by Sara V. Zook
I sighed. “Cain.”
“What’s that?”
“Nicky Cain.”
“Get out of the car nice and slow, Nicky Cain.”
I opened the door and got out. My mind was flashing with all kinds of scenarios. I could easily outrun him in this car, but then again, he had a gun pointed at me. It was probably a better idea to cooperate. I needed a cigarette—badly.
“How many guns do you have on you?” he asked.
“One,” I lied.
“Turn around slowly and put your hands against the car, now.”
I did what he said. I was so fucked. Maybe I should just let this cop kill me. It would save me from the humiliation of Seton doing it when he found out how bad I’d messed up.
“Don’t move, Nicky Cain.”
He ran his hands against the front of my coat. He took out one gun and put it on the ground. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
He continued to search me as another police car pulled in behind him with more flashing lights. Cars that passed by stared. Two more cops walked up. He pulled out the other gun that had been at my waistband and placed it next to the other gun. “You lied to me. That doesn’t make me happy.”
Hey, I had tried to get away with it, though, that’s what mattered.
“This guy’s carrying. Look at these guns,” the cop told his buddy.
“Two guns, huh?”
“Found another. That makes three.” He pulled one out of a strap I had wrapped around my ankle. “I swear if you move, I’ll shoot you.”
“I’m not moving,” I told him.
“There’s another one strapped to your back.”
I cringed as he pulled it out.
“One at his other ankle,” the other cop announced.
“And another here.” He slid one out of my pocket that had been clasped with a large metal button. “Holy shit. Six guns?”
I closed my eyes. I had wanted to feel safe. I didn’t realize I had put six on me. I just kept attaching them to my body until I felt satisfied that it was enough.
They both searched me a couple more times. “No knives?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t even know why you bother to ask. He lied the first time about the guns,” the one officer told the other. “That’s it. There are no more.” He turned me around and glared at me. “Look at this pile.” He pointed to the ground and all of the weapons laying there side by side. “Where were you going carrying like this? You fighting a war by yourself?”
“I told you,” I said quietly, “I have a business dinner to attend.”
The cop laughed in such a way that I thought he might punch me, but he didn’t. “Slap some cuffs on this one. You’re going to spend some time behind bars.”
I was in the back of a police car. I had gotten arrested another time a few years back when my cousin and I were caught driving drunk. My hands were cuffed behind my back, the metal cutting into the skin on my wrists. This wasn’t how I wanted to spend the rest of my day. As the police car I was in hurried away, all I could think about was the different ways that Carmine and Seton could come up with to torture me until I finally passed out from all the pain I had endured and died.
28
CROSS
I had to figure out a way to get rid of Mark. I wished I could just hire someone to do the dirty deed for me, but I didn’t have that kind of money. It was so frustrating to know that he was still able to breathe the air of this world. I wondered where he had taken Rita and the baby the night after I’d thrown him out at gunpoint, but then I chastised myself for even thinking about him. He didn’t deserve my thoughts—not anymore.
I had to grow a pair and do it myself if he ever had enough courage to come back to the house. I wanted to really believe that he was gone forever, but I knew that Mark wasn’t the brightest bulb. He’d be back, maybe with another woman he had knocked up. I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me.
I didn’t want to go to jail for that scumbag, though. I wasn’t a professional—obviously. I didn’t know how to get rid of a body, and it scared the hell out of me that I was even thinking about how to get rid of a body or that I may need to in the future. Maybe someday I’d be able to look back on this period of my life and laugh—hysterically laugh at how things had turned out. Surely they could only get better, unless I was in jail. Even then, I may consider going to jail just to know that Mark was forever gone. He shouldn’t be reproducing any more. That was an even scarier thought.
I had just got done having dinner with Shayna. It was a quiet one. She was worried about me, like any good friend would be. I appreciated it, but it was hard for me to come out and tell her that Mark had a child, that he had a girlfriend and that they both had been in my house and I’d gotten rid of them by holding them at gunpoint, a gun that I’d gotten from my estranged father. It didn’t sound right in my head, so I knew it wouldn’t sound right coming out of my mouth either. I had never hidden anything from Shayna, but there was a first time for everything. I didn’t want to talk about how pathetic my life was. I listened to her go on about her boys and busy days. I was happy she was happy. I wished some of that happiness could rub off on me. I could use some of it right about now.
“Why don’t you come and stay with me for a few days?” Shayna had offered. She placed her hand on top of mine as I finished my wine. “You don’t look so good.”
“When was the last time I looked good?” I laughed. “I’m just not sleeping well.”
“Take a few days off work and come stay with me. We’ll go shopping and have a spa day.”
I looked up at Shayna’s pleading eyes. “Thanks for the offer. I really do appreciate it,” I told her. “But I can’t intrude.”
“You’re not intruding!” she insisted. “You’re my best friend. You’re welcome there anytime. Come on, just think about it.”
I smiled at her. “I’ll think about it.”
I pulled into my driveway. I suddenly felt extremely exhausted and my stomach hurt. I needed some ibuprofen and my bed. I opened the front door, walked straight into my bedroom and screamed. My stuff was scattered everywhere. My standing jewelry box had every drawer open and was cleaned out. Some of my clothes were scattered on the floor, but most of my closet was gone also. I’d been robbed. I reached for my phone and turned to check the rest of the house and ran smack into Mark. I cried out and stumbled backward.
"What the hell?” I steadied myself. “I didn’t see your truck out front.”
“Yeah,” he replied. “I was dropped off. I didn’t think you’d be home for a while…”
“What?” I looked around the living room as I now noticed things torn off the walls. “You did this?”
Mark pressed his lips together. “I didn’t want to be here when you found out.”
“Found out what, Mark?”
“I needed money, so I sold some of our stuff,” he admitted.
I was seeing red. I felt lightheaded as if I may pass out. “Our stuff? Are you insane? This is my jewelry! Give it back to me! Some of that stuff was my mother’s!”
He shrugged. “It’s gone.”
I pressed my fingertips to my temples. The tension was returning full force. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t have sold all this stuff. Who would buy all of it and so quickly? It just didn’t make sense. But I was too pissed off to try to pick apart this situation, especially with a moron like Mark.
“Mark…”
I was seeing white spots now. Where was my gun? I couldn’t pass out now. I had to do it. I had to do this now. I reached for my purse and shoved my hand inside. I wrapped my hand around the heavy metal handle of the weapon.
29
CAIN
As Augie pulled up to my house, I looked at the row of cars parked near my garage. He had just paid my bail and picked me up. I wasn’t there long at all. I was actually shocked that Carmine had gotten me out so quickly. One of the policemen actually apologized for the situation saying
that I should’ve told him I belonged to Carmine. It was crazy to know how much power Carmine had around here, even over the cops. Augie hadn’t said a word to me, just took me to his car and hadn’t even said one word the whole way back. I felt so ashamed, and why the hell were all the guys here?
I got out of the car and saw them all standing outside. They starting whistling and clapping.
“What’s this?” I asked, grinning as Hagan came over and patted me on the back.
“Very impressive,” Hagan commented, “how many guns you had on you.”
“Ahh,” I said, rolling my eyes as they each came over and gave me a hard time about it.
“Six guns?” Seton raised his eyebrows.
Even one of the Triplets came over and spoke to me for the very first time. “That’s your nickname now.”
“Very funny,” I told him.
“I mean, that might be some kind of new art form, like tattooing only with guns, right, Hagan?” Seton remarked.
I was embarrassed but also grateful that they weren’t taking me out to the middle of Rosebud to end my existence.
Remmy walked over to me. “I’m curious, where did you put all those guns?”
Hagan pointed to my chest. “One here?”
“Here,” Seton pointed to his waist. “Maybe stuffed in his shoes?”
“Up his ass,” Hagan remarked.
I pushed Hagan away. “Asshole.”
“Did he just say it was in his asshole?” Seton asked.
They roared in laughter.
“I want to congratulate you,” Seton said, shoving a glass of liquor in my hand, “on getting arrested on the easiest job ever.”
Hagan stood beside him. “And not even getting arrested for the drugs but for all those guns you had on you,” Seton continued. “Made my day, Cain.”
“Glad I could help make your day, Seton.” I gulped down the brown liquid. They were never going to let me forget this. I was happy it had turned out like this. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’d take it.
One of the Triplets gave me another glass filled even fuller with the liquor.
“To Six Guns!” Hagan chanted.
Everyone held up their glasses, me included. “To Six Guns!”
And then we drank to my stupidity.
“There’s one thing you still have to do, Cain,” Seton told me.
“What’s that?”
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Finish the job, man.”
“What?” I remarked.
“No joke.” He lifted the glass to his lips again. “That package still needs delivered.”
“When?” I asked.
Seton raised his eyebrows. “Right now. We’re on time with our deliveries, Cain. You have until the end of the day.” He tapped his watch.
I groaned. “Fine.” I handed my empty glass back to one of the Triplets. “I need to grab a quick shower.”
Hagan chuckled. “He probably pissed his pants when that cop pulled him over.”
Everyone roared with laughter again. I just shook my head and walked inside.
“Hey, stranger.”
I looked over at Tina Eskin, my old girlfriend, sitting with her legs crossed on one of my barstools. She was sipping on a mixed drink and flashed me a huge smile. She was looking really good with ripped jeans and a white shirt. She flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder.
“Surprised to see me?”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “How’d you find me?”
“Your mom helped me out, got me an address,” she explained.
“You came all the way from Lazerne for a booty call?”
Tina laughed. She stood up and walked over to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist. “I just missed you, Nicky,” she whispered, brushing her lips against mine. “You look like shit.”
“Yeah, well, it’s been one of those days.”
“Uh-huh. The guys clued me in a little bit, jailbird.”
“Great.” I rolled my eyes.
She grinned.
“How long you been here?” I questioned her.
“A few hours. I’ve been walking around your place. It’s beautiful, Nicky. How’d you manage all this?” Tina asked.
“I’ve been doing okay since I got to Haven,” I answered, unwrapping her arms from around me. “You’re going to have to wait longer.”
“Seriously?”
I nodded. “I have to go somewhere real quick. I need a shower.”
“Want me to join you?”
That was a tempting offer, but I didn’t have time for Tina. “Not right now.”
“You turning me down, Nicky?” she asked as I climbed up the staircase.
“Just playing hard to get,” I replied, winking at her.
30
CROSS
I had the gun aimed at Mark yet again. I was done messing around this time. He wouldn’t stop until there was nothing left of me. It was like when he sat around all day, he schemed about how to make my life that much worse.
“Have a good death, Mark,” I told him. This time I wasn’t shaking. My moment of dizziness had passed, and I felt very steady and clear-headed. There was no going back. “I want you to know I won’t miss you. I won’t shed a single tear. I’ll be the happiest widow in the world.”
He jumped toward me trying to push the gun out of my hands. A shrill scream came from my throat as he tried to yank it from me. We struggled on the floor. I kicked at him as I felt my fingers begin to slip. No, no, no!
The door flew open and in came a man I had never seen before. It was all a blur as he yelled out and put his gun in between us, the barrel shoved right underneath Mark’s nose. Mark scrambled to his feet. I sat there for a few seconds. I still had the gun. I looked up at the man. He was tall with black hair slicked back as if it were wet. He looked my way.
“You okay?” he asked.
I stood then, confused about who he was, how he got here. “Yeah. I’m okay.” I looked to Mark who was pressed against the bare living room wall, still attempting to catch his breath from leaping at me.
“Who the fuck are you?” Mark demanded.
“Your knight in shining armor,” he told him, a lopsided grin on his face.
I aimed the gun back at Mark.
“This guy bothering you?” the man asked me.
“He disgusts me,” I told him. “He attacked me, and I’m going to kill him.”
“You and I both know you won’t pull that trigger, you stupid bitch,” Mark stated.
The man narrowed his eyes at Mark. “She won’t, but I will.” Before I even had time to think about what was happening, he fired his gun. Blood trickled down Mark’s face, a bullet hole in his forehead. He slid down the wall and slumped into a ball on the floor. The man came over to me. “You sure you’re okay?”
My eyes were still glued to Mark and his lifeless, bloody face. I still had my gun pointed at him. The guy put his hand over mine and had me lower my gun.
“He’s dead. You’re safe now.”
I felt the tears come on then. I should’ve had the courage to do that myself, but the release of knowing he was gone—truly gone—felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. I wrapped my arms around the stranger’s neck and sobbed into his shoulder. He held me back. He smelled like fresh pine soap and deodorant that had a pleasant cologne fragrance to it. “Thank you,” I whispered to him. “Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me.”
He stroked the back of my hair. “Shh, it’s okay. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you anymore.” He pulled back and looked into my eyes. He wiped the tears from my cheeks with his fingertips and smiled. He had the most beautiful face with a strong, square jaw line and brown eyes that seemed to have gold in the middle. He was tall and muscular. I was consumed by the moment, by the fact that this hero had just strolled in here and taken care of Mark for me. “What’s your name, pretty girl?”
I pulled away from him, embarrassed by my emotions, and wiped my nose with the back o
f my hand. I glanced over at Mark and then quickly back to this stunning man. “Lilah. Lilah Cross.”
“Nice to meet you, Lilah Cross. I’m Nicky Cain.” He gestured toward Mark. “And who’s the asshole over there?”
I sighed and realized I was still holding the gun. I put it down on the end table. “My husband.”
“Your husband?” Nicky raised his eyebrows and ran a hand through his hair. “Oh, shit. Really?”
Now I’d made him have regrets. “He was the worst husband a girl could possibly have. If you only knew the things he put me through. I’ve been trying to get out of the marriage. I’ve tried…”
He pulled me back into another hug, my face against his hard, muscular chest. “I don’t need to know the details. It’s really none of my business anyway. If you say he was bad, I believe you, he was bad.”
I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath of that soap and deodorant smell. There were still so many things to sort out, but I didn’t want to think about anything right now.
“I’m going to get some people over here to clean this up. Don’t worry about any of it, okay?” Nicky whispered, his fingers returning to the back of my head in a soothing manner.
I let out another sigh of relief. “Are you sure we won’t be caught? I mean, all this blood and what if someone heard the gun go off?”
He pulled my face up to look at him, my cheeks resting in his hands. “I’ll take care of it—all of it. Don’t worry about it. Do you have a place you want me to drive you to?”
I swallowed and pressed my lips together. “No. I…can’t think of anywhere. I can’t stay here.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t let you stay here.”
My eyes went to Mark again. Nicky grabbed my face. “You don’t need to keep looking at him. He got what he deserved.”
“I know,” I whispered. “You can drop me off at a hotel. That’ll be fine.”
“Not gonna happen.”
I stared up at him.
He smiled. “You can stay at my place. I don’t want you to be alone tonight. I have spare rooms.”
