Repented

by Sophie Monroe

  "I love you," she whispered.

  "I love you too, princess. Sweet dreams."

  The next morning, we were up early and downstairs. Mary had whipped up an amazing breakfast of French toast, bacon and eggs Benedict. I missed bacon when I was vegan. It's such a greasy, delicious bastard. The smell made my stomach growl. Plates piled high, we all sat in the dining room laughing. It was nice to be part of a family unit. They had been through a lot but remained intact and close.

  Bri and Austin were in good spirits this morning too. I also had a feeling that they didn't abide by the no sex rule. They were like teenagers. In fact, I think they put us all to shame. They still didn't have a title and things were still playing out, but I hoped they'd stick together. There was no telling with those two though, but I had hope.

  After breakfast, Madison helped Mary clean up and load the dishwasher. I used the opportunity to call my parents before we piled into the living room. The massive tree sat front and center in front of the massive bay window. Under the tree was filled with gifts. Madison went and sat on the floor and started handing out presents. The first was to Mike from me.

  He eyed me before tearing open the envelope. A boyish grin spread across his face, and I knew I did well. "What do you think you know me or something?" He laughed, holding it out for Mary to see. "It's a certificate to go race down at the track. I get a few lessons too."

  "Are you trying to make our insurance premiums go up, Kevin?" Mary joked.

  Next, was to Mary from Madison and me. She wanted a new bag, so we got her a Celine shipped from Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. I didn't see anything special about it, but apparently it was. I'll never get girls obsession with shopping and buying tons of shit. Then they have entire wardrobes, where you can't fit one more thing in, yet they never have anything to wear and go out and buy more. I don't think I could even count the amount of pairs of shoes Madison has. Her entire walk in has shelves lined with shoes by color and style and an entire corner filled with clear boxes. I was a dude. What did I know?

  We exchanged gifts, and I finally handed Madison a red envelope. She opened it and eyed me suspiciously. It was a round trip ticket for her to go back to Arizona with me in the New Year. I gave her a spa package too that she could use while we were there. It was a few months away yet, but we had the annual Crystal Parker House charity concert coming up. Battlescars and Guilty Tendencies would both be performing, and it would give her the opportunity to meet my family and see where I grew up.

  Her face lit up. "Are you serious? We're going to Arizona?" I nodded. "Best present ever!"

  Nodding with what I'm sure was a stupid love struck grin on my face, I kissed her. "I cleared it with your office and made sure my parents will be around so they can meet you. They're very excited."

  My parents always liked Bryn as a person, but they thought she was wrong for me. Especially my mom. They always say mother knows best, this was one of those cases. Bryn had reached out a couple times since her visit, but I didn't feel the need to respond. She seemed to be doing just fine judging by her Facebook and Instagram accounts. She was always posting pictures with different guys and how nice the weather was. When I first saw them, it pained me a little, but I was hurt. Now, I was happy she was moving on. I didn't resent her. Turns out, us not getting married was for the best. All the roads and repentance led me to where I am right now, and I'd never been happier.

  A crashing sound came from the back of the house by the kitchen. Mike and I jumped up at the same time. Just as we were rounding the corner, Mike crashed into Damon. He was wearing a ski mask, but who else was it going to be. He was holding a gun pointed it right at Mike.

  He thrust a black backpack at him. "The money from the safe, or I'll kill every person in this house!" Damon pushed the gun into Mike's back.

  I stood there completely helpless, wanting to do anything I could to get the gun away from him. Running through my options, there wasn't one I could see yet. There was no chance I was risking a struggle and having it misfire.

  Mike walked slowly into the dining room and removed a picture from the wall. Behind it was a built in safe. He started spinning the dial, putting in the combination before opening the door. Stacks of bills and jewelry were neatly arranged inside.

  "Get back, motherfucker!" Damon ordered me. He repeated himself several times. There was no way I was leaving Mike to deal with this psycho alone.

  I needed to make sure everyone else was safe, even if it meant sacrificing myself to do so. Standing back a little, I waited for an opportunity to get the upper hand and get the gun away from him. The moment came as he tried to zip up the backpack with the gun in hand. Locking eyes with Mike, I hoped he read my intentions. Just as I lunged forward, Mike stepped out of the way.

  The shot ripped through my shoulder. The sound of the gun rang in my ears. I didn't feel the pain right away. Damon was disoriented enough from my tackle that we were able to get the gun away from him. I still had one hand I could use, which I wrapped firmly around his neck.

  Someone ran and hit the panic alarm button. I was starting to feel the burning radiating through my shoulder. I only needed to hold on until the police showed up. My mouth started tasting like metal, and I started feeling dizzy. I could hold on. I needed to hold on.

  MADISON

  Seeing Kevin slump over on the floor, a scream tore through my lips. I wanted to run to him. My mom grabbed onto me, not letting me move. He needed me. Austin ran and hit the panic button, before going and helping my dad keep Damon down. My mind screamed fuck Damon, help Kevin!

  My dad stood there pointing the gun at Damon with trembling hands, as we watched in horror. I couldn't believe this was happening. Time seemed to be at a standstill when the cops finally arrived. As soon as they had Damon in cuffs, I was at Kevin's side. Bri came running over with towels to hold against the bullet wound. He was losing a lot of blood. Judging by the blood also coming out of his back, I'd say it was a through and through. The cops pulled my dad to the side to find out what happened.

  "An ambulance is on its way, ma'am." The officer said. He kneeled down and started checking his vitals.

  Why didn't I go to med school? I put more pressure on the wound doing my best to control the flood of emotions. He had slipped into unconsciousness. Saying a silent prayer, I begged the ambulance would get here already.

  "He's probably gone into shock." The officer said. "His vitals are there. The paramedics should be here any second now."

  So much was going on. My mind wasn't processing any of it. I heard Bri talking to me. I heard my dad giving his statement, but my only priority was holding the towel and applying pressure. I didn't hear any of it. When the paramedics came in wheeling the stretcher, my dad came and tried moving me out of the way. I wasn't leaving him. Austin came and scooped me up. I tried fighting him, but it was useless. He was too strong. The tears started falling. The paramedics worked fast to secure him and were wheeling him out within only a few minutes.

  My mom was talking to one of the officers. She came running over with my coat, and Austin was carrying me out to the cop car. He placed me in the front seat. The officer reached over and bucked me.

  "I'm Chad. We're going to follow the ambulance to the hospital. They need the room to work."

  Tears still streaming down my face, I nodded. He turned the key and floored the gas. The streets were empty. Was this my penance? Was I going to have to live a life without him for my past mistakes? The sobs came harder, shaking my body. Kevin did what he did to keep anyone from getting hurt. Knowing Damon, he wasn't going just to take the money and leave. He was seeking revenge. Kevin knew that too.

  Chad was making small talk, but I wasn't comprehending anything he was saying either. After what seemed like an eternity, we pulled up to the front of the hospital. The ambulance was sitting in front. They had already wheeled him inside. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I found the little bit of inner strength I had and opened the door. Chad put his hand on my
back and led me through the automatic doors. We walked up to reception, and they told us we'd have to sit and wait. She said a doctor would be out to brief us once he was done being checked out.

  Taking a seat in one of the cheap, plastic chairs, I pulled out my phone. Bri texted saying they would be on their way as soon as they were done giving their statements. Chad turned to look at me. He looked sympathetic. It was hard to keep it together, but I was strong. I could get through this.

  "Some morning, huh?" He asked.

  I nodded, holding back tears. "One minute we were opening up presents, the next it was a nightmare. I'm assuming you already know that Damon is my ex, and he was trying to rob my family. Kevin just did what he had to do to keep us safe. If it weren't for him, you probably would have showed up to a grizzly multiple homicide this morning." The thought sent a chill up my spine.

  "Your dad told us. You're going to need to give a statement, but it can wait until after everything settles down. I'll stay until your family can get here."

  I thanked him. Rubbing my temples, I thought about texting Aubrey, but it was Christmas morning. They didn't need their happy morning ruined. Besides, there's no doubt that they, and the rest of the guys would come. I couldn't help but keep checking the clock. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes.

  A doctor came out and scanned the room. Seeing me sitting there with a uniformed officer, he strode over.

  "Mr. Johnson's family?" He asked.

  "That's me." A lump formed in my throat.

  "Dr. Cosgrove." He held out his hand. "They're prepping him for surgery now. He lost a lot of blood, but his vitals are still good. The bullet went straight through, but there's a tear that needs to be repaired. We won't know the extent of the damage until we're operating. We'll update you as soon as we're finished."

  Shit! I didn't even think about the possibility of long term damage. An injury like this could ruin his music career. I kneeled forward, putting my head down. Chad's hand rubbed my back, as my chest heaved.

  "He's going to be fine, Madison. I'm not exactly a doctor, but I was in the military. I've seen my fair share of gunshot wounds. They'll do everything they can to make sure he's fine. Hell, I'm sure he'll be up and around in no time."

  It did little to reassure me. I wanted my dad. I wanted Damon to pay.

  "What's going to happen to Damon?" I asked.

  "We'll charge him with anything we can to help get max jail time. He already has a record, but we'll try and get as many charges to stick as possible." He gave me a small, half smile.

  "A few weeks ago, he sent me pictures and a threat. He had been secretly videotaping me using a webcam. I never reported it because it was embarrassing, and I didn't want the possibility of a leak. It would cause a media stir for sure. There's a lot of people that would love to get their hands on nude's of Kevin."

  "Why's that?" Chad asked, confused.

  "He's the lead guitarist for Battlescars."

  Recognition crossed his face. "Really? I love those guys. I didn't recognize him. Then again, I wasn't exactly looking at his face. You should have reported it. We can still try and add that into the report. Do you still have the evidence?"

  "I just graduated law school." If I could have chuckled, I would have. "Yes, I still have everything."

  He nodded. Reaching into the front pocket of his uniform, he pulled out a card and handed it to me. "All my info is on here. When you feel ready, we'll get everything together. He doesn't deserve to be walking the streets."

  Amen to that.

  Two hours later, the entire emergency room was filled. A nurse came over and escorted us to a private waiting room. Austin had called Jake to let him know what happened. They rounded the troops, and we now had almost every member of Battlescars and Guilty Tendencies here. Not feeling overly social, I situated myself in the corner. Chad had left after everyone arrived. I told him to stay safe and that I would be in touch. I wouldn't forget his kindness. He didn't have to sit and stay with me for as long as he did.

  Granny Jean came and took a seat next to me. She and Kevin had a special relationship, and I could sense she was upset even though she was completely even keeled. "He's gonna be fine, kid." I wanted to smile, but I couldn't muster it. There was still lingering doubt, and until he was awake and moving around, I wasn't feeling any joy. "I can tell you feel like this is your fault. It's not. That scumbag will go to jail and you two lovebirds can work on building your happily ever after. You need to be strong for him now."

  It wasn't going to be easy, but damn I was going to try.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  I'M TO BLAME

  KEVIN

  Opening my eyes, I immediately knew where I was. I didn't feel any pain, but it was hard to forget the feeling of a bullet tearing through your flesh. Moving my hand, I was grateful when my fingers moved. I didn't want to push it until after I talked to the doctors, but hopefully there wouldn't be any long-term damage. Madison was curled up sleeping in the chair next to my bed. She looked like hell. Mascara was smeared under her eyes, and there was still blood on her sweater. I wanted nothing more than to pick her up and put her in bed with me.

  Details were fuzzy from that morning. I just remembered bits and pieces, but no one else got hurt and Damon would be away for a long time. Staring at Madison's beautiful face, I felt grateful to be alive. I could manage not playing music if push came to shove, even though it would suck, but the thought of leaving her behind was something I didn't want to think about.

  Struggling to sit up, I managed to set off one of the alarms. Madison jumped up, startled. A team of nurses came running in, and I couldn't help but laugh. Just my fucking luck.

  "I'm fine," I announced. "I must have done it when I tried to move."

  Her eyes met mine, and the waterworks started falling. A nurse told me she'd send a doctor in to talk to me, and they retreated. I held my uninjured right arm out and waited for her to climb into bed. Kissing the top of her head, I pulled her close. Tears streamed down her face.

  "I love when you're in my arms. I love you."

  Her green eyes were red and puffy, but to me she was still the most beautiful girl in the world. "I love you too. You've been out almost an entire day."

  "I needed my beauty rest," I said in a lame attempt to make her smile.

  "Everyone's been here on and off. They'll only let two people back at a time. They all want to see you. I'll go tell them soon. Right now, I just want to stay like this for a few minutes."

  The doctor came in and told me I was very lucky. The bullet didn't hit anything major, and I would most likely just be sore for a few weeks. They wanted me to stay for one more day, just for observation and to make sure I didn't develop any form of blood clot.

  Madison reluctantly left so the slew of people could come in and see that I was okay for themselves. It was a Christmas that would go down in history. Even if I could go back, I wouldn't change one thing. Keeping her safe was the only thing that mattered to me.

  Mike came in looking completely disheveled. He came and hugged me on my good side. He was doing his best to hold back his emotion.

  "I know I gave you a hard time at first, but I couldn't have handpicked a better man to be my future son in law. What you did that morning probably saved us all. Thank you, son."

  "Hey, don't say I never took a bullet for you," I teased.

  He shook his head. "If you need anything, just ask."

  Nodding. The rest of the band took turns coming in. As much as I loved them, it was exhausting. My body demanded sleep. When the last of them left. Madison came in dressed in fresh clothes and curled up against my side. As soon as her head was on my chest, my eyes closed.

  Three months later...

  The wheels hit the tarmac of Phoenix airport. Madison sat next to me looking beautiful. We had flown out the week before the charity event, so I could take her around and spend time with my family. I leaned in and kissed her.

  Grabbing the luggage from the over
head, we made our way off the plane. The sun was shining brightly, as we walked out the doors. It felt like a three-sixty full circle moment being back. The last time I was here was when my life was a very dark place, and now it was filled with renewed hope and new beginnings.

  After getting the rental car, we headed out to my parent's house. My mom and dad wanted to fly out after I was shot, but I convinced them that there was nothing they could do and just to stay put. Madison had taken a few weeks off to help me recoup. Which, just turned into lots of sex, watching movies and eating ice cream.

  She was taking in the cactus' and the mountain view. I reached over and placed my hand on her thigh, giving it a light squeeze. I was thankful to see that carefree glow back. Her demons were in the past now too. Damon was being charged with enough that he would most likely spend the rest of his life in jail thanks to the three strike law.

  Pulling into the driveway of my parent's sprawling mansion, my dad's black Lambo sat shining from the Phoenix sun in the driveway. That was his midlife crisis. Madison grinned as I put the car in park. "Ready?"

  "Beyond. Let's meet the parents."

  Climbing out, I walked around and took her hand. We made our way to the front door. I pushed down the handle and announced we were there. My mom came running out from the back of the house.

  "My baby boy!" She cried, wrapping her arms around me. She pulled back and appraised Madison. "You must be the stunner that stole my son's heart. I'm Judy, but you can just call me Mom too."

  My mom pulled Madison into a hug. "Nice to meet you, Mom." Madison laughed.

  "Come in. Daddy's out back grilling."

  The house still looked the same. Vast spaces, marble floors, oversized furniture, opulent extravagance at its finest. Madison was grinning from ear to ear as we followed my mom. She was looking around, and I made a mental note to give her a tour of the house and grounds later.

  The backyard was massive and had an incredible view of the mountains and city. Sure enough, my dad was there in his kiss the chef apron grilling. After one look at her, he turned to me and winked in approval. I walked over and gave him a hug and to give introductions. As much as some might think I was resentful of how my parents were and how I was raised, I was thankful for the opportunities it afforded me. I had an unconventional upbringing, but my parents weren't exactly conventional either. They were hippies through and through. Free spirited as they come. I wasn't exactly part of their plan, but they did the best that they could and I never wanted for anything. We weren't super close, but there wasn't an underlying reason behind it. It's just how we were.