by Tia Lewis
“T-thank you,” I said, steeling myself for what I might see, my stomach in horrible knots. The doctor nodded, and I entered the room, gasping as I surveyed the scene. Benji didn’t look like Benji at all, with a tube sticking out of his mouth and his gorgeous body having tubes run out of it like some sci-fi movie. His left arm was bandaged up, his broken hand in a cast finally. This man was far from the strong fighter I had come to love. This man looked weak, and I was scared for him.
Approaching the bed, I chose to go to his good side, my hands shaking as I reached out and touched his arm. His skin was warm to the touch, and I exhaled, my fingers cupping his hand lightly, squeezing it so he would know I was here. “Oh Benji,” I said, tears springing to my eyes. “Why did you take that bullet?” He had saved my life. Henderson had told me more than once over the last few hours, stating that the shot had been directed at whoever found Amelia. “You’re lucky to be alive Parkman,” he had said before leaving. “You and Amelia.”
But now Benji was suffering for it. I just hoped he had seen that Amelia was alright before he was hit. “Thank you,” I said finally, bringing up his uninjured hand to press a kiss on the back of it, tears streaming down my face. He didn’t have to do what he did, and if that was not a declaration of some strong feelings between us, I didn’t know what would be. “Now you must get better so that you and Amelia can have the life that you deserve.” They had both been through so much since finding each other, and I hoped that he took some time off after this. Not that he had much of a choice.
Gripping his hand lightly, I drew in a breath. “I’m sorry Benji,” I said, hoping that he could hear me. “So sorry for what you have been through with me in your life. I never meant for you to take on my baggage, to get hurt like this. I never wanted you to get hurt.” A tear streaked down my cheek, and I wiped it away. “There’s not a moment we have had together that I regret. You brought something into my life that I desperately needed and I will never forget it.”
Standing, I pressed my cheek to his hand before laying it back down on the bed carefully, leaning over to touch my lips to his forehead. “I love you,” I whispered, hoping that I wasn’t making a mistake in letting my heart go with this man. He had taken a bullet for me, saved my life, and I could never repay him for what he had done for me. “Please, you have to pull through.” I couldn’t live without him.
Benji
“Shit man what are they feeding you in here?”
I laid down my spoon carefully, wincing at the pain in my affected shoulder. “Jell-O. You should try it.” Hell, I would eat just about anything right now. After a few days of not eating, I was starving and couldn’t get enough of this hospital food.
Tony wrinkled his nose as he sat in the chair beside the bed, looking weary and exhausted all at the same time. “Remind me to bring you a damn cheeseburger next time. Eating that shit will make your brain go soft.”
I chuckled and hit the pain button again, hoping that the stuff worked faster this time. After three days, I had kind of hoped that the pain would be better controlled than it was now but at least I could break out this joint tomorrow. I was dying to see Amelia, having face timed her on the cell last night. Outwardly, she looked fine, but I was concerned about the long-term effects of the kidnapping on her. Whatever came of it, we would deal with it. I was just happy to have my daughter back and safe at Tony and Hannah’s house. “How’s Amelia.”
“Just fine,” Tony said, a smile appearing on his lips as he thought of my precious daughter. “She’s keeping Hannah busy. I have to say, it’s nice to have her come visit, but it will be even better when you can take her home with you. We both have turned into old people, going to bed early because she has done wore us out.”
“Welcome to parenthood,” I chuckled, leaning back on the pillow, glad to hear that she was keeping them busy. “What about, I mean how is Danielle?”
Tony looked at me, his smile fading. “Dude, I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since the night of your surgery.”
I swallowed hard, looking away so he couldn’t see how much that news affected me. It wasn’t like Danielle to be so evasive nor was it right that she hadn’t come to visit me since they had taken me off the breathing machine. Of course, all the guys had told me that she had waited with the lot of them and was the first person to lay eyes on my ugly mug that night. I knew she had been there, having felt her presence, heard her voice as I had drifted around in this world of nothingness. She had been there, her whispered words keeping me sane and urging me to fight so I could come back to both her and Amelia.
But I hadn’t seen her since and I was growing concerned. “Nothing?”
“Nothing,” Tony replied heavily. “Hey, I’m sorry dude. I know you cared for her and we all thought she cared for your ass too. I don’t know what scared her off.”
I could only speculate as to what it might be. Did my near death experience remind her of her daughter? Had she been unable to deal with it? Hell, I hadn’t planned to take a bullet either, but when someone had shouted gun, the only thing I could think of was keeping them both safe. She had found my daughter. The least I could do was take the bullet.
The door opened, and Henderson walked in, his usual grim look on his face, a file folder in his hands. “Lomns. You’re awake.”
“Henderson,” I said, pushing my tray away. “Good to see you.”
“You too,” he answered. “Last time I saw you, I was pushing on your chest to keep your blood in your body. I’d rather never do that again.”
“I hope not either,” I said with a grin. “What’s up?” I wanted to ask if Danielle had accompanied him, but I knew better. If she hadn’t been here since that night, she wasn’t coming. I had never been so ready to break out a place before in my life.
“I thought you would like to know who made this mess,” Henderson started, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Hell yeah.”
Henderson shook his head. “I tell you. This could be on one of those cop TV shows. I’ve never seen something so crazy before in my career.” Opening up the file in his hands, he held up a picture. “Recognize this guy?”
I stared at it for a minute. “Nope.” I didn’t have a clue who that fucker was, but he was now on my shit list.
“This is James Holden,” Henderson said, tucking it into the folder. “He’s the guy that attempted to pick up the funds. We also think he’s the one that attempted to kill someone with that bullet.”
“What was his motive?” Tony asked before I could.
“This is where it gets interesting,” Henderson chuckled, pulling out another picture. “Know this one?”
“That’s Angela,” I said slowly, seeing the redhead in my mind’s eye. Instead of the kick ass photographer I knew, I was staring at a teary woman who looked guilty as hell. “Why?”
Henderson put the picture back in the folder, closing it. “She’s the mastermind behind this whole thing. We picked her up this morning, and she confessed to everything.”
I couldn’t believe it. I had known Angela for years. “Are you sure?”
“More than sure,” Henderson said with a nod. “So get this. She was jealous of your kid. Said that she took the kid so she could be the one who found her and you would actually give her some kind of shot in the love life. The bullet, it was meant for Danielle. She got pissed when Danielle was the one that found the kid and got James to attempt to shoot her.”
I was floored. Angela had kidnapped my daughter because she wanted to be seen as the hero and so I would date her? It didn’t make any sense.
“She never meant for you to get injured,” he continued. “Nor was she planning on even doing anything with the money or at least that’s what she claims. The whole reason she had done it was because she wanted you.”
“Fuck me,” Tony said, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What kind of sick person does something like that?”
“Crazy ain't it?” Henderson said with a grim smile. “The guy she hired
had some massive bet on your fight for the other guy. That’s how she got him involved. He knew if you threw the fight, he would win his bet.
“Jesus,” I said, not believing this. Danielle had said it had to be someone in my inner circle to know that I had a kid. I would have never suspected Angela or her reasoning behind it. “What’s going to happen to her?”
Henderson shrugged. “Hell, if I know. She’s going to do time, that’s for sure.” He looked at my arm. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit,” I answered honestly, my mind still reeling from what I had just learned. Angela. I couldn’t get over that fact. “They say I won’t fight again.” That had been one of the bigger blows in the last few days, with Danielle’s absence being the worst of the lot. The doctor was sure I wouldn’t be throwing any punches again, which meant no more title fights, no more bouts to make a quick buck. I was done, through, in the one thing I did very good at.
“Sucks,” Henderson finally said, tucking the file under his arm. “Well, I’m off to file some warrants. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” I said as he walked out of the room.
“Angela,” Tony said a moment later, shaking his head. “Who would have thought that?”
“Not me,” I said, wanting to tell Danielle. Hell, she probably already knew, but it would give me an excuse to talk to her at least.
“Well, I should be going,” Tony said, pushing out the chair. “Why hadn’t you told me about the fighting?”
I looked at my closest friend, feeling the dull burn of shame and embarrassment creep over my face. I hadn’t told anyone until that moment, attempting to wrestle with the fact that I wouldn’t be fighting anymore. I still had the gym, but without the ability to step into that cage, I was as good as done. “I don’t know man. That was a hard pill to swallow.”
“Hey I understand,” Tony said, holding up his hands. “I remember the day the same thing happened to me, though not in the crazy fashion yours has happened. It’s difficult, but you will get through it. After all, it all had to end eventually.”
“I just wasn’t expecting it this soon,” I said, thinking of all the plans I had as a fighter. Now they were all by the wayside, new worries creeping in as I would have to figure out what to do now. “You know they offered me a rematch?”
“That’s pretty good of them,” Tony said. I was inclined to agree. My story, along with the botched fight and kidnapping, had graced the front pages for days afterward, including the offer of a title rematch given the circumstances. I had turned them down, unsure if what the doc was saying about my shoulder was true or not. I didn’t want to believe it, but with each passing day, the realization set in stronger.
“I’ll come by and get you when they let you go tomorrow,” Tony was saying, walking to the door. “I’ll even bring Amelia.”
I grinned “I would like that. Thanks.” Seeing my daughter alive and unharmed was going to be the bright point of my day then. Tony gave me a half salute and walked out, leaving me to my thoughts. I turned toward the window, surveying the bright sunshine just outside. Who would have thought that I was now a washed-up fighter with a daughter, more baggage than I had a month ago? I was even domesticated now, thanks to Danielle.
The door opened again, and I watched as the woman of my thoughts strolled through the doorway, a large vase of flowers in her hands. “Hey,” she said, setting the vase down. “How are you feeling?”
“Where the hell have you been?” I asked, coming right on out with my concerns about her absence. She had the grace to look embarrassed, threading her hands together in front of her. “I’m sorry,” she said, taking in a breath. “I really wanted to come back, and I should have. I just, you are going to laugh at me.”
I forced out a breath, some of my anger ebbing. “I’m not mad, I’m just worried, Danielle. Are you okay?”
“I-I’m fine,” she said, avoiding my eyes. She was dressed down today, in a t-shirt and jeans with a ratty baseball cap on her head, as if she was trying to hide her appearance. “How are you? Does it hurt?”
I shrugged lightly, wincing as I took it too far. That was going to be some getting used to. “It’s fine. Doc says I should be able to spring out of here soon.”
“Good,” she breathed, finally looking at me.
I could see the dark circles under her eyes, and I patted the spot beside me on the bed. “Come, sit, tell me what’s going on Danielle.”
She visibly drew in a breath as she walked over, perching on the mattress as if she was ready to bolt at any time. I slowly slid my good arm around her waist, reveling in the fact that I was at least touching her. “I missed you,” she finally said, her fingers fiddling with the sheet on the bed. “I’m sorry Benji. I just, it’s hard for me to go to the hospital without thinking about my daughter. I know it’s silly.”
“Shit Danielle,” I said, giving her waist a squeeze. “I didn’t even think about that.”
Danielle gave a little laugh, shrugging her shoulders. “I know I should be over it, but that night they rushed you here, I didn’t even think. I-I was so worried I was going to lose you too that I sat at your bedside when they let me, holding your hand, willing for God not to take you from me.”
Her heartfelt declaration touched me, the pain laced in her voice I could understand. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be here. She couldn’t. “I’m sorry.”
She looked at me, shaking her head. “No, please don’t apologize. It was all my doing. I wish I could have been here, Benji, and I woke up this morning, realizing how stupid I was being. I want to be here. I want to make this right between us.”
I pulled her close to me, pressing a kiss on her forehead. “You already have, and when I get out of his joint, we are going to have a long talk.”
Danielle
“Mr. Lomns, against the advice of the police officer in the surveillance van, pushed open the door and ran to the above scene. He was stuck by a bullet shortly after.”
I looked at the phrase again, still feeling nauseous every time I read it. Benji had nearly died that night, and I couldn’t help but wonder if someone had told him that.
Sighing, I laid the report in the folder and closed it, stamping it with the signatures to denote that the case was truly closed. I was still reeling over the fact that Angela had been the one to set this all up, just because she wanted Benji’s attention. It was crazy and would probably end up on one of those TV shows for half-crazed women. She was really lucky she wasn’t facing a murder charge.
Pushing the folder to the done pile, I sat back, looking at my new office. To my surprise, I had been promoted because of my work on this case, moved to a day job with my own office. Now I would be investigating cases with a great deal of desk work, but it would be much more interesting than manning the phones at night. It had been Henderson that had suggested the move and now I was stationed in the detective division with a raise in my bank account. I still couldn’t believe it.
There was only one thing missing from my life. I picked up my cell phone and looked at the text messages from Hannah, seeing that Benji had indeed made it out of the hospital a few hours ago, reunited with his daughter shortly thereafter. She had even sent me a picture and tears sprang to my eyes as I looked at their smiling faces. I had really wanted to be there for him, our talk pretty much stating the obvious between us. There was something there, something that neither one of us had a good handle on but wanted to continue with it. I wanted to continue with it, with Benji. He had changed my life so much over the last few weeks, and I didn’t want to give that up. Now we were all going to meet at his apartment later on, make sure that he had everything he needed and help watch Amelia.
“Parkman? Someone’s here to see you?”
I raised my head, seeing the officer at my office door. “Let them in.”
The officer nodded, and I stole a glance at the clock on the desk, seeing that the time was drawing near for me to go to Benji’s. I couldn’t wait to see h
im and Amelia.
I was surprised to see Tom walking through the door, his eyes landing on me. “Thank God,” he said, relief on his face.
“Tom?” I asked, surprised to see him. He looked older, his hair longer than I had remembered. “What are you doing here?”
“To make sure that you are really okay,” he said, letting out a breath. “You don’t know how scared I was to hear that you were involved in that kidnapping case. I thought you just answered the phones here.”
“I do much more than that,” I said defensively, rising out of my chair. “Why are you here?”
His eyes flashed with hurt, and I almost apologized, catching myself at the last moment. I hadn’t asked him to come here. “I was worried, Danielle. Your face has been plastered all over the news for the last week.”
I cleared my throat against the swell of the emotions that crept up. “That’s kind of you, Tom. I-I really appreciate your concerns.”
He rounded the desk, reaching out before deciding against it. “I will always care for your Dannie. We had a good thing once before, didn’t we?”
I softened, seeing the puppy dog look that had made me fall in love with him all those years ago. “Of course, we did Tom. Those were some of my best years.”
“Mine too,” he said, looking away. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when she died. I still visit her grave you know.”
