11. Maritza
ELEVEN
MARITZA
The prospect drops us off at our condo complex. Toon was drinking, otherwise, I’m sure he would have been Dia’s preferred transportation. Those two have a tangled web between them. One I can understand. The attraction is undeniable, but the reality is the struggle to making it work. The patch stands between them. The same patch we honor on our father’s. It stands in my way too. I want Dillon, but I can’t act on it. No matter how much I want the man behind the cut, it can never be. That would be too much for my father. He sees Dillon as Karma, his Hellion brother. He can’t then become a son-in-law. The same is for Toon and Dia. Maybe it’s best to break the ties and not have him take us home in the long run.
It used to bother me having a prospect bring us home after a night out at a club or a clubhouse party. I felt like I was an inconvenience. It’s this odd thing, the way they are initiated. Hazing isn’t a good thing, but these men all say it’s necessary. I don’t get it, but I’m not a Hellion. It goes back to the empath thing, and I feel their trepidation about screwing up when we call. They get beyond nervous, to this anxious level, and I feel sorry for them. My dad swears it’s because this time matters so much, they take every task serious. Apparently, it only takes one mistake and their hopes of becoming a brother are poof gone. Being responsible for the safety of a brother’s ol’ lady or daughter, that is one of the top tier responsibilities. They fuck up on watch with one of us, they will never get their rockers. I don’t actually understand the entire prospect thing, but I have watched many Hellion endure the trial. The things men do to earn respect … some of it makes no sense to me. Respect isn’t earned by tasks like taking females home.
Dia took Skye out for her night walk and potty break before we even went to the clubhouse. We decided we would crash at her place tonight since Mariella stayed home to study. I don’t want to disturb my sister and her college work. Skye is already kenneled on the off-chance Dia was going to need a ride home. The plan is in place and truly we’ve had a fun night.
Dia’s got some new face masks that are supposed to be a dream for a late night out. Time to test the promise on the package. No bags or dark under eye, let’s see! We have been drinking, but none of us are to the point we will be hugging a toilet tonight. I’m in the kitchen with Dia on the stool at the built in bar on the opposite side of the kitchen sink when my phone pings. It’s late and this is unusual. Anyone who would message me this late literally just saw me at the clubhouse moments ago.
It's Hollis.
A text.
The text.
Our code. I’m stuck in place as time stands still.
The emoji of the kiwi fruit is this torturous tease.
A few years ago, when Hollis got his phone, I came up with this system. There was all this turmoil with his parents’ sorting things in the divorce. He was going to his first sleepover. He didn’t want to bother his mom if he got nervous and wanted to come home because she isn’t reliable. He didn’t want his dad to not let him go to another sleepover, but wanted the reassurance someone was available. That’s how it began.
“If you need me to be your way out, send me the kiwi emoji. If we are on the phone, you just ask for kiwis for breakfast next time we’re together. Then I will know you need me. I won’t share with your mom or dad unless it’s a dangerous situation to you or someone around you. But I will be your escape.”
He nods, “kiwis are gross.”
I laugh, “that’s how I’ll know it’s serious and there is no way we can mix up the signal.”
“Like a bat signal, but kiwi. Got it. And you won’t tell my friends, right?”
I extend my pinky, “no one will know but me and you. I’ll say we have a family emergency or plans. I’ll come up with something so it’s on me that you have to leave.”
He gives me back his pinky and we seal the deal in a pinky promise.
Hollis has always hated kiwis. From a little boy to now, every time he has tried a kiwi, he spits it back out immediately. I love kiwis, but my boy not so much. The code works because there is no way anyone would know he didn’t like them and yet, I would know it was serious.
Immediately, I look for his location. It’s off. No update.
I send back a text,
WHAT TIME FOR SNACKS?
No notification update.
Fuck.
Come on Hollis, what is going on?
What feels like forever but is only moments, the text changes to say delivered. As I begin to text him with shaking hands his message comes through.
MOM IS ACTING WEIRD. WE R N THE CAR. SHE KEEPS MAKING ME PUT IT ON AIRPLANE MODE. I’M N A BATHROOM @ A GAS STATION IN GEORGIA. I FELL ASLEEP AND WOKE UP 2 SEE THE SIGN. DON’T TELL DAD. I’LL TOUCH BASE NEXT STOP. ALL SHE SAYS IS FLORIDA WILL MAKE US FREE. I LOVE YOU, ZIZI. COME GET ME PLS. I NEED TO GET HOME BEFORE DAD KNOWS.
What in the actual fuck! I quickly pin his location as I text back. Once he’s in airplane mode I won’t be able to follow him again. At least this will give me a starting point. My mind is racing as I want nothing more than to get to him.
HANG TIGHT, I’M HEADED SOUTH NOW. KEEP ME UPDATED.
The text says delivered. I try my luck to send another.
I LOVE YOU, HOLLIS.
Blank.
Not delivered yet. He’s back to airplane mode which means they are back to the road. My heart literally hurts. I feel like I’m shattered into a million pieces. Please let him be okay . That’s all I can think, is no matter what let Hollis be okay. We can deal with whatever Anna has gotten into, but I can’t even think of something being wrong with Hollis.
Dia noticing the change grabs my hand, “Maritza, what’s wrong?”
Tears well up in my eyes. “I gotta go.” I say jumping up from the stool, grabbing my purse as I head to the door. I don’t look back, I don’t think. Hollis needs me and he’s smart enough to know if Dillon finds out Anna took him out of the state, he might just kill her.
At my car, I look up to see Dia opening the passenger door.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I get buckled. I don’t have time to argue.
“You gotta go, I gotta go. This is how the sisterhood works. You ride out, I ride out.”
I start the car and take off, “I don’t even know where we are goin or how long we will be there.”
“Road trip, got it,” she says not missing a beat and getting comfortable with her seat and seatbelt.
I fight back my emotions and worry. Handing her my phone, I explain, “Hollis is at the pin. Keep that location and make sure I’m headed towards it. Watch for any message from him. He will keep me updated as he can, and we need to get to him.”
“Anna took him!” she screeches as she stares at my phone. “Karma will flip the fuck out!”
“I know, that’s what Hollis doesn’t want to happen. As much as I can’t believe Anna has done this shit. I can’t let Hollis go through more with his parent’s hating each other.”
“Why?” Dia asks as we fly down the road in the dark of the night.
I shake my head, “good question. I have no idea. It doesn’t make sense. She has been good with him for like years now. We have a system. Why take him out of the county, the state, and break the custody agreement? Nothing makes sense.”
“Drive on,” she encourages with her face glued to my phone, treating it like the lifeline it is.
Hang on Hollis. I’m on the way.
The dive motel isn’t the worst I’ve ever seen. Why does Anna have him here?
Driving all night we are both exhausted. Dia turned her phone off and we set mine to Do Not Disturb except for Hollis and blocked my location to everyone but him. I can see the notifications that everyone has called and text the last few hours, but we haven’t responded to anyone but him. He’s managed to keep his phone and location going to me for an hour now.
This stop has been the longest and tied to this motel. I guess Anna needs to sleep. Either way, Dia and I are now standing outside of the door to room seven.
Dia knocks like she’s on a mission. I mean we are, but I hope we don’t spook Anna.
The curtains shift and I stand in shock as I see the woman on the other side of the window.
Emmalee Van Etten.
She is Busted’s ol’ lady. She took off to travel and Diem said she was in Tennessee or something. Why is she here?
Why is she with Anna and Hollis?
Thoughts run rampant through my head.
“Who’s there?” Emmalee calls out from behind the door like she didn’t recognize us as quick as we named her.
“It’s Dia and Maritza, Emmalee. Can we talk?” Dia asks calmly, like this is some friendly visit and we aren’t looking for Karma’s son.
“Come in,” she invites, and I feel my heart racing. Please let him be here and be okay. Maybe Anna left him with her because she knew she had ties to the club? So many questions circle through my head as I enter the space.
It’s a small room with two queen beds, a little mini fridge, tv, microwave and what I assume to be the bathroom towards the back.
“Thank you,” Dia takes the lead, “we’re um,” she pauses, “sorry to bother you.”
“It’s no bother,” Emmalee responds quickly. I can’t focus on her demeanor because I’m staring at my phone confused.
“It says he’s here,” I whisper more to myself than anyone else. “I don’t understand why it’s saying here. Maybe a different room? But he sent the number seven, and this is where the location pinned him. Maybe it was supposed to be seventeen.”
I’m trying to think of what to ask Hollis so I can find him. To be so close and not have him with me is eating me up.
Emmalee stands in front of us. “I don’t understand. Why are you two here?”
I look up to her finally with tears in my eyes. “Hollis and I have a code.” I look around silently begging him to come out from a closet or wall or something. I don’t know. “Never mind, I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry we bothered you, Emmalee.”
Defeat consumes me. How can I be so close and yet so far at the same time?
“Zizi,” I hear his voice, and the tears fall as I look beyond Emmalee to see Hollis in the opening of the bathroom door.
“He’s here,” I celebrate moving beyond Emmalee and to him. “How? Where’s Anna?” I hiccup between tears closing the distance. “I’m here buddy.”
Seconds pass like hours as Anna yells, “The fuck you are!” She ushers Hollis out from their hiding spot with a gun to his head. His eyes are as big as saucers. Fear grips me in place.
I scream. It’s a gut wrenching, blood curdling, depths of my soul wail and I can’t control it.
“Oh my God, what is wrong with you?” Emmalee yells to Anna as I keep my eyes locked to Hollis.
“You three, sit the fuck down,” Anna orders and we all oblige. She has a gun to Hollis. It’s like I see it, but it’s not settling in. I’ll give her anything, do anything, I need him to be safe.
“What is going on?” Emmalee asks clearly not knowing who Anna is.
Honestly, not many in the club do. She’s never come around and after the divorce there is very little even spoken about her.
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” Anna says ignoring Emmalee’s question. “Why are you here, Maritza?” She snarls at me.
I don’t give her my gaze as I try to calm Hollis by my presence alone. What do I say? My mother always told us the only way to be free is to be honest. No guilt, no baggage. “I have a system for Hollis. Our code. If he needs me, he sends me the word. No questions asked, I use our app chat to pin his location and come to him. It’s for sleepovers mostly, but if he’s ever worried and needs me, he knows to use it.” There is no need to lie to her. Word or emoji, he knew what to do, and the plan worked because we are reunited even if it isn’t the best circumstances.
“Aren’t you fucking clever.” Anna remarks with the gun still to Hollis’ head. I will do anything to keep him safe including put myself between him and her bullets. “Always thinkin’ you’re a better mom than me. He came out of my body. I gave him life. You should remember that and know your damn place, Maritza Castillo.”
Tears fall down my face. I’m trying to keep it together for her son, but I’m losing the battle as she is clearly unhinged. I’ve never seen her like this.
Hollis is trembling but trying to be strong. “Momma, please don’t. I didn’t want you to get in trouble.” His truth, he lays it out there and she isn’t even touched in the least bit.
He loves her. He’s always loved her. She’s his mother, no one has ever tried to take that from her. He doesn’t want Dillon to find out and go off the rails that Anna broke the court order they agreed to in mediation.
“Phones, turn them off, and hand them to Hollis.”
As he moves, she moves with him, always keeping the gun on him. We do as instructed and she guides them both to the bathroom sink. “Drop them in the sink, baby and turn on the water.” Anna commands as Hollis looks over his shoulder to me. I nod to encourage him to comply. He can’t try to be the hero right now. She’s unhinged.
“Maritza, you have the most to lose if you don’t follow directions.” A sly smile plays on Anna’s lips, ‘you’re gonna cuff Emmalee’s hands behind her back and Dia’s.”
It’s a blur as she taunts me keeping Hollis in the line of fire as she has me take handcuffs from her purse to handcuff Emmalee and Dia. I do as I’m told not daring challenge her right now. Emmalee mutters words of comfort as I struggle to keep my trembling under control.
“Dillon, cuff you yet?” Huh, Zizi?” There is this sharpness in her tone that makes my stomach roll. She is angry.
“We aren’t in a relationship, Anna. I’m more like the nanny. Everything is about Hollis between us. Our dynamic is about your son. Plain and simple.”
Anna lets out a strange laugh. “You’re missing out then. He’s a lousy husband, but amazing in bed.”
I turn cold, “not in front of him.”
I would not be okay if Dillon bad-mouthed her in front of their son, I won’t let her do it to him. And these kinds of things are not appropriate around a ten-year-old regardless.
“Oh yes, you know what’s best for my son. That’s right, I forget. Excuse me.”
“I am not a replacement for you. He loves you, Anna. He text me for you.”
“If he loves me, why are you here?” Anna gives back at me.
God, I want to slap her. “Because he didn’t want you to get in trouble with Dillon. He text me our code because I have a deal not to tell his dad unless he wants me to.” I can’t believe I’m going to tell her, but I might as well. “Dillon doesn’t know we are here.” Although, in this moment, I wish he was on the way or my dad, anyone from the Hellions. “We aren’t in competition, Anna. I can never compare to you with your son.”
She isn’t hearing me. I’m not getting through to her. “You want my life. Don’t think I’m stupid,” Anna challenges.
She loves her son. I need to have her connect to him. “Hollis woke up and saw a sign for Georgia. He got scared that his dad wouldn’t let him visit you anymore. He sent the code. I followed our rules, me and Hollis. I’m here for him to be safe.” I stay eyes to Hollis. “In fact, once I can calm him down and let him know I’ll get it all cleared up with his dad, I can go back. We don’t have to even mention what’s going on right now. Just let me explain things to Dillon and let Hollis know for himself you aren’t in any trouble. We can get on our way.”
Anna huffs,” why then is she here?” She glares at Dia.
Dia smirks proudly, “sisters before misters. We were having girls’ night in, spa style at my place. She got the text. I was bored. Figured it was time for a trip.”
Oh my God, I love Dia Crews but right this second, I don’t know if I want to laugh or throttle her the way she’s chatting up with Anna like there isn’t still a gun on Hollis.
Dia doesn’t miss a beat, “Thought we could take Hollis here to Disney World once we met up with you. Get the word back to Karma and keep us all out of the hotseat with the Hellions. See Anna, we had half a plan to get you outta trouble. If you hadn’t drowned our phones, I could even show you the tickets we bought for Magic Kingdom.”
The lies roll right off her tongue. It’s clever, but I hope Anna doesn’t call the bluff. We absolutely did not plan a trip anywhere but back home with the boy.
“We got one for you,” she continues, “Even got the photo package. I love when you can just stop and let the people take the pics for you and boom, they pop up in your email.”
With every passing moment, I feel like the world is swallowing us whole. Dia, though, she’s having a normal conversation like there isn’t a gun involved and we aren’t held up by a woman who is clearly not herself right now.
“I don’t believe shit either of you say,” Anna retorts as Hollis looks to his mom.
“They’re telling the truth. I text Zizi. Check my phone, it’s not broken. Dad doesn’t know, I swear. I didn’t want,” he stutters as the tears fall, “I didn’t know I was going to get anyone in trouble. I’m sorry, Zizi,” he looks to me and my world shatters. He’s giving up. He thinks it’s over. “I was trying to help, momma. I just messed it all up.”
He can’t blame himself. I won’t let him. “It’s okay, buddy. No one is in any trouble. Your mom and I’ll work things out. Make sure your dad is okay with this little vacation. Don’t worry, honey. Your momma, she loves you and wanted more time with you, that’s all this is.” I lie. I have no idea what this is, but there has to be more to it than Anna wanting time with her son. “I know it scared you that your dad would be worried and upset, but I’ll handle that okay. Don’t be upset, please, bud.”
“Take the other pair, put the one on your wrist and come over here,” Anna demands ignoring Hollis’ breakdown. “Hollis you’ll hook the other one on your precious Zizi”
I have this one moment. I don’t know what comes over me. But he’s going to be right here in my grasp. I can’t let him go. I can’t let him stay near her. I hook the one cuff on my right wrist. Hollis steps closer to hook the left and I take my chance.
Shoving Hollis away from his mother and closer to the door, I put my body between Anna and him. Anna reacts raising her gun and bringing it down to my face. The pain surges through me as blood fills my mouth. I stay upright.
Dia and Emmalee stand trying to guide Hollis away. “Run!” I yell, “Dia get him out of here!”
They stumble as Hollis is fighting to come back to me. With their hands bound, they can’t grab him to drag him away.
My eyes to his, the pop rings out before the burn resonates in my mind. I drop to the bed, my lower belly bleeding. Hollis rushes to me. Anna yanks him up before I can even hold him once more. The room spins as he cries out in fear.
“I’m okay,” I try to comfort him. “Just do what your momma says, okay?”
“You two stay right where you are, or I’ll shoot her again and him,” Anna threatens.
He shakes his head trying to get out from his mother’s grip that is now around his neck. He tries kicking for her to release him and fails.
The time is passing, and we need help. Anna goes back and forth answering Emmalee and Dia’s questions while I lay here trying to keep Hollis calm while I feel blood continue to flow from my body.
Anna is explaining stuff, but I can’t focus in on it with the pain. Something about a debt to a man and needing to get Emmalee to Key West. The man she owes told Anna that Emmalee is a sucker for kids and Hollis being a Hellion there was no way Emmalee would resist keeping him safe.
That’s when everything comes out. Why Emmalee actually left Haywood’s Landing and Wesson. It’s all tied to the money her father stole from Patrick O’Leary. What a giant clusterfuck! I’m trying to stay clear headed even in the pain as shock is setting in, I feel my eyes getting heavy. I have to stay with it, I can’t pass out, not when Hollis needs me the most.
In an instant the door to the room flies open. Dia lunges pushing Emmalee down and shielding her while I roll of the bed yanking Hollis down to the ground and under me.
A pop sounds.
I freeze waiting for the pain. Anna screams and I realize she’s the one who is shot now.
“Buddy, close your eyes,” I tell Hollis praying he didn’t see her get hit.
The large men enter the space while I keep Hollis tucked under me. Adrenaline is all that is keeping me awake. Dia offers herself with Emmalee to go. I don’t know who these people are. I don’t care. Hollis is still breathing and so am I.
Looking over, Anna lay with half her face gone. I don’t want him to see that. It can’t be his last memory. I keep Hollis in place as Dia and Emmalee go with the men.
How can I save Hollis, Dia, and myself? I’m injured, bleeding, and Dia is being taken who knows where.
It’s all too much to process as I feel shock taking over.
“I love you, Hollis,” I whisper holding him to me and hoping once I feel we are truly alone, I can use his phone to call for help.
If not, I need my last words to be to the boy who has had my heart from the first moment I held him until now and he will forever be my every reason to breathe.