Heart Beats

by Davidson King

  “Ledger,” I whispered, but he waved me away.

  “Let Shane go. I’ll stay, I’m who you want, right?”

  I wasn’t leaving. There was no way I was going to run and Ledger stay up here with this deranged man.

  “I saw your equipment, Ledger. Is that what you have at the club?” Charles got up and went to the refrigerator. As soon as his back was turned, Ledger looked at me and mouthed for me to run, but I shook my head.

  “Ledger?” Charles called out. “Why don’t you and your hussy come in here. We can have a drink. Talk about this…situation.”

  There was such a look of defeat on Ledger’s face, and I knew he wanted me to go and get away from here, but he had to know I wasn’t leaving him.

  We walked to the kitchen together; I could tell he wanted to hold my hand, but there was no question that it would enrage Charles.

  “So, that equipment?” Charles only had eyes for Ledger.

  “Um…no I upgraded everything at the club. The stuff I use here was what I used to use there.”

  “Ah, interesting.”

  “Charles?” Ledger said.

  “Yes, love.”

  “Where’s my bird?”

  “Oh, well, he was so loud and not very nice. I actually assumed it was Shane’s bird with how rude it was. He tried to bite me, and I may have hit him a little too hard. He’s sleeping it off in our bedroom.”

  Our. He said “our.” And he hurt Lion. “I’ll go look,” I said and started to leave when Charles came around the counter and grabbed me.

  “Not a chance. I said the bird was fine.”

  “You just love hitting things, don’t you?” I jerked his hand free of me. “No one wants to be in an abusive relationship, Charles. What makes you think Ledger does?”

  Charles gasped and his eyes widened. “I’d never hurt a hair on Ledger’s head. I love him and he loves me. You’re poison.”

  “Guys.” Ledger came to stand between us. “Let’s not fight. I’ll check on Lion in a little bit. Let’s have that drink.”

  Ledger was playing some game, and while I didn’t want any part of it, I decided to go along with it in the hopes that he had a plan.

  “Fine.” I sat on the stool and watched as Charles fixed us three drinks. I wasn’t taking my eyes off him for a second, lest he poison me.

  None of the drinks were fancy, just some whisky Ledger had. Once they were ready, he held up his tumbler. “A toast to old lovers and new.” I halfheartedly lifted my glass.

  “Charles.” Ledger put his drink down and gave him an almost convincing smile. “Maybe we can let Shane leave, and the two of us can have some quiet time together?”

  He really had to let this go. “Ledger—”

  “Quiet,” Charles snapped. “Shane goes when and if I say. I’m honestly quite angry with you, Ledger. We need to work out our issues. I tried to send you songs to show my love. You never once returned the sentiment.”

  “How could I? I didn’t know where you were.” Ledger moved next to Charles. “You would send these songs and gifts and disappear. How was I supposed to find you?”

  Charles’s rigid form relaxed as soon as Ledger placed his hands on his shoulders.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry I was so upset.” He swallowed his drink and smiled at Ledger. “I saw you making those mistakes. First with Trinity. What were you thinking, sweetheart?”

  I could practically feel the pain emanating off Ledger at the sound of Trinity’s name. He was trying to play along but I could see it…the flinch.

  “I don’t know. You weren’t there,” Ledger answered.

  “Well, I’m here now.” He caressed the side of Ledger’s face with his hand and I wanted to puke. Charles spun on his heel and was facing me. “I took care of one of your distractions, my love, I’ll deal with this one too.”

  “Wait.” Ledger took Charles’s hand. “Let’s just let him go. I want to be with you.”

  I wasn’t sure how much Charles was buying Ledger’s act, and I wasn’t going to find out because the doorbell chimed.

  “Expecting someone?” Charles asked.

  “Well, if you must know, I am. If I don’t answer the door, they’ll worry.”

  “And who are you expecting? Another whore?” Charles slammed his hand on the counter. “When will it end, Ledger?”

  “Calm down—”

  “Do not! Don’t you tell me to calm down.” I looked over toward the elevator when I heard a ding. Charles was too busy having a freak-out to know someone was coming up.

  “Okay, you’re right, I’m sorry. Please calm…I mean, please don’t be upset.” When Ledger grabbed Charles and held him much like how he’d held me, there was a moment I wanted to puke…then rip Charles’s arms off.

  When the elevator doors opened, Charles’s eyes darted over to it. But no one was there. The elevator was empty.

  I made to go toward the elevator, but the sound of a gun cocking made me freeze. “I don’t think so,” Charles said. “Have a seat.”

  “Charles, why do you have a gun?” Ledger said.

  “Oh, please, Ledger, don’t play with me. I see what you’re doing. You’ll never love me while this redheaded hussy is alive. Just like Trinity.”

  When he pointed the gun at me, it all happened at once. Ledger grabbed Charles’s arm, a shot rang in the air, the side door opened where Ledger had a stairwell, and men ran into the room.

  “Ledger!” I shouted.

  The men were trying to intervene, but Ledger and Charles were fighting, and there was a gun in the middle of them. At one point it appeared that Ledger got the upper hand and was on top of Charles, but suddenly Ledger was kicked backward, his back slammed against the refrigerator.

  “You fucking whore!” Charles turned around, pointed the gun at me, and pulled the trigger.

  Like I said, it all happened so fast, and I found myself waiting for the pain, but it never came. Ledger had jumped in front of me and lay in a pool of blood at my feet.

  “Oh, my God.” Collapsing to the ground, I took him in my arms. The men in the room pointed guns at Charles, telling him to drop his weapon, but Charles was too far gone.

  “You did this!” He was talking to me and once again aimed the gun at me. A load roar echoed in the place and Lion swooped down, landing on Charles’s head, squawking and pecking.

  Charles’s dropped his gun, and the men didn’t hesitate. They tackled him to the ground. I didn’t know what was going on around me anymore; Ledger’s face was pale, almost ashy, and there was too much blood.

  “Why’d you do that?” I whispered to Ledger, tears blurring my vision as I applied pressure to the wound. His shirt was quickly becoming soaked. “Help!” I yelled.

  One of the men rushed over. “I already called 9-1-1. We need to apply pressure to the wound.”

  “I am! He’s losing too much too fast.”

  The guy placed his fingers on Ledger’s neck. “He still has a pulse. Keep pressure on it.”

  With my hands covered in Ledger’s blood, I held on for him. I whispered in his ear, telling him to live, telling him how much he meant to me and how being with him made the world a better place. I promised I’d move in with him, never miss any show he did, anything I could to ensure he wouldn’t leave me. And when he didn’t move, or jerk, or anything in reaction, I sent up a silent prayer: Please don’t let this be the end.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Ledger

  I knew I was alive because no way was being dead this painful. I heard voices and shouts as I slipped in and out of darkness. I was replaying it over and over again in my head: Charles pointing his gun at Shane, and me reacting. I didn’t think I could outrun a bullet, but when I felt the burning pain in my back, I knew I didn’t outrun it, I beat it to its target. Then it all went black…until now.

  “His heartbeat changed.” I could hear the sound of Shane’s voice, and it was calming and made the pain more bearable.

  “Mr. Reeves, I told you his h
eartbeat will be doing heartbeat things. Every time it makes a different blip doesn’t mean anything.” Someone I didn’t recognize spoke.

  “And his fingers?”

  “What about them?”

  “They moved!” Shane again and I wished I could open my eyes and see him.

  “Well, he’s not dead, Mr. Reeves. His body will move.”

  “It’s a change, and you know it. I’m getting the doctor.” I heard footsteps and knew Shane had gone. I wanted to yell for him to come back, but my body was working against me.

  “He’s at it again, Sarah,” a woman with a southern accent spoke.

  “I know. He’s been here for three days straight. I don’t know if he’s even slept, honestly.”

  They must’ve been nurses. I was clearly in the hospital.

  “Hopefully he wakes soon, because Peggy said she sees him coming and runs.”

  The two women laughed, and I had to admit it was humorous. Shane had the ability to be stubborn and drive people crazy. I wanted to tell them, but I couldn’t speak.

  “Good afternoon, Sarah and Laura. Mr. Reeves here tells me Mr. Campos is making different noises and gestures,” a man said.

  “Yes, doctor. I haven’t seen anything but—”

  “Now, Sarah, if every patient in this hospital had someone staring at them like Mr. Campos has, we’d probably catch things sooner. Let me examine the patient.”

  “Thank you.” Shane was much closer to me now. I wanted to see him, touch him.

  I felt hands and some prodding. Then my eyelid was lifted, and a bright light shined, making me flinch.

  “Ahh, yes, there you are, Mr. Campos.” I saw the older man smile, and suddenly there was an eyeful of Shane.

  “Ledger!”

  “Mr. Reeves, please, if you can step aside a moment. I need to finish my exam.” The doctor was laughing, and I was relieved I could see at all. I tried to open my mouth to speak but I couldn’t, and that was when I began to panic.

  “Please stay calm; you have been on some serious sedatives, Mr. Campos. You’re fine. Just relax for me.” The doctor had a pleasant face, and I could see Shane over his shoulder.

  “Ledger, listen to the doctor. Everything is fine. I’m okay, Lion is great. No one was killed, so that’s a plus.” Shane waved like he was a kid, and I instantly relaxed.

  “You’re a strong one, Mr. Campos,” the doctor said. “I’m Dr. Jacoby. You are at Hart Hope Hospital in Haven Hart. You were shot, and fortunately, you’ll live. The bullet was very close to your spine, but lady luck was on your side. We were able to remove it, though you have some healing to do.”

  I looked over at Shane’s face, beaming through the tears glistening in his eyes. I wanted him, wanted to tell him I was never letting him go and that I’d jump in front of a hundred bullets for him.

  “We started weaning you off the sedatives, but you’ll still be on pain medicine. You should start to feel more awake and less heavy, so to speak, within the next half hour.” The doctor finished his exam and walked over to Shane. “We’ll leave you two be.” When he and the two nurses left, it was just Shane and me.

  “I have never, ever, ever been more scared than I was when you were shot.” Tears flowed freely down his pale cheeks as he sat beside me on the bed. “I was so mad at you. Why would you do that? Why would you jump in front of a bullet for me?”

  I wanted to speak so badly. To wipe the tears from his eyes, hug him until he didn’t know what fear was. I could feel my body start to wake up more but not enough to interrupt him.

  “I thought you were going to die on me. I thought I’d never get to tell you I would move in with you or that you turned out to be the opposite of everything I thought you were. I thought I’d never get to tell you how sorry I was to ever doubt you.” He sniffled and when his shoulders started to shake, it just about killed me.

  “I thought I was never going to be able to tell you I loved you, Ledger. That through all this madness and chaos, I fell in love with you.”

  I willed my hand to move. It felt like I was swimming in molasses, but Shane was crying and I couldn’t take it; I needed to touch him. When my fingers touched something and Shane jolted, I knew he felt me.

  He took my hand in his and pressed his lips to my palm. I swore I felt that kiss swim through my veins and dive into my heart. His head looked so much better. There was a large square Band-Aid on it, but it wasn’t swollen and there was no blood. I closed my eyes and thought about what I wanted to say. I knew I could speak; I just needed to push it out there.

  “I…” Opening my eyes I saw Shane blink, a tear sliding along his cheek. “I am so in love with you.” I did it. I said it. Shane sat stock still. Staring at me with the kind of love I’d never seen anyone show me.

  “You are?”

  I was able to give him a small nod.

  “I’d like less adventure in our lives, if that’s okay?”

  “Agreed.”

  I wanted to ask Shane about Charles and what happened. He said Lion was great but when I blacked out that was it. I needed to know what happened. As if sensing my distress, Shane told me.

  “Riordan’s men were able to subdue Charles until Ciro and Detective Glass arrived. Apparently, you didn’t text Ciro, you called him and kept the phone on in your pocket.” He smiled. “Very smart.” Shane kissed my hand again, and I wanted those lips on my mouth. “Charles was arrested. I don’t know how the investigation is going or anything, but he’s locked up. Ciro said Glass was able to find out that Charles was once a patient in the Farm Point Mental Center up north for close to a decade. As a teenager, he burned down the house of one of his teachers. No one died, but I’m guessing infatuation is something Charles isn’t new to.”

  So he’d done this before. Maybe if they’d kept him there, Trinity would still be alive, and neither I nor Ziggy would be in a hospital bed.

  “Lion is doing good. I FaceTimed with him a little while ago…yes, he likes to FaceTime. Toby is actually there with Atlas. They’re keeping him company. He likes them.”

  I had to figure out a way to thank my friends. Especially Ciro. I was curious about him more than ever now, but I wouldn’t pry. A man like that had secrets that buried people. I was just grateful he was on my side.

  “Thank you,” I said and was glad when it came out stronger.

  “Thank me by getting better.”

  Then, finally, he kissed my lips. And I knew I’d never kiss anyone else ever again.

  Epilogue

  One Month Later

  Shane

  “I don’t see how this is at all fair,” I whined as I carried a huge tray of popcorn and sodas to the sofa in the living room. Ziggy was on one end and Ledger on the other. Both were recovering from Charles’s reign of terror, and I was their nurse, it seemed.

  “You make popcorn the best.” Ziggy’s smile was irresistible.

  “Uh-huh, yeah, whatever. I have boxes of stuff I need to unpack, and you two want me to sit here like a lump and watch a movie…Oh, and feed you.”

  “I’m fairly certain Ziggy and I would be bleeding out if we didn’t have you to take care of us.” Ledger batted his eyelashes at me, and if he wasn’t recovering, I’d have hit him.

  “If anything ever happens to me, I expect you both to take care of me.”

  “Deal.” Ziggy and Ledger spoke in unison.

  When Ledger was released from the hospital, it was discovered there was minor nerve damage, and he needed physical therapy. He was showing improvement every day, but he still had to rest after a session or two. And because Ledger promised Ziggy he could recover at his place when he was out of rehabilitation, he was here too. He was doing very well. There were some issues that he quickly discovered would affect him being a DJ, and he was depressed for a time. The other day he decided he’d still entertain; he just had to figure out what he’d do.

  “What movie are we watching?” I put the bowl of popcorn between my two patients and handed them their sodas. I’d g
o sit on the recliner where Lion would perch himself on the back and whisper how he would poop in their shoes for me.

  “Maybe a comedy?” Ziggy said while Ledger said horror.

  And so they argued. I went to the recliner, and Lion swooped down.

  “Men,” he said, and I chuckled.

  “Indeed, my friend.”

  We ended up not watching a movie and instead chose to start a new series we all wanted to binge on Netflix. It was really good, and I hoped it got picked up for another season.

  Later that night as Ledger and I lay in bed, staring up at the skylight, I allowed myself to be grateful. Being with Ledger was easy, but our road there was not.

  Trinity’s funeral was filled with so many people, most who Ziggy said just wanted the attention and nothing more. But there were many who were genuinely sad. One woman sobbed next to her casket, and Ledger later told me it was her estranged sister. They had never made amends.

  Too easily that could have been Ledger being lowered into the ground, and the fact that it wasn’t, made me feel grateful. For a while the guilt of that woke me from my sleep. How could one person’s death make someone feel grateful? But as I lay in Ledger’s arms, listening to him breathe, I accepted it.

  Charles pleaded guilty by reason of insanity. And while he appeared to know right from wrong, he was not of sound mind. The District Attorney agreed to the plea deal that Charles spend the remainder of his life incarcerated in a mental facility far from here.

  Ledger and I thanked Ciro for everything, as well as his friend Riordan. While Riordan was pleased to help, Ciro just responded, “It’s what we do.” I didn’t really know what he meant by that. But at the same time, maybe I did. I’d had no one for a long time; then I had Toby, and then I had this whole insane family. It was a good family and one I knew would never turn their backs on me.