For the Love of Chocolat

by Sienna Mynx

  Her name cackled like a static, distant whisper from her clenched hand. She realized it was the earpiece. She tucked it back in her ear, wiping her tears, with snot running like a stream from her nose.

  “Yeah, I’m here.”

  “Damn it, Michelle get out! Get out now! You’ve been made. You got five minutes. They are on you! Do it now! Go to the roof.”

  “Roof? Why the—?”

  “Go to the roof! Lee is waiting. He’s going to get you out.”

  “That’s suicide, Lee couldn’t—”

  “Michelle, do it!” Sasha yelled.

  “Okay.”

  ***

  “One thousand and four.” She mumbled the date of her birth and scanned the wall. She found the deposit box. She stretched her arms to insert the key. The drawer slid out. Michelle had to drag over a cube of money to reach it. She removed the velvet draping. It felt heavy in her hands. With the tape from the recorder secured in her boot, and the Chalice to her chest, she ran for the door to the vault. In the hall, she turned around in the dark. She couldn’t remember what to do next.

  “Chocolat, to your left!” Kumar said in her ear. “Now!”

  She ran in the direction he named. When she saw the exit signs, the floor alarms went off.

  “Keep going. They haven’t all triggered. They think it’s a false one. Take the stairs!”

  “It’s sixteen flights!” she wheezed, bursting through the emergency exit. She was on the first floor.

  “Go!” Sasha responded.

  The Chalice weighed at least three pounds and her heart weighed ten. She huffed and puffed as she ran upward. The first four flights she did with ease. At the fifth she faltered, and by the time she made it to the sixth, seventh, eighth, she nearly collapsed.

  Her legs felt boneless. Her lungs burned as if torched in a gasoline fire. Then came more alarms: blaring, loud blasts that made her head pound. The lights shut off and red emergency ones flashed on. All of this for a safe deposit-box key Pops evidently paid for. How ironic. She broke into a bank to get what by rights she should have been able to walk through the doors and claim. Pops had one sick, twisted sense of humor, even now. He was delivering the most powerful lesson from the grave. She didn’t want this life, the risk, the danger. This was going to be her end and like Pops, to be sure of it, she’d have to earn it the hard way.

  “Chocolat, where are you?”

  “I…um…I…” she panted. She coughed up air into her lungs, running the stairs, rounding the railing and running up the next flight. She was now on floor ten.

  “Damn it, Chocolat, they are on you! They’re in the building. You got two minutes and you have to be on the roof. Go! Go! Go!” Kumar shouted through her earpiece.

  ***

  The phone in the trailer rang. Sasha snatched it up. “Lee?”

  “Why are the alarms going off? It’s too soon!”

  “Kumar couldn’t hold the breech…she took too long coming out. We tried.”

  “Damn it!” Lee fumed. He wiped his face and paced the roof. “Where is she?”

  “On her way.”

  “Tell her south end. Go to the south end. I’m on the building across from her.”

  “Huh? I don’t understand?”

  “Do it!”

  ***

  Michelle looked up at floor fifteen and stopped. She fell against the wall, gasping for a breath. What if Lee was setting her up? How could she escape from the roof? How? The answer didn’t dawn on her, but once again she trusted her enemy. He was her enemy, damn it. She nearly turned to run back down. To go out the way she came. But it was too late. She was trapped.

  “Michelle!”

  “I…it’s a trap. You’re tricking me,” she moaned.

  “Lee’s there. He’s there. The south end of the roof. Please! Go! Go now!” Sasha begged.

  “No, no, no…” Michelle braced herself against the wall. “I can’t trust any of you.”

  “I swear it, please. Go! Go!”

  Forced to move by her instinct to prevail, she willed herself to action. She climbed the last set of stairs and nearly stumbled out through the top doors. The wind gusts were forceful enough to make her turn and stumble back. She couldn’t determine south from north.

  “Michelle!”

  She heard his voice behind her. Her heart leapt to her throat. She turned and saw him in the distance. Her legs were stiff, her joints fiery hot. Each step was a painful shot through her hip to her gut. Nausea claimed her senses.

  She pressed on.

  Reaching the roof’s edge she stood there, stunned, looking down at the drop. Below her were swirling blue-red lights. Patrol cars parked, cops ran for the doors.

  “What am I going to do?”

  “Jump, sweetheart…jump to me.”

  “No!” She looked at him in horror.

  ***

  Lee clenched his fist. She was so close, but an abyss of lies and deception separated them still. As always, she stood beyond his reach. The mask covered her beauty, but still she was the most remarkable woman he’d ever known. He dropped his guns and extended his arms.

  “Trust me. I’ll catch you.”

  “Liar! You liar. You’ve been playing me from the beginning. You slept with her, didn’t you? You bastard. You sick, disgusting bastard.”

  “Michelle, not now!”

  “I hate you.”

  Lee nodded. “I know. I know you do, sweetheart. You should. Now come on. Jump, damn it! Beat me at my own game. Prove to me you can make it. Jump!”

  Michelle looked down at the Chalice. She would have to throw it to him. He could take it and leave her behind. He would. And she’d probably find freedom in prison instead of the cage his love locked her behind.

  Lee’s eyes dropped to what she held. Then back to her.

  “Fuck it, Michelle. Fuck it all. Leave the damn thing behind. I only want you. Just you, babe. You come instead.” He pleaded, something unheard of from Leith Sullivan, but he was damn near begging. He seemed desperate. Why didn’t he send one of his men? Why did he risk his own freedom? For her?

  “Come to me. Now!”

  Michelle threw the Chalice at him instead. He took it in the chest like a quarterback and folded from the blow, then dropped it. She watched with tears as he came back to the roof’s ledge. The Chalice tossed aside, he opened his palms to her. “See, Michelle? I don’t care about anything, any of it, but you. I only want you. Now jump.”

  She wiped her eyes. She turned to limp away.

  “Michelle, damn it! No! Don’t you quit on me. They can’t have you; no one can lock you up. Not those cops, not even me, not anymore. I get it, babe. Damn it! I get it now. I understand. Jump!” he shouted, his voice choked with emotion.

  Michelle stopped. She closed her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath and her head turned. He stood there waiting for her. Unable to walk away from him, she heard Pops’ words. Her freedom was through him. He’d never let her go any other way. Michelle took steps back. One. Two. Three. Four paces, she then ran for it—jumping off the ledge.

  The wind-gust gave a needed push but she hit the edge of the roof in her lower pelvis with such force, she blinked stars as her gripping hands slipped. Lee caught her wrists. Michelle kicked her legs. She dangled, trying not to scream and alert the cops below. He pulled her up from sheer, determined strength to not let her go and she went over into his arms just as a helicopter circled. He rolled her behind the cover of the large air duct outlets. They were shielded from the probing lights of the helicopter.

  Michelle clung to him. Her pelvis ached so painfully she found it hard to catch a breath. She’d hurt herself. She felt it. Something was wrong. Lee held her. Together they waited. They listened for the hum of the helicopter to pass over. The only thing to be heard over the whipping wind was their fast-beating hearts. The helicopter disappeared around the building. He lifted her into his arms, putting her on her feet. They had to hurry before the copter made its next pass.

  �
��Let’s go!” he said, sparing no time.

  She grabbed the Chalice. He helped her stand. With his arm around her waist, she walked with his help. He led her through the roof doors, inside, to the stairwell. Neither of them spoke. There was no time; there was no energy. She covered how badly her lower pelvis ached and hobbled quickly at his side. The descent was as hard as the climb. But she did it quickly. Soon the search for the bank robbers would lead them there.

  At the final step, Lee went to the delivery ramp door. He kicked at it hard, three times, and the lock released. The door flew open. Immediately, gunfire snapped through the air. He shoved Michelle aside and drew his gun firing back. He didn’t see the attackers but he heard the men shouting, and knew they were hit. Then, silence. The darkness gave him little visibility. They had to be Cumminskey’s men. The police were certain to follow.

  He looked for Michelle. He found her facedown, the Chalice next to her. Lee crawled over and turned her. She coughed up blood. He pulled the mask off her face. Her precious ruby essence coated her lips. She was shot in the chest and wheezing.

  “No.”

  “Lee!” He heard Abahti call his name.

  “Here! We’re in here!” he yelled back.

  “Let’s go! Now!”

  He scooped her up in his arms. And his men ran over to help. Someone picked up the Chalice; the others picked up his guns. He pressed her face into his chest and carried her quickly toward the car. “Hold on, baby. Hold on.”

  ***

  Later

  Lee paced the basement of the hospital. Sasha and Kumar sat next to each other silently and Abahti sat across from them, waiting. It was Lee who kept walking back and forth. He was a hair-trigger away from exploding. Finally, the door opened and the surgeon he bankrolled walked in.

  Everyone stood. Lee approached. “How is she?”

  The surgeon sighed. “She’s stable. We do need to talk.” He drew Lee away from the others. “Not sure if your people told you, but you can’t keep bringing your problems here. The hospital is in jeopardy when you do this. Tonight has to be the last time. I had them check her in under Lee-Anne Sullivan. Accidental shooting. It’ll be reported through your contact in the Chicago PD.”

  “I said how is she?” He snatched the doctor by the collar.

  “The bullet pierced her lung. She made it out of surgery. She’s going to be okay. She could have died if you hadn’t gotten her here.”

  “Thank God,” Sasha said, turning to Kumar’s arms. “Thank God.”

  “But? There’s a but. I can see it…what is it?” Lee asked.

  “We couldn’t save the baby. I’m sorry.”

  “Baby?” Lee asked.

  Sasha let go of Kumar. They all stared at Lee as he shook his head in disbelief. “My baby. She lost my baby?”

  The doctor blinked realizing it was a shock. “You didn’t know?”

  “I want to see her. Now!” Lee felt a bout of weakness. The wound on his forehead continued to bleed along the side of his face.

  “We should check you out for the head wound.”

  “Now!” he said, breathing shallowly.

  The doctor nodded and made a hasty exit. Sasha went for Lee, stepping in front of him. “Michelle didn’t know she was pregnant. She wouldn’t have done the job if she knew she was pregnant. Don’t you dare go in there and blame her. Don’t you throw this in her face.”

  Lee dismissed the warning. His feelings were confirmed. An instinct said this job would cost them. He thought it was just her life at stake. He had no idea it was his child’s life. Lee walked around Sasha, out of the basement, and followed the doctor to intensive care.

  “She’s unconscious. It will be a few hours before she wakes.”

  He led Lee to her hospital door and he pushed inside. Tubes were connected to her mouth and nose. Her hair was in the surgical cap still. The breathing machine wheezed and decompressed with air as it worked oxygen through her damaged lungs. Lee wiped at his eyes as they filled with tears. He stopped at her bedside. Dropping his head, he took her hand and squeezed it.

  “I didn’t know. I should’ve never let you go,” he choked out.

  Epilogue

  The next day

  Michelle’s lids slowly parted. She felt nothing from the neck down—at first. Then pain and reality crashed on her like falling bricks. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. She remained unable to move her head. Her vision focused. She saw Lee at the window, looking worn thin with a bandaged forehead and clothes he obviously hadn’t changed. He turned. Then his gaze lifted. Red-rimmed, swollen eyes locked with hers.

  “You’re awake,” he stammered. He blinked twice in confused elation. “Nurse! Nurse!”

  The nurse came inside and saw Michelle, then ran back out. Lee walked over to the bed and touched her face. She frowned at him. Her throat burned. The tubing made her feel like she was choking on plastic. She bit down hard on the piece in her mouth.

  The doctor came in and so did several other nurses. Lee was pushed aside. Michelle closed her eyes and endured the painful extraction of the breathing apparatus and subsequent exam. She heard them talk of her as if she weren’t there. Everything still felt very muted. Surreal. And when they finally departed, she was left with the emptiness she couldn’t explain.

  Lee returned to her side. She couldn’t name the emotions going through her. How she loved him and hated him still. How desperate she was to settle on just one feeling so her heart could heal.

  “I have something to tell you,” he began in a voice she’d never heard. She looked back over to him, alarmed, as he drew in his quivering bottom lip. He didn’t cry. But if he could, she imagined he would at that moment. His bloodshot eyes were cast downward with sadness. His nose was red as a beet, and his skin pale. Too pale for the man she loved.

  This wasn’t her Lee. She had plotted to break him, and finally there he was: broken. She took no pleasure in it. What could have him in such a state? Not even her demise would drive him to it. She was convinced. She opened her mouth to speak and nothing but a hoarse croak wheezed out. He took her hand and she felt a new sense of alarm.

  “The doctors say that…they did all they could.”

  Michelle eyes dropped to her body. She moved her toes and found she still felt them. Hell, she felt more than she should, or desired to. She looked back up at Lee and saw his pain was still raw for him. His eyes finally met hers and they glistened like emeralds.

  “You lost the baby.”

  Michelle blinked.

  “I don’t know if it was the gunshot or the jump from the roof with the way you landed, but…but you lost the baby.”

  “Baaabeee?” she managed, shaking her head no.

  “You didn’t know?” Lee swallowed, pressed his lips together into a tight, thin line. “You were pregnant, Michelle.”

  “Noo babbeeee!” she whispered, her eyes stretching.

  “Yes, yes. Our baby,” he stammered.

  Michelle closed her eyes and moaned. A baby? She lost it? A baby? Their baby? How could she discover in one moment she had won and lost her child all at the same time? She never wanted his baby. She didn’t, damn it. But why-oh-why did it hurt so bad?”

  “Nooooo!”

  Lee hugged her. He kissed her face as she arched against him and moaned through the confusing news that ripped at her over and over. She turned from him. Wanted to pull away. He tenderly captured her face in his hands and forced her to look into her eyes.

  “I’ll make them all pay for killing our child. I love you. I’ll never hurt you again. I swear it. I was a fool to let you down. Please, babe. I know you deserve so much more now. Everything I do going forward, I do it all for you.” He kissed her.

  Michelle closed her eyes and tears rained down her cheeks. She lifted her heavy hand and brought it around to touch his head, to comfort him. Like her, she knew he desperately needed comfort.

  His soft kisses assuaged the painful soreness from her lips. When they parted, she coul
dn’t look at him. She turned away. Pops was wrong. She could never escape. There was a lot more at stake. More than she could have ever imagined.

  ~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

  Sienna Mynx is your naughty writer of Paranormal, Contemporary, and Historical Interracial Romance. Her tales are for readers that love the bad boys but desire to be the women that tame them. A current resident of southern Georgia, Sienna Mynx has just emerged into the e-publishing scene. Her novellas reflect her thirst for romance told from a dark sensual perspective with the diversity women of all colors crave in Erotic Romance. Look for more to come.

  You can visit Sienna at:

  http://siennamynx.com

  The Heist

  Lee’s Girls – Volume I

  Her name is Michelle Dixon, but amongst the notorious smugglers of priceless artifacts, gems and artwork, in the world she is often to referred to as Chocolat. She is the oldest daughter of Pops’ Dixon, a notorious jewel thief with a vice for drinking and gambling. Thanks to her father’s unorthodox method of parenting, she’s learned the cruel double standards that being the best in thievery brings and longs for the day when she can leave the family business behind. After an unexpected tragedy freedom does come. The sudden death of Pops Dixon releases Michelle and her sister from his illegal legacy and she is determined to make a life change. Her desire for a straight life is within her grasp as she works at a small diner and waits for news on her acceptance into medical school. Then the bottom falls out of Michelle’s world.

  Pictures arrive of her sister bound and gagged. Kidnapped by a mobster known as Leith ‘Lee’ Sullivan. The man she’s loved and loathed since she was sixteen. To keep her sister alive and pay off the debt of her now deceased father left behind, Michelle must once again enter the world she vowed to never return to.