Sleepless Nights(80)

We walk through the hospital without talkin’. Annabella isn’t around when we get to his room and I think she knew who’d come. There’s a past in Ashley’s family involvin’ Annabella and Victor. One that made several of the members miserable. Let’s hope today gets them both out of their lives.

Victor is sittin’ up when we walk into the room. Me first, followed by Van, then Court and finally Channing.

Victor just looks resigned. “No need to threaten me. I’m leaving the state once I get out of here.”

“Look at you all diplomatic and shit.” I laugh but there’s no feelin’ behind the noise. I move closer to Victor and I see him flinch. I move closer still while the boys follow behind me. “If you think I’m gonna let you get away with this without revenge, then you’re not very smart.”

I stand in the same place as I did before. Lookin’ down at him so helpless. Or so he thinks he looks helpless. But I see the muscles under his gown and I know all about him. I wouldn’t let my girl be with just any man after me without checkin’ him out.

Victor was in Special Forces. He’s trained to be deceptive. He lies as easily as he tells the truth. He can kill me with his pinky but it’s not like I’m afraid of him. “I’ll make you suffer for the rest of your life Victor,” I tell him.

I watch the change come over his face. Gone is the helpless look. Gone is the pain around his eyes. What’s left is calm and controlled. “What exactly is it you think you can do to me?”

I shrug. “You think you’re safe because of all that trainin’, but you’re not.” Before he can stop me, I rip the IV needle out of his arm. I make sure to do it roughly and I’m happy to see I ripped his skin.

Pop got me a copy of his medical chart and I studied it. I know exactly where he got shot. I take one of my fingers and press it to one wound. Unfortunately he’s been stitched up but that doesn’t mean it won’t fuckin hurt. He grabs my wrist to move it but I’m stronger than him.

Ashley’s mom remarked on the difference we have in Ashley’s life. Victor is truly the good guy in all of this. I, on the other hand, am a very, very bad man. Victor killed people to better our country. I killed people for the fun of it. I like to watch them suffer and I like to hear them scream.

And when it comes to Ashley I’m worse than that.

I lean over Victor, my hand still pressin’ into his wound. I even press so hard I rip his stitches. “You can run Victor, and you can hide, but I’ll find you. And once Ashley forgets about you and all you mean to her, I’ll come. I’ll make you fuckin’ suffer like you can’t even imagine in your darkest nightmares. And I know you have them. And once I’m done playin’ around, I’ll kill you slowly.” The temperature in the room drops and it’s almost as if the air we breathe out is foggy.

Victor looks into my eyes then and pales. I know what he sees in there and he should be scared. “That’s a promise. You don’t take what’s mine. And I know what you did to get sent home from Iraq, so you did take her. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure Ashley never knows any of it.”

Maybe it’s wrong and maybe I shouldn’t have promised all that. Somethin’ you need to know about me is I always keep my promises. But I said it and I won’t take it back. I’d do anythin’ for the woman I love. She’s the reason there’s good inside of me to begin with. She taught me how to feel. And I would do anythin’ to keep her alive and safe.

I back away from Victor and watch as Ashley’s three brothers swarm around him like hornets, takin’ punches while he tries to fight back. Victor hasn’t been fed properly in days. He didn’t get enough water. Now he’s weak from blood loss so it’s actually not a fair fight. But no one cares but him.

I watch all this with a smile on my face.

He may not have physically shot either us but his selfishness put my girl in the line of fire. And that’s a place she’ll never be again.

We leave Victor in his room, bruised and beaten, but he’ll live.

For now.

No one speaks as we leave and head back to the waitin’ room. When I first met Ashley’s brothers, I thought they were pussies. I mean, they all come from money and have that wealth seepin’ from their pores. What d they know about fightin’ and the real world?

Turns out they know a lot.

I don’t know much about the oldest, but the two younger ones have had their fair share of the harsher aspects of life. If Ashley wouldn’t kill me, I’d talk to them about prospectin’.