by Paige Hill
He stops a few feet from me, handing Erin a small stack of papers.
“O’Connor took one, but they say he’s going to recover just fine,” he states curtly.
Erin’s face remains stoic as she asks, “And the rest of the team?”
“Unscathed,” he replies.
“Teagan?” I ask, but it comes out as a plea.
He turns to face me and for a split second I see vulnerability. His expression changes so quickly that I begin to question if it was even there to begin with.
“She’s a fighter,” he smiles faintly. “She will be fine.”
“Thank you,” I choke, running into him full speed, forgetting about his injury.
“Oomph!” he lets out before a groan. “For?”
“For keeping Declan together long enough to find Teagan.” I bury my face in his chest as I fight back tears of relief.
“I didn’t do anything he wouldn’t do. I owe him more than I can ever repay.” I look up and his expression turns sullen.
“What does that mean?” I ask, taking a chance.
“Nothing to you.” He snaps, grabbing my arms and taking a step back.
Damn. I figured he wouldn’t answer, but I didn’t expect it to sting.
“You don’t have to be rude. I was just trying to make conversation.”
“That conversation is off the table.” He growls and I can feel the heat from his anger.
“Didn’t mean to be rude, sorry,” I mutter, wishing like hell I could get out of here. I want as far away from him as I can get.
We say our goodbyes and fold our exhausted bodies into his car.
Looking back out the window, I contemplate how fragile the superficial lives we build are. It’s human nature to take what we have for granted. I just wish it didn’t take tragedy for us to see it.
“Is Declan going to be okay?” I ask softly. I don’t want to give the beast another reason to snap at me, and frankly, the weight of this entire situation feels too heavy.
“Yeah, they have him sedated to give his body time to heal. Recovery is going to hurt like hell, but he’ll bounce back.”
“Shouldn’t we go see him? Check on Teagan?” I suggest. I can’t even imagine what she’s going through right now.
“The hospital won’t let anyone see them yet. They are keeping Teagan for testing because she was injected. Just as a precaution. They won’t let anyone in to see her until the Governor is arrested. They should be doing so any minute now. We will be able to see her in a few hours.”
“Injected?” I snap my head his direction.
“She’s fine, Celeste. He drugged her when he took her, but I promise it didn’t harm her.” His eyes are soft, but it does nothing to shake the rock that’s formed in my gut. “Promise you will let me know the minute I can see her.” I stare at him intently.
“Of course.”
Pulling into the parking garage at Aiden’s apartment, I feel the adrenaline start to fade. It’s been a long night that bled into a long morning. I want nothing more than to close my eyes and sleep for eighteen uninterrupted hours.
We ride the elevator in silence as animosity and loathing fill the blank space between us.
“Grab your stuff and I’ll take you home.”
I nod silently, making a detour for the coffee pot as he turns the opposite direction.
Vibration from my pocket alerts me. Pulling out my phone as I pour creamer into my coffee, I feel an immediate sense of dread. My relationship with Alex right now is strained and our last couple of conversations didn’t go so well.
Hesitantly, I lift the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Mom’s place got ransacked. They tore the place apart.” His voice sounds defeated.
“¿Que demonios? Was anything taken?”
“I don’t think so—“
“Was she home?” I ask in a sudden panic, cutting him off. I can’t believe I finally get her to move to a nicer neighborhood and her house still gets broken in to.
His silence on the other line chips away at my patience. He’s hiding something.
“Celeste, she’s at the hospital.” His voice drops to almost a whisper. I replay words in my head several times just to make sure I’ve heard him correctly.
“Is she okay?” I choke through the lump in my throat. I can’t lose the only other family I have.
“She will be.”
“I’m getting my stuff and I’ll be there soon.” I hang up before he hears the fear in my voice. I have so many questions, but I need to see her first.
“Is everything okay?” Aiden speaks to my back.
Sitting the phone on the counter, my vision blurs as I fight back tears.
“I know you want me out of your hair, but will you please take me to the hospital?”
“Only if you tell me what the hell is going on,” he demands with an irritated tone laced with concern.
“Someone broke into my ma’s place. I just… I need to check on her. You wouldn’t have to wait on me or anything. I just need you to drop me off. I’ll come back for Furb as soon as I leave the hospital. If that’s okay?”
“Yeah, get your stuff.” He nods, a look of concern settles into the lines on his face. His expression confuses me, but I don’t have time to ponder that.
I put some more food and water out for Furb and grab my purse.
“Where is she?” I ask the moment my shoes meet the ugly tile floor. As soon as Aiden dropped me at the door, real fear started to creep up my spine. Every scenario that could have been, runs rapidly through my mind.
Alex sits in a waiting room chair, worry heavy on his shoulders.
“She’s still in the emergency room, but they are going to keep her for observation.”
He crosses the large lobby, meeting me halfway. The longer he talks, the longer I have to take in his appearance. He somehow seems bigger than the last time I saw him, hard lines fill his expression and he looks years older. He carries himself with anger, something I’ve never known him to harbor, and it serves as another reminder that the boy I love is now gone.
“What did the cops say?” I ask, looking around, itching to get back to see her. But I need answers before I face her.
“I didn’t call them.”
“¿Me estás tomando el pelo? What the hell is wrong with you?” I step closer, wanting to yell at him, but recognizing the need to keep it together in public.
“I didn’t call because I know who did it,” he states, guilt set deep in his eyes.
“What did you do?” I grit between my teeth as tears pool in the corners of my eyes.
“I’m not going to talk about it here.”
That is it. I can’t hold it in any longer.
“Alex, you better fucking tell me what you did. And now!” I scream, stepping into his personal space.
“Look, since they just arrested the governor, there is an all-out war over the drug trade in Miami. Armando asked me to do some shit, so I did. My guess is they are looking for something I stole.”
Fury builds inside of me, every breath I take feeds the fire. Nerves tingle in my hands, as they itch to hurt him. I’ve never wanted to physically hurt someone as much as I do right now.
Where did we go wrong with him? When did he become this… person?
“You brought this shit to our mamá’s front door? You, selfish hijo de puta!” I’m screaming and I know I’m drawing attention to us, but I don’t care. How dare he betray his family because he thinks he’s a tough guy.
Our size difference doesn’t detour me. I draw back and slap him hard across the face. I can see nothing clearly through the tears pouring from my eyes, but I know he doesn’t move an inch as I continue to scream and berate him. His eyes scan the waiting area in an overly paranoid manner. Gripping my arm tightly, he tries to tug me toward a private corner. He doesn’t get far before Aiden has a hand around his throat, and his back against the wall.
“I suggest you let her go,” he growls through gritted teeth.
/>
“Fuck off. Mind your own business,” he gasps, but he lets go of my arm.
“You just made it my business.” Aiden stands, looking down at Alex. His jaw flexes in anger.
“Who the fuck are you?” Alex chokes out the words through Aiden’s grip.
“The fucking Grim Reaper if you touch her again.” His face is only inches away from Alex’s and I can see his fingers tighten around my brother’s throat.
“Celeste, call off your guard dog.” He coughs.
“I’m fine, Aiden. You can let him go,” I sigh.
Aiden eyes him carefully as distrust radiates off him. He releases Alex with a rough shove into the wall.
“We need to talk,” Alex snaps. “When you’re alone.”
“I’ve heard all I need to, Alex.” Fresh tears surface and streak down my face. “You put our mother in danger. You did that to her!” I seethe, jutting my outstretched finger toward the emergency room.
“Someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?” Aiden looks as confused as I feel.
“No,” I snap. “Mind your own business, pretty boy,” Alex spits as we talk over one another.
Aiden’s jaw flexes again and I can tell he’s grinding his teeth. He’s the kind of man that doesn’t appreciate being told what to do and is rarely kept in the dark.
“You know what, we’re done here. Alex, I think you’ve done enough. You can go.” I wave toward the door.
“You can’t be serious? You’re trying to throw me out of a public place?” he asks, incredulous.
“She already did.” I hear the deep timber of Aiden’s voice over my shoulder about the time two uniformed security guards step behind Alex.
“We’re gonna talk, Celeste. There’s shit you don’t understand.” He looks at me with what could be sincerity shining in his eyes, but after today, I’ll never trust his words again.
“Then talk!” I scream on the edge of hysteria. “You’ve had plenty of time to share with me and you didn’t.”
“Because I couldn’t.” His voice is low. “And I can’t here.”
“Just leave.” My voice comes out much weaker than I expected, and it pisses me off.
I watch them escort him out of the building, the whole time he continues to look back at me. My heart shatters just a little more with every step he takes.
I just want my Alex back.
“You okay?” Aiden asks, placing a large hand gently on my back. He makes small circles, trying to comfort me. I’m three seconds from falling apart right here in the waiting room, but I remember why I’m here and pull myself together. Staring at the floor, I breathe, trying to be strong for mamá and refusing to let him see me weak.
He already has enough ammunition to destroy me—I’m not willingly giving him the detonator.
I find myself getting angrier instead of being able to compose myself. Why is he being nice? This would be easier if he was a dick around the clock.
“Why are you here?” My tone is just this side of hostile.
“I parked and went to check on Declan. I figured I’d check in on your mom too.”
Crap. I had my head so full of my own issues that I already forgot the horror my friends endured.
“How is he?”
“Still knocked out. They said he would be for a few days. They do it so his body will heal.” He swallows. “How is your mom?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to see her yet.” I pause, composing myself to insure my next statement comes out genuine. “Thank you for letting me stay, and for the ride. I’m going to check on her now.” Defeat overwhelms me as the gravity of the situation starts to settle in.
He nods slowly in understanding, but his lips are pursed, his expression telling me he has something to say, but he isn’t going to share.
“Will they let me see Teagan?” I ask, hopeful.
“I can take you there after you visit with your mom.”
“Thank you.”
Turning to face the heavy double doors that hide one of my biggest fears, I wipe my eyes, forcing bravery I don’t feel onto my face.
Chapter Ten
Aiden
“Piece of shit,” I mutter to myself as I watch the doors close behind a resilient Celeste. I don’t know anything about her brother, but he just put himself on my radar and that isn’t going to work out well for him. She doesn’t know it yet, but she and I are going to talk about what just happened. If I find out he put his hands on her… I will end him.
Pulling out my phone, I dial the one person I know who could find skeletons in Casper’s closet.
“I will not violate some poor girl’s privacy just to delete your contact information again,” she snaps. Damn, he must have pissed her off again.
“Calm down Xena, Warrior Princess. I need information on one Alex Martinez. Early twenties, likely gang affiliated, and has a sister named Celeste.”
“Did you not hear me correctly? I said I wasn’t going to violate another woman’s privacy. Especially one I actually like. So, no.”
“Erin, this isn’t about protecting her privacy. It’s about her safety. She’s not a random, overly attached barfly. If it weren’t important, I wouldn’t ask.”
“You treated her like one.”
I drop into a waiting room chair with more force than is necessary, wiping a frustrated hand down my face before resting my elbows on my knees.
“Damn it, Erin! Will you listen? I need information. Her brother may have put her in danger, and I want to know what the hell is going on.”
Silence meets me on the other end of the line.
“Fine. I’ll do it. Just take care of her.”
“Thank you. Her mother’s house was ransacked, and they roughed her up. Find out what you can about who’s responsible.
“Will do.”
“How long until you have something?” I ask, choosing to skirt around her request.
“Half an hour,” she affirms, hanging up.
I spend the next thirty minutes pacing the lobby, my thoughts becoming more confused the harder, I think. I’m so tired I’m nearing zombie status. Walking to the coffee station, I pour my third cup since I’ve been here, which isn’t helping my agitation.
Forcing myself to sit, I contemplate this predicament.
Why do I even care?
Celeste isn’t my responsibility, or even a friend. I should just let it go, but something doesn’t sit right. I can’t shake this feeling that there is something big going on here. My phone rings, startling me. Looking at the caller ID, I let out a breath.
“What do you got?”
“Not a lot, but it’s enough.”
“Start talking.”
She sighs heavily on the other end of the line. “Okay, Alexander Gabriel Martinez, twenty-one years old, born and raised right here in Miami. His only living relatives are his sister Celeste Maria Martinez and his mother Consuela Luisa Martinez. His father was killed in a convenience store robbery not long after he was born. He did good in school, decent grades, no run-ins with the law until a few months ago. He has recently been inducted into the Tri-Locka gang—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snap, kicking a chair across the room, earning a stern look from the receptionist.
“Alvarez took over Tri-Locka and they now operate as his falcon, reporting all street activity up the chain. Alex has been getting in pretty tight with Alvarez’s organization moved up in rank to a Sicario almost immediately. One of our informants believes in the long term that Alvarez will promote him to Lieutenant if he can prove himself.”
“Shit. It’s unusual to move up the ranks that quickly in a criminal organization. Did you find out anything about her mom?”
“I did. The incident was never called in, which leads me to believe that he knew who was responsible. So, I dug a little further. It turns out Alex stole several thousand dollars’ worth of cocaine from a rival gang. I’d bet money they were looking for it and found her instead. Used her to threaten
him.”
“Thanks, Erin. You deserve a raise,” I tease, knowing it’s the honest to God truth.
“Yeah, well, tell that to Ramos,” she laughs as she disconnects the call.
That feeling in my gut just went from a wave to a fucking monsoon.
CELESTE
Walking into the cold, sterile hospital room, a chill creeps down my spine. After we lost daddy, losing mamá or Alex has been my biggest fear. Tonight, I could have lost both. Hell, I might have already lost Alex.
Can you mourn someone who’s still alive?
Mamá lies asleep on the bed, her face heavily bruised and there are wires attached everywhere. Taking the empty seat next to her, I remain as quiet as possible.
“Don’t you dare start figuring out a way to blame yourself,” she croaks with her eyes closed, her voice dry. Even battered and bruised she is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Inside and out. I truly hope I age this well.
“Hey Mamá, how are you feeling?” I ask, taking her delicate hand in mine.
“I’m fine. Just a bit sore is all. They said I can leave once the results from my scan come back.”
“That’s great. I was dropped off by a friend, so we will need to catch a cab to my place.”
“Celeste, I love you dearly, but if you start getting bossy with me, I will beat you with my chanclas.”
“Mothe- “
“Do not mother me. I will be fine. Please stop worrying about me so much. It will give you gray hair.” She smiles warmly, and I revert to my teenage self, rolling my eyes.
“I’m not being bossy.”
She simply stares, clearly in disagreement.
“I’m just trying to let you know how we are getting home,” I grumble.
“Celeste honey, I’ve already called Dave to come get me.”
Dave? Who the hell is Dave?