Page 9

T he hospital smelled like bleach and death as the bright lights bounced off the white floors as we walked through the lobby.

The sound of our footsteps echoed through the hallways, as I continued to walk behind Tone while his people walked behind me so I couldn’t bail even if I wanted to.

Plus, Tone was walking faster than I’d ever seen him walk before.

I could tell from the looks on everyone’s faces that they knew Tone and his crew were power.

His jaws were locked tight, and his fists were slightly balled but I can tell that he was trying to play it cool.

It was funny how men could be so hard until it came to the woman they loved. Meanwhile I was just… here.

By the time we reached his girlfriend, Shona was in a private observation unit on the second floor.

As soon as the curtain swung open, her eyes locked onto Tone like she’d been waiting for him, and she was beautiful might I add.

Her chocolate skin was glowing under the lights, and she had sharp cheekbones with her hair slicked back into a long ponytail.

Even with the worry wrinkles on her forehead, she still looked like one of those Instagram models without trying too hard.

Tone rushed to her side. “You good ma? What about the baby?”

Shona weakly nodded her head. “They say it’s just dehydration, but I been cramping, Tone. I ain’t never felt nothing like it.”

I stayed quiet, standing off in the corner like a Casper the ghost. However, just like most women, her eyes found me very quick. It was something about my looks that made me noticeable even when I wasn’t trying to be.

She gave Tone a funny look like she was ready to go off. “Who the fuck is this?” Shona asked dropping her eyes into tiny slits.

Tone didn’t flinch nor did he seem bothered. “It’s business and I’ll explain later. Right now, I need to hear this lil’ heartbeat.”

He then leaned in close as the monitor picked up the thumping sounds of his child’s heart.

His whole demeanor shifted, and I saw it.

I could tell Shona still had questions about me, but the moment between Tone and his child was more important to her.

It seemed like all of the women around Dom and his crew specialized in remaining poised yet dangerous.

Tone, this big dangerous man with gold teeth and huge hands had gone soft in the face for a short second.

His eyes welled up a little and for a minute, I saw the man underneath the killer.

“Damn,” he whispered with a little smirk. “Lil Tone really in there.”

Just then, the doctor walked inside and quickly eye balled us all with his clipboard in his hand trying to remain casual as if he could sense he was in a room full of killers.

“She’s going to be just fine. She came here with severe dehydration which triggered some light contractions and minor spotting, but the baby’s heartbeat is strong. We’ve got her on fluids for now.”

Tone looked up with a raised brow. “You sure that’s all it is? ‘Cause if not, I’m blowin’ this whole floor up Doc.”

The doctor nervously blinked. “I’m positive sir. We’ll discharge her within the hour.”

Tone nodded his head and then leaned over and kissed Shona on the forehead. “I’ma have one of the guys drive you home. I’ll be there soon as I wrap this up. I promise ma. I’ma have the nanny come over there too. I don’t want you alone.”

“You better,” she replied, with her eyes still burning a hole over me.

She slowly ran her tongue against her top teeth giving me a warning look and I knew what that meant, however it wasn’t Tone that I wanted, it was the boss who I craved.

Tone was so different around her. We stayed up until she was discharged and he catered to her every need.

However, once we were out the room, Tone had one of their hitters, a guy named Shan with the dreads and a gold grill, come up and get Shona so he could take her home. When she was situated, we loaded back inside of the truck and was back in the streets; Tone had his killer face on again.

“Aye, go to the chicken joint, I’m hungrier than a muhfucka,” Tone grunted from the seat. “I need somethin’ greasy after all that stress.”

From what I heard them talking about, the spot we were going to was one of the best. We pulled up to the Royal’s favorite hood spot, Crispy’s fried chicken and double parked like they owned it, and knowing them, they probably did.

Me, Tone, and the other two hitters hopped out.

As a matter of fact, I had just stepped out when I heard it.

The shots erupted fast, and they were close too.

I hit the ground hard with my heart damn near leaping out my chest. Tone spun around with his Glock in hand, already shooting shots.

The other two were as well. People screamed, glass shattered, and bullets were flying through the air almost like firecrackers.

“Victoria, move!” Tone yelled, shoving me behind a car while still shooting.

In the midst of the chaos, I caught a glimpse, of a hand holding a pistol as the car sped off down the alley.

There was a tattoo on the middle knuckle of a black scorpion wrapped around a dagger.

It felt like the blood was draining from my body and I went cold.

That was one of El Blanca’s men. We scrambled back into the truck, and I felt my arm burning, that’s when I looked down and saw the blood running.

I tried not to panic, because people who panicked, died. “I’m hit,” I said quietly.

Tone’s face went from wild to furious. “Fuck!” he barked.

He immediately grabbed the phone to make a call. “Yo, Doc! We pullin’ up… one of ours is hit but it don’t look fatal.”

I had no clue who Doc was, but I knew ‘what’ Doc because my uncle had plenty of his own on payroll.

Doc was an off the grid medic set up in a gated mansion on the outskirts of the city.

When we got there, we got out and walked all the way around back where a large metal shed stood.

It looked like storage, but inside it was a fully stocked private ER that looked upscale and better than most hospitals.

It had white walls, steel trays, anesthesia and everything.

Doc was already gloved up, waiting for me.

“Sit her down,” he said, nodding at me. “Let’s patch the princess up.”

I wasn’t sure how he even knew who I was, but then again, I guess it wasn’t many people in the world of cartel who didn’t know who El Blancas beloved niece was.

I winced in pain as he pulled the bullet from my arm with the grace of a pro and stitched me like he had done it a million times before.

He was a handsome older guy with dark skin, bald head, and a salt and pepper beard that was trimmed perfectly.

He looked well-kept and smelled really good too.

I had never been shot in my life, but it hurt like hell.

I got lucky it was just an arm shot because had it been anywhere else, I probably would’ve passed out.

“You’re lucky,” Doc told me. “It’s a clean wound and no major damage. You’ll live.”

Tone stood over me, with a hard look on his face once again in deep thought.

I could look in his eyes and tell that he saw the same thing that I saw, it was a direct hit from El Blanca which meant he wasn’t hiding his hands anymore.

I couldn’t help but to think it was all my fault for calling him out and blowing his cover.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything at all.

I finally spoke. “You saw the tattoo,” I said softly. “It was my uncle’s men. He tried to kill me.” I whispered in disbelief.

Tone didn’t respond right away. Then, he said what was on his mind. “That’s a declaration of war right there. The gloves are off, that muhfucka struck and didn’t hide behind another cartel this time.”

I looked down at the stitched gash on my arm, but the pain was nothing compared to what I felt inside. “El Blanca’s not my family anymore,” I whispered. “He just made me his enemy too.”