Held (Before, A Prequel)

by A Lexy Beck

  “Two shots of the best tequila you have!” Tristan snapped at the bartender, getting the same sneer as before.

  We placed our order and took the shots. Tequila wasn’t my first choice, but it did the trick to put me in a zone for the rest of the evening. A calm, controlled, mellow buzz.

  Tristan and I scanned the room, looking for a table with the two girls. Nothing. I carefully balanced the plate of nachos in my hand and the beer in the other as we dodged people, looking for them, finally finding them at a corner table, also occupied by a few unwelcome guests.

  “Hey, we almost missed you sitting in the corner over here.” I eyed the tall blond kid that had pulled a seat up next to Jenna. “Everything alright here?”

  “Oh yeah. Everything’s just fine.” Jenna leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed over her body. “He was just asking us if we wanted to throw some darts and I was explaining you guys would be here any minute.”

  Tristan took a seat next to Grace, putting himself between her and the tall, arrogant looking college kid with brown hair who appeared to be hitting on Grace. He seemed like the smart one, not saying a word and edging away.

  “You know, you shouldn’t leave your girls alone in a place like this. They may find something or someone better to do.” The blond kid stood, looking up at me. I had him by a few inches, but he likely outweighed me by about fifty pounds even though I was in great shape. Obviously some sort of football player or gym-rat given his physique, but it didn’t make a difference. I’d taken bigger guys before if I needed to.

  “Listen, we’re here to relax and have a good time. I’m sure neither one of you want any trouble.” I looked directly in his eyes and then switched my gaze toward his friend, who seemed to be less intoxicated. “Why don’t you two go find somewhere else to play?”

  “I think we’re good right here. Right, Jax?” The blond took a step forward, bumping me and causing my beer to splash over the top of the cup. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  “Torrey, let’s just move. It’s okay.” Jenna squinted her eyes as she looked at me. She could tell the guy was inching very close to pushing my to my limit.

  “Yeah, Torrey, why don’t you and your friend go find something to do while we talk to the girls here for a bit.”

  I place my beer down on the table and took a step closer towards the loud-mouthed college kid. Our chests were mere inches apart as I looked down at him. “I’m only going to say this once. I don’t want any trouble. You and your friend, Jax, should move along before this becomes something you’re going to regret.”

  As the words left my lips, he took a step back, pushing me. Then he stepped forward, unleashing a right hook.

  I instinctively caught his fist mid-swing with my right hand, bending his arm behind his back and forcing his head to the table with my left hand. His face caught the edge of the plate of nachos. “I said I didn’t want any trouble.!”

  Jenna scooted back from the table in an instant as Tristan spun to look at Jax, who was still keeping his distance and not helping his friend. The few people nearby grew quiet as they noticed the incident taking place.

  Two bouncers in tight black shirts stretched out by their beer guts closed in. One grabbed me by the shoulder and without thinking I flung him off and then turned to look at him, raising my hands. “Look, he started it. I’m not trying to fight here. I just wanted him to leave.”

  The bouncer held off as the other grabbed the blond college kid and pulled him off to the side. His face was partially covered with cheese and salsa from the nachos I’d face-planted him in. In my opinion, it was an improvement to his looks.

  “You four,” the first bouncer motioned towards our group. “Calm down or you’re out of here.” He looked at the other two. “I warned you both already. Get out and don’t come back. Ever.”

  The brown-haired kid, Jax, moved from the other side of the table and joined his friend who was being escorted out of the bar. The nacho-faced kid yelled at me over his shoulder, loud enough to be heard over the thumping music.

  I took a seat beside Jenna and leaned in to kiss her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to come to that.”

  “I know. I just wish it hadn’t happened. I’ve kinda of lost the mood for celebrating. Maybe we should just call it a night.”

  “No way Jenna, you’re out with us tonight,” Grace pleaded.

  “No, really. I think I just want to head home and relax. I’m sorry.” Jenna looked over at me. “Let’s go.”

  We said our goodbyes to the group and I grabbed Jenna’s hand as we made our way out of the bar. I felt terrible for how the evening had been ruined.

  We stepped out into the warm summer air and made our way toward the street where we had parked the jeep. “Hey, let’s not end the night this way.” I turned to face Jenna. “There’s a nice little jazz club down the street. Let’s go get some food, some wine and just celebrate. You and me. We can walk there and enjoy the night.” I stared into her eyes, almost pleading.

  Jenna bit her lip, letting out a small smile. “That sounds perfect. I really just wanted a quiet night to ourselves anyway.”

  “Me too, Jenna. Me too.” I leaned in and kissed her as I we walked down the block and turned down a side street toward the jazz club.

  We were both lost in the evening, finally on track for the celebration we had both looked forward to.

  * * * * *

  A white flash blinded me as I fell to my knees. Jenna’s scream echoed in my ears and the clank of metal hitting concrete rang out. My head pounded as I grabbed the back of my head. Wetness filled my hair as I looked at my hand, covered in blood. I couldn’t lie here, vulnerable.

  I scrambled to my feet and was immediately met with a sharp punch to my jaw, pushing me back a few feet. I regained my bearings and looked for Jenna. She immediately attempted to put herself between me and the attacker as I grabbed her arm with my bloody hand and pulled her behind me.

  Jenna stood behind me yelled, “Stop!”

  As my eyes focused, I recognized my attacker as the blond kid from the bar. He growled, “No one makes a fool out of me like you did, asshole. You think you’re tough? Fucker, your ass is mine!”

  “I’m calling the police!” Jenna threatened as she dug in her purse.

  He stepped toward me again, swinging, and I blocked his punch, countering with a solid punch of my own to his stomach, followed by an uppercut to the jaw. He stumbled backward, stood tall, and came at me again.

  This time I stepped to the side. Using his force and weight against him, I tossed him to the ground. He got up slowly, picking up the metal pipe he had struck me with earlier.

  “I’ve got my phone and I’m calling the police now!” From the corner of my eye, I could see Jenna fumbling to turn on her phone.

  The kid stepped forward, swinging the pipe and catching me in the side. Jenna’s high-pitched scream echoed against the brick buildings on the street. A flash of pain ripped through my side and I instantly knew he had cracked a rib. My arm pinned the pipe against my body as I tore it from his grasp and struck him across the cheek with my right hand, putting him on the ground. I stepped back towards Jenna, eyeing her as she held the phone next to her ear.

  “Torrey!” she screamed.

  I spun to face the kid again as the pop and flash startled me. The pain in my side almost brought me to my knees as I reached for my ribs. The gunshot had missed. I took a step forward as the kid turned and ran in the other direction. I watched him run and the thought of chasing him entered my mind.

  Sobs filled my ears as I turned to see Jenna drop her phone on the ground. Blood covered her hands as she held her stomach and collapsed next to her phone.

  “No! Jenna!” I squatted down next to her, pulling her close and ripping open the front of her blood-soaked romper. The small wound in her stomach gushed blood, which covered her hands and soaked into the ground. I grabbed the phone and yelled into it. “We need an ambulance on Coker Street. She’s been shot!�
�� More quietly, I said, “Jenna, hang in there. Please, baby.”

  “Torrey, it hurts, so bad.” Tears streamed from her eyes as she fought to keep them open.

  Her face went pale as I cradled her in my arms, dropping the phone and rocking her back and forth. “Please baby, hang in there, hang in there.” I yelled to the world and anyone listening. “Somebody! Help us!

  The street was silent. The shooter was gone.

  “I love you Torrey. I’ll be all right,” she gasped as she stared up at me.

  “I love you, Jenna. I love you. Don’t leave me.” Her fell body limp, her eyes wide and now peaceful.

  My world had just crumbled.

  Chapter Eight

  Time crept by but they say it does when you are under a death sentence. I wanted to die. I hoped I would. Maybe the shooter would come back and finish me. I’d let that punk-bastard do it, too. I didn’t want to live without Jenna.

  People had been banging on my door but I only opened it a couple of times. Once, when the cops came by and threatened to knock it down. Another time, when my brother stopped by. “It wasn’t your fault, Torrey. You couldn’t have known he had a gun.”

  “She’s dead, Ryan. She’s dead and I couldn’t protect her.”

  “She wouldn’t want this for you, buddy. She wouldn’t. You missed her funeral. Her dad is a wreck. He needs to see you.”

  “Why would he want to see me? I killed his baby.”

  “Come on, you can’t believe that.”

  “You should probably go, Ryan.”

  He stalled, trying to talk to me, but I didn’t have anything to say. And there was nothing he could say, really. I saw his mouth moving but I had stopped listening.

  “I think I’m going away.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked. “Like on a trip?”

  “No, just going.”

  “Bro, you’re scaring me. Please let me take you to someone.”

  “Nobody can help me. I let my girlfriend die.” Again, I tuned him out and finally showed him to the door.

  My last visitor was my Dad.

  “Hey, son. How are you?” All I could do was stare at him. “Okay, stupid question. Have you eaten anything recently?”

  “I couldn’t tell you. What day is it?”

  “It’s the 25th—Thursday. Time to get out of the house, Torrey. We’ve left you alone for weeks. Mourning is fine, but you need to live, too. This isn’t what Jenna would want.” He sat on the leather sofa next to me.

  “How come everyone seems to know what Jenna wants? She’s dead. I let her die because of my stupidity. She’s gone.”

  “I know. I know, son.”

  We didn’t talk for a while. I stared at the television. I couldn’t even tell what I was watching. I vaguely noticed that Dad had cooked for me. Scrambled eggs, probably because all I had in the fridge, besides some beer that I refused to drink, were eggs and spoiled milk.

  I stared at the food. Even though my stomach growled, I couldn’t bring myself to eat.

  My dad sat next to me on the couch. “They caught him. Jenna’s killer.”

  I swung my gaze over to him, finally looking him in the eyes. “Okay.”

  “They’ve got all the evidence they need. He left the gun at the scene with his prints all over it. His blood was in that alley, too, from when you hit him. People witnessed him at the bar, and one of the bouncers remembered your argument with him.”

  “He was pissed at me,” I said, my voice breaking. “I antagonized him because he was hitting on Jenna. I’d been drinking, and I couldn’t protect her.”

  “We can’t protect everyone.” He sighed. “I know what it feels like, to lose someone you love. I miss your mother every single day.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He put it on the table and said, “You told your brother you wanted to get away. I think you should. Take all the time you need, son. Jenna was a good woman. You’re a good man, no matter what you might be thinking about yourself right now.”

  I shook my head, disbelieving.

  Dad continued, “But you need to heal, and I don’t think you can do that here. So go as far as the money will take you. If you need more, call me. Just remember, there’s always a place for you here. You need your family, and Ryan and I need you. Don’t stay gone forever.”

  Dad sat next to me and hugged me. I let the tears flow, and when he left I passed out. I woke up and the first thing I saw was the envelope. I didn’t have to look inside—I knew it was full of cash.

  I didn’t waste any time. I packed my bag, grabbed the money, and left.

  Chapter Nine

  “No good deed goes unpunished, right?” I grinned wryly, my mind running in a hundred different directions. My life had always been haunted by memories. War. Death. Jenna. It had been almost two years since my world was torn down and now it was time to finally make an attempt to build it back up. It’s what Jenna would have wanted.

  “That’s right, Held, but for your client, it looks like it’s going to come back to them in spades. That’s the word on the ground anyway.”

  “We know how to handle that, right?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll do what you asked. It won’t be easy but I can make it happen.”

  “I knew you could. Thanks, Marcus.”

  I turned my attention to the television. Her face was on every station and the news was getting decidedly worse by the minute. Ryan tapped on the door and walked in.

  “Jeez, what a mess. I think you know how this going to turn out if we can’t get in front of this. You going somewhere?”

  “Yes, I have to go up north for a few days. You can handle things here, right?”

  “Are you kidding? You’re the one that’s got to deal with her. All I have to do is manage a few teams and keep everyone happy.” He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and plunked down in a chair, watching the coverage. “Dad has never liked working for that family, you know.”

  “Yeah, I do, but they’re our clients. Our best-paying clients. They make it hard to protect them, but they need our help.”

  “We tried to warn them about those security gaps, but they didn’t want to hear it. I guess they’ll want to hear it now,” Ryan said, staring at the screen.

  “I hope so. Keep me posted and let me know what you hear.”

  “You’ve got it. I’ve got your back.” I looked at him as I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. I wondered if he really knew what that phrase meant. If he didn’t, he was going to learn. Hopefully pretty damn quickly. If not, all hell was going to break loose.

  For the first time in a long time, I felt alive. That made me feel ashamed. I was alive and she wasn’t, but what else could I do but take the next breath?

  I headed out, wondering what the next twenty-four hours would bring. There really was no telling.

  Continued in Held – Closer. Click here to continue.

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