Chapter 30
30
Anais
“So you two are pretty serious, huh?” Keyara and I lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, having girl talk.
“I mean, as serious as I’ve ever been. I dated a few guys in high school but only really did anything with one guy. And we didn’t even date all that much. But there’s just this way he makes me feel. It’s a high I’ve never known before. Euphoric, really. So to me, the feeling that I have tells me it’s pretty real.” I try to explain, however, I don’t think it’s the exact words.
There are no words to explain my feeling for Bishop. Yes, there’s the fact that I love him, but it’s more than that. And to ask me how I know since I’ve never been “in love” is difficult to answer. The words can’t express it adequately and since they can’t reach inside my chest and feel the way my heart beats for him, this is all I have to give.
“Shit. He has you using words like euphoric and high. Those aren’t fuck around words.” She rolls over to her side, propping her head on her fist and looking at me. “When are you telling your Uncle? Seems like he’s the only one who doesn’t know.”
I close my eyes and blow out a hot breath. “I dunno, but I know we need to do it soon. Viv gave us two weeks and it’s already be en four days since then. I should just go down to his office and sit there while he calls Nix. Every time he says he’s going to do it, we get…distracted.” Keyara smirks and rolls her eyes. “At least in his office, we have no other choice than to call him.”
“Oh c’mon. You mean you’ve never been to his office and got busy on the desk? That I don’t believe.”
“Well believe it, chica. I have never been to his office. In the beginning there was never a reason to go all the way over there. It’s not like I have a class by the baseball fields. And now, I just go to his house. We just seem to get distracted there. So I see the office as a neutral place.”
She shrugs and rolls back on the mattress. “Why don’t you go down there now since our class was canceled. We have that lab later.”
I pop up off the bed when she reminds me of our lab. “Oh shit. I forgot about that. Okay. I’m going down there and should be back in about thirty minutes.”
“Suuure, thirty minutes. Twenty bucks says you take an hour and get busy on the desk.” She holds out her hand and I smack it away.
“You better have a twenty in that wallet because I’m not waiting for you to go to the ATM to get my money.” I grab my keys and stick my driver’s license in the back pocket of my jeans. Just before I walk out I sing, “Bitch betta have my munay!”
I laugh all the way to the practice fields where Bishop’s office is. I’ve never actually been here, so I don’t know if I need an escort or pass to get in, so I decide to text him once I’m parked and standing outside.
Me: Hey big guy. You busy right now?
I watch as it immediately goes from delivered to read and then watch as the dots dance on my screen until it buzzes in my hand with a response.
??: I’m never too busy for you, baby girl. What do you need?
Me: Go open the front door of your building.
??: ????
Me: Just do it. tongue sticking out emoji
I pocket my phone and stand bouncing on my toes for him to open the door.
When it finally bursts open, I hold my arms wide and say, “Ta-da!”
The look on his face is one of confusion, but it only takes a second for it to light up. I skip over to him and jump into his arms. I plant big sloppy kisses on his face, happy to be showing my affection out in the open instead of locked behind closed doors.
“Hola mi cari?o,” I murmur against his lips.
“Hi baby girl. What are you doing here?” He sets me down on my feet and takes my hand in his, twining our fingers together.
“Well, it’s twofold really. One, I missed you and needed my teddy bear hug.” He kisses the back of my hand and leads me through the doors. “By the way, I wasn’t sure if I needed like, an escort or something to come in.”
“You don’t. The doors are open when I’m here.”
“Cool. I’ll remember that. And two, I think we have some business we need to take care of.” We walk into his office and he closes the door behind him.
I look around his office for the first time and see that while there are some typical items you’d find in a coach’s office, there are also a lot of personal touches. He has pictures of all of his friends mixed in with baseball pictures and memorabilia. I see a pic of him and a toddler Dagen, and one with an older man that looks just like him and a gorgeous woman.
“Are these your parents?” I ask, pointing to the picture.
He nods with a “mhm.”
“Well hell. If that’s what I h ave to look forward to when you’re that age…sign me the fuck up.”
He smiles that charming and carefree smile that has me melting like a popsicle on the sidewalk on a hot summer day.
“C’mere, baby.” He sits in his big chair and pats his lap for me which I quickly take. “What business do we have to take care of?”
I inhale, puffing up my cheeks, then blow it out. “We need to call Phoenix and set a date for dinner. It’s time we tell him.”
Bishop’s body turns stiff and his fingers fist around my sweatshirt. He closes his eyes and presses his forehead to my shoulder.
“I know. Aside from Viv’s ultimatum, he deserves to know. And he should hear it from us. Not anyone else.” I scratch my nails over the back of his head, the freshly shaved fade prickling the tips of my fingers.
“So…you wanna call him and pick a day for dinner? Don’t tell him I’m going. I think it’s best not to have him stewing over why I am going. We’ll just show up, which will probably be all he needs to figure out what's going on, but at least he won’t be fuming for days over it.”
“That’s smart. Okay. Let’s do that. What evening is best? Want to do this Friday?” His fingers twirl and wrap around my curls as he stares into my eyes.
“Friday is good.” My voice is but a raspy whisper as I feel my body begin to light up.
Our breaths grow heavy as does the air around us. I move, sliding my legs so that I’m straddling him as he sits in his chair. I trail my eyes all along his face, taking in his neatly trimmed beard and the scar on his right cheekbone from when a baseball to the face busted it. I land on his lips last and capture them with mine.
His hands move to my ass and he squeezes while opening his mouth to me and caressing my tongue with his. My hips start to roll and I rub up against him like a cat begging for a scratch.
Damn. I’m going to owe Keyara twenty bucks.
Bishop rises from his chair with me still attached to him, and sets me down to sit on his desk. His big, rough hands slide under my sweatshirt, skating over my ribs until they each hold a breast in them.
While he’s consumed with me, I consume myself with him and stretch the waistband of his pants, sticking my hand inside. His thick cock pulses with need and I slowly begin to stroke him. The growl that crawls up from his chest rumbles and roars, sounding almost dangerous. But I know my man. He’s a cuddly bear wrapped in a hard shell.
His mouth works its way over to my neck and nips at the sensitive skin. I stroke him faster and he rips the sweatshirt over my head. The cups of my bra are pulled down and he latches onto my peaked nipples. His tongue laps at me and the dampness between my legs grows.
“Are you going to fuck me on your desk, Coach Michaels?”
He takes my nipple between his teeth and clamps down, the bite of pain rippling over me.
“Oh, Ms. De La Cruz. I’m going to do more than fuck you. I’m going to ravage you. Every inch of this body will bear the remnants of my ruination.”
My body shivers with his words and under his touch, longing to be ravaged by only him. I reach around to unclasp my bra when a loud knock sounds at the door.
We both freeze, looks of sheer panic written all over our faces.
“Yo Bish,” the voice calls and I feel the life drain out of me.
On the other side of the door stands my uncle, unknowing of my presence. I jump off his desk and tug my sweatshirt back on just as another knock sounds. I’ve barely set it in place when the door opens, Phoenix standing there with a smile.
“Ana?” He says when he spots me.
My chest rises and falls with rapid speed and I swear I can hear Bishop’s teeth rattling beside me.
“What are you…” he looks at me and then towards Bishop.
When the excitement of seeing me fades and anger ripples over, it’s the moment my world comes crashing down.
“Why are you here, Ana?” I fum ble with my words, wondering why my voice won’t work. “Answer me!” he bellows.
“Nix. Calm down and I’ll explain.” Bishop approaches him slowly, his hands held out in front of him. “We were just talking about calling you because–”
“Oh? You were talking? Really, because it looks like you were taking advantage of my niece!”
Phoenix lunges for Bishop, reaching for his throat, but Bishop dodges out of the way.
“Please, Uncle Nix. Just listen,” I beg.
“Shut up and get out of here, Ana” he bellows.
“Don’t you fucking talk to her like that.” Bishop roars so loud, it feels like the door shakes on its hinges.
“I’m going to murder you, you goddamn bastard.” Phoenix jumps at him once more and this time, Bishop fails to move fast enough.
Phoenix’s fist connects with Bishop’s face and I watch his head fling over his right shoulder. He stumbles back but doesn’t fall, and holds his hands out in front of him again.
“Nix. I’m sorry. Just listen,” Bishop tries again.
“How could you? She’s my niece and you’re my best friend.” Phoenix takes advantage of Bishop softening his guard and rushes him.
I yelp when Phoenix’s head barrels into Bishop’s gut, and plows him straight into the wall. The sound of cracking drywall has me screaming. Their bodies hit the floor and Phoenix’s arms begin flying out of control.
“Stop it!” I screech, but it does nothing to calm his fury.
“Fight back, motherfucker,” Phoenix yells at Bishop, hitting him again and again.
I see spurts of blood as they splash on the wall and I cry louder.
“I’m not…not fighting you.” Bishop grunts and I hear the crunching of bone on bone.
“You piece of shit. She’s just a kid.” Phoenix heaves but never stops his attack.
All Bishop can do is hold his hand s up to guard his face, but even that is a failed attempt.
“Someone. Please help me!” I begin screaming at the top of my lungs for someone to hear us.
There is no way I can stop Phoenix on my own, but aside from the sounds of his fists pounding into flesh, I hear no one.
“Hit me. Give me one more reason to rip your spine out with my bare hands.” Phoenix continues to shout while throwing punch after punch.
My crying is blurring everything together, but I can make out the blood that covers Phoenix’s hands and paints the wall and floor.
“Sto-stop,” I wail.
With no other choice, I jump on Phoenix’s back but catch an elbow right in my eye, throwing me back onto the floor where I land with a thud. My head smacks the hard surface and for a moment, I see stars.
“Anais.” Phoenix realizes what he’s done and seizes his bludgeoning of Bishop. “I’m sorry.”
I hear Bishop coughing and work to push up on my elbows. Phoenix rushes over to help me but when his bloody and busted hand reaches out for me, I scramble further away from him.
“Bishop,” I cry and crawl over to where he lays.
Blood is pouring from his nose or mouth or, I don’t know. His face is a complete mess. So much that I can’t even make out his features.
“What did you do?” I sob.
My hands shake as they hover over him, my fear of touching him stopping me from throwing my body over his.
“Get away from him, Anais,” Phoenix barks but I don’t even acknowledge him.
Against my better judgment I finally lay my hands on Bishop and try to wipe away some of the massacre on his face.
“It’s okay, cari?o. I’ll get help.” Only grunts and groans come from him as does blood when it flies from his mouth when he coughs again. “Bishop. I’m sorry.”
My words hiccup as the force of my crying takes over. My hands continue to wipe at the blood. When my hands slip, I pull my sweat shirt off and use it to mop him up.
“You were my brother, now you’re nothing. You’re nothing more than a dead man walking,” Phoenix spits.
“Shut up! You asshole. Get out of here before I call the cops and have you arrested. I hate you. I hate you!”
I jump to my feet and rush at him much like he did to Bishop. I pound on his chest and the shrill of my screams is like nothing I’ve ever heard.
“Ana,” Phoenix grips my wrists, squeezing them between his powerful hands. “He’s the one going to jail. He’s finished. Hear that, you worthless piece of shit? You’re finished here.”
“The school knows about us. Every one knows about us. Let me…go.” I yank free of him and push at his large body. “Everyone knows about the two of us. Even your precious little Vivian. We were going to call you today to ask you to dinner so we could tell you.”
Phoenix takes slow steps backwards, shaking his head in disbelief.
“No she doesn’t. Vivian wouldn’t hide something like this from me.”
“Well she did! They all did. But everyone is too afraid of the hothead Phoenix West. Who do you think will be done once I go to the police about this? What do you think the doctors are going to ask when Bishop shows up like he is?”
I turn back to Bishop who lies silent and curled up on the floor. I can see blood pouring from a cut above his eye and I’m pretty sure his nose is broken, at the very least.
“I’m calling an ambulance and we’re going to get you to the hospital. Together. O-okay?”
I pull my phone from my back pocket and tried to open it, but all the blood just has my fingers sliding all over the screen. I have no choice but to either ask for Phoenix’s help or use the phone on his desk. It means I have to leave his side, but I stand and walk over to the phone on the corner of the desk and pick up the receiver. I dial 9-1-1, then stretch out the cord as far as it will go so I can return to Bishop’s side.
“9-1-1. Do you need fire, medica l or police?” the voice asks when it answers.
“Medic and-and police. Please hurry.”
I answer her questions –where is the emergency, what happened, who’s in need of assistance– and do the things she tells me. I check for his pulse which is strong, and though his breathing is labored, it’s steady.
“We have someone on their way. I’m going to stay on the phone with you until they get there.”
“Th-thank you,” I tell her, and lay down next to Bishop. “They’re on their way, baby. Just a few more minutes.”
Not caring about the flesh and blood, I kiss his lips, tears pouring down my face. Bishop’s body is bruised and battered and if someone could see my heart, it would look the same.
This is beyond my greatest fear. I never thought for one moment that my Uncle could be capable of such destruction. Destruction to a man he called a brother.
“You need to leave Phoenix unless you want to get arrested.” He stands, unmoving, in the doorway.
“How could you two betray me?” His voice is choked with emotion, but I really don’t care what he’s feeling right now.
“How could you do this to your best friend? And to me?!”
“He’s not my best friend. He’s not the man that I thought I knew.”
“Yeah, well neither are you. Bishop’s not done, I’m done. With you .”
I turn my back to him once more and don’t lift my head again until the EMT’s are pushing their way in the small office.
They put him on a gurney and I look over to where Phoenix was standing, but he’s gone.
It’s best that he is because if anything happens to Bishop, he’s the one who should be scared for his life.