by Lola StVil
I spot him in the reflective surface of one of the washers. He looks down at his gun and swears. He’s out of bullets. He takes out his trusty blade and crawls behind the small island that serves as the attendant’s desk. I aim at the TV mounted on the wall just above him. He protects his head with his hands, but not in time. The TV falls and knocks him down. I walk over to him, weapon out, ready to fire if need be.
He’s on the floor, bleeding from his head and moaning about needing medical attention. I tell him he will get it, but first, he needs to place his hands above his head. Then out of nowhere someone scurries out from the corner near Skull—a civilian with a camera. She’s in Skull’s line of sight. I know what he’s going to do even before he does it. He reaches out for the woman’s foot, and she falls forward onto the floor. He drags her in front of him, trying to use her as a shield. And yes, she’s still recording.
I swear if the lady survives this, I’m gonna kill her ass myself.
“Drop your weapon, or I’ll snap her fucking neck,” Skull says, seething.
“Okay, let’s just stay calm,” I reply, slowly kneeling down to place my weapon on the floor. Skull starts to breathe easy. That’s a mistake. I pull out the ankle gun I always keep with me and shoot him in the leg. The pain is intense. He lets go of the lady. She runs for her life. I go to handcuff Skull, who pulls out a blade and stabs me in the lower stomach.
FUCK!
The pain does not divert me, but it does piss me off. I apply pressure to the wound with one hand, attempting to stop the bleeding. With my other hand, I place my gun between Skull’s eyes.
“Try me,” I dare him.
Seconds later, backup appears, and things get very loud and very chaotic. But the most important thing is that we have that asshole dead to rights. As the paramedics appear, one of them comments to the other, “This shit is all over Facebook Live.” I have a thought as I get into the ambulance: what if Mia saw this go down? But I then dismiss it. I mean, what are the chances?
***
My girl has just charged into the hospital room, and it’s safe to say she’s not happy with me. I want to tell her that my brother, Wyatt, is standing behind her, but she doesn’t give me a chance because she launches right into a tirade.
“Jackson Hunter, you promised me that you would try and NOT be a damn hero! You lied to me!” she snaps.
“Baby, I—”
“Oh no, don’t you dare call me baby. Lucky for you, your doctor already told me you were okay. Had it not been for him, I would have come in here expecting to see you laid up and dying.”
“I’m okay, baby. I just got a few stitches,” I reply.
“Oh, so then I guess everything is fine? Are you kidding me? You went after a biker with no backup whatsoever!” she says, folding her hands across her chest stubbornly.
“I know but—”
“I’m not done! Do you have any idea what it was like to watch you play hero all over New York City? There were moments when I could actually see my damn heart fly across the room. How could you just go off and do something so reckless? Is that your idea of fun? Do you think what you did was heroic and exciting? Because let me tell you, it wasn’t. And there is nothing heroic or exciting about attending your funeral!”
“Mia, you probably know—”
“And one last thing,” she says as she comes closer to the bed. She kisses me feverishly and wraps her arms around me. “Please don’t do that again. Or I’ll kill you myself.”
“I’ll help you,” Wyatt says, speaking for the first time. Mia practically jumps out of her skin when she hears someone else in the room. She turns to see him and her cheeks grow red.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know Jackson had—”
“It’s okay. I’m his brother, Wyatt. And you had the right idea. He was reckless, and next time you have my permission to beat the crap out of him. Or end his life altogether,” Wyatt assures her. She smiles.
“That’s my girl, Dr. Mia Samuels,” I say. The two of them shake hands.
“When does the rest of your family get here?” she asks. Wyatt and I exchange an amused look. Mia reads our expressions and asks why we’re smiling.
“A shallow knife wound doesn’t really ring any alarms in our family. In fact, to get a phone call or even a text, there should be internal bleeding and the possibility of losing a limb,” Wyatt replies.
“He’s right. Being stabbed doesn’t get much attention in a family of law enforcement. However, not calling your mother for a month gets a lot of attention,” I quip.
“Are you serious? You haven’t talked to Mom for a month?” Wyatt asks. I look away. Like the rest of my brothers, we love our mom very much. She’s a badass. But time got away from me, and well, now she’s gonna make me pay.
“I meant to, but it’s been kind of busy,” I reply.
“Did you pack yet?”
“Pack for what?” I ask.
“The guilt trip she’s gonna send you on.”
Both Wyatt and Mia laugh at me. “Nice, make fun of a man who almost died today,” I reply.
“Surface wound, drama queen. And don’t think that’s gonna get you out of having to come to dinner next week and dealing with Mom after not calling her for weeks,” Wyatt counters.
“Yeah, well I have a secret weapon, one that is guaranteed to make Mom smile,” I reply.
“What’s your secret weapon?” Mia asks.
“You. I’m taking you and Aaron to dinner at her place,” I reply as I take her hand in mine.
“Me?! Why do you think I can make her smile?”
“Of course she’s going to smile; she’s meeting the woman her son is in love with.”
In the past few days, things have been hectic, to say the least. I filled out a police report; they actually have an officer on my case, Officer Peterson. He interviewed me, and I gave him as much info as I could. He seemed far more interested than the other cops I’ve dealt with in the past. That helped give me some kind of peace of mind. I also had the locks changed in my office and my house.
I had a cleaning crew come in and clean my office from top to bottom. I changed my cell number. I changed the route that I walk from the train station to my office. I also upgraded my alarm system; it now includes video and motion detectors. I have a private car service take Aaron to school and bring him back.
I also deleted what little social media presence I had. I bought some mace, and a friend of Argo’s helped me get a Taser. I don’t know if that’s enough to stop Gorman, but at the very least, he will have to work harder to get to me.
Doing all of the above took a lot of my time. And I still had to meet with clients and look after Aaron. The one who got the short end of the stick in this whole thing was Jackson. I feel awful about it. I know somewhere in the back of his mind, he’s wondering if I’m pulling away and not spending as much time with him on purpose. I think back to that night at the hospital when he said he loved me; I could feel my heart growing. I love him too; it’s surreal to think just how much I love him.
I haven’t said it back to him. That’s partly because I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the time. I mean, saying “I love you” for the first time isn’t exactly something you can text. And there’s the other reason why I haven’t said it out loud. I have to stop and figure out how Aaron factors into this. I don’t want him to feel like Jackson is taking his mom away.
It’s been Aaron and me for the longest time; will he be okay with it being the three of us? I know the two of them have spent a lot of time together. But I think once you make it official, it’s different. I just want to make sure that Aaron is good with it—I mean, really good with it.
I need to find out what he thinks of Jackson and me being officially together. I’m more nervous than I thought I would be as I knock on Aaron’s door. When I enter, I find him under the covers waiting for me to come in and say good night. I go over and sit beside him on his bed.
“Did you have a good day today?” I a
sk.
“Yeah, kind of. I lost Captain America’s shield. It fell down the drain. But then I found the purple SpongeBob gum that I stuck under my bed to eat later.”
“Did you eat it?”
“Yeah, it was hard but still tastes sweet. And I think I know what I want to be for Halloween.”
“You do? Last time we talked about this, you wanted to be seven different types of sharks. Have you narrowed it down?”
“Yup, I’m gonna be a hammerhead or the bull shark.”
“I know the hammerhead. What’s so special about the bull shark?”
“It eats everything! And it can go into fresh water or salt water.”
I study him and the gleam in his eyes. I love this kid so much, and sometimes I think my heart will just burst open when I see him.
“Hello! Earth to Mom!” he says, waving his hands in my face.
“Sorry. I was just thinking that I have such a smart kid. How’d I get to be so lucky?”
“Mom!” he complains as I lean in and ruffle his hair and kiss his cheeks.
“Sorry, I can’t help it,” I reply.
“Did you see my new book?” he says as he takes a big book of illustrations out from his nightstand.
“No, I didn’t see it. Who gave you that book? Did you borrow it from the school?” I ask.
“No, Jackson got it for me.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“Mom, some things are just between us guys,” he says in a sobering tone. I suppress a laugh and nod in agreement. That is the best opening I’m ever gonna get, so…
“What do you think of Jackson? You like him?”
“Yeah, he’s great! Do you think he likes me?” he asks.
“No, I don’t think he likes you. I think he loves you! He’s always asking about you when he hasn’t seen you. And he loves spending time with you,” I promise him. Aaron wears a proud smile.
“I love it too,” he replies. Then he looks down at the floor and bites his lower lip. This can’t be good. My heart skips. Crap, what if he likes Jackson, but doesn’t want him in our lives?
“What is it, honey?” I ask, keeping the worry from my voice.
“If I keep hanging out with Jackson and make him my friend, will Daddy be mad at me?”
Phew!
“No, not at all. You know what your dad wants more than anything in this world?” I ask.
“What?”
“That thing you have on your face right now,” I point out.
“What thing?” he asks.
I hand him the nearest reflective surface—the back of a handheld video game.
“You see that smile on your face, that’s what your dad wants. He wants to see that you are happy. Does Jackson make you happy?” I ask. He nods his head enthusiastically.
“What about you, does Jackson make you happy?” he asks.
“Yes, he does.” I bite my lip and lower my eyes. Now I know where Aaron gets it. “What I wanted to tell you was that I think Jackson and I are in love.”
“Okay,” he says simply.
“Okay?! Do you know what I mean by that?”
“Yeah, he’s your boyfriend, and you’re his girlfriend. Right?”
“Right. But I want you to know that no matter what happens you are still the most important thing in my life. That won’t change, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And there are times when Jackson might sleep here. This is your house too, so I want to know if you are okay with that.”
“Will you let him play Dragon Master before bed?”
“Only if you two are being good,” I reply.
“Yay! When is he coming over? Is he sleeping here tonight? Can I wait up for him? Can you make him a shark outfit for Halloween too?”
“Maybe. I’ll ask him what he wants to be for Halloween. Just tell me this: are you sure you are okay with us adding someone else to our home?”
“Yup! Are you sure Dad won’t be mad at me?”
“Yup!” I reply.
“Okay. Night, Mom.”
“Good night, honey.”
***
Jackson is working late, but since we haven’t spent time together this week, he wants to come and say hi before he goes home. I could tell by the tone in his voice that he has something on his mind. It could be that he is waiting to hear me say “I love you,” or it could be the fact that we haven’t been intimate yet.
Argo was wondering the same thing too. In fact, he kept texting me pictures of blue balls all day. It would literally be a picture of a blue basketball or a blue soccer ball. And finally, my ever so subtle best friend sent me a picture of a vervet monkey squatting in the forest with its legs open. I accused Argo of altering the picture and coloring the monkey’s balls blue. He then sent me a link to Wikipedia; as it turns out, the vervet monkey’s balls are naturally blue.
That damn picture made my day. But the one who is about to make my night is Jackson. And he has just knocked on the door. I rush to open it and wrap my arms around his neck. He holds me close. We kiss. It’s so good to have his lips on mine. I let him in and close the door behind him.
We continue to make out for a while. What Jackson’s touch does to my body is criminal. We’ve made out before, but there’s hunger in the way he’s kissing me right now. There’s a carnal need in the way his tongue ensnares mine. Suddenly, I see that stupid monkey in my mind’s eye. I giggle and rest my head on his chest.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“Nothing, just remind me to kill Argo when I see him tomorrow,” I reply.
“Done,” he says. “Is Aaron asleep already?”
“Yeah, you just missed him.” His reaction is slight, but I catch it—he’s disappointed. That really touches me. The fact that seeing my son makes a difference in his day…that means the world.
“Did he pick out his Halloween costume yet?” Jackson asks.
“Oh, you know about that?”
“Yeah, I put in a vote for the hammerhead. Please tell me that it’s still in the running.”
“Yup, it’s still on the ballot.”
“Yes!” He laughs.
“Are you hungry? Can I make you a sandwich?”
“Sure,” he says as he follows me to the kitchen. I can feel him watching my ass move. And I may or may not have walked particularly slowly so that he could get a nice view.
I take out the deli meats and cheeses. Jackson gets the plates, opens a beer for himself, and pours a glass of red wine for me. I don’t drink beer, but he does, and so I got him the kind he likes. Argo says keeping something in your home because the person you’re with likes it is more of a sign of commitment than a marriage proposal.
I make two turkey and Swiss cheese sandwiches and bring them over to the dinner table. Jackson brings in the drinks. He eats his sandwich in a few big bites. I ask if he wants another and he says he’s fine for now. I take a bite of my food and sip the wine. We sit in silence for a few moments, but there’s definitely something in the air.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
He takes a deep breath and pushes his plate away. “I was going to ask you that actually,” he admits.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, ever since I said I love you, you’ve been hard to get in touch with,” he says.
“I’m sorry. I’m not avoiding you.”
He tilts his head slightly. I catch a flash of sadness on his face, but it fades so quickly, I’m not sure that’s what I really saw. I get up and sit on his lap. That move surprises him. I wrap my arms around his neck as he gazes at me.
“Hi,” I say simply.
“Hello,” he says, looking down at me.
“I know you…” I tease.
“Yeah, I’m the guy who poured your wine.” He smiles.
“No, that’s not how I know you. Oh wait; you’re the guy I’m in love with.”
“I am?” he says with such tenderness, it makes my heart flutter.
“Yes,
you are,” I reply as I lean in and kiss him. The more time passes, the deeper we kiss. It’s to the point where I can feel his erection. And judging by the bulge I feel under me, Jackson Hunter is going to make me one happy woman. He starts kissing down my neck, while his large hands fondle my breasts through my shirt. It’s a hint of what’s to come, and dear God I want it.
Jackson clears his throat and pulls away. “Baby, we have to stop.”
“Maybe we don’t. I started taking the pill a few days ago. And I talked to Aaron about us, and he loves you. He loves us being together. I think it’s okay if you stay over,” I reply as I kiss his neck. He sighs reluctantly and puts distance between us.
“What is it?” I ask, getting worried.
“I’m glad Aaron is okay with us. And baby, I love that kid too.”
“Why do I hear a ‘but’ coming?”
“However, I have to be at work at 4 AM. That only gives us three hours. And I don’t want our first time to be rushed. You deserve better than that. And I actually came here to talk to you about something.”
“Okay, what’s up?” I ask.
“First, you should probably get off my lap. I can’t think when you’re so close, baby. It’s hard—literally.”
Monkeys.
DAMN YOU, ARGO!
I get back to my own seat, and he laughs. “Sorry, you are really fucking distracting, and I can’t wait to take you to bed. You have no idea how much I want you,” he says. I blush and avert my eyes.
“Here’s the thing I wanted to tell you: All my brothers married amazing women. You’ll meet most of them at dinner this weekend. The thing is that while their relationships are strong and happy, it almost didn’t happen for them.”
“What do you mean? Why not?”
“Wyatt’s wife, Winter, and Cash’s wife, Skylar, had trust issues. And they were right to have that. They went through a lot in their lives. But they almost lost out on their marriage and their happiness because they hid things from their mates.”
