Shouldn't Have Dealt

by Mara Lynne

  “We could not call you, and since Sarah has Hunter Stone’s contact number, we opted to call the man for help,” Dad explains.

  “Help?” I ask right away

  “Angel, there were strange people surrounding the house. I could not go out to work because I was afraid they’d harm us. Your dad and I have to shut the lights the entire day and pretend as if we weren’t there.”

  I couldn’t imagine the dread and trauma my parents have experienced.

  Who could these people be? What are their intentions?

  “But all is well now,” Dad says. “No one’s hurt. Mr. Stone has allowed us to stay for the night while he got somebody to investigate the matter.”

  I don’t think it is a good idea to tell them about the box and the driver Ray and I met outside the Italian restaurant. If there is indeed grave danger coming ahead, there’s no one better who can help us but Hunter. I mean, it was nice of him to give us temporary shelter. It stings to say this, but I actually did not expect him to be this concerned. If the man is entirely unfeeling, he would have let my parents be hurt by those strange men. Perhaps, there is some goodness in him.

  Paul and Hunter’s voice grow more audible as they near the dining room.

  “I’m looking into that, sir. I will give the report to you as soon the mole has given me information,” Paul says and leaves quietly after he sees Hunter turn his attention to me.

  He’s in his usual corporate attire. He probably went here directly from his work. He loosens his cufflinks without removing his gaze from me. I don’t know, but my eyes see a different Hunter Stone now. He doesn’t appear to be indifferent now. There’s a shadow of gentleness and worry… I guess. It is just so strange seeing him look so worked up over this when he’s not even forced to help us.

  I feel the need to say something, but my voice is trapped in my throat. Perhaps, because I feel embarrassed right now. After what happened the other day in his office, I swore to never see the man, and yet, here I am with my parents in his place.

  “We have to talk, Angel,” he says.

  I sheepishly nod.

  “There are two guest rooms in here. Sarah and George know where theirs is,” he continues. “If it’s okay with you, Sarah, can you escort Mr. Gaskell to his room?”

  “Angel and I can share a room,” Ray says.

  “Angel stays with me,” Hunter states with a commanding and firm voice. Mom and Dad fall speechless, and Ray is left to deal with his own curiosity.

  I thought we were going to talk in his study room, but it turns out he is bringing me to his bedroom.

  He frees himself of the suit jacket he is wearing and tosses it to his bed. Then he unbuttons his polo shirt from the collar to the middle section, leaving a slight opening and allowing my eyes to see his bare skin.

  I freeze as my stomach starts to twirl.

  I don’t like this feeling.

  Slowly, he walks in my direction with his hands on his hips. He’s shaking his head as though his mind has been in a constant dilemma.

  He halts when he’s just an inch away, towering over me.

  “What is inside the box?” he asks.

  “A photo of my mom and Dad’s shirt with blood on it.”

  With his thumb and point finger, he traces the outline of his jaw.

  “It was addressed to Angel Grant,” I add. I search for answers in his eyes, but I only see uncertainty. “Who else would know about her but you and my family? But I don’t think it’s you.”

  “No, it’s not me.”

  “Then who do you think it is, Hunter?”

  He drops his gaze to the floor.

  “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for that. Let’s pray Paul gives us something tomorrow,” he replies. “But Angel, with the threat you received, it’s no longer safe for you and your family to be living in your place.”

  “I have thought about that. Ray will help me find a new place.”

  “You won’t need to do that.” He raises his arms in mid-air as though he’s showing me the entire room. “You have this. You have me.”

  I let out a restrained laugh.

  “Anyone who’s after Angel Grant is after me. There are several things you do not know about me, Angel.” His tone has turned serious. “They are doing this to you because of me. They can’t touch me because I hold power while you don’t. You don’t have anyone but me, and they think they can get even with me by threatening you.”

  “You mean, it is you they want, not me nor my family?”

  He nods. Regret is written all over his place.

  “But why me? I have nothing to do with you!” I feel anger slowly boiling within me. It’s just not right to be involved in a mess I don’t have anything to do with.

  He sighs, and his one hand reaches for my arm. Gently, he caresses me there like a feather.

  “They believe in something else.”

  “They believe that I am your woman, is that it?”

  Hunter’s silence confirms it.

  “But I am not!”

  I don’t think my disparity would change a thing, though. Everyone in Hunter’s world knows Angel Grant’s face. They know who she is and who she is to this business tycoon. His enemies are her enemies—my enemies now. But how did they know her real identity—her family and the place she lives? Not even the media is able to find out the important details about Angel Grant.

  “But they think you are.”

  “So you’re saying I should stay with you now? That I should let you—”

  “Yes.” His other hand reaches for the small of my back and gently pulls me close to his body. I feel his mouth at the corner of my ears, whispering, “You are safe with me. I will not let anything happen to you.”

  Chapter 23: Chained

  “I told you to not leave!” Mom’s exasperated face does not surprise me.

  I just took out an early walk this morning back to our house to check on our things. Hunter did not have to know because when I woke up, he has already left for work. There was no Paul and Ray to stop me even though they were telling me it was dangerous to go out by myself.

  Honestly, I do not know these people who are after Hunter Stone. The man says he’s going to keep my family and me safe, but to what extent of danger are we in? What if everything is just empty threats? What if the people behind this just wants to scare us—Hunter Stone, to be specific? I don’t really have anything to do with him. Hence, I should not be scared.

  Nonetheless, when I reached our house, I was devastated when I saw it in shambles. It looks like a storm hit the place, leaving it unlivable for the mean time. Our things were thrown everywhere, the furniture and even the curtains.

  “Those men could have done it!” Mom hisses as she buries her face in her palms. Dad walks to her back and starts to massage her nape. I know this situation has lost Mom and Dad much-needed sleep. I am afraid it will not take long before Dad’s body feels the stress. I can only pray that this is solved before the worst happens. I can only lie to them that everything will be fine although I, myself, has no idea as to what will happen next.

  I never know that ‘onetime’ escorting job would lead us to this situation. Had I only known, I would have not gone out with Hunter to that auction night.

  “There’s nothing much we can do, is there?” Dad turns to me.

  “What did Hunter tell you, Angel?” Mom asks, looking straight into my eyes.

  “He said he’s going to fix this,” I answer. He’s, after all, the reason why we are in this mess. “I don’t think it is safe for us to return home. We are lucky we were not there when they came. The neighbors said they did not notice anything suspicious last night. It leaves me wondering how these people could wreck our house just like that!”

  “George?” Mom’s voice cracks.

  Right away, I look at where he sat down with his palms on his forehead.

  “Dad?”

  Oh, no. Please…

  “I’m alright.” His breathing has become he
avy. “I just feel heaviness in my head.”

  “Do you want to rest, George?”

  “I think I do, Sarah.”

  Mom goes up to her feet and assists Dad, walking him to their room.

  “When was the last time you had your check up, Dad?” I ask.

  “The last time I was admitted,” he answers.

  Maybe it’s time we visit the hospital again.

  That afternoon, I bring Dad to the hospital while Mom goes to the Thompsons to file a temporary leave of absence. We don’t know how long we’ll have to hide. My work has been affected too, and I don’t know if I can manage to keep my absences to a minimum. I hate to think of losing it because finding a new job will be quite hard.

  All the laboratory works are done, and Dad is wheeled to the dialysis area. My hunch is right. His creatinine levels have skyrocketed again, and Dr. Martin suggests that we keep Dad in the hospital for two days until his blood levels are normalized. Right after his dialysis session, he is wheeled back to his room where he would stay for the night.

  It is taking long for coffee to pour into my cup from the vendo machine. I wait for it to fill my cup when suddenly, the corner of my eyes catches a glimpse of a strange man coming out of Dad’s room. The man was wearing a dark green jacket, and I swear he looked me straight into the eyes before he disappeared. Quickly leaving behind the cup of coffee, I dash towards Dad’s room.

  My heart feels is jumping off a cliff, thudding rapaciously. I catch myself fighting off the tears from falling from my eyes, but I can’t help it. The strange man was suspicious enough to make me think of the unthinkable. I will not forgive myself if something happens to Dad.

  However, Dad is sleeping like a baby when I enter. I have to stop the door before it slams into the wall, afraid to wake him up. He is unharmed, but what did the strange man do here? He didn’t just watch Dad sleep, did he? How surreal!

  I direct my gaze to the lighted road below. I can properly breathe now after that rush of fear. The passing vehicles are a delight to my eyes before I am disturbed by the sudden ringing of my phone.

  An unknown number, which seems to be a foreign one, flashes on the screen.

  “Hello?”

  I hear no response from the other line.

  “Hello?” I speak again.

  Why do I feel like there’s an invisible line that connects me with this unknown caller—as if my unconscious knows who could be in the other line?

  Damien?

  I could be right this time.

  My heart wishes to speak his name.

  My voice is so ready to say it.

  Damien.

  Why is he not talking?

  What’s keeping him?

  Did he not call to get things straight between the two of us?

  Oh, good Lord, I just know it is him!

  Ten seconds of silence follows. I could only hear the faint sound of air passing through his mouth, and it is full of hesitation and guilt.

  “I know you’re there.” I finally find the strength to start the conversation. “Why don’t you speak to me?”

  His response is quite expected. The dial tone echoes through my ears. Maybe he has gone short of courage again.

  RING!

  Just when I thought I am done with Damien’s puzzling phone call and had thrown the phone to the sofa, I scoot towards where my phone is and quickly pick it up.

  This time, I blurt out his name on top of my lungs.

  “Damien?”

  However, the most cringe-worthy voice, varying from dark and raspy to a cold, hair-raising one, hits my eardrums. I can detect right away that it is a man’s.

  Not Damien’s, though.

  “Who’s this?” I hiss so I don’t wake up Dad from his sleep. I see him jerk the moment I uttered Damien’s name, but fortunately, he was quick to drift off to sleep once again. Just when I thought the first caller could be him, this strange voice proves otherwise.

  “I presume you received my gift.”

  I swear, I feel the hair on my arms raise.

  I immediately leave the room, checking Dad one last time, and close the door behind me.

  “Hunter must be going nuts,” the man lets out an evil laugh.

  “Listen! Whoever you are, I have nothing to do with Hunter Stone,” I say while I make my way to the corner across Dad’s room. There’s an empty bench there, and I deem it as an appropriate place to vent my anger out.

  “I have no time for fools, Ms. Grant. You cannot lie to me now.”

  “Whatever Hunter has made you believe is entirely false. I really have nothing to do with him.” So please leave my parents out of this! I add in my head.

  “I am not really after you, you know,” he says. “I just need you to force Hunter to do something for me.”

  “Mister, I am in no position to manipulate Hunter Stone. Just leave my family and me alone! If you think I can make him listen to me and persuade him to do whatever you want him to do, you’re wrong.” Hunter doesn’t listen to anyone, and he only sees me as some instrument for his selfish gains. He will not listen to me. I tried to when I insist on pushing him away, but I always fail.

  “I heard he’s marrying someone. Now, don’t deny that,” the man says. I can almost hear a smirk from his voice. “He’s been with only one woman for the past months, and I don’t think there’s another Angel Grant in Jersey, is there?”

  My mouth is longing to spill out the truth, but the mysterious caller cuts me out before I can say a thing.

  “Don’t worry, Ms. Grant. I don’t harm people. Hunter knows that—unless he tries to avoid me again. However, I don’t think he has the power to keep away from me now, taking into consideration the involvement of the woman he is going to marry. In no time, he will yield to me, and we’ll be like what we used to before.” With that, he hangs up.

  I fall down the couch and lean my head against the wall.

  The danger is not directed to my family or me. It’s Hunter! It’s him who should worry about incoming danger.

  My eyes stop scanning the floor the moment they catch two polished, black leather shoes halting a few steps from me. Right away, my eyes travel from the floor to the midnight gray trousers until they stop on the familiar steel gray tie.

  “I came the moment I heard about George.”

  I pull myself up and stare at Hunter, my gaze dripping with indignation. He immediately identifies the cause of my fury.

  “I know I owe you an explanation,” he says. “But I did not lie about the threat. I told you I am going to fix this, but I can only do this when I know you’re safe… when you’re with me.”

  “I do not know what you have with this guy, Hunter, but why can’t you just do what he says?”

  He shakes his head.

  “Why won’t you do it?”

  I think he’s in conflict with himself. Perhaps, Hunter is genuine about wanting to get rid of the threat, and I am quite sure he would do anything to stay true to his words. It is just that there is one thing—bigger than what I can ever imagine—holding him down.

  “If only I could, Angel.” His voice is soft. “But it’s not something one can easily do, especially when it has something to do with—”

  Eric Martin arrives, interrupting his explanation.

  Hunter slips both his hands to his pockets after he greets Eric in a rather surprising but familiar manner like they have known each other for so long.

  “Is there any development, Eric?” Hunter asks, his tone mixed with cordial familiarity.

  “Fortunately, there is.” Eric hands over a piece of paper. “We are already running tests with the donor we have procured today. Initial findings suggest it’s a good match.”

  I look at Hunter who is already nodding at Eric.

  “What tests?” I can only say.

  “George’s blood tests are hitting high already, Angel. I am afraid we need to perform the surgery as soon as possible,” Eric answers, “And by that, I mean today or not more than tomorrow. T
he relief he is experiencing right now is just temporary. His kidney is dying.”

  “And?” I turn to Hunter. How did he get involved this time?

  Hunter has his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes avoiding mine.

  “Hunter made things possible,” Eric says. “Yesterday, we were three spots away from number ten on the list, but right now, we have a kidney in the laboratory being tested.”

  “Eric said George badly needs it.” Hunter finally speaks.

  I don’t feel like celebrating, though. Yes, Dad will live because we have secured a kidney, and he’s undergoing surgery in a few hours. But why can’t I be happy about it?

  Hunter Stone.

  One thing—Hunter Stone.

  Anything that has something to do with him does not warrant joy or celebration even if it’s for Dad’s safety.

  Is this his way to pay for all the misdeeds he has done to me?

  What scheme is it this time?

  One kidney for my forgiveness, or a kidney to finally execute his plan?

  Chapter 24: Heaven Sent

  The surgery is expected to last for three hours. It is not like I can do anything to stop it. Dad needs a new one, and here is Hunter Stone offering one for us.

  When Mom heard the news, she left work right away. She stayed outside the operating room for three long hours when she can always rest in Dad’s room. I cannot stop her because I feel the anxiety she is having now. If she thinks staying there can keep her nerves down, then I’ll let her.

  Ray and I waited in Dad’s room, clueless of Hunter’s whereabouts. He just disappeared the moment Dad was wheeled into the operating room. Maybe he went out to settle things between him and the unknown caller who seems to be more than an acquaintance. Oh, I can only wish he does, because if he has settled it, I only have to worry about paying Hunter for Dad’s new kidney.

  When Dad is transported back to his room, Mom insists on looking after him for the night, and so, Ray and I decide to have coffee in the cafeteria.

  “It’s really nice of Hunter,” Ray says after wiping the side of his mouth with a tissue.