Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Angel hurried back to the house. She needed to undue what she had done. Was Meyers so stupid he thought she’d sit idly by while he destroyed Nick and gave his son away. There was no way she could watch him suffer more; after all she’d done to him he stood up for her and took a beating for it. She wanted some revenge, to hurt Nick but she never wanted things to go this far.
“Kitty thanks for watching Nicky but could you do me a favor and take him with you for an over night stay?”
“Sure Becca he’s the sweetest kid you sure are lucky. If he looks anything like his daddy I can’t wait to meet him. You‘re going to have your hands full with this little heart breaker.”
“Yeah he looks just like him. My Momma’s old expression was he couldn’t have spit straighter.”
“God Becca I forgot how funny you were. I’m glad we found each other again. Who would have thought so far from home to boot.”
“I know Kitty. It’s a small world..”
“Little Sara just loves him. We’re thinking about having another one so this is great practice for us. We need to get Sara used to the idea of sharing.”
“I appreciate this so much Kitty I’ll go pack a bag real quick.”
“You know we can keep him longer if you need it Being I’m laid off now I have plenty of time for this little cutey
“This means more to me than you’ll ever know. Ill pack a bag for a couple days just in case.” Angel stuffed the bag with all she could including his favorite toys. She hugged the little bear before she closed the bag. This game was over Nick needed his son. After Kitty left Angel began to pack up her bags so she would be ready to leave Meyers and his twisted plans behind before any more damage could be done to Nick and his family. Some how she had true make this right and maybe one day he‘d be able to forgive her. She grabbed it all and a stash of money she knew where it was hidden. She was going to find her daughter without the help of any of them.


Nick opened his eyes, at least the pounding he was hearing wasn‘t in his head. He tried to get off the couch but regretted the decision.
“Nick, lay back down,” Jack yelled on his way to the door.
“Yeah,” he groaned and dropped back down onto the couch.
Jack looked through the peep hole. “Great.” The fed from the hospital was outside the door and Nick was in no shape to answer questions.
“You don’t look so good. Is there anything you want to tell us?”
“Never been better except for the fact you still haven‘t found my son.”
“Well Sheriff our job would be a hell of a lot easier if you cooperated and stopped jerking us around. I won’t play games anymore. You’ve lost my men twice and now you look like something the cat drug in. Does your son mean so little to you?”
Nick stood up quickly and squared off with the fed. “You don’t know a damn thing about me or my family.” Jack stepped to his side not knowing if Nick was going to keel over or knock the fed on his ass.
“You’re wrong Sheriff. You have a very large and impressive file. I's amazing what you can find out when you know what buttons to push. Doing this on your own will get you all killed.”
“I’ve been looking into to you too. 3 of your 4 kidnappings ended with the victims dead and the perps not apprehended. The last one was a hoax and you busted them. Those don’t sound like very good odds to me, If something happens to my son it’ll be because of my screw up not yours. Do you understand me?”
“Yeah unfortunately I do. You’re the one who has to live with that decision. But were working the case with or without your cooperation. Do you understand me?”
“Yeah I do. Just make sure you stay the hell out of my way.”
Agent shook his head and headed for the door. He turned to Jack and said. “Maybe you can talk some sense into him.”
“I haven’t been able to yet.” Jack knew Nick needed to do this himself. He wasn’t capable of sitting by and relying on the ability of others, not when his son‘s life was at stake.

Monday, June 21, 2010

The streets were empty and quiet but his mind wasn’t it buzzed in anticipation every nerve, every muscle at the ready. Why didn’t these bastards leave his family out it. He was spoiling for a fight and God help the man who crossed his path.
He wondered if he could take revenge on Angel and knew the answer before he’d finished the thought. No matter what she’d done or taken from him the idea of his hands bringing her anything other than pleasure sickened him. The way she smell and tasted, the look of love in her eyes as she climaxed. He found it incredible that he could be feeling anything but anger and contempt for her no matter what her role in this mess. He thought his feelings for her had vanished like the early morning fog on the water. For whatever reasons he didn’t understand they were still there like smoldering ashes waiting again to be ignited by her touch. The anger he felt wasn’t for her but for himself and his physical and emotional betrayal of Kathy. He may have been coerced into having sex with Angel but a part of him wanted it just as badly as she had. This time he had made love to the woman not the child she’d been and he lost himself to her all over again. He loved the girl could he love the woman she’d become.
Nick knew as long as he served a purpose his son would be kept alive and used as a bargaining chip. They had a plan for him and this wasn’t a spur of the moment job it was well planned and thought out all the way down to Angel and her thirst for revenge. What could he have to offer? Drug connections, money, so many possibilities flashed in his mind. Nick was not a patient man and he wanted all the cards on the table needing to know who he was dealing with and what was expected of him. Nick’s heart sank when he walked into the room and saw Special Agent Bob Meyers with Angel. It made sense now how he had known about his involvement with her. He’d rather have seen Satan in all his horned glory than Meyers. He felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room and any hope of getting his son back along with it.
“I think you two know each other,” he said in that southern drawl Nick found so annoying.
He shoved Angel and Nick caught her before she hit the floor. She looked up at him with a tear stained face. Her left cheek was beginning to swell under her eye. She flinched as he wiped the tears from her face.
“How touching,” Meyers drawled.
Nick moved her aside. “You bastard,” he said angrily. He took a step towards him but Meyers was fast and in a heartbeat he had his gun out and pointed at Angel..
“I know you don’t give a damn about your own life but what about hers or your sons.”
Nick stopped in his tracks he couldn’t allow Angel to be hurt no matter what she’d done to him.
Meyers took the gun off safety and pointed it at Nick. Angel panicked and ran towards him. Nick and Angel both yelled ‘no’ at the same time. Nick felt nauseous it was too much like last time with Angie sacrificing herself for him.
Losing her seemed inevitable now. Would he show her mercy and give her the child she longed for. The dumb bastard Dempsey didn’t even know the lives of both his children were in his hands.
Meyers slapped her hard enough she spun around and hit the wall, she tasted blood. “How many times are you going to save a man who doesn’t love you?”
Nick sprung on him and sent Meyers sprawling onto the floor. The cold, cool headed Nick wasn’t present. Meyer’s once again aimed the gun at Angel. “I’ll just chalk it up to you Dempsey. Add one more to your body count. What are you going to do tough guy? Has she told you her little secret yet?”
As Nick turned to look at Angel Meyers gave him his best shot and Nick ended up on the floor. Nick and Angel looked at each other briefly and he searched her eyes for an answer before Meyers started in on him. She had killed for him once before would she do it again if he needed her to? She was there for his transgressions she’d paid enough for loving him it had cost her soul she didn’t need to give up her life too.
“You can always have more children. Maybe not with that vegetable but I’m sure Angel would be willing to oblige you. Maybe I‘ll find some nice family to adopt him or maybe he‘ll go to Thailand a handsome boy like that would be worth a fortune to the right people.”
Nick was an alpha male and that fact made Meyers insane. He’d never been able to best Nick at anything. But this time he was calling all the shots He’s used and abused what was Nick’s and got some satisfaction in that. From the looks of it Dempsey still cared about Angel or at least he was willing to take a beating for her but then Dempsey always cared a little too much about women. Meyer’s viewed them as toys to be discarded when he got bored. He hadn’t gotten bored with Angel and that fact bothered him. No other woman had ever gotten inside or past his defenses. Of all the women he’d been with it why did it have to be one that was in love with Dempsey? Both were going to die but the nagging question was which one was going to die first who did he want to inflict the most pain upon?
Revenge stuck in her throat and tasted like bitter medicine. It burned her insides on the way down. As she lay there staring into his eyes she caught a glimpse of the man who had saved her all those years ago and she knew she couldn’t go through with it. She knew then she had to tell Nick about their daughter. To hurt him was to hurt herself. She had worshiped the man who saved her looked at him through a young girls eyes expecting undying love and loyalty. Today she saw the man flawed and human with all the frailties that went along with it. She found a new love and respect for him as he struggled to do what was right. Because of her betrayal there were going to be no good or easy choices for him only bad and worse. Choices that could cost him his life.How could she live with that knowing it was her fault? She wanted to scream, to cry, "Love me". Now that she had him again how could she let him go? She was bleeding on the inside; her heart shattered like glass into tiny painful shards. She bled for him, for Kathy and the children they all cherished.
Angel was frightened never having seen this side of Meyers before. He had never raised his hand or his to her until now. Had he hated her all these years using her for some plot of revenge against Nick? They had both wanted to teach Nick a lesson but he’d never said anything about killing Nick or taking his son away permanently. If he’d lied about this how could she trust him to find her daughter?
Nick struggled to rise but couldn’t. He knew he had to take what Meyers dished out. He had to survive for Nicky and Kathy. He needed to have faith Jack would find his son before it was too late.
Kingston walked in the room and shoved Meyers. Making sure he kept his face hidden from Nick. “What the hell are you thinking? He’s of no use to us dead or so beat up he can’t do the job.”
“He’s a tough son of a bitch. He’ll be fine. Maybe we could get some coke for you, Nick?” He nudged Nick with the toe of his boot. “You‘re nothing but an animal that needs to be put down.”
Angel quietly left the room. Nick had taken the beating to protect her. She didn’t deserve that kind of compassion after what she‘d done to his family. The only way to make this right was to save Nicky. How could she let him suffer they way she had all these years? Not knowing what had become of her daughter. The kind of pain that drove people to madness. She had to be insane for her to betray the man she loved. There was nothing she could do for Nick now except bring him his son.
Meyer’s bent down and whispered. “If you tell anyone they all die. You’ll be hearing from me soon.”
Nick was alone in the room and tried to rise but pain shot through him like hot needles. When he opened his eyes again three hours had elapsed. It had been seventy two hours and twenty two minutes since he’d last seen his son. The sins of Nick’s past had been reaped upon those he loved. Nick was in too much pain to do anything more than punch Jack’s number on his speed dial. Jack answered on the second ring. “Nick where the hell are you?” He thought he heard the sound of breathing. “Damn it Nick answer me.”
“Forty third and Lakeview, number 211.”
“I’m on the way.”
He wondered what he was going to find when he got there. He punched the gas and sped through the city streets. Did the lucky cat have another life left in him. The locked door didn’t stop Jack. He found Nick on the floor with his cell phone laying next to him. His heart stopped for a minute when he saw Nick wasn’t moving. Maybe this time his luck had run out. Nick coughed and Jack moved quickly to his side.
“What the hell did they do to you?” Jack shook his head in disgust. No one man could have done this to Nick.
“Meyers,” Nick groaned and rolled onto his back.
“What?” Jack couldn’t imagine Nick taking a beating from that pipsqueak “That son of a bitch is involved?”
Nick groaned and nodded the movement sending waves of nausea through him. “He’s got Nicky.”
“You need a doctor.”
“Too many questions.”
“If you don’t kill the little prick I will.”
Nick rolled over onto all fours pulling himself to his feet with Jack’s help.
“He’s as good as dead,” Nick said. “Did you see Angel he hit her pretty hard.”
“No after all you did for her she’s involved with a man who’s out to get you. Good riddance,” Jack grumbled.
Jack helped Nick into the house but got only as far as the couch.
“Damn you’re heavy. You been gaining weight.”
“No you’re getting soft old man.”
Jack let go and Nick collapsed onto the couch. “Lay down smart ass I’ll get you some ice. Just remember you’re only eleven years younger than I am.” When he walked out of the kitchen with the ice pack he found Nick’s eyes were closed. “Nick,” He said softly but got no reply. He watched the steady rhythm of Nick’s breathing and felt reassured his friend would be all right. It wasn’t like Nick to stand still and take a beating like that but if his son’s life was at stake he’d do the same thing. Nick, Kathy and little Nicky we’re his family and when this was over there was going to be hell to pay. He’d never really put into words just what Nick meant to him, that wasn’t what men did but he hoped he knew. They’d been through so much over the years it was mind boggling; births and death and everything in between. He felt the loss of Little Nicky as if he were his own. He had to make sure they all came out of this safely and letting Nick run rampant was the answer.
Deep in his gut Jack wasn’t sure Nick was going to survive this time. Tears stung his eyes at the thought of losing any of them. That was not an option for him. He headed into the kitchen to make food and take his mind off the problem. If Nick wasn’t sleeping he probably wasn’t eating either. He would need all the strength he could find to face what was a head of him.

.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The room was dark and quiet, almost peaceful. It had been three days since he made love to Angel and got the news his son was being used as insurance to ensure his cooperation. Waiting on word from Angel about his son and waiting for Kathy to wake up was taking it’s toll on him. He felt afraid to leave her alone just in case Angel came back to finish what she started. He’d hired guards but wasn't sure who he could trust at this point. Jack always seemed to be on hand to reassure him and spell him so he could get a few hours of restless sleep. He hadn’t told Jack what had happened between him and Angel. He just couldn’t find the words to bring that dark secret into the light. The swelling in Kathy’s brain seemed to be going down and all functions were normal she was off the ventilator but she still wasn’t there with him.
The big bouquet of flowers he sent her sat in the corner of the room. The air was filled with the sweet scent of lilacs. They were blooming now but they had such a short life. So much like his Kathy, they brought beauty and happiness to all who saw them.
Kathy felt warm and peaceful for the first time and something smelled so wonderful she had to find out what it was. She opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat the man from her nightmare was sitting in the chair next to her bed asleep. The face seemed almost peaceful but it had taunted and terrified her in her dreams. The dark wavy hair looked unruly and a dimple she was all too familiar with. The long and lean body shifted in the chair her heart pounded and something on a primal level told her she needed to be afraid of this man. Dark, fierce eyes had burned her with their gaze before. Her body felt heavy like it didn’t belong to her. She looked around the room looking for a way to escape and when she looked back those eyes were open and staring directly at her. The man sprang to his feet quickly. Kathy opened her mouth to scream but all that came out was a high pitched squeak.
“Oh my God, Kathy.” He reached out a hand to touch her but she struggled to get away from him. Tears slid down her cheeks as she tried to move uncooperative legs. She tried to scream again to plead for her life but what came out made no sense.
“Baby, what’s wrong. It’s me, Nick.” He tried to hold her and comfort her but she struck out at him and he tasted blood. “Calm down.” He tried to hold her still as he hit the call button. Kathy’s Dr. hurried into the room. “What’s happening?”
“She’s awake but she’s hysterical. She seems scared of me.”
“Step back Mr. Dempsey and hit the call button again we’ll give her something to calm her down.”
Nick hit the button again and stepped into the corner of the room out of her sight.
“Nurse, you stay with her until I get back.” She stopped struggling when Nick was out of her sight. “Mr. Dempsey.” The Doctor motioned to the door and Nick followed him into the empty lounge.
“What the hell is going on,” Nick said pacing back and forth.
“I told you she could have some problems. Have you ever been violent with her Mr. Dempsey? Her reaction was very unexpected.”
Nick turned on the Dr. “Where the hell do you get off asking me something like that. I’ve never hit a woman. I couldn’t.” somehow he had managed not to hurt Angel for her part in all this. Nick shook his head. The Dr. didn’t know why but he believed him. His reaction was too sincere and he didn’t seem like he was capable hurting someone defenseless.
“YOU said possible memory loss you didn’t say she’d be terrified of me.” Nick put his hand up to his bleeding lip.
“Mr. Dempsey the best thing you can do right now is to go home. I’m going to run some tests. She may have had a small stroke. I don‘t what to say except stay away from her for now. The fact she‘s awake and alive is amazing any more stress could kill her.”
“She’s my wife for the love of God how am I supposed to stay away. She wasn’t making any sense and she couldn’t move her legs.” Nick rambled nervously.
“I think you should stay away. Her inability to speak and move concerns me. She may never be the Kathy you knew. Please, Mr. Dempsey go home I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”
Nick shook his head and glared at the Dr. before he left. “That isn’t an option.”
The Dr. let out a sigh of relief and tried to steady his nerves. He’d never had this kind visceral reaction to anyone before. Every time he dealt with the man he wasn’t certain he’d make it out alive. He reminded him of a wolf caring for its wounded mate and God help him if he made a mistake. He couldn’t imagine what a woman like Kathy Tyler could see in a man like that he didn’t understand that bad boy, Batman obsession. Taming the wolf that could kill you but didn’t.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Nick walked slowly hesitantly into Kathy’s hospital room. The sounds and smells all too familiar to him. This time it was his beloved Kathy in that bed fighting to stay alive, hooked up to life sustaining machines. The mansion gate was a shrine to her. He was floored by the response of friends and fans, flowers and chocolates filled the front of the house. He was suddenly struck with the realization he had brought her neither. He’d been so preoccupied with her shooting and Nicky’s abduction. Maybe he had developed Kathy’s there’s always tomorrow philosophy. He’d found out the hard way when Angie died. The first and only time he’d brought her flowers was at her funeral. There were always seemed to be two women in his life drawing him in but that wasn’t because he found them lacking. Maybe he had so much to give, more than one person could handle. He wondered if they found him lacking. Kathy’s obsession with chocolate. It stimulates the brain like love does. Had he let her down not giving her all the love she needed and deserved. Did she find him lacking as father, lover and companion. Had his abandonment pushed her into a life she didn’t want, one she regretted. Kathy was so lifeless so pale, not the vibrant woman he cherished. Could he take Nicky‘s mother from him and carry that burden the rest of his life. The thought of her death overwhelmed him as much as it pained him. He took her hand and cried at the thought of losing her. God how he missed her touch, her smile, that sweet scent that was drown out by the sickly antiseptic smell of that place. What if the damage was so severe she’d never wake up and never be his Kathy again. Could he make that fateful decision and end her life? Could he end the life of his lover, the mother of his child if needed? He held her hand willing her his love and strength offering up his own life instead.
“Please God take me,” he pleaded softly. He had nothing without her and Nicky. He was nothing and there would be no point in going on with out them. Why had they been given to him only to be taken away? It was no mystery to him why he could never be a priest as his mother wanted. He had no faith. He had no God. His life had been spent believing in one thing, himself. It was all about the control and placing his life in someone else’s hands was beyond him. Even as his mother lay dying wracked with pain she still believed, still had faith. In Nick’s life there were no miracles only chances to be taken. Battles to be won or lost. God would mean that his life was not in control. Someday he would have to answer for his life, his actions. That thought terrified him and pushed him deeper into denial. The world would survive without him in it and Jack would at long last have peace in his life.
Nick walked out of the bathroom to find Kathy’s doctor at her bedside. He jumped when he saw Nick. “You’re a hard man to find.”
“I don’t think it’s safe to be around me right now.”
The doctor saw the look in his eyes and wondered if it was ever safe to be around this man. How did some become deadly and others just mildly bothersome to society.
Nick cleared his throat struggling to speak without tears. “She squeezed my hand earlier that’s a good sign right?” Nick said desperately grabbing at any glimmer of hope.
“It could just be a reflex. We don’t know what goes on in the mind when someone’s in a coma. The last scan showed the swelling has stopped. We don’t know what kind of damage, blindness, paralysis, memory loss. The brain appears to be functioning but you may have a choice to make. When the swelling goes down we’ll take her off the ventilator and see if she can breath on her own.”
Nick moved so quickly the doctor took a step back. “All I have heard from you is a whole lot of I don’t knows. You don’t take her off unless I’m here do you understand? I’m not giving up on her.”
Once the doctor got his heart of his throat said. “I’m sorry Mr. Dempsey but that’s all I have to offer you at the moment. The human brain is as fragile as it is resilient. I see people who suffer great trauma and survive while others with seemingly simple injuries not survive. Sometimes it’s simply out of our hands it’s up to them,” he said nodding to Kathy.
Nick appreciated the Dr.’s honesty and lack of fear. He had no doubt faced more than his share of hysterical family members. Nick ran his hand nervously through his hair.
“Thanks for the truth,” he said sheepishly.
“Well here’s some more. You look like you’re going to keel over. If…when she wakes up she’s going to need you for a long while to come. If you won’t do it for you than do it for her-get some rest.”
Nick nodded and extended his hand and the doctor shook it vigorously. Get some rest that was easier said than done. Somewhere out there was his son.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Nick stood in the shower letting the hot water soothe his aching muscles. He’d forgotten what a demanding lover Angel was. He scrubbed his skin but no amount of soap and water could wash away his sin. Her touch, her scent permanently burned into his flesh. Angel was his equal in bed challenging, demanding always pushing him to his limits. It burned bright and hot like a shooting star; it was always over quickly with both satisfied with the results. With Kathy sex was slow leisurely. She savored sex like she did chocolate enjoying every bit until the end. Kathy awed him and he worshiped her completely. The bond he shared with both these women were too strong to be denied. He did what he had to do for Kathy and little Nicky but God help him he enjoyed it. Now that Angel was back in his life how could he live with out her.
The shower door opened and Angel stepped in to join him. “Nick,” she said reaching out to touch him. He recoiled as if her touch would burn him.
“You can’t screw your way out of this one Angel. You shot my wife and kidnapped my son. There’s no forgiving that. Give me my son,” he growled. His tone sent shivers down her spine but the man that stood before her was beleaguered and broken. She saw the pain in his eyes and it tore at her heart. Would he have shown such devotion to their child? She looked into his chocolate brown eyes which had now turned dark and angry. She saw death reflected in them; hers. She shivered even as the warm sprays of water caressed her skin. Had she pushed him to far?
“This just can’t be about us, about sex. Tell me what you want,” he said shaking her.
“They’ll kill us all,” she whispered. Her words sucked the life out of him. Nick braced himself against the shower wall. He felt his strength leaving him swirling around like the water in the shower drain then it was gone. He sank slowly to the shower floor not noticing the water had turned tepid. Unaware Angel was standing over him shivering in the cool spray. She reached out a shaky hand and turned the water off.
“Why?” he asked staring, unblinking at the tile wall. “Why do all this? To punish me? Why not kill me and be done with it?“
“No, they want you to do something. We’re meeting with them later. I don’t know anything more or I’d tell you.”
“God damn you.” His dark eyes moved to hers searching for something she couldn‘t give him. He saw a fear there that went beyond any emotion he could wring from her and he knew to take this seriously. Was she the mastermind in a twisted plot of revenge or was she merely a pawn like the rest of them? He’d never hit a woman before but when he reached out to touch her she pulled back. “I told you I’d never hurt you. I just wish you would have done the same for me.”
Maybe God had already damned her, abandoned her seven years ago when they took her baby from her. How could Hell be any worse than wondering everyday what had happened to her child. She was already lost in a deep abyss of darkness she would take his anger as deserved. Maybe he’d never slapped or beaten her as Carlos and Meyers had but what he had done to her somehow seemed far worse. For the first time in her life she felt love and hope then he took that away and since there had been only darkness. She’d given him her heart and soul and his rejection had so completely destroyed her. Was first love the most special? She never stopped loving him even through his marriage and birth of his son he was always in her heart. Loving him, hating him praying he’d know the pain she had. Revenge left her cold and empty aching for the man she’d reaped it upon. One more stab in her soul until it was shredded like paper in the wind. There was only one thing that got her up in the morning, the hope of finding her daughter. A for a brief time they had shared a love, a soul and they had created a life. A precious child that was taken from her, a child Nick knew nothing about. How would he react to this news? Would he deny this precious gift or would he do anything to find her as she had. Giving herself to that pig Meyers with the promise he’d find her child. Who better to find her missing child than the FBI. Her child’s father she realized too late. She couldn’t tell him yet and add to the pain of losing another child. The suffering was there in the dark eyes that searched hers for an answer. The anger that filled her heart was replaced with pity
His worst fears were realized his son was a pawn in someone’s deadly game of revenge. She didn’t understand his world. They would no doubt kill them all in the end anyway. Anyone who knew Nick knew they would pay with their lives for hurting his family.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

“What about what you did to me. You sent me home to the hell I ran away from. You left me for…” she said defiantly.
“Don’t you dare speak her name after what you did.” Anger won out and he sprang on her like a cat on a bird, his hand gripped her throat. She closed her eyes and breathed him in the rich male scent of him so familiar. She sucked in her breath waiting as the hand tightened. She had seen the predatory look in his eyes before when he felt threatened. Watched him kill without mercy, without hesitation. Her savior had turned out to be an undercover vice cop. The tears fell down her cheeks, warm and wet. For the child she’d never see. If her life was going to end now she wanted it to be by his hand. Just to touch him, taste him one last time. Suddenly the grip loosened and he brushed away the tears.
“All I wanted was you,” she sobbed.
The two men in the room down the hall jumped at the sound. The noise amplified by the listening device they had planted in the room. Kyle looked at Bob with wild eyes.
“He’s gonna kill her,” Kyle exclaimed. “I know I would.”
“You don’t know Dempsey. He thinks with his dick. He might put the fear of God into our little Angel but he’d never hurt her.”
“I don’t know how you can sit by while she seduces him you two are…” Kyle said.
“Kyle she was just a wild ride. She’s a whore, she’s his whore and she’d sell her soul to be with him,” Bob said. He turned to leave the room. He knew what was going to happen between them. As much as he pretended to the world he didn’t care he felt like his heart was ripped from his chest and Dempsey was going to die for this.
“Maybe she did,” Kyle mumbled. He’d never seen such a cold bastard as Meyers.
Even if he couldn’t admit it the thought of Dempsey touching her hurt him. He knew she’d never belong to him, Dempsey would always be between them. He lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. He blew the smoke out slowly watching as the puff of smoke floated across the room like a cloud in the sky. Angels love for Dempsey, another reason for him to hate the man. The list was ever growing and endless. If things turned out the way he wanted Dempsey would be in jail or better yet dead. How would she feel about him then would it stop her obsession with the man. He’d been with enough women to know she was faking it. They were using each other to get what they want. He wanted her and she wanted Dempsey. He’d had her for almost four years now but she was like a caged wild thing. The longer he held her the more she pulled away. The caged cat he’d seen at the circus, pacing, waiting for death the spark of hope gone from it’s eyes. He had a feeling things were going to end badly for all of them. The price you pay for their obsessions. The thought that Kathy wasn’t dead nagged at him she’d seen him and knew who he was. When all this was over Dempsey would have no credibility but Kathy could point the finger at him. He had to find a way to finish the job.
“I never meant to hurt you my sweet Angel.” He picked her up in his arms and carried her
to the bedroom and laid her onto the bed. Tears glistened in the green eyes he had lost himself in so many times before. He looked in those eyes and saw the frightened girl he had known what seemed like a lifetime ago. God, what had he done to her. Had his rejection created this confused mess before him. She was so you and he never knew her feelings for him were so deep. He had only seen her as a child in a woman’s body. A beguiling temptress who had drawn him in. No matter how hard he tried to deny it he had loved the woman who was half his age. He held her tightly, hating her, wanting her, loving her. She reached up and pulled him down to her. He saw the look in her eyes and knew what she wanted.
“Don’t make me do this. I love…” Angel wrapped her hands in his thick dark hair and silenced him with a kiss. Pushing away from her he lay back on the bed confused and angered at being drawn into this nightmare. Angered at his body’s reaction to her even after all she had taken from him. From the look in her eyes he knew there was no way around it. He was going to give her what she wanted like it or not.
Angel straddled him and began to unbutton his shirt. She pulled it back and her breath caught in her throat.She ran her hand along his cheek. “You can barely see the scar Carlos gave you. It was the last thing Carlos did,” Angel whispered.
“You killed him to protect me. How could you hurt me like this now?”
She wanted him to suffer the way she had all these years wondering what had happened to her child. Was she alive or dead was she loved and cherished in the way she could have done.
Angel ran her hands across his battle scarred chest. So many more scars, so much more pain she told herself and now she was adding to it. He closed his eyes and thought of Kathy fighting for her life and the thought of betraying her was painful. But he knew more than anything she needed her son. Angel unzipped his jeans and reached inside. Nick wound his hands in the sheets trying hard not to give her a response. If it had been any other woman he would have been successful. Sex with Angel was always wild, unrestrained and forbidden but now it was an act of betrayal.
“You know you want this as much as I do,” she murmured brushing his lips with hers.
He threw her off and rose from the bed. The idea of this sickened him but Nicky’s life hung in the balance. He’d do the devil to save his son. Kathy would forgive him, she’d understand.
Angel smiled as the faded jeans and boxers fell to the floor he was still as magnificent as she remembered. She shivered in anticipation as he joined her in bed. She didn’t know if the room was bugged and didn’t care. She was going to have the man she loved one last time even if the price was her life. The last eight years without him she had only been going through the motions. Staying alive, surviving only to find her daughter.
He kiss was deep and demanding. Nick put his hand on the delicate fabric of her blouse and yanked. She gasped as buttons flew and fabric tore. Quickly she struggled to remove the rest of her clothing before it too was destroyed by his hand but she wasn’t fast enough. Skirt and panties met the same fate as her blouse. His hands moved possessively over her fevered flesh it was as if time had stood still and she was still the young girl held captive by his touch. Nick wasn’t the first man she’d had sex with but he was her first lover, first love. Eight years later no one had been able to take her to this place. To ignite the wildfire with in her. Only his touch could take away the pain that had consumed her these past years. Today she feared him as much as she desired him. She touched the scar on his side that she’d sown closed so long ago. His body was a little more battered but still firm and hard beneath her fingers. His words said no but his body remembered the pleasure. She fought back the tears of joy. He was hers again if only for a little while. Strong hands traced the body of the woman she had become. She didn’t need any foreplay she’d been waiting almost eight years for this moment. She wanted it to be rough and painful because she deserved it for her part in this but it wasn’t.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Angel was terrified and anxious but she needed to see Nick for the sake of them all. Meyers and his friends had plans for Nick and they were using his son as the bait. She wrote the note several times until her hand finally stopped shaking and the words were legible. They’d arranged a time and a place for her to meet him.
“There’s too many eyes on Dempsey. Were giving it to Jack as far as we can tell no one is watching him.”
“I don’t care what you do. This wasn’t what I got I into this for.” She remembered Jack. He had been kind to her all those years ago. What would he think of her now?
“Yeah, you’ve got Dempsey’s kid in the other room. You replace one kid with another.”
“Do you think it’s that simple to replace a child? You’re dumber than I thought.” Angel walked off into the bedroom. Nicky was crawling around the crib fussing. “I’m so sorry little man.” She picked him up out of the crib and took him to the chair. She sat down and he snuggled into her chest. “I love you, Nicky,” she murmured, gently stroking his back. No child could be replaced, no child could replace her daughter. She put her faith, her trust in the wrong man, realizing too late he had no intention of helping her find her daughter.
Meyers watched from the doorway as she held Nick’s child. He headed to the kitchen for a drink and headed to the garage for a cigarette. No smoking in the house since she brought the kid to the house. He was still struggling with the idea of killing Angel, too. Part of him wanted her dead and part of him wasn’t sure he could live without her.

Nick’s hands were sweating as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. He was on his way to see Angel. His heart pounded and his stomach ached at what he would find and how he would react. Would Nicky be there with her? A part of him never stopped loving her but this betrayal was devastating. Would he take her in his arms or would he take her life? He circled the block in the borrowed car and parked the next block over. It had been a long time since he felt this kind of fear and excitement. He watched and listened all his sense heightened by the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves before he knocked on the door. He had to stay calm and focused, his sons life depended on it. What ever demand she made he would do it. all that mattered was seeing his son back safely in Kathy’s arms. He knocked on the door of the address he was given. “Come in’” a muffled voice yelled from behind the door. His breath left him when he saw her in front of the window. Her skin glowed and light danced on her hair. Bathed in the soft glow of sunset she looked like an angel and she was his Angel then and forever.
His anger turned inward and all he wanted to do was touch her. To feel the flesh, to hear her sighs. He realized he was hers and a piece of him always would be. He had never stopped craving her anymore than he would a line of coke or a shot of Jack Daniels. Each woman he loved he carried a piece of her with him, only death could break that bond. Angel was a painful part of his past and had no place in his future.

Angel’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t believe at long last the man she loved stood before her and the look of hatred in his eyes was for her. She scanned the room quickly for a way out or a weapon if she needed it. But deep down she knew she’d never be able to hurt him anymore than she already had. What could be more painful than killing his wife and stealing his child? Yet somehow her fate was worse never having held or seen her child before it was taken away. How long did she have to wait to feel her daughter in her arms. She inched her way towards the hallway, this was a horrible mistake. His dark angry eyes never left her for a moment. She’d forgotten how lethal he was, like a cat quick silent, deadly. The silence terrified her.
“She’s not dead,” he hissed and in a heartbeat Nick closed the distance between them.
“You bitch. I can’t believe you did this to me!” Nick screamed. Angel backed into the wall broken pictures sent shards of glass at her feet. To see her again was like opening an old wound the pain leaked from him like the blood of his victims, it covered him, engulfed him until he thought he’d drown in its depths. His sins had been cast upon his son.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nick drove around aimlessly the mansion was a crime scene and even if it wasn’t he couldn’t have stayed there. Kathy’s blood and Nicky’s empty bed taunted him. Nick’s mind was consumed with Angel and where had she been all these years. She obviously wasn’t the happy homemaker he’d envisioned. He found her to be lethal and ruthless in the pursuit of what she wanted qualities he shared and understood. The fact she wanted him could cost Kathy her life. He would have done anything Angel asked to spare Kathy this pain. He should have known Angel was troubled; kids don’t normally run away from happy homes. And the time she’d spent with Carlos had to have done damage. He’d seen the bruises and felt her tremble in fear. There must been more going on with her than he realized and now it was too late. If he hadn’t been so screwed up at the time maybe he could have seen the pain and helped her instead of pushing her away out of guilt. There had been so much blood and death with his last assignment all he had wanted to was to drown out the pain and the guilt. He’d shut down and crawled inside a bottle of Jack Daniels. At the time he hadn’t been in any shape to help himself much less any one else. That mistake came with a high price tag, his wife and child. By failing her he had failed them all.
He’d always wondered if someday his past would come back to haunt him. Someday when he least expected it a bullet or a well placed knife blade would end his life. He always imagined he’d be the object of their wrath not Kathy, not his family. Those thoughts never entered his head since his move to Minnesota. All had been peaceful since he ended the life of the small town serial killer. There was no fear in that place. The only predator he feared there were bears and wolves. It had been so many years since his days in vice but bad people tended to have long memories. He’d taken Angel away from that life could she have some how found her way back into it or was it simply an angry ex lover seeking revenge. If only he had told Kathy she couldn’t come back to this place. She had given him so much a peace he never thought he’d find in this life. How could he not give her what she needed in return.
“Damn it Nick answer the phone,” Jack cursed softly. Kathy had taken a turn for the worse during surgery and Nick needed to be here to make some decisions if the damage was too great.
Then phone on the seat next to him vibrated. A cold shiver ran through him. He didn’t need to answer it he knew what the caller had to say. Kathy was dead. He had felt her die. He picked up the vibrating phone and held it.
“I know it’s beautiful there baby but you’ve got to fight for us. I’ve never asked for anything but I’m asking you now.” He closed his eyes. “Please don’t take her,” he whispered. Her fate was out of his hands now. If there was such a thing as a merciful God he’d never seen it. Death and chaos had been his constant companions for as long as he could remember. Perhaps what he put out into the world is what came back to him. Had he chosen that life or had it chosen him. Maybe to receive mercy you had to be able to show mercy. Right now there was no such emotion in his heart. There was only revenge and destruction. Kathy had been his sanctuary the calm, loving port in his turbulent life. She brought out a side of him he never knew existed. He was a kinder gentler man with her in his life what would he be without her?
He turned the car around and headed towards a life and time he’d turned his back on years ago. How many snitches would still be alive and willing to cooperate. Somehow he had to get information on Angel and where she had taken his son. He couldn’t go back to that hospital empty handed and sit by Kathy’s bedside knowing he couldn’t give her the one thing she needed to survive; their son. His heart ached never in a million years would he have thought a child could steal his heart. But Nicky seemed to be the best of both of them a perfect blending of fearlessness and gentleness. His heart and his soul belonged to his family and he’s do whatever it takes to reunite them. Kathy needed Nicky to pull through and Nick needed them both.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Minutes seemed like hours and the four walls of the lounge closed in on him until he was unable to think or to breathe. Should he be home waiting for a ransom call from an jilted lover or here waiting on word of his wife. His mind swirled with thoughts of Kathy, Nicky and Angel. His stomach knotted at the thought of Nicky in the hands of someone capable of murdering his mother. His first thought had been a crazed fan or someone seeking revenge for his past until he saw the glass figurine. Nick jumped up when the door opened but it wasn’t the doctor just a fed from the looks of him.
“I’m Special Agent Bill Mallory,” he said extending his hand to Nick. Nick started to reach out but realized his hand was clutching his cell phone. “Sheriff Dempsey I want to say how sorry I am for what’s happened to your family. We’ll do everything in our power to make certain we get your son back to you and your wife safely. Are you up to answering a few questions?”
Nick nodded his reply. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I just want to bring my son back to his mother.”
Mallory reaches into his pocket and pulls out the evidence bag with the figurine in it. “Does this mean anything to you?”
Nick shook his head no. “I’ve never seen it before.”
“It’s just a very odd thing to leave behind. Could it be related to any of her movies? We want to go through all your wife’s fan mail. I don’t even know where to begin with you. I pulled your file and you have quite a history. Vice, sniper training.” He shook his head. “What’s your gut telling you Sheriff. Is this about money or revenge?”
“Neither, both how should I know?” Nick sat and stared straight ahead.
Agent Mallory looked to Jack. He could see from the expression he was going to get no answers from either man. “They’re working on your house now. The phones covered if something comes through we’ll send it to your cell. We‘re here to help.”
Nick stood and stared at him for a moment. He had no time for the feds. Kidnappings rarely ended well and his own personal experience with Meyers had made him untrusting. Finding his son would be his job. But first he had to find Angel. “I’ll let you know if anything comes to mind.”
The Dr came through the door as agent Mallory was leaving. He stopped outside to listen knowing he’d get no information from Dempsey.
“We got your wife stabilized for the moment. We’ve called in a neurosurgeon. He’s scrubbing in now. She was shot and the bullets lodged behind her ear. This is going to be touch and go for quite a while. Is there other family members or clergy you can call to be here?”
Nick stared at the doctor blankly unsure what his words meant. He shook hi head no. “Her father passed away last year. There’s only me and our son.” Damn him. He couldn’t even bring Nicky to her. “What are her chances?” Nick asked the question but wasn’t prepared for an answer.
“I don’t know Mr. Dempsey. Does she have a living will. Do you know what her wishes would be should things not go as hoped?”
“You do whatever it takes to keep her alive.” They’d never discussed such things. He never could have imagined anything this serious happening to her.
“Why don’t you come with me you can see her before they take her up.” Nick followed the Dr. from the room.
Jack steeped out into the hall spotting Agent Mallory perched close to the doorway.
“I’m not going to get any help from either of you Am I?”
“If there was anything you could do we’d be more than happy to help. You need to see what the evidence at the house tells you. Any prints on the figurine.”
“Yes but they aren’t in the system. I can’t believe whoever went to this length would leave prints behind. Tell him I hope she makes it. I’ve seen this before. It might be a blessing if she doesn’t.” Agent Mallory left Jack leaning against the wall. He felt like all the life had drained out of him. How had things gone so wrong in the few minutes they were gone. This was a well thought out plan carefully orchestrated with neither one picking up on surveillance or a tail. Maybe they both had gotten soft with age.
They dressed Nick so he could spend a few moments with Kathy. What he saw shocked him more than he ever had been. She was a mass of tubes and machines. So little of her could be seen. He took her hand and brought it to his lips uncertain he’d ever taste her skin again or feel the warmth of her next to him in bed. Tears slid down his cheeks and he kissed her hand. “Don’t leave me, baby. I need you…Nicky needs you.” A nurse came in and led him from the room. “Dr. Jordan is one of the best there is. We’ll take good care of her.”
Nick wandered the halls unsure how he found his way back to Jack and the lounge.
Jack put his arm around Nick and led him inside. “You don’t trust him do you?”
Nick shrugged. “I don’t know who I can trust, Jack. I‘ve got to get some air.” Maybe this was all a strange coincidence maybe Angel wasn’t involved.

He had no blood family left. The last of it had died with his mother. All he had now was Jack and the little family he created for himself. They were more precious to him than his own life but now they were separated and it felt as if his heart had been torn from his chest. Nicky was gone somewhere beyond his reach held captive by a vengeful ex-lover. He had left his precious family for only minutes and now they were scattered like seeds in the wind. Kathy was safe for now but he could do nothing for her. His own life was meaningless they had to survive. The loss of his son would be a wound too deep to heal. If it took his last breath he would bring Nicky back to his mother. He knew Kathy could beat this she was a fighter with a passion for life but without Nicky all would be lost.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Meyers hit the button and pulled into the garage. He didn’t move until the door was safely down. He looked at Angel in the rear view mirror. She hadn’t taken her eyes of Dempsey’s brat the whole trip home. The kid had finally stopped screaming and was sound asleep again.
Angel carried him into the house and the room she‘d set up for him. It was nothing grand and posh like the room she’d taken him from but it was the best she could do. This was a temporary situation and Nicky would go back to his father in the end. How would he explain to his son his mother was dead? She placed him in the crib and covered him with a blanket. She was uneasy about the whole thing now that it was happening. How could she have allowed herself to be talked into something so insane? Desperation did crazy things to people.
Meyer’s grabbed a bottle of vodka from the cabinet and took a long pull. Things hadn’t gone quite as planned. He was nervous about killing Dempsey’s wife but more so about Angel being a witness to that. He wiped his sweaty hands on the kitchen towel and took another drink. He flipped on the TV and waited for the shit to it the fan. The police scanner buzzed with activity.
Angel walked into the kitchen and checked to make sure she had everything she needed when Nicky woke up hungry. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the man who had murdered his mother although she’d wished Kathy dead a thousand times in the last 7 years. She’s held the gun in her hand at the mansion and wanted to pull the trigger but the thought of Nicky losing his mother stopped her. Meyer’s thought she was going to kill Kathy, but she couldn't. She better than anyone knew a child should have a mother’s love.
Meyer’s grabbed her arm and spun her around. “Don’t give me any attitude. You’re in this just as deeply as I am.”
Angel never flinched. She looked him straidht in the eye. “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
There was something in her gaze that frightened him but he made certain he didn’t show it. “Just remember if I go down. You’re going with me.”
“When Nick finds out what we've done. He’ll kill us both.”
His phone vibrated on the kitchen table. He recognized the number and knew he hadn't drank enough liquid courage to answer.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Nick walked out into the cool night air. His chest felt tight and he couldn’t breathe. His son was gone.
Seconds felt like hours and Nick was doing more harm than good. Terrorizing the maid and contaminating the scene. “Nick you need to back off and let them do their job.”
Nick shook his head and stepped back into the house.
Jack hated himself for doing it but he sucker punched Nick and caught him before he hit the floor. “Somebody take him out to the car for me.” The room grew quiet.
“I know you all know what you’re doing but this is one of our own,” Jack said looking from man to man. They nodded and went back to work. Two cops stepped up and walked the groggy Nick to Jack’s car. Jack kneaded the ice pack and headed out to the car.
Nick grabbed the ice pack angrily from his hand. “You get one of those a lifetime.” Nick glared at him like a cat after a bath. The look of betrayal in Nick’s eyes stung him.
Jack slid in behind the steering wheel. “You didn’t leave me a choice.”
“He’s gone Jack and Kathy…”
“We need you Nick. Don’t shut down on me now.”
It didn’t take long for the media to get wind they descended on the hospital like ants at a picnic. They whisked them off to a private lounge away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi
Nick paced back and forth nervously. “I gave that figurine to Angel. This doesn’t make nay sense. Angel wouldn’t do this she couldn’t.”
“Hell hath no fury…”Jack interjected.
“Why now why after all this time. She killed Carlos to protect me why steal Nicky and hurt Kathy?”
“You never told me she killed Carlos.” Jack looked angrily at Nick.
“You didn’t need to know. Christ Jack if I would have known how old she was. I never would have touched her.”
“I saw her Nick. I never would have guessed. You were just trying to do the right thing when you sent her home.”
“She couldn’t have done this. I thought I was doing it for her but maybe I did it for me out of guilt or shame. I don‘t know. She couldn‘t have,” Nick muttered. “When are we going to hear something?” He ran his hand nervously through his hair.
“You were pretty screwed up after that one. I’d never seen you like that.”
“Too much coke, too much booze, too much blood. If Kathy hadn’t come along and put me in the spot light I don’t know what would have happened to me. I guess I would have kept going until someone or something killed me.”
“Hey you’ve been clean and sober ever since.”
Nick never had the luxury of rehab. He spent a month with Jack detoxing. He frightened himself as much as he frightened Jack. He knew enough not to go though that again.
“If anything happens to her,” he said clenching his fists. Just a taste to stop the pain. Even after all these years it called to him; a siren’s song of death. It never ends that simply. He wasn’t sure he could stop again if he ever started.
“You’ve got too many people depending on you to screw up now. We got the best people working on it. I don‘t think this was about money, Nick.”
“I know I don’t think she’d hurt Nicky she wasn’t like that.”
“People change Nick it’s been along time.”
A cop knocked on the door. “This is from the sketch artist. She’s very beautiful.”
Nick shook his head staring at the picture. It was his Angel. “Yeah, beautiful,” Nick repeated lost in time and lost in memories. She’d lost that innocent child like quality. She was still so young to have had such a difficult life. Could it have been so cruel it turned her into a stone-cold killer? Part of him doubted that, maybe the most important part his heart. She had killed once to protect him would she kill again to extract her revenge? He always hated the fact she had to live with the same kind of guilt, the kind that could only come with the taking of a life. Self preservation and guilt made strange bedfellows. Instincts demanding you survive and conscience always wondering if you deserved to. Did the fact you were able to take a life negate your right to survive. It was a dilemma that no doubt plagued mankind since the first life was taken. Nick could only hope one day there would be no need for someone like him. Someone who could kill. A cold shiver shot through him, maybe he needed to worry.
Nick and Jack pulled in to the restaurant parking lot when Nick’s cell phone rang.
“Dempsey,” he answered. “What? When? Get your asses over there and send the police. I‘m on my way.” Nick threw the car in reverse and barreled out of the parking lot.
“What is it Nick?”
“It was the security company. The alarm just went off at the mansion.” Tires squealed as he roared into traffic. Horns blew as he ran through a red.
“Maybe it’s just a false alarm and you’re going to get us killed for nothing.” Jack hit he door as Nick slid around a corner. He reached over and snapped his seat back in place
“I’ve had a bad feeling Jack ever since we’ve been back. The whole movie thing was just B.S. we found out yesterday.”
Jack had known Nick long enough to know to listen to Nick’s instincts.
Nick pulled up behind cars in traffic. “Damn, damn,” he said pounding on the steering wheel. He punched in the number to the house and it rang and rang. He tried Kathy’s cell phone and got voice mail.
“This isn’t good, Jack.” An ambulance blew by them when they were a block from the house. “Kathy’s in there,” he groaned. He was torn. Follow Kathy and the ambulance or return to the mansion and check on his son. His paternal instincts won out. He pulled around the waiting cars and drove into oncoming traffic to his son.
“Jesus, Nick.“ He flinched as a car swerved around them. “How do you know?” Jack shook his head hoping his friend was wrong but knowing he wasn‘t.
“I just know. It‘s bad.” Nick threw the car into park and hurried past the cops on the scene. Police, security and rescue cars littered the driveway. Jack hurried into the house behind him. Nick stood momentarily dazed at the puddle of blood in the foyer, was it Kathy’s or Nicky’s. “No, no,” Nick moaned.
Jack kept his eyes on Nick while he pumped cops on the scene for information. Jack hurried back over to Nick. “She’s been shot in the head small caliber bullet from the casing they found this in her hand. Jack held up a clear plastic bag and inside was a crystal figurine of angel. Nick stepped back and bumped into the wall behind him. “No.” Nick’s eyes grew wide with surprise.
Two uniforms helped the maid down the stairs. Her face bruised and bloodied. She broke free and ran to Nick. “I tried to stop them Mr. Nick but I couldn’t,” she wailed. Tears streamed down her face.
“Where’s Nicky, Maria? Where’s my son?”
“They took him. I tried.”
Nick grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Who took him Maria?”
“You’re hurting me Mr. Nick.” Maria sobbed harder and Nick shook her harder.
“For Christ sake Nick. She doesn’t know,” Jack said trying to pry Nick’s hands from her shoulders. “Nick what about Kathy?”
“If he’s gone Jack she wont want to live.”

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Angel stopped in her tracks and shivered at the sound of the gun shot. She wanted to be happy but a part of her couldn’t be because she knew it would cause Nick and his son pain. She came face to face with the wide eyed panicked maid.
Maria’s lips curled into a snarl and she charged the woman with the gun. She would protect little Nick no matter what the price. Angel easily side stepped the older woman who flew past her and into the wall. Angel took out her rage on the helpless maid. She grabbed her by the hair and pounded her head into the wall until the woman stopped struggling. She slid to the floor leaving a smear of blood on the Venetian finished walls. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the child’s room. It was everything she ever could have imagined or wanted to give her child. She walked hesitantly to the crib. She choked back a sob at the sight of Nick’s son. The realization he’d grow up without his real mother tore at her heart.
“What the hell are you doing,” Meyer’s yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
Angel wiped away the tear and gently picked up the sleeping child. Nicky sighed and snuggled into her chest. Her body went limp and she almost couldn’t hold the weight of him. It was too late to turn back now. There was no where to go but to hell.
Angel made it to the kitchen with Nicky. “Oh my, God,” she said seeing Kathy in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.
“Move your ass,” he said in a hushed tone. The last thing he needed right now was a screaming kid. “She saw me. I didn’t have a choice.” Meyers put the mask back on and the two hurried out to the car.
Maria groaned and pulled herself up on the hall table. She stumbled into Nicky’s room.
“Dios mio,” she cried, “Dios mio.” Nick Jr. was gone. She staggered to the alarm panel and hit the button before the room spun and faded into darkness.
Angel cradled the sleeping child in her arms with the sounding alarm Nicky woke with a start and began to cry. The two hurried away with the screaming child as the alarms from the mansion blared in the background.
“I told you to take care of the maid,” he snapped. He punched the gas and sped away from the house.
“I…I did. She wasn’t moving.” Angel was in the back seat and quickly buckled Nicky into the car seat
“You had a gun why didn’t you use it. It’s not like it would be the first time you killed someone. So help me. If you screw this up!”
She looked at him defiantly. “It was different. Carlos was going to kill me.”
He was going to kill Dempsey he wanted to scream at her. When push came to shove he knew she’d never do the same for him. Nicky fused and fidgeted in the car seat. “Make it shut up or else.” he snapped.
What did he expect Angel thought. They’d taken the sleeping child from it’s bed and hauled him into the darkness. She‘d done her best to shield Nicky from his lifeless mother on the floor. She resented the fact as a woman men always expected her to automatically know what to do. Instinctively on some level she did. She’d always been careful to keep her distance from children. The pain of her loss was just as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. She couldn’t help but hold and comfort Nick’s child. She looked into the tear filled chocolate colored eyes and saw his father staring back at her. The thick wavy hair and dimple had been passed on to the next generation. As she comforted the troubled child she fell in love with Nick all over again and she hated herself for what she had done.
Meyers and Angel hid in the darkness waiting for Jack and Nick to leave the mansion. Meyers and his FBI tools had listened in so knew they’d be gone long enough to get the job done. When Nick came back from getting food; his son would be gone. What was she doing? Stealing one child to get another back? Nick’s car pulled out of the driveway and the two slipped through the gate before it closed. Angel heart pounded so wildly she thought it would burst through her chest. Her palms broke out in a sweat. Meyer’s pounded on the back door hoping Kath would think it was Nick returning ,unexpectedly.
Kathy was setting the table when she heard the pounding. She hurried to the back door.
“What did you forget?” She threw the door open and found A woman and a masked man were standing there. Fear took over and she quickly tried to close the door but the man was too strong the force knocked her to the floor. Her only thought was of Nicky and to get to the panic button for the alarm.
“What do you want?” Kathy gasped.
He pulled Kathy from the floor and shoved her onto a kitchen chair.
“Do you know who my husband is? What do you want with my son?” she said defiantly.
“Why do you think I’m here, Kathy?”
Angel’s whole body shook as she stared at the woman who had ruined her life, stolen her life and the man she loved. Finally after all this time she could take her life back. All she had to do was pull the trigger and one part of her nightmare would be over.
Meyer’s watched as Angel raised her hand with the gun. The clenched jaw and the look of determination in her eyes said more than words ever could. It pained him to think Angel was going to have to die but her and Dempsey were two of a kind. Killers who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. A coupe of rabid dogs he’d have to put down. He was doing the world a service by taking them out. He just had hoped things would have gone differently with Angel. After all this time he had to admit she would never truly be his.
Sounds from the baby monitor brought them both back to the reality of the situation.
“Go get the kid. There should be a maid here somewhere. Take care of her.”
Angel turned to leave the room. Kathy screamed and lunged for Meyer’s and the gun. Angel kept on going. She wanted to see Nick’s son. To hold the child that should have been hers.
Kathy scratched and clawed and managed to get the mask from his face. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. She knew this man and she knew he hated her husband. Why was an FBI agent in her home holding a gun on her? Why was he interested in her child. Kathy stomped his foot, breaking free she ran for the panic button.
“You really shouldn’t have done that.” He aimed his gun at the fleeing woman and pulled the trigger.
You get two of everything. It’s all I’m going to eat while I’m here,” Kathy said.
“Are you sure you’re not pregnant again?” Nick grabbed her and twirled her around until she giggled.
“Hey, another crack like that and you’ll be sleeping on the couch permanently. Wow, now I’m dizzy.” she sat down in the closest chair. She smiled and giggled again. He knelt down in front of her.
“I’m sorry baby. Are you okay?”
She grabbed him and pulled him to her. They shared a long passionate kiss.
“I came her to eat not watch live porn. It’ll be cold by the time we get there if you two don’t stop.”
“I think we need to find Jack a woman,” she teased.
“Okay I’m out of here.” Jack turned and headed to the door.
Nick took his keys and hurried after him. “I’m setting the alarm,” he yelled to Kathy.
“I want something with chocolate too,” she yelled after him.
Nick rolled his eyes and shook his head. “She’d tell me if she was pregnant again right?” He said to Jack.
“They tell us when they’re ready it’s got nothing to do with us. God, you two are nauseating.”
“Yeah but when was the last time when you were nauseated. It’s been too damn long Jack.”
“That’s just it. I’m afraid it’s been too long. There hasn’t been anyone serious since Ellen.”
“It’s going on thirty years for God’s sake. What are you a monk?”
“I said there was no one serious. I didn’t say I wasn’t getting any. Ellen died last fall, cancer. Suzy’s been emailing me pictures of the family. I’ve got 3 grandkids I still can’t believe it. Two girls and a boy. She wants me to come and see them but it sounds like Jim is still blaming me. Suzy’s a big fan of Kathy she couldn’t believe that I knew her.”
“I’m sorry about Ellen but maybe you can’t put the past behind you now start over with Suzy and Jim. I’ll get Kathy to sign some stuff if you think she’d like it. Hey they could come up and see us. I think Kathy misses her adoring fans that’s why we’re here. They spoil her rotten at home.”
“I know she’d love it.”
“That’s one thing you can’t get in Brody is Chinese food you have to drive all the way to the Cities to get it.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “You’re starting to talk like them I think you’re getting an accent.”
“They don’t talk funny,” Nick said angrily.
“You wouldn’t notice because you sound like them and Kathy’s career is going to be ruined.”
“Hey, she doesn’t sound funny either. There are plenty of celebrities from Minnesota.”
“Yeah but aren’t they all named Anderson?”
“Ass,” Nick growled.
“I’ve really missed you too, Nick.”
“Come back with us invite Suzy and Jim up. I bought a pontoon you’ll love it. Wait until you see hockey on my big screen. When they take someone down it’s so real it almost hurts.”
“God, what have they done to you. Does Kathy know about the pontoon?”
“She bought it for my birthday she just doesn’t know it yet.”

Sunday, April 4, 2010

The hills were shrouded in fog, a late summer heat wave moved in. The air was damp and smelled like summer dying. There was a finality to the end of summer and coming of winter. Life like nature had made a full circle.
Nick ran his hand along the cool granite of Angie’s headstone. He brought flowers to her grave every week since her murder. He touched the smiling cherubs carved on its face in memory of the child that died with her. The chubby cherubs reminded him of little Nicky. His mother always said when God closes a door. He opens a window. He had taken something precious from Nick but he had given him a loving wife and beautiful son. Kathy played the role of mother and wife flawlessly as with all her acting roles but there was no acting now. Her love for him and their son was real and moved him beyond words. He came to Minnesota to escape the death and pain of L.A. leaving Kathy and the broken dreams of a life with her behind but fate had other plans for him. He had found a new love and a new life here if only briefly with Angie. Life had taught him a hard lesson; there was no escaping his past or who he was. No amount of water could wash the blood from his hands. He said his goodbyes and left the cemetery. It was time for him to rejoin the living.
Nick stood on the deck at twilight and listened to their howl. The song of the wolf filled him, called to him. He knew their song and knew their purpose. His spirit ran along with them lost in the thrill of the chase. Pure adrenaline driving them forward to their goal past the pain, past the fear they ran as they had since the beginning. Like him they would run until their end. He had found their dark primal place long ago. He felt the blood rush through his veins predator to predator they connected. Then came the kill and neither found pleasure in that. It was a matter of survival, no malice of thought only the need to exist. Survival at any cost was a concept he understood. He’d always lived in their world of kill or be killed. Embracing the primal side of himself is what allowed him to survive. That was the way it was only he doubted they gave a second thought to their prey. They went un haunted by the ghosts of those they killed. He was Sheriff, supreme predator and he hunted men.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Nick woke with a start. “No,” he groaned sitting up in the chair. He looked at his hands but there was no blood. It had been months since he’d dreamt of Angie and the child that died with her. When God closes a door; he opens a window his mother always told him. He looked around the room. Kathy and little Nicky were gone. Nick stood slowly his body protesting the hours spent sleeping in the chair. He gritted his teeth and took a step grateful Kathy wasn’t there to see him struggle. The clock on the wall said 10:00 and sunlight flooded the room. Nick looked both ways down the hall but Kathy and little Nicky were nowhere in sight. In the distance he heard the faint sound of Kathy’s voice.
“Please just leave us alone.” Kathy pleaded with the obnoxious man as she tried to shield little Nicky from his camera.
“Come on just one shot you owe it to your fans.”
“I owe them my talent. Not my life.” she hissed. The man reached out his hand to touch Nicky. A look of shock and fear crossed his face as he flew into the wall slide down onto his well fed ass. His camera hit the floor shattering into several pieces. Nick stepped over him and wrapped his arms around his wife and son. Kathy’s eyes welled with tears enjoying the safety she felt in his arms. A momma bear had nothing on her Nick.
“Send me the bill,” Nick growled. The terrified man nodded from his position on the floor.
“I don’t think he’ll bother us again.” Kathy said sniffing back her tears. She looked back over her shoulder to see two security guards help the man to his feet. Her husband was a man born centuries too late. A man who would have been king, a warrior king who would have taken the thrown by his own hands. A man who would have fought great battles and won. He stood there before her magnificent and powerful. So sure of his place in this world and she knew she’d never be able to deny him anything again. He had placed his future in her hands and for too long she had denied him his legacy, her legacy. She had watched a man die by his hand yet felt no fear. His fierceness tempered by a gentleness that moved her as he cradled their son. With Nick as his father all would be safe in his world.
Nick saw her staring at him. “What? He looked at her brows furrowed. “Am I doing something wrong?”
“No, I just realized I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”
Nick sat down with her on the bed. “It took you long enough.” He leaned down and gently brushed her lips. “I’m the luckiest man alive to have the two of you. I love you with all my heart and soul, baby, always.”
Tears slid down Kathy’s cheek and she touched Nick’s hand
“I’m trying to feed him but he’s not cooperating. They said it can take some time but I worry about him not eating. There‘s so much to learn.” she said letting out a big sigh.
“We’ll get through this together. If it was chocolate milk I’m sure we wouldn‘t be having this problem,” he murmured brushing his lip against hers. “Maybe it’s time for our first father son talk.”
“Ha, ha. If he’s anything like his father you’ll be having a lot more of those.”
“I hope to hell not,” Nick sat down next to her on the bed and took Nicky in his arms. “Listen young man you’re only a day old and you’re already giving your mother a hard time. That’s my job until you’re a teenager. We love you and want you to cooperate is that understood?” Nick tickled little Nicky’s belly and got a drool filled smile. Kathy unhooked her nursing bra hoping for success this time. Nick reached out and stroked her breast. Kathy closed her eyes and groaned.
“It’s been so long, baby,” he whispered, nuzzling her ear.
“I know I’ve just felt so…” he put his fingers to her lips.
“You don’t have to explain anything. But you’ve never been more beautiful or more sexy to me,” he said brushing his lips against hers.
He wasn’t like the others she had sensed that from the first time she’d looked into those dark, mysterious eyes. Kathy both hated and respected the violent side of Nick. Sometimes she felt his violent nature drew violence to him like sharks to blood. The malevolence seemed to be never ending. Even in this peaceful place it had touched him.
Kathy saw the look of love in his eyes for her and little Nicky and she felt sad she had wasted so much time ruled by her fear. She felt over whelming pride at being loved by this fierce, passionate man He had chosen her as lover and mate, to be the mother of his children. As she watched him with little Nicky she knew there would be more children. Nicky would be a big brother and guardian so much like his father. His strength and determination apparent at only hours old. He was his father’s son and because of that there would be battles to come.
Little Nicky’s arms began flailing and he let out a scream. “So this is how it’s gonna be.” Nick said shaking his head and smiling. “You’re up mom.” He handed the fussing baby over to Kathy and crossed his fingers. “Now the two of you just relax.” He stroked his son’s face as Kathy placed little Nicky to her breast.
Loud sucking noises came from Nicky and he stopped fussing. “I think it’s working.” Kathy said excitedly.
Nick smiled and shook his head. “I think we’re going to have our hands full with him. I think this was from that time on my desk when I was working late and you showed up wearing nothing but that coat,” Nick said gently rubbing his sleeping son’s belly.
She shot him an angry look. “You didn’t tell anyone about that did you?”
Nick cleared his throat and remained silent.
“Oh my God, they must think I’m the town whore,” she whispered so not to wake Nicky.
“No, baby they think I’m the luckiest man alive.”
“Men,” she said shaking her head in disgust.
“Just remember you’re out numbered now two to one and I think we need a pontoon.”
“I draw the line at a pontoon you can get a bigger boat. You’re getting into this Minnesota thing way too much. And don’t even think about hunting.”
“That’s my girl.” He loved it when she told him what to do. And right now he was so in love with her he’d jump off the roof if she told him to.
“Always, Nick.” She touched his face and kissed him. “I think this is the most perfect moment,” Kathy said wiping tears from her cheeks.
“I think we’ve earned it.” He rested his head on hers. “It is perfect isn’t it. Like it was always meant to be.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let him out of my sight not even when he’s thirty.”
“I know baby. I know,” He smiled down at their sleeping son.
They’d come so close to losing each other last year to death and to other people. There were no questions, no recriminations they both had strayed and it would either destroy them or bring them closer. They had survived it all with a stronger bond, one no one could sever and now there was little Nicky. Nick wasn’t a man to walk away from his child. Even through the one night stand with her ex or her dalliance with Ben he never questioned or doubted that the child she carried was his and she respected him for that. They had survived their brief affairs with others to create something so remarkable.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The beginning

Kathy shook her head and rolled her eyes. The ultrasound wasn’t able to tell them the sex of the baby but she didn’t need a machine to tell her she was going to give Nick a son.
“You’re doing great Kathy. I see a mass of black hair.” Kathy squeezed Nick’s hands until he thought they were going to break. "I’m so proud of you baby,” he said brushing back the sweat soaked hair from her face. You‘ll have to explain to our daughter why she‘s named Nick Junior.”
“Once more Kathy. It’s … a boy! You were right,” Dr. Larson said smiling. Kathy laid back onto the bed tears streamed down her face. Tears of joy and tears of relief.
“I knew you could do it, Kathy,” he said wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“Why isn’t he crying,” Kathy said struggling to sit up. “Is he alright?”
“Do you want to cut the cord dad? It looks like mom won the bet you got yourself a boy. I don’t know how you waited to find out. I’m not one for surprises,” Dr. Larson said.
Nick rose and walked to the foot of the bed. He cut the cord that had bound mother and son for the last nine months. The child was now a flesh and blood part of Nick’s world. The baby opened his eyes, looked at his father and screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Nick has that effect on people,” Kathy said, crying happy tears.
“I don’t think we’ll have any trouble knowing when he wants something,” Nick said proudly.
“Here you two can hold him for a minute. Dad, you look like you could use a cup of coffee. We need to get him ready for his debut. The paparazzi have been sniffing around.”
An angry look flashed across Nick’s face. “They’ll get a picture of him if and when were ready. Nobody comes near him.” Nick took the baby in his arms, he was so small, so fragile. He laid their child in Kathy‘s arms.
“Look what you did,” Nick said smiling.
“Look what we did,” Kathy chided. “He’s so beautiful Nick and so…” Nick and Kathy quickly counted fingers and toes.
“Perfect, just like his mother.” Nick leaned over and kissed her. “I knew you could do it.”
“Nick, I’m a mess don’t look at me.”
“You have never looked more beautiful to me.”
“Okay you two I’m going to start crying in a minute,” Dr. Larson said sniffing. She’d never seen two people more in love or devoted to each other and knew that devotion would be showered on their child.
“I’ll let Jack know then I’ll be right back.” He bent over and kissed her again.
Nick walked out and headed for the waiting room. Rose jumped to her feet a look of apprehension on her face. “Well…” Rose said.
“It’s a boy and they’re both doing fine.” Rose threw her arms around Nick and kissed his cheek. Tom slapped him on the back and shook his hand. “Brody just grew by one,” Tom said proudly hugging Rose. “We better hit the road honey, It’s almost dawn.”
“I didn’t realize it was that late,” Nick said shaking his head. “Thanks for being here. It means a lot to us. Here I got a picture of him on the phone.”
“ Look at all the hair. He’s just beautiful. We’re so thrilled for the two of you. Call us when you bring him home.”
“You bet,” Nick said.
“Well how does it feel dad?” Jack said throwing his arms around Nick. “You look like hell.”
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. Lets go find some coffee.” The two men headed for the elevator and the cafeteria. “Great it doesn’t open for another hour.” Nick pushed the button on the machine and watched as the various plastic wrapped food items spun past. Nick settled on a Danish and chocolate mini doughnuts for Kathy. “Don’t look at me like that I’d eat the wrapper right about now.” Nick sat down at a table and Jack brought him coffee.
“Let me see that son of yours,” Jack said holding his hand out for the cell phone. “Just don’t screw this up like I did Nick. They always have to come first.”
“I know Jack.” Nick mumbled his mouth full of Danish. “I don’t want to be gone too long. I guess the paparazzi are on the loose. I don’t want them bothering Kathy and the baby.”
“You mean Nick junior?” Jack teased.
“She said I get to name the next one. Let’s head up and I‘ll introduce him to his uncle Jack.”
“The next one,” Jack said looking at Nick out of the corner of his eye. “I never thought I’d see the day Kathy would settle down.”
“She’s going to make a great mother. If she’s as passionate about this as she is everything else. The poor kid will never be out of her sight.” Nick and Jack walked into the room. Kathy sat on the bed holding Nick Jr. in her arms.
“How you doing Kath?” Jack asked.
“I’m so happy Jack. I don’t ever remember being this happy. He’s so incredible. Do want to hold him?” she asked.
“Come here to uncle, Jack,” he said scooping Nick Jr. up in his arms. “You certainly are an arm full.”
“Eight pounds three ounces. He‘s so beautiful.” Kathy’s face glowed with pride.
“Definitely not your typical homely baby. You two did good.”
“I almost forgot,” Nick said handing Kathy a package of chocolate covered donuts. “The cafeteria was closed it was the only chocolate left in the machine.”
“Thanks Nicky. I don’t know what I want more food or sleep.” She yawned as she ripped open the package.
“You three need some alone time and I need some sleep. I’ll see you three tomorrow.”
Jack bent over and kissed Kathy on the cheek. “I couldn’t be more proud if you were my own daughter.”
“Thanks Jack,” she said her eyes filled with tears. Where was her own father during this momentous event. Absent as always. Maybe she thought things would be different with her expecting his first grandchild but she had heard nothing from him since she told him about the baby.
“Later Jack,” Nick said waving little Nicky‘s arm at him. Jack shook his head and rolled his eyes.
Nick turned back to Kathy her eyes were closed she was asleep. “It’s just you and me kid,” he whispered. He walked over to the window and stared at the sunrise. The new life in his arms greeting the new day, the first day of his life. The fear and uncertainty Kathy must have felt washed over him. He like her had no one to guide him in this new chapter of his life. They were starting off together in unfamiliar and uncharted territory. There was no margin for error with this precious little being depending on them making the right decisions. He bent his head down and kissed his sons cheek. That hole, that emptiness that had followed him around for the last thirty years had finally been filled. He now knew what it was like to be complete. Little Nicky blinked his eyes and yawned. “I think you’ve earned a nap you’ve had a big day.” Nick laid him down and covered him with a blanket. Kathy was still sleeping peacefully so he sat down in the chair and closed his eyes.

Kathy turned off the water after cleaning the mess Nicky made at lunch time. He had managed to get more food on the floor than in his mouth. She was glad to start him on solids he was always hungry. Demanding like his father but in a way that made her want to give. There were no sounds coming from the living room so she peeked around the corner. She found Nick on the floor with Nicky sleeping soundly on his chest. Kathy smiled and grabbed the camera. She took several pictures and then stared at her two men, he was his father’s son. His hair was growing in dark and thick and he had his father’s devilish dimple. She had never seen a more devoted father they were inseparable.
“You want to grab him mom or I’m going to have to spend the night down here.”
She bent over and gently picked him up. Nick grunted as he rose from the floor.
“He’s a handful I don’t know what we’re going to do when he starts walking.”
He took Nicky from Kathy’s arms and carried him upstairs to the crib. They’d left it in the master suite with them; neither wanting him out of their sight. In one swift move he gently threw Kathy onto the bed; pouncing on her like a cat on it’s helpless prey.
“When were you going to tell me about the movie? Am I going to have to tickle it out of you.”
“You know I’ll scream and then we’ll wake him up. How did you find out?” She whispered glaring at him.
“It’s my job to know things.”
“I guess I was a little embarrassed they want me to come out and read for the part. Can you imagine?”
“No one’s seen you in almost two years, baby.”
“They just want to make sure I’m not fat after the baby. Am I fat Nick?”
Nick rolled his eye. She wasn’t bony like before she was soft and curvy and he loved her new body.
“No, baby you’re built for comfort.”
“Am I a car or what?”
He ran his hands down her body. “You’re like the Ferrari, sleek, hot and always a wild ride.” He kissed her and felt the familiar passion stir.
“Maybe we should go down stairs and take a test drive. It’s been a while.
“Are we talking about sex or the car?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just hurry before he wakes up.”
Kathy grabbed the baby monitor and they held hands as they headed down the stairs.
“Maybe we can take a nap when were done,” Kathy whispered.
“Sounds good to me.”
Kathy sighed and snuggled into his arms. She was more happy with her family and life than she ever could have dreamed possible.
“What about another baby next year?”
“Only if we can have a daughter as beautiful as it’s mother. You know me. I am always ready, willing and able to do my part.”
“You are such an animal,” she giggled.
“But that’s what you love about me, baby. Why don’t you set this movie thing up and we’ll all go out. Uncle Jack wont believe how much he’s grown. You can tell me anything and I’ll support you in anything you want to do. I don’t ever want you to doubt that I want you to be happy.”
She smiled. “I am Nick. I am.” She pulled him down on top of her and they made love until they collapsed, blissfully sated

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Nick wasn’t sure which emotion was more overwhelming shame or guilt for his part in her corruption. This woman who had been sharing his bed and his life for the last 6 months had been a 16 year old girl. Today she turned 17. Emotions swirled in his mind. She was nearly half his age they had shared everything for these last few months, from Wild Turkey to an insatiable lust for each other. He’d never been so enraptured by a woman before or so perfectly in tune. They always knew what the other needed or was feeling and for the first time he knew he was in love.
“I’m sorry I never asked when your birthday was.”
“That’s okay,” she said smiling. She threw her arms around him and kissed him. He wanted to pull away but couldn’t.
“I’ve got to hit the store we’re out of whiskey. Can’t have a birthday party without that.” What was he saying she wasn’t even old enough to drink. He’d seen a crystal figurine of an angel in a local shop and had thought of her. He had to acknowledge her birthday no matter how disturbing he found it. It would make a nice birthday gift and memento. In his heart he knew their affair had to end. But a piece of him would always love his Angel. There would be two hearts broken when this affair ended.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Nick woke blinking trying to focus his eyes. Every part of his body ached and throbbed. Angel was snuggled up against him. She sucked in her breath when he touched the bruises on her wrists. He was all too familiar with the marks handcuffs left behind.
“I don’t listen,” she said lowering her eyes.
“Bastard.” Nick brought her wrist up to his lips and kissed it.”
“Have you been doing this along time?” she asked
“Too long,” Nick replied.
The day was spent with Carlos, coke, booze and more coke. There was no faking it like he had so many times before. Carlos watched Nick like a hawk. Nick tested the coke and got the color he wanted.
Screw Ramos Carlos thought he would kill this asshole and take the money and the drugs, make it look like the gringo double crossed him. Angel would make a nice diversion.
“Pure, eh,”
“Righteously pure.” Nick nodded the buzz already told him that.
“We decided to call you Tre in honor of the three men you killed. My cousin wasn‘t so upset he was cheating on her so his days were numbered anyway.”
Nick didn’t need a nickname to remind him of what he’d done. He looked at the girl perched on the ottoman and thought about the night before. He’d have to make sure she escaped the mess that was to come. These guys were heavily armed and it would no doubt be a blood bath. He was wondering how he was going to survive this, now he had to worry about her.
“I want you to have her. I see the way you two look at each other.”
“No, I meant no disrespect Carlos, lo siento.”
Angel hurried to his side and crouched at his feet like a puppy. He felt her body shaking as she leaned against his leg.
“She’s very beautiful but I’m bored with her if you don’t want her I’ll sell her. I’m sure she’ll bring a fine price. Consider her a gift in honor of our deal.”
Things were going from bad to worse in Nick’s mind. Nick pulled her head up gently by the hair her eyes were wide with fear.
“I hope you haven’t beaten the life out of her I like my women with some fight in them.”
“Why do you think she has so many bruises. You enjoy, hasta manana”
“What the hell am I going to do with you?” He said looking down at her. She crawled into the big leather chair with him.
“That’s what I was afraid of,” he whispered.
Angel unbuttoned his shirt, the wound at his side had been weeping.
“I should change that,” she said.
“Later.” Nick carried her into the bedroom. What he was about to do was stupid and wrong but sometimes what the mind wants takes a back seat to what the body demands.
“Jesus,” Nick groaned sinking back onto bed. He touched his side and his hand came back red with blood. “It’s all your fault,” Nick said jokingly.
Angel hurried to the bathroom for a towel and pressed it to his side. She jumped back as he reached out for her. She sat at the corner of the bed quivering.
Nick grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t hit women, never have never will.” He stroked her gently. “What happened can never happen again. Being distracted now could get us killed. Do you understand me?”
Angel nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t please you.” She hung her head and pulled away.
“Angel, you were very, very good. It’s just…complicated.” Nick stroked her face trying to reassure her. He wasn’t thinking clearly and wanted to kick himself for getting involved with her. She could either be an asset to him or a liability.
Nick could tell by the look in his eyes Carlos was doing a double cross. Nick’s instincts told him this was going to end badly and they were usually right. Carlos grinned as he pulled the gun from his waist band.
“This time I won’t miss,”
Nick’s heart thundered in his ears.
“I hope you enjoyed her as much as I’m going to enjoy killing you. When I’m done with you our little Angel she’s going to wish she was dead.”
Carlos was close enough to take out but Nick didn’t think he could do it without getting shot. Carlos had seen Nick in action and would no doubt be expecting it. Angel walked out of the bedroom distracting Carlos long enough for Nick to make his move. Nick kicked the gun from his hand it slid across the tile floor and landed not to far from Angel. Carlos pulled out a knife he had sheathed on his belt he slashed out at Nick and the tip of his blade sliced Nick’s cheek. The two men mad a lunge for the gun but Angel got to it first. She held it with two hands trying to steady her shaking hands. Nick thought if she fired now it could hit either one of them.
“Angel, chica you don’t want to hurt Carlos,” he said slowly inching his way towards her.
“Stay away I heard what you said.”
“I wasn’t serious. I’d never hurt my Angel.” He moved his hands apart in a non threatening gesture. Nick moved in on Carlos hoping to disarm him before someone died. Carlos turned and lunged at Nick. The gun shot echoed in the room and Carlos slumped to the floor. Things had just gone from bad to worse any hopes of reasoning with Carlos died with him. 18 months of undercover work shot to hell. Tears streamed down Angels face and the shaking got worse. She raised the gun back up as Nick approached her.
“Give me the gun Angel honey we don’t have much time. If they heard it they‘ll be here soon.” Nick took another step forward and put his hand on her gun, Angel let it slip from her grasp. He took her by the shoulders and shook her. “Listen you didn’t do this, I did. If they think you did it they’ll kill you. If I killed him it was a drug deal gone bad and maybe I’ll get through this. Do you understand?”
Angel nodded, what had she done? She had killed to protect this man.
Nick scrambled for paper and pen he wrote and address and fished keys from his pocket. “You wait until dark and get out of here. If you can’t get to my car head to the highway. You stay at this address until someone comes for you.” He put his father’s cross around her neck. “They’ll know what this means if I don’t get out of this.” Nick felt his luck had run out maybe it would bring her good luck now and she would escape this life with Carlos. She touched the bloody cut on his cheek her eyes wide with fear.
“Go now hide and don’t come out no matter what you hear.” Her life had gone from bad dream to nightmare. She’d escaped her abusive father only to become Carlos’ sex slave, now she had killed a man she wasn’t sure if her life was worth saving. All she knew was she didn’t want this man to die. Nick took her and kissed in a way that sent shivers down to her toes.
“Please, go. I‘ll come for you if I can,” he whispered.
Angel heard the shouts of Carlos’ men as she ran out the back door and knew he was going to die.
Nick threw the gun on the floor when the men ran through the guest house door and raised in hands. They checked Carlos on the floor and found he was dead. One of them hit Nick with the rifle butt and the lights went out.
Angel watched from the garage as they dragged him into the main house. She couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead. She looked down at his blood on her hands and she cried until she had no tears left. She headed for the highway at nightfall and prayed he’d come for her.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Angel of Death

Cole Lassiter/Nick walked slowly into the church with Carlos’ man hot on his trail. This job had turned out to be more than he expected; an impending feeling of doom loomed large since the day he started this assignment. Cole crossed himself and headed to the alter. He hadn’t set foot in a church since his mother’s funeral. He hadn’t felt the pain of her loss, of his parents in years; now it was just a dull ever present ache. He lit two candles and held the cross that hung around his neck. Cole was deeper undercover than he had ever been and if all was going as planned Jack was here at the church. He’d been stripped and searched more times than he could count. He wanted to laugh at the sight of Jack dressed like a priest but things were too serious for that. If they hadn’t taken his phone he’d have taken a picture for use at a later date. He found some small measure of comfort in Jack’s presence.
“Forgive me Father for I have sinned,” Nick said solemnly.
“From the looks of you my son that is an understatement. I see you have company.”
“I’m half expecting him to crawl in the shower with me. “That my son is a sin for another time,” Jack said smiling. He shoved a small piece of hardware between the confessionals. Nick took off his cowboy boot and it’s heel and slipped the device inside.
“It’s getting close now. Thank God for GPS. I’m meeting Carlos tomorrow. This one is calling for extreme measures. He’s well fortified and armed to the teeth.”
“We’ve got your back but be careful Nick.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling, Father.”
"You always do."

Carlos, Angel and three other men led Nick into a room off the garage. Blood stains splattered the walls and floor and it smelled like death. Nick steadied his breathing unsure what all this meant. This was a place of death and he wondered if it would be the place of his.
Nick/Cole turned to Carlos. “What the hell,” he asked.
“You’re reputation as a fighter precedes you. We want to see if it’s deserved.”
“I don’t fight for sport,” Nick said as he turned to leave the room.
“This isn’t a game Cole if you want to do business with me that’s the price.”
“I don’t want to do business with you that badly.”
Nick heard the sound of a pistol cock and spun back around to face him. “It’s too late for that, you’ve seen too much.” Things kept getting more and more bizarre with this lunatic.
“It’s simple two go in one comes out. You can take your chances in there,” he said motioning to the blood stained walls. “Or you can try and outrun my bullet. If you live we’ll talk.”
Nick nodded, he was screwed either way. Nick and one of the men with Carlos walked into the room. Carlos threw in the knife and closed the door behind him. The knife skidded across the floor and landed at the feet of the other man. He gave a jagged tooth smile as he took the knife from the floor. Nick readied himself for a charge, his opponent was large but slow and predictable. He trapped the man’s arm when he lunged and brought the man’s face down hard on his knee. The man howled and dropped the knife as blood poured from his nose. Nick picked up the knife and waited.
“Only one of you comes out alive. It’s your choice,” Carlos yelled.
The man looked at Nick with both rage and fear in his eyes. He charged again but was no match for Nick’s cat like agility. He snapped the man’s neck quickly and he slumped to the floor at Nick‘s feet. Nick was staring at the body when Carlos returned. Nick’s breathing was clam his mind focused. Kill or be killed was a concept he knew too well.
“That wasn’t much in the way of entertainment it was over so quickly.”
The two men took the body out of the room. Angel stepped from behind Carlos her face ashen.
“Are we doing business or what?” Nick said petulantly.
“The next one wont be so easy.”
“What the fuck. Does Ramos know what you’re doing?”
He pushed past Nick and walked into the room he was big and well built.
“Just to make it interesting.” He pushed the third man in and threw the knife back in.
The second man stepped forward and took the knife from Nick’s hand and gave it to Carlos. “Now this should be a show.” Carlos said, “I did it for you chica. I see how you look at him.” Angel turned away but Carlos grabbed her face and turned it towards the monitor. “He’s going to pay now and you’re going to pay later.” Angel shivered at his words. Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of this man dying because of her.
Nick wasn’t sure what the rules were in this ménage a trios. But he was determined to be the one who walked out of there alive. The larger man moved hard and fast like a street brawler. Nick needed to take him out first and it wasn’t going to be an easy task. The other man grabbed him from behind while the big man lunged. Nick’s body became fluid and he twisted out of the other mans grasp. The blade plunged into the belly of the man holding him but caught Nick in the side as well. The man screamed and crumpled to the floor moaning. Nick elbowed the other man in the face and twisted his arm behind his back. The man head butted Nick and knocked him off balance. “You’ll have to do better than that,” Nick said.
“Carlos don’t’ do this,” Angel pleaded. “I could never want anyone but you,”
“It’s my fault chica I turned you into a tigress in bed. I can’t blame you.”
Nick moved quickly as the man slashed at him with the knife. Nick did a round kick and connected with the man’s head. He flew into the wall dropping the knife.
“Son of a bitch,” Carlos yelled. “It’s like a Kung Fu movie. No” Carlos ran from the room. Angel stared at the man on the screen she wanted him now more than ever.
Nick got him in a choke hold and tightening his grasp.
“No,” Carlos yelled as he opened the door.
Nick squeezed harder until the man gasped and gurgled. Nick let go and the man twitched a few times when he hit the floor.
“Son of a bitch,” Carlos said running his hand through his hair. “How am I going to explain this to my cousin, You killed her husband.”
Nick stood panting sweat dripping down his face. His side burned like fire and his hand was red when he pulled it away from his side. Carlos pulled out a .357 from under his shirt and aimed it at Nick.
Angel whispered “No.” from the other room if anyone could have saved her from Carlos it was this man. Nick stared at the gun he’d been in Vice almost nine years and he’d beaten the odds many times. He saw Carlos’ finger twitched.
The sound was deafening Angel jumped back from the monitor waiting for the man to fall but he didn’t. She smiled, looked to heaven and said “Thank you.”
Nick closed his eyes and waited. The gun shots reverberated in the empty room and then silence. Nick swallowed hard and opened his eyes. Carlos stood in front of him smiling.
“Scared the shit out of you didn’t I.”
Nick grunted his reply. He felt like he was going to puke but fought the urge. He looked past Carlos and saw the young woman standing in the doorway smiling. She looked so young and innocent how did she end up with a bastard like Carlos.
“Angel,” he yelled. “Take care of him.” Angel moved to Nick’s side, he placed his arm around her. Angel led him to the guest house. He didn’t start limping until Carlos was out of sight. Showing weakness was like was like blood to a shark. Nick sat down at the table and winched when she removed his shirt.
“I’ll take care of it I’ve done it before. I‘ve got something for the pain.”
“No,” Nick said. “Just give me the bottle.” Nick motioned to the bottle of whiskey on the counter. She poured him a glass and dissolved some pain killers in it. Stitching him up was going to hurt and she remembered what Carlos had done to her when she had hurt him. Nick finished off the glass and she poured him another. Carlos came in and sat at the table with Nick and poured out some coke he snorted a couple lines then handed it to Nick. Nick did a line and washed it down with whiskey.
“No hard feelings,” Carlos said. “We have to be careful in a deal this big. I know no cop is as crazy as you, man.”
Nick just shook his head. “I think I’ve earned the right to meet Ramos.”
“We’ll see. It’s good shit you could cut it keep some for yourself no one would ever know.”
“I’ll test it tomorrow.” The buzz told Nick it was very pure.
Carlos stood and headed to the door. “My Angel will fix you up,” he said smiling. He pulled her aside. “ You do whatever that crazy son of a bitch wants. Understand?” Angel bit her lower lip and nodded. Nick’s head was swimming from the coke, whiskey and the pain killers. His adrenaline rush was fading fast. Angel brought a surgical kit over and soaked it all in alcohol. She sat down beside him at the table and examined the wound. “It’s not to bad But it’s going to hurt.” She had a light touch he barely felt the stitches until the last couple. Nick winced and Angel moved away quickly.
“I’m sorry,“ she said.
Nick grabbed her arm. “I wont hurt you. I’ll never hurt you,” he said.
Angel nodded and finished the stitches. “Take your jeans off I’ll wash them.”
Nick steadied himself on the table while Angel unzipped his pants. She stood there admiring his body, it was hard and muscled, not soft like Carlos. He rested his hands on her shoulders while he stepped out of the jeans. She wondered what he’d be like. Would he be rough and brutal or would his touch be soft as it was now.
“We need to get you to bed.” Nick stumbled and pulled her down on top of him. His eyes reminded her of hot chocolate deep and rich. She let her fingers twine in his chest hair she played with the cross around his neck. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a Celtic cross.” It was the only thing left of his father. He never took it off.
“It’s brought me good luck.” She pulled herself up to kiss his lips. He wrapped his hand in her long strawberry blond hair and kissed her back, his body responded to her touch.
“No,” he said rolling her off him.
“Don’t you want me?” she asked. Her innocent blue eyes stared into his. He couldn’t remember wanting anyone more. It had been almost two years. He hadn’t made love since he broke off his engagement to take this assignment. He couldn’t leave her waiting and wondering when and if he’d come home. He wasn’t sure if he was going to make it out of this mess alive. Nick had never felt such overwhelming doom before. This one was so young probably twenty going on forty and she belonged to a man he couldn’t afford to piss off. She ran her hands over his body. Nick pushed it away struggling to stay awake and in control.
“Why Angel?” he whispered.
“Because when you’re with me you’ll think you died and went to heaven.” He smiled. She did look like an Angel