Like a Fox

by Sevilla, J. M.

  I’m sobbing so hard I’m hiccupping, “How could we just leave him?”

  “We had no choice. If we’d stayed, we’d be dead too,” Vikki switches gears on the freeway, the city lights blazing behind us as she weaves in and out of cars at full speed. “My job tonight was to get you out of there alive.”

  I hiccup, wiping away tears with my palms, “Your job?”

  “Yes. I promised my brother that no matter what happened, you were my priority.”

  “You should have taken him and left me.”

  “I always keep my promises to him. Always.”

  “Even if that means choosing me over him?”

  “Yes.”

  “You agreed to that? But his life is so much more important.” To me it is anyway. I would rather have him be alive than myself.

  “He’s gone Freya. There’s nothing I could have done about that. The only logical step was to get us out of there alive, just like I promised him.”

  We arrive in the same area we picked up Bones from and she parks the car in an underground garage. I follow her to an elevator, where she uses a key and presses the button for her level.

  “Are we safe here?” I ask as we ascend.

  “Anybody who knew you were involved is dead.” Vikki has barely looked at me this whole time. I don’t blame her.

  “What about you? You’re his sister.”

  “There are few people who know of our connection: Ben, Bones, Doc, and you.”

  I’m astonished, “Nobody knows you’re his twin?”

  “I faked my own death at the age of fourteen.”

  Jesus. I can’t even get into that right now. That’s crazy. “My friends and family know who you are,” I remind her.

  “Yes, against my better judgement, but my brother was determined to have you in our life. Besides, none of them are a threat to us. They didn’t even know the name Vitalle,” she scoffs, like we are so out of loop of real life even though only somebody from their background would know the power of that name.

  “Bones,” I finally have the chance to tell her and I can’t get the words out fast enough, “Bones was the one to do it.”

  The elevator door pings open. Her back is to me as she steps out, heading to one of two doors on the left. “Mm,” is her response. She’s just like her brother. The stab to my heart at the image of how we left Vic almost knocks me down.

  Vikki unlocks the door, waits for me to enter, and locks it behind us before motioning for me to follow her. She doesn’t give me time to look around, quickly leading me to a bedroom and then to the connecting bathroom.

  I enter behind her, “Why don’t you seem bothered by this?”

  She turns on the shower, “That’s the way of this business. Deceit is more common than loyalty.”

  “How are you okay with all of this? Your brother is dead,” I choke on the word, holding back a sob that is biting into my chest.

  I get no response to my question. Instead, she changes the subject, “Undress. Shower. Don’t forget to scrub with soap to remove any trace of blood. Then get yourself to bed. Leave your dress on the floor, I’ll take care of it. ” She’s gone, closing the door behind her.

  I remove my dress and step inside, warm water pelting my skin. Right away I see blood pooling at my feet before streaming down the drain. I extend my hands out and turn them, the blood from Vic still coating the skin. Instead of crying I shut off, unable to process it all. It’s either that or lose my mind.

  Like a zombie I go through the motions of cleaning my body, scrubbing my face clean, and washing my hair. Once I’m done I completely forget to dry off and I shuffle my way to the bed. I hit my toe on the foot of the bed and that’s all it takes to send me over. I drop to my knees and begin sobbing. I sob so hard I can’t breathe and snot is covering me, but I don’t care. My heart is shattered. I don’t think I can survive the pain of losing him.

  Vikki comes in. I wish she didn’t have to see me this way.

  She sits on the floor next to me and places a hand on my naked back, “There’s so much you don’t know about tonight, okay?”

  “Not okay,” I sniffle, snorting back my clogged nose. “We shouldn’t have left him.”

  “Doc took care of him,” she reassures me, but I haven’t a clue who the hell that is.

  “Who’s that?” I ask.

  “My date and longtime acquaintance. He made sure Vic’s body wasn’t left there.”

  “How do you know he didn’t?” She said it herself that nobody keeps to their word.

  “I got a text.”

  I wipe away running snot with the back of my hand, “Can we go to him?”

  “There’s nothing to see, Freya.”

  “I need to say goodbye.” I need to see him. I need to hold him and touch him. I need him here with me.

  “You did.”

  I sob harder, “We didn’t even accomplish what we went there for. This was all for nothing. Oh, god!” I cry out. “Now my father will be next!”

  “My god,” Vikki pulls down the box of tissues from the bedside table and hands it to me, “Pull yourself together. The man’s dead, I made sure of it. Your father will be fine.”

  “Thank you,” I say while I blow my nose. “How?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She pulls back the duvet on the bed. “You need to get some sleep.”

  I pull out another tissue, “I don’t think I can.”

  “Get into bed. I have something that will help.” She leaves the room and I do what I’m told, mostly because the bed looks fluffy and soft and oh-so-inviting to my sore muscles. I’m not sure why, but my body is aching all over.

  She comes back in with a glass of water and drops two white pills into my palm. “Take these.”

  I stare down at the two round pills. “What are they?”

  She pats the underside of my hand, signifying for me to take them, “They’ll help calm you.”

  My hand stays in place. Taking an unknown substance from somebody who has made their dislike for me clear doesn’t seem like a wise move.

  She sighs at my lack of faith, “Trust me, Freya, you need to calm yourself and rest.”

  I give in and take them for the sole reason of hoping they will numb my pain, not having much else I care about at the moment.

  It takes about fifteen minutes and I conk out.

  Chapter 26

  I wake up disoriented and groggy in a dark room I’m unfamiliar with. I feel around on the bedside table next to me until I brush a lamp and turn it on. A soft glow overtakes the room, mostly illuminating the bed. The bed I am on is rather low to the ground. The rest of the room is spotless with a Zen-like atmosphere. The furniture is made of a dark wood that is almost black, with accents of red throughout. A Buddha lies on top of a small dresser, along with a script hanging above it. Not too far from that is a comfortable looking chair. As quickly as I become confused with my surroundings I remember I’m at Vikki’s place.

  The previous night’s events come to mind and a tidal wave of emotion washes over me. I can’t breathe while I play it all out in my head.

  Vikki comes in as I’m being sucked in with grief. She’s freshly made up in her typical black with red heels. She throws some clothes on the bed and as she leaves she says over her shoulder, “Get dressed. We have somewhere to be.”

  “Where?” I call after her.

  “Get dressed,” she orders from down the hall.

  I slowly make my way to the bathroom in a daze. Yesterday almost feels like a bad dream, except I know it’s real by the ache in my chest.

  I cringe at my reflection of puffy red eyes and hair sticking out like I’ve been electrocuted. I could really care less. Sorrow has a way of making you not give a shit about anything other than the torment you are living in. I want to crawl back into bed and cry until I’m numb, or even better, take more of those pills Vikki gave me. I’ve never slept so soundly before. Something tells me Vikki won’t allow me to do either of those options, so I splash some c
old water on my face instead. I conveniently find a toothbrush in its package and a tube of toothpaste lying next to it on the sink. I take that as a hint and go about brushing my teeth. I then change into the clothes left on the bed. They are jeans and a cornflower blue cashmere sweater, a same colored bra with matching underwear, all my size. Plus, a pair of cozy gray socks and brown boots.

  “You ready?” Vikki asks from the door just as I’m sliding into the boots.

  I nod and follow her through the apartment that is just as serene as the bedroom, natural light flooding through the big open windows. She takes us down to the underground parking and we get in her car.

  We drive in silence. I’m too exhausted to talk, nor do I have anything I care to say.

  Vikki looks at me over her sunglasses, “You need to forget about my brother.”

  I hug myself with my arms, “I don’t think I can.” Ever. How do you forget a man like that? A man that made me feel so alive. It’s impossible.

  “You don’t have a choice,” she orders without an ounce of sympathy. “You knew each other for what? A week?”

  “I love him,” I defend myself. We both know it was longer than that. She’s just trying to push my buttons, but I can’t feel anything other than my own sorrow.

  “You think you love him,” she chastises with a click of her tongue. “He’s handsome, mysterious, wealthy…everything good girls like you pretend you don’t want but secretly crave. He’s just a phase, a chance to sow your wild oats.”

  “It’s not like that,” I continue to defend myself, anger beginning to flare inside me. “He drew me in from the beginning. I can’t explain it. Besides, I don’t need to justify anything to you. I know what we have, even if we’re the only two people who ever do.”

  “What kind of father do you think he’ll make?” Vikki probes as she pulls up to a valet in front of a building only a few blocks from her apartment.

  I throw my hands up in the air and let them come down with a hard smack to my thighs, “Does it matter anymore? How can you be so insensitive about your brother’s death? I thought you were close?”

  “We are.” She gets out as the attendant opens her door. “Come on.”

  I follow even though my legs feel like lead. I’m not sure if it’s the loss of Vic or if it’s coming down from the adrenaline rush of yesterday; all I know is I want to sleep for the next one hundred and eleven years.

  The doorman bows his head as he opens it for us to enter, “Miss Fox. It’s good to see you.”

  Vikki gives him a friendly smile, “Thank you, Larry. It’s always a pleasure to see you as well.”

  This building has a security desk that acknowledges Vikki with a nod as she continues back to the elevators. We ride it to the penthouse suite.

  “One last thing,” Vikki says as the elevator opens and we walk to the door at the end of the short hallway. She knocks hard two hard times on the door. “I don’t hate you, despite what you think. I’m just overly protective of my brother and–”

  The door opens to the man who was Vikki’s date last night. For the first time I give him a proper once over. He’s quite handsome. His hair’s speckled with gray and wrinkles appear as he smiles at us. The smile makes his blue eyes shine with life and it puts me at ease. However, he was the last person to see Vic. I have about a million and one questions for him as he motions us in. “I wasn’t expecting you this early.”

  Vikki and he exchange a kiss on the cheek, “I couldn’t wait any longer.”

  “Understandable.” He turns his attention to me and extends a hand, “We haven’t had the opportunity to be properly introduced. I’m Doc–”

  At about the time the man begins to introduce himself Vikki moves to the side, bringing the rest of the room into view. I see the last person I ever expected casually sitting on a sofa, drinking a glass of milk.

  So many emotions fight their way through and I almost collapse from the strain of all of them. One emotion takes reign and controls my senses: rage. Blood pumping, spitting mad, rage.

  I lunge forward, knocking the man’s hand out of my way and I attack the person on the leather couch. Milk flies everywhere, the glass crashing to the ground and breaking on the hardwood floor. The only thing that comes to mind is to strangle him. My hands wrap around his neck and I squeeze. His face quickly turns red as he struggles to unlock my powerful hold. My own strength surprises me. Before I have the chance to end his life I’m torn off of him. Vikki’s date holds me around the waist and draws me away from the man I’m still trying desperately to get to as I scream my hatred, looking and acting like a woman who has gone mad (which I have).

  “What the fuck?!” Bones coughs as he rubs his neck that is still red from my hands.

  “You bastard!” I screech. “You fucking bastard! He trusted you!”

  “Calm down,” the man holding me whispers soothingly into my ear.

  “Fuck you,” I spit, ripping myself from his hold. I point to Bones, “He killed Vic. Now I’m going to kill him!”

  “What?!” Both he and Bones say at the same time. They look to Vikki, who innocently shrugs her shoulders.

  “You didn’t tell her?” The man asks, mouth dropping open in astonishment.

  “It slipped my mind.” She sweetly smiles at me, “Sorry about that.”

  “What is going on?” I pant, confusion trying to mix with my anger, which is still full force and running wild in my body.

  “Vic’s not dead,” Bones explains, going to the kitchen that is off of the living room. He comes back out with a towel. “He’s down the fucking hall.” He shakes his head as he goes to clean up the mess and mumbles, “Jesus Christ, Vikki.”

  Vikki’s amused grin is on full display while I stand there with my mouth dropped open, not quite sure if this is really happening.

  “Freya,” Vikki speaks, changing to a soft tone I would have never expected from her. “It’s the main room, right down there,” she points to a closed door down the hall behind her.

  I run, half-expecting it to be some sick lie, something to laugh over at my expense. I hesitate at the knob, take in a deep breath, and open it.

  I lose my breath as I see Vic trying to get out of a massive bed. A huge bandage is over his naked chest, his face far too pale.

  I rush over, “You’re alive!”

  I want to hold him but I know better than to disturb his wound, so I stand there wringing my hands trying to suppress the urge to squeeze and kiss every part of him.

  “What’s going on?” He asks in a raspy voice, his accent so strong I almost don’t understand. “I heard you screaming.”

  “I thought you were dead.” Tears are falling rapidly as I reach my hand out, the need to touch him too strong. I cup his face in both my hands, staring into his chocolate eyes that I never thought I would stare into again. “I saw Bones and lost it.”

  Vic places a hand over one of mine, the small stretch causing him to wince, “It’s okay.”

  I nod, not able to see him anymore through my blurred eyes. I sniffle, “The pain, Vic. The pain was so intense–”

  “You shouldn’t be out of bed,” Vikki’s date scolds as he comes in. He scoots me away and helps Vic back into bed.

  “Freya.” Vic explains to Doc, “I heard her yelling. I thought something had happened.”

  Vikki comes in, worry etched all over her face as she nears her brother, “How bad is it?”

  “The boy did good,” Doc cuts in. “Couldn’t have been a cleaner shot.”

  Bones leans against the door frame, crossing his arms. “Told you I could fucking do it.”

  Doc continues informing Vikki of Vic’s stats, “He lost a lot of blood, but Bones here was able to give him what he needed.”

  Vikki nods, eyes on her brother, “Good.”

  “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” I plead.

  Vic scowls at his sister, “I gather you never told her?”

  “She would have demanded to come here,” Vikki casua
lly explains, like she did the only logical thing. “Crying all over you while everyone worked to try and keep you alive.”

  “Tell her now,” Vic sighs, closing his eyes. “I don’t have the energy.” He pats the empty space next to him, “Come here and be with me.”

  He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I go around the bed and crawl on top, positioning a pillow behind me on the headboard so I can sit upright next to Vic. He immediately takes my hand in his. More tears roll down my cheeks. I’m incredibly relieved that he’s alive. I still can’t quite digest it, my elation gradually soaring high as it soaks in.

  “The whole thing was staged,” Vikki states as though that’s all the information I need.

  That’s not going to cut it. I need a lot more than that. “What, Vic getting shot? I’m not following.”

  She sighs like she’s bored, “The entire evening. Blackwell was just a decoy. Kazimir was the real target.”

  “Wait.” I shake my head thinking I heard her wrong, “What?”

  Vikki looks up to the ceiling as though this is the tenth time she has had to repeat the story and is so over it, “I was worried you’d mess it up if you knew the plan, so we gave you Blackwell as a decoy.”

  “So hold on,” I sit up straighter, my head reeling. “Blackwell was never who we were after?”

  Vic squeezes my hand, his eyes still closed, “No.”

  I drop his hand, “But I gave his date the Memphis84!”

  Vic takes it back. “No you didn’t. It wasn’t the real stuff.”

  “Think of it as a sugar pill,” Vikki adds, seeing my confused expression.

  “Why would you do that?”

  Vikki crosses her arms, “We didn’t know your acting skills, and we needed you to be legitimately scared and unsure of what was going on when Kazimir’s men escorted you to him and all that followed.”

  “What about Bones getting tortured?” I remind them. My attention turns to Bones and his swollen mouth and wrapped hand. “That was hell to watch.”

  Bones dismisses it with a lopsided grin, his other side the size of a golf ball, “I barely felt that shit.”