Chapter 23 Trooper
Trooper
William and I stared each other down, but neither of us moved. He was nervous. I saw it all over his face. Even though he was trying his best to hide it, he wasn’t going to pull that trigger.
“Story ain’t here to defend Alana, so I will. And trust me, I have no problems doing that.”
Sophie’s mother stood with me on one side, my gun aimed at her husband, while his was aimed at her. I was used to shit like this, so I was calm and not moved by the situation in the least.
“Why do you have a gun?” Sophie asked, looking straight ahead, speaking to William, not me.
He looked past her with his eyes on me. “You’re asking me and not him?” His tone was sarcastic and demeaning, a grown man sounding like a spoiled child.
“Yes, you and not him. He’s not the one with a gun aimed at my mother.”
“Put that gun away, William. You’re not going to shoot me or anyone for that matter. If you think you are, just do it. We’re in a hospital full of people. You’re always so worried about your colleagues and friends, I bet they’d love to know you got arrested for attempted murder.”
I silently hoped his stupid ass listened because I was the last person who wanted someone to roll up on me while I had an unregistered gun aimed at a man like William Prescott.
Either way, I didn’t give a fuck. If I had to take that hit, I would.
There was no way I would let him kill Sophie’s mother in front of her.
“Sophie, come with me. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” Her mother reached for Sophie’s hand, but she didn’t move.
“Sophie, go. He won’t touch you or her. I promise that.” I nodded in her mother’s direction to let her know it was okay.
She looked back at me one last time before she followed her mother into her hospital room. William lowered his gun and just stared at the door as it shut, closing him out.
“Are you happy now? You have destroyed this family.”
I chuckled at his bitch ass whining like a defeated child before I returned my gun to my body. He was weak. I didn’t even know why he had a gun because he wasn’t man enough to use it. William was the type of man who paid people to do the things he was afraid to do.
“That was all you, not me. You played God with another man’s life and took his daughter. You wanna blame someone, blame yourself.”
“You don’t talk to me like that.” He stepped closer to me and gripped the handle of his gun tighter as he looked my way, like he wanted to pull the trigger. It was down by his side, so I kept my eyes there just in case he grew some balls.
“Why the fuck not? Your name and money don’t mean shit to me. You hide behind that like it means something to people. I’ll be the first to tell you it don’t, not to me anyway.”
“I can ruin you and I will. You really think you’re untouchable. You’re a gotdamn criminal. You don’t think I know that? I know everything about you.”
I smirked and looked him right in the eyes. If he knew everything about me, he wouldn’t be standing here threatening me.
“You can’t do shit to me. Trust that. Try if you want, but be prepared to deal with the consequences.
I don’t toss threats around; I make promises.
This is your one pass and only because of Sophie.
If you come for me or try to fuck with either of them, all bets are off.
I will be the last face you see while you’re struggling to take your last breath.
That right there is something you can bet on. ”
I calmly leaned against the wall and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
I felt him glaring at me, but I wasn’t concerned.
William wasn’t about that life. I didn’t care how much gangster he pretended to have.
He also knew this wasn’t the place or the time.
That didn’t mean he wouldn’t come for me, but he wouldn’t try to kill me, he would try to take my freedom and ruin my life. That was how shit worked in his world.
Unfortunately for him, I was untouchable. I made sure of that. William Prescott was the least of my worries, but I meant what I said. If he fucked with Sophie or her mother, I’d take his life and not think twice about it.
“Ay, you good?” I asked when Carlos picked up.
“Yeah, we’re straight. What about you?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and laughed. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. I got a lot of shit going on right now, so I’ll hit you up tomorrow. I just wanted to make sure your ass wasn’t in jail for assault.”
“Shit, if he knows what’s good, he better take that ass whooping and say thank you. I ain’t the one.”
I chuckled at how serious Los was. “Your dumb ass. Aight, I’m out. I’ll holla at you.”
“Aight, bet.”
I ended the call and glanced around. I had no idea how long Sophie would be, but I wasn’t leaving this spot until she was good.
Afew hours later, I smelled Sophie’s perfume when she was near me before she even spoke.
The scent was embedded in my memory and made me think of her no matter where I smelled it. I had been sitting outside of her mother’s room for hours in a chair one of the nurses brought for me.
The nurse had only done it to get my attention, but I needed the chair, so I took it and sent her on her way. My head was against the wall with my eyes closed while my arms were folded against my chest.
My eyes opened when I faintly heard her voice.
“You didn’t have to stay,” she said softly. Her eyes were red as hell and she looked tired and frustrated.
“I wasn’t gonna leave until I knew you were alright.”
Me standing put us inches apart, with me looking down at her. I wanted her close to me but knew she was in a bad place, so I decided to give her space.
“Is he gone?” she asked, ignoring my comment about not leaving. Sophie scanned the halls, looking for her father, then looked up at me.
“Yeah, he left.”
“What did he say?”
My eyes met hers and she was torn. She was still pissed at me about all the shit that happened with Orin before the situation with her mother and father popped off, but she was concerned about me too.
Her father had shown her a side she wasn’t used to seeing. Even if I knew it was bullshit, she didn’t.
“Don’t worry about that. I’m good, Sophie. Just tell me what you need.”
She laughed sarcastically and looked me right in the eyes.
“I need things to go back to the way they were yesterday when I didn’t know I was sharing you with another woman or that my father isn’t my father, and my mother married him just to social climb.
That’s what I need, and if you can’t give me that, you might as well just leave. ”
I felt my jaw tighten at the mention of my situation with Orin, but I couldn’t blame anyone but myself. I had done that, but needed her to be over it. Things were complicated enough and she didn’t need to worry about Orin.
“Don’t make me the bad guy right now, Sophie. Fuck Orin and that entire situation. I made a bad decision, but she’s not important. As for your father, fuck him too—”
“He’s not my father and I just need some space. I can’t even deal with any of this right now,” Sophie said, walking past me, but I caught her arm.
“Ay, where you going?”
“Home. I just want to sleep. I’ll deal with everything else tomorrow. It’s not like it’s going anywhere.”
She tried to walk off again, but I maintained my grip on her arm.
“I’ll take you and I’m not about to argue. Space, I can give you, but don’t expect me to just walk away, Sophie. I can’t do that and I’m not even going to pretend I will.”
“Fine, I don’t have the energy to argue with you either.”
She pulled away and headed toward the elevator. I inhaled and released it slowly. I’d give her tonight, but I’d be there first thing in the morning to start fixing what was broken.