by Natal, Mia
“So, umm…I want you.” My phone dings immediately. I look down to see his reply.
“Fuck, babe, you cannot text shit like that to me when I gotta work!!!!!!”
“Why not?” I replied back.
“Because just the thought of you gives me an instant hard on. The fact that I can’t be with you right now and give you what you want is killing me, but reading you want me is gonna give me a bad case of blue balls until I can get inside that sweet pussy of yours!!!!”
Shit, reading his reply turned me on. My face felt flushed and it was suddenly hot in here. Marissa looked at my face closely and giggled, “You dirty slut, you’re thinking about his piercing? Aren’t you?” Her correct assessment of me sent me into a fit of giggles, “Oh my god, you have no idea and don’t deny you were thinking of Ty’s Prince Albert,” I said.
“I don’t deny it. I’m not afraid to embrace my inner slut goddess,” she giggled.
Marissa and I finished our lunch and went our separate ways with promises of having a girl’s shopping spree. I got back to the gallery and thankfully Oz was no longer there, unfortunately he left me a note. I looked at it.
Tomorrow nine a.m. sharp. Warehouse corner of 48th and 2nd Ave, Oz.
I wondered what that was about, but then Linda came over and said, “Rebel, you will be helping Oz for the next six weeks get ready for his showcase. He needs help choosing which photo’s he wants to add. I will need you to set up the catering and have invitations made. I will give you a list of who to send them to, as well as the addresses.” Fuck, Wyatt is not going to like this.
“Okay Linda,” I choked out. The rest of my afternoon went by in a blur. I was highly agitated and annoyed with Oz. He clearly orchestrated the excuse of needing my assistance to get to spend time with me. The nerve of the guy, I mean who the hell does he think he is? If he thinks he can come between me and Wyatt he’s going to be sadly disappointed. I knew I wasn’t going to see Wyatt tonight since he had a late client. Immediately after work I headed to the Pointe to check on my mother. I was a little nervous about what would await me when I got there. I went inside the building and climbed the stairs to the second floor. I inserted my key in the lock, but it wouldn’t open the door. You have got to be fucking kidding me. She changed the lock. What the fuck is up with that? I banged on the door several times and yelled, “Ma, open up, it’s me Rebel.” The door opened up, but it wasn’t my mother who opened it. Some strange lady opened the door.
“Hello, can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m sorry? I’m looking for my mother. She lives here,” I replied.
“I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken. I moved here about a month ago,” she said. I was confused. Where the hell would my mother go? Did she lose her job and is now living in the street or worse with that douche, Benny? I had to find out what happened to my mother. “Well, then I’m sorry to disturbed you. I may have forgotten she told me she was moving,” I said. She nodded her head and closed the door. I started to make my way towards Mrs. Sullivan’s door when a shadow stepped out of the corner and blocked my path, before I was able to register who it was I was grabbed by my throat and lifted up in the air. It was Benny. He slammed me against the wall and my head bumped it hard. I tried raking my fingernails on his arm. I also tried to kick him, but he only tightened his hold on my throat, constricting my air flow. “Well…well…well, what do we have here? If it isn’t little goody-two shoes, Rebel Walker,” he snarled. I tried swatting his hand so that he could understand I couldn’t breathe. He slightly released his hold on me and I was able to rasp out, “What the fuck is wrong with you?” “You want to know what the fuck is wrong with me? I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me. Your whore of a mother vanished without a trace, owing me more than two grand. Now, I know you’re a good girl and I’ll make this easy for you. Just tell me where your mother is and I will let you go,” he growled. “I...I…I don’t know where my mother is,” I said hoping he couldn’t hear the fear in my voice.
“Wrong answer,” he said, before he slapped me hard and busting open my lip. I screamed out in pain and it only fueled his rage because he punched me in the face. Everything after that happened in a blur. I heard Mrs. Sullivan scream, “You leave that child alone, you despicable mongrel. May the fire of hell take you.”
I can’t be sure, but I think she hit him over the head with a broom. He let go of me and I was falling to the ground. I placed my hand out to brace the fall, but I heard it snap before I wailed in pain. I looked up to see Benny slap Mrs. Sullivan with a blow that had her flying backwards. She conked her head hard against the wall and slid down until she was a seated position. Within minutes all the doors on the second floor started to open up. Benny had no choice but to flee and before he did he stomped on my leg, wrenching another agonizing scream from me. I blacked out and came to inside an ambulance. Mrs. Sullivan was sitting next to me and the minute I opened my eyes she cried, “Jesus, oh Jesus, thank you lord. Rebel, honey you had me so worried.”
“I’m fine Mrs. Sullivan. The question is are you alright? You fell back pretty hard and you have a cut above your eye,” I cried.
“I’m fine, child. Don’t worry,” she said.
“What happened to my mother?” I asked.
“Rebel, a week after you left an older couple came for her. She left you this envelope. She asked me to give it to you if you ever showed up,” she said. I took the envelope and looked at the chicken scratch that belonged to my mother. The EMT worker came and told Mrs. Sullivan she had to leave because they were ready to transport me to the hospital. Mrs. Sullivan leaned down, kissed me on the cheek and said, “Remember, Rebel you are not alone, for god says he will never leave or forsake you.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I said, “Thank you, Mrs. Sullivan.
JESUS, FUCKING CHRIST. All afternoon I sported a fucking hard-on. My dick felt constricted in my pants and I’m afraid it will break out of its confines scaring the girl I’m tattooing. Hell and damnation, won’t this day ever end? I need to get to Rebel and get inside her to give us both release. Rebel, is going to be the death of me…death by blue balls. Annie, my girls only piercer leans down and whispers in my ear, “You have a stiffy.”
“Fuck off, Annie,” I growled.
She laughed and said, “I’m not the one that needs to fuck off.”
The shop erupted in laughter at my expense leaving me no choice but to laugh. It was either laugh or punch the shit out of Annie and since I don’t hit girls I laughed it off. The day drug on and it sucked ass big time. At least I got a control on my cock and instead of being rock hard it’s semi-erect. I’m about to flip the sign at the door to close, when I look down and see a cute Labrador puppy patiently sitting looking at me. He’s waiting to come inside. He has black hair and looked to be about four months. I opened the door and picked him up. I looked at his eyes and they are the same color as Rebels, midnight blue with a purple tinged to them.
“What ya got there, Wyatt?” Annie asked.
“A puppy,” I answered.
“Where did he come from?” she asked, moving closer to me to pluck the little bundle of fur out of my hands.
“I don’t know. He was just sitting in front of the door,” I said.
“Can I keep him? He’s adorable,” she said and under any other circumstances I would have said yes, but since his eyes reminded me of Rebel I decided he will be a great addition to her apartment. It will also give me an excuse to go see my girl and have my wicked, dirty and kinky ways with her.
“I’m sorry, Annie, but I’ve already decided to give him to Rebel,” I said.
“You got it bad for the girl. Are the rest of us ever gonna meet her?” she asked.
“Eventually, yeah,” I replied.
“So, what are you going to name this cutie?” she asked.
“That’s up to Rebel,” I replied. I would have preferred to leave right now and head to Rebel’s, but my conscious wouldn’t have allowed me to leave Annie alon
e unattended where anything could happen. We make quick work at cleaning up the place and then I drove her home. By the time I made it to Rebel’s place it’s well over eleven o’clock at night. Her lights are off and I’m second guessing myself if coming here was the right thing to do.
“Rebel, is that you,” Victor calls from his front door.
“No, it’s me, Wyatt,” I replied.
“Is Rebel with you?” he asked. I felt the blood in my body drain at his question.
“What do you mean is Rebel with me? I thought she was home asleep,” I said.
“She hasn’t gotten home yet. She’s never late unless she’s with you,” he said.
“Fuck, do you have any idea where she might be?” I asked.
“Yeah, I think I know where she might be. You drive and I’ll give you directions,” he said running towards my car. The drive to the address Victor gave me is tense. Neither one of us is talking. I clenched the steering wheel so hard that I’ve lost all the blood in my hands and my knuckles are white. Victor is shaking his leg uncontrollably. The little pup in the back is wailing as if it can sense something is wrong or he’s calling to his mommy.
“What the hell is making all that noise?” Victor asked.
“It’s a puppy that found its way into my shop. I was going to give it to Rebel,” I replied. Victor turned to look in the back seat and eyes the pup. He reached back and lifted him onto his lap. The wailing stopped and the puppy settled down to sleep on Victor’s lap.
“Reby, is going to love him,” he quietly said.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked.
“We are going to Anna’s place,” he said.
“Who’s Anna?” I asked.
“She’s Reby’s mother,” he said. Fuck! That is the last place I want Rebel. I don’t know a lot of what went on while Rebel lived there, but the stories she’s told me left me feeling sick to my stomach. If anything has happened to Rebel I will kill her fucking mother. The ride from Staten Island to the South Bronx seemed to be a long ass drive. I was losing my fucking mind with worry. Victor and I both tried her cellphone. We were sent straight to voicemail. Victor was beyond pissed and I knew justice or rather a beat down was going to be handed out by both of us if something happened to Rebel.
When we got there we had to park a block away because the street we needed to get to was blocked by police cars, EMT, and the fire department. We ran as if the devil was chasing us. The police had the entrance to the decrepit building blocked. The EMT was working on someone and that is where I ran to, but Rebel wasn’t there. An elderly woman was having her eye stitched up by an EMT worker. She looked at me and smiled, “Are you Rebel’s young man?” she asked.
“I am. Do you know where she is? I need to find her,” I said. I didn’t know how this lady knew who I was, but something about her put me at ease.
“I’m sorry son, but they took her to the hospital. She was badly hurt. I’m sorry I didn’t make it in time to help her,” she said choked up with emotion.
“What happen, Mabel?” Victor said from behind me.
“Benny, attacked our poor sweet Rebel,” she said. What the fuck? Who the hell is Benny? I don’t remember Rebel mentioning him.
“Mrs. Mabel, do you know what hospital they took Rebel to?” I asked.
“I think it was Jacoby Hospital,” she said. I looked towards Victor and he said, “Go, Wyatt. I’ll take a cab there after I see to Mabel and make sure she’s comfortable. I want to hear what happened anyway. Keep me posted on Rebel’s condition,” he said. I nodded as if I was running a triathlon back to my car.
I get to the hospital with the use of my phone’s GPS. I pay for parking and haul my ass as fast as I can into the emergency room. I head straight to the triage nurse’s station.
“Can I help you,” she asked, while eyeing me up and down.
“I’m looking for Rebel Walker. I was told she was brought here,” I said.
“Give me a minute, good looking and I’ll check for you,” she said. She disappeared behind a metal door and came back out a few minutes later.
“She’s here and is being seen by a physician,” she said.
“Can I go in and see her?” I asked.
“Only immediate family is allowed back. Are you related to her?” she asked. Shit! I’m not related to her, but I damn sure gonna lie about it.
“I’m her fiancé,” I said.
“Oh, what a pity. I was hoping you were her brother,” she purred. The chick was seriously starting to grate on my nerves and if she didn’t allow me to go back there and see Rebel I will punch the shit out of her.
“Well, I’m not. Can I go back and see her?” I sarcastically said.
“Yeah you can go back. Go to the door and I will buzz you in,” she said. I made my way to the door and she buzzed me in.
“What room is she in?” I asked.
“She’s behind curtain number three,” she replied. I took in a lungful of air and mentally braced myself for what terrible site awaited me. I stepped around the thick fabric and what greeted me was horrific. My pretty girl looked small and helpless lying on the hospital bed. I drank in the sight of her and rage consumed me. Her beautiful face was battered. She had a cut above her right eye as well as her lip. It must have been deep because both required stiches. She had a cast on her right hand and her foot was wrapped in an ace bandage, but what burned me the most was the hand and fingerprints that I could clearly see around her neck. Whoever did this to her was a dead motherfucker and when I find out who he is he’s going to be sorry for ever laying a hand on what is Mine!
THE DOCTOR PRODDED and pulled on every single part of my body that hurt. I wanted to tell him to stop fucking hurting me more, but I knew he was only trying to assess the extent of my injuries. According to the doctor I had a mild concussion from having my head banged against the wall. The motherfucking, douche bag. I have a busted swollen lip, a black eye, broken arm and a sprained leg. He really did a number on me. Here I am in the hospital battered and hurting. All I can think of is Wyatt. I need him here with me. I want to see his beautiful face. I have no way of contacting him because my purse was left behind with Mrs. Sullivan. I hope she’s okay. The nurse came in and administered a pain killer and my eyes were slowly beginning to weigh like a ton. I closed my eyes and drifted into a painful sleep. I felt a light touch to my cheek and opened my eyes to see the most beautiful face I had been wanting to see…Wyatt.
“Hey, pretty girl,” he softly said.
“Hey, honey,” I replied.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I am now that you’re here,” I replied.
“The doctor said you could leave whenever you were ready,” he said.
“Okay. Did he tell you what injuries I sustained?” I asked.
“Yeah, he did. Victor was here, but he had to leave and get ready for work. He said he will see you tonight,” he said.
“How did you guys find out where I was?” I asked.
“Victor put two and two together. I went to your place. I had to see you and you weren’t there. Victor thought you were with me,” he said.
“Okay. Did Victor say if the police caught Benny? Is Mrs. Sullivan okay?” I asked with a yawn.
“Mrs. Sullivan was fine when I left her. Victor said Benny got away, but the police put an APB on him,” he said. The thought of Benny still out there at large filled me with dread. Wyatt helped me stand and get dressed. The orderly wheels me to Wyatt’s car and the both of them help me and my battered body into the car. I winced and cried from the pain that shot through out every molecule of my body. Wyatt had his jaw clenched so tight I feared it would break his jaw and loosen his teeth. I knew he was flipping mad and though it was understandable I was nervous. I was nervous that he would be upset with me. Instead of taking me home, Wyatt took me to his place.
“I thought you were taking me home?” I asked.
“I did take you home…my home. You, pretty girl are staying with me
until you are well enough to be on your own,” he said. Internally I did a happy dance. I wasn’t going to argue about spending time with him. He helped me out of his car and gently lifted me into his arms and carried me inside. He held me as we waited for the elevator. I was in awe of him that he was able to lift me up and hold me even though I was tiny I still felt I was heavy. When we got to his floor we got off the elevator and just when I thought my night was getting better, here comes Oz stepping out of his place.
“What the fuck happened to you, Rebel? Are you alright?” he asked. Wyatt looked at me with questioning eyes. Fuck! Who in heaven did I piss off to make my night a living hell?
“Wyatt, this is Oswald Stonewall, your neighbor and the new artist Laura commissioned at the gallery,” I said.
“Call me Oz, please. Now, tell me what happened?”
“Oswald, was it? Well, let me break it down for you. Rebel at the moment needs lots of rest and therefore does not have the time or the inclination to explain what happened,” Wyatt said before opening his apartment door and slamming it in Oz’s face. Wyatt gently placed me on the sofa and kissed me on the forehead. He started to pace up and down around the room. I knew he was highly agitated and extremely angry.
“Wyatt, why are you so upset with me?” I whispered. He stopped pacing and pierced me with his eyes. They were blazing with heat, but not directed at me.
“I’m not upset with you, pretty girl. I’m agitated and I want to kill the fucker that hurt you. I’m also fucking fuming at the clown next door. I don’t want you talking to him,” he barked.
I cringed and said, “Don’t you think I want to kill the asshole that did this to me? As for Oz, I have to work with him, Wyatt. My job will require that I speak with him. I have been assigned to work with him the next six weeks,” I quietly said. Wyatt clenched his jaw and stormed out of his apartment slamming the door yet again behind him. I tried to get up from the couch to go after him, but my body screamed in protest. I groaned in pain and inched my way back down onto the sofa. I don’t know how long I waited for him to return. I must have fallen asleep because when I finally woke up I was lying in bed with his warm body behind me. I tried to turn to look at him, but I pulled my body the wrong way and yelped in pain.