Their Broken Pieces by Jessica Gomez

Chapter Fifty-Four

Jasmine

 

 

My hands are steady as I step toward this guy who seems to be the leader of Mario’s gang. My face is level, but I don’t want to look into his eyes. I want to remember as little as possible about tonight’s events.

“Look at me, mujer.” He commands my eyes to his. When they finally meet, he tells me, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you, but I need you to tell me what happened.”

The words fly from my mouth, nothing standing in the way to block them. The leader listens intently, his face growing stern a couple of times, a few gasps from Alex, and a groan from Carlos, which I assume had more to do with his side wound than anything I was speaking about.

When I finish, I let out a loud sigh, as if I’ve lifted a thousand-pound boulder off my shoulders. Instinctively, Alex is next to me, wrapping me in his arms the second the last word leaves my lips; hugging me, kissing me, doing anything he can to get closer.

Creep’s words intrude on my lost-in-thought-moment with Alex. “It looks like your friend here is going to need to go to the hospital. You may want to as well, Jasmine.” He pauses. “But before you go, there are going to be consequences for tonight’s actions.”

Alex stiffens and pushes me behind him again. “If it’s a fight you’re looking for, you can count on it.” He steps in closer to Creep, who only chuckles under his breath.

“You’re misunderstanding me, Alejo. I’m going to fill you in on something only my second and I know about. You are the head of the recruits for Hell’s Warriors. I am the leader of The Black Widows, but you have a boss, do you not?”

Alex looks confused. “I don’t understand what you mean.” He’s lying, I can tell. He’s playing coy.

Creep laughs again. “And that loyalty makes me confident in telling you this little secret. I am your boss. Do I not sound familiar to you?” Alex remains quiet. “I run both gangs. Split them up to cover more territory. That’s why we have the least interaction with one another because I don’t want my guys beating and killing each other.” He looks over at Mario, still half dazed. “Well, most of the time.” Creep turns back to us. “So this is what I propose. I know you’ve been wanting out for some time now, and because this retaliation against your novia was unauthorized and completely monstrous, I’m willing to let you and your friend who helped you here tonight leave the gang if you wish; no questions asked. I think what she’s endured here tonight will haunt all three of you forever, so there is no need to punish you further. You’re one of my best members and leaders, Alejo.” He pauses and Alex dips his head, acknowledging the compliment. “I suggest you make your mind up fast, your friend is fading.”

“Sí I want out. So does he.” Alex flicks his head toward Carlos, who is as green and pale as that combination can get.

“Granted.” Creep turns to walk away. “Oh, and I have not made up a punishment for this one here yet, so if the hospital asks, tell them everything until I arrive. Make something up about your escape. Understand?”

“Si,” Alex answers, helping me hold Carlos up to get him to the car.

The leader must have heard him because he leads his gang out, including Mario. I’m glad he’ll get what’s coming to him.

We reach the hospital not a second too soon. Carlos looks like he’s lost an excessive amount of blood. He’s now unconscious and his pulse is weakening. Alex rushes through the emergency room doors and is back to us in less than a second, stretchers and medical staff following behind.

Carlos is the first person they pull out and place on top of a stretcher. Before he hits the door, the hospital staff rips his clothes off, and they put breathing equipment in place. I’m so concerned for Carlos that I neglect to notice the staff attempting to get me to sit in a wheelchair.

Instantly, I panic. No chairs. No chairs! “No!” I shriek, clinging to Alex’s bare chest, his shirt still wrapped warmly around me. “No chairs,” I mumble into his neck several times before he understands what I am trying to say.

“Is it all right if she walks in, or if I carry her?” He asks. “The chair is the problem.”

The staff look at him, confused, but nod and let me follow them into one of the exam rooms.

“She must lie down on the table. Is that going to be a problem?” She asks Alex, as if I am no longer in the room or competent enough to answer myself.

He looks at me for the answer.

“It’s okay,” I whisper.

“It’ll be fine.”

“Is there any family we need to contact? What is your relation to her?” The nurse asks rather rudely, like us being here is cutting into her lunch hour.

“Her grandmother is in an elderly home and her father is a quadriplegic and needs twenty-four-hour care.” After a glance at me, he says, “There is no one else.”

“And your relation?”

“I’m her boyfriend.” His words stun me, but I dwell on the words that come out of the nurse’s mouth next.

“I’m sorry. Immediate family only. You’ll have to wait in the waiting room.”

Before the last words are spoken, I grab Alex around the waist so hard my nails dig into his skin. “No! He has to stay! He stays or I leave.” Alex is holding me, trying to calm me down, when the doctor comes in.

“What seems to be the problem here?”

“She won’t let him stay, and I need him to stay.”

The doctor takes in the death grip I have on Alex. “He can stay, as long as you’re all right with it.”

My body instantly sags against Alex, using the last bit of strength to hang onto him. “Thank you.” I manage before going completely limp.

Alex catches me and places me on the bed, hanging onto my hand to let me know where he is and that he’s not leaving.

“Are you able to tell me what happened, honey?” The doctor asks.

I moan.

“How about you?” He asks Alex.

“Yes, I can tell you.” The complete story comes out again, except this time, Mario is only beaten up by Alex and Carlos and left with the rest of his gang in the shed behind the school, convincing the doctor that we knew nothing else beyond that.

Hours tick by after the doctor finishes his examination and administering painkillers. They have put me in a room to monitor any head trauma for the beating I took to the face. The cops come to take a report, so we quickly recap our stories again, wanting to move on and get past this.

Finally, another doctor finds us to give us news about Carlos. He came out of surgery just fine. He’s in recovery, but still unconscious. The relief on Alex’s face is tremendous.

“Go to him,” I tell Alex.

His eyes are sad and pleading, desperately wanting to stay with me, but also wants to check on his friend.

“I’m all right, Alex. See how he is, and tell him… tell him I said, thank you.”

Alex leans into me, seeming as if he’s going to kiss me on the lips, but given their state, he opts for the forehead instead. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

“Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“I love you, Jasmine. No puedo vivir sin ti.”

All I can do is sigh, half because I’m emotional over the “I love you” he just declared, and half because I’m so tired of not understanding anything Spanish that comes out of his mouth when I so desperately want to.

He chuckles. “I’m going to have to teach you Spanish, huh muneca.”

Smiling at him the best I can with a busted lip and battered face, I say, “I’d like that.”

He leans over and brushes butterfly kisses across my lips so softly they remind me of silk. “I said I love you, and that I can’t live without you.” His butter-soft lips meet mine one last time before standing. “I’m going to check on Carlos. I’ll be back soon.”

“I miss you already.”

He smiles before heading into the hall to wherever Carlos’s room is located.

Getting comfortable in my hospital bed, I breathe in a vast sigh of relief. Closing my eyes and taking deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth, I thank whoever is out there for the gift they have just given the three of us. Someone is watching over us. Or maybe someone’s.

I briefly hear the nurse tell me she’s going to give me something to take the edge off the pain. I murmur some sort of noise to let her know I heard her.

I can tell immediately when the drug hits my system and that it’s a good one. In my last stay here, after the accident, I received several painkillers, and this one was one of my top faves.

Interrupting my rambling thoughts is someone calling my name. “Jasmine? Jasmine?” I would recognize that voice anywhere… Jace.

Tears stream down my cheeks; I feel as if I’m between two worlds, awake and unconscious, and I love this world because Jace is here with me.

“Jace, I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too, Jazzy. I’m so sorry for what you’ve had to go through. I’m sorry I’m not there for you, but you have Alex now. He’ll protect you with everything he has, Jazz.”

“I love you, Jace.”

“I love you too, my goofy little sister. Whenever you get sad or lonely, remember all the great times we were lucky enough to have together, because that’s how I want you to remember me.” His last words make me smile, and then he whispers, “One, two, Jace is coming for you…” his voice dissolves into silence, which makes me laugh and cry at the same time.

A hand touches my cheek and someone calls my name. Thinking it’s Jace again, my eyes spring open, searching the room.

Alex stands before me, worry etched on every angle of his face. “Are you all right? You were talking in your sleep.”

“Sleep? I wasn’t sleeping.” I say, confused.

His concern grows. “Jaz… it sounded like you were talking to Jace.”

“I was Alex. He came to see if I was okay.” A smile stretches across my lips, big enough to split my bottom lip back open.

Alex snags a tissue. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, but groggy from the meds. Did you see Carlos? How is he?

“Carlos is going to be fine. The knife missed everything important. He should be out soon.” He pulls a chair next to the bed and sits down, taking my hand.

“That’s good. I’m glad he’s going to be okay.”

We stare at each other for a moment before Alex asks, “Do you like the idea of us together?”

“I like the idea a lot. I love you, Alex. That hasn’t changed.”

“Te amo tambien,” he says.

“I hope that means you love me too.”

He laughs, and besides hearing Jace in my drug-induced dreams, it’s the best sound I’ve heard all day.

“Sí muneca. It means I love you too.” He leans down and softly kisses me, then looks me straight in the eyes. “I am yours, and you are mine, Jasmine. I will do everything I can to always make you happy and proud to be with me, I promise you. From this day, we stay honest with each other, and I’ll never let you get hurt by anyone ever again; I swear this on my life.”

I already know this, but it feels so good to hear him say it.

He kisses me again, this time a little harder. It’s slightly painful, but well worth it when he whispers, “I love you,” again, softly against my lips.