Loving Becky

Chapter Fourteen: Flashing Lights

   It's hard to think straight in moments like these. When your adrenaline is pumping, stress levels are up, and everything is just so fucking loud.  It takes years sometimes to stay in control of the moment. It takes practice to make the right decisions when your back is against the wall. Even when it feels like there's nothing left to do, you still have to make a choice. No matter who it hurts.

     They beat me in the hospital parking lot, and drove me to the station in handcuffs and covered in Mikael's blood, along with my own. All I can think about is how Bec screamed, begged, and fought them to show me mercy. The sound of pain in her voice was devastating. And there was nothing I could do to comfort her. 

   Now, I'm handcuffed to a chair in an interrogation room. My face is throbbing, and I'm almost positive that I have a concussion. If that would have gone on any longer, they would have beaten me to death. I'm sure of that. 

"You're a hard man to find, Roman." I lift my head to lock eyes with Granite. "Is it me, or do you get uglier every time I see you." I spit blood on the floor, and she scoffs at my reply. "Cut the crap. You're in jail, Roman. It's over for you." I laugh in her face.

"My niece hits harder than you," I tell the cop guarding the door. He bucks at me in anger, but then Granite stops him. "Stand down, officer." The way he glares at me makes me smile. "We'll finish this later." She leaves the room with him, so I take the chance to work on my escape. 

  While those guys were busy assaulting me, I managed to steal the keys to their handcuffs. It was easier than I thought. I uncuff my wrist first. Just as they come off, the door opens. I chuckle upon seeing that it was one of the cops.

   My eyes fall on his nametag. "Chad. What a douche name." He stares blankly at me as he walks over to me. Chad comes close to me, placing his hands on the table and staring into my eyes. 

"I hate scum like you. You're all like the plague. You keep," In a quick motion I grab his head and bang it against the table. "Fuck you, Chad." I then uncuff my ankles before grabbing his gun. "I hope you rot in hell for what you did tonight," I tell him as I grab him from off the floor. 

I wrap my arm under his neck and press the gun to his head. "Walk." I only had to say it once for him to obey. He moved slowly into the hall. At first, no one spotted us as he walked into the lobby. Chad suddenly gasped for air which caught everyone's attention. 

   Everyone jumped up from their desks and aimed their firearms in our direction. Granite had a sick look on her face. She wouldn't think twice about killing Chad if it meant she got me. "Kill them." She spoke softly. 

Like a heavy rain shower bullets came at us from almost every direction. I use Chad's body as a shield until I make it out the door. The second I'm in the clear I drop his dead weight and make a run for it. I make it maybe three blocks down before I duck into an alley to let the cop cars pass me. I also take this chance to catch my breath. 

"I'm getting too old for this shit, man." I huff after a few moments. Once I can breathe properly, I stand up and leave the opposite way. It takes me until sunrise to make it across town, toward the closest motel. When I get there, I book a room and sleep the day away.

         I cried for hours after they took Roman. I'm terrified at the possibility of him being gone. The fear is so great that I can't eat, or sleep without my picturing it. Roman means more to me than I thought, and for that, I don't want to lose him. 

  "He's a tough guy. He's probably on his way here right now." Mikael says as he pours a glass of milk. After they fixed his injuries, the guards brought us to a safe house hidden in the woods. We've been here for over 24 hours. Francis calls now and then for word on his brother. And every time, we disappoint him with the news.

"I hope you're right about that," I mumble on my way to my room.

        I'll never forget Roman's lecture on getting out. I'm starting to think that's the best thing for me. Even if I don't want it to be. If I stay, there will be nights where I don't know how soon he'll make it back to me. Nights where he's in trouble and there is nothing I can do to help him. I'm really not sure that I want to live that way. In a constant state of fear that I will lose him forever.

It would be cruel for me to leave him like this. Without a goodbye, or an explanation. But maybe he'll understand, and someday he'll forgive me.