We eventually arrived at the restaurant and I was surprised to see the expensive restaurant he had chosen for our dinner. It served wild game such as antelope and bison and I was instantly curious.
As we waited for our entrees, we talked about our past. I didn’t want to dwell on my divorce so I said very little about it. Instead I talked about school and he seemed impressed that I was studying accounting at the local community college, hoping one day to become a CPA.
“Not many people would have done what you did. He knocked you down and you just got back up and kept on moving. That’s admirable.”
“That’s called survival.”
He nodded, “I know a lot about that. I grew up in a rough area of Miami. Who am I kidding? Almost all Miami is rough.” He said with a humorless laugh. “I spent most of my youth fighting and getting in trouble, kicked out of one school and then the next.”
“So you were a troubled kid?”
“Nope, I was just a kid who liked to get in trouble,” his laugh then was real. “I was a hell raiser. My grandma adopted me after my parents died in a car accident and I was just so bitter; I took my pain out on everyone else--including her. I never was violent or anything towards her, but I did stupid things. I stole her car once and almost wrecked it. I was disrespectful and an all-round jerk as a kid.”
“You stole her car? How old were you?”
He drank a sip of water before saying, “Don’t judge me too harshly, but I was sixteen and an asshole.”
“You were sixteen.” I said dismissively, feeling compassion for the sixteen year old boy Phoenix had been struggling with coming to terms with his parents’ deaths.
“And knew better...” he argued.
“Well, I’m sure your grandmother forgave you.”
He smiled widely, “Yeah, she’s the best. She just got back from vacation in Jamaica, which I gladly paid for. So what about your childhood and your parents?”
I shook my head, “I never knew them. I was given up for adoption to a friend of my mom’s and then that person couldn’t afford to take care of me and she just dumped me at a fire station and left. I had to have been about five. I don’t remember much else, but I was in and out of foster care since then. They never could find my birth parents or any relatives.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said and I could tell that he was.
I shrugged, “Life sucks sometimes, but you just keep moving forward, just like you said.”
He didn’t get a chance to say anything else as our food arrived. The waiter sat a bison chili dish in front of me and I inhaled deeply my mouth watering when abruptly the aroma that I’d fantasized about mere seconds ago made me violently sick.
My stomach cramped up and the wave of nausea that hit me had me falling off balance as I struggled to stand and flee. I grabbed that table to keep steady and stood up abruptly. I braced my hands against the edge of the table and then Phoenix’s hands were on mine.
“Careful, Bree. What’s going on?”
I looked at him, batted his hand away and sprinted for the bathrooms that I had noticed on the way in. I made it to the toilet just in time. I didn’t know how long I stayed there being sick. If I had been at home, I would have been hugging the toilet seat. And when it was all done, I felt strangely better.
No more bison for you, I said to myself as I flushed the toilet, picked myself off the floor and went to tidy myself and wash my mouth out at the sink. I shook my head, not knowing what was wrong with me when a thought buried far back in my subconscious wiggled free.
I was late, I thought turning white as a sheet. I counted on my fingers. I hadn’t had a period in two months and I was extremely regular unless under stress. I just thought it was school related stress, but I had missed two in a row. And it all coincided with the evening I met Phoenix. With those thoughts on my mind, I realized that I couldn’t face him right now, but I didn’t have another choice. I couldn’t just disappear from the restaurant without him noticing. And it wasn’t like I could take a taxi home or something given that I had left my purse at the table. Like it or not, I would have to go back to face him. I just needed to keep my mouth closed and not tell him my suspicions.
I patted water on my face, squared my shoulders and walked calmly out of the bathroom and into Phoenix.
“What happened?” He demanded.
“Calm down,” I said getting already defensive. “The bison just didn’t agree with me.”
“You didn’t even take a bite of it.”
“The smell just wasn’t appealing.”
“And so you threw up? Has this happened before?”
“No. But then again I never had bison before. Listen, I don’t want to discuss this any longer. Can we go?”
He looked at me long and hard and then said, “Let me go pay and grab your purse.”
“I’ll wait for you outside. Feels stuffy in here.”
He reluctantly walked away from me, striding purposefully across the elegant dining room lined with chandeliers and I did as I said and walked outside.
I breathed in deeply and then my nostrils were assaulted by the scent of garlic and onions. I gagged and covered my nose with my sleeve and that’s how Phoenix found me with my shoulders hunched, hiding my nose and mouth in my romper.
He looked at me strangely, called for the valet and then got into the car. My stomach finally stopped protesting when we began to drive.
I sat silently, trying to maintain composure even though my stomach and mind were doing tricks of their own. Phoenix kept his eyes trained on the road and didn’t say a word. Every now and then he snuck a look at me and I pretended to be looking elsewhere; normally my default way to avoid his eyes was to look down at my hands.
Finally we pulled into the parking lot and I was feeling close to normal again. I gave him a hesitant smile, hoping he didn’t suspect anything. But he was a man, what could he possibly suspect?
“Sorry for ruining the evening with my queasy stomach.”
He didn’t respond. He just continued to sit there with his hands still on the wheel. I dared to look at his face and his jaw seemed tense as if he were holding something back. I gulped hard and without a word reached for the door handle.
His hand shot out and stopped me.
“When were you going to tell me?” He asked coldly.
I stared at him. He couldn’t possibly know? I didn’t really even know.
“Tell you what?” I asked innocently.
“Don’t play innocent, Bree. I didn’t use protection that night in the alley. You can’t look at certain foods without feeling sick to your stomach. You threw up in the bathroom. Just don’t sit there and lie to me. You know what’s going on.”
I felt attacked and immediately went on the defensive, “It’s none of your business. And you’re way off base. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Goodnight.”
And then as I went to open the door, he stopped me again and turned the car back on. He drove like a madman out of the parking lot.
“Where are we going? Where are you taking me?” I asked actually afraid of the answer.
He ignored me and promptly pulled into a pharmacy. “Stay here,” he ordered as he jogged away towards the entrance of the 24-hour pharmacy.
I knew what he was getting and I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me right then and there. I knew that wasn’t an option nor was running away, but gosh I wanted to. I would just tell him that he was crazy and not do it, I said to myself. Yes, I would stand up to Phoenix and tell him that he was being silly and that we needed to take a break from each other even if we hadn’t exactly finished our first date.
But apparently that’s not what happened and instead I found myself in my apartment in the bathroom, peeing on a stick while Phoenix waited on the couch arms crossed again, face expressionless. He had been super pushy, shoving the box into my hand and gently pushing me into the bathroom while I shouted at him that this was stupid and he was jumping to conclusions.
And when I saw the faint line grow stronger I nearly fainted, catching myself up against the bathroom door.
“Are you okay, Bree?” Phoenix said from the opposite side, now knocking gently on the door.
I looked down at the test and then shook my head. He couldn’t see me, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t okay. I was scared to death and beaming with joy. I was far from just okay.
He knocked again and when I didn’t answer, he tried to knob. Thankfully, I had locked it.
“Bree, open the door. We need to talk.”
I knew he was right and so with a deep breath, I unlocked the door and stepped out.
I didn’t meet his eyes until he said, “Well?”
Fostering all the courage I had, I lifted the little plastic stick so that he could see the results and said, “Congratulations, you’re a father.”
Chapter Five
He hadn’t said a word. He had simply walked away. I had stood there speechless, expecting something, anything. Instead he had just walked away.
I went to bed immediately after that, taking some time before I fell into a fitful sleep. There were a million thoughts in my head. I felt like my brain was being torn in different directions as I went from thinking about what I would name him or her to how in the world I was going to provide for my child. I even thought about Phoenix and felt my eyes well up with tears. I forced thoughts of him away and then finally drifted into an exhausted, troubled sleep.
And to my surprise, when I rolled over later on that night, the smell of musk awakening me, I bumped into something solid and immediately sat up. I opened my mouth to scream when I realized who was sitting on my bed with me. It was one of Marquez’s thugs from the other night.
My attempt to scream was immediately silenced as the tall one slapped me across my face, knocking me back against the bed. He slapped me so hard that I saw stars and I blinked trying to focus. I groaned and tried to sit up only to fall off the side of the bed.
I heard laughter and then someone said, “Uh oh. Looks like Phoenix’s whore had an accident.”
I hadn’t grown up in the best of foster homes and truth be told, some of the people who took me in weren’t exactly upstanding citizens so I always took a weapon to bed. And I must say, the habit hadn’t died once I became an adult. My weapons had evolved over the years and it was a habit I hadn’t been able to break, even when married I never told Tommy. Some people took a blanket or slept in a favorite shirt. I slept with a Taser tucked between my mattress and box spring. So when the dreadlock dude rounded the corner to pull me off the floor. I had something waiting for him and he didn’t even expect it as the electrodes shot out and hit him dead in the chest. He shook for a second and then hit the ground and his partner dove for me. I dove under the bed, scampered up and went to run for the door when the tall one grabbed me by my hair and attempted to yank me back.
It was then that I started to scream: Loud angry screams as I wasn’t hurt, but I was worried about my baby. I fought and kicked with all my might and when he slapped me again and tried to pin me down, I bit him and this time the blow he dealt me knocked my head back into the floor and I saw darkness.
And then suddenly, the weight of the man on my chest was gone and I blinked and saw Phoenix suddenly there. He had the man against the wall and was mercilessly hammering the man’s face with his fist, followed by blow after blow of his elbow across his face. And when the other man tried to stand up, Phoenix stomped on his hand and kicked him in the face, sending a tooth flying across the floor.
I scrambled for my phone and with shaking hands I called 9-1-1. But there was no need; the man who had struck me was nothing but a bloody mess. His face was barely recognizable as Phoenix punched him unconscious and then slammed his body into the floor.
“Don’t get back up,” he growled to the other man whose mouth was full of blood.
It was then that Phoenix looked at me and I watched his eyes grow wide with fear as I felt consciousness slipping away. “Bree! Bree! Stay with me! Bree!” I could hear him shouting from a distance but it was too late. I was already gone.
“She’s coming around!” someone whispered excitedly and I brought my hand up to touch the side of my face and opened my eyes. Jacinda and Milton stood there staring down at me and Jacinda started to cry. Milton placed his arm around her and Jacinda took my hand.
“Oh my God, I was so scared. I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“Jacinda?”
“Yes, hon,” she said tears now streaming down her face.
“What are you doing here?”
“Phoenix called us,” Milton answered readily.
“He called you guys? I didn’t even know you were back. Oh no, did you come back for me? Did I ruin your honeymoon? I’m so sorry.” I felt drowsy and my words sounded slurred to my own ears.
“No. I mean yes. But I don’t care. As long as you’re safe.”
“I’m safe, but what about...oh my God, my baby. Is my baby okay?”
“Phoenix said that you and the baby are fine,” Jacinda assured me and then smiled, “Congratulations by the way, you’re going to be a mom.”
I started to cry and she hugged me and whispered, “You are happy about this, right?”
I nodded, unable to speak and then said half-sobbing, “happier than I ever thought I could be.”
I felt Milton pat me awkwardly on the back and then Jacinda pulled away slowly. “You’ve been really busy since I’ve been gone.”
“Apparently.”
“Hey Milton, can you go find us a couple of bottles of water? Bree looks thirsty and I don’t trust the tap water around here.”
“Sure, sweetie,” He said disappearing without another word.
Jacinda looked at me thoughtfully and said, “Ok. Tell me everything. What’s going on here?”
I blinked at her and said, “I thought Phoenix told you everything.”
She sat down on the bed next to me. Her eyes looked tired and I could tell that she was worried. “Yeah, he did. His version of events, but I can’t help but be worried. Look at you! You’re pregnant and battered! And you never told me you were seeing someone. Did you meet him the night of my bachelorette party? If so, I feel partially responsible for the mess you’re in.”
I shook my head, “It’s not as bad as it seems.”
“Oh really? Because getting the news that you were knocked out and knocked up didn’t sit well with me.”
“I’m sorry he called you guys...”
“I’m not. Would you stop apologizing already and tell me what’s going on. Who exactly is this Phoenix character? Milton told me he recognized him from TV. Apparently he’s one of those fighters who beat each other to death for money.”
I sighed deeply, “It’s not a death match. He’s an MMA fighter. And we umm...did it...outside...”
“What!”
“In the alley…”
“Seriously?”
“During your bachelorette party...”
“Wow, do I even know you?”
“Hey, I was just trying to have some fun...as you advised me remember?”
“Yeah, as in have a bunch of drinks and flirt a little, not have sex with a random stranger in an alley!”
“Shhh...” I said when her voice became raised.
“I’m sorry. I just...I don’t know. I’m worried about you. He seemed genuinely concerned about you and the baby, but what type of lifestyle will you have with someone like him? He’s dangerous and apparently that danger is now in your life.”
She had a point. I had a lot to consider. Those men had entered my home because of my involvement with Phoenix. May
be Jacinda was right; maybe it was too dangerous to be associated with Phoenix. And I couldn’t just think about myself. I had to think about the little life now growing inside of me.
Before I could say another word I heard someone say, “That’s no longer true.”
Jacinda looked up startled and Phoenix said smoothly as he walked towards us, “I understand your concern. But Bree is no longer in danger."
“How can you be sure? Danger seems to follow your type,” Jacinda said crossing her arms over her chest and moving to stand next to me protectively. I admired her gumption and loyalty.
“Let’s just say the guys who caused me problems are no longer around.”
There was silence and then Jacinda blurted, eyes growing wide, “Did you kill them?”
“No, but I should have,” he said emotionlessly. Jacinda’s mouth fell open and Phoenix took advantage of the fact that she was speechless to say, “Can you give us some privacy?”
She looked at me and I nodded, showing her that it was okay.
“I’ll be right outside if you need me.” She then left, not hurrying as she eyed Phoenix suspiciously.
When she was gone Phoenix grinned and said, “She’s loyal and pretty fierce. I see why you guys are friends. You two have a lot in common.”
“Tell me what happened. Start at the beginning,” I said not caring for idle chatter. I needed answers.
“I paid Marquez a visit. Apparently he didn’t know that his two guys had targeted you as a way to get to me.”
“And you believed him?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s a grandfather who is raising his grandkids on his own. His daughter died in childbirth.”
“That’s terrible,” I said softly, meaning it.
“He doesn’t take kindly to men who beat on women. Anyway, they won’t mess with us anymore. They’ve been permanently eliminated.”
“So they are dead?” I said feeling sick.
He shook his head, “I wish. No, there were warrants out for their arrest. It turns out they worked with a crime syndicate out west and were rumored to have stolen from a pretty nasty drug cartel. Someone made an anonymous call to that cartel and to the police. No clue who found them first, but they’re either swimming with the fishes or will be serving back to back terms in prison. Not that I care about their fates. I only care about you. I’m so sorry for all of this. It’s all my fault. All of it. If I hadn’t walked away, I would have been there with you and they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to hurt you.”
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