Chapter 19 #2
My gaze returns to the man on the alley floor, his lips tinged grayish-blue.
The fight has left him. “Deprived of oxygen and a life-saving breathing tube.” The words sound hoarse to even my own ears.
I gesture in response to Eduardo’s question, extending my hand at the man lying on the cement.
I tilt my head, almost hearing his heart faltering.
Its rhythm is weakening, as his heart is probably stopping as we speak.
Flatlining in that perfectly asystolic line that marks life’s end.
It grips me with such emotion as I remember my own mother taking her last breaths, her body stilling and breath ceasing.
Emma touches me, and I flinch, yanked back to the present.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “That piece of shit drugged her. I saw it. He was just about to do terrible things to her before I got here.” I attempt to act unaffected, although the adrenaline still coursing through betrays me.
Emma rubs a gentle, soothing circle along my back.
She coos softly, “There, there, Dani. It’s all going to be alright.”
Eduardo strides over to the man still sprawled out on the floor and, for good measure, delivers a hard kick to his ribs. I hear the sickening crunch of bones breaking as he mutters a curse. “Piece of shit rapist,” he spews, spittle flying.
I glance up. The door swings open as Evie and Jameson appear. Evie lights up a cigarette between her fingers and strolls toward me. Smoke billows from her mouth as she lifts her chin, exhaling the remainder out in one quick stream.
Emma opens her mouth to speak, but Evie holds up a hand, stopping her.
“Before you chastise me for smoking, sister,” Evie says, taking a long drag from her cigarette, “I just came to tell you that Liv was dizzy and nearly fainted.”
She crouches beside the man sprawled out on the ground, smoke trailing from her lips as she studies him with calm detachment. With a smirk tugging at her lips, she mutters, “Well, he’s fucking dead. What happened?”
But before I can respond, Emma rushes past me. “I fucking knew Liv was pregnant again.” Her tone is clipped, but there’s no animosity there toward her friend as she raises her hand in the air, addressing Jameson.
Jameson takes out his cell phone, glancing at his messages with a knowing smirk. “Dax is on his way to get her. Just like last time, huh, Emma?” Emma hesitates at the door before rolling her eyes and then turns back.
“Don’t worry about it, Dani, we’ll take care of it. Evie, can you stay with my friend?” She looks between us. Evie nods, and Emma rushes inside, trailed by Gus.
Eduardo runs his hands through his hair, tension etched into every line of his face.
He starts giving orders, and I can see that he is the leader.
They, despite being family, all have their own roles in the organization they have established.
“Jameson, can you scrub any footage?” Then he turns to Evie.
“Can you get rid of the body?” Eduardo asks playfully.
“You seem to have a knack for doing that, don’t you? ”
Evie takes one last drag of her cigarette before flicking it on the corpse.
Her smile is sickly sweet, almost deranged, as she presses a button on her phone, lifts it to her ear, and is ready to act.
“Mateo, can you come to the club? I need help with a body.” She pauses briefly, and I hear yelling on the other end.
She doesn’t flinch. “Just bring the van and park in the usual spot.” She says, then ends the call and pockets her phone.
She eyes me and nods. “You should go. I’ll take care of this.” Jameson is already on his phone trying to address the security footage, as I am learning is his specialty.
Eduardo sighs, rubbing the back of his neck, and looking upward in a plea, “Can’t I get a moment's peace?” he mutters, striding down the alley and stopping mid-step.
He glances back at me. “Why aren’t you following me?
” he asks, and I don’t hesitate, following in step behind him.
He leads me through a nondescript door and into a long, narrow hallway.
I can almost feel a pulse in the air from where the elusive club lies beyond.
What is it called? The Hidden Pearl? But we don’t go near there, and I’m almost disappointed.
Sensing my thoughts, he shakes his head and chuckles.
Instead, he guides me up a dimly-lit corridor.
At the end, Eduardo’s door to his office is slightly ajar, and I see Liv reclining on the couch.
Her posture is relaxed, and it quickly sets my mind at ease.
Across from her, a tall man with kind blue eyes kneels before her, watching her with an almost worshipful intensity.
As I enter the office, I hear him chastising her.
“Really, Liv, I can’t believe this happened again.
Can’t you just take a pregnancy test like everyone else?
” he asks, but there is no bite to his tone.
Only warmth, care, and devotion radiate from him.
It reminds me so much of how Vic used to look at me not long ago.
As everyone disperses, Emma slips her arm through mine, gently guiding me out of the office through the hallway.
“Come on, killer, let's get you home.” We emerge into the alley, now eerily empty. No body. No evidence. Only the shadows remain and the faint buzz of the city beyond.