by Jacie Lennon
I hand the phone to Ben before rolling back over with a groan.
“You’re holding an ice pack to my vagina later,” I mutter, burying my head back in the pillow as he laughs and swipes to answer.
“Hey, Dad,” he says, and I perk up.
“Tell him,” I whisper, but Ben ignores me and just listens to whatever his dad is saying on the other end. I poke his stomach and whisper it again.
“No,” he says back, pulling the phone away so his dad can’t hear.
“We need their help.”
“I don’t want to bring them into it,” he says.
We can hear his dad’s faint voice come across the speaker, and Ben brings the phone back up to his ear.
“Yes, I’m still here,” he says.
I watch as his eyes widen, and he opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
“Fuck, he knows,” he whispers to me and then listens again.
“Yeah, I knew,” Ben says as he reaches to turn on the speakerphone so I can hear.
“You should have come directly to me, Benjamin. This is ridiculous. Who are these people, and why would they send me this?” His dad is irate and not stopping to let Ben get a word in edgewise. “You tell these people that we do not negotiate with terrorists. Are these some of his idiot friends, playing a prank?” Finally, he stops to take a breath.
“This isn’t a prank. Mark owes them thirty grand in gambling debts. They’re technically keeping him hostage until it’s paid.”
A sob comes across the speaker, and Ben furrows his brow.
“Dad?”
“That’s your mother. She’s the one who opened the envelope. She has been inconsolable since. I can’t believe you tried to keep this from us.”
“I messed up. I’m sorry. I thought I could take care of it on my own.”
“It would have been better for you to tell us than for us to receive a mysterious letter in the mail, letting us know Mark is in trouble and what will happen if they don’t get their money. Tell us what needs to be done.”
“I’m meeting them tomorrow with the money.”
“You have thirty grand?”
“No, but we were working it out.”
“Who is we?”
“Pepper and me.”
“You have Pepper involved in this, but you didn’t think to, oh, I don’t know … pick up the phone and tell us?” his dad starts rambling again, and Ben grimaces.
“Look, Dad,” he says, cutting him off, “I’m taking care of it.”
“Just come here,” his dad says, deflating. “You know it will raise flags to take that money out.”
I know Ben’s trying to act nonchalant, but the worry is evident in his demeanor and expressions.
“Yes, we know. We’ve decided to take the money from Pepper’s account to alert the IRS,” Ben says.
I pump my fist, glad he’s finally seeing things from my perspective.
“Are you sure? I don’t like this, Ben.”
“I don’t like it either, but we don’t have a choice.”
“Okay. Well, keep us informed of what’s going on. Have you contacted the police?”
“We didn’t think we should with their threat of harming Mark if we went to the cops.”
“This feels like a movie,” his dad says, his tone almost disbelieving.
Betty continues to cry in the background, and I tear up a little, listening to her. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a child in this kind of trouble. It’s bad enough that it’s my boyfriend’s brother.
“Look, I’ve gotta go. All of this is upsetting your mother more. Like I said, keep us in the loop. I love you, son.”
“Love you too, Dad,” he says, sighing and sinking back into the pillow. He hangs up and sets the phone back down.
It seems like everything might just work out if we go with the plan.
“I was thinking …” I say, trailing my finger around his belly button. He stays silent, and I take that as my cue to continue talking. “I don’t think I’ve told you, but my mom is very involved in charity work.”
“Mmhmm.” The sound vibrates his chest.
“Well, one of those charities is a rehab program.”
“Rehab?”
“Yes. Do you think your brother would be open to going?”
“Isn’t rehab for alcohol and drugs?”
“Yes, mostly, but sometimes, other addictions come in. I think your brother’s problem qualifies … especially if he’s involved with bad people.” Ben doesn’t answer right away, and I sit up. “This could be exactly what he needs. I’ll call my mom and see if she can get him a spot. But only if you’re okay with it.”
“I want to get him help. I just don’t know where to start. But it’s not me you have to convince,” Ben says, sighing and sitting up, moving his legs so his feet are planted on the floor. He leans over and places his elbows on his knees, head in his hands as he rubs at his temples. “I don’t think Mark will go easily.”
“You would think, after being held hostage by goons, he would see the light.” I lean up and wrap my arms around him. My chest planted firmly against his back, I loop my head around the side of his, placing a kiss on his jawline. “Come on. We need to head to the bank.” I shuffle over and jump down off the bed, stopping when Ben grabs my hand.
“Pepper,” he says, raising his head to meet my eyes, “come here.” He pulls me between his legs. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he rests his chin right between my breasts, staring up at me as I look down, my hair closing us in a little box, where only we exist. “I just want you to know … well, um, I—”
“Spit it out, Benjamin.” I lean down and nuzzle his nose with mine.
“I love you, Pep,” he says, eyes never leaving mine as his arms tighten with tension.
I watch his jaw muscle twitch, as if he’s gritting his teeth, waiting for an answer. I know that I love him, and maybe it’s really quick to be saying it, but when you’re in circumstances like ours, the drama amping up fears and tension, it’s good to finally go ahead and say it.
“God, Ben, I love you too,” I say, eyes filling with tears. I blink quickly, surprised at how I’m overcome with emotion. “Are you telling me this because you think we’re going to die tomorrow?” I ask, laughing nervously.
He chuckles. “No, I just realized how much it was true over the five days I was without you. I never want to be apart from you again.” He stands and then places a hand on either side of my face, giving me a long, slow kiss before wrapping his arms back around me and picking me up, spinning me in a circle. “Wanna join me in the shower before we head out?”
He raises an eyebrow, and I nod, feeling like my heart might burst from my chest.
“I would love to join you in the shower.” I smile, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the bathroom.
31
Pepper
My leg bounces up and down as I watch the little dot on the map of my phone get closer and closer to the location I plugged in earlier. Butterflies dance and flit in my stomach, and I think I might throw up. Ben reaches his hand over, placing it on my knee, stopping the panic attack rising in my body.
“This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have come,” I mutter.
“I told you not to,” Ben says.
I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t leaving you alone to face the Mafia.”
“We don’t know who these people are, but as soon as they have their money, I’m hoping they will leave us alone.”
Ben cuts his eyes at me, and my panic comes back when I see the storm raging. He doesn’t feel as confident as he wants me to believe.
We went to the bank yesterday, filled out the form for me to withdraw the money, and left with the money. So far, no one has shown up at our door, asking questions, but we hope that the IRS will eventually track the money back to the bad guys.
“So, what’s supposed to happen again?”
“We get to the location, I call the number, and we exchange money for Mark.”
>
I nod and then nervously laugh.
“I swear this doesn’t feel real.”
We grow quiet as my phone alerts us that we’ve arrived. We are in the middle of nowhere. I’m surprised my phone still has reception. Ben stops his truck, parking it in the middle of the grassy field, but he leaves it running while we both look at the empty expanse of land around us. He pulls out his phone and dials the number, bringing it to his ear. He’s quiet for a moment before I can hear someone pick up on the other end, and a tinny voice comes through the speaker.
“I’m here,” Ben says, motioning me to hunker down in my seat since I shouldn’t be here.
I do as he said while reaching to lower the window about half an inch, making sure I can hear what’s being said when the others arrive. Ben shoots me a warning look, and I shrug. I shouldn’t have come. I know it.
We sit in silence before I hear the sound of wheels on the ground getting closer. The crunch of the earth beneath them sends shivers down my spine. It’s sinister and deadly, and I press my hands to my chest where I lie, trying to still my racing heart.
You’re getting worked up over nothing. They won’t know you’re here.
Ben opens his door and steps out, not looking back at me before shutting it with a thud. My heart echoes the sound.
Thud, thud, thud. I can hear it in my ears.
“You have the money?” a gruff voice asks.
I hear the sound of Ben’s bag hitting the ground and then the zipper opening.
“Where is Mark?” Ben asks, and then silence.
They must not be saying anything. I fight the urge to get up and look out the window. I hear a car door open and close a moment later, followed by a groan as someone else enters the mix.
“Is he okay?” Ben’s voice again.
The groaner must be Mark.
“Not a scratch,” the gruff voice says.
Silence ensues, and I get fidgety.
“Looks like it’s all here.”
I jump as the door to the truck opens, and a guy who must be Mark tries to hide his surprise. The family resemblance to Ben is uncanny. I can see it now that I am meeting him in person and not just looking at a photo. He’s attractive, but his penchant for crime unsettles me and dims his attractiveness. I shuffle over as best I can while waving him in, my eyes wide, hoping he gets the hint not to let anyone know I’m here.
Dammit, I should have gotten in the back of the truck cab.
He doesn’t get in immediately, and I try to convey my panic because he’s standing there with the door open, but he’s not looking at me. He’s staring at the guys talking to Ben.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Ben. Remember what we said, not a word to anyone. Ever. We will be watching.” The tone is sinister.
I feel the urge to puke again. Mark remains completely still beside the door, his eyes focused on them. I sigh in relief as I hear a car door slam, thinking that the others must be leaving, but I stop breathing when the gruff voice sounds again.
“Oh, and, Ben? I told you to come alone.”
The sound of a gun going off is jarring, and it feels like it shatters my eardrums. I scream. Mark suddenly disappears from beside me, gone in a flash, and I roll off the seat, catching myself with my hands on the way down. I narrowly miss landing on Mark, who is lying on the ground. I’m up in a second, the pain in my body not registering as the black vehicle I can now see peels out of the area.
My eyes find Ben, who is rounding the front of the truck. Then, he’s beside Mark, pressing his hand against his brother’s shoulder, where blood is spilling out. Mark yells, and I sink to my knees beside them both, my hands covering my mouth as I take in the scene. I fight the urge to throw up at all the red around me.
“Pepper. Pepper?”
I look up to see Ben’s eyes on me, his mouth forming my name, and I realize I’m sobbing.
“Pepper, stop. He’s okay. It’s just a flesh wound.” Ben points to Mark’s shoulder, bleeding and raw, but all I can focus on is the blood.
“Oh my God, this is all my fault,” I say, taking Mark’s hand in mine.
“I’m okay, Pepper,” he says faintly.
I look back down at his shoulder before leaning to the side and throwing up for real. Everything I ate in the last two days must have come up.
“She doesn’t like blood,” Ben says to Mark, as if that explains it. Doesn’t take into account that someone just got shot right in front of me. Well, right in front of where I was in the truck.
I rise, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth, eyes searching Ben again just to convince myself that he’s all right after all this madness.
“Pepper, can you grab the first aid kit I have in the backseat of the truck?” Ben continues to hold his hand on Mark’s wound, trying to slow the flow of blood.
I nod and race to open the door, quickly spotting it underneath the backseat. Thank goodness for Ben’s medical training.
“Here you go.” I drop it next to Ben and open it, pulling out whatever he tells me as I watch him dress and bandage the wound.
“Come on. Help me get him in the truck,” Ben says, moving to hook an arm under his neck and raising him to sit. “We will get you to the hospital, so they can clean it out better.”
“No. No hospitals,” Mark says, pushing himself up with his good arm. “Just take me to Ezra’s house.”
“Why Ezra?” I say, wrinkling my nose.
“His wife, Hanna, is a nurse.” Ben looks back at Mark and shakes his head. “I’m not taking you there. This is being looked at by a doctor at the hospital, and then you and I are going to have a long talk.”
I help Ben get Mark into the back of the truck, and once I’m sitting in the front seat, I breathe out a long sigh.
“Do you think they’re watching us?” I ask, the fear lodged in the pit of my belly. I didn’t think it would come to this, and now that it has, I’m scared because we filled out the paperwork on the money.
“Probably. But we’ll let Mark talk to the fire and police department,” Ben says, looking over his shoulder to punctuate his sentence. “Then, let them take it from there.”
Mark groans, and I nod as Ben starts the truck up. We head back into the city toward the hospital.
“I love you,” Ben says, glancing at me, and I let go of my fear for a second to smile at him.
“I love you too,” I say, reaching over to grasp his hand in mine, linking our fingers together, and giving a tight squeeze.
Once we make it to the hospital, I finally feel like I can relax. I don’t feel like the big, bad guys will storm into a hospital in the middle of the day, so I sink into a waiting room chair and let myself not think about anything that just happened.
This day didn’t go as expected, and I’m not thrilled with how it turned out, but I can say that I hope I never have to go through anything like this again.
“Hey you,” Ben says, sitting down, drawing me to him, and I lay my head on his shoulder.
He went to call his fire chief and the police to let them know what was going on and where they could find Mark. I had been against it at first, knowing what the guys had said. But after thinking about it, I know this is entirely out of our league. We can’t go head-to-head against the Mafia—or whoever they were—another time.
“Hey,” I murmur, my hand reaching up to clasp his. “About today, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”
I look up, meeting his eyes. He leans over and plants a soft kiss on my head as he shakes his own.
“It’s over. Let’s not look at the past anymore,” he says, and I nod.
“Do you want me to talk to Mark about the rehab program?” I ask, watching Ben’s face as he considers it.
“Why don’t we do it together?”
I nod and lay my head back on his shoulder. We stay like that until the doctor comes out to talk to us, letting us know it was indeed just a flesh wound and that we can go in and see Mark.
He looks up as we walk in, a f
rown on his face. His shoulder is completely bandaged, and he’s leaning over a little on his good side.
“How are you feeling?” Ben asks, sitting on the side of the bed while I take the chair.
“Like I got shot,” Mark says, his mouth tilting up in a small smile.
“What was that out there? What’s going on with you?” Ben asks, getting right to the point.
“I got in too deep,” Mark says.
I put my hand on Ben’s knee, squeezing a little at the stormy look on his face.
“Yeah, we know that. Want to tell me about the fire? Who was that with you?”
“Pete. I haven’t seen him since. I want to punch him in the face for what he did.”
“Yeah, I’d say he’s not a great friend. Is he the one who hurt you?”
Mark shakes his head, pausing for a moment as his eyes flick to the window. He looks like he wishes he could run from this conversation.
“I notified the fire and police department that you’re here, so either you can tell me or tell them once they arrive.”
The blood drains from Mark’s face, and he narrows his eyes on Ben.
“Why would you do that? You’re going to get me killed.”
“Oh, like you’ve been doing so great on your own,” Ben retorts, and I squeeze his knee again.
“Fine, Pete is—was—my bookie. He placed the bets for me. The first time I met those guys was before the apartment went up in flames. I can’t prove it was them, but it was.” Mark reaches up to rub his face, his features contorting in pain when it jostles his shoulder a little. “Turns out, he was skimming off the top, taking more of my money than he should, and that’s where a lot of my debt came from. He wasn’t paying them back with what I had given him. They confronted us at the apartment, roughed me up, and left.”
“Do you know where Pete is now?”
“No idea.”
Ben nods, and the room is silent for a moment.
“Anyway, they found me after I left the hospital the first time. I tried hiding out, but they will track you down, wherever you are. They don’t play around when it comes to money. But, Ben, I can’t tell anyone about this. You heard what they said right before they shot me.”