And Back Again

Chapter 22

"Hey, hey Z, check it out."

Zara turned away from the blueberry display to see Angel a few feet away with an eggplant at his crotch and a devilish grin on his lips.

"Are you serious?" She said, trying to sound annoyed but unable to keep from smirking.

"Wonder if that shit about pineapple is true," Angel put the eggplant back and grabbed a container of fresh-cut pineapple from the shelf. Opening the plastic he popped two pieces into his mouth and winked. "Why don't you find out," he growled. "Tell me how good I taste."

"Angel," she chided.

"Come on," he looked around, "There's barely anyone here, place closes in a half-hour."

Zara pushed their cart away and sauntered toward him. "You daring me?"

"I am," he cooed. "I miss that pretty mouth," Angel added, running his thumb along her bottom lip.

With one swift movement, she bit his thumb and grabbed his belt buckle. "I'm not a teacher anymore, Angel. I don't have to worry about how shit looks. You really want to try me?"

His lips twitched as he fought to hold in a laugh. "You're not gonna do it," he said smugly.

She pulled a face and shrugged. "Maybe not, but I can get you hard easily, without anyone seeing, and then make you walk around the store with a hard-on and then blue balls."

Angel jumped back from her. "Evil."

"You're the angel," she winked, "Not me."

The rest of their shopping trip was uneventful and once the groceries were packed up, Angel pushed the cart out while Zara paid. He knew Zara would chat with their usual cashier, Donna, she always did, so he left them to it.

Loading up the trunk, Angel slammed it shut and returned the cart to the corral. He huffed, looking around for Zara, when he heard the fire alarm go off inside the store.

"Fuck," he hissed, jogging across the lot to the entrance. "I don't fucking like this, Z."

A few employees hurried out of the automatic double doors, right passed Angel, but there was no sign of Zara. Angel ran toward the side of the building to check for another exit when he saw Gabe pull Zara out with a gun pressed right against her head.

"No," Angel said authoritatively. He looked at Zara but her eyes were screwed shut as she focused on her breathing to keep calm, as calm as was possible at that moment. "Let her go. Now."

"You even reach for your gun and you'll be cleaning her brains off your fucking kutte," Gabe warned.

Angel put his hands up instantly. "What is this, man?" The alarm sounded to bring attention to the front of the store while Gabe attempted to exit out the back but now that he was caught Angel just wanted to keep him there until the cops and fire truck arrived.

"I know about Molly," Gabe said ominously while inching toward his truck. "I don't want to hurt her physically but if you don't do what I say, I will."

"What do you want me to do?" Angel asked. "I'll do anything but first you take that fucking gun off her."

Gabe just shook his head. "Meet me at the dress factory and don't call anyone or she dies. Got it?"

"Gabe," Angel said, hoping to keep him there a little longer. "Just put the fucking gun away, man."

"You better go before they tape shit off here and keep you," he wanted, pushing Zara into the trunk.

—

Angel, blinded by fear and rage, raced off toward the dress shop without even thinking of calling anyone. He didn't know who to call or what they could do, Gabe was too far gone to risk anything risky. Angel had faith that he could save his family this time.

Getting to the shop, Angel saw Gabe's car but neither he nor Zara was visible. Finally, he heard a sniffle and the crunch of glass underfoot giving him a hint as to where to go. Gabe saw Angel hesitantly step into the building so he whistled loudly, startling both Zara and Angel.

"Over here," he said darkly.

"Take the gun off her," Angel said, his voice more measured than he expected.

"I'm not going to hurt her like that," Gabe said, taking the gun off Zara but keeping his arm around her neck. "I want to hurt her the way she hurt me."

"She didn't kill Molly," Angel growled. "I did."

"I saw it," Gabe told him. "Maybe you shouldn't trust Nestor as much as you do."

"She tried to hurt me, Gabe," Zara finally spoke. "I didn't want to."

"You kidnapped her," Gabe screamed into her ear.

"What do you want?" Angel asked to pull Gabe's attention from Zara. "Let's get this shit over with."

Gabe let Zara go, pushing her toward Angel, and raised his arm to aim at them both. "Say goodbye," he ordered them.

"No," Zara sobbed. "Gabe. Please."

"Z," Angel said quietly. "Nothing is gonna happen to you. He wants me dead, not you." Pressing his hand to Zara's abdomen, Angel began to cry. "I love you. I gotta do this, I gotta save my family this time."

"No," she cried again. "There's another way."

"There's not," Angel whimpered. "Mi dulce, te amo a ti y a nuestro bebé. Lo siento, no estaré allí." (My sweet, I love you and our baby. I'm sorry I won't be there.) Stepping back from her, Angel stood with his arms at his sides, waiting for Gabe to make his move. It wasn't original but it was the same kind of revenge he'd want if he were in Gabe's position.

Gabe grabbed Zara as she attempted to reach for Angel and forced his gun into her hand, holding onto her wrist to keep her from turning on him. "Shoot him," he ordered her.

"What?" She gasped.

"Shoot Angel. Now."

"No," she said staunchly.

"Z, do it," Angel told her. "You have to do it."

"I can't," she wailed, her hands shaking violently. "Please," she whimpered. "Don't make me."

"If you don't, I'll kill him and then you," Gabe warned her.

"Zara," Angel barked. "Shoot me."

Aiming at his leg, Zara squeezed the trigger but Gabe jerked her arm up toward Angel's head. The gun fired and the bullet missed both of their marks tearing through the flesh of Angel's chest.

"Angel," Zara shrieked. "No, Angel, baby," she wailed as Gabe pulled her away. "Please."

"Shut up," he said harshly.

"I did it, let me go," she cried.

"So you can go save him? Off yourself? No. I want you to grieve for him, wonder what's happening, where he is, and I want you to do it with me. I want to watch you mourn."

Gabe threw her back in the trunk and squealed out of the lot on his way out of Santo Padre. Moments later, EZ roared into the parking lot to find his brother bleeding out on the asphalt.

"Angel?" He shouted.

"Gabe took her," Angel sputtered.

"Who? Emily?" EZ asked with concern.

"EZ?" Emily called out from just inside the shop.

"What happened?" EZ asked her angrily.

She shook her head, "I-I don't know. I heard shouting up here so I called you. I'm not supposed to be here."

"Find Z," Angel groaned, gripping EZ's kutte. "Call Bastian."

"Go," Emily told EZ, "I'll take care of Angel." Without hesitation, she pressed her hands to the wound and applied pressure. "Call 911 and go, EZ."