Broken Dreams(24)

He shook his head, turned, and walked toward Claire. They embraced. I wasn’t sure if he was pissed at me, or pissed about everything. I knew I did the right thing for our father. It was the only way I could help him.

“It had to be done, Nick.” She tried to comfort him as best she could. With all the sadness and pain she was dealing with, I appreciated what she was doing.

We crossed over to the flower shop, but Nate was no longer pounding on the window. I looked over at Henry, and he raised his gun. “Elaina, slowly open the door and call for him, but stay outside. Claire, you stand guard with Nick.” I nodded.

Nick marched over and got in Henry’s face. “I don’t think so! You are not putting my sister in harm’s way!” Apparently, I was his sister again. It must have been a one-sided on again/off again relationship.

“Back off, Nick.” Henry spoke through clenched teeth. He wasn’t happy with this turn of events.

“Make me, asshole.” Nick stood inches from his face.

I grabbed him by his shoulder. There was no time for macho behavior. “Nick, please. Don’t. We’ve all been through enough today as it is. Please don’t act like this.”

“He’s trying to kill you! Who is he, anyway? He surely doesn’t sound, or act, like the Henry we know!” Nick still stood in his face like a brick wall that wasn’t falling any time soon. I was getting nervous that something was going to happen. After what I had seen Henry do, I knew he could take Nick out in a moment’s notice.

“He’s not trying to kill me! He knows what he is doing.”

“How do you know?” Neither one of them was backing down.

“Because I have seen him react to this in a much better fashion than the rest of us would! He seems to be highly trained.”

“Be quiet, Elaina. Step back, Nick.” Be quiet, my ass. Henry was very calm, but I could see the anger raging in his fading eyes.

“Don’t talk to her that way!” Nick put his finger in Henry’s face. I grabbed Nick, trying to yank him out of the way. Henry growled. They had been nose-to-nose over me a few times before. I didn’t want it to happen again.

“Get your fucking finger out of my face before I make you eat it. Remember when I choked you? That was a walk in the park, mate.”

I got in front of Nick so he could see me. I couldn’t let them fight it out. Henry would kill him. “It’s fine. Really. Just let us find Nate and, once we get back to Henry’s apartment, we’ll explain the best we can. I promise.” Nick pursed his lips together, then backed up.

He started to walk away, but turned around and said, “You, my friend, are fucking mental. Take notice that if one hair gets harmed on her head, I will fucking kill you.” Henry smirked, and continued to walk to the flower shop. “I mean it, asshole!” I think Henry may have taken that as a compliment. Nick looked at me, shook his head, and went to Claire.

“Ready, Elaina? On three.”

“On three, like ‘one, two, three’? Or what you did back at the truck?” Welcome back, Elaina. Henry wasn’t amused. He rolled his eyes.

“Just open the bloody door and stand back.” I touched the handle hesitantly. I didn’t see Nate anywhere in the front of the shop. Slowly, I opened the door and bell chimes went off. I stepped back, and Henry pushed through in a lame attempt to block the doorway, but there were large potted plants in the entry.

“Nate?” I called out. Henry waved me behind him.

“Nate, it’s Elaina Cooper and Henry Daniels. Are you still in here?” No answer. Silence. “Shit.” Henry put his finger to his lips. He walked past the floral coolers and started toward the back room.

“Nate! Answer if you are in here.” We heard a rustling coming from behind the counter to the right and Henry pointed at it. He raised his gun, then we stepped around the counter.

“No! Don’t shoot. Please no…no, don’t.” Nate was squatting and he fell back against the wall. I would imagine seeing a gun pointed in his face would have been just as scary to him as missing a sale at Barney’s. Although, in his book, missing a sale at Barney’s may have been worse.

“Are you bit?” I was trying to be calm, but my adrenaline was pumping. It didn’t come out calm, like when I was trying to get through to Nick.

“Bit?”

“Yes, bit! Are you motherfucking bit?” I barely gave him a second before I yelled, “Answer me!”

“Ahh…no, no, I don’t think so.” Don’t think so? I would think he would know. Henry still had his gun pointed at him. “Please, don’t shoot me. I’m not ready to go yet.” He choked on the words.