Alex’s POV –
“Alex! What are you doing?” Papa yells at me. I ignore him and continue to stash my little belongings inside of the duffle bag. My hand is bleeding lightly due to me yanking out the IV drip. Papa places a firm hand on my shoulder, forcing me to pause.
“I don’t have time to sit in hospital and recover. I need to go find Ariana.” I explain, my breathing coming out erratic. Papa shakes his head, the muscle in his jaw twitching in disagreement.
“She’s just a girl hijo, I’ve searched for her everywhere I can. There’s no trace of her, let it go. You need to rest.”
I snap my head towards him, eyes burning with a new lit flame. “Let it go?” I repeat, unable to believe he was speaking these words.
“She saved my fucking life. I love her and you want me to let it go? Are you serious?” I argue back, shaking my head in disbelief.
“This is why I remind you never to get involved with girls Alejandro. It distracts you from what’s important! Finding your madre’s killer.” Papa hits back, his tone hushed yet angry.
“I’ve been searching for him for years! Don’t think it isn’t important to me anymore. Ariana is my one happiness, I think Mama would want me to be happy.” I say firmly, having a stare off with my father. His eyes are identical to mine, full of anger and passion.
“She’s a distraction!” Papa yells after me as I storm out of the hospital room, my shoulders squared with my bag slung over my back. It hurts to walk but I ignore the pain and continue going.
“You’re making a huge mistake Alex!” Papa snaps after me, his angry voice bouncing off the walls. I roll my shoulders back and forth, my strides long as I head for the exit. I need to loosen up my muscles, get myself back in the game.
“I guess that’s for me to find out.” I mutter under my breath, Papa’s words only fuelling me further. My replacement white SUV is waiting outside for me as soon as I step into the fresh air. I reach for the handle and pull it open, sliding into the car.
“You ready to do this?” Caleb asks me, pulling out of the parking spot and driving out of the hospital grounds. I place my bag down onto the floor, leaning back against the brand new seats.
“I’m more than ready.”
“There’s no word out on the street, this person is basically a ghost. We may never find her, you understand that right?” Caleb says seriously, his eyes trained on the road ahead. I already know that she may be gone forever but I won’t give hope, I’ll find her.
I turn to study Caleb, the shadow of his stubble covering half of his face. His eyes are drawn in, emotionless and he looks pale, lifeless.
“I know. Are you ready for this? I understand if you need some time.” I say to him quietly.
“It’ll be good for me, I need a distraction from this fucking hospital. It’s like a graveyard in that place.” Caleb shudders, referring to the section of the hospital that Nikki is placed in.
“How is she holding up?”
“It’s been weeks and there’s no change. Isn’t it bad enough that I’ve lost my baby but to possibly lose my girlfriend too? That sucks,” Caleb winces, a pained look flashing across his face.
I hang my head low, taking a moment to allow the silence to settle between us. We’d both had a drink in memory of his unborn child yesterday. Caleb snuck in a bottle of rum and we simply sat in silence, relying on each other’s presence to pull us away from the darkness. I place a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him and he shrugs it off, sniffling.
“Whatever man, I’m fine.” He mutters under his breath. I study the unshed tears filling his eyes and know that he’s any-thing but fine.
“It’s okay to cry Caleb. I’m so sorry for everything you’re going through and you always know I’m here for you man.” I say seriously. Caleb nods, masking his face over so that it’s emotionless. I know he’s putting on a strong front but beneath the surface, I can see him breaking down.
“Lets go find this motherfucker.” Caleb says after a few moments, his tone full of revenge. A ghost of a smile flickers across my face because I know with his fuel and my passion, we’ll find something. He needs revenge and I need to get back the love of my life . . .
I just hope we aren’t too late.
*****
I place my head in my hands, my eyes bloodshot and weak from exhaustion. I’ve called everyone I know for any small piece of information. Caleb was right, the motherfucker who took Ariana is basically a ghost. He’s left no traces behind, nothing to give me a clue.
“We’re looking for a needle in a haystack.” I mutter under my breath, taking a long drink from the lukewarm coffee beside me. Caleb grunts a response, his eyes sunken in and withdrawn. I’ve never seen him look so rough and beat up.
“Who’s our biggest enemies?” He says out loud.
“I’ve never trusted Dimitri Petrov.” I comment, referring to the leader of our Russian rivalry gang. Despite settling our dif-ferences, I still hated the man. I remember the time he captured me for three weeks, torturing me relentless until he broke me. I close my eyes, breathing in deeply.
“I hate that son of a bitch too. It’s about time someone popped a bullet through him.” Caleb says darkly. The humour from his voice has completely disappeared and I haven’t seen him smile since I woke up in hospital. It’s strange seeing Caleb without a smirk or smile, it’s like the darkness inside him has completely taken over. I glance at him warily, feeling con-cerned.
“That someone can’t be you. Petrov has a massive army behind him, if you kill him, they’ll kill you.”
“I won’t kill him, I’m not a murderer.” Caleb says blankly, leaning back in the beanbag he’s sat in. He glances up at the ceiling of my apartment, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. My thoughts turn back towards Ariana and I can’t help but feel fear.
Fear because it’s been two weeks and we have no leads whatsoever. I think of her out there, alone and my heart clenches with pain and anger. The thought that someone in my line of business could hurt her has me clenching my fists by my side. These men are sick, twisted and enjoy causing slow agonising pain.
“I never should have pursued this. She’s in this situation because of me.” I snap, angry at myself. Guilt fills me and I bow my head down, resting it in my hands.
“What do I do Caleb? What do I do?” I ask him, my voice heavy with emotion. He places a hand on my back, the small affection showing me that he’s listening. It’s a simple form of human contact but the intention behind it is supporting and that’s what I need right now.
“For now, we should sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and we’ll find something.” He says quietly. I let out a defeated sigh before nodding because I know he’s right. The apartment is completely dark, night streaming in through the large windows. The city is lit up underneath us, time continuing despite our lives coming to a stand still. I stand up, my body screaming in discomfort.
Caleb mirrors my actions and stands to his feet, shooting me a look.
“Can I sleep in your room? I don’t want to be alone right now,” He asks me, mumbling his words due to his exhaustion. I nod my head automatically, both of us turning to head down the corridor towards the bedroom. I have a large bed, big enough for both of us. Ever since I met Caleb, we’ve always had sleepovers, joking that when we turn eighty, we’ll still be sleeping in the same bed.
“If you snore, I will stick a sock down your throat.” I warn Caleb lightly. He lets out a low chuckle, dropping himself down onto the bed and closing his eyes. His features soften and within seconds, I know he’s drifting off to sleep. He mumbles a response but I don’t make it out. I drop down beside him, not caring to change out of my clothes as I welcome sleep with open arms.
Within seconds, both of us are heading towards a deep sleep, grateful to have each other’s support in a painful situation. He’s always had my back and I class Caleb as family. He’s the only brother I have and ever will have.
“Night Caleb.” I mutter, Ariana’s face flashing through my mind as I sleep.
“Goodnight bro,” Caleb responds, his words a sleepy mumble.