Back To Me (12 page)

              “Maybe you are on Julian’s side. Is that it?” Raul butted in again.

              “I’m on your side, Raul. Always have been. But Julian has busted his ass to keep your shipments running smoothly!”

              Raul stepped closer, breathing so hard his sweat was hitting me in the face. He was definitely high, hopped up on something that was making him act more irrational than usual. He was a monster when he was sober, a demon when he drank, but add drugs to the mix and he was a loose cannon. He shook, his black eyes glaring into mine, daring me to argue. Victor scooted his chair back and walked to where we were standing toe to toe, stepping in between us.

              “Now boys, let’s just calm down. There’s no reason for us to be at each other this way.” He glared at me and then at Raul, gently pushing us away with his chubby hands.

              “That’s what’s wrong with this whole damn operation, old man!” Raul shouted. “You’re too lax. You’re getting lazy, not staying on top of this shit! You need to step down and let a real man take over!”

              Before I knew what was happening, Victor pulled a gun, aiming is straight at Raul’s head. For shit’s sake, his own son! Would he really shoot? Yes. Yes he would and he wouldn’t think twice about it.

              “You don’t have the guts to pull the trigger, old man.” Raul dared, the drugs making him braver and dumber than usual.

              Victor laughed sadistically before cocking the revolver. “Damn straight I do. You’d be wise to remember that, Raul. You forget that I run this operation. I started this and I intend to see it through. I don’t need some overgrown mama’s boy to tell me how to handle my business!”

              Victor’s voice was calm. Too calm in fact and it sent chills up my spine. Sergio stepped from the shadows, standing directly beside Raul, in case shit hit the fan. Fortunately, their pissing contest gave me time to think of a plan. To think of something to get Blake and myself out alive.

              I cleared my throat. “How about I take Julian? Let me a have a chance at him, but not here. If he’s a rat then the warehouse isn’t safe.” I stood with my arms folded across my chest, keeping calm and collected. I couldn’t let them see how scared I was that my plan wouldn’t work. From the corner of my eye, I saw Blake coming to and I prayed he’d stay quiet long enough for me to get us out of here.

              “Who the hell do you think you are, jestúpido? You don’t call the shots here! I do!” Raul screamed. As soon as the words were out, Victor knocked him to the floor and his head bounced off the concrete.

              “Shut your mouth!” Victor yelled. Sergio began to move towards him, but Deuce, the doorkeeper from earlier stepped forward, causing him to shrink back. Well hell, never thought I’d see that.

              “Do what you must,” Victor addressed me. “If you think you can get it out of him, be my guest. But I’d better not find out any funny business is going on, or you’ll both pay. Got it, hijo?”

              He’d just called me son in front of Raul, no doubt to solidify I was in his good graces and Raul was not. This shit was going from bad to worse real quick. I ignored the daggers coming from Raul, focusing my attention back to Victor.

              “You’re the boss,” I said with both condemnation and respect. I walked over to Blake, squatting down so he could see it was me.

              “Keep quiet and follow my lead,” I whispered. He nodded his head in understanding.

              I kicked his chair, pretending to be pissed and roughing him up all over again. Little did they know my blows weren’t actually landing their target. Not hard anyways. “I’ll take care of this,” I stated, walking past Victor and dragging Blake out the door.

              Once we reached the gate, I glanced everywhere, looking for assistance. Unbelievable, I mumbled under my breath. Blake hobbled as I helped him walk. If anyone was watching out the warehouse window this would not look good.

              “C’mon, big guy. Work with me here,” I uttered.

              Blake mumbled something incoherent and I was afraid he was going into shock from losing a fair amount of blood. As bad as I hated to go there, Tommy’s was the closest place and my only option of getting him somewhere to check his wound. Taking him to a hospital was out of the question. “Just a little farther,” I urged, pulling him forward.

              We made it into the back door, the music blaring in the main room. “Hey handsome,” one of the girls said as she passed by. Surely she could see the wounded man draped over me, but offered nothing. No help. It was like she didn’t even see him.

              “In here, buddy.” I pushed him into Raul’s private room, shutting the door behind us. “I’m gonna clean you up, then we need to call Tom.”

              “Shit, my head hurts!” he exclaimed.

              “Glad to see you can talk. Care to tell me what happened?” I busied myself, grabbing some paper towels and wetting them under the tap. I came back over, dabbing gently until I found the source of the bleeding. On the back of his head was a three inch cut that looked to be fairly deep. “Hold still. Let me see what I can do.”

              Blake winced as I picked and prodded the wound. I knew it hurt, but I had to get it as clean as I could and ensure the bleeding had stopped. Not exactly something you want to get infected.

              “I was in the warehouse, checking the shipment of coke so I could report back to Tom,” he explained. “I heard voices. One of them was Raul’s. He’s ripping his father off, Billy. He’s planning this elaborate scheme to take Victor out.”

              “Who’s in on it?” I asked.

              “Sergio for sure. There was another guy there, too, but I’ve never seen him before. Just the three of them as far as I know.”

              “So then what happened?”

              “I was kneeling behind those stupid steel drums. I guess I moved too quickly to stand, and one of them fell over, giving away my position. Raul knew I wasn’t supposed to be there and I couldn’t explain why I was. My mind went blank.”

              Shit! “Not good, bro. How’d you get ahold of Tom?”

              “I was able to send a message before they got to me. Sergio tied me up and had some fun at my expense before Victor came and told them to come and get you.”

              “Well, we gotta take care of your head and then get the hell outta here. Won’t be long until Raul comes looking for us. He knows something’s up. Plus, since Victor just embarrassed him and put him in his place, he’s gone off the deep end even further. He’s not stable.”

              As soon as those words exited my mouth, the door flew open. Standing there was Raul, alone this time with his gun aimed straight at me. Immediately a burning sensation spread through my leg, traveling up to my chest. I looked at Blake, then back to Raul. His dark eyes bore into mine as a smile broke out across his face. Guess he’d just put me in my place, too.

              I woke in a sweat, the memories of that night coming back to me as if it’d happened yesterday. I instinctively rubbed my leg, my fingers brushing over the puckered, fleshy scar. My heart was pounding in my chest as I remembered what a monster Raul truly was. I feared for Heather if he ever found her. I knew the things he was capable of doing, especially to women. I could never live with myself knowing he’d harmed her. I had to find a way to stop him!

              I reached over to the nightstand, fumbling around until I found my cell phone. I dialed Blake immediately.

              “Another one?” he answered.

              “Yeah,” I said. He knew the dreams and nightmares well. We always had them and no amount of time would ever change that. Being as it was three in the morning, he knew exactly why I was calling.

              “What happened this time?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

              “
That night
. The night I was shot. Seeing Raul’s eyes. Seeing him yesterday with his hands on Heather. I can’t handle it, man. I won’t survive if he gets to her.” I held back a sob that was threatening to expose me and my true feelings.

              “You love her,” he stated matter-of-fact.

              “Yes.”

              “Then tell her. Do it while you can. Don’t waste time being the ass we both know you are.”

              Touché. He did know me well.

              “I know. I know,” I conceded.

              “I’m not back yet. Victor and Raul think I’m on a run. Probably won’t return until tomorrow. Course, I’m in no hurry either. May take back roads,” he joked.

              I sighed. “Be careful, man. Watch your back.”

              “Always do. I’ll call when I can.”

              I disconnected the call, feeling heavier than before. Something was coming our way. Something dark. I didn’t know when and I didn’t know how, but Raul would strike as soon as my guard was down. I couldn’t afford to let that happen.

              I padded my way down the hall, making my way to the kitchen. Jack Daniels was going to have to help me get through this night and every night that she was here. Just down the hall. In my house.

13

Heather

              I heard Billy on the phone when I got up to get a glass of water. Everything was muffled, but I could tell that he was upset. I thought about going to him, to make sure he was alright, but I thought better of it. I didn’t want him to think I was eavesdropping, though that’s exactly was I was doing. Was he talking to another woman? Is that why he was being so quiet? My mind wandered aimlessly, as did I, and before I knew it I’d made my way into the living room, trying to get to a better vantage point to listen.

              When I heard his bedroom door creak open, I hid. Ducking in front of the couch, I waited, praying he didn’t find me. His footsteps grew louder as he shuffled across the wooden floor, drawing closer to where I was crouched down like a coward.

              I heard the cabinet door open and shut, and the clanking of glass. Crawling on my knees, I scooted closer so I could get a better look. I was silently praying he was still in his shorts, sans his tee shirt.
Oh, hallelujah! Luck was on my side!

              Billy was facing away from me and I gawked shamelessly at his muscular back. He was still just as toned and fit as he was years ago, maybe even more so. I knew he was into running, judging by the row of tennis shoes by both the front and back doors, but he had to do more than just run. No one, not even hard core athletes had a body like his.

              When I’d stared at him longer than I care to admit, I noticed something more. His head hung limp and his shoulders sagged wearily. He looked tired as he ran his hands through his dark hair. He sighed before bringing a bottle to his lips and when taking another long pull, I noticed it was liquor.

              What in the world was going on with him? He used to drink an occasional beer, but nothing like this. He was guzzling the stuff like it was a drug he couldn’t get enough of. Was he an alcoholic? Had something happened with Raul I didn’t know about? Was just the mere presence of me being here too much for him to take? A million thoughts overtook my brain, causing me to oust myself. I dropped my water glass, sending it crashing to the floor, soaking myself and the nearby rug.

              Billy turned suddenly, catching my deer-in-the-headlights look. I was momentarily stunned as my mind raced to find a reasonable explanation as to why I was spying on him. I came up with nothing.

              “What are you doing?” he scolded, in a stern voice.

              “I- I’m sorry, Billy. I was just coming to get some more water.”

              He looked down at the puddled floor and then back up at me. “More water?” he quizzed, raising his eyebrows. The man had been a detective and an agent with the most elite organizations, and here I was, thinking I could fool him. “Seems like you had enough already.”

              I glanced nervously at my shirt before scooting around on the floor and picking up pieces of the sharp glass.

              “Seems we’ve been here once before,” he murmured, slamming his fist on the counter. “Just leave it be. I’ll clean it. Don’t want you getting cut again.” He glared at me from beneath his long hair that spilled over his forehead. His eyes darkened, mimicking his anger and overall disgust. I slid back nervously, shaking like a small child that had been scolded. “Would. You. Just. Go!” he gritted.

              “I’m sorry.” My voice was barely a whisper. Climbing to my feet, I ran down the hallway and back to the safety of my room. Throwing myself on the bed, I wiped away my escaping tears and vowed right then and there to simply stay out of his way. I didn’t know how long I’d be here, but it couldn’t end soon enough. It was obvious that I was in his way, and I didn’t want to be where I wasn’t wanted. I couldn’t handle the way he complimented me one minute and tore me down the next. I couldn’t take his icy stares just seconds before he looked like he wanted to devour me; to
own me
. It was all so conflicting and confusing, and did nothing but hurt me in the process. Staying away from him was the key to survival.

              I heard him cleaning up my mess, grumbling the whole time about how he should’ve never brought me here. How if he’d have listened to Lauren, none of this would be happening. I flung myself backwards on the bed, letting my wounded pride engulf my already fragile state. It was like being in a prison. A lonely, cold prison.

              I tossed and turned, thinking of every plausible way to make it work. To make our living arrangement at least bearable. Perhaps I would get a job. That would certainly solve the issue of being under his foot all the time. Having my own money would certainly help, too. Maybe I wouldn’t even have to stay here and feel indebted to him. Surely there was a cheap motel in town and I could just hide out there until all this mess was over. Billy wouldn’t feel responsible for me and I wouldn’t feel like such a nuisance.
Yes, getting a job was the way to go.

              Just as my mind was made up and my nerves were somewhat settled, I remembered I didn’t have a car. How in the hell was I going to get from point A to point B? I had no idea how far we were from town and walking wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea. Pondering it over and over in my mind, I decided that I wouldn’t let a mere vehicle, or lack thereof, keep me from what I knew had to be done.
No.
I was resilient. I’d walk no matter what. Deciding my plan was as good as it was going to get, I tucked myself back into bed, determined to get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow would be a long day and I wanted to get an early start.