Hooked (TKO #2)

by Ana Layne

  “I just need to know that you believe me. I won’t go anywhere.”

  “Of course I believe you, Lance.”

  She leaves it at that, and silence falls between us.

  “I’m kind of glad Raegan is pregnant at the same time,” I say, unable to handle the quiet. “This way, our…um, I mean, the babies can grow up together.”

  “It’s okay to say our baby.” She grabs my hand. “He gave up every right. Not like I was going to give him rights anyway. In my eyes, you are the father.”

  “You mean it’ll call me daddy?” I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

  “It?” She scrunches her nose.

  “Well, we don’t know if the baby is a boy or girl yet, so that’s why I said it. What did you think I was talking about, the clown?”

  She bursts into a fit of laughter, and snorts. “Seriously? That clown is creepy as hell!”

  “Well, I was thinking we could decorate the nursery in full IT form. Clowns everywhere, sort of like a circus.”

  “I’ve never seen a clown like that at a circus. What kind of circus did you go to?” she asks, with a hint of sarcasm.

  “I love you. I know you’ve got to be tired. Let’s get you home.”

  I finally start the truck and start the drive to her house.

  “I’m going to miss you tonight.” She sighs, twirling her hair around her finger. I haven’t seen her do that in a long time.

  “I’m going to miss you too. I like waking up next to you.”

  “You liked way more than that. I know I did.” She smirks.

  “Are you trying to talk dirty to me, Hilary?”

  “N-no.” She stammers. She’s so cute when she’s been caught. I can’t help but laugh, and it frustrates her. Her arms are crossed over her chest and her ears are red.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. I think it’s cute.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to be cute. Cute is for little girls.”

  “You are all grown up. I learned that last night.”

  She slaps my arm, leaving a red mark. “Lance!”

  “I’m just saying…” When we approach a red light, I unbuckle my seatbelt for just a moment. I lean over and kiss her cheek. “I love you, Hilary.”

  “I love you too, you crazy man.”

  The light turns green. I hurriedly put my seatbelt back on, and drive before everyone starts honking at me. I still can’t wipe this grin off my face. I think it may be permanent, which means I’ll walk around looking like the goddamn village idiot.

  Hilary asks if I want to come inside for a few minutes when we arrive at her house. Her parents are more than hospitable. I stay for dinner, and watch as Hilary gets sleepy. She’s sitting on the couch, curled up on the corner with her head on my shoulder. Light snoring feels my ears, and I know she’s out for the night. I gently move, allowing her to stretch out on the couch. I reach for a blanket and cover her up, then place a kiss on her forehead before excusing myself. I help her mom finish cleaning up the kitchen, and her dad offers me a drink but I politely decline. I really need to be getting home too. It’s been a long few days.

  Chapter 27

  Hilary

  I wake to a dark living room. I’m on the couch, alone. Lance must have left a few hours ago. I’m disappointed I didn’t get to say goodnight. I’m exhausted. Everything around me seems to be catching up. I’ve been through so much stress due to Travis, and I’m hoping it’s finally at an end. I can’t continue to stress while I’m carrying an innocent child.

  I sigh, pulling myself off the couch. I want a shower and my nice comfortable bed. I check the time on my phone. It’s barely after midnight. I can’t believe Mom or Dad didn’t wake me. I shuffle toward my bedroom, deciding the shower can wait until morning. I don’t even bother turning my light on.

  I quickly unbutton my pants and shimmy out of them, leaving them on the bedroom floor. Just a few feet ahead of me is the cushiony mattress I can’t wait to touch. I close my eyes with a smile on my face as I crawl onto the bed. My comforter is silky soft, and I can’t wait to cuddle beneath it. I know I’m going to have trouble falling asleep without Lance here to hold me, but I’ll be okay. I really want to text him and tell him I miss him. He may not get it until morning, but I don’t care, and I know he won’t either.

  I touch the home button on my phone and the screen lights up, illuminating part of the room. My heart leaps into my chest and my breathing becomes restricted.

  No, this can’t be happening. This is all a figment of my imagination. This isn’t real. How the hell did he get in my room?

  I don’t want to cry. I want to be strong and stand my ground, but the tears slip rapidly down my cheeks. I wonder if I’d even have a chance to scream. Mom and Dad sleep in a room on the other side of the house. Would they even hear me?

  “Don’t scream or you will regret it,” he warns. His sinister glare shows he means business. He has already intimidated me into silence.

  I nod. I don’t want to upset him. He reaches out to touch my leg, and I cringe, trying to move away from him. “What are you doing here, Travis? How did you get in my house?”

  “Quit it with all the questions, Hilary. I think you know why I’m here.”

  He’s watching me closely, so there’s no way I could use my phone. Think, Hilary.

  “I…I don’t know why you’re here.” I can barely get the sounds out of my throat.

  “Get the fuck up. He thinks he can take what’s mine? Well, I’m taking what’s his.”

  “I’m sorry…what?” My heart rate increases and I’m trembling.

  “I said get up. Now.” His words are calm as he pulls a gun from behind his back.

  Terror thrums through me. The tears that fell earlier fall harder as I stumble to get up. Like a fugitive, I put my hands in the air praying he won’t do anything rash. I knew he could get angry. I’ve seen it before. But he’s never, ever done anything this stupid. When he’d get aggravated, he’d just go call one of his other women and leave me alone.

  He grabs me by my hair and yanks me closer to him. Cries of pain fill the air and my knees try to give out from under me but I won’t let them. “Please, Travis, you don’t have to do this. What do you want me to do to make this right? I’ll do whatever you want.”

  “It’s too late for that, Hilary. It’s time for both of you to pay. Just so you know, there is no happy ending.” His eyes are dark and cold, much like the barrel of the gun that is pressed against my temple.

  “Wh-what are you going to do?” I ask quietly through my tears. I suddenly wish I had stayed on the couch.

  “What I should have done long ago. If I can’t have you, do you think I’m going to let him take you? I don’t fucking think so. You think you can run off and have a happily ever after? Those don’t exist, Hilary. This isn’t a Disney movie, this is real fucking life. I control your fate, and your time just ran out.”

  I hear him cock the gun and the tears increase again. I don’t want to die. I finally found happiness in my life, and I don’t want to lose it. What will happen to my parents if I die? Will they be able to continue to live their lives the way they always have? Will they know just how much I love them?

  Oh God, Lance. Will he know how much I love him for everything he’s done for me? I couldn’t bear to cause him any more pain. I close my eyes, praying I will be remembered for all the good things I’ve done in my life.

  When I reopen my eyes, Travis is just staring blankly at me. “You made me do this, Hilary.”

  I lift my knee harshly into his crotch. He yells as he drops to his knees. The gun falls to the floor along with my body. My head aches from him pulling my hair, but I know if I’m going to survive, I need to get my act together and move fast. I reach for the gun and do my best to steady it in my hands. I’ve never held a gun before, and I wasn’t counting on ever having to hold one.

  “You really think you’re going to shoot me? That’s not how it works. Give me the gun and maybe I’ll let you live.
”

  “No.” My voice is still shaky. He tries to come closer. I can see the venom in his eyes. He’s not going to try to make anything better. If I give him this gun, he’s going to kill me. I can’t let that happen. “Come closer and I’ll shoot you, Travis.”

  “So says the worst lay I’ve ever had. You really think you can shoot me? You can’t do anything right. Just give me the gun.”

  “I said no!” I shriek. I hoped the noise might wake someone, but I’m still alone.

  “Give me the fucking gun, you bitch.” He lunges forward.

  Without thinking, I close my eyes and pull hard on the trigger. The gunshot scares the hell out of me and the kick from the pistol shoves me back a little. I drop the gun when I see Travis hit the ground.

  I shot him, and he’s not moving. I can’t tell where he was hit, and I’m not even sure if he’s alive. My hands and legs are shaking as I back away. I want to puke. I want to move so much faster than this. I need to call the cops. I make it to my bed at the same time my bedroom light turns on. I turn to see my dad standing there, staring at Travis.

  “Hilary, what happened?” He wraps his arms around me, and his tight grasp is both comforting and suffocating at the same time.

  “Daddy.” I burst into tears. “H-he was in my room. He was going to kill me but I-I got the gun from him.”

  “Have you called the cops?”

  I shake my head, and pass him the phone. I can’t right now. I listen as Dad calls and explains what happened. I can’t take my eyes off Travis. As curious as I am, I don’t want to get anywhere near him. Dad hands the phone back to me, telling me the cops are on their way. He grabs my pants for me and sets them on the bed. He holds me steady while I dress, and then I glance back toward Travis. Dad leans toward him, then steps away.

  “He can’t hurt you anymore, baby girl.”

  “Is he…?”

  “He’s dead,” Dad answers solemnly.

  A sob escapes the back of my throat. I killed him. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

  “You did what you had to do, Hilary. Don’t be sorry for that.”

  I grab my phone and shakily tap Lance’s name. Since it’s so late, I don’t want to call him. Instead, I text him to see if he’s awake. Not even a minute later, he replies. I’m getting ready to call him when blue lights light up the windows.

  The cops are here. Numbly, I pass the phone to Dad and ask if he’ll call Lance for me. I’m the one who needs to talk to the cops. I’m the one Travis was after. I’m the one who pulled the trigger.

  I’m the one who murdered him.

  Chapter 28

  Lance

  A little after midnight, I’m lying in bed. I woke up a few minutes ago because I couldn’t sleep. I miss Hilary too much. Her text asking if I’m awake makes me smile. She must not be able to sleep either. After I reply, a few minutes pass and I assume she’s fallen back asleep. I don’t blame her. But then my phone rings and her name pops up. I tap the answer button.

  “Hey, baby, you can’t sleep?”

  “Lance, this is Hilary’s dad.”

  The jolt surprises me enough that I sit up in bed. “Oh shit…I mean, sorry, Mr. Vaughan. Is everything okay?”

  “Can you come to the house? Hilary would probably want you here. I can explain now if you want or when you get here.” He sounds tired, and the anxiousness in his voice is clear. Something is wrong.

  I jump out of bed and throw on the closest pair of basketball shorts I can find. My flip-flops are by my door, so I slide my feet into them before grabbing my wallet and keys as I run out my bedroom.

  “I’m on my way right now. Do you mind filling me in?”

  I should have never asked him. As I drive, I nearly wreck the truck when he explains the situation.

  “She’s talking to the police right now. I’ll be standing outside to meet you.”

  “Okay.” I end the call and throw my phone on the floorboard. Tears sting my eyes. All I can do is thank God that Hilary is okay. I can’t believe Travis snuck into her house and held her at gunpoint. I knew the guy was fucking crazy, but I didn’t know he was psychotic. I pull up at her house and look for the best place to park. Several cop cars and an ambulance line the street. I decide to park a little farther up. My truck is barely parked when I jump out and begin jogging toward her house. Her dad is standing outside just like he said he’d be.

  “Is she okay?”

  “She’s inside finishing up with the police. They had a lot of questions about everything.”

  The paramedics emerge with a body bag on a stretcher. I cringe and turn away. It’s hard to believe Travis is inside that bag. He’ll never be able to hurt her again. I can’t believe how brave she was to pull the trigger. I stand outside with her father for what seems like ages. The cops finally file out one by one. An officer pulls Mr. Vaughan to the side to talk to him. I take this as my chance to head inside. Hilary is sitting on the couch, spaced out, staring at the wall. Her mom hugs me close.

  “I’ll step out so you can talk to her. Thank you for coming.”

  She offers me a weak smile before heading into the kitchen. I sit beside Hilary. I just want to be here for her. I reach for her hand, but she pulls away. I know she’s emotionally drained. I take her hand anyway, and this time she doesn’t let go. I pull her into me and she rests her head on my shoulder.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I whisper. I pull a piece of her hair into my other hand and gently twirl it around my finger.

  She breaks her gaze from the wall and turns to face me. “I killed him, Lance. I shot him.” Her words lack emotion. It’s like talking to a zombie but I don’t blame her at all.

  “I know.”

  “He was going to kill me. His eyes were so dark and full of hate.”

  “I’m so sorry, Hil. I’m not leaving your side.”

  “He’s gone now. I don’t want to go to my room again. It’s ruined.”

  “Shh, come here. It’s going to be okay. Just relax. I’m here.”

  She doesn’t say another word. I just hold her. Her mom comes from the kitchen and sets two cans of soda on the coffee table. I thank her, and she steps outside to meet her husband.

  I reach for a can of soda and offer it to Hilary. She slowly grabs it and before it can slip from her hands, I catch it. “If you’re thirsty, I’ll hold it for you.”

  She shakes her head. I place it back on the table before softly kissing her forehead. A few minutes pass before her mom and dad walk back in the house. “The cops just left. If they have any other questions, they’ll call.”

  Hilary looks over to her father. “Thank you.”

  “Everything is okay now, Hilary. It’s all over.”

  A tear falls down her cheek. “Then why do I keep seeing it happen over and over again?”

  I can’t even begin to imagine what she’s going through, but I do know that I’ll do whatever I can to help her get through this. “It may take some time to get past this, Hilary,” her father says. “But together we all will. If you need to talk to anyone, your mom and I are here.”

  She nods in agreement, and pulls her hand away from mine. “I just need to go to the bathroom.”

  We all watch as she walks slowly down the hall. I grab my phone out of my pocket and text Howard, letting him know I won’t be at the gym in the morning. I know he won’t get it until he wakes up, but right now Hilary is my priority. He’ll understand.

  Chapter 29

  Hilary

  The whole scene plays over and over again in my head. Everything from when I walked into the bedroom to the gun firing into Travis’s chest. It’s like a movie scene on repeat except it’s my life. I’m glad Lance is here but I don’t really know how to talk to him about this, so I haven’t said much other than what he already knows. I could sit there and pretend I’m okay, but the truth is I’m far from it.

  I walk into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I stare at the closed shower curtain. I don’t feel safe anymore. I feel l
ike the boogeyman is still lurking around, even though I just killed him. Carefully, I walk over to the curtain and yank it back. I find an empty bathtub. I’m losing my mind.

  He invaded my home and now I don’t even feel safe here anymore. His memory has tainted everything. I put the toilet seat down and sit. I didn’t need to go to the bathroom, I just needed a minute to myself. I haven’t had a minute to myself since it happened. I was bombarded by police who wanted to know exactly what happened. I almost wondered for a second if they were going to arrest me.

  Officer Brice told me they were treating it as a self-defense case. I mean, that’s what it was. I told him I have no reason to lie to them. Another officer came to hear my story and I never faltered. He got the same exact story I told Officer Brice. I didn’t leave anything out.

  I’m exhausted. I want to go to sleep and try to forget this night but I just can’t close my eyes without seeing everything. A light knock at the door shakes me from my thoughts. With a monotone voice, I tell whoever it is to come in. Lance walks in and kneels in front of me.

  “I’m worried about you, Hil.”

  “I’m not okay. I don’t know that I’ll ever be okay.”

  “You will be. You have your mom and dad, and you have me. I know you’re still scared and it’s going to take time.”

  “I’m a murderer.” I sob.

  “No, you aren’t. Why don’t you come back and lie on the couch. I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you all night.”

  “Please don’t leave me,” I beg through tear filled eyes.

  “I won’t.” He picks me up. I let out a huge sigh against his neck and cling tightly to him. He carries me back into the living room where my mom and dad are still sitting. It’s almost two in the morning, and I know they’ve got to be as tired as I am.

  “I asked Lance if he would stay with me tonight if that’s okay.” Once I’m on the couch, he sits beside me and holds my hand.