I Promise_A Night Hawks Saga

by Tonya Coffey

  Closer to the end, I saw a metal door at the end. My mind raced, wondering where we were. If anyone had followed and where would we go?

  A small screen resembling a security system was attached to the wall beside the metal door. It looked thick, strong. Luca stood there staring at the monitor as if there was something good on it.

  “See anything?” Dante came up beside him.

  “No, it’s clear.”

  Dante pushed a few buttons on the keypad. It buzzed and opened wide. “Get in the truck.” He pointed to the gray extended cab. Then he shut the door behind us, pressing some more buttons on the interior keypad.

  My eyes worked over the new room we were in. It was filled with equipment you’d use to fix cars. A garage, I thought. Tools hung on the far wall and two large bay doors were at the front. I stood there trying to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest, wanting my legs to do what they were supposed to do. Walk… Run…Something to get me away from here.

  “Cora,” Dante said. When I just stared at him, he took my arm and pulled me to the truck. Then he opened the passenger’s door and helped me get in the back.

  Emily sat next to me. She had her face in her hands, crying into them. Luca climbed into the driver’s seat and quickly pulled off his motorcycle cut, putting it in the seat next to him. Dante ran to a toolbox, opened it. Inside was a large gun safe. He pulled out a duffel bag and closed it all back. Then he ran to the truck, removed his own cut, and shoved it into the bag with Luca’s.

  I watched as he climbed into the seat in front of me, glancing at me and trying to smile. He didn’t have to reassure me of anything. I knew we were here because of me. I made the phone call. I turned on my cell phone. He had the right to blame me because I did.

  “Drive normal. Don’t draw attention to us.”

  Luca pushed a button on the garage door opener attached to the sun visor. Inhaling to calm himself, he backed out into the street. We turned and looked down the road. The street light shined on the entrance of the club. There were cars and motorcycles parked at weird angles some were lying on the pavement. There were even a few bodies lying on the road. Every now and then, gunfire popped and flashes of fire rose into the sky. It looked like a war zone and we were watching it on TV.

  A lump formed in my throat at the destruction that took place because I was there. I sunk into the seat and tried not to blame myself for the pain Dante, Emily, and Luca felt. If they detested me, I’d understand.

  I would loathe me too.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  “Where are we going?” Luca asked Dante.

  “I’m not sure.” He rubbed a hand across his face. “They probably know where we all live. They’ll check our houses next.” He sighed. “If they haven’t already.”

  Luca exhaled. “It’s a good thing no one knew about the tunnel.”

  Dante nodded. “That was our secret.”

  While I listened to them talk, I realized I knew somewhere no one knew about. Maybe I could help. “Dante,” my voice sounded hollow. The way I felt.

  He turned in the seat to look at me. His eyes weren’t the beautiful brown I’d come to love staring up into. They were dull and sad. I did that to him.

  “Yeah?”

  Swallowing the shame I had for hurting him, I told him my thoughts, “My grandma owns a house outside of town. It’s a lake house. Dad doesn’t go there.” I paused. “If we needed to hide it would be a good place.”

  Emily spoke up. “He doesn’t visit?”

  I shook my head. The last time he was there was the night Mom died. He’d left me on the sidewalk. “No. It reminds him of Mom, so he’s never gone back.”

  Luca glanced at me. “Whose name is it in?”

  “My grandma’s.”

  Dante wondered, “Where is she?”

  It had been months since I saw her. She had Alzheimer’s and didn’t know anyone anymore. “The nursing home.” The last time I visited her, she started screaming, thinking I was there to kill her. I never wanted her to feel that way again, so I stayed away.

  “OK.” Dante took a breath, turning to the front. “Luca, head to the lake.”

  An hour later, we rolled up on a small cottage nestled against the lake. A few older homes set along the road and across the lake newer construction blanketed the darkness with lights highlighting the interior. You would’ve thought the lake was a border between the rich and the poor.

  Helping me out of the truck, Dante insisted, “Don’t turn all the lights on. Just a few small ones.”

  Luca had Emily under his arm as they followed Dante and me to the dark dwelling. Grandma had always left a key under her favorite pot in case Mom and Dad needed it but they never did.

  I picked up the blue pot, and sure enough, an old, dirty key lay on the concrete. I quickly snatched it up and replaced the vessel. It took me a minute to unlock the door since it was dark but Dante pulled out his cell phone and lit the hole up for me. Only then could I slide the key into its hole and turned it, making it click then I turned the knob.

  The smell of must and wet wood poured over us as we entered. I wrinkled my nose and walked on into the house. Luca tried the lamp by the door. It came on. I was actually surprised it worked. I figured Dad had the electric turned off. It made me wonder why he hadn’t.

  The front room had a small love seat with a rocker in the corner. A second lamp that looked as if it were from the cowboy days set on a table by the far end of the couch. The kitchen was your typical seventies original with yellow linoleum and mustard Formica counter tops and in the center of the room was a small round aluminum table with four chairs.

  “How long has she been gone?” Emily asked beside of me.

  “Since February. The winter was hard on her.”

  Luca stood at the refrigerator. It looked as if he were praying with his hand on the door, eyes closed. He opened it along with his eyes. Inside was a jar of mayo, bread n butter pickles and two cans of pop.

  “Thank you, God,” Luca praised as he took a can.

  Emily rolled her eyes at him which made him smile.

  Dante didn’t linger. He walked down the hall. I figured he wanted to know what was inside the house. So I followed him. He stopped in the bedroom on the right. He had his gun in his hand, staring at an empty magazine.

  “Are you expecting trouble?” Should I worry?

  Without looking at me, he answered, “You should always be prepared.”

  I hated how sad he sounded. “Dante, I’m—”

  “Don’t,” he interrupted me. “It’s not your fault or mine. Mom and Dad will be fine.”

  I glanced at the duffle bag on the bed. The bright colors of his cut showed through the unzipped part. I sat next to it, pulling it out so I could see the whole image.

  “I’ve always loved this hawk.” I splayed my hand on the bird, feeling the embroidered feathers on my palm and then my fingertips. “When I was little I used to stare at your dad’s.” I smiled. “Dad always fussed at me for staring.”

  Dante hunkered down in front of me, laying the pistol on the bed within reach. He took my hands between his. “We’ll find your dad.”

  My chest ached. “I don’t know what I would do…”

  “You don’t have to worry about him.” He scooted closer, his nose close to mine. “He’s like my dad. Stubborn.”

  I smiled at him. “Yeah, he is.”

  Then his lips met mine in a chastise kiss.

  “How sweet,” Emily said, walking into the room. “I call the green room.”

  “It’d be best if we stayed in one room,” Luca told her from the doorway.

  Dante nodded. “Agreed.”

  Dante stood, pulling a box of shells from the bag and tossed them to Luca. He caught it without moving from his position—lend against the doorframe.

  “I could use a second piece.”

  “They’re in the bag,” Dante told him.

  Emily flopped down on the bed next to the bag and pulled out a pistol
. She easily removed the clip and checked the chamber. Then she added bullets to the clip. I was surprised how at ease she seemed with the weapon. Dad had promised to take me shooting but there was something about the gun I didn’t like. It felt wrong somehow to hold it, to have a lethal weapon in your control. Maybe it had to do with Mom. I don’t know.

  Dante held out his forty-five to me. “Want to give it a try?”

  Emily grinned. “Yeah Cora, hold his weapon.”

  Dante glared at her which embarrassed me more than the comment itself.

  “Cora knows I’m teasing,” she groaned with an eye roll.

  I took the gun. It was heavier than I thought. The cool metal seemed warm somehow. However, the feeling I got came to the surface. I had an urge to scream and throw the gun to the ground and run away. Taking a breath, I tried to conceal my fears, returning it to him. If someone had to shot, I didn’t want to be the one to do it. I hoped it wasn’t me anyway because I didn’t think I could pull the trigger.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Dante

  After I watched Cora with the gun, I took a breath. The memory of Mom, the gunfire, the realization of what I ran from was fresh on my mind. The look on Mom’s face pained me, still. I never wanted to see Cora in that position. My failure ate at me. It didn’t matter they wanted me to go, to protect Cora and Emily. In my heart, I knew I should’ve stayed.

  “I’m going to walk the property, check things out.” I slipped a full magazine into the grip of my pistol. “Why don’t you try and call your dad, see what’s going on,” I told Luca.

  He nodded as I walked out of the bedroom, down the hall and out into the night. I hoped the coolness of the darkness would chase away the frustration I felt. The smell of the water or the pines might ease my mind. Anything was better than feeling useless.

  Taking a breath, I glanced around the property. The moon rose to the left. It cast a glow down on the water, casting a slight glimmer. I walked around the side of the dwelling. The forest along the edge was thick with cedars. Closer to the water, the yard became overgrown with Ivy bushes and twigs. I headed toward the shore. There was a small ten-foot section where the yard eased into the water.

  I stood at the edge of the water, breathing in the coolness and the scent of frogs, fish, and algae. The amphibians called out to the crickets and other insects that made the night peaceful. I took a deep breath and let it out. It worked…some.

  Across the water, a little more than a half a mile away, a house was lit up like a Christmas tree. Every light in the house was on. From time to time, I could hear people talking. It was bouts of laughter and words I couldn’t make out. I was glad it was far enough away to not cause alarm but I wanted to make sure they never saw or heard us. Turning, I took a few steps until I heard a familiar sound—a laugh rolled across the distance. It froze me in my tracks. Looking over my shoulder at the house, I couldn’t believe my ears. Sure enough, a single motorcycle roared to life. I faced the house, listening to the ramblings taking place then it drove off down the road.

  “I’ll be damned,” I muttered.

  I hurried back to the cottage. When I stepped through the door, Luca was leaned against the doorframe, leading to the kitchen. The look on his face told me the news he found out wasn’t good. I took a deep breath, letting it out as I waited for the blow.

  “Our club has been, more or less, wiped out. Dad, Duncan, and Bobby are fine.” He straightened. “Some are in the hospital but most are dead.”

  My heart sank. “Mom and Dad?” I didn’t know if I wanted to know what had happened to them. They have to be alive.

  “They took ‘em,” Luca’s voice was ragged. “They stormed in and killed everyone who tried to protect them.” He took a breath. “The only reason my dad’s alive is that your dad sent him to check on the sheriff.”

  “My dad?” Cora came from the hallway with Emily. “Is he…”

  Luca shook his head after he faced her. “He wasn’t there but there was a struggle at the house.”

  Her eyes fell to the floor. She began twisting her toe into the rug. That’s not good. Hurrying to her, I put my arms around her, showing her I was there for her. I would always be here for her.

  “Your dad’s fine,” I told her, “We’ll find him.”

  “How?” She looked up at me with eyes filled with tears. “We’re all that’s left.”

  I held her not knowing what to say. I’d hoped this was enough because I wasn’t good with words. I didn’t know what to say to comfort her but I did what I could.

  “How’s the property?” Luca asked.

  “Secure.” Cora whimpered into my chest. I gripped her tighter, letting her face press into me.

  Luca sighed. “Go,” Luca said, nodding at the hall. “Em and I’ll take first watch.”

  I glanced at him then to Emily. She looked as broken as Cora but she wasn’t crying. She wouldn’t. She was that tough. She would just hold it in until she couldn’t. So I nodded and walked Cora down the hall and into the bedroom at the end.

  Letting go of her, I sat on the bed with her under my arm. We sat like that for a second until I pulled her down on the bed, on our sides, spooning.

  She snuggled her back against me with her hair touching my nose. It smelled of plum blossoms. There was a tree that grew in my backyard every spring. I loved how it smelled. I lightly stroked her hair as she slowly stopped crying. Before I knew it, she was asleep, leaving me with the truth of a trader in the club.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Cora

  My dreams were filled with loud pops, screaming, and flames. My ears rang. I tried to press my palms against them, drowning out the noise. My heart raced, pumping as if I was running, running from someone but I didn’t know who. They were only black figures with white eyes locked on me. I screamed when arms wrapped around me, holding me down. They were going to take me away. Take me to die…

  “Cora.” My name echoed in my head, all around me. “Cora, it’s OK,” they said.

  Opening my eyes, I realized where I was. Dante held me against him and we were lying in the bed at Grandma’s house. I relaxed into his arms, letting his scent of leather and Tide wrap around me. Hoping his form would hide me from the reality of what I’d dreamed. I was OK.

  “Are you alright?” he asked in a soft voice.

  Not sure if I could talk, I nodded.

  “Bad dream?”

  I nodded again.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Hearing him say those words made me feel funny inside. It was as if my stomach was empty. I rolled over, facing him. I never doubted anything he said. “I know.” I trusted him. With my life.

  “Want to talk about the dream?”

  I took a breath, burying my face against the curve of his neck. “Guns.” I didn’t like guns before and this made it worse.

  His hand slid up my waist to my shoulder. Gently he pushed my hair back. “I’m sorry you were thrown into my world.” He kissed the top of my head, gently. “I never wanted that.”

  Closing my eyes, I lay there enjoying the moment. Wishing I could stay like this forever, in the safety of his arms but I knew it was impossible.

  Moments went by as we lay there, silent.

  “What are you thinking about?” I asked.

  “You. Everything.”

  “I’m good.”

  He cracked a grin that I felt against my face. “I know.”

  When I looked up at him, we locked eyes. The way he looked at me made me think he had something on his mind. I had something on my mind as well and it wasn’t anything good. After all, we were lying in a bed pressed to one another.

  I started to move away but he took hold of my arm, rolling me onto my back. I sucked in a breath as he hovered over me. His face so close all I’d have to do is breath and we would touch mouths. He stared at me as if he could read my thought, my wants. My heart thundered against my rib cage. Then his eyes fell on my lips. It was so hard not to reach u
p to connect our lips but I was afraid.

  Dante seemed to read my thoughts and gently pressed his lips to mine. Closing my eyes, I expected it to be like in his rec-room—hard and passionate but it wasn’t. It was soft, gentle and it took me by surprise. The tip of his tongue slid against mine, seeing if I would kiss him deeper. He’d never kissed me like that before. I hadn’t kissed anyone like that before. It was tormenting and blissful. I wanted to scream, to pull him closer. So I did what I felt, I gripped his shirt, pulling him down on me. He stopped kissing me, his eyes taking in every inch of my face. It was as if he couldn’t decide what to do next. His apprehension worried me. Did he not like me? Maybe I was doing something wrong. I didn’t care that I was scared because I wanted all of Dante.

  When his eyes locked with mine, I started to tell him to do it. To do whatever he wanted to do because I was his. I would forever be his. And at that moment, it was as if he heard my thoughts and he pressed his lips to mine.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Dante

  Cora’s lips were soft but firm. They were the perfect fullness that made me want to kiss them for hours. As I kissed her, of course, my thoughts went to her curves pressed against me. My hands roamed more than once. I’d have to be dead not to notice her body or the feel of her torso pressed against parts of me.

  I wanted Cora, to devour her but it wasn’t the right time. Her world had been turned upside down and mine was just as messed up. The last thing I wanted was to do something she’d later regret. I couldn’t protect her from the disaster at the clubhouse but I could protect her here.

  So I took a deep breath, letting my face fall into the curve of her neck. Her breath came in and out hard, causing her chest to rise and fall rapidly. Pulling myself together, I looked at her. Her green eyes were wide and uncertain. Reassuring her, I smiled lightly and kissed her again.