Power (Romantic Suspense) (26 page)

I’d hit Hugo somewhere, but doubted the bullet hit his leg as the elevator binged open. Light spilled in from the opened metal doors. It gave me a few quick seconds to spot Hugo and the twins racing onto the elevator. I checked my right. Both Butterfly and Mary Jane tumbled on the floor.

“Bitch!”

“You’ll never have him!”

“Get off me!”

“He’s fucking mine! I’ve put in the time!”

Blood painted Mary Jane’s arms and shoulders, but still she fought for her life. There was no time to think about safety when Mary Jane had been harmed. Everybody would die. Anyone I could get to. Not thinking of the glass walls or that we were under the sea and the pressure in the space could be too much with gunshots, I aimed for Butterfly’s head and pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit skimmed Butterfly’s shoulder. Screaming, she jumped off of Mary Jane and dove under a table.

I should’ve killed you long ago.

The elevator doors slid closed taking the men to safety. I hoped to God Fuji was ready up above us. If he saw the way they were exiting, he’d know something was wrong and they’d be dead.

Crusher began humming some stupid song. Maybe from
Mulan
. I didn’t know. It told me he was lost. Someone shot at him. The bullet must have hit his leg, because he fell down, but continued to break the guy’s skull apart.

Fuck.

Darkness returned. The staff probably shook in the kitchen. Only Butterfly, Mary Jane, and me moved within the room.

Get Mary Jane the fuck out of here. Now!

Crouching on the ground, I got to her small frame. I could barely see. There were more shadows than light. And the whole time the fish swam around the restaurant’s tunnel shaped glass, taking in the stupid humans.

“Mary Jane?” I whispered.

Frantic, she got into my arms. Her whole body shook and in that moment, I decided that she would never feel this way again. If I had to bomb a whole city, her heart would never beat this hard against my chest. Her breath would never shift to panting. Tears wouldn’t fill her eyes. Blood wouldn’t spill down another beautiful dress.

In that moment, I’d realized what all of Crusher’s stupid ass Disney songs were about. In that moment, I’d almost lost her to a knife. In that moment, I’d discovered love and I wouldn’t let it or her go or be so close to danger again.

Shivering, she held me close. “I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. You’re bleeding.”

“She’s bleeding, too. I beat that bitch.”

“That’s not the point.” I let her go and put her behind me, readying my gun for Butterfly.

“She got me in my shoulder a-and. . .”

The gun rattled in my hand. If I was being truthful with myself, I might’ve said that my hands were shaking as I waited for her to tell me the damage. “Where else did she get you?”

“I-I got her too.” Her body spasmed behind me.

Fuck! Focus. I get it. You’re a bad bitch.

“I-I’m fine,” she whispered. “I got her, too.”

“No one’s taking score, baby. I only want to know how you are.” Movement occurred on my left and then my right. Butterfly could always move fast. A chair crashed to my right immediately followed by some plates on my left. I kept us defended behind the lifted table, using it to block her attacks.

The elevator pinged. Either she’d pressed the button or someone was coming down.

I whispered, “Stay here, baby.”

Mary Jane said nothing else and I hoped to God that she was just being careful and hadn’t passed out, or even worst.

Don’t think about it. She’s fine. We’ll get out of here.

Never before had I held so much horror in my chest. It had been years since my heart even pumped that fast. But I was shaking. It couldn’t be denied. For once in all of these years, Noah the beast of Din City was scared to death.

The metal doors slid open. Silence ensued. Light spilled into the room. No one moved for several seconds, and still, I kept my gun pointed toward the emptiness inside the elevator.

Go ahead, Butterfly. Get on. You’re so close to safety. Just run on in there.

She did. She sped for the door as if she’d heard me. No shoes on. The dress torn at the legs and shoulders. She raced forward and I fucking shot over and over. Bullets carved the air between me and the elevator. I got her in the right leg, but it wasn’t good enough. Other bullets hit the glass walls.
Fuck.
The foundation shook, or it could’ve been my imagination.

The doors began to slide close, right as she flew in, leaping into the metal box like an Olympic high jumper soaring over the bar. Rose petals falling everywhere and blood splattering around in the chaos.

The elevator pinged close, and Butterfly rose to either Fuji’s gun or safety.

I won’t rest until you’re dead. You better pick out a pretty little dress for your funeral.

I checked the walls again. A few appeared cracked, but not completely. As expected, the glass was thick, but not bullet proof. I was sure they’d prepared for everything when building the restaurant undersea, but had not readied themselves against gangsters.

“Mary Jane.” I rushed back to where I’d left her. “Mary Jane?”

But my baby wouldn’t answer, she lay lifeless on the ground with blood spilling from her chest, and all I could do was scream for help.

“Somebody help!”

For the first time in my adult life, tears actually left my eyes. Never had I cried at a funeral—all of those many black clothing gatherings where some mourned and others plotted. I never cried when I killed people—even the ones who meant a lot to me, like Domingo. I never cried when I’d been shot or stabbed.

I never cried, until that moment when Mary Jane lay in my arms, still warm, but struggling to stay alive.

Chapter 17

Mary Jane

A moron is riding a very skinny horse.

Someone comes up and says,
“Your horse is at death’s door.”

“Good,”
responds the moron.
“That’s just where I was headed.”

–Philogelos (The Laughter Lover)

P
ain
gripped every part of me, but especially in my chest where the knife had burned through me like flames. Everywhere it had sliced, exploded with fire. I could not talk or move, just uncontrollably shake and hope someone would help me. Not able to take it anymore, I closed my eyes and wished I was numb.

Noah, help me.

I heard many things—gunshots and footsteps, the pinging of the elevator, the shuffling of feet, and the roar of more bullets. I got it all, but the worst was Noah’s tears. I hated the sound. So full of pain and needing more than I could do.

Someone hard and warm picked me up.

Noah?

More sounds came. Crusher hummed an odd tune and passed out.
How many times did he get shot?
People cried and shrieked around me. I tried to open my eyes, but couldn’t. I tried to move, but only my fingers did, curling around the person’s hand who I hoped was Noah. At the bare minimum, it had to be a man.

He carried me as if I weighed nothing. My legs wobbled over his arms. The elevator pinged again.

“Mary Jane?” He rubbed his lips against my chin.

Noah.

He brushed his mouth against mine. “Baby, please be okay.”

I’m fine. I got her. I stabbed that bitch back. I didn’t know I could do that, but I did it.

The elevator pinged again. Metal doors screeched.

More men and women talked around me.

“Some of the bullets hit the walls!”

“We’ve got to get out of here!”

“We should be fine.”

“I’m not waiting to find out.”

“Shut up and get on the elevator!” Noah roared and lifted me up a little, placing his head on my chest. “Baby, please be okay. You weren’t supposed to be touched. I didn’t think she would hurt you.”

Then clearly, you know nothing about women.

The room went quiet aside from Noah’s pleas and the erratic beats of my heart booming in my ears.

I’m fine. I’m. . .fine.

Chapter 18

Noah

A moron’s farm is many miles away.

To bring it closer to the city, he knocks down seven milestones.

–Philogelos (The Laughter Lover)

S
he
has to be okay. She has to be okay.

When the kitchen staff and I got to the top, Mo already had a car running and waiting in front of the elevators. Fuji had his gun out and aimed when the doors opened. When he spotted Mary Jane in my arms, he cursed, put the gun away, came for me, and took her as if I’d ordered it.

“I’m taking her to the hospital.” Fuji didn’t even wait for a response. What else could I say? His gaze held rage. I knew if anything happened to her, not only would I hurt myself, he’d be there to put his gun in my face. I would accept the death with no problem. Clearly, he loved Mary Jane as much as me, probably more as a brother and sister, at least I hoped for his sake.

But he did love her, so I let him take her away.

Outside, hundreds of men stood in the parking lot. Choppa, the Bordello Brothers, and Hugo lay on the ground face down. Five men pointed guns at the back of their heads.

“Someone get Crusher. He’s fucking holding a skull and shit.”

He didn’t get any sleep. He’s never good when he doesn’t get any sleep. I hoped he would have let go of the fucking head by now.

305 walked over to me, right as Fuji and Mo sped away with Mary Jane, and others went down the elevator to bring up Crusher.

Fuck. Please, be okay, Mary Jane.

“What the hell happened in there?” 305 asked. “I didn’t know who was responsible so I grabbed everyone coming out of there.”

“Where’s Butterfly?”

“I know how you feel about her, so I had JJ take her away to my guy to patch her up.”

“How I feel about her?” I almost screamed. “What the fuck does that mean?”

305 raised his hands and backed up. “You always soft with Butterfly and I heard some things. I figured. . .well, look, boss, she’s with J.J. now.”

“With J.J.?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Call him.” I stared at my bloodied hands.

Is that Mary Jane’s blood?

“What?” 305 pulled out the phone even though I didn’t answer.

“Check on JJ.” Taking off my jacket and unbuttoning my shirt, I headed over to the four guys. The ones dumb enough to think they could join with Butterfly and go after me. They shook on the ground as expected. Urine drenched the air. The twins had most likely pissed themselves.

My people flooded the parking lot. There must’ve been fifty of them. I gestured for all of them to come over. Many did with no problem, but I saw a few struggle, before moving as if they weren’t sure what to do. Those few were sprinkled throughout the crowd, but all had that same look. They were scared.

So Butterfly got to others. Loyal men had no need to fear me, but cowards did.

“Who has a long blade?” I held my hand out.

A tall, black dude rushed over to me with a fucking machete.