by Terry Towers
“Hello, Robyn. It’s been a while.”
Words still refused me.
Chapter 2
Constantine
The shock in her expression was priceless; it made my smirk turn into a full-fledged smile. No doubt she hoped she’d never see me again. No one who ran off on the man she claimed to love after giving him her virginity without so much as an explanation or goodbye expected to see him again. It was bound to happen, though. Even in a city as huge as New York City, people had a way of running into each other – eventually. It just so happened that this wasn’t accidental.
“Constantine…” Her green eyes looked huge as she stared up at me, her complexion pale. I almost felt bad for her – almost. But here’s the problem, she’d walked out on me. I’d fallen in love with her and she’d taken my fragile, nineteen-year-old heart six years ago and crushed it under her stiletto. I’d never forgiven her for that, but I’d never been able to forget her either, no matter how much I tried to fuck her out of my system with just about any girl who crossed my path.
“Small world.” My gaze locked with hers as the subway car jolted forward, causing her to stumble on her heels. Reaching out, I grasped her arm just above the elbow to help steady her. Once she got her balance she pulled her arm from my grasp, a look of annoyance in her expression.
“I… Umm.” She raked a hand through her flaming red hair, which faded into black tips. I think women called it an ombre? I watched as her fingers ran through her silky locks. Was it crazy that I could still remember how soft her hair was? I subconsciously leaned into her and a whiff of her shampoo which teased my nose – strawberry-scented. It was the same scent I remembered from so many years ago.
Meeting her one on one had been a bad idea. I should have just completed the job and been done with it. But I hadn’t anticipated the rush of memories to bombard my mind just by standing before her. It was as though the years had peeled back and we were teenagers again.
“How have you been?” I asked, genuinely interested.
“Good.” She broke eye contact with me and looked around nervously. It looked like she was attempting to find a way to bolt, but couldn’t, not on a moving train. Like it or not she was stuck with me for at least the next minute.
“What have you been doing with yourself all these years?” She’d had so many dreams and aspirations. She’d wanted to go to college. She’d been a whiz when it came to physics and mathematics. Had she achieved her dreams? I somehow didn’t think so. If she had she wouldn’t have gotten herself into this mess to begin with.
Robyn shifted nervously from one foot to the other, but lifted her eyes to meet mine. A smile spread across her lips, but it was a strained and nervous smile. “Ummm. Just…”
The trained slowed and stopped, the doors sliding open. “Sorry, this is my stop.” She scurried past me and out the door without waiting for my response.
I wasn’t about to let her go so easily. Chasing her at the bottom of the stairs to the subway exit, I easily caught up with her. “It just so happens this is my stop as well.”
She looked up at me, while not slowing her pace as she climbed the stairs to exit the station. “Oh.” She gave me a forced smile and nodded.
“You seem to be in quite a hurry, what’s the rush?” I was quite amazed at how quickly she could climb the stairs in the ungodly high heels she was wearing. I couldn’t be sure if her speed was fueled by the need to get to wherever she was headed or her desire to get away from me. Most likely a little bit of both.
“I have an appointment,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone as we reached the top of the stairs and surfaced onto the street. “And I’m going to be late.”
“I was thinking perhaps we could grab a cup of coffee and catch up. I’ll happily wait until you’re finished.”
She let out a sigh, stopping and turning to face me directly, annoyance in her expression. “I appreciate you wanting to catch up. I really do. But my life is hectic right now.” Her expression softened. “I think we should just leave the past in the past. I don’t think anything good would come out of us having a coffee after all these years.” Her expression softened a little more and I saw what I thought was a hint of regret in her eyes. “It was good seeing you though.”
Again, she didn’t wait for me to respond. She spun on her heel and took off down the street, her vibrant red and black hair blowing up and around her head as a gust of wind hit her.
I wasn’t about to let her get away that easily. Sure, I’d let her go, but I planned on tailing along behind. Wherever she was planning on going she was moving as if the devil himself was on her heels. But then again, considering Gabriel Salvatore wanted her dead it was as close as a person could get to having the devil on her heels.
Trailing behind her, I kept a good distance, keeping out of sight. Considering I was 6’3 it wasn’t the easiest task to keep hidden, but I’d mastered the art of being stealthy and blending in over the years. She looked back over her shoulder a number of times as if she sensed she was being followed. She looked so paranoid, I also found myself looking over my shoulder and around us – just in case. No one seemed to be following her – aside from me, that was.
Robyn walked two blocks and ducked in and out between people before turning the corner and rounding the block. By the time I reached the corner, she’d disappeared.
“Fuck!” I cursed out loud. By keeping too far back I’d potentially lost her.
Walking halfway down the block, I was about to give up and retreat back to her apartment and wait for her there when I spotted her inside a coffee shop shaking the hand of a tall, slender man with short-cut, greying hair in his fifties somewhere.
Hmmm. I didn’t recognize the man, though I really didn’t expect to. However, something about the man didn’t sit right with me and kept my attention glued to the two of them. They sat down at a small two-person table. After a moment the man got up and walked over to the counter, presumably to place a coffee order.
I quickly ducked behind a food truck and ordered a hot dog. Using the truck and the pretense of eating my dog as cover, I watched the two of them as the man sat back down with two cups in hand, sliding one across the table to her. I wished I were able to hear what they were talking about, but the conversation didn’t look fun and flirty, it looked intense. Whatever was being said appeared to be serious.
Maybe if Gabriel’s goon had given me more information about why they were after her it would give me a clue; alas, he hadn’t. Popping the final bite of the hot dog into my mouth, I ordered a Coke and continued to watch for another twenty minutes. Periodically, Robyn looked outside, anxiety in her expression, as if she sensed she was being watched.
After roughly twenty minutes, they both got up and went their separate ways. This time, however, I didn’t follow Robyn; I knew where she’d be going eventually. What had had her in such a hurry was already over from what I could tell. Instead, I followed the man she’d had coffee with, keeping a safe distance from him. The longer I followed him, the more I was convinced this man was more than just a friend or business acquaintance. He walked tall and proud, shoulders back and head up, like he’d had military training. After travelling a few blocks by foot, we ducked into the subway station and took the train until we came to a stop in the financial district.
Hmmm. My brow creased as I continued to follow him on foot. Maybe I was wrong about him after all. I certainly didn’t expect to end up in this area of the city. Without pausing, the man eventually disappeared into one of the buildings. As he entered two other men came out, both wearing black suits with ear pieces. Taking one more glance at the two men who had exited the building the mystery man had entered, I noticed what appeared to be standard issue 9mm pistols in holsters under their suit jackets as a gust of wind caught the edge of one man’s unbuttoned suit jacket. I couldn’t be completely sure it was a 9mm pistol, but pretty damned confident.
And if I was right, then they were feds.
Fuck and double fuck
.
The puzzle pieces began to fall into place for me. Robyn was an informant, either that or a plant. Or at least in the process of being – if she’d given up all the information they wanted she’d be in custody right now and out of harm’s way. She must be holding back her intel until they offered her a deal she found acceptable, or they wanted something from her that required she stay in play. Though if Gabriel had his way she was going to be a very dead snitch before that ever happened. I raked a hand through my hair and sighed as I rounded the corner of the block and made my way to the closest subway station. What now? If she was indeed an informant, like I was guessing she was, then that meant she wasn’t a bad guy after all. She may have just been someone who got in over her head and didn’t know what she was getting into until it was too late.
So, I asked myself a second time, now what?
Entering the train, I decided there was only one thing I could do. I needed to talk to Robyn. I’d fucking kidnap her and make her talk to me if I had to. Regardless of how I had to go about it, one way or another I’d get the answers I wanted.
Deciding I didn’t have time to waste, I made my way back to Brooklyn and to the building Robyn lived in. As I rode the train back to Brooklyn I mulled over ideas on how to approach this. I could accidentally bump into Robyn again. Maybe she’d be more receptive to talking to me a second time.
I huffed. Who was I kidding? If she was talking to the feds then the last thing she’d want was the complication of an ex-boyfriend in her life, especially one she’d run out on without a word. No doubt she’d just brush me off if I attempted the more casual approach.
As the train came to my stop, which happened to surface just two blocks from her apartment building, I came up with the best idea I could under the circumstances. I'd go to the apartment that was hers and hang out in the hallway by her door until she came home. Not the best idea, but it’s what I had. I could always break into her apartment and wait for her there, but if she was carrying a gun then I ran the risk of getting shot before I even got to sit down and talk to her. She was jittery, scared and nervous and if she was smart she’d be packing. I know for a fact if I were her there was no way I’d be wandering the streets unarmed, not after pissing off the people she was once associated with.
Chapter 3
Robyn
“Thank you, Diane, I appreciate you doing this for me.” I attempted to give my neighbor, an elderly woman who lived in the apartment across from me, twenty dollars, but she waved it off. Considering how tight money was right now I was grateful she didn’t want the payment, so I didn’t offer a second time.
“You know how much I enjoy spending time with this little guy.” She ruffled the dark hair of my five-year-old son, Austin. He made a face and squirmed away from Diane’s hand. He hated when she ruffled his hair, but Diane never seemed to notice and considering she’d been a godsend to me since I moved into the building I certainly wasn’t going to rain on her parade. Whenever I needed something – anything – she was there for me. And of all times in my life I needed assistance, this was the time I needed help the most.
“Thank you,” I said again, my gratitude genuine, as she gave me and Austin another smile, turned and exited the apartment.
Closing the door behind Diane, I turned and looked down at Austin. “So did you have fun today?”
“I watched some TV.” He shrugged. “When are we going home, Mommy?”
I sighed as I picked him up, gave him a kiss on the forehead and carried him into the tiny bedroom that was now his. It was a far cry from the massive room he had when we were living with Gabriel. The massive estate that Gabriel owned was what Austin was used to, not a tiny rat-infested apartment building like the one we were in now.
But we had to leave. When the truth came out about the man I had thought I knew and loved, there was no way I could turn a blind eye. I’d accepted so much, endured a lot being with him, but I’d convinced myself that it was for Austin. How I’d been so stupid for so long was a mystery to me. I’d always prided myself in being a smart woman, but it seemed like when it came to love and relationships I was the stupidest female alive.
“It’s time for bed.”
“Mommy! It’s only eight o’clock.”
“I know, and eight o’clock is your bedtime.”
“Daddy used to let me stay up later.”
I groaned inwardly. Gabriel was the only father Austin knew. He’d brought it upon himself to determine Gabriel was his dad and I hadn’t corrected him. He knew he had a bio-dad, but as far as he knew his bio-dad had passed away. In retrospect, letting him believe that had been a mistake, but then again I’d made a shit ton of mistakes in my life – it was just another one to add to the long list.
Entering his room, I deposited him on his bed. “Well, Da-” I stopped and corrected myself. “Gabriel isn’t here now.”
He squirmed under the blankets. Diane had been good enough to already have him in his pajamas by the time I got home. She really was a godsend. “When are we going back home?”
We’d been in this apartment for close to two months now, but Austin refused to consider it home. “I’ve told you already. We’re starting a new life now.” I pulled him into my arms and gave him a hug. “Just you and me, against the world.”
“But…” he began to protest, but seemed to decide against it. Releasing him, I looked into his blue eyes – exact replicas of his real father’s.
“Life is going to be better, I promise.” I brushed a strand of dark hair out of his eyes. “I promise.”
He finally smiled and nodded. “Okay, Mommy.”
“Good.” Leaning forward I gave him another kiss. “Sleep tight –”
“– Don’t let the bed bugs bite,” he finished for me.
I laughed, though in this place bed bugs definitely were a possibility. None as of yet, but it certainly wouldn’t surprise me. Getting up from the bed, I walked over to the door, blew him a kiss, turned off his light and closed the door firmly behind me. He’d be asleep within five minutes. I’d never met anyone who could sleep as well as he could.
But maybe that was the beauty of being young and innocent, there was no stress or worries. I couldn’t remember the last time I was able to lay my head on a pillow and simply fall to sleep. Most days it took a couple doses of Nytol to put me out – at a minimum.
Crossing the living room I entered the kitchen and grabbed a wine cooler out of the fridge. Twisting off the cap, I tossed the cap onto the counter and took a long drink from the bottle. As I walked back into the living room, my mind drifted back to the incident in the subway earlier that day.
Constantine Bateman. Shit, I’d spent years attempting to get him out of my mind, but it was an exercise in futility. How could you forget someone when each and every day of your life you saw a reflection of him in the eyes of your child?
Answer: You couldn’t. But I made it through. Maybe one day I’d be able to finally forget him for good. Time healed all, wasn’t that how the saying went? There just hadn’t been enough time, but dammit it had been six years, how much time was really necessary? Seeing him again seemed to bring me back full circle and the wounds I’d felt when I made the decision to leave him in the first place felt raw once more.
Flopping myself onto the threadbare sofa, I turned on the television. The sofa and television, hell all of the furniture we were using, came with the apartment. When I left Gabriel I’d left with nothing aside from several trunks of my clothes, and a couple trunks of clothing for Austin and his toys. In his defense, I hadn’t come with much when I entered the relationship. Gabriel said he would keep our stuff for when we came running back to him. It wasn’t him being nice, I assure you of that. It was partly a bribe and partly his cocky attitude, as if he knew I’d come running back to him. But going back to him would never happen; I left for a reason. I left because I woke up from the fantasy he’d woven for me. Hell, the fantasy I’d woven for myself. Somewhere along the line I’d convinced myself tha
t the abuse I endured was normal. He rarely laid a hand on me, but there was always the underlying threat. An angry Gabriel was not a man anyone wanted to be around.
I’d been so damned stupid and the worst of it was that I’d dragged my innocent child into the fire with me. Sometimes I wondered if I even deserved the beautiful little boy sleeping in the other room. How many errors could a person make before they lost it all? I knew I must have been getting close to the limit.
Finding a comedy starring Jason Bateman, I placed the remote back on the coffee table and took another swig from my wine cooler. It was a strawberry and kiwi flavor and I loved it – easily my favorite, not that I was much of a drinker to begin with. I could easily down several of these in a sitting and get wasted without even realizing it. They were so sweet that it was easy to fool yourself into thinking they were simply juice.
I was just beginning to get into the movie when there was a knock at the door. I sighed. We were in a security locked building so it must be one of the neighbors at the door. Perhaps Diane forgot something, or maybe it was the girl down the hall, who was constantly stopping by hoping to borrow this and that. Honestly, you’d think she was under the impression that I was the freebie 7-Eleven or something. It was beginning to severely piss me off. I barely had enough money and stuff to sell off to support myself and Austin let alone the neighbors who would rather shoot up their cash than buy food!
Getting up from the sofa, I walked over to the door. Halfway to the door, I hesitated. What if it wasn’t one of the neighbors? What if it was one of Gabriel’s men? Maybe he’d discovered what I was up to? A feeling of dread and foreboding surged up within me. I’d known it was a risk talking to the FBI, but they’d approached me and I couldn’t help myself but hear them out. Maybe I should have just taken off on my own with Austin and tried to make a go out of it. But in addition to attempting to get a free lease on life for the two of us, I was trying to do the right thing. Gabriel behind bars was the right thing.
