TRIPLE THREAT: THE INEVITABLE

15. UNBEARABLE NEWS

ROBYN

I slowly open the door to King's room and creep in. His eyes are shut so I assume he's asleep. His boys just came to visit so he must be tired. I go over to his bedside and adjust the pillow under his leg. I know he hates having to wear a cast. The doctors were able to remove the bullets from his leg. He lost a lot of blood, but he will be just fine.

Just a couple of weeks and physical therapy, he'll be walking without a cast again.

"Thank you." He says, I jump. I thought he was asleep.

"No problem. How you feeling?"

"I'm good. Just ready to get up outta here." He smiles. He's being released today and I'm happy about either. I hate having to come up to the hospital even if it was only for two days.

"You have to be on bed rest, you know that." I glare at him and he rolls his eyes.

"Hell no! What the hell is bed rest? You know what I do for a living, baby? They don't call me King for nothing." He leans over and slaps my butt. Hard. I swat his hand away, he laughs.

"I don't care what they call. You're staying at home. I'll be there to keep you company." I wink at him.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Ignore him when the Dr. Montgomery comes in the room.

"Hello Doctor. Good morning." I greet the tall, gray-haired man.

"Good morning Ms. Taylor, and Mr. Harris, make sure you stay in bed and keep some weight off that leg and you'll be set."

"Yes, doctor! I 'll make sure of that." He hands me the release papers. I sit down and fill it out as King plays on his phone.

A nurse comes in the room and I hand her the release papers. "Thank you have a nice day, you two!" She says before leaving.

I wheel King out of the hospital and in the car. "I could have done that myself, Robyn."

"Shut up, and stop complaining." I mug him and he shuts his mouth.

"I'm paying for Salia's funeral. I don't want her family to be so burdened with the funeral expenses. After all, she did die in my home while working for me." King says.

Wow. I smile over at King. He might look and act like a tough guy but he has a huge heart and loves to give to the ones who need it the most. He was never a selfish person and that's something I would always love about King.

"I'm sure her family would love that, King!" I beam. We would have to meet with her family to give them the good news. It'll be a great relief to them and hopefully it'll help them to mourn their lost in a peaceful way.

"It's the least I can do." He sighs and I can tell there's a lot on his mind right now. It's my fault that Salia got killed and I can't help but feel guilty that I was responsible and that my troubles put every one in danger.

I guess I'm thinking aloud because King is rubbing my shoulders and a few tears stream down my face. He wipes them away.

"None of this is your fault, Robyn. Stop blaming yourself for everything. They didn't get away with anything. No, we can't bring Salia back but she got her justice. Stop beating yourself up, baby."

He leans over and kisses me on the cheek which makes me smile. Just a little bit... okay, a lot!

"See, there you go. Don't ever stop smillin', baby girl."

I park my car as close to the front door of his million dollar mansion as possible so it would be easy to get him up the stairs and inside the house without too many problems.

I wheel him in and help him up to his room.

He plops down on his bed and stretches. "Damn, I missed my bed. I hated that small ass hospital bed."

I laugh. "Come on, King. Let's go get cleaned up."

"You coming in there with me?" He smirks at me then palms my butt then grips a handful. Surprisingly, I let him to this.

"Um, no. You shower while I cook something delicious for you. Buzz me if you need anything, okay?" I had put walkie-talkies all over the house in case he falls or needs my help. I know he's going to take advantage of it.

"Yeah, whatever. You can't dodge me forever!" He yells behind my back."Girl, I know you want this di-" I cut him off before he finishes his sentence.

"Hell no, I don't! You better be done showering and in bed in twenty or no later." I laugh before going down to the kitchen.

I sort through his fridge to find something good to cook. I get the chicken from the freezer, alfredo sauce and corn from the fridge and the pasta from the kitchen cabinet. I am cooking chicken alfredo, sweet corn on the cob and double fudge brownies he loves.

While the pasta is boiling along with the corn, I retrieve my phone from my bag and try calling Tony again. I've been calling non stop and I still don't get an answer from him. So I dial his girlfriend's, Diana's cell phone number. They're always together so she must know where he is.

"Hey, Diana!" I greet her. "I've been trying to reach Tony since yesterday night, do you know where he is?"

"Red..." She sounds strange. "Something happened to Tony."

I become alarmed. "What happened?"

"He's been shot." Now all my focus turns to Diana.

"What hospital is he at?"

"No, Red... Tony... he's dead!" She bursts out in a horrifying cry. I try to calm her down so she can get her words out but I can't. The news is so disturbing. How am I going to tell King? How is Diana going to raise a baby on her own? Who the fuck killed Tony? Who were his enemies?

I cannot believe this! All of this is happening at once. How is this all happening? Are the two murders linked? Tony? Out of all people? I just spoke to him yesterday afternoon. It's crazy how someone can be here one second and the next, they're gone.

I get off the phone with Diana and tell her I'll come and check up on her shortly. I continue to cook with Tony's death heavy on my mind.

I make both King and I a plate. I already lost my appetite but I don't want King to notice anything off about me. I want to tell him when he's relaxed.

In his bedroom, King is laying on his bed, flipping through channels while speaking into his phone.

"Why is Tony not picking his phone?" He's already frustrated. I come and sit by his side. I lay the tray on his lap and he licks his lips.

"This looks good, baby," He pecks me on the lips. "Thank you. For everything." I lean over and deepen the kiss. His lips feel so amazing and I can't stop kissing him. His lips are addicting.

"You're always welcomed."

He rubs my thigh. "Don't start anything you can't finish, Robyn." I bite my lip and avert my attention to the food.

We eat while watching a movie. He thanks me again and that nervous feeling creeps up again. I still don't know how to tell King that his best friend is dead and we don't know who killed him. I take the dishes away and dump them in the sink.

I prepare myself while washing the dishes. I wipe away my tears constantly. I can't go back upstairs with tears in my eyes.

I enter the room slowly. "King," He turns to look at me. "I have something to tell you."

"Yeah, what's up baby?" I take his hand in mine and look deep in his eyes. I can't do this. I just can't.

"I called Diana earlier. Something happened to Tony, that's why he hasn't been picking up the phone."

"What do you mean?"

"King.. Tony is dead."