by Hope Stone
I sat on my bike for a moment, trying to decide how to handle this. I knew that finesse had never been my strong suit, so I followed my instincts. Going up the squeaky metal stairs to the second floor, I walked past a dozen doors before stopping in front of his room. Raising my fist, I pounded on his door with a thunderous boom. Once. Twice. Three times.
As soon as I heard the door unlatch, I lifted my booted foot and kicked the door open, knocking the man on the other side backward with a cry of surprise. He landed on his ass at the foot of his queen-sized bed. Stepping into the room, I slammed the door shut behind me.
“Jeff Donovan?” I asked. I’d never bothered to check out what the guy looked like before, so I wanted to be sure I had the right guy.
“Who the hell are you?”
He was struggling to his feet, and I let my eyes sweep the room. The man was wearing a pair of pajama pants, and I spotted his dirty clothes tossed carelessly on the floor by the TV stand.
“I said, who the hell are you?” the man repeated, sounding pissed. He kept his distance, though. He probably recognized that I had twenty pounds of muscle on him and a hell of a bad attitude.
I ignored him as I stepped over to the clothing and grabbed his jeans. Sure enough, his wallet was still in the back pocket. I pulled it out.
“You’re robbing me? Seriously?”
He must have been enraged at this idea, as he went charging at me. I swung out a fist, catching him across the face before he got close enough to lay a finger on me. He went down hard, and I took the opportunity to flip open the wallet. There was his smiling face staring up at me from his driver’s license. It was him.
Jeff Donovan. Wife-abusing piece of shit.
He groaned from his spot on the floor, but it didn’t take long before he was back up on his feet. Good. I wanted a fight.
“Who are you? What do you want?” he was getting angrier.
I could already see a purple bruise forming on his cheek where I’d hit him. It gave me more satisfaction than a decent man would get, but I didn’t care. What I’d come here for was far from decent.
“I want retribution.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I haven’t done anything to you, man. I don’t even know you.”
Jeff didn’t try to come at me again. I was bigger than him, taller and more muscular. He seemed to know instinctively that he couldn’t overpower me like he did Erica. That thought brought my anger surging forth, and I closed the distance between us in two long strides. Remembering Erica’s broken ribs, I balled up my fist and aimed for Jeff’s side. He tried to back away, but I held him in place with one hand, my fingers digging into his shoulder as I jabbed him in the ribs three times in quick succession.
He let out a pathetic cry of pain and tried to push me away but ended up propelling himself backward until he crashed into his nightstand, where I noticed a line of coke waiting to be snorted.
“What the fuck?” he yelled, holding his side as he fumbled around for his cell phone that was also on the nightstand.
“If you’re planning to call the cops, don’t bother. They’ll take forever to get to this side of town.” I chuckled humorlessly. “I bet you thought you were pretty damn smart to stoop so low as staying in a place like this. No one would ever trace you here, even if your wife did end up in the hospital.”
Jeff froze as realization flashed across his features, followed by hot anger.
“My wife? This is because of Eve?”
“Yes,” I growled. “I’m here to show you what happens when you put your hands on her.”
I shoved him backward into the wall, making him bump his head. His eyes looked glazed, which made me frown. No way was I going to let him pass out already.
The bump on the head must have rattled his brains because he tried to take a swing at my face. I caught his fist and forced the hand open. Deciding to really send a message, I bent back his index finger in one quick jerk. That could be payback for her ankle.
Jeff let out a scream, but I wasn’t worried about anyone hearing and calling the cops. People stayed at this hotel because they had their own questionable shit going on, and no one wanted the La Playa PD poking around. At least Jeff looked fully awake now.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he shrieked as I went ahead and pocketed his phone, just in case he tried to call the cops again.
“You’re going to leave town tonight. Go home. File for a divorce. After the papers are sent to Erica… I mean Eve, you will never have contact with her or Dominic again.”
My tone left no room for negotiation. He’d do what I said, or I’d make him regret it. Jeff was cradling his hand to his chest, but I could still see a fire in his eyes.
“What goes on in a marriage is between a husband and wife.”
I really hated that he kept referring to her as his wife. It wasn’t just because I hated the reminder that she was still married to this ass, it was because of the tone he used, as if he was talking about a prized possession. He might think that Erica and Dominic belonged to him, but he was dead wrong. He’d blown his chance to have them in his life in any way. It was over.
“A marriage? Is that what you call this? She’s trying to get the fuck away from you.”
“Oh my God, are you fucking her?” He let out a laugh that was bordering on hysterical. “That clever bitch, shacking up with a damn pit bull that she can sic on me when she can’t handle fighting her own battles.”
This guy just didn’t know when to quit. I shut him up with a right hook that crumpled his nose. He was on the floor again, and this time he didn’t get up. He looked pretty well defeated, but I really wanted to drive the point home. Kneeling beside him, I shoved my face into his line of sight as he was holding his nose with his good hand.
“You heard what I said. Out of town. Divorce. Never return. If I ever see your face again, I guarantee you’ll end up in the hospital. Got it?”
I stood up and waited a minute. When he just stared at me without a response, I kicked him in the side.
“Fine,” he groaned, his pain-filled voice nasally. “Fine, I’ll do what you say. Just leave.”
“Gladly,” I spat. Picking his wallet back up, I pulled out the handful of hundreds just to be an asshole. Then I turned my back and headed for the door. I wanted to get back to Erica, but I should probably get a few hours of sleep first.
BANG!
My thoughts were cut off as the explosive sound of a gun going off sounded behind me, followed closely by the pain of a bullet grazing the top of my shoulder. Holy shit. The fucker was firing a gun at me.
Whipping around, I reacted without thought, embracing the instinct to protect myself. My gun was in my hand before I consciously decided to draw it. There was no time to assess Jeff since his next shot might not miss. It was him or me. I aimed for the largest part of his body, his chest, and put a slug into the middle of it.
My heart was hammering against my ribcage, and the adrenaline rushing through my body made my limbs shake. Jeff had been on his knees, holding a gun he’d pulled from his suitcase on the floor. When the bullet hit him, he stilled, looking down at the point of impact. Then he fell forward onto the carpet, motionless.
I had killed him. It wasn’t my plan. I had thought about it, of course, but I was too concerned about Erica’s reaction. The guy treated her like crap, but he was the father of her child, and I assumed that she’d loved him once.
Would she hate me for this?
I hoped not. But I couldn’t keep it from her; I wasn’t the type to do that. So I’d find out how she felt soon enough.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dialed Hawk’s number.
“What’s going on?” he answered in a sleepy voice. It was almost two in the morning, so I wasn’t surprised that he had been sleeping, but I needed his help.
“I need a clean-up crew,” I said, tossing my gun down onto the bed. It would have to be tossed, but I could get a new one easily enough. I pulled out Jeff’s cell
phone too. That was something else that would need to be stopped.
“What?” Hawk sounded fully awake now. “Who’s the vic?”
He must have a good idea of who it was already. He’d helped me find the guy.
“Erica’s husband. We’re in his hotel room.”
“I thought you were just going to rough him up,” Hawk said, but there was no accusation in his voice. This sort of thing happened, not often, but it was the reason we had these procedures in place. I could hear the unmistakable sounds of Hawk getting dressed on the other end on the line; the rustling of fabric, the drag of a zipper, and the jostling of the phone as he pulled on a shirt.
“Started out that way, but he pulled a piece on me, and I had no choice.”
“Fuck. What a mess. You need medical?”
I reached up and touched my shoulder tentatively. It stung at the contact but wasn’t too bad. I’d stitch it up myself later.
“No, I’m fine. Let’s just get this taken care of.”
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
While I waited for him, I took a seat on the edge of the bed. Shouldn’t I feel something right now? Maybe guilt or happiness or something? I didn’t have much of anything. The only strong emotion I had was concern about what Erica would say.
I’d been honest with Erica when I told her that I’d never done this before. I’d been involved in some violent situations, but not killing. Not until now. But there was a comfort in knowing that she and Dominic were both safe because of my actions. That made it all worth it for me. Even if she hated me for it, I knew that I’d taken care of her.
Erica
“Stupid Jeff,” I mumbled under my breath as I tried to get myself dressed. It was no easy feat, requiring a lot of bending and shifting that aggravated my injuries.
The doctor had checked up on me first thing this morning, and I’d told her that I wanted to leave. She’d argued with me, saying that she was concerned about my head injury and wanted to keep me here for another day, but I insisted. I had barely established an identity here, and I didn’t have health insurance. The thought of what this hospital stay might be costing me made my head spin. Besides, the sooner I started working on an exit strategy, the better.
I had managed to get my bra and panties on and was attempting to pull my jeans up my legs. They were a little tight around my bandaged ankle, and the act of bending down to get my legs in them was horrible for my ribs, but I managed. As I buttoned the pants, I automatically reached into my pocket for my cell phone, only to frown as I remembered that Jeff had crushed it.
I was without a phone, once again. So inconvenient. I needed to find a ride home and call Tammy to arrange for Dominic to be brought to me.
There was a knock at the door. Before I could call out that I needed a minute, it opened. Trainer stepped inside, his eyes widening when he saw me shirtless. His gaze roamed over my bare skin on display, making a shiver run down my spine.
“What are you doing?” he asked gruffly. “Why are you getting dressed?”
“I’m getting released.”
“Already? Are they sure you’re okay?”
I shrugged. “I’m sure. I told the doctor I wanted to leave, so she’s getting the discharge paperwork ready.” I glanced at the clock. She’d left my room an hour ago. How long did it take to sign some papers releasing me?
Trainer crossed the room and picked up my T-shirt that was on the bed. There was a little blood on the front of it, I assumed from my busted lip, but I figured it would be okay until I got home. Then I was going to throw all of these clothes away. I didn’t need them around as a reminder of what happened.
“I can do it,” I said, reaching for the shirt. I didn’t want Trainer to help me. I didn’t want myself to fall for him even more right now. Not if I was leaving soon.
But he shook his head firmly. There was no longer lust in his eyes. Instead, he was looking at my black and blue ribcage. He reached out a hand as if to touch it but stopped just short of his fingertips making contact.
“Can you call someone to give me a ride home?” I asked. “My phone’s out of commission again.”
“I’ve got the truck today,” he said. “But I need to talk to you. If you want a ride from someone else afterward, I’ll call Swole.”
“Talk about what?” I asked as he helped me into my shirt. I had to admit that it was much easier not needing to lift my arms above my head, which made me feel like I was being stabbed in the lung.
“Take a seat,” he insisted.
I got back onto the bed, sitting with my legs dangling over the side. “What’s going on?”
Was this going to be when he told me that he was out? That this incident with Jeff was a deal-breaker?
Trainer took a deep breath, and I was shocked to realize that he was nervous. He also looked so tired, with big, dark circles under his eyes.
“Jeff’s dead,” he said.
Two words, that was it, but they changed my entire world. I felt like the universe was realigning, as I dared to hope that my struggle was finally over.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen. At least, it wasn’t why I went over there…”
“You did it?” I asked, almost not believing it. He didn’t seem capable of that to me.
“I had to. He had a gun. I went over there to talk to him.” I could tell that was a lie based on his shifty eyes. I suspected that the “talking” had been pretty physical. "The second my back was turned, he took a shot at me.”
I gasped. “Are you okay?”
He looked confused by my question. “Yeah. I was just grazed…”
I didn’t like the idea of him being hurt at all, but I was glad to hear that he wasn’t seriously injured. It could have been so much worse.
Jeff had a gun?
My stomach twisted, and I was glad that I had skipped breakfast. The man that beat the crap out of me had a weapon like that? I shuddered as I thought about what could have happened if he’d had it with him when he visited me yesterday.
“I’m so sorry,” Trainer said earnestly.
“Are you going to go to jail?”
“No.” He didn’t offer any further explanation, but I could make an educated guess.
“Outlaw Souls?”
He nodded. “We take care of each other.”
That was a little disturbing, but I tried to stay focused on the relief of knowing that Trainer wasn’t going to be dragged away in handcuffs. I just didn’t want to know what they’d done with the body or any of the details of covering it up.
I looked down at where my fingers were twisted together in my lap, trying to wrap my head around what Trainer was telling me.
“Are you mad?”
I looked back up into his eyes. Was I mad? Or sad, maybe?
I thought that I should be. I searched my heart for those feelings, trying to recall a time when I thought I loved Jeff, but I couldn’t grasp that. Not anymore. All I could feel was relief. I was free of him. For the first time in nine years, Jeff wasn’t a part of my life anymore. I didn’t have to be afraid of him. Maybe it made me a monster, but I was glad he was gone.
“No,” I said, reaching out and grasping Trainer’s hands. I pulled him closer to me, and he didn’t resist. “I’m not mad.”
He didn’t look like he believed me, so I put my arms around him, ignoring the pulling around my ribs. I buried my face in his chest and let myself relax.
Trainer ran his fingers through my hair. I was always surprised by how gentle this big man could be.
“Do you regret it?” I asked.
“No,” he replied without hesitation. “Maybe I should, but the way I see it, I was defending someone I love.”
I lifted my head, looking up into his face. “Love?”
Trainer gave me a little half-smile as he looked at me warmly. “Of course. You didn’t know?”
“Well, you’ve never said it…”
“Let me fix that.”
He placed his hands on each side of my face, his brown eyes shining with affection. “I love you, Erica.”
“Eve,” I said, wanting to hear him say it. “Call me Eve.”
“I love you, Eve.”
“I love you too.”
Trainer placed a soft kiss against my lips, carefully avoiding the spot that Jeff had busted open.
It was hard to believe that I never had to fear him again, that I could stay here, living my life as normal, with my real name. I never would have asked him to do this, never would have thought it was something that I wanted, but Jeff had pushed me too far, and I wouldn’t allow myself to grieve his loss. My dark past needed to stay behind me because the future was bright.
“Eve?” Tammy said, scrunching her nose. “Your name is Eve?”
“Yep,” I confirmed. It had been a week since I left the hospital, and I was in Swole and Tammy’s apartment on the ground floor of the Outlaw Souls complex. Our boys were in the next room, playing a video game. I wasn’t a big daytime drinker, but when Tammy had offered to open a bottle of sweet red wine, I gladly accepted a glass.
I was still in the early stages of healing from my final altercation with Jeff. It had been a whirlwind of a week. Trainer had talked to Ryder and arranged for a larger apartment so that Dominic and I could move in with him. He offered to move into the duplex with me, but the place didn’t feel the same to me after Jeff attacked me there. I knew he was gone, but the trauma he caused still lingered, transforming that place from a home to an empty shell with a very bad memory.
Here, I felt safe. We were surrounded by his fellow Outlaw Souls, and I knew that they would look out for me as they would for Trainer because we were so important to him. That was what Tammy meant when she said we were family.
Family was such a nice thing to have after everything we’d been through. Dominic and I had come to La Playa completely alone, but I found something that I hadn’t even been looking for in Trainer.