by Skye Turner
I nod. I’m up for anything if it gets them out of there alive.
He directs us to a black van and ushers us into the back. He tells Jude and Dade to be completely quiet and then hooks my phone up to a device so the team in the van can also hear the conversation. Once he’s got headphones on and a pad at the ready, he asks, “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.” He motions for me to make the call. It rings once and then Lucian answers, “Hello, son. Fancy you calling me here.” He laughs.
“Lucian. I’ll have the money shortly. It’s a lot of money to round up in a short time. I’m also working on a way to get you out of there, but I need to talk to either Momma or Tifanie first. I need to know they’re both alive.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to tell me to do a thing, Cruz.”
I look at the detective and he motions for me to keep the conversation going. “No, I’m not. But I’m working with you. I’m doing what you want. I just need to know that both of the women in there are ok. I’m cooperating, Lucian. Give me this. I need to know.”
He mutters and we can hear him drag something then a weak, “Cruz? Cruz, is that you?” comes over the line.
My heart is pounding out of my chest at her voice. “Hey, Tifanie. Yes, it’s me. Working on getting you out of there. Are you and Momma ok?”
“We’re both alive. He’s…”
A loud clatter is heard and then a crash. We can hear Lucian’s roar and Tifanie curses. Another crash is heard and then grunting. We don’t know what’s happening. All we hear is noise and the sound of someone being hit. Dear God, please let Tifanie and Momma be ok.
A painful groan comes over the line, along with a large weight hitting something and then silence.
What just happened?
I holler into the phone. “Tifanie! What’s going on? What’s happening? Dear God… TIFANIE!!”
A breathless curse and then heavy breathing is on the line. “I’m ok. Well, no, I’m probably not. But Lucian, yeah, not so much. His head is angled funny, but I can’t get across the room to check for a pulse. Send them in. Send the team in. Corrin is hurt. We need assistance in here.”
Before she’s done talking, I’m racing across the street and through neighboring yards. Cops and SWAT are heavy on my heels, screaming at me to stay back and that a team has gone in through the back. I ignore them and race for the front door. When I get there, I don’t stop to think, I just kick it in. Before I can enter, strong arms pull me back. Willis, the cop from yesterday that Tifanie knows, is there breathing hard with sweat dripping down his face. “Stop, man. I know you want to get in there, but stop. Let them go first. They’re trained.”
Shaking his arm off, I duck under it and shove him with a quick, “Sorry, man,” and run into the house. Fuck that. That’s my family. I’m going in.
As I enter the living room, my eyes scan the room. A paramedic has an oxygen mask on my momma and she has blood trickling down her cheek from a large knot and cut on her forehead. They’re loading her onto a stretcher. More paramedics are hovering over someone on the ground. I gasp when I see her. Her arm is hanging at a weird angle and her face is busted up. There’s blood everywhere and her face is black and blue. The paramedics are fighting with her to lie down, but she’s refusing and trying to sit up. Finally one of them helps her and she almost falls over. He catches her. “Tifanie, your arm is broken, your shoulder is dislocated, your freaking leg is at least fractured, blood is running freely out of your broken nose, and you have a concussion. You did all you could! You probably saved both of your lives, now sit your stubborn ass down!”
Oh my God. What did he do to them? She’s hurt like that. Those are some serious injuries.
The rage is racing through my veins and I just want to kill him. I want to torture him for what he’s put these two women who mean the most to me through. How could he do this to the women I love?!
Roaring, I cross the room to the other side, near the fireplace where a large crowd is gathered around someone on the ground. It has to be Lucian. Get away from him! I’m going to kill him.
As I approach, ready to strangle Lucian Wormer after I plan on beating him unconscious, I see them place the white sheet over his face as his blue eyes stare unseeingly at the popcorn on my momma’s ceiling.
WHAT?! He’s dead?
The detective looks up. “He’s dead.”
My eyes bug out and my mouth refuses to function. He’s dead?! How can he be dead?
Responding to my silent question, he inclines his head to Tifanie who’s being fastened onto a stretcher. “Miss Jeffries. She fought with him over the phone and apparently is a black belt. She hit him in the throat to halt his attack and then kicked him in the chest making him lose his balance and fly into the brick fireplace. He broke his neck on the mantle on impact.”
What the fuck?! My momma and girlfriend are being loaded into ambulances after being held hostage and assaulted by my rapist sperm donor who is now dead on the floor of my momma’s living room after my girlfriend fought with him.
My vision goes black as Dade and Jude race through the door, calling my name.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tifanie
Two weeks. He’s been avoiding me for two weeks. My arm is in a sling, my leg is in a cast, I’m surly as a bear, and I want to see Cruz. But no, he’s avoiding me. In fact, he changed his phone number and sent a message through Melonie that I shouldn’t contact him and he wishes me well and a full recovery.
WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THAT?! I’m going to kill him. Of course I can’t drive because of my damn, stupid injuries, but I’m going to kill him.
I’m so mad I could breathe fire and I want to kill him, but I miss him and I love him.
Today is the day. I’m tired of this. No more games. No more avoidances. Today is the day.
I’m going to kill Cruz Edwards today!
I take extra time getting ready. It takes me four times as long anyway with only having one hand and arm and it being my left and I’m right-handed, but I’m determined. Everything is going to be perfect today.
As I add my perfume, I send a text.
“Tif:
Today is the day. No risk, no reward. Today it goes down.”
I get dressed and slip on my shoes and a reply comes through.
“Ty:
No white flags.”
I chuckle. “No White Flags” is Steve Gleason’s motto and Ty and I absolutely love him. He’s so strong and inspirational. Thinking about everything he deals with on a daily basis makes me think… Damn right, no white flags. Everything worth something costs something and it’s not about the hand you’re dealt, it’s how you choose to play the cards.
And dammit, I’m taking the house tonight.
My “Team Gleason” shirt is my uniform for this mission.
Once I’m ready, I make my call. Melonie has been expecting it and she’s been checking in on me, so she answers on the first ring. “Hey, babe. Ready?”
Smiling, I reply, “Hey, babe. Today. It’s today. Can you come pick me up?”
I hear laughter and then she says, “On it. I’ll bring you back here.”
While I wait, I decide to listen to some music to pump myself up. Mel is blowing the horn in ten minutes and as I slowly navigate the steps on the porch, I see blue highlights on the second head in the car. Blue is with her. She gets out and helps me in before slipping into the backseat. Leaning forward, she smiles at me. “Hey, girl. Sorry to invite myself, but we were at Java and Sweeties and when I heard what was happening, I decided to tag along.”
I smile back. “No worries. Is he there?”
Mel shakes her head as she turns around in the yard. “No, he’s at home. He’s becoming a hermit.”
I mutter, “Not after today.” They both laugh as we head back toward campus to ambush Dade. I ask, “Does Dade know what he’s about to do, Mel?”
She chuckles. “Yes. I told him. He’s down. Everyone is. We all want Cru
z out of his funk.”
Smiling, I think to myself, Excellent.
A spot is open right in front when we pull in and Mel whips in. It takes me a bit to get out of the car with my leg and crutch, but Blue gives me a hand. As we near the door, it opens and a grinning Jessie is there. “Hello, lovelies.” He swoops out his arm and grabs Blue, pulling her into his chest. “Can I get your number, sexy?”
She slaps his chest and bites his chin before kissing him. “You’re an idiot.”
He laughs. “I love it when you call me names. It makes me want to throw you against a wall and have my wicked way with you.” He looks at me and smiles. “Hey, Legs. How are you feeling?”
Hopping over the threshold, I smile at him. “I feel like a frog who tangled with a blender.” He chuckles. “But, I’m good.”
He leans down and kisses my forehead. It startles me. “I’m glad you’re ok.” He points at me. “Now… you fix Cruz!”
I laugh. “That is the plan. I hope we can fix each other.”
We’ve been making our way to the table in the corner that is fully occupied with the band and entourage, minus one, Cruz Edwards. Everyone greets me. It’s nice to feel the love. Now, I just want it from the man of the hour.
Liam jumps up and offers me his seat. He’s in a chair and everyone else is on stools. I plop down and glare at my leg.
Dade asks, “So, when are we doing this, Tif?”
Everyone at the table is staring at me. I’m surrounded by Cruz’s friends and family, the people he loves the most in the world, and they are all trying to help me, willing to help me, scale his walls once and for all.
I’m the center of attention. “As soon as you can bring me to his house.”
Jessie laughs. “Can I come? I want to see that white flag.” He points at my shirt. “Though, I thought you wanted our boy to surrender?!”
I laugh. “I do. But Steve Gleason takes nothing lying down. He doesn’t give up. He fights and fights. I’ll fight for Cruz too. He knows this. We’d gotten to a good place and then two weeks ago happened. He recoiled. I was admitted to the hospital and he freaked. He stopped calling. He won’t take my calls. He changed his freaking number and told me to have a nice life!” I slap the table. They all jump. “He changed his number so I couldn’t call. Like I’m just going to go the fuck away. I told him I loved him and I know he loves me, yet he freaked the fuck out and just left me high and dry.
“I’m not fading away into the night. I want him. He wants me. I’m going to fight for his ass and he’s going to accept that. More than that, he’s going to embrace it. He deserves me. I deserve him. He’s the prize and I damn sure want it. I deserve this! So does he!”
As I look around after my impassioned speech, I see everyone grinning. The girls are misty eyed and the guys look impressed. Dade stands up and plants a kiss on Melonie. “Let’s do this then. Come on, Tif. Time to get your man.”
We head to the doors amongst the cheers and Jessie calls out, “Scale the walls and take the castle! If he acts like Cruz… kick him in the moat and hold the jewels hostage!”
Dade yells back, “You’re an idiot!” and everyone laughs.
He helps me into the Hummer and starts the engine. As he backs out, he looks at me and smirks. “You know he’s going to fight you.”
I nod. “I know. But I fight back. And I fight to win.”
As he navigates traffic, he mutters, “I knew I liked you.”
Half an hour later, he pulls under the trees in Cruz’s driveway. Music is pulsating from the garage which I know to be his gym. Dade says, “Are you going in there or are you going to wait in the house?”
Thinking about it, I decide the garage is my best option. He’s in there. He can’t leave if I block the door. Looking at Dade, I say, “The garage. But I need to get the music off and keep him from leaving once I do.”
He laughs. “The stereo is by the door. I’ll turn it off and you can stand guard. I’ll stay out here and stop him if he tries to leave.”
I smile. “Thanks, Dade.”
He smiles back. “Anytime. You love him. You’re good for him. He was happy. You make him happy. Now make him see that and fix my boy.”
I wipe my palms on my pants and he gets the door. I can see Cruz in the mirrors along the walls as he works out furiously. He’s lifting weights and I get mad as I wonder about his arm and wonder who took his stitches out. I don’t want to spook him though and have him drop the weights.
Dade motions to me that he’s getting the music. He steps in and flips the power button as I stand near the door. The quiet gets Cruz’s attention and he turns. His face registers his shock at seeing me there.
Dade smirks at him and salutes and then the door closes behind him. It’s just me and Cruz. His labored breath and my pulse are the only sounds in the room for a long time. My leg is starting to throb from being on it and my hand is going numb from gripping the crutch so tightly.
He grimaces and I catch the guilt flash across his face as he looks at me. “What are you doing here, Tifanie?”
Rolling my eyes, I sarcastically reply, “Oh, I was out for a stroll and thought I’d stop by.”
He grits his teeth. “Did the changed number not alert you to the fact that I don’t want to talk to you?”
That hurts. My chest is burning, yet I’m not leaving until I get what I want. “No, it hurt me and pissed me off though. In fact, if my arm wasn’t broken, I’d punch you in that gorgeous face.”
His head jerks up and his light eyes darken as his nostrils flare. “You came here to punch me in the face?”
Staring at him, I fidget and try to get comfortable. “No. I came here because I love you and because you’re pissing me off. I came here because once again you got spooked and ran and instead of just pushing me away like you normally do, you changed your fucking phone number! I came here because you’re a coward!”
That gets his attention. “What do you not understand about the fact that I’m not good for you, Tifanie?!” He’s screaming at me. “Look at you! Look at what he did to you!”
Calmly, I stare at him. “I know what he did. I was there.”
He’s shaking in his rage. “Do you know what that was like? Do you have any idea what that was like for me?
“There was nothing I could do. Not for you or my momma.
“I was helpless at the mercy of a madman! The two people who were the most important to me and both of you were hurt. Because of me!”
I’m staring at him because I think he really believes that. He really believes that what happened was his fault. I ask in shock, “You mean that, don’t you?”
He’s incredulous. “Mean what exactly?”
Staring at him, I drop my crutch. He watches me as I stand on my feet and try to take a step. “Cruz, what happened… happened because of Lucian. Not because of you. Lucian assaulted you. Lucian took your momma and me hostage. Lucian hurt us. Lucian attacked me and when I defended myself, Lucian paid the ultimate price for his crimes. LUCIAN is responsible, no one but LUCIAN. None of that has anything to do with you. You cannot let Lucian win.
“I love you. I’m willing to fight for you. I’m going to fight for you. I’m going to stay on you like a damn stalker if I have to. I will come at you over and over. I will not give up on you and I will not allow you to give up on yourself. I will not stop until I wear you the fuck down and you understand that you deserve to be happy. You deserve to have a life free from the stigma and guilt over someone else’s choices. I’m not just going to let you push me away because you’re scared and ashamed. I love you. You know that.”
He’s just staring at me, saying nothing. I have no idea if I’m getting through to him. That’s the scariest part of everything happening right now.
He takes a breath and looks away from me.
I call his name to get his attention. “Cruz. Look at me.” He slowly turns. “You know how I feel. I have no problem telling you over and over, every day if I have to, but if you can
look me in the eyes and honestly say one thing… I’ll leave. I’ll walk out the door, well, I’m hobbling right now, but I’ll leave and this will be done. If you can’t put the Cruz Edwards that runs from everyone and everything into the grave, right now… bury that fucker… then, I don’t know what else to do.
“I need you to answer me one question? Don’t think about it and don’t lie. There is no wrong answer. Can you do that?”
He nods.
“Can you look at me right now and tell me you don’t love me?” I hold my breath. Everything hinges on this one answer. If he can tell me right now and admit to not just me, but himself that he loves me, I will fight for him until I take my last breath. If he says that he doesn’t… if he’s going to lie, then he’s lost to me. I can’t keep fighting a losing battle if he has no intention of ever being true to himself.
He stares. There’s absolutely no sound in the room except our erratic breathing.
Finally, he mutters, “God help me. I can’t tell you that. I can’t lie to you. Yes. I love you.”
Did he just say it? I don’t know if he really just said that. Should I ask him again?!
His face registers his own surprise at his confession. Crossing the room he stands right in front of me, but doesn’t touch me. I look up at him in fear and hope.
As he looks down, his eyes travel my length and stop on each area that is hurt. He reaches out and touches me whisper soft before letting his hands fall to his sides.
“Yes, I love you, but looking at you hurts me. Seeing you hurt, hurts me. Not looking at you hurts me. Not touching you hurts me. The fear that you’ll wake up one day and stop loving me, hurts me. My heart hurts when you’re near from fear that you’ll leave and it hurts when you aren’t from fear that you’ll stay gone. No matter what I do, now that you’re in my life, I’m living on a precipice. One step in either direction has the power to change my life.