tell him all of this and had no idea how he’d take it. But, when I entered the waiting room, I was greeted not only by him but three of Riordan’s men, and I knew Shane understood just how serious this was.

  “If he was familiar to Ziggy, he’d likely be familiar to you too, right?” Shane asked an hour later as we sat in a café across from the hospital. Riordan’s men sat at surrounding tables, and we waited for Ciro to arrive.

  “I’d think so. I mean, the guy seems to be after me.”

  “Not after you, he wants you. It’s fucked up, but he’s willing to take out people around you just to get close.” Shane bit his lip as he played with his napkin.

  “Shane, listen, it may be best that you—”

  “Finish that sentence and I’ll cut you,” he snapped. “I’m not going anywhere. And I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure the crazy fucknut knows about me by now.”

  “That’s the thing, Shane. We don’t know what he knows, where he is, anything. We know he’s smart, fast, and ten steps ahead of us.”

  “When someone is ten steps ahead of you, don’t follow, Ledger. Don’t you think he’d know that you want me away from you? Think like him, not differently. That’s how you get ahead of him.”

  In this dangerous and dark situation, I managed a smile. Shane was smart and likely right. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

  “Damn straight we will,” Shane said with a chuckle and sipped his coffee.

  I had given the hospital my information to contact me if there was any change with Ziggy, and Riordan had a man by the ICU to make sure no one went in to try and get to him. So, as we sat in the café, waiting for Ciro, I people-watched. I realized I was scrutinizing each person who walked by. Man, woman, even a baby.

  “Hey.” Shane reached across the table and tapped my finger. “The baby is innocent, maybe try not to blow it up with your mind.”

  “Sorry,” I huffed. “I keep thinking I know this person, or I should. Everyone I see now, I’m wondering if I know.”

  “Of course you are. They probably want you to be paranoid. I can’t even begin to fathom the thinking they have. How do they think this will end, with you being grateful they went to such lengths to make you love them?”

  “Hell if I know.”

  “Let’s just relax and drink our coffee. We have people here watching, let’s wait for Ciro and pretend we’re on a date.”

  I chuckled and looked at Shane. “A date?”

  “Yep. I once read an article about a soldier in World War Two who met a nurse when he was shot in the leg. In the middle of a war zone, he said they had a date in the tent where other guys lay bleeding. I figure if he can have a date in the middle of war, why can’t we?”

  One of Riordan’s guys laughed, and I couldn’t help but echo the sentiment. “I suppose you’re right.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Shane

  When Ciro arrived, it was a whirlwind of information dumped into our laps. He explained how Atlas had the place covered for the next few days at least and to not worry. He had plans, but I could tell from the expression on Ledger’s face that he wasn’t happy about any of this. He lived and breathed being a DJ, and being away from it for so long had to be eating at him.

  “With all the changes to the club right now, this guy is going to know Ledger is no longer there. And with Ziggy at this hospital, there’s no way he’s not going to realize he’s here,” I argued when Ciro told Ledger to stay put.

  “We have eyes here and—”

  “You can have eyes there too,” I said.

  “Shane, we can do a few more days here. But, Ciro, I agree with Shane. It’s only a matter of time until whoever is doing this shows up here. I can’t stay in Crestfox forever, and I have to get home to Lion. Three days, tops. Then I’m going home. Let’s see what happens in that time, deal?”

  “Fine,” Ciro rose from his seat. “I got a room at the same hotel as you. I’ll be staying here with you. Riordan has guys at the club with my men, and the hospital and hotel will be covered as well.”

  “Thank you.” Ledger breathed a sigh of relief.

  We all drove to the hotel together, and Ledger said he was going to call Detective Glass about the news. With any luck what Ziggy said would cross Ledger off the suspect list.

  I only hoped this would help the detective find the guy. Hiding out wouldn’t work, and I wasn’t sure what Ciro’s master plan was if no one knew who or where the guy was.

  As I showered in the hotel while Ledger made his call, I wracked my brain for anything it could conjure. I wondered if this was someone who Ziggy and Ledger knew from another time. Maybe it wouldn’t be someone I knew. I had only met Ziggy at the con and then at Joker’s Sin when he and Trinity played. But it had to be from the con because…I quickly jumped out of the shower and raced out of the bathroom, dripping.

  Ledger looked up, still on the phone, brows furrowed.

  “What is it, Shane?”

  “Is that the detective?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Put me on speakerphone.”

  Ledger did as I asked, and I told them what had suddenly hit me while I was showering. “Whoever is doing this, they were at DJay Con. The first gift Ledger got was flowers, and they said it was great seeing him at the con. We all sort of thought maybe they weren’t linked to the other gifts. If you ask the other DJs, I’m sure they didn’t get
flowers. He probably looked familiar because Ziggy saw him there. Which is likely where it all started.”

  “I need to see those gifts,” the detective said.

  “They’re all in Haven Hart. I’ll talk to Ciro and see if he can arrange to get them all together. Would that be okay?” Ledger asked the detective.

  “That’s fine, the sooner the better. I’m going to head over to the hospital. I’ll need to speak with Mr. Zabel.”

  “Please don’t upset him.” Ledger’s protectiveness for his friend made the statement sound almost threatening.

  “It’s not my intention to upset him, but lives are in danger here. The faster we act, the quicker it all ends.”

  “Thank you, Detective,” I said quickly before Ledger could say anything to anger the man.

  “Talk to you soon, Mr. Campos.” He disconnected, and Ledger narrowed his eyes at me.

  “If he upsets Ziggy…” But he suddenly stopped talking, his gaze scanning my naked wet form.

  “Shit, I’m getting the carpet wet, gimme a sec to get a towel.” I rushed back into the bathroom; water was still going in the shower. “I had this realization in the shower, and I had to…” I came to an abrupt stop at the door when Ledger’s larger frame blocked my way.

  “I could use a shower too.” His voice was low, and I barely heard him over the rushing water. He gripped my towel and threw it onto the ground. “Join me?”

  He started stripping, and all I could do was nod. He took my hand, and I followed him into the shower and under the warm spray. He wrapped me in his arms, and our slick bodies rubbed together as the water blissfully pelted our skin.

  “How is it the world around me is collapsing, threatening to plummet me to hell, and I see you, want you, and stop caring about all the shitty things happening when we’re together?” He licked along my neck until his teeth grazed my ear.

  “I feel the same way.”

  His hand danced down my side, skimming my flesh like a whisper, and under the temperate water, it left behind a sultry chill. I gasped, gripped his shoulders, and moaned as soon as his hand covered our cocks.

  “Just like this,” he said. “Rock with me.” His words were as sinful as his touch, and like a dance, we moved together. My mouth met his in a clash of teeth and tongues; he pumped us faster and when we came, it was together. We stayed entwined with each other and let the water wash us clean.

  As the water turned cooler, we caught our breaths. I’d been with men and women but none of them, not one, made me come apart like Ledger did. There was no question he’d ruined me for anyone else.

  The following morning we met Ciro in the lobby and ate in the hotel restaurant. He informed us that the gifts, minus the flowers, which had wilted and died, would be driven over to the Crestfox Police Department for Detective Glass. We were supposed to be talking to the detective this morning. We hoped his conversation with Ziggy went well and that Ledger wouldn’t be looked at as a suspect anymore.

  “Ciro, can I ask you a question?” The three of us were driving toward the hospital, but something was bothering me.

  “You can ask me anything. But I won’t always be able to answer you.”

  “Yeah, that right there!” I pointed at him from the back seat. “There’s nothing you can’t ask me that I couldn’t answer for you. I mean, sure I have some embarrassing stories, things I’ve done. But me telling you won’t get anyone killed.”

  He glanced at me in the mirror as he drove. “That’s not a question.”

  “Before Joker’s Sin, what did you do for a living? How do you know Riordan? Why does knowing who you are get people killed? Why—”

  “Shane,” Ledger interrupted with a chuckle. “You said one question and holy shit, have you been holding all this in?”

  “I was in security. I worked for Riordan. That’s all I can say.”

  “You’re mysterious, that’s for sure.” I smiled at the big guy and while he didn’t return the sentiment, I saw a slight crinkle in the corner of his eyes.

  By the time we pulled into the hospital parking garage, we were talking about past jobs we’d had. I totally won for worst job by mentioning I worked in a dive bar and that my boss tried to kill Toby and Atlas.

  “Good morning.” The nurse at the ICU desk greeted us.

  “Morning,” Ledger, Ciro, and I all said in unison.

  “Mr. Zabel is doing well this morning. He even ate some applesauce.” She smiled; the fact that he was eating made a huge difference toward his recovery.

  “Great news. Any chance I can go back and see him?”

  “Sure thing, Ledger.”

  Ledger said to text him if we had any info, and Ciro and I went into the waiting room while Ledger visited with Ziggy.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Ledger

  “Heard you ate applesauce,” I said by way of greeting.

  “I did, and it stayed down. I’m a healing prodigy.” Ziggy sounded better today but not by much. I knew he was likely masking his pain for my benefit.

  I sat in the chair I was beginning to think of as mine and scooted closer to the bed.

  “I spoke to a detective yesterday.” Ziggy’s eyes trained on me. “He told me some stuff and I gotta ask, Ledger, what the fuck is going on?”

  “What stuff did he tell you?”

  “Does it matter? How about you tell me what the fuck has been going on? Why I’m in this bed, maybe?” There was no hiding the anger in Ziggy’s voice. At me or at the situation, I wasn’t sure. I just knew he deserved to know what was going on.

  “Fine. I didn’t tell you originally because, honestly, I didn’t think it would touch you. Then for a while, I thought it was Trin. She is…was your friend too, and I wasn’t about to sling accusations around and put you in the middle.”

  “And I respect that, but check me out.” He gestured to his body. “I’ve been slung, thrown, and broken. I’d say I get to know what’s going on.”

  I spent the next while telling Ziggy everything that had been going on, from the gifts to the little messages. I left nothing out, and he sat there listening to every word. I told him about Shane’s theory that the person was from the con and maybe that was where Ziggy remembered him from. That seemed to spark something.

  “Actually, yeah I think that is where I saw him. Strawberry thought that?”

  I chuckled at the nickname he’d given Shane. “He’s smart.”

  “And pretty.” Ziggy winked. “Glad to see you two are working out…you are working out, right?”

  “We are. I really…I got it bad, Zig.”

  “Good, ’cause if you didn’t, I might just have to bite into that plump, delicious ass of his.”

  It was good to hear the old Ziggy again. We were laughing but soon enough it got serious, and Ziggy took my hand.

  “I’m safe here, you know. I see the extra muscle you got here for me. Don’t think I don’t. You need to take care of this, because if this fucker could kill Trin and almost kill me, he will hurt Shane. Shane is his biggest threat, and if he finds out about the two of you, well…I don’t want anything happening to him.”

  “I know. I was going to tell Shane to stay away for a while, but I know he won’t. I’m keeping him close to me, and between Ciro and all the ‘muscle,’ as you put it, Shane is safe.”

  He shot me a small smile. “I want you to go.”

  “What?” Was he really so mad he wanted me to leave?

  “Go fix this shit. When it’s over, I’m gonna need you. So don’t get dead on me, keep your man safe, and get this motherfucker gone.”

  “Okay, Zig.”

  He patted my hand and let me go. “Good.” We talked a little more. I got into more detail about the gifts and the notes and everything. Told Zig what I remembered of the lyrics, and it was surprising when he chuckled.

  “How is this funny?”

  “Nah, hear me out. Remember when you liked someone you would make them a tape? You know you did it. I did it a lot, sometimes it pa
id off.”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “Sounds like the guy is making you a playlist. One you’d make for a boyfriend or girlfriend is all. It’s sick and twisted in how he’s doing it, but, yeah, sorry, go on, tell me more.”

  But I couldn’t. I couldn’t even speak because suddenly, like a bullet to my brain, I knew who was doing this. How had I not realized?

  “Ledger, you okay?”

  “Zig, you’re right. I know who’s doing this.”

  His eyes widened, as much as they could with the swelling. “You do? Just like that?”

  “At the con, there was a guy, fuck, I don’t remember his name. He asked me that question. If I were to make a playlist for someone, what songs would I put on it?”

  “Kind of a stretch, Ledger.”

  I shook my head. “No, Shane said he gave him the creeps.”

  “I bet you Strawberry remembers who it is, then. Go. Seriously, fucking go.”

  I kissed Ziggy’s forehead and rushed out the door as if the seconds would make this shithead get us. When I burst into the waiting room, I must’ve scared Ciro and Shane, because they jumped off the couch, and Ciro immediately put himself in front of Shane, blocking him from any harm. And if that didn’t tell me what kind of man Ciro was, nothing would.

  “Sorry,” I said. “I know who is doing this. But I don’t know.”

  “That’s unbelievably helpful,” Ciro said sarcastically.

  “I mean I know, but I can’t remember his name.”

  “If he gave you a name, it could be fake. Anyway, who is it?” Ciro moved to the side, no longer blocking Shane.

  “At the con, a guy asked me, if I were to make a playlist for someone, what songs would be on it? He came to my panel and my signing. Shane, the guy you said made you uncomfortable.”

  Shane’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “Oh, my God, Ledger! He wanted to make an appointment with you to come to his house and sign his equipment.”