Beware 2: The Comeback

by Shanora Williams

  The sun disappears. Ace disappears. I disappear.

  Darkness.

  Just like that, I’m gone… Gone.

  Now, I realize that it’s over. It’s finally over.

  Wow. Finally.

  Mutron Angel - Outkast

  She’s placed on the hospital bed, motionless. Almost lifeless. Face pale and drained. Everyone is frantic, including the nurses and the doctor. Crimson surrounds her. I’m surprised she hasn’t bled out yet.

  But London… she’s a soldier. A fighter. It’s why I fell for her in such an unexplainable way. A woman that fights just as hard as I do. A woman that matches my fucked up ego so well. I should’ve been shot, not her. That shooter was aiming for me. I’m supposed to be on that bed and being hauled down to the operating room. Not her.

  I always fuck up.

  Always.

  How can I be so selfish as to keep her and everyone else around when anything could go wrong at any given time?

  I’m a wanted man, and they deserve better.

  They will always deserve better.

  Why did I ever come back?

  All of Me – John Legend

  Beep... Beep… Beep…

  The only sound I hear.

  No. Wait... someone’s talking. The voice is deep and angry. I try adjusting my arm, twisting a little, but I wince and hiss through my teeth, the pain on the side of my stomach taking me completely off guard.

  “Ow… shit,” I curse under my breath.

  My eyes flutter open, surrounded by bright, luminescent lights. Lowering my head, I look towards the glass windows, spotting a woman in a white jacket with her arms crossed, defending herself, and the man I long for—Ace. He’s snapping at her, arguing with her. I frown, and with a dry, crackly voice, I call his name.

  I’m not sure how he can hear me outside the room, but he does. Immediately, he spins around, spots me with my eyes open, and rushes away from the doctor, storming into the room. She follows closely behind, an ocean of relief swimming in her eyes.

  “London,” Ace breathes, cupping my face. I start to speak, but his warm lips come down on mine, kissing roughly. Consuming. I’m sure I’d enjoy it, but with chapped lips and what I know is gross, stale breath, I push against him, fighting a weak laugh. He draws back, but not willingly. “Sorry,” he murmurs,

  I smile. “Really that happy to see me?”

  His head shakes, and he releases a breath. “Baby, you have no fucking idea. I’ve been wanting to see those big, beautiful hazel eyes for three days now.”

  I frown and gasp. “Three days?”

  “That’s how long you were out.”

  Shocked, I look to my left at the doctor. She’s older, with short, curly, greying hair and cat-like glasses. “Hi, London. I’m Dr. Jacobs.” She steps forward, extending her arm. I glance down at her hand, quickly shaking it.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “So nice to finally see you’re awake. We were starting to get worried.” She forces a smile, eyes bouncing from me to Ace. She’s nervous. Why?

  “No need to worry. I’m okay.” I give her my sweetest smile. Apparently, Ace said something that didn’t sit quite well with her. God, he can be such a dick.

  “Now that you’re up, I’ll send a few nurses in to check your vitals, your bandages and stitching, and then I’ll have them bring up a few hydrocodone.”

  “Some water would be nice too,” I tell her, voice scratchy.

  “I will have a fresh, ice-cold pitcher sent your way as well.” She looks toward Ace, and he nods. She returns the gesture then takes off without a single look back, shutting the door behind her. After watching her disappear, I look at Ace, narrowing my eyes. “What did you say to make her so afraid?”

  He sits on the edge of the bed. “What I had to.”

  I smack my teeth. “She’s just doing her job.”

  “Well, she was doing a terrible one. She got the bullet out, but apparently, they gave you a little too much anesthesia. You could’ve died. I don’t know if they want to call it a coma or just you sleeping, but you were out cold for nearly seventy-two hours. They kept giving you medicines and shit, and I just felt like they were making it worse. You know, yesterday, they wouldn’t even let me inside. Told me I was disturbing the peace, so I told her ass if anything went wrong, she wouldn’t live to see next week. I didn’t say what I’d do, but I know she didn’t take it lightly. She performed the surgery. Should’ve been more careful.”

  I stare into his eyes. I could be angry, but what I see in his eyes is fear. Raw, actual fear. He was afraid to lose me. What would he have done if I’d died? Blow the whole hospital to smithereens? “Aw, Ace.” I grab his hands and squeeze them, creating an angelic smile. “Come here,” I whisper. He leans in close, resting his cheek on my chest. “I’m okay,” I whisper, stroking the back of his head. “I’m fine… see?”

  “Yeah. See that now. “ He sits up. “It’s not just me that was afraid of losing you.”

  I blink twice. “Aden?”

  “Bianca. Trent,” he goes on. “All of us thought you weren’t going to make it.” Swallowing hard, he adjusts on the bed, releasing my hands. “This is my fault, man.”

  “No, Ace.” My head shakes hard, mangled curls whipping. “Stop it. None of this is your fault.”

  “Maurice wanted me.” His voice is low and dark. It’s scaring me. “He wanted me dead, and he would’ve taken out everyone I cared about.”

  “You didn’t know.” My voice is barely a whisper.

  His eyes flicker up, tears threatening to spill. “That’s the thing, though”—he rubs his forehead—“a part of me has always known Maurice was envious. I just didn’t think he’d do anything about it.” His jaw ticks as he says through gritted teeth, “I should’ve just stayed the fuck away. I shouldn’t have come back. You, Aden, and Bianca… you all deserve better. You deserve more than me. All I’ve ever done is bring trouble. Since day one, you knew I was trouble. I could see how little you trusted me when we first met. You were suspicious, and you had every right to be. I’m no fucking good for you or even my own flesh and blood.” Appalled, I stare at him, confused as to how he went from begging to see my eyes to this.

  Tormented.

  Blaming himself.

  He stands up and steps back, looking towards the window to my left. My heart thunders erratically as I watch him walk backwards, nearing the door.

  Sitting up, I grip the edge of the mattress and ask, “Ace, what the hell are you doing?”

  He doesn’t respond right away.

  “Ace!”

  “Should go,” he whispers. “Should just get the fuck away.”

  “Don’t be a fucking moron. Ace, please…” My throat thickens with tears. “Please just come here. I know you blame yourself, but I don’t blame you. I chose this,” I state, jabbing a finger at my chest. “I wanted you, and I knew what came with the desire I had for you. There are consequences to every choice.” I feel my face getting hot, my body trembling. He can’t leave. I won’t let him, no matter how guilty he feels. “Please,” I beg. “Come to me.”

  He hesitates, gaze on the floor. A few seconds pass before he finally sighs and steps forward, taking off his navy-blue suit jacket. He tosses it on the chair in the corner, and after marching forward, he presses the button to lower the bed completely.

  Once I’m flat on my back, his hands frame my head, his face right above mine. He breathes raggedly while my breathing turns shallow. We stare at one another, lost in our own world, oblivious to what’s going on outside of it.

  “Why do you love me?” he asks, eyes like strong copper, trying hard to mask whatever pain he’s feeling. “I’m no good, London. You know that. I’m nothing but trouble. Just because Maurice is gone doesn’t mean there aren’t still people out there that want to see me dead. There are hundreds of people in this world that want me gone, and if they find out I’m still alive and without a group of men to back me up, they’ll come for me, and they won’t
hesitate to kill me.”

  My bottom lip quivers. “They won’t find you.”

  “Yeah? What makes you think that?”

  “Because once I’m out of here, we’re leaving. And we’re not looking back.”

  “Leaving?” he cocks a brow.

  I nod.

  “Greece?” he questions.

  I smile. “We can go there… we can go anywhere.”

  “You’ll go anywhere with me? After everything I’ve put you through?” He narrows his brows.

  “Yes.”

  He licks his lips, studying my face, most likely searching for the truth. “Answer my question.” He brings a hand up to stroke my cheek with the pad of his thumb. His eyes are no longer hard or wet. They’re soft and sincere.

  “If I answer, you can’t leave.”

  He scans my face but doesn’t say a word.

  I sigh, watching him as he watches me. For a brief moment, his eyes land on my lips, and I know he’s tempted. His breathing changes, his eyes flood with need, but he holds off, bringing those stormy brown eyes back up to meet mine.

  “When I first met you,” I start, releasing trapped breath, “I hated you. I wanted nothing to do with you, and then when Jonah died and I saw you standing right there, watching it all go down, I hated you even more.” He winces like I’ve just slapped him right across the face. “But when we went to New York, all of that changed. That day, when you had an entire breakfast buffet set up just for me, I knew there was a human in there somewhere. You had an actual conversation with me that morning. You made me feel real… alive. Something I hadn’t felt in years.”

  I squeeze my hands into fists, fighting off tears. He remains stationary, his silence begging for continuation. “I haven’t felt alive since my parents died. Losing Jonah completely wiped me out. I was devastated, and for a while, I felt like God was punishing me, but I couldn’t figure out why. And then, I get you, a man I hardly knew, demanding me to come to New York for protection. As much as I wanted to die back then, I knew it was best to go. Why? Because I’m a survivor. Always have been. Always will be. I finally learned that I was in New York for a reason. It wasn’t for me, but for you. I… changed you, Ace. And you changed me. While in New York, I blossomed into a real woman. I mean shit,” I laugh, a tear sliding down the side of my face, “I carried your child—my first child—and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Every kick. Every flip and roll. My aching back, swollen feet… even the contractions. I loved the feel of everything because a part of that was you touching me without actually being there. The only thing I didn’t appreciate was you not being able to witness it.”

  I press the button on the side of the bed, and it inclines, propping me back up. Ace doesn’t budge as it ascends. His hands are still planted on the bed outside my head, his gaze still focused on me. “I love you because, whether you believe you’re too ruthless or reckless or even too much of a monster for me, I don’t see that. Inside you, I see light that wants to break through. I see a man that wants to try. A man that will do anything for the people he loves. I see a man that would never, in a million years, harm his family. A man who puts his love first. I see someone broken and damaged, but strong and independent. I see someone that’s just like me. You and me, Ace,” I whisper, wrapping my hand around the nape of his neck and stroking behind his ear, “are just alike. We’ve been through hell and back. We fight when we have to. We do unspeakable things in order to survive. Mine may not be as intense as yours, but we’re the same. And whether you realize it or not, we needed each other back then just like we need each other now. Back then, we were lost, and somehow, while spending time with one another, we found ourselves. I can’t let that go. I refuse to let that go.”

  Speechless, Ace stares at me, eyes glistening. For me, the waterworks have begun. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, my throat thick, desperately in need of water, but right now, I don’t care. I want him to know I mean this. “If you leave, it’s like backing out of everything we’ve created together. It’ll be like we didn’t even exist.”

  The rims of his eyes redden. His mouth opens as if he wants to speak, but immediately, it clamps shut, and he squeezes his eyes closed, head dropping. I’ve robbed him of words. I kiss his forehead, lifting my hand to hold onto his forearm. I rest my cheek on his warm skin, crying without much noise.

  “All of that,” he whispers, bringing his lips to my ear. The heat of them makes me the tears come to a minor halt, a tingle between my legs. “You mean that?”

  “Every word.”

  I can feel his cheeks spread to smile. He lowers his arms, sitting on the edge of the bed and bringing my face to his chest. He allows me to cry for a few minutes. I need a good cry. After all we’ve been through, after so many years of thinking I would never see him again, I’m grateful.

  He may not feel like we’re free, but I know we are. No one will know Ace Crow is still alive because we’re leaving. We’re starting over. Knowing that we get a clean slate satisfies me. We deserve one. He deserves one.

  “Costa Rica.”

  I swipe my eyes and look up. “What?”

  He looks down. “I knew you’d want to leave, start fresh, so I sent Trent to Costa Rica, and he found a home for us.”

  I sit up, but pain pierces my side, and Ace grips my arms, forcing me to stay still. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.” He grins, showing me that beautiful white smile. “I was never going to leave, London. I just needed to know you were sure about being with me. Had to shake you up a little. You’ve just proved to me that you are. Look, I know I’m not the easiest person to understand, but you get me. While you were out cold, I couldn’t help but think about leaving and letting you live on your own, do your own thing like you did before… without me.”

  “No.” I cling to him. He smiles, holding and squeezing me with reassurance that he isn’t going anywhere. I ease up on my grip.

  “Not going anywhere, Red. I’m here,” he assures me. “Right fucking here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  Pleased, I nod and rest my head on his chest. “Good. I can’t lose you again.”

  “And I can’t let you go. You’re mine, London. Only mine.” He lifts my head, letting it be known that it will be that way forever. Butterflies thrash around the pit of my belly. Heat floods my veins, igniting my soul.

  “So… Costa Rica, huh?”

  “Yep,” he sighs. “The home is right on the beach. Four bedrooms. One for me and you, Aden, a guestroom, and another room for our next child.”

  I snort a little, and Ace chuckles. “Next child? Right.”

  He brings a finger down, tipping my chin. “I’m serious. I want another with you, but this time, I actually wanna be there. I wanna start a family with you. I wanna raise them right. I know I’m late with Aden, but I will get him to grow up to be a smart young man. Violence won’t even be in the question. I won’t let him grow up the way I did. And I damn sure won’t be like Bruce. I want to be there for my kids, attending soccer games, football tournaments, having game nights… all that sappy shit families do.”

  “You’re serious?” I whisper.

  “As a heart attack, Red.” A slow smile snakes across his lips. “Who knows, maybe the next one will be a girl? Beautiful just like her mother. But if a motherfucker crosses her the wrong way, the old Ace will return. I’m always prepared to fuck shit up.” His face twists, a mix of happiness and curiosity. I can tell he’s thinking about the future now. A future so bright and full of life. One I’m really looking forward to.

  No drama.

  No stress.

  No guns or drugs or violence.

  A real life as a family.

  Peace, something I’ve always longed for.

  I laugh as he looks down, shrugs, and places a kiss on my cheek. “We’ll see.” His eyes smile, studying me. I can’t stand when he does that, yet deep down, I kind of enjoy it. It’s like I’m still a mystery to him—like he’s still trying to figure me out. I guess th
at’s a good thing. I don’t want to be easy for him to read. I want him to continue learning more about me, just like I’m still learning more about him each and every day. We’re both these huge boxes containing secrets and personal possessions that have yet to be discovered. For the future and all those hidden things, I can’t wait.

  “Where are Aden and Bianca anyway?”

  “Hotel a block away. She got checked out, but other than a few stitches, everything was fine with her. Also had to give a report to the cops since you were out cold. They’ll be coming back tomorrow by the away.”

  I nod.

  “I’ll call her, let her know you’re finally awake.” He blows a sigh, wiping his face. “It was tough getting Aden to understand what was going on. Watching your own mother get shot and bleed like that… shit.” He strokes my hair. “By the way, we owe Trent a new car.”

  I fight a smile. “We owe Trent more than a new car. What did you tell Aden?”

  “That you fell and got hurt and that you had to take a few days to get better. You know how kids are. They’ll believe anything. He’s been asking about you constantly, but he’s been calm. He knows you’re in a safe place with good doctors, good food, and funny cartoons. What I told him.”

  I grin. “Good. I don’t want him to worry.”

  “He’s perfect,” he sighs. “Intelligent. Funny. Silly. Understanding. A little stubborn. He obviously got that from his mama.”

  “Oh please,” I laugh. “That’s definitely you!”

  His right cheek lifts, half-smiling. Bringing his hand from my hair to my cheek, he cups it and leans forward. Smoothly, his lips touch mine, devouring, and he groans as if he’s wanted this kiss for years. A tender kiss in the midst of a tender moment. My heartbeat catches speed, and the machine beside me beeps faster and faster. When his tongue sweeps across mine, the machine is at its highest. The door flies open, and with a deep, panty-melting chuckle, Ace pulls back, a magnetic hold on my eyes. I’m sure I look like complete shit. I’m in a hospital gown. My hair is a thick, matted mess. I could use a mint or two, yet he looks at me as if I’m the most beautiful thing he’s ever laid eyes on.