Protecting My Hart (Protectors Series Book 1) (6 page)

I’m lying in the grass in the sun by the creek. The water flows to a peaceful rhythm. There are flowers all around me. Slyde lies next to me and we just soak up the sun. Nothing can hurt me here.

I don’t know how long I’m here, and I don’t know how long it lasts. I know it’s still dark and my room is quiet. I know I’m alone. I know my body is sore and in a lot of pain. I know what happened, and I know my time of being safe and off-limits here is over. I try to sit up and cry out in pain. It hurts to move anything. Slowly, I make my way to my bathroom. The light hurts my eyes, and I see why. The bruises are already showing. I have marks on my arms, breasts, and there is severe bruising on and around my ribs; it hurts to breathe, and I’m scared that some might be broken. I have bruises on my thighs, and between my legs hurts to the touch. I can’t stop the tears as they fall. He wouldn’t listen—I didn’t ask for this. Turning on the hot water, I gently step into the shower and let the hot water burn my skin, hoping it will burn off their touch. Maybe I can wash away the feeling of being groped and grabbed and invaded harshly. I may be able to wash it away, but I will never get the memories out of my head. The water turns cold, and I slowly climb out, dry off, and put on sweatpants and sweatshirt. I rip my sheets off the bed and curl up with just a blanket. Reality refuses to go away, and I cry. I cry a lot. I cry myself to exhaustion. I cry myself to sleep.

It’s dark again. I hurt. Everything hurts. Every movement, every breath, every tear that falls hurts. I’ve gotten out of bed once to use the bathroom and see how bad the bruises have gotten. My face is black and blue, not swollen much which I guess is good. Large dark bruises lay over my ribs, and I’m still really sore to the touch between my legs. I can’t tell if my body is hungry simply because pain is more prominent than anything else so I just stay in bed. I’m watching the stars—they are just so pretty, it’s almost as if they are dancing—when I hear my door open and my body tenses. I wince.
Please, go away. I can’t take anymore.

“Tesoro?” Slyde’s voice floats through the air, and I relax briefly before panic sets in. I don’t want him to see me like this, he will just pity me.

“Please leave, Slyde, I don’t feel well.”

“Tesoro, what’s wrong? Let me turn on the light and check you over.”

“No!”
The word tore from my throat followed by pounding in my head. “Please don’t, the light hurts my head.” No matter how strong I try to keep my voice or how hard I fight it, a small whimper passes my lips.

Hartley is sick, and I don’t like it. I honestly have no idea how long she hasn’t been feeling well. I had to take a few days for a ‘trip’. I met with Ice again, and he took me to Tommy Boy, who is our newly-acquired associate who will be buying guns from us. I just got back, and I wanted to make sure that Hartley was doing OK, that she didn’t get in trouble with JD.

“Hart, have you eaten anything or had anything to drink?”

“No.”

“Are you throwing up or feel nauseous?”

“Kind of, I’m just tired, my head hurts, and I don’t really have an appetite.” Her voice comes out so soft and weak. I have to wonder if anybody has been taking care of her or if she has just been in this bed since I left.

“Do you want anything?”

“No. Please, Slyde, I’m tired, and I want to sleep.”

“OK, Tesoro. I’m gonna sit here until I know you are asleep.” My hand gently brushes her cheek. She stiffens and then relaxes. It’s only a few minutes before I can tell she is sleeping. I watch her for a bit. There is something about the tone of her voice. Something is wrong, something happened. There is a lot of what I think is fear coming from her. I just don’t have any clue as to why. After I’m sure that Hartley is asleep, I head to my room to crash as well.

“Yo, JD, I’m out today, I got some shit to take care of, be back late tonight.”

“Anything I need to be concerned about?’

“Naw man, just some personal shit, nothing to worry about.”

“Cool.”

With that I’m gone. Jumping on my bike, I head out and a couple hours later, I’m pulling into a spot outside Beamer’s apartment. Beamer opens the door before I can even knock, letting me in.

“Slyde, man what’s up? You’ve had me on edge since your call this morning. Does he know? Is he on to you? What the fuck was so important?”

“Hey man. No it’s nothing like that. Mack here yet?”

“Should be here in a few. Slyde, bro, you seem anxious what the hell is up man?”

“It’s Hart.”

“Is she OK?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know, but something is off, something happened while I was gone.”

There’s a knock and Mack comes walking into Beamer’s apartment.

“All right, Slyde, I’m here. What was so damn important you had to call me in the middle of the fuckin’ night?”

“Mack, I need a favor. I gotta get Hartley out of that house.”

“Is she in danger?”

“I’m not sure. Something happened this last time I went away. I can feel it.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. She said she wasn’t feeling well, but I don’t think she was telling me everything.”

“I’m gonna need more than that.”

“Look, I don’t know for sure what it is, but I could just tell. Her tone was off, something happened, and she wouldn’t tell me.”

“Slyde, there’s nothing I can do; you’re basing this on tone, nothing I can do about tone.”

“Mack, I gotta get her out of there. She isn’t safe.”

“Sorry, Slyde. There’s nothing we can do. We don’t have the manpower, and we’d have to send her away. Unless there is a real threat and she’s really in danger, there is nothing I can do. We can’t risk you being revealed and you trying to get her out of there is gonna raise suspicion.”

“
FUCK!”

“Best you can do is just watch her from where you are.”

“That’s gonna work real fuckin’ well when I’m on business and shit, and if I react it’s gonna make shit messy.”

“Don’t try shit, Slyde. Not worth it.”

“No offense, Mack, but you have no fuckin’ clue what she is worth.”

“Don’t fuckin’ make shit messy, Slyde, too much time put in. Keep your head in the game,” Mack warns.

“My head
is
in the fuckin’ game, and I know how much fuckin’ time I’ve put in. My head has been in the game for years, even after she showed up, and honestly she’s the only thing that makes all this shit worth it. I know everything that goes on in that motherfuckin’ house. I know about every piece of shit in there, all the deals and clients. I know it all, so when I tell you I know something has changed, even if it’s just based on fuckin’ tone, then something has fuckin’ changed.”

“I’m sorry. My hands are tied; there isn’t anything we can do for her right now. We just don’t have the manpower. Now that we are done here, I have to get back to work. No messes, Slyde.”

“Fuck it all, this is a Goddamn fuckin’ mess now.”

I chat with Beamer for a while; he tries to get me to calm down, but I can’t ignore the feeling in my gut. He knows I’m distracted and doesn’t push. Beamer is my best buddy, been close for years. I’d trust this man with my life, no question. He’s also the only one who knows the truth about Hart and just how much she means to me, how I feel.

“I slept with her.”

“You did what?”

“About a week ago. I’d been sleeping in her bed for a few nights. She was attacked by a couple of the guys and was scared and asked me to stay, so I did. She said she wanted to know what it was like just once, and I didn’t stop her. It happened man, and I don’t think I can just let it go, pretend it didn’t happen. She’s my girl.”

“No, Slyde. She ain’t. She belongs to JD.”

“No, she’s mine, always has been. First chance I get, I’m getting her out of there, don’t give a shit what Mack says.”

“You know I always have your back man, just fuckin’ be careful. He’ll have your dick if this gets fucked up.”

“I know, but I gotta do it.”

“Yeah.” He sighs.

“I gotta get going man, good to see you.”

“You too, Slyde, be careful yeah?”

“Yeah.”

With that, I head out, jump back on my bike and head back to Hartley. My mind is still working, trying to figure out how to get her out without being discovered and without this falling apart or blowing up in my face. I make a pit stop at SWEETS and then am on my way back to the house. JD is occupied with a couple of girls when I walk in, and that irritates the shit out of me. He has Hart, who may be sick, but he should be taking care of her, not out here with a couple of common whores.

“Hey, you get your shit taken care of?” JD asks, one girl is sucking on his neck the other making her way down his body, he has a handful of each of their asses.

“Yeah, it’s all good.”

“Good. Listen. Things got finalized today for the run. You and half the crew are gonna run the sugar out to Vegas and there you meet with Rex. He’s got the firepower waiting, which you then take to San Francisco. You and the guys hang there for a few days. You’re gonna meet with Mr. Yang, in Oakland. He’s interested in our ‘special’ products. I need you to size him up, get some intel on him before you show him the files. If he’s legit, set up a showing and let me know. There is a shipment of sugar and firepower coming in, split it up, half comes back here half goes down to San Antonio. PK is gonna meet you down there with the truck, got a couple new specials to add. I figure it’ll take you about two months, as long as there are no complications.”

“Sounds solid. When we set to leave?”

“In the morning, I’ll give you the rest of the details then. Now, I’m going to go back to enjoying these two hot pieces. Ladies, shall we move this upstairs to my bed?” They giggle and JD gets up, escorting the trash upstairs.

Watching him go, I’m pissed he treats Hart this way but lucky at the same time because I know we won’t be bothered.

“Tesoro?” I ask walking into her room. “You awake?”

“Yeah.” Her voice is still off, weak almost.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“A little bit, head still hurts.”

“OK, no lights. Have you eaten anything?”

“No.”

Breaks my heart that nobody takes care of her. I’ve reached her bed so I can see her covered in just a blanket. “I brought you a milkshake. Do you think you can drink it?”

“You did?”

“Yeah, Tesoro, thought it might help you feel better. Brought you this too.” I tuck the small brown Teddy Bear in her arms under her chin, and I watch as she hugs it closer to her.

“Thank you.” I hear tears in her voice, and they echo through my body.

“Hart, are you OK? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m OK. I promise. I’m getting better.”

“You can tell me, Hartley, whatever it is.”

“I know, but really, I’m OK. Can I have the milkshake?”

“Of course.” I hold it close to her while she lifts her head to drink it.

“It’s delicious. SWEETS?”

“You know it, best milkshakes around.”

“Thank you for the bear.”

“You are welcome. Listen, Hart, I’m leaving tomorrow, and I’m going to be gone for a couple of months. JD’s got a big deal set up.”

“OK. Be careful.”

“You know I will, and when I get back, you are going to tell me all about that blue butterfly. Deal?”