A Blue Tale

by Sarah Dosher

  Shaw grunted, “So, I see you’ve heard about mommy dearest here?”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard.” I growled as I released her arm and pushed her against the wall.

  “So you’re the replacement, huh? The rocker with the blue guitar and magic fingers, just like daddy?” She said with disgust in her voice.

  “Where’s Eli?” I snapped.

  “She’s fine, but my business is actually with Mr. Sutton here, not you.” She replied.

  “No, if it has to do with Eli, then your business is with me.”

  “Well, seeing as you’re a broke musician, and this one here has more money than he could ever dream of spending, then I think you’re mistaken.”

  “You did!” Shaw yelled, his body was almost vibrating with anger. “You had Vito kidnap your own daughter! Damn, Christie, I thought you hit rock bottom a long time ago, but this is a new low, even for you.”

  “Times are tough for some of us, love, Vito approached me with a business venture I just couldn’t pass up. Apparently, his little friends screwed everything up,” she said, pointing toward me. “That’s when he decided to make me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  “What does he want?” I demanded.

  “Thirteen mil, and not a single hair on her head will be touched.” She said.

  “Done.” Shaw said immediately, without so much as a flinch at the amount. “Tell us when and where.”

  She nodded, and a grim smile spread across her face. “Tonight during the opening act at lover boy’s show, outside next to the fountain. Don’t be late, or play any games, okay? Don’t fuck this up for me.”

  She turned and walked out the front door, like she didn’t have a care in the world and had just been told she held the winning lottery ticket.

  Shaw immediately put the phone to his ear making call after call while I found my place on the bottom step, the place I had been sitting this morning when Eli walked out the front door. Her dad’s guitar was still leaned against the wall, exactly where I’d left it. My mind started to wander to the possibility this morning could be the last time I would ever see her, but I pushed those thoughts as far into the recesses as they would go. She would be fine, we would be fine. She’d be back in her house tonight, exactly where she belonged.

  I turned the tuning keys and lightly strummed the guitar. Luci meowed at me before stretching out on the step next to me.

  “Chastain,” Shaw said after he’d finally called every person he could possibly think of to get enough money together to pay off Vito. “When Elizabeth comes back tonight, you’re going to stay as far away from her as you possibly can. I don’t care what I have to do to you, she will never speak to you again.”

  I stood, slowly, ready for this fight; always ready to fight for what was mine. “Bullshit, Sutton. Eli made her decision already, it’s done. Now I’m glad she has you, and will always be thankful you are able to wave your magic money wand to pay off Vito, but don’t get that confused with thinking I’ll just step aside and give up ‘cause I’ll never do that.”

  His eyes grew dark, and once again I could see the veins in his neck expanding as his heart rate increased, a sign of pure fucking aggression.

  “I told you once you were trouble for her, and you still stuck around. Are you going to let this happen, again? She’s in danger, and it’s all your fault, you caused this, no one else.”

  “Fuck you, Shaw. I didn’t cause any of this, at one point I thought I did, too. I let you convince me I did. Vito knows about her because of me, but that’s as far as my blame goes. I won’t continue to take the blame for shit I didn’t do, or cause. If you’re looking for a scapegoat, then you need to wait ‘til you get your hands on her mom and channel all that hate to her. I’ve had enough of it, don’t blame me because you stuck your dick where it didn’t belong and Eli dumped your ass.”

  ***

  Eli Blue

  “Hey sweetpea, how ya doin’? You think you can make it another hour?” Vito asked.

  Since I was still gagged and my head was covered, I couldn’t exactly answer him, so I made a disgusted groaning sound, hoping to get my point across. I even flipped him off, but considering my hands were twisted under my legs, I didn’t figure he’d see that either.

  He laughed, “Yeah, I got ya. I’d loosen everything, but then I just imagine you’d go and try to escape and, well, we can’t have you going and forcing us to hurt ya now, can we? Especially since we’re so close to being out of each other’s lives forever, and I do promise ya that. After one of your boyfriends saves ya tonight, you won’t be ever seein’ my face again. Scouts honor.”

  I groaned even louder picturing Vito as a boy scout; I doubted he even had a clue about any sort of code.

  “What? You think I wasn’t a boy scout? I coulda been, ya know, but you’re right, I wasn’t. I was born into this shit, instead of being born into a life like yours. But you’ve done good, considering the piece a work that mom of yours is, cause that lady is shit, ya know that, right?”

  I didn’t even bother trying to respond to that statement with a sound, anyone that knew my mom didn’t need to ask me that. Considering she’d just been tormenting me about all the money she was going to get from Shaw because of me; well, I didn’t think I needed to. I knew my mother had gone off the deep end a long time ago, but this was a million times farther than I ever dreamed she’d go. Trying to swindle me out of money with lies was one thing, but helping kidnap me, then extorting money from my ex-boyfriend was something entirely different.

  I was here because of her. Tied up and gagged on a nasty-ass floor, with only Vito to keep me company, because of her. I was going to kill her, I was going to fucking kill her with my own two hands, and enjoy seeing the life slowly seep from her eyes while I did. Okay, maybe that wasn’t true. But I would make sure the cops found her, and locked her away for a very, very long time.

  Each second that passed, my anxiety level increased. I didn’t have a clue how long I’d been lying here, but I didn’t think I could handle another second. I tried to move my arms, but could only wiggle them a half inch up and down. With my hands looped under my legs, they weren’t going anywhere, either. I tried to swing my legs back and forth at the knee to see if my arms would loosen any.

  “Hey, hey, cut that shit out. It’s almost over, don’t start going all crazy on us now.” Vito screamed from far away.

  I’d had enough of being a human pretzel. I tried to push myself up, but immediately fell back over, my head crashing to the hard floor, and I heard a laugh bounce through the empty room. Pushing my elbow out, I tried again, and had just as much success as the first time.

  “Fuck.” Vito mumbled. “Okay I’ll unhook your arms from your legs, but I’m not untying you.”

  His hands fumbled along my arms until they reached the hard plastic connecting my wrists. I felt the cold blade of a knife as the backside of it ran across my skin and pulled tight, releasing the only thing holding my hands in place. I pulled them swiftly to my chest, rubbing roughly on my wrists trying to ease some of the pain the tie had caused as it bit into my flesh. Vito was still hovering over me, I could feel his presence, and even though I couldn’t see him, I could smell his cheap cologne and hear his labored breathing. Placing my hands on the cold floor, I pushed myself into a sitting position, and heard the rustling of clothes as he leaned further over me then sniffed at the base of my neck.

  I took this as my only opportunity, and pushed my hands straight out and felt them connect with his body. Shoving with all my strength, I heard him fall back and land with a loud thud. Luckily, the thick material covering my head wasn’t secured so I was able to rip it off with little effort. My eyes had trouble focusing in the dark room; I blinked rapidly, trying to clear them.

  “Knew I shouldn’t trust ya, fuck me for feeling sorry for ya. Won’t happen again.” Vito said.

  My eyes finally began to clear, and I watched as Vito slowly stood, pulled a gun from his back, and pointed it at me.

/>   “Be a good little girl, and don’t make me fucking shoot you because that would completely fuck things up for us all.”

  I scooted further away from him, and shook my head.

  “Just let me tie your hands back without fucking with me, and I won’t put the bag back over your head…but the gag stays in place, the last thing I need is to listen to an unhappy chick harpin’ on me.”

  As rapidly as I could, my eyes searched the room for something, anything, that might help me get away from him. The room was made entirely out of concrete that was chipped and crumbling. One wood chair was in the middle of the room, with one light bulb hanging above it from a string, nothing else. Nothing I could use. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then stuck my hands out as he put a clear zip tie over them and secured it even tighter than before.

  “Good girl, good girl.” He whispered then patted me on top of the head.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Deacon

  Outside, the front steps of the arena were overflowing with people and the narrow sidewalk surrounding the fountain couldn’t hold one more person. I sulked back into a tiny opening next to an outdoor café and watched as kids threw their wishes, on the backs of pennies, through the air, mesmerized as they splashed into the water. No doubt believing that putting your most secret of hopes and dreams out into the universe meant you’d get whatever you desired; unfortunately, I knew better.

  Nothing had ever been handed to me by anyone, not even the universe. I’d fought for every small thing I’d ever been given, and that luck wasn’t going to change now. Shaw believed this exchange was only going to include money and Eli, like simply handing over an enormous duffle bag of money for the woman I loved was going to end so easily. It wasn’t. No matter how much I wished it would, I could feel all the way into my bones it wasn’t.

  The clock tower down the road chimed, letting me know it was time. On the second chime I saw her. She didn’t look hurt, she looked pissed. Her hair was a mess atop her head, and she was still wearing the same clothes I’d seen her in this morning, which felt like a lifetime ago. A jacket was draped over her shoulders, more than likely concealing that her hands were tied behind her back. Vito was directly behind her, flanked by two oversized men that were scanning the area. Her mom was further back, keeping her distance. Had I not known she was the cause of this mess, I wouldn’t have realized she was even with them.

  Eli’s eyes were frantically roaming around the busy street. On the fourth chime they found Shaw, and relief seeped through her every pore. My stomach clenched at the same time it rumbled loudly. Even though I knew now wasn’t the time for jealousy, I wanted to see that look on her face because of me, not him. She was mine now, and I couldn’t even keep her safe, or rescue her.

  Shaw was standing front and center at the fountain. He was also flanked by his burly guards, whose mere presence had decreased the number of onlookers. The bag, full of more money than I’d ever seen in my lifetime, was resting on the ground directly in front of Shaw. His eyes moved to the bag, and I saw Vito’s eyes move in response.

  On the sixth chime I stepped from my hiding spot, moving forward until I was directly across from Eli. On the seventh chime her eyes connected with mine, and all the remaining tension visibly spilled from her body as each of her muscles relaxed and a small, yet tight, smile formed on her lips.

  Vito’s eyes moved from me, to Shaw, and back again, taking in the twenty feet that separated all of us. The tension that had left Eli settled into him. The two men flanking Eli placed their hands on her arms halting her movement forward. We were all in a standoff, each waiting for the other to place their bet, but I wasn’t folding, I was all in with this particular hand.

  I’d learned the sheer physical ability of a man is not what sets him apart, it’s the lengths to which he’s willing to go, for what he loves and believes, that should scare anyone opposing him.

  My eyes were locked with Eli’s when I saw a glint of light reflecting from the guard next to her and immediately knew what it was, and what it meant. I turned my gaze to Shaw, whose eyes were already on me; he saw it, too. He nodded his head as I shook mine, his eyes grew wide and I knew I was fucked. In perfect unison with the tenth chime, two things happened—Vito’s guards drew their guns, and I drew mine. Everyone froze. Vito’s head moved from me, back to the bag in front of Shaw, and I knew the money was the only thing that mattered to him.

  I held my hands up, no longer pointing the gun toward them.

  “Nobody wants to get hurt, take your fucking money, and let her go.” I shouted.

  “Deacon!” He shouted, and shook his head. “Yous really shouldn’t ‘ve come, if I remember correctly, you wasn’t even invited. Only rich boy here was supposed to be present with his bag-o-cash.”

  “You really thought I wouldn’t come? You can’t take what’s mine and expect me to sit on my ass doing nothing. Plus, you wouldn’t have held this little get together here, where you knew I’d be, if you didn’t want me to show up.”

  “Yeah, you caught me. After that little rearranging of my face you did, I might have wanted you to see the change in power.” He wrapped his arm around Eli’s waist and pulled her against his body. “What can I say? Payback bites a little.”

  Eli didn’t fight him, she stood perfectly still with her eyes on me.

  “Fuck you, Vito. Get what you came for and leave, take your little bitch with you, too.” I said, nodding my head in the direction of Eli’s mom, trying her best to hide behind them.

  “Oh she ain’t mine, fuck nah, she ain’t mine. But when opportunity presents itself in times such as these, well you gotta take them. Ain’t that right, Deacon, we all learn what hand to kiss in order to get what we want.”

  “Enough!” Shaw yelled. “How we doin’ this?”

  “Well that depends on what Miss Elizabeth here wants. Which of these fine men do you want to rescue you? Here we have the one that ponied up the cash, and here we have the one that picked you as flavor of the month. Hmm, which one’s it gonna be? Which let’s be honest, neither are really a prize.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” I heard her cry. “Just let me go.” She pushed against his arm holding her tight.

  “Pick one, or we’ll be here all night.” He shifted her body next to his side so he could see her face. “Any time beautiful…unless you’d rather stay with me.”

  Her eyes moved between Shaw and me, finally settling on me.

  “Well we have a winner! The rocker with the shady past, it is. Shaw, toss the bag half way between us. Deacon, you meet me there and we’ll exchange.”

  “No.” Shaw said quickly.

  “It’s my way, or no way at all.” Vito declared. “Don’t be bitter because she didn’t pick you, this way you’ll still have a chance to try and win her back later…although the odds are stacked in his favor.” He shrugged, tilting his head to me.

  “No, you send her to the middle and I’ll toss the cash to her. Once she’s safely with Deacon, we’ll leave and you can get your cash.”

  “No go. You toss the cash to her, and she can toss it to me. Then you’re done with me forever, scouts honor.”

  “Fine,” I said, interrupting their stare down. “Eli, walk to the bench in the middle, and Shaw’ll throw the cash to you. You send it Vito’s way and run to me. Okay?”

  She nodded as Vito released her. Her steps were even and fast. When she reached the bench her eyes locked with Shaw. He nodded at her and the fear etched on her face was clear. Shaw saw it, too, because he smiled at her, and I knew he was trying to give her strength.

  The bag landed right in front of her. She picked it up, struggling with the weight of the cash, and finally tossed it a few feet in front of Vito. Her body shifted and she ran directly for me. In the split second it took for her to take two steps, I saw it: Shaw cracked his neck from side to side—his tell that he was about to strike at the problem he saw in front of him. He raised his gun and Vito’s men did the same, one pointing to
ward Shaw, the other toward us.

  Focusing on the guard holding the gun on us, his face told me he intended to fire; the shining glint in his eyes was a dead giveaway. I’d seen it before, in Tony, when he knew the opportunity to end everything had presented itself. It was never more apparent than the night he’d killed a man that was aiming for me. Every day since then, I’d fought, without understanding, how he could so easily kill a man, even one that was set on killing me. But now I finally got it; I felt the urgency and hate, deep inside me, for this man I didn’t know, as I gladly pointed my gun toward the guard and squeezed the trigger. Eli impacted with my body just as I saw his shoulder jerk back with the force of the bullet then fall to the ground.

  I didn’t wait to see what happened next, I threw Eli to the ground and covered her with my body. Her screams filled my ears as I heard more shots ring out behind us. I waited for a sign it was over; waited for Shaw to tell us everyone was safe. Finally, when several seconds passed with no more blasts of bullets, I turned to see Vito and his guards were gone, all that remained was a small pool of bright red blood.

  A heart wrenching scream came from beside me—Eli. I turned to see her running to Shaw, whose body was laying half in the fountain, red spreading through the crystal clear water. Once she reached him, she froze staring down at him, her face split in terror. I pulled him out of the water, placing him on the ground at our feet.

  “Shaw!” She screamed. “Wake up, wake up!” She shook him roughly, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

  His eyes were closed, and he would have looked peaceful if his stark white shirt wasn’t stained red. I laid my finger on the side of his neck, praying I felt a pounding against them, but there was nothing. No thudding of his heart, no inhalation of breath – nothing.

  Eli’s eyes begged me, pleaded with me, to end her sudden suffering, and tell her what she craved. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her face contorted with pain. But I couldn’t give her the answer she needed. I shook my head and her eyes clenched tightly closed.