Conflicted Heart (Completed)

Nine

Zane

It's been exactly one week and right now I am sitting in my car  watching my target. I can't get out of my mind the fact that he tried to drug and possible rape Yani. I feel the anger stirring in my soul at that thought and I do my best to calm it down. Why the hell do I care what happens to her anyway? Ugh. I can't feel like this. I can't be anything to her. I don't even have friends with the fear that they are going to judge me if they find out what I'm really about. It's not the way I thought my life would go, but this is the life I chose and I have to deal with all that comes with it. Anyway, I load my gun and then I cock it. I put on my ski mask as I watch walk past my car. I get out of the car quietly and I follow closely behind him. It's around 7 p.m. on a non-busy street Saturday evening. I look around and I make sure no one is in sight. I stop in my tracks and I hold up my gun. I aim and I shoot him right in his left thigh. He yells out as he falls to the ground on his stomach holding his leg in pain. I run to him, and I lean over and I put my hand on his head so he keeps his face away from looking at me.

"You try and drug and rape any other woman again, you'll be dead. Got it?," I said sternly in a low voice.

"Yes I got it! Please don't kill me!," the man yelled out. I release my hand from his head and I put my gun in my pants and I run off to my car. I throw my gun in the glove compartment and I do a U-turn and I drive off. I take off my ski mask and I take a deep breath. Hopefully that's one less evil person in the world. I take off my black gloves and I drive out to the abandoned house to get my money. I made an additional $5,000 for this hit, which isn't too bad at all. Now it's time to go get my baby girl. I hope she stayed awake for me. I head to my mom's house and once I get there, I get out of the car and up to the door. I ring the doorbell and instantly, Nia answers the door.

"Hi daddy!," Nia said.

"Hi princess!," I said happily. I open my arms and I pick Nia up and I kiss her all over her face.

"You stayed awake for daddy huh?," I said.

"Yes I sure did. I took a nap and now I'm wide awake. Can we please watch a movie when we get home?," Nia asked sweetly.

"Of course baby girl I would like that." She kisses my cheek and then I set her down. I look at my mom and I smile and she smiles back.

"Hey baby," my mom said.

"Hey ma," I said. I move closer to her and I hug her tightly and I kiss her cheek.

"You know your baby girl was good you don't even have to ask," my mom said.

"Thanks for watching her," I said. I go into my pocket and I hold out an envelope to her. My mom narrows her eyes at me and I smile.

"Come on now take it ma," I said. She sighs and takes it.

"Thank you Zane I really appreciate this," my mom said.

"You deserve it. I love you ma," I said.

"Oh I love you too baby," my mom said. She hugs me again and kisses my cheek. She gathers Nia's things as Nia puts on her shoes and light jacket.

"Bye grandma! I had fun with you as always," Nia said sweetly.

"Oh I had fun with you too my princess. I'll see you later," my mom said. My mom squats down and hugs Nia and kisses her all over her face. Nia then kisses my mom's cheek multiple times and my mom laughs a bit and then stands up. Nia gets her small backpack and I take Nia's hand and we leave. I put Nia in the backseat and I make sure she is strapped in and then I get in the car and I pull out of the driveway and I head home. Once I get to my apartment, Nia and I both get out of the car and into our apartment building. Once we are in our apartment, I close and I lock the door behind us as we take off our shoes. I set my keys on the counter and Nia and I walk up the few steps to our bedrooms.

"I'll meet you downstairs once you put your pajamas on ok?," I said.

"Yes daddy," Nia said obediently. I go into my bedroom and I wash my face and I change into a beater and pajama pants. I go downstairs and I make a large bowl of popcorn. Once it's ready, I go into the living room and I set the popcorn on the coffee table and then I put in one of Nia's favorite movies, "Princess and The Frog." Within a few minutes, Nia comes down the stairs and into the living room. She jumps right in my lap and I laugh as I kiss her cheek. I grab the bowl of popcorn and Nia takes a small handful and starts to eat it.

"Daddy I'm going to get a bottle of water do you want one?," Nia asked.

"Yes I would thank you baby girl," I said. Nia nods her head and gets down from the couch and I watch her go into the kitchen and get two small bottles of water. My baby girl is so sweet. She comes back with the two bottles and sits on the couch next to me.

"Daddy can I ask you something?," Nia asked.

"Of course baby girl what is it?," I asked.

"Talked to Yani lately?," Nia said while grinning hard. I narrow my eyes at her as she laughs hard.

"No I haven't....why?," I asked.

"Just wondering."

"Yeah right.....you're trying to hook daddy up with her I know you are. I know you set up that dinner on purpose."

"Ok you got me I did.....but daddy.....you should see the way you look at her."

"I don't look at her any type of way," I defended.

"Yes you do.....don't you think she's pretty?" I look at her as she looks at me.

"....Yes Nia. Yani is very pretty," I said while sighing.

"I knew you thought so! And she's so nice daddy. Don't you want a girlfriend or something?"

"No I don't," I said quickly.

"You're lying.....you always tell me everyone deserves to be happy so why don't you want to be happy?"

"....I can't Nia. I just can't," I said while shrugging her shoulders.

"Yes you can you just have to do it.....daddy I want Yani to go trick or treating with us," Nia said firmly.

"Excuse me?," I asked.

"You heard me daddy.....let's call her and ask her. It will be fun!"

"Nia I don't even have her number to ask her."

"Yes you do," Nia said while giggling.

"No I don't.....Nia what did you do?"

"Well....when we went to dinner last week and you went to the bathroom you left your phone.....so I asked Yani to put her number in your phone and she did!," Nia said happily.

"Nia you didn't," I said while shaking my head. Nia nods her head excitedly and I grab my phone and I look through my contacts. I don't have many contacts anyway, and I see Yani's name in my contacts. My eyes bulge in shock as I look and I see her number.

"Nia....why did you do this?," I asked.

"Because...I like her and I want to see her again. You have to think about me too," Nia said sweetly. I just look at her and I sigh. She is right. As her father I do have to think about her, but this....is different. I just don't want to get attached to anyone. I don't want anyone to get hurt. At the same time though, I'm a man raising a little girl and I can only teach her so much. Nia does need a woman figure in her life. I can't say for sure if that will be Yani, but if Nia likes her so much, she must sense something she really likes.

"I don't know Nia....you want me to call her?," I asked.

"Yes please! Just ask her. And don't be so nervous.....she makes you nervous so you must like her," Nia said while smirking.

"Be quiet," I said while laughing a bit. I look at my phone for a few minutes before I dial her number. I take a deep breath as I put my phone to my ear. I'm doing this only for Nia I swear. After the third ring, Yani picks up.

"Hello?," Yani said.

"Uh....hey Yani. This is Zane," I said nervously. I'm not even in her presence and she still makes me nervous. What the hell?

"Hi Zane. How are you?," Yani said happily.

"I'm good and you?," I asked.

"I'm great."

"I'm sorry to call out of the blue.....Nia informed me that your number was put into my phone at dinner last week," I said while side eyeing Nia. Nia giggles softly and Yani laughs softly.

"You're right....I hope that wasn't too bold but Nia insisted," Yani said.

"Uh it's ok....well the reason I called is....I just wanted to know if you would want to join Nia, me and her friends for Halloween? Nia really wants you to come trick or treating with us....I wouldn't mind your company either," I said. Whoa where did that come from?!?

"Really Zane? You know what I would really love that. Should I come in a costume?," Yani asked.

"If you want to that would be fine. I will probably dress up to match my princess," I said.

"Awww that's so sweet. Well what time will work for you?"

"We will probably go at 5.....so you could meet us at my place at that time? Would that work?" Oh reat now I'm inviting her to my home.

"That should work just fine. I can't wait to see you and Nia," Yani said.

"Uh...yeah. Thanks." I give Yani my address.

"Well uh....Nia and I are about to watch a movie, so I have to go," I said.

"No problem. You enjoy the night with your princess and tell her I said hi," Yani said.

"I will thanks. See you later," I said.

"Sure. Bye Zane."

"Bye Yani." I hang up the phone and I take a deep breath. My hand was damn near shaking while talking to her. What's up with that?

"What did she say?," Nia asked eagerly.

"She said she would like to join us for Halloween and she told me to tell you hi," I said.

"Oh yay!! I'm so happy!," Nia said while clapping her hands. I lean in and I kiss her cheek and I start up the movie. I just hope and pray I don't regret this.