Chapter 25
Zane
She won’t stop shaking. I hold her closer to me. I think she’s in shock. “It’s alright peaches, I’ve got you.” I repeat the words over and over, holding her tighter to me.
I look up at Nikolai. “I need to take her to the hospital.” She needs help. She needs it now.
He looks back at me with hesitation. That’s something the mob doesn’t do. At the hospital they ask questions. Questions are something for snitches.
I grind my teeth. I’m not going to let her go without a fight.
“I’m done with this shit, Nikolai.” I nearly spit my words out. I look up at him, holding my girl closer to me.
He’s the only one I had in my life for the longest time. But that’s over now. I’m ready to move on. And this isn’t the life I want. It’s not the life of a man she deserves. And more than anything, I want to deserve her.
“What’s that, Zane? You’re done with what?” he asks with a small threat in his voice, but I don’t care. I’m not letting go of Maddy, and her and this life simply don’t mix.
“I’m out. I don’t want this anymore. Take the shop, do what you want. You’re the Don, and I’m asking to go. I’m asking for peace.”
Nikolai looks at me and then back at his men. They heard, but they keep their heads down. Nikolai is the boss now. He holds the power.
He takes a few steps back and runs a hand down his face. “Get these fuckers out of here now!” he yells at his men.
“You need to wait till it’s clean.” I nod and agree, but I don’t like it. Nik passes me the plastic wrap and duct tape and it takes me a minute to realize it’s for her cut.
I take care of it and keep an eye on her as time passes. I rock her in my arms and watch her breathing. She seems to be doing better and not worse, so that’s a good thing.
“She’ll be alright,” Nik says. I look up at him and his eyes move from her to me. “She’s alright.”
“I wanna take her to the hospital.”
Maddy nestles into my chest, she’s quiet and still trembling. This was too much for her.
Nikolai nods his head at me. “Call 'em.”
I don’t hesitate to reach in my pocket and dial up the ambulance. I’m short and to the point. “I have a young woman in shock on 32 and Sussex.” They ask questions that I don’t answer. “She needs an ambulance.” And with that, I hang up the phone. I may want out of the mob, but I’m sure as shit not going to give them any information.
I’m not a rat.
A long moment passes. “You okay, peaches?” I whisper into Maddy’s ear. She nods her head and offers me a small murmur, but her eyes aren’t focused.
“What’s the shop worth?” Nikolai asks, bringing my attention back to him.
“No clue,” I answer him. I don’t fucking know. I don’t handle the books. “You can check the books.”
Nikolai looks at me for a moment. “I’ll give you the money, whatever it’s worth, and you go where you want.” I hold his gaze, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.
I nod my head as I hear the sirens coming. They’re always fast when you hang up.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Nikolai says. “I’m proud of you, Zane.”
I don’t know why, but it hurts to hear him say that. My eyes water and I’d feel like a little bitch if Nikolai’s weren’t all glassy-looking, too.
“It’s over,” he says.
I nod my head and lean down to give Maddy a kiss.
“It’s over, baby; we’re safe now.”
Chapter 26
Madeline
“I think she’s awake, Mr. Murphy,” I hear Katie say. Her voice sounds muffled, almost as if I’m under water. I hear other people talking too, but their voices are too distorted to understand what they're saying.
Groaning, I struggle to open my eyes. They feel heavy, like they weigh a thousand pounds. On top of that, my body is sore all over and I feel incredibly weak. After a moment, I’m able to lift my eyelids enough to see. Everything is blurry. There are several people, I think, standing over my bed. I blink rapidly to clear my vision, and slowly the room comes into view.
I’m lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by Daddy and Katie. Katie is holding my hand and looking down at me with a mixture of relief and love. Daddy looks like a man who’s been told he’s won the lottery.
As grateful as I am to see these two, I notice one person missing.
Zane, I think with panic. Where’s Zane?
I try to lift my head to look around, but it’s too much for me and I fall back. Seeing my distress, Daddy rushes forward and places a hand on my shoulder to calm me. “I’m here, baby,” he reassures me, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on my forehead. “No one is ever going to hurt you again. I swear it.” For a moment, I feel comforted by his words.
“We’re both so glad you’re alive,” Katie adds, her voice filled with joy. She places her hand over her chest. “For a while there, I thought you wouldn’t make it. You almost gave your father and me a frickin' heart attack.”
I smile briefly at her, so she doesn’t think I’m an ungrateful twit. “Where’s Zane?” I croak. My voice sounds raw, like I’ve smoked a hundred packs of cigarettes.
“He had to leave,” Katie says, glancing apprehensively at Daddy.
“Why?” I demand, sensing something’s not right. Why would he leave me like this?
“Because I told him to,” Daddy replies sternly, his smile morphing into a scowl. “I told him to get out and to never come back. He's the reason why you’re here, and he can go to hell for it.”
Anger swells up from the depths of my stomach. “Why would you do that?” I snap. “Zane saved my life!” I can scarcely remember the events following my rescue, but I clearly remember being held in Zane’s loving arms before I lost consciousness. My father was wrong to send Zane away when he’d risked his life to save me.
He snorts. “Saved you? Had you never met the lying bastard, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“I’m only alive because he saved me!” I yell, my voice croaking like a frog. Through the large doorway, I see several nurses stop to stare at me, but I don’t give a damn. I’m fucking pissed.
“You have no idea why you’re alive,” Daddy says. “You’re clearly delirious, so I’m going to forgive how you’re acting toward me.”
“I am not delirious. As soon as they say I’m well enough, I’m out of here! And the first thing I’m going to do is find Zane to tell him how much I love him.”
Daddy’s face turns red with fury. “You’re going to do no such thing, young lady!”
I glare back at him, pretending not to notice Katie fidgeting and looking uncomfortable. I know she must feel pretty conflicted right now, stuck between her best friend and my well-meaning father. “I'm a grown woman. You can't tell me what I can or can’t do!”
He glowers at me, the veins standing out his neck. I swear if I wasn’t already half-dead, he’d strike me. He takes a deep breath, as if to calm himself and opens his mouth to speak. “You know--”
“Mr. Murphy,” Katie says, quietly interrupting him. “I think Maddy and I need a second alone.”
He turns on Katie, and at first I think he’s going to cuss her out, but he just stares at her.
“Please?” Katie pleads. “Just a few minutes, and I’ll let you take the helm.”
Daddy turns his gaze back on me for a long moment before grudgingly saying, “Alright. You have five minutes.” Not saying another word, he bends down and kisses me on the forehead, and then he walks out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.
“What happened?” I ask her as soon as the door clicks shut. Katie grabs a chair from the corner of the room and drags it over to the bed. She sits down and takes my hand.
“Are you okay?” she asks, her eyes filled with concern.
I shake my head, tears welling up into my eyes. “No,” I sigh. “I’m not.” Tears roll down my face as I relive the
trauma of my kidnapping, and it’s an effort to wipe them away. “I need Zane,” I say.
Seeing my distress, tears well up in Katie’s eyes. “Oh Maddy,” she sighs. “I can’t imagine what you went through.”
My throat feels like it has a lump the size of a bowling ball in it. “They were going to…” I can hardly get the words out. “Rape me... and kill me.” I’m grateful my father isn't in here to hear this part of my story. I fear he might blame Zane and go find him and shoot him.
Katie places a hand over her mouth in horror. “Oh God, Maddy, no.”
I nod. “It was so awful, Katie. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die.”
“And Zane really saved you?” she asks in wonder.
“Yes,” I reply. “Against all odds, he found me. And then he killed them. He saved me.”
Katie's eyes go wide with shock. “He killed the guys who kidnapped you?”
I nod. “And they fucking deserved it,” I snarl, half-rising in the bed, my eyes blazing with hatred. “They deserved to be fucking dead!”
Katie’s taken aback by the venom in my voice and the savage scowl on my face. I know she thinks that this behavior isn't like me, but she wasn’t there. She didn’t live through the horror like I did. It changes a person.
“When was Zane last here?” I ask, looking all around as if he’s about to pop out of thin air.
“Yesterday, when you were admitted. He called me and told me to get your dad. I did, and then when I got here he told me you had been kidnapped, but everything was fine now. He didn’t say anything about killing anybody, though.” She bites her lower lip anxiously.
“He didn’t tell you because he didn’t want Daddy to know. Daddy hates him, so imagine if he knew what Zane did, even if it was to save me.”
“He’d arrest him.”
I nod. “Exactly. So I need you to promise me, Katie. Promise me you won’t tell a soul about what I’ve told you.”
Katie is a long time in responding, and I fear she's going to run out and tell my father, but finally she nods. “I promise, Maddy. You don’t have to worry. I won’t tell a soul.” She bites her lower lip again and then looks anxious. “But there’s something you need to know.”
I hold back a groan. I’ve had enough surprises to last me a lifetime.
“The cops interviewed your dad and me, and I’m sure they’re going to interview you as soon as they think you're well enough.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “That’s the last thing I need right now.”
“You’re going to have to lie to them, Maddy.”
“I know that.”
“I hope you know you could get into serious trouble for that.”
“I don’t give a fuck.” I don’t care what crime I’ll commit by covering for Zane, I'm going to stand by him until the very end.
“Just making sure you know that.”
“Thank you,” I say sarcastically.
Katie scowls. “Bitch.”
I don’t miss a beat. “Ho.”
Katie laughs and leans down to hug me. “Maddy, I’m just so happy you’re alive!”
I wish I could rejoice with her, but I feel sick to my stomach. “Damn, I really wish there was a way I could get out of being interrogated.”
“You know, you don’t have to talk to them right now. You’re the victim in this, you can stall them by saying you’re not ready to talk about it. And then when you are well enough, you can lawyer up first before saying anything, if you have to say anything at all.”
“I’ll just say I don’t remember shit, that I fell and hit my head, which I did, and I’m having trouble recalling anything.” They can’t make me talk.
“You always were sort of brain-damaged,” Katie agrees, and we both laugh.
“Do you really love him?” Katie asks me in a serious tone after a moment of silence.
“Yes,” I reply with conviction. “I do. I don’t know if he loves me, or if he and my father will ever get along, but I do love him. Very much.”
Katie looks at me with a proud gleam in her eye. “That’s good, Maddy. I’m so happy for you, and I'm glad to know you’ve finally given a man your heart.” Then she wryly adds, “Even if he had to murder two guys to capture it.” “Katie!” I protest.
“Wha? You know I’m just pulling your leg. You know, I talked to Needles too, during all this.”
“What did he say?” I ask.
“He told me that they’re moving shop. That Zane’s out of the mob for good and moving on. When you’re well enough, if you still want, I’ll take you to Zane.”
My eyes brim over with tears. “Thank you so much, Katie.”
She rubs my arm affectionately. “That’s what friends are for.”
I feel so much love and appreciation for Katie right now. She's been my rock throughout my life, and I'm honored that she's going to stand by me and my decision to cover for Zane. I’m not even worried that she’ll ever talk about what I’ve shared with her.
Still there is one last thing that is bothering me. “Katie, am I wrong?” I have to ask. “Zane killed those people, and I’ll have to live with that knowledge for the rest of my life. But even knowing that, I still love him and want to be with him. Do you think that makes me a bad person?”
Katie snorts with derision. “I think you refusing to tell me how big Zane’s dong is makes you a bad person.”
“Katie!”
Katie laughs, and a moment later, I’m laughing right along with her. We laugh and laugh until our sides hurt. When we’re done, Katie’s expression turns serious and she grabs my hand and rubs it. “No, I don’t think you’re a bad person, Maddy. You're the best friend a girl could ever ask for.”
“Thank you.” My eyes well up with tears, and I’m truly touched. I know then that Katie and I will be friends for life. Our bond is stronger than ever.
Katie smiles at me with great affection, the same that I feel in my heart. “Besides, you can’t help who you love.”
Grinning and filled with happiness, I squeeze her hand and reply, “Truer words have never been spoken.”
Chapter 27
Zane
“You sleep at all last night, man?” Needles asks as I place the machine in the cardboard box as carefully as I can.
“No.” I don’t mean to be short. But I’m worried about her, and tired as fuck. I stayed up in the waiting room downstairs.
I just can’t get the image of her tied up and helpless out of my head. I wish they were alive so I could kill them again. I never wanna leave her side ever again.
I know she left me. I know this shit is my fault. But I couldn’t leave her. I respected her father’s wishes, but I wasn’t going to leave.
The nurse on duty was nice enough to keep me posted. I know she’s awake now. I know she’s alright. I keep checking my phone, thinking she’ll call me. But nothing yet.
I wouldn’t even be here if Nikolai hadn’t told me the shop needed to be cleared out today.
“It’s gonna be alright.” Needles slaps my back and gives me a reassuring look. He has no fucking clue how I feel though.
“As soon as this shit is packed up, I’m going back to her. Her father can’t stay in that room forever.” I don’t know if she’ll want me. But I have to try.
“Even if he does, so what?” Needles says with a scrunched nose. “Fuck him.”
I give him a sad smile. I thought about just being an ass and refusing to leave. But he’s her father, and I know she doesn’t want us fighting.
“It’ll hurt her,” I tell him. I know she didn’t like it when we fought before. Who am I to go in there causing problems when she’s recovering from that shit? The shit I caused her.
I want her though. I need her.
I have to try.
I breathe out deep and get back to loading my shit into cardboard boxes.
I hear the door open behind us and I assume it’s Trisha. She’s got a box in the back that she needs to move to the new place.
But then I hear Katie’s sarcastic mouth. “You better not be leaving town.”
I clench my jaw and try to hold in everything I wanna say. I need to know how my girl is. I wanna tell Katie there’s no fucking way I’m leaving her. Instead I slowly turn around, and I’m speechless.
Maddy’s standing there with a bandage on her leg and a bruise on her face. Her gorgeous green eyes are staring at me with so many emotions shining through.
I drop the shit in my hands and stare back at her, taking her in. I wanna run to her, take her in my arms, and kiss her. I’d drop to my knees and promise to make it up to her. I’d spend the rest of my life doing it.
She looks so uneasy. Like she doesn’t know why she’s here.
Fuck it!
I only have one life to live, and I wanna spend it with her.
I take large strides across the room to take her in my arms. And thank fuck she wraps her arms around me in return. I bury my head in the crook of her neck and kiss every inch available.
“I’m so sorry, Maddy.”
She doesn’t say anything which makes me nervous, but she holds me tighter.
“Is it true?” she asks in a voice that tells me she’s scared to know the answer.
“Is what true?” I pull away and search her eyes. My heart races with panic.
“Are you done with that? All of it?” she asks me. I slowly nod my head as I realize what she’s asking.
“I am. It’s over. I swear to you.”
I hear her sob, and it breaks my heart. I brush her tears away with my thumb and hold her face in my hands.
“I’m sorry, peaches. I’m so fucking sorry.” I take her lips with mine and kiss her with all the passion I have for her. I want her to feel it, and to know it, never doubting me again.
“I’ll make it up to you,” I whisper with my forehead resting against hers. “Every day for the rest of my life.” I kiss her again and she leans into my touch. My hand splays across her back and braces her against me. I don’t want to ever let go.
“I love you, Zane.” She whispers her words and my heart swells in my chest, but I’m still worried. I wait for a “but”. After a moment she pulls back and looks at me, her eyes searching my face and then I see her vulnerability.
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