Toxic (The Crossover Series)

by Kathy Coopmans

  “Jesus Christ, Alex, is she alive?” Dad and Aaron roar in unison. I ignore both of them, reaching for my phone to call 911. Before I hit send, I look over my shoulder.

  “Better hurry and do what you gotta do. She needs help, and I’m calling for it. And take that necklace off the bitch.” It belongs to the Queen of Diamonds.

  I hit call while Peaches and Hart rush in. Aaron orders Peaches to get the blood on the hardwood floor cleaned up. A few other mafia members enter the bar doing what they’re best at... Hiding a murder and getting rid of a dead body. And my dad never once leaves my side.

  The cry that strangles Hart is enough to pierce my soul when he drops to his knees next to his daughter and pushes me back. I let him knowing damn well he was a medic at one point in his life. He stares for a few seconds in shock.

  “Hart!” I yell. “Help her!”

  My voice snaps him into action. He goes about applying a tourniquet to right below her kneecap as I holler for help into the cell phone. I can’t understand one damn thing the operator is saying. Maria begins coughing; it’s the first sign of life we’ve seen.

  Blood and spit drain down the side of her mouth; then her eyes fly open. Her vision darts between her dad and me. A gentle smile tugs at her lips.

  “Daddy.” A barely-there whisper escapes her.

  “I’m here, baby girl. Hold on. Help is on the way,” he consoles his daughter while continuing to work on her.

  “Tell Alex I love him.” Her eye flutter closed.

  “I’m here.” I lean down, pressing my lips to her forehead. “I’m here, Maria. Hang on. I can hear the sirens. C’mon, baby.”

  She doesn’t move or open her eyes again. I cry. Hot tears roll down my face as I rock back and forth with her head cradled in my lap.

  28

  Maria

  “Let her go, Alex.” A familiar voice echoes around me. “It’s time to say your good-byes.”

  Beeping and chirping surrounds me. My eyelids are cemented shut, and no matter how much I struggle, they refuse to open. I continue to try opening my eyes, internally screaming when they won’t comply.

  Someone’s warm hand is on mine, coaxing me to wake up. I know it’s Alex’s; I can feel his touch burning through my skin. An alarm sounds. Alex’s touch leaves me. The pain rushes back in, assaulting me. Then everything goes black.

  I have no idea how much time has passed when light seeps back into the corner of my eyes. I reach for my face, but my hands are bricks and refuse to move. I blink once. The light pierces the back of my pupils. I snap them shut as fast as they opened. The pain is unreal.

  “Maria? Go get a doctor,” Alex barks. His hands are on mine, warming my chilled core. “C’mon, baby, do it again.”

  He continues to coax me over and over as my eyelids flutter to re-open. I don’t know how long it takes, but when they fly open, I wince.

  “What is it, baby?” he asks, his face up against mine.

  My dried, cracked lips part. No sound comes out, no matter how hard I try. Alex reads my mind, leaving my side for only the briefest of seconds to flip off the lights. I open my eyes again, and this time the pain is dulled.

  “You’re awake.” His thumb brushes my cheek. “Jesus, you’re awake.”

  “Wh—” Talking shreds the inside of my dry throat. “What happ—”

  “Don’t talk, baby. I’ll have them get you some ice chips.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. I feel horrible when I wince and see his reaction. Everything hurts so damn much.

  “Hurts. Everything,” I squeak out.

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.” Alex stands up and turns, striding right out the door into the hallway.

  His voice booms through the hospital, making the pain in my head ricochet.

  “Maria.” My mom rushes into the room tailed by my dad and Cooper.

  They don’t have long before they’re pushed to the side and I’m poked and prodded by doctors and nurses. The pain intensifies to a point it causes tears to stream down my face. I beg for it all to end.

  “On a level from one to ten, how bad is the pain?” a gray-haired doctor asks.

  “One thousand,” I croak out. The single ice cube Mom managed to feed me is long gone.

  “Going to give you pain meds. You can push this button every five minutes.” The doctor continues talking about the blood loss, concussion, and the healing bullet wound.

  I push the button over and over even though I know it won’t make it any better. Soon enough, my eyelids grow heavy again. The pain mutes. And the nurses and doctors leave. Dad dims the lights in the room once again.

  “Better, honey?” Mom squeezes my hand.

  I nod, catching sight of Peaches sobbing in the corner. Cooper looks like his damn dog died, and I’m left here wondering what in the hell happened.

  “Why is everyone so sad?” I ask.

  Alex holds up an ice cube, placing it in my mouth. He lays his strong arm over the top of the bed and stares down at me.

  “You don’t remember anything?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

  He kisses my forehead again. This time, I don’t feel any pain. “You’re safe. Your family is here. Just get some rest.”

  “Why am I here?” I manage to ask before my eyes close again. Alex’s scent wraps me up in a warm hug, making sleep welcome this time.

  The next time I wake up, I don’t have to ask what happened. Everything hits me in a real-life living nightmare. I wake up screaming, ripping the IV’s from my arms. My heart hammers in my chest. The stench of blood and brains causes me to heave over and over again.

  “Baby girl, you’re safe.” My dad’s strong arms wrap around me and ease me back down on the bed.

  “Dad.” I cling to the front of his button-up shirt. “Dad.”

  “You remember.”

  It’s a statement, not a question.

  “You’ve got to feel it, sweetie. It’s going to hurt, but you have to face every single painful second of it.”

  I refuse to lie back down. I cling to him. He rocks me back and forth, catching all my tears with his strong chest. I don’t stop until my body is exhausted and I have no choice but to lie back down. It’s then I catch sight of Alex in the doorway, holding two coffee cups. The pain on his face cannot be mistaken.

  Dad breaks the thick silence in the room. “He’s been here the whole time. He went to find some shitty hospital coffee for my cranky ass.”

  Alex steps into the room rounding the end of the bed, taking my other side. He hands Dad a coffee and sets the other one down on a table. I don’t give him the chance to take my hand before I grab for his. I pull him down, burying my nose in his neck. It’s my home. My safe place.

  Dad clears his throat. “Going to tell you the same thing I told my daughter, Alex. You two need to process all this shit and get past it. Life is too short to let demons haunt you. Your families will be by your sides through it all. You won’t have the chance to screw up.”

  Alex leans back just enough so I can see his face. Slick, hot tears run down his cheeks. He’s not a man who cries, and I know beyond a doubt I’ll only see this scene a handful of times. The shit show we survived nearly took both of us down. Our relationship started out toxic. During it all we formed a bond that couldn’t keep us apart. It’s a love so strong it’s unfathomable. I know one thing for certain through all the blurriness. I’ll never let go of this love. It’s mine.

  “I’m going to get your mom. She’s in the waiting room entertaining Cooper. He’s about to go batshit crazy from being cooped up.” Dad leans in and steals a kiss, then turns for the door.

  “Dad,” I blurt out.

  He turns around, running a hand through his long, thick blond hair.

  “I love you.”

  He winks at me and gifts me with his signature smirk. “What’s not to love.”

  I smile at his response. It’s his unique way of saying he loves me, too. I haven’t heard it in a long time. It will
never grow old.

  I scoot over in the bed biting down on my bottom lip, keeping in the cries of pain and agony. It’s a bit tricky since one of my legs is up in a sling.

  “C’mon, Alex.” I pat the side of the bed.

  “No way in hell. You’re in bad shape, baby.”

  “Alex, shut up and listen to me.”

  He thinks for a minute, running his hand over his light beard. The dark scruff that I’ve seen before is now a nice beard. And damn, is it sexy on him. After long beats, he indulges me, easing himself onto the mattress. He keeps his hands to himself, being extra cautious not to hurt me. I wiggle right up to his side, grab his hand, lacing our fingers together and laying them on my stomach.

  “I remembered,” I start first.

  “I’m so damn sorry.” Alex runs his lips over the shell of my ear.

  “For what? Lexi being a crazy bitch? Because I’m pretty damn certain you had nothing to do with that.”

  “I brought her into your life.”

  I turn my head to gaze at him. “Alex, you couldn’t have pushed me out of your life even if you’d tried, even when we met back in Montana. There’s no way in hell I ever had the power to walk away from you. I would’ve fought. It’s not your fault.”

  “I killed her,” he whispers in my ear. “Shot her like I did the guy in the alley, and I don’t feel a damn thing but relieved.”

  “Thank you.” I kiss his lips. “Thank you.”

  “Promise me you’ll talk to me, Maria. I thought I lost you and went fucking insane.” His lips brush against mine with each syllable.

  “I promise.”

  We spend the next twenty minutes talking about everything from that awful Monday and the way Lance saved my life to the fact we’ll never have to worry about Lexi’s death coming to haunt Alex. The authorities are still looking for Scott and Lexi. Part of me is saddened for Scott and his family, yet I can’t find enough energy to care. It’s harsh, but it’s my reality.

  Alex pulls out his phone, showing me several videos of Dixie his mom has recorded. I smile. I’m happy. In pain but alive.

  “Out of that bed, boy.” Mom rushes in.

  Alex chuckles. I fight to stay awake as my mom hops into the bed. She sings in my ear, hugging me tight. The pain medication dulls the pain just enough I don’t complain. The soothing sound of her voice makes everything better.

  Before long, the entire Diamond family along with mine surrounds my bed. It’s an army that’s a force to be reckoned with. With these people by my side, I’ll beat any- and everything. Alex ushers everyone out. When he goes to slump in a chair, I pat the bed, giving him no option.

  It’s not the most ideal bed. It doesn’t matter. Alex’s arms lace around me this time, pulling me close. I kiss his neck over and over again.

  “Alex.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I have some pretty major street cred now.”

  He lifts his head. His hair is messed up, and his whiskey-colored eyes are sleepy. “Eh?”

  “Gunshot wound that will turn into a scar. There won’t be a thug that dares mess with me.”

  It takes him a few seconds to understand what I’m saying. When he does, he throws his head back and laughs. The sound is the sweetest song I’ll ever hear.

  “Only you, Maria Richards, only you would find a slice of comedy in this mess.”

  I snuggle down deeper into his chest. “One day, you’ll be saying, ‘Only you, only you, Maria Diamond, only you.’”

  His fingers glide over my collarbone and up to my neck. A cool piece of metal tickles my flesh. I don’t have to look down to know he’s placed my diamond right back where it belongs.

  “Damn right, I will be.”

  About the Authors

  Find more great books from HJ Bellus & Kathy Coopmans on all platforms.

  Find us on FACEBOOK!

  HJ Bellus —> http://bit.ly/2aqwluy

  Kathy Coopmans —> http://bit.ly/2IMZSOV

  HJ Bellus is a small town girl who loves the art of storytelling. When not making readers laugh or cry, she's a part-time livestock wrangler that can be found in the middle of Idaho, shot gunning a beer while listening to some Miranda Lambert on her Beats and rocking out in her boots.

  USA Today Best Selling Author Kathy Coopmans is a Michigan native where she lives with her husband, Tony. They have two son's Aaron and Shane.

  She is a sports nut. Her favorite sports include NASCAR, Baseball, and Football.

  She has recently retired from her day job to become a full-time writer.

  She has always been an avid reader and at the young age of 50 decided she wanted to write. She claims she can do several things at once and still stay on task. Her favorite quote is "I got this."

  Epilogue

  Maria

  Three Years Later

  “Ugh. I need this done before I take time off.” I gaze around the room. My mind wandering back to a time that still remains fresh in my mind.

  The years haven’t been easy. Hell, it’s never been simple nor easy with us. We get through each day at a time. I still shiver thinking about the time spent in the hospital. It was a cakewalk compared to coming home and going about our daily lives.

  We fought, we yelled, but we always made up at the end of the day. It took time for everything to sync up and for us to find our new rhythm. Once we did, we were unstoppable.

  I groan as I stare at the computer and the task ahead of me. I’m now the Idaho Diamonds PR manager, which includes maintaining their website and producing promotional items. It’s a huge job, and I love it. No more slinging drinks for me.

  My stomach growls, so I reach into my desk drawer and try to decide between double-stuffed Oreos or a Snickers bar. I hem-haw and decide to crack open the new jar of dill pickles hidden in my fridge under my desk instead.

  I still sing every chance I get. In fact, it’s the reason Alex is currently brooding in his office. The man is still as controlling as ever, and I’m equally as bullheaded. He’s downright pissed off. I’m lined up to sing the national anthem tonight at the season’s opening home game. It’s been on the calendar for months and an argument between us for the same time.

  “Shit.” I clutch my back.

  “Something wrong?” Alex strides in hands tucked in his pockets.

  “No, it’s back pain. Nothing different,” I respond, sucking on the end of a pickle.

  “She-devil,” he mutters. “Thank fuck we’re having a boy.”

  “Ass,” I respond.

  He rounds my desk, lifts me up by the arms, and plops down in my chair. Alex pulls me down on his lap. Still amazes the shit out of me that we both fit like this. Being nine months pregnant and the size of a whale sucks ass. I love being pregnant, but I’m over it.”

  “Talked to your mom. They’re all settled at the house and will be at the stadium in an hour or so.” He rubs gentle circles on my belly.

  “And?” I ask, knowing exactly where he’s going with this.

  “Not gonna beat around any damn bush here, babe. She’d love to sing tonight.”

  “Alex.” I slap his chest. “I’m pregnant, not dying. You’re insane.”

  He captures my bottom lip with his teeth, tugging back on it. He soothes out the lingering pain with a gentle kiss, then thrusts his pelvis up into my ass, growling.

  “In fact, you’re nine months pregnant, and it’s your due date. You dad is on my side this time.”

  “You didn’t.” I use my pickle as sword, aiming it for his cheek.

  Alex is too quick in grabbing it with his teeth and polishing it off.

  “I’m singing.”

  “Goddamn it, woman.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Do you live just to give me hell?”

  “Yes, I do, Alex.”

  “Well, Mrs. Diamond, you’re getting the job done.” He swats my ass.

  I’ll be singing tonight, that’s for damn sure. Alex gave me the best idea, though. I’ll be singing on the fifty-yard line right next
to the woman who gave me the gift.

  Alex

  With the crowd roaring and my wife waddling to the fifty-yard line with her mom, I lift the corners of my mouth in a half-ass smile. Her die-hard determination will never get old. Yes, it may cause a fuck ton of gray hairs, but I thrive on her drive. Took everything inside of me not to leave a hand print on her ass and drive her home.

  “Breathe.” Hart nudges my side. “She’ll be just fine.”

  My dad’s chuckles echo from the other side of me. The two have bonded over giving me hell about being a husband. They live to rattle my cage about it. Dad reassured me he has eyes on Maria and standby on the sidelines. Still doesn’t reassure my ass. Those fucking videos in the damn birthing class Maria made me attend with her scarred me for life. I’m not ready, nor will I ever be ready to see the love of my life go through the terror of giving birth.

  It’s been a hell of a long journey for me and my beautiful wife, Maria. There were times when I fought against both our nightmares, wanting a drink. We fought through every single one of them and came out winners.

  To this day, she doesn’t have a clue I wanted to slip a ring on her finger the minute she opened her eyes at the hospital. Fought through that, too. Her ring burned a hole in my pocket for nearly a year. Until the day came where we both felt our feet moving peacefully on solid ground.

  We took the private jet, where we both entered the mile-high club, to New York, then I showed her the place I grew up. The place where my dad taught me to be a man. Then we flew to her parents’ place, and in the spot where she not only gave me her body but her heart, I dropped to one knee and asked her to be my wife.

  As she stands by her mom serenading the crowd with the perfect words of our nation’s anthem, her hand resting on her stomach where our son is being stubborn by not wanting to enter this world, I imagine life can’t get any better than having the woman you love being happy, getting ready to bring the next generation of Diamonds into this world and doing the things she loves. I’m damn proud of her, and not even our worst memories will take that away. It’s ours.