“Wha- Marion?” he replied.
“Yes, it’s me, Gabe.”
I tried to shift my weight to turn towards him.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Marion?” he repeated, “What’s going on? Where are we?”
Chapter 5
At 22:05 I headed back to the home for the third time, to check if Marion and Gabe were there, but I was struck with disappointment. The police had said not to try anything myself. I should wait for them to handle it. It had been more than seven hours since I’d left the station and they still had nothing to report.
The place’s name I’d overheard at the police station was “the Crib”. I knew it was a warehouse or something connected to the BL gang. If they were being held there, by the gang, I was going to need some help. I had to find Thomas, if he hadn’t left town or wasn’t already dead. I knew the gang would never rest until they had him.
I called someone I hadn’t spoken to in more than ten years. It was an old family friend. If I’d been seen with him when I first got out of juvie, the cops would have arrested me, but now I needed his help.
“Ah micuto!” he said, recognizing my voice immediately. “It’s been some time, little one!”
His voice still sounded as though he smoked ten cigars a day. I loved it. I suddenly missed my people, my roots, even my parents – for a brief moment.
“Andrei, I need your help!” I said, “I can’t discuss it over the phone. Can we meet at the spot at eleven ‘o clock?”
“Please,” I added a second later.
I had to do whatever I could to get Marion back, and Gabe. Now that she was in danger, I realized I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her. And if anything did, the people would pay. With their lives.
I sat on the low brick wall at 22:50 and waited.
I recognized the rotund form moving slowly up the alley a minute later.
“Uncle Andrei,” I called.
His face was illuminated by one of the only remaining lights in the alley and went into shadow again.
“Micuto, little one!”
He opened his arms wide and I ran into them. The roughness of his beard tickled my cheek.
“Still so tall!” he said and laughed.
“Uncle Andrei, thank you for coming!” I said, “I’m sorry I haven’t spoken to you in so long!”
“Don’t worry, Elena,” he said, “I’m here for you now like I promised your father.”
He lit a cigarette and passed it on to me, then lit another as we walked further into the alleyway and into the back entrance of a building. I didn’t smoke, but would never turn down a cigarette from him.
“I need to find someone,” I said, “His name is Thomas. Thomas Wilson.”
Andrei ashed his cigarette into an oversized glass ashtray. The light from an old chandelier swayed as a breeze blew into the room.
“What crew is he with, little one?”
A short man with long, greasy black hair handed him a drink.
I sighed. “He’s a loner, but does some jobs for the BL.”
“Hmm,” he replied.
I brought my boots up onto the edge of the velvet chair.
“You never did like an easy game, Elena!”
I nodded and looked down.
“But I can see it’s important to you,” he continued.
He winked at me. “What’s his name?” he asked.
I wrapped my arms around my knees.
“Her name. Marion.”
“Mar-ion,” he repeated slowly.
When he sounded words out slowly like that, it meant he was on board and people were going to pay.
“Now where is that knife your dad gave you, child?”
I whipped it out of my boot and put it in his hand, with the carved black and silver snake-headed handle facing him.
“Oh yes,” he said, “It was always good luck for him.”
***
It didn’t take Andrei long to locate Thomas. Naturally, Thomas was not eager to participate in the plan, even though it was to rescue his own alleged children. Typical druggie. By the time I had slowly removed my knife from his foot, he was more enthusiastic.
Andrei had asked if I needed help getting my friend back, but I declined. All I had needed was Thomas, for the plan to work. I had always preferred to do dirty deeds on my own.
I told Thomas that we were going to pretend to swap him in exchange for Marion and Gabe, but then at the last minute, have one of the BL’s enemy gangs swoop in on the location while we duck out of the chaos, relatively unscathed.
When we arrived at the location, he was skittish. I reminded him we were going through with the plan, with a little encouragement from the gun I’d gotten from Uncle Andrei. The meeting time was 20:00 and we were there a few minutes early.
The large warehouse looked unoccupied, but I knew that wasn’t the case. The windows had been boarded up. The metal door at the back entrance opened with a creak. We probably should have called the police, but I didn’t think they’d be much help.
The door swiveled closed behind us, making Thomas jump. I poked the gun into his back to encourage him forward.
They wouldn’t kill him until they got the info they needed about the missing stash. I guided him to the center of the room. Empty crates were stacked up on the left and right-hand wall.
“Benny, we’re here!” I called out.
Andrei had helped me find out who I was dealing with. A scuffling sound came out of the far side of the stuffy warehouse. I could hear muffled noises and saw a small figure, nudged into view.
“Gabe!” I exclaimed.
His hands were tied behind his back and his mouth was taped with a strip of duct tape.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. I couldn’t see Marion anywhere.
“Change of plan,” a voice said behind Gabe.
A tall, dark-skinned man stepped out from behind the boy.
“Where is Marion?” I asked.
I kept the gun in the small of Thomas’ back.
“You’ll get her,” he said, “As soon as I have Thomas in my hands.”
“No ways, that was not the plan!”
I came around to Thomas’ side and raised the gun to his head.
“Wait, wait,” Benny said, “She is here. I promise. You’ll get her as soon as I have Thomas.”
I shook my head.
“You fuckers!” I shouted.
I didn’t have any choice.
“They’re outside already?” Thomas whispered to me, glancing at the door.
“Yes, as soon as you’re on Benny’s side, I give the signal.”
I poked Thomas with the gun to get him moving towards Benny.
“Okay, here he comes Benny,” I said. “If you’ve done anything to Marion, you’re going to pay!”
Thomas looked back at me, his dark-ringed eyes open wide. I pointed the gun in Benny’s direction.
“The Romanians are outside, Thomas,” I said softly, “Now move!”
Thomas moved slowly towards Gabe and Benny. Two of his men moved into view and stood next to him, armed with what looked like 9mm’s. I held Uncle Andrei’s glock firmly in my hand.
Suddenly a pigeon took off in the rafters and Thomas used the opportunity to dodge to the left and run towards the side exit of the building. There was no way I was letting him get away. I would never get Marion and Gabe back, without him.
Benny’s men fired shots at him. One flashed right next to my leg. My body stiffened, I ducked down low, turned and aimed the black nozzle of the gun and fired. The gun ricocheted just as I remembered, but I kept my body steady.
Thomas collapsed down on one leg and screamed.
“Aargh!”
“Hold your fire!” Benny shouted to his goons.
“I just clipped his leg,” I shouted, “He’s all yours!”
“What?” Thomas cried out, “You shot me!”
I watched as Gabe ran over to me.
“Hey!” Benny shouted. “You’ll get the girl when I have that cheat by the throat.”
His goons came, looped their arms under Thomas’s and dragged him towards Benny.
“No!” Thomas shouted as he looked back desperately at me.
I bit my bottom lip and tasted blood. Gabe looked up at me, his eyebrows curved sharply. I prayed Benny would keep his word!
***
The police sirens rang out in the distance, as I held her silently in my arms. We had to get out of there. This was too much to explain to the cops. I wiped a tear from my cheek and kissed her warm forehead.
“Thank you, Elena,” Gabe said.
Marion did not speak as Gabe and I supported her on either side. Shock had clearly set in. All I wanted to do was get her out of the warehouse. As we exited the alley, a black car pulled up. The front window lowered.
I shook my head. “Uncle Andrei,” I said.
“Get her inside, little one,” he said, “We’ve got to go.”
At least I knew they wouldn’t come after us. They got what they wanted – Thomas. And I was pretty sure that would be the last we’d see of him, Marion and Gabe’s father or not. They would be better off without him.
Marion rested her head on my shoulder. I stroked her soft hair and held her close as the car drove through the narrow streets.
“Is she going to be all right?” Gabe asked, looking at Marion.
“Of course, she is, you guys are tough aren’t you?”
He grinned at me, turned and looked out the window. I leaned closer to the front passenger seat.
“She won’t want to go home, Uncle Andrei,” I said.
“Of course,” he replied, “I’m taking you lot somewhere where you’ll be safe.”
We drove north for half an hour and turned off the freeway a few minutes later. I realized where he was taking us. I had been there once before with my parents. The car pulled up outside massive black metal gates. The gates opened towards the property and the driver proceeded down the long wooded drive. He stopped outside the isolated two-story cabin. It looked exactly as I remembered it.
“We’ve stocked up on everything you’ll need, little one,” Andrei said.
He showed us to the front door.
“But let me know if you need anything!” he added.
I hugged him and led Marion and Gabe inside.
Chapter 6
I joined Marion on the front deck, looking out over the cabin’s private beach, and handed her a glass of wine. Andrei had chosen the best of everything, as I knew he would.
Marion had hardly said anything since the incident, but I would have to wait for her to open up when she was ready.
Gabe had made himself scarce. He was a perceptive boy.
“Thank you,” Marion said.
She carried on watching the gentle lapping waves. I swirled the wine in my glass, watching her out of the corner of my eye. She placed her hand on top of mine on the metal railing, turned and looked up at me.
“Thank you, Elena!” she said again.
I nodded.
“For saving my life!” she added, “And Gabe’s!”
Then she sniffed and the shock turned into tears. It was a good sign. She was facing up to what had happened. I pulled her against me as she buried her head in my shoulder.
I held her tight and let her let the emotion out. I knew she had had a tough life too but had never experienced anything like she had just been through.
“Do you think they killed him?” she asked a few minutes later. “He could be my father, Elena!”
“I know,” I said, “I don’t know if they would’ve killed him.”
I was fairly sure they would have.
The first star appeared in the sky and I led her back inside. She and Gabe needed to eat something. I let them relax in the living room while I checked what food stocks there were.
Gabe wondered through to the kitchen a few seconds later.
“There’s a massive lasagna in the fridge,” he said.
“Brilliant,” I replied and opened the fridge door.
He sat on a bar stool by the kitchen island.
“How are you doing Gabe?”
He sighed. “Okay, I guess,” he replied, “I’ll be fine!”
He was a tough kid. He and Marion would both be fine, but it may take a bit of time.
I filled the wine glasses and asked him to take one to Marion. After the meal, I led Marion to the main bedroom. It had a wraparound view of the lake. I had run her a bubble bath in the deep sunken tub and helped her in when she was ready. I tried not to stare at her beautiful naked body, but it was difficult. I thought she may want to be alone, though and got up to leave after she sunk into the bubbles.
“No,” she gasped, “please stay here with me!”
“Join me,” she pleaded.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
She nodded. We had shared the same bed the night before, but nothing had happened. I smiled and quickly stripped off my clothes. I was shy about being naked. Once I settled into the warm water, Marion moved closer and nestled between my legs, with her head on my chest. I slowly ran a soapy sponge over her skin. Down her arms to each fingertip. Down each leg and over her cute little toes. She flipped her legs over mine and tilted her head up.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” I asked her again.
If she was reaching out because of the trauma, she may regret it in the morning, like she had after having too much to drink.
“Yes,” she said, “I want you, Elena!”
I tilted my head down and brought my lips to hers. I put my hands on the small of her back. She wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I knew you would come!” she said as she began to kiss my neck.
She kissed the front of my shoulders, as we listened to the sound of rain on the roof and wooden deck. Her lips kissed the top of my full tear drop breasts and I groaned. My hand ran over the soft skin of her inner thighs and over the soft lips between her legs. She groaned too.
“I want to feel you inside me, Elena!” she said.
I felt myself throbbing inside as I slid one finger into her warmth. Her muscles welcomed me, lubricated by the bath oils. I slid another finger in, as I felt her bite my neck gently.
I pushed my fingers in deeper.
“Yeah,” she groaned.
Her hands caressed my soapy breasts and teased their tips until they were hard.
When my finger rubbed over her swollen nub, her muscles contracted around the two fingers I still had inside her. I pushed in, withdrew and sped up my movement as her breathing quickened.
“Ooh,” she moaned.
I looked out at the rain lashing the window, at her lithe tanned body and into her green eyes, which opened wide as she started to reach her peak.
I moved my fingers harder and quicker until she gasped and fell forward onto my chest.
“Oh yeah!” she cried out.
I felt her muscles clamp onto my fingers and her creamy fluids coat them as she gave in to the pleasure. The wind rattled the furniture outside. I breathed in the scent of the pine infused in the bath oil and exhaled slowly.
“I don’t know what I would do without you, Marion,” I whispered into her damp blond hair.
She raised her head and answered with a long, sensual kiss. Her tongue entwined around mine as she kissed me hard. I throbbed between my legs with the desire she stoked in me. But I could wait for satisfaction. Seeing her smile was all I needed.
***
The next day I stared at the newspaper which had mysteriously arrived at the cabin’s front door. Gabe had found it. On the front page was a picture of a local river with the police gathered on the bank, beside a human body. It was Thomas. Benny must have gotten the information he needed from him.
I didn’t want Marion to see it and get upset. She’d finally fallen asleep very late the previous night.
“I think she should know,” Gabe said.
He had follo
wed me down to the beach. I hoped Marion was still asleep. I looked up at the main bedroom and didn’t see any movement.
I dipped my bare foot into the damp sand and trailed a line to the right.
“She might as well deal with everything and get done with it.”
There was some merit to his argument. Then he surprised me with a question.
“Do you love her, Elena?”
My brow creased as I looked out onto the blue horizon. I nodded. I hadn’t realized it until that moment, but yes, I did love her.
My toe continued to trace along the sand and, when I looked again, it had formed the shape of a heart. Gabe looked down and laughed.
“I’m glad!” he said, “You’re both very important to me!”
“There any coffee?” a voice called from above us.
“Marion!” I called. “Yes, I’ll make you some, if you want to stay in bed?”
She leaned over the balcony edge. I didn’t know whether she could see the heart in the sand.
“No,” she replied, “I’m enjoying the fresh air.”
I had put the newspaper in a draw in the kitchen and thought about it when I started grinding the coffee beans.
I heard Marion’s footsteps on the stairs. “Morning,” she said.
She stepped onto the kitchen floor. She was barefoot and had a sarong tied around her body. Her shoulders were bare too, and I wasn’t sure if she had anything on underneath the Indian-style material.
I saw Gabe appear in the kitchen doorway and then disappear again. She moved towards me slowly. Her blond hair blew behind her in the breeze from the doorway. She looked like a goddess.
She smiled at me and I melted. I never wanted to be away from that woman. Ever.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, stood up on her toes and kissed me.
“Last night’s bubble bath was the best I’ve had ever!” she said.
When she moved away into the living room, I poured the fresh coffee and brought a mug to her. The coffee’s hazelnut aroma mixed with the scent of the trees on the property.
I wanted to mention the article to her and, at the same time, didn’t want to. I opened my mouth and closed it again. She frowned.
“I know about Thomas,” she suddenly said and looked down.
“Oh,” was all I could respond.
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