“I’ll always need you.”
“But you will let go when the time is right. Promise.” I nodded. “Hold me, h-handsome.”
Her voice cracked on the last word and for the first time since walking into the room, I accepted I had to let go. Whether I could or not, didn’t matter, I had to give her the peace she needed. Gently, I placed an arm around her chest, eased my face in the crook, and silently cried, letting her even breaths fill my ears until I could hear nothing until she left me.
One minute I was lying next to her, feeling the fade of her pulse beneath my touch, the sigh of her breath as it became her last, and the very next a blurred vision of chaos. A screaming alarm, a flashing light, a whining beep, all yanking me out of my desolate oblivion, giving me hope at the same time lengthening the distance.
“Sir,...Sir...Mr. Shaw! Sorry, you have to leave now.” I glanced down at the pale hand gripping my arm following it up to the face of the nurse who’d seen my despair. “Mr. Shaw, you have to leave. She’s coding...it’s her heart...you need to leave,” her voice rose in crescendo.
I yanked my arm and turned to my wife. “Krish...Krisha...Open your eyes baby...” I screamed.
“Get him out of here now!” the bark resounded around me at the same time I was shoved backward.
My feet followed of their own accord, my eyes however remained, watching her vacant stare...Krisha’s vacant stare before the doors closed, signaling a final goodbye, taking the love of my life, the mother of my children and my best friend.
Zayne
THREE AND HALF YEARSAgo...
I glanced at the ringing phone, half tempted to ignore the damn thing before picking it up. Recognizing the number, fury sparked an immediate line across my brow. I hit the answer button. “Yeah?”
“Long time.” A voice I hadn’t heard in a while rasped through the speaker. “Forget your old acquaintances?”
“Told you to forget I fucking existed, didn’t I,” I sneered, ignoring the hopeful familiarity from the other end.
“When have you known me to follow rules? We’re two peas in a pod, remember.” I didn’t respond. “It’s been hard as fuck trying to track you down. Seems like you’re not adept at hiding anymore?” I didn’t miss the cold taunt.
“Maybe I wanted you to find me. Scores to settle, remember?” my reply equally icy. “Quit thinking so hard, you’re giving me a fucking headache,” I mocked when he didn’t respond. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Got a new client for you. A hard limit but I know you like a challenge and the client is willing to pay double. I’m gathering intel now.” He paused. I figured he was gauging my interest and continued when I said nothing. “The client sees the target as a threat to their life and needs the job done fast. Will send you the info in a few.”
I gnashed my teeth. “I’m not interested.”
There was a brittle curse on the other side. “Look, I know I fucked up. But it’s not my fault the last client fucked up. This client is good business. I’ve had him checked out, double and triple, and you’re the best man for the job.”
Staring out the window, I watched the waves crash against the shore, gripping the phone tight. Yes, they fucked up, got lazy checking out the client’s full details, but I held myself accountable, I’d never left a job unfinished, ever—my golden rule. I was a man of my word. “Still not interested.”
