by Autumn Sand
“What the fuck? You motherfuckers set us up?” Wheeler asks while pointing his gun at Tony.
Tony stands, as do I. I signal for Ryan to stay on the ground. “Wanna put the gun down?” Tony’s body language shows if Wheeler doesn’t put the gun down soon, he’ll be taking it from him. I take a step closer to the action.
“Fuck, no.” Wheeler turns to Jay. “Check out what the fuck happened.” Jay nods and heads toward the back of the restaurant and out of sight. Wheeler points the gun at Tony, then me, and back at Tony again.
It seems like an eternity passes as we stand in the middle of the restaurant with a gun trained on us. Muffled sounds come from the back, followed by heavy footsteps—correction, a lot of heavy footsteps. Jay is thrown through the kitchen doors and into the restaurant’s dining room. He’s badly beaten and lies on the floor. In storms a group of men, who are not part of our group, with their guns drawn.
“What the fuck is this?” Wheeler asks with his gun now trained on the new arrivals.
Relief and confusion come over me when I see Manny and Magnum. But who are our new visitors?
“This shit was not sanctioned by El Diablo.” A tall slender man stands behind Manny and Magnum. He has an air of ease and danger. You can always tell the type.
Wheeler’s face contorts and fear shows in his eyes. “Bu-but…”
The slender man signals for his men to lower their weapons. They do so without question, but remain at the ready to use them if they have to. He comes closer to Wheeler. “El Diablo does not like surprises. This rogue shit does not sit well with us.” He nods in mine and Tony’s direction.
“But I needed Ignacio’s old territory. El Diablo said I didn’t have enough to offer. I thought if I offered this, it would buy me in.” Wheeler’s eyes widen and his voice cracks.
The slender man waves his hand in the air in, his voice flat. “You’ve proven you’re not capable of making the necessary decisions. We didn’t want a war with DeLuca.” Not a lot of people know that Tony Delaney’s real name is Tony DeLuca. This startles Tony at first, but he quickly recovers and a mask falls over his face. The slender man turns toward the back, but pauses as he stands next to Ryan. Ryan, who should still be on the floor where I left him, is now standing. The slender man turns back around to stare at Wheeler. “You’ve outlived your usefulness.” He turns around to leave and Wheeler points his weapon at the man’s back.
In a movie, when something bad is about to happen, everything goes in slow motion. Yeah, well, that shit doesn’t happen in real life, not at all. The slender man’s men point their gun at Wheeler. Wheeler, knowing he’s about to die, pumps out a shot. I make a dive for Ryan to knock him out of the way just in case of misfire. I feel the bullet enter me as I hear rapid succession of gun fire, all trained at Wheeler. Ryan and I both fall to the ground. Touching my chest, I look at my bloodied hand as darkness pulls me under.
Chapter 33
Hurt ~ Nine Inch Nails
Cyma
Anaya and I have been waiting in the hospital for several hours and still there’s no word from Dante or Tony. As much as she tries to deny that she’s worried, I can tell she is. She’s trying to put on a brave front for me because she thinks that’s what I need. Between worrying about Lelia and now Dante, I guess she’s right in her assumption. As much pacing as I’ve done in the waiting room, I’m surprised the floor hasn’t worn down. I’ve counted the amount of steps it takes to get from one side of the room to the other. At this point, I’m trying anything to distract my mind from all my troubling thoughts. I’m debating if I should start counting the square tiles on the floor when Anaya interrupts my thoughts.
“Listen, stop worrying. Tick made you a promise, and he’s going to keep it.”
“Yes, I know. But how come we haven’t heard from them?”
“They’ll call when they have something to report. Or maybe they’re already on their way back to us.”
I hope she’s right, but something in my gut tells me that something has gone wrong. I pray that it’s just my paranoia, or perhaps I’m just always on guard waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. The elevator bell chimes and the door opens. Out steps Ryan, with Tony behind him. Relief begins to settle around me until I realize the elevator doors have closed and Dante is not standing with them. My eyes roam Tony’s face and I notice his clothes are covered in blood!
“Oh, my God!” Anaya cries out as she runs over to Tony.
“The blood isn’t mine, Angel,” he says as he holds her to him.
If the blood isn’t his, then… the words escape my lips without my being aware of it. “Dante! The blood is Dante’s, isn’t it?” I already know it before Tony turns his attention on me and nods. “Is he…” I can’t find the strength to finish my sentence.
“No, he’s at a hospital in Long Island. He should be in surgery now.” Tony’s face shows a thousand emotions as he adds, “He was shot saving this one over here.” He nods toward Ryan.
Ryan shifts his feet while shoving his hands in his pocket. “Wheeler was going to shoot me. He jumped in front of me to take the bullet.”
Suddenly, I no longer have the strength to stand and I collapse to the ground. Tony and Anaya rush to my side. Tony lifts me up and carries me over to the chairs, laying me down on them gently.
“Do you need a doctor?” Anaya asks, holding my hand. I shake my head no.
Brenda appears and comes over to my side. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I just… just…” My mind wanders. I can’t find any words. I need to be with Dante. I try to sit up, but Anaya places a hand on my shoulder, shaking her head.
“You need to rest.”
“Well, I’m here for that operation.” Ryan interrupts the chaos that is forming around me.
Brenda turns to him, eyeing him disapprovingly. “If you’ll come with me. I’ll inform the doctor and get you checked in.” She leads him down the hall.
“Dante. I need to be with him.”
“You stay here with your little girl. Manny and Magnum are at the hospital. They’ll call us with any updates.”
“Why? Why would he risk his life?”
“You know why. He would die for you and your daughter.”
“But if he… if he dies, I don’t know if I could go on.” I cry into my hands.
“You can go on. You have to be strong for Lelia,” Tony says.
“Don’t you dare give up on him! He will not die. Do you hear me! He will not die.” Anaya looks me in the eyes and makes her proclamation.
I want to believe this with all my heart. But perhaps I’m just not meant to be happy. Maybe living happily ever after is for everyone else but me.
Chapter 34
Anniversary ~ Tony Toni Tone
Tick
Cyma and I are celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary with Lelia on the beaches of Turks and Caicos. Everyone thought we were crazy to want to bring Lelia with us for our anniversary getaway, but we couldn’t think of leaving her behind. She’s in full remission and the doctors are very pleased with her progress. Finally, she has the life of an ordinary child. Cyma was pissed at me when I came to after my operation. She couldn’t believe that I’d risked my life to save Ryan’s. But it all paid off in the end. I had several long months of recuperation, and after that, everything just fell back into place. My mother even came up to help take care of me when I was recovering at home and Cyma was at work.
After my release from the hospital, we got married a year later. Lelia was the flower girl and Xavier was our ring bearer. Anaya was Cyma’s Matron of Honor, and Tony was my best man. Cyma had the wedding of her dreams, and I got the woman of mine. Now Cyma is four months pregnant with our child, and I feel as if I am king of the world. Every day, I take pleasure in rubbing her stomach with coconut oil because that usually results in other fun activities.
“Daddy, can we play in the water?” Lelia asks me. I officially adopted her six months ago. Ryan signed away all parental right
s. Hearing her call me daddy makes me want to spoil her rotten, which if you ask Cyma, I already have.
“Sure, princess.” I take her little hand in mine as we stroll toward the water.
“It seems like a storm might be coming soon,” Cyma says as she puts her book in her beach bag.
I look up at the sky and, from a distance, you can see storm clouds forming. “Yeah, guess so. But I think we have time for a quick dip in the water.”
“You’re such a big kid.” She smiles as she joins us at the water’s edge.
“You know it.” I lift Lelia up on my shoulders as she squeals in delight. The three of us play in the water and it feels so tranquil. After everything we’ve gone through to be together, this is the first time I’ve felt truly at peace. I have the woman I love, a child I love, and another child on the way. They’re my family, my life, my rocks. I would die for them, without question.
The water starts to become choppy and the wind picks up. “I think it’s time for us to head back to the hotel,” Cyma says as she picks up Lelia and wades through the water back to land. I stare at them as they head back to their beach chairs. I want to walk but my feet won’t move. I try again, but again I can’t move. What’s going on?
Cyma turns around, noticing that I didn’t follow behind them. “Dante, come on. The water is really bad. That storm is going to hit any minute.”
“I can’t move,” I yell out as I keep trying to get my feet to budge.
“Stop playing, Daddy.”
“Daddy’s not playing, princess.” Cyma’s eyes are troubled. “Take Lelia back to the hotel. I’ll join you shortly.”
“What? No!”
“Cyma, please. Your safety is first. I’m fine. I’ll be right behind you.” Lelia begins to cry. “Princess, Daddy is fine. I promise you. Go with Mommy to the hotel.”
The wind is blowing so hard that the palm trees sway. The waves get bigger and bigger as they hit me from behind. I stare at my family as I fight to move. The harder I fight, the deeper my feet sink into the sand on the ocean floor. As I stare into Cyma’s crying eyes, a wave knocks me down and I go underwater. Still unable to move, I sink further and further to the bottom. My girls… at least my girls will be safe. Voices… I hear screaming voices around me. I don’t recognize any of these voices. They don’t sound like my girls.
“Quickly, we’re going to lose him.”
“Paddles are ready, Doctor.”
“Clear!”
Beeeeeeep! A painful shock goes through my body as the waves carry me away.
Chapter 35
Ring The Alarm ~ Beyoncé
Cyma
Ryan’s procedure is finished, and they started Lelia’s operation five hours ago. I’m still waiting to hear of any updates on Dante. Tony has gone back to Long Island to wait at the hospital with Manny and Magnum. Anaya chose to stay behind and wait with me. I know this must be hard for her, waiting here with me instead of being in Long Island. She and Dante are so close, but she insists he’ll be okay. I wish I had the courage to believe the way she does. When Brenda appears, Anaya and I both stand as she approaches.
“How is she?”
“She’s out of surgery. The doctor will be out here shortly. But I knew how anxious you would be to hear any news, so I came out to let you know.” Brenda wipes a tear from her eyes and we hug each other.
“Thank you.” I choke back a sob as Anaya wraps her arms around my shoulder, giving me comfort.
The doctor comes out, looking slightly disheveled, and gives us a smile. “She took to the transplant wonderfully. The next few days will show us how well she responded to the treatment, but I see no reason for her not to make a full and speedy recovery.”
Relief falls over me and I take a seat as my legs feel like Jell-O. “Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much. Can I see her?”
“You can see her for a few minutes. She’s sleeping. I would suggest you go home and get some rest afterward.” He smiles again and leaves.
“Rest? How can I rest when I still don’t know anything about Dante?”
“Go see your little girl. We’ll head to Long Island after. I’ll drive.”
Standing, I give Anaya a hug and follow Brenda to the recovery room to see Lelia. She seems so peaceful lying in the bed. And that’s when the fight enters me again. Dante will be okay. I just know it. He did not sacrifice himself for my little girl for me to give up hope on him. I have to fight for him too. He’ll make it so I can spend the rest of my life showing him how much I love him. I kiss Lelia on her forehead and whisper that I’ll be back to see her tomorrow. It breaks my heart to leave, but what do you do when your heart is split in two? As I step back into the waiting room, Anaya stands next to me.
“How is she doing?”
“Resting peacefully. Let’s get to my man. I’ll drive.”
She smiles and we leave the hospital. We make it to Long Island in record time. Seems that I’ve picked up a few driving tricks from watching Dante. We rush through the halls until we find Tony, Manny, Magnum, and Tallie. I face Anaya to see if she knows why Tallie would be here, but she avoids eye contact with me. Tony’s movement off to the side makes me refocus my attention on him. Dante’s blood is still on his shirt, and I close my eyes and turn away, as I try to steady the pounding in my chest. Tony’s face is a mask of pain. Anaya takes him in her arms as they hold each other for comfort. Manny’s arm is in a sling and Magnum has bruising on his face. I can only imagine what they went through to get Ryan to the hospital safely. One of these days, when Dante is better, I’ll have him tell me the story.
“Is he out of surgery?” My voice comes out shaky and strained as I fidget with a button on my coat.
Lifting his head up from Anaya’s neck and looking me in the eyes, Tony answers. “Yes.”
“Is he allowed visitors?”
He shakes his head and inhales deeply. “He flat lined twice. They have him stabilized for now. The next few hours will be touch and go.”
My heart is in pain and I choke back a sob. “I need to see him.” My voice trembles with emotion. Dante fighting for his life flashes through my mind and I know that no one will stand in my way. I straighten my back and look him in the eyes and say, “Now.”
Releasing Anaya, Tony takes my hands into his. “Not sure if the doctors will allow it. He’s resting.”
I know his actions are meant to soothe, but it only angers me because I need to see Dante. He needs to know I’m here for him. “I want to see them stop me.” As I’m about to go find Dante’s room, a hand grabs my arm, stopping me. I turn around to see Tallie holding on to me.
“He needs to rest. He doesn’t need hysterics around him,” she says, a scathing tone in her voice.
“And why are you here?” I ask through gritted teeth, debating if I should slap her.
“I’m Tick’s on-again off-again.” She tips her chin up as she straightens her back.
His on-again off-again? It all makes sense now. The way she acted at the club a few months ago. He’s never mentioned that she was his on-and-off-again lover to me before. “Well, Tallie, it’s clear that you’re, at present, his off-again and will remain that way. He’s with me now.” I shoot daggers from my eyes at her hand, which is still on my arm. “If you’ll excuse me?”
Her face contorts in anger and she opens her mouth to speak, but Manny steps in between us. “Tallie, let her through. She’s his woman. You need to fall back.”
Tallie’s mouth turns downward but she releases my arm and takes a seat next to Magnum. Anaya gives me an understanding nod. Seems like Dante and I have some talking to do when he’s released from the hospital. Manny directs me to the room Dante is in. A nurse tries to stop me, but Manny blocks her as I enter the room. Dante is hooked up to machines similar to what Lelia has been hooked up to. Seeing him like this strengthens my will to make him live.
I grab his hand and hold it to my cheek. “Dante, if you hear me, you gotta fight, baby. You have to. Lelia and I need you.” T
he only sound in the room is the beeps from the machines’ monitors. “Lelia pulled through her surgery, thanks to you. You crazy fool. She’s going to want to see you, so you have to pull through. Do you hear me, Dante? You have to get better. I love you, and you promised that we’ll spend the rest of our lives together. You’re not going to become a liar now, are you?” Kissing his hand, I cry into it. He’s going to pull through, I know it. He has to pull through!
Chapter 36
Differences ~ Ginuwine
Tick
I’m sinking, sinking further to the bottom of the ocean until I feel a sharp pain in my chest that carries throughout the rest of my body. Taking in a deep breath, I feel the world come anew. Was that all a dream? Did I not marry the woman that I have dreamt of for so many years? What is that blasted beeping sound? The fog that has covered my brain is starting to lift, little by little. “Dante, if you hear me, you gotta fight, baby. You have to. Lelia and I need you.” Is that my baby’s voice? Cyma… I have to find my way back to her. “Lelia pulled through her surgery, thanks to you. You crazy fool. She’s going to want to see you, so you have to pull through. Do you hear me, Dante? You have to pull through. I love you, and you promised that we’ll spend the rest of our lives together. You’re not going to become a liar now, are you?” I did promise her. I promised them both. The fog comes over me again.
“Dante, are you listening?” I stare into her beautiful, wide, brown eyes as she bends down and kisses me.