Little Dark One

15 - the promise

Keira

Tommy's strong fingers clutched my upper arm as he held me to his muscular chest. He was so tense, a single tap could shatter him like glass. I could feel the pure fury radiating off of him, and I knew it was directed at me. 

I sat in the car watching everything unfold and I couldn't stop myself, my emotions took over. Before I knew it I was disobeying Tommy's explicit orders and running into inevitable gun fire.

I knew I made a huge mistake the second Alejandro's onyx fixated on me. I was the one that got away, and intended to stay far, far away. I never thought I'd see him again, so imagine my surprise when I see that he is the man who got Tommy so worked up. 

I was now stuck in the middle of two of the most volatile men I knew. Surrounded by layers of their ruthless followers. Never in my wildest nightmares did I expect my life to come to this. I escaped Alejandro's bad influence to fall right back into Tommy's fatal world.

Unresolved feelings came bubbling to the surface when I faced Alejandro again.

"What are you doing here, Ale?" I asked him, cringing as his nickname accidentally slipped out. Tommy's grasp tightened and I could hear his teeth grinding together in fury. 

"I could ask you the same thing, mi amor" Ale challenged, an eyebrow raised.  

His perfectly sculpted face and figure brought back images I quickly shoved back into my archived memories. We had a complicated past I wanted to stay buried.

"Is someone going to tell me what the fuck is going on here?" Tommy growled, I could feel the vibration of his chest as he finally spoke. Even in a situation like this, I still couldn't help but revel in our close contact. 

I tensed up at the question, unsure how to respond.

"We're old friends." Alejandro answered before I could come up with a decent lie. I appreciated his vague answer. Not wanting Tommy to know our history. 

"I picked up on that." Tommy sneered, his rage was glaringly obvious to everyone involved.

My eyes moved behind Ale to the trunk of his SUV where Tommy's men were bound. I had forgotten why we were even here, and was desperate to leave. 

"You don't know who you're messing with Ale, release his men before you have none of your own left." I warned.

Alejandro laughed as if my statement was pure humor. "I think your boyfriend's reputation is embellished."

"He's not my-"

Before I could finish my sentence, or even take another breath Tommy's gun was raised and firing shots in all directions. He spun me around and held me tight behind his back, shielding me from the violence. I squeezed my eyes shut and clutched the back of his jacket in terror. The shots left a sharp ringing in my ears and I couldn't help the whimper that escaped my throat. 

I felt Tommy still, and risked a peek over his shoulder, instantly regretting the view before me. His arm was still raised, his weapon aimed at Alejandro's head. Countless bodies scattered the pavement, with not a single one of Alejandro's men left standing. 

The back of his SUV was empty, and Tommy's men had all raced back into our own cars as soon as the bullets stopped flying. Leaving me, Tommy and Alejandro alone in the middle of the ruthless carnage. 

"I stand corrected." Alejandro conceded, but his arrogant smirk only grew. He raised his hand in a fist over his shoulder and Tommy stiffened, tightening his hold on me tenfold. 

"Don't. Move." he ordered, his tone deadly. 

It didn't matter. Small red lights covered us both. Just when Tommy ruthlessly gained the upper hand, Alejandro evened the score. We were at the sniper's mercy. Tommy's didn't move an inch, his gun remained targeted at Alejandro's head. 

With the two men facing each other as enemies, I knew I was the only one who had a chance of getting us out of this. As long as I was attached to Tommy I knew Ale wouldn't give the order to shoot. There was no way he would risk me getting caught in the crossfire. 

"What do you want!" I called from behind Tommy's back. 

He squeezed me, silently ordering me to shut the fuck up before I made this any worse. But I knew Ale, he always had a price. I squirmed in Tommy's hold and managed to slip out of his grip, moving in front of him so I could face Ale as I spoke. Tommy's arm snaked around my waist, pulling my back into his firm hold. 

He barely knew me and he was protecting me like this. It warmed a part of my heart. I knew he cared about me, no matter how cold his demeanor was most days, I was growing on him. 

Ale finally spoke, snapping me out of my reverie. "A date." 

"What?" I replied, confused. 

"Over my dead body." Tommy growled at the same time.

Alejandro laughed, directing his answer at Tommy "That can be arranged" he gestured to the many snipers stationed on various high points surrounding the dark, empty parking lot. He turned back to me, "I give you my word I will let the two of you leave peacefully if you promise to join me for dinner tomorrow night." 

The reward far outweighed the risk. I responded before Tommy could object. "I promise."

"No fucking way." Tommy hissed through his clenched teeth. 

"Too late. The deal is done." Ale smirked, victorious. 

I nodded in response and Alejandro signaled his snipers to stand down. Tommy's aim remained unyielding, his eyes glued to the smug spaniard. I turned in his hold so I could face him, he didn't stop me, but refused to meet my stare. I slowly wrapped my small hand around his wrist, pulling down gently, forcing him to lower the weapon. Surprisingly he didn't fight it, and Alejandro took advantage of the freedom, racing to his car. 

"8PM at the Waldorf Astoria penthouse. If you don't show, I will hunt you both down and kill everyone you love. I promise." He called out the crack of the window as he revved the engine before speeding away.