Releasing a heavy sigh, I clap Linc on the shoulder and watch as the girls start to scatter. Each one of them moving toward different directions as they start switching off all the lights leaving us in the red glow of the Cursed Magic sign. Before walking out the door, I take one last look around the shop . . . we did it.
As I step out onto the sidewalk, an odd feeling hits me hard. The air around me instantly becomes thick and tension builds within my muscles. I’m on high alert, something’s not right.
Looking up and down the street, nothing seems out of the ordinary. My body turns to face the rest of the crew as they exit the building. Everyone seems to be fine.
What the hell is wrong with me and why do I have a feeling as if something bad is about to go down?
I haven’t felt like this in years. There hasn’t been a need to watch over my shoulder in what seems like forever. Those days are long gone. I left the business, hid from my enemies and as of ten seconds ago, I never thought I’d feel like this again. My instincts are pretty spot on, it’s a way of life I had to grow accustomed to, but now . . . here, I haven’t had a reaction like this since the day I decided to call it quits.
Trying my damnedest to shrug off the way my gut and mind are reacting in this moment, I focus on the love and support of the people surrounding me. Hugs and goodbyes are given before we each begin to walk our separate ways to our awaiting cars.
I’m taken off guard as a rush of guys sweep past me while I approach my car. With my hands in the air, I curse under my breath and take the last few steps toward the back door. My senses go into hyper drive as I hear a ticking sound. Uneasiness sets beneath my skin as I intently listen, tick . . . tick . . . tick.
My feet begin to move me away from the sidewalk before my brain can register what’s about to happen next. As I quicken my pace, I glance down the row to see everyone walking further and further away. Just as I’m about to hit the side alley, an explosion sounds and the sky illuminates with bright colors.
Before I know it, I’m thrown to the ground with my hands covering my head. Seconds pass, minutes go by, and I feel as though an eternity has escaped me.
By the time my eyes finally open, the anxiety within my chest is unbearable . . . what the fuck just happened?
Soft hands graze my face as my eyes try to regain focus. A soft glow of light surrounds an angelic face.
“Etty?” I barely whisper.
She bends down closer to me and runs her fingertips along my forehead and neck.
“Shh, just relax for a second. The guys are coming and will help to get you up into the shop.”
I can hear the shuffling of feet coming my way, but my head feels like a dead weight is holding it down.
“Dude, sit still, let us help you up.” Steve’s voice says echoing through my ears.
Shadows begin to surround me and I feel hands pulling me to my feet. Suddenly becoming weightless, I allow them to walk me down the sidewalk and back into Cursed Magic.
As soon as we enter the front room, bright lights hit me forcing my eyes to squint shut. Voices start to speak and I try to keep up with the dialogue, but my fucking head is pounding.
“The police should be here any minute now.”
“Thanks for calling.”
“Is everyone okay?”
“What the hell happened?”
“Did anyone see or hear anything?”
“Go get him something for his head.”
“Cliff, are you okay?”
So much is going on that I’m beginning to feel nauseous. I can’t wrap my brain around it. Something felt off as we left the building, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
“My car!” I shout as realization hits me.
“Screw your goddamn car, man. You were just knocked out for a few minutes. You’re . . . we’re all lucky we’re alive.” Dault’s voice amplifies with each word.
“Calm down, babe, it’s not his fault. Shit, we don’t know what the hell just happened, but thankfully everyone is okay,” Etty says.
Trying to move into a seated position on the couch, I rest my head in my hands.
The sound of clicking heels along the tile floor move closer until I see a pair of shapely legs standing before me. Moving my head from my hands I look up to see Jo with both hands extended out to me.
“Here, Cliff, take these.”
I reach my hand out to her as she drops three pills into the palm of my hand along with a bottle of water. Tossing them into my mouth, I chase them down with a few long swigs of cold, delicious water.
Damn, I was thirsty.
“Slow down, killer, we don’t want you puking those back up,” Jo replies with a giggle.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I half attempt to reply with a wink but the pain in my head is too strong.
“Thanks, Jo.”
“No worries, tough guy, now sit back and relax ‘til the rescue squad gets here.”
Sirens begin to sound as we all turn our gazes toward the front windows. Blue and red lights fill the streets and I can’t help but wonder what the hell is going on.
Could they have found me?
Could this really be happening?
Could I have been so blind that they’ve been watching me all this time?
Regret of my past actions comes at me full force. I can’t stand the thought that something I did years ago may have hurt or killed those closest to me.
My attention is pulled to the front door as paramedics come barreling through, followed by the men in blue. The tension and anxiety I was feeling before is nothing close to what is shocking through my system right now. Cops have never been friends of mine, in fact they were the ones I ran from too many times to count. My mind goes into instant panic mode as they approach. Linc and Steve take a step forward to talk to the police officers while the paramedics start to ask questions of the girls. Etty and Ashley lead them in my direction as Jo assures them that everyone else is fine.
A tall blond haired man approaches and kneels down in front of me.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
For a second I have to stop my immediate desire to throw a comment of sarcasm in his direction. If I look half as bad as I feel he should be able to tell pretty damn fast how I’m feeling.
“Do you remember what happened?” he asks.
“Really I’m fine. It’s just my head that is killing me right now. Jo gave me something for the pain, but it hasn’t kicked in yet.”
“Who’s Jo and what were you given?” he asks turning his head to the crew.
Jo steps forward and raises her hand.
“Hi, sir, I’m Jo and I just gave him some Tylenol for the pain.”
A scowl forms across his face,
“All right, since you’ve already taken something for the pain in your head, let me check your vitals. Are you experiencing pain anywhere else?”
Shaking my head, I watch as he removes some devices from his bag.
“Like I said, it’s just my head. I really don’t know what the hell happened. One minute I’m trying to get my tired ass home and the next I heard a ticking noise coming from the car.”
“Yeah, keep your mind going,” he states pointing to the cops. “They’ll want to know the details once I check you out.”
The next few moments pass by in slow motion as I try to understand what has happened.
Where did I go wrong? How did I miss that I’ve been watched? Or is this something entirely different?
Too many thoughts and questions are running rapidly through my mind. I need to get to the bottom of this, even if I have to do some investigating on my own. There’s no way in hell I’m letting this go. Too much is at stake. I’ve turned a new leaf, have a new life and no one is going to fuck that up now.
Chapter 3
Sitting in the kitchen of my sister’s apartment, I stare at the black and white paper setting open in front of me. The headline of the local section grabs my interest reading, Car Explosion: Down
town Birmingham. Through sleepy eyes, I continue to read the print as uncertainty pulls my attention. An unexpected disaster struck around 10pm last night in front of a local tattoo shop, Cursed Magic. Police and rescue were on the scene, no fatalities or serious injuries have been reported. News of this incident has local store owners and residents concerned. No suspects have been identified nor the cause of the actual explosion. More on this case will be reported as information is presented.
The word explosion alone sets my heart racing into frenzy. I can’t help the threat of tears beginning to form as the thoughts and memories of the past few years spring into overdrive.
My life was nothing spectacular, but it was mine and I owned it. Being the younger sister, I felt the need to live up to everything Jenn was and I wasn’t. Fighting to make the grades I needed to get into a decent school, I kept my nose clean and my attitude in check. I was close with my parents and I knew they loved me very much, but after Jenn left, I became their primary focus . . . their only focus.
Not wanting to go far from home, I applied to the local state school so that I could be near my close friends and family. My high school sweetheart, my soul mate, Brody, decided to enlist in the Marine Corps and there was no doubt I needed the love and support of those that mattered most to me while he was gone.
Brody was the love of my life; we had been dating since our freshman year of high school. He was the only guy that I had ever known how to love. We were young and stupid our parents said . . . but we fought for the love we knew we had for each other. The moment he told me he wanted to become a Marine, my heart fell. I was devastated, yet proud that he was willing to act so selflessly and serve his country. The day he left for the Marines was the hardest day of my life . . . or so I thought. In less than two months, I was set to leave for school in hopes that a simple distraction would help keep my mind busy, but it didn’t. I wrote to Brody every day, sent him care packages when I knew he was able to receive them, and sat by the phone hoping he’d call. We had never been a part for more than a day and the distance killed me. I knew with everything in my heart that we were meant to be together forever, I just missed him something fierce.
Blinking through the tears, I have to stop my thoughts for a moment. It’s as if he’s right here next to me. Goosebumps cover my arms as I feel his touch, his love, and the way he would hold me tight. I miss him more today than the day he left all those years ago. At least then I knew, at that point of our lives, he’d be coming back to me . . . now all I feel is the pain of his loss as the memories play behind my closed lids.
Once Brody completed his training, he was stationed in South Carolina. Being apart was so hard. I could barely focus on my school work let alone anything else. That next summer he came home for a few days and as soon as we saw each other, we knew we had to be together again. Within a few short weeks, I withdrew from school and moved to be with him. My parents were livid, but I knew they’d eventually get over it.
Hell if Jenn could do it, why couldn’t I?
Everything fell into place. Our lives were perfect. I was with the man I loved, watching him serve his country. His first tour to Iraq was difficult to say the least. Not being able to see him, feel him and talk to him every day was the worst pain in the world. I wanted him home safe and sound in my arms, but I knew this was his career, his passion and I needed to be supportive.
The day he came home is one of the best memories I have of us. As soon as our eyes locked, we ran to each other. He swept me up into his embrace, his strong arms pulling me in close as he kissed me a million times over. I’d never felt safer. His scent was intoxicating. He was everything to me, he was my world.
Letting out a painful sigh, I tuck my head into my hands. Thinking back to all of this is so hard, I miss him so much. Gingerly I set my left hand down on the table and stare back at the beauty that still graces my finger. Memories . . . that’s all I have left of my one and only true love.
That winter he proposed and we decided we wanted to be married before his next deployment. Our family and close friends came into town and celebrated our blessing.
Yet another amazing memory I have of us . . .
The day I became Mrs. Brody Cobalt, I was the happiest woman in the entire world. We had so many plans on what our future would look like. Four kids, a beautiful ranch home with a white picket fence, a dog or two . . . it was a vision I felt I could almost touch.
Instead, my world came crashing down on me with one phone call.
A few months later, during his next tour, the Marines notified us that Brody was killed in action from an IED. To say the news of his death hit us all hard is an understatement. A huge part of my world was gone and still to this day I can feel his presence with me, his lips against mine, and the smell of his cologne lingering in the air that surrounds me. The thoughts of our time together are still so crystal clear. If only I could open my eyes and see him again, just for one more moment, then maybe, just maybe, I would feel at peace with his passing.
It’s been fourteen months since I laid him to rest. Being without him has been unbearable and the hardest thing I’ve ever had to live through. It’s a day-to-day struggle and I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to let him go completely. His memory, his face, and his heart will always be with me. When my mom suggested coming to stay with Jenn for a few weeks, I was hesitant. I didn’t want to leave the life Brody and I started together, yet I also knew it was the right step towards moving on with my future. Being here isn’t just a distraction, it’s a way for me to finally grieve and find my place in this world. Without Jenn, I don’t know that I’d have that strength. She’s helped me more than she knows and I’ll forever be grateful.
As I wipe away a final tear, I swallow down the fear that has been holding me back for the past few months. I know what I need to do, even if my heart fights me every step of the way.
“I’m here, Christian, don’t shut me out. I want to help. I don’t care if it involves Steve or the Pope . . . whatever I can do,” Jenn’s voice pleads.
Shifting my eyes from the table, I watch as my sister paces the short distance between the kitchen and the living room. For the past half hour, Jenn has been on the phone with her boyfriend, pacing like a mad woman. As she leans against the back of her leather couch, I can see the worry lines form across her brow while I listen to bits and pieces of her conversation. I’m not exactly clued in to whom she’s talking about, but between the headline on the paper and her distraught tone, I’m beginning to put it all together.
My sister is one of the most compassionate and strongest women I know. She’s not the type to dwell on the past or hold a grudge. I honestly admire her for that. Even though she and Steve have been divorced for years, she’s found a way to move on from the poisons that at one point could have drowned her. She did what she thought was best and made shit happen . . . that’s who she is and regardless of the past she will help anyone who is ever in need.
When she and Christian said they wanted to stop at his tattoo shop yesterday, I was in a bit of shock especially to see the sight of him and Ashley together. For me, it was as if I entered a moment of the twilight zone, I can’t imagine how Jenn handled it or what may have been going through her mind. Did she know that they were together?
Ashley and Jenn were inseparable for years. Best friends who were rarely ever seen without the other close behind. A friendship like theirs wasn’t something that we came across too often in our lives. It still unsettles me the way things went down for them in college. I knew it broke Jenn’s heart when Ashley left. Even with Steve by her side, she was still lost, her partner in crime was gone and that was a void no one could fill. Having lived too far away to console her, as a good sister should, I made certain Steve kept me in the loop when she’d fall into a pit of depression. After a few months, she started to reconnect with other friends and life started to go back to normal, well at least as normal and Jenn would allow.
From time to time I’d come to town to vi
sit, but I had my own stuff going on. I knew she was in good hands and Steve would never let anything happen to her, at least at that point of their lives. But I was young and needed to settle in my own place, I had a lot on my plate too.
“Fine, I’ll be here. Please call me as soon as you hear from Etty.” Jenn’s voice raises a few octaves, causing me to jump out of my skin.
For a moment she’s quiet, finally setting the phone on the table before plopping herself down on the seat next to me.
“Dare I ask?” I mutter before taking a sip of my coffee.
She looks to me with fear in her eyes and I instantly know that whatever she’s about to tell me isn’t going to be good.
A heavy sigh leaves her lips as she rests her chin onto the palm of her hand while scanning over the newspaper with her fingertips.
“We don’t know all that much. Christian spoke to Etty and from what she’s said everyone is doing okay.”
“Okay?” I ask in a questioning tone.
For a moment, she looks up to me and then back town at the paper. I can sense she wants to say something. It’s almost as if I can see the wheels spinning in her mind, but I haven’t a clue as to what she’s thinking.
“I’m just worried. I know that Christian is close with Etty and he trusts her to tell him the truth. It’s just . . .”
She stops midsentence and begins to stare off into space. The look of concern on her face creates a sick feeling in my stomach. I guarantee the reason she’s upset is because of Steve. I know for a fact that once you let someone into your life the way in which she did, there’s no turning back from feeling something towards them. She’s hurting because of the unknown fate of Steve. I’d bet my life on it.