Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Ella
A week has gone by, full of planning the baby shower and playing music, and working my last few shifts at Maids in Heaven.
Now it’s Saturday, and Gianna’s baby shower is going great. I haven’t thrown a party since my dad’s fiftieth, which comprised of Dad, Tommy, me, and Tommy’s girlfriend at the time, Tiana. But that party had been a simple backyard affair with barbecue and cake.
This party is very different. I’d thought of hosting it at Kingston’s place, because he keeps telling me to treat it as my own. But I want Gianna to be comfortable, as well as everyone else, and that might be difficult if the focus is on the penthouse instead of Gianna and the baby.
Another time, I’ll throw a little dinner party and let my friends explore the penthouse, enjoy the pool, all of that. But today, we’re chilling at the park near the university.
“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep!” Mrs. Dali shouts in triumph, brandishing her paper. “I’ve done it, Ella! Ha! I filled out all the nursery rhymes on my card.”
“Congrats,” I say, grinning at her. “You are now the proud owner of this donut charm bracelet.”
She cackles and puts the bracelet on immediately.
I had to scramble for prizes, forgetting that people might want to win little party favors.
Luckily, I found a local jewelry designer who makes themed charm bracelets.
Natasha won the unicorn bracelet, Olivia and her friend Samantha tied for the bunnies and promised to share, and now Mrs. Dali has won the donuts.
Everyone is being super nice to Gianna. I’m just meeting Samantha for the first time, but she’s amazingly nice and funny. And Gianna’s getting along with everyone really well.
I bring out the cupcakes—some with regular flour, others gluten-free, because Natasha can’t tolerate gluten. I’m glad I brought extras, because Samantha’s on a gluten-free diet, too.
Gianna laughs and makes jokes with us all, although I detect a hint of sadness in her eyes every now and then.
“I absolutely love this blanket,” she says, unwrapping a gift from Mrs. Dali. “Did you make it?”
“No, I don’t have the patience for that,” she says. “I bought it from my niece. She has a side hustle, making blankets and shawls.”
“She’s very talented,” Olivia says, touching the edge of the blanket.
“That’s some ring you have there,” Gianna says, pointing to the twin diamonds on Olivia’s engagement ring. “Are you married?”
“No, I’m engaged,” Olivia says, smiling fondly at her ring finger. “We’re getting married in August.”
“Congratulations,” Gianna says with a smile.
“Thanks,” Olivia says.
I wonder how Gianna would feel about it if she knew Olivia was getting married to two men, not just one, but of course, it’s not my place to bring it up. Sure would be nice, though, to know what Gianna would think, since I’m with two men, also.
Then again, maybe Tommy has told her about my boyfriends.
Olivia finds a gift bag next to her and hands it to Gianna. “Open this one next. It’s from me.”
And we’re back to opening presents and oohing and ahhing over the adorable baby gifts. Little outfits, blankets, board books, and the like.
“This is incredible,” Gianna says as the party winds down. “Thank you so much, all of you. I didn’t even know some of you before today, and that you came here…to support my baby…”
She tears up and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her against me. “We’re not just supporting the baby, we’re supporting you. I’m here for you, okay?”
“Thank you.” She dabs tears from her cheeks and Mrs. Dali hands her a handkerchief.
Everyone helps carry gifts and leftover food back to the parking lot.
Roman and Terrence, who’ve been sitting at a picnic table nearby, aren’t allowed to help with the heavy lifting because they’re supposed to be on alert.
But when Terrence sees me struggling with the large ice chest, he takes it from me.
He gives a challenging look to Roman, who just says, “I won’t tell if you don’t,” and picks up a canvas grocery sack, looping the handle over his broad shoulder.
Samantha positions herself next to Terrence as we make our way to the cars, but she doesn’t make an effort to talk to him.
I wonder if there’s something there, though, from the way he looks over at her every now and then.
Whenever he does it, he immediately overcompensates by scanning the park for danger.
I try to hide my smile. Yeah, there’s something there.
The trek to the parking lot isn’t a long one, and once we get there, I hug and wave goodbye to everybody. Natasha, borrowing her boyfriend’s car, is going to give Gianna a ride home. Olivia and Samantha are giving Mrs. Dali a ride.
It’s so strange to have a group of friends like this…strange, and wonderful.
Now, the only ones left in the parking lot are me and my bodyguards. As we start loading up the car, my phone buzzes with a text. The screen shows that same, unfamiliar number, and a preview of the message.
Don’t ignore our texts. We’re watching you.
No. I can’t deal with this right now. Terrence and Roman are hoisting the ice chest into the back of the car. I move to turn off my phone when another message pops up—this one with a picture.
It’s Tommy, and his face is bruised and bloody. There’s a caption beneath it.
$75k. Have it ready in one week .
I shake my head. I can’t believe this. I don’t want to believe this. Now will the detectives believe me? My eyes fill with tears at the sight of my brother. He could still be behind all of this—it could be a desperate ploy to get my boyfriends to pay off his debts.
I just want Tommy back. I want him to come home to Gianna, and be a dad, and clean up his act. Whatever is behind these texts, I want it to be over. I guess I’m going to have to contact the police yet again.
“Down!” Terrence yells.
“What?”
He lunges at me, knocking into my body.
Instead of dropping, Roman jumps toward me along with Terrence.
I slam onto the ground, landing on my knees and my left arm.
Both men’s weight falls on top of me, although they must be bracing themselves somehow or I’d be squashed flat.
I can’t see anything, just the darkness of their clothes, their bodies blocking out the sun.
“What’s going on—” I start to ask.
BANG!!!!
The sound is deafening. A bright light flashes along with the explosion, and I squeeze my eyes shut, thankful that the men are shielding me from whatever is happening.
Oh, shit, are they okay? I push up, trying to move them.
“Are you okay?” I ask, but my voice sounds like it’s coming from underwater. “Guys?”
Why does everything sound weird? My hearing isn’t right.
Roman gets up, but Terrence remains on top of me, arms wrapped around me. I never expected to be this close to the guy. I’d feel awkward except for the fact that there’s nothing lascivious in the way he’s holding me. This is simply the most effective way to protect me.
After a minute, Terrence pulls back slightly and takes his phone from his pocket.
He punches something into his phone. He’s saying something to me, shouting at me, but I can’t hear a thing.
Am I deaf? Oh, no, please don’t make me deaf, how will I sing if I can’t hear anything?
Tears fill my eyes and my throat feels tight with sobs.
Roman takes my hands in his and looks into my face, staring directly into my eyes. He nods at Terrence, then lifts my arms, checking over my scraped elbow and forearm. He turns my arms this way and that, and gestures that I should try to stand up.
I’m able to stand without his help. My knees are bleeding from where they hit the asphalt, and they’ll probably be bruised, but otherwise I don’t feel any pain.
Just as Roman had done, Terrence peers at my eyes. His mouth moves as he says something, but I only shrug—I can’t hear a single word. He brings a finger close to my face and moves it back and forth, and I realize he wants me to follow the movement with my eyes, so I do.
He speaks again, but I shake my head. I hear nothing.
“Can you hear me?” I ask, my own voice faint and strange in my head.
He shakes his head and mouths something back, but I don’t know what he’s saying.
The only things I’m aware of are my heart beating too fast, the tears running down my cheeks, and the way the entire world is quiet.
Silence is the worst company. I can’t stop crying…I’m never going to hear music again.
* * *
Kingston
I’m leaving the office after an impromptu check-in meeting with Kristin. She jokes with me about how I’m not supposed to be working weekends anymore, but this is only because I’ve been gone all week. I guess I need to see for myself that the building is still standing.
It’s going to be a battle to let go of my need for control when it comes to this place.
But the rewards will make it worth it.
Garth is waiting with my car as I leave the building. As I slide into the back seat, my phone buzzes. It’s Jaxon Marsel.
“This is Kingston,” I say.
“First,” he says, “Ella is okay.”
My lungs freeze in my chest. “What happened?”
“An M84 stun grenade went off a few yards away from Ella and her guards, at the park,” Jaxon says.
“What?” I ask. “A stun grenade?”
“It’s also called a flashbang,” he says. “They’re considered nonlethal, used by the military and law enforcement, legally. Obviously that’s not the case here.”
He’s still talking, but my thoughts are going thousands of miles a second. But he said she’s okay, so I don’t need to panic. She’s okay. She’s okay.
He says, “We’ve taken all three of them to the Margaret Chung hospital to get checked out, but Terrence and Roman couldn’t find anything wrong with Ella in the parking lot and they think she’ll be discharged quickly.”
I don’t know what to say.
“Kingston? You still there?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“Can I give you a ride to Margaret Chung? I’m personally picking up my guards, who shouldn’t be driving right now.”
“No, I’m already in my car,” I say. “I’ll see you there.”
I end the call and say to Garth, “Take me to Margaret Chung.”
“Is everything okay?” he asks.
“Supposedly.” I have to call Bash. He’s not going to take this well, either.
He answers immediately.
“Ella’s okay, but she’s at the hospital,” I tell him.
“The fuck?”
“I guess a flashbang went off near her. The bodyguards protected her, but everyone’s getting checked out, just in case. I’m on my way there.”
“Which hospital?”
“Margaret Chung.”
“I’ll meet you there,” he says.
Garth navigates us through traffic, easily finding the fastest route to the hospital.
I watch the people in the other cars, wondering about their lives, wondering if they’re in the same kind of hurry I’m in, if any of them are worried about loved ones.
Who else is on their way to the hospital? Who else has received bad news today?
A flashbang. It could have been an accident. Some idiot got his hands on one, and set it off as a joke. People do stupid fucking dangerous shit all the time, and the park near the university would be a prime location for such a stupid stunt. So that’s entirely possible.
I doubt Ella and her guards would have wandered into the middle of an actual protest or some kind of sting or hostage situation where law enforcement was using flashbangs to resolve the conflict.
Which leaves me with the very probable suspicion that this wasn’t an accident.
There are the threatening texts Ella has received.
Maybe they really did come from Tommy’s enemies.
And if so, I can’t help wondering, how did these guys know where to find Ella in the first place?
Were they following Ella, or did someone—like Gianna—tell them where she would be?