The Price We Pay (4 page)

He rolled over and had his hands at his side, covering his wound. “Fuuuuuck!” he cursed again in pain.

“I’ll call 911,” I said getting on my knees.

Keep it together.

Stay calm.

But it was dark. I couldn’t see where my phone had landed. I tried to ignore the fact I was crying, but the tears sliding down my cheeks wouldn’t let me.

“The phone Kenny, I can’t find it.”

He grunted, “My pocket.”

Blood was everywhere. I was afraid to touch him.

“I’m bleeding here babe, hurry it up.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

He laughed but it quickly turned painful. “Not going to get any worse.”

I slipped my hand in his pocket, heard sirens in the distance, and then two men approached us. I recognized Latch right away while the other man grabbed me, pulling me to my feet.

“Let’s go,” the other man said, pulling on my arm. “Now!”

“You shot at me!”

“I didn’t shoot at you!” Latch yelled back while the other man was pulling me away.

“He needs to get to a hospital!”

“I’ve got him,” Latch said kneeling down next to Kennedy. He pulled his shirt up and I heard them talking as I was shoved inside a van.

What the hell.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, fear threatening to take over my body.

“You’re coming with us.”

I opened my mouth and let out the best scream I could but it his large hand covered it quickly. He yanked me towards him and whispered in my ear, “Seems like someone tried to kill you tonight. It’s best you sit your pretty little ass in here and let us deal with this shit. We’ll get the boy to the hospital and make sure he’s safe.”

I nodded.

Holy shit.

I did as I was told, again.

Was someone really trying to kill me?

I crawled to the back of the van where I could look out the back window. My abductor, savior, whatever the hell he was, walked back over to Kennedy as EMTs ran to his side. I couldn’t see what the EMTs were doing, but noticed he and Latch were in deep conversations off to the side of Kennedy. Another man joined them, an older shorter man with a large waist and soon there were people everywhere.

I realized then I didn’t have a phone or my purse. “Shit!” I must have dropped it. Or maybe he took it. “What the hell did you do Marvey?”

They got Kennedy on the stretcher and I watched them slide him into the back of the ambulance.

I was crying.

He protected me, took a bullet for me, and was being rushed to the hospital without me.

People were spilling out from the dinner party, including our parents. I saw Caroline, Kennedy’s mom, rush down the stairs like she knew it was her son that was hurt. The ambulance was gone, but the short fat man went to talk to her as Latch and his partner started walking towards the van.

He had Marvey’s phone.

He must have Marvey.

Why the fuck did he have her?

The van had a shitty ass extra seat I sat in. I starting digging around for some kind of weapon but I was too late. I’m so stupid!

Latch crawled into the passenger seat and the other man drove.

“Put your seatbelt on,” Latch growled at me.

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” I yelled while buckling up. “I want to be with Kennedy.”

“If you want to live, you’ll shut the fuck up.”

“I want answers,” I yelled.

“So do I,” Latch barked twisting in the seat. “Who are you?”

“You know who I am,” I stated, glaring at him in the darkness. “You told me all about that on the phone before someone shot at me!”

“Your boytoy will survive, just some flesh wounds.”

“Why would they shoot at me?” The tears were piling up again.

“I don’t know, but you’re now in our care and we’ll make sure someone’s keeping an eye on the boy.”

That was good to know but I still preferred to be with Kennedy than these animals.

“He’s a man,” I said firmly but was ignored.

“Why’s your girl following me?”

I’ve been told what to do my whole life. Wear this. Eat this. Sit up straight. I’m told when to talk and when not to talk.  I’m told what to wear and what not to wear. I don’t have any kind of life. No fucking life. Every part of it is controlled. Even when I’m home alone.

I’m trained.

Well, fuck this.

And fuck them.

I said nothing.

Just stared out the windshield. We were driving north out of town. I should have paid attention to where we were going but my thoughts shifted to Kennedy.

He took a bullet for me, and my feelings and thoughts were bouncing around my head.

My parents. What did they tell my parents? As much as I wanted to know I didn’t ask. Maybe this would snap some sense into them.

The men were silent the rest of the drive but Latch was texting on his phone. No music, just the sounds of the van driving down the road. Eventually, we ended up on a dirt road.

Fear spiked and adrenaline was pumping through my body as the van slowed down in front of a little ranch house. Latch helped me out the side of the van and glanced down at my dress.

My white dress now had large splotches of blood covering the fabric.

“Oh God,” I cried. “Kennedy.”

“Shit. Get her in the house.”

“He’s hurt,” I cried. “I need to leave.
Eu presciso sair
.” I got the seatbelt off and rushed out of the van.

“In the house,” the other man said softly and pointed towards it like I needed help.

“Kennedy,” I whispered.

“He’s fine,” Latch said.

“I want to see him.”

“Not yet.”

“I don’t like you!” I stomped away. Some man was sitting on the steps smoking and I asked, “Who are you?”

He laughed.

Fucker.

“Sofia?” a familiar voice asked.

I glanced up and saw Marvey standing on the porch. We rushed to each other and I cried harder.

“They shot Kennedy,” I cried. “He’s bleeding.”

“Who shot him?”

“I don’t…”

“It’s okay. Come inside with me and we’ll talk.”

Kennedy

Everything happened so fast. It was a blur but in the end, I was bleeding. After the SUV carrying the men who shot at us drove off, two men approached. One took Sofia, and one kneeled at my side.

“You’ll live,” he stated simply, checking me over.

“Why are you taking her?”

“Someone just tried to kill her.”

Pain shot through my side and I held myself tighter trying to prevent more blood flow. I could hear sirens in the background, and I glanced at the dark van and saw the other man open the door for Sofia.

“Shit,” I grunted.

“Try not to move,” he said, and it almost sounded like he was concerned. “We’ll keep Sofia safe while you get looked over.”

“Who are you?”

“Someone you can trust.”

“Police?” I asked.

“My uncle is Detective Smith. I’ll let him know Sofia is safe and when I can, I’ll be in touch with you. Don’t talk to the press, and carry a gun if you can.”

“I don’t like this.”

“Trust me, neither do I, but if you want to keep your woman safe, this is how it’ll be.”

“What do I tell her parents?”

“That she’s safe.”

He stood and walked off when the EMTs arrived. They lifted me onto the stretcher and could hear my mother yelling my name as they loaded me up in the back of the ambulance. I had no option but to go without Sofia. The man never told me his name nor did he answer my question. I didn’t like it one bit, but I was in a lot of pain and the medicine they just pushed through my IV was hitting me hard.

“You’ll be okay,” the EMT said. “Might need surgery, but we’ll see what they say when we get there.”

I felt my body start to relax and I was no longer holding my side.

Sofia. The love of my life, the sweetest woman I knew, was in danger and I couldn’t protect her. I’ve only ever wanted Sofia. Always had eyes for her. I didn’t care that we had been told, this was our life. I knew I wanted her the moment I was born.

Why would anyone want to kill her?

I sat on the steps smoking my cigarette and watched the clouds slowly roll through the night sky, sometimes giving me a peek at the stars. The combination of the two kept me calm and centered. It helped to remind me that I’m still alive.

I’ve never made good choices growing up. Never. I did things. Bad things. And I’ve seen even worse. I hated the memories that I’ve put in my head, never being able to let them go. Never being able to forget.

I’ll never be able to do enough good things in my life to offset all the bad shit I’ve done.

I wasted my life away. All those years wasted, with no chance of changing them.

Until last year.

I decided that after the events of the day, I needed two cigarettes. It was also a bonus of staying outside so I could listen to the conversation happening on the porch. Half the time Latch and Jaxon forget I’m even here. I knew things I shouldn’t know but it wasn’t like I could tell anyone.

No communication.

No reception, not even cable television.

I watched movies, cooked, and exercised my days away.

And even if I could tell the secrets I knew, I wouldn’t.

Never.

Latch and Jaxon saved me.

I owed them my life.

“What the fuck is going on?” Jaxon asked Latch.

“Marvey and Sofia are connected. Harper just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“No shit.”

“You called her a rat man, she’s your problem now,” Latch asserted.

They were silent for a few seconds while I took another drag from my cigarette.

“They won’t talk yet, not until she calms down and gets her shit together.”

“Ease up,” Jaxon told him. “The guy was shot in front of her.”

Latch changed the subject. “You hear from Keylan?”

“Yes. Everything’s still in play.”

“Fuck, nothing gets in his way,” Latch muttered and I realized I had no idea what the conversation was about. I knew the name Keylan. He was in a motorcycle gang that much I’ve gathered over the last few months. Once the two guys had brought out a twenty-four pack of beer and hung with me, drinking around a bonfire. After half the beer was gone, they talked liked I was one of them even though all I did was sit back and listen, with a nod here and there. Latch was with the DEA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Jaxon was with ATF, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Administration. They met years ago working a different case and their handlers thought it best they work together going forward because they were bringing both agencies to the table during their investigations. Best of both worlds, I guess.

“The sooner we get this job done with Keylan, the closer we get to Carlos.”

“We better, it’s been two years,” Jaxon said, frustrated. “I need a break from this shit.”

I put my cigarette out and thought about having another one while they continued to talk.

“Carlos,” Latch muttered in disgust. Carlos was head of said motorcycle gang and did worse things than I’d ever done. I’ve heard about him when I was out on the streets, scoring and throwing my life away. People didn’t fuck with Carlos or his crew. If you did, you were likely to wash up on the shore.

I heard the spring door squeak open so I twisted up and saw Marvey walking out.

I immediately stood.

I liked Marvey.

She was easy to get along with, funny, and very down to earth. If I had a sister, I thought she might be like Marvey.

“Alright guys,” she said with her hands on her hips, “listen up.”

They guys chuckled, I grinned, and Marvey went on.

“I’m not sure if you thought your plans through,” she started. “But we’re girls. My girl Sofia is a
girly girl,
and Harper is close to it.”

“Get to the point,” Jaxon mumbled.

I moved up the stairs and leaned against one of the beams so I had a front row ticket to this show.

“We need clothes. If you haven’t noticed, one of us is covered in blood and the other one looks like
Barbie
.”

“Tomo-”

“No.” She pointed a finger at Latch. “Now. Get back in your creepy ass van and get them something decent to wear. Sweats and a t-shirt so they don’t have to sleep in their clothes or worse yet, without them.”

“You want us to go shopping for women's clothes?” Latch asked shifting his weight, looking very uncomfortable.

She ignored his question and kept going.

“I can rock a messy ponytail, it doesn’t bother me, but those girls need a brush. And hairspray if you plan on keeping us here.”

“And more food,” I said but no one acknowledged me.

I liked having people around. I’ve been isolated and although it was best for me and my situation, I was still lonely. Just knowing someone else was in the house made me happy.

“I want answers,” Latch reminded her and took a step forward, putting Marvey about a foot away from him. “I don’t think you ladies understand the situation you’ve put yourself in.”

“We didn’t ask to be kidnapped,” she snapped.

“And I didn’t ask to be followed,” he snapped back. “You’ve put yourself in the middle of a fucking war you know nothing about!”

She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. “I’ll get the shit,” he said tilting his head so I could no longer see his face. “Then I get what I want.” He paused and Marvey gasped. “Answers.” He leaned in closer and dropped his voice. “All of them.”

“In the morning,” she counter offered with a weak voice. “We need rest.”

“It’s late, Latch,” Jaxon mentioned walking down the steps. “Let’s get this shit over with.”

I kept my eye on Latch and Marvey who were in a stare down. Their noses so close to each other, their lips. Something was going on between them, but I had no clue what it was. It was like they knew each other but I knew they didn’t. I kept watching them; it was intense. I was starting to feel uncomfortable when Latch stepped back and Marvey pursed her lips together. Latch shook his head and headed down the steps.

Marvey walked to the top step and called his name, making him stop. He turned his chin slightly over his shoulder.

“We need tampons,” she told him. “Medium flow.”

Latch grunted, or growled, I wasn’t sure but he stomped off to the van and never looked back.

I was grinning ear to ear. “I like you, Marv.”

She smirked. “We don’t really need tampons.”

Yep, I definitely liked Marvey.