Then & Now

Chapter Thirty

MAISY

You'd think one of us would say something, but neither of us does. He rolls off of me and onto his back and we both lay there, side-by-side, and stare up at his ceiling. The silence stretches between us but it's not uncomfortable; it's just there. I hope he's not already realizing that that was a mistake. Because even though it technically was, Logan and I have always had chemistry, and that was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I cover my face with my hand relieved that it's dark in here and he can't see me blushing again.

Through my fingers I watch Logan lift his hand and run it through his brown hair, and then let it fall back on the mattress behind him. He lets out an exhausted whistle and I smile, in spite of the situation I've just put myself in. Logan's always been able to make me smile and they feel different when they're coming from him.

I'm not sure how it happens, if he wraps his arm around me, or if I naturally curve my body into his-- but somehow I find myself with my head on his chest and his large palm splayed out around my bare back. It feels so perfect that for a moment I wish I could freeze time and live my life like this forever.

But I can't.

I close my eyes while Logan's fingers gently rake through my hair and listen to the sound of his heartbeat drumming through his chest. It's almost hypnotizing and I haven't felt this peaceful in years. My eyelids feel heavy and I slowly sink off to sleep.

I stood up on my toes and checked the peephole, moving in a state of shock. Eddie was standing on the other side of the door with one arm propped against the wall and Jo Jo was behind him, occupying up most of the space in my small hallway with his massive body. My trembling hands moved on autopilot while I unlocked the door.

As soon as I pulled it back, Eddie's eyes darted behind me and took in his brother and the body of the other man still laid out on the floor. He staggered into my apartment, kicking the man in black in the side before collapsing down next to Eli. I stood there watching, not knowing what to do.

Jo Jo moved past me, his black sunglasses were covering whatever emotion he was feeling and his head was tipped down. He glanced at the other body before going to Eddie and putting a large hand on his bosses' shoulder, but Eddie shrugged it off. "What the fuck happened?" Eddie demanded, without bothering to look at me.

"I-I w-was in the other r-room," I stuttered, barely keeping it together. I felt my knees weaken but thankfully Jo Jo was there to sweep me up before I hit the floor. He stepped over the shattered coffee table and placed me down on the couch, prying my fingers from the gun. I hadn't realized I still had it in my hand.

"What the fuck happened Maisy?" Eddie shouted, turning on his knees and facing in my direction. Eddie never had to ask twice and I knew I was trying what little patience he had left. Before I knew what I was doing, I was blubbering the truth.

"He answered the door." I can't bring myself to look at Eli's body as I talk about him. I should've called an ambulance, but it wouldn't have made any difference. Maybe I should've called the police, but I had shot a man. I knew Eddie was my only way out of this, so I kept going. "I heard shouting and then the table break so I got Eli's gun." I swallowed, still feeling the weight of the weapon in my hand even though it was now empty.

"They were fighting and he," I nodded my head towards the man in black sprawled out on the floor. "He said Hector wanted his money back. He said that Eli stole it from him."

Eddie and Jo Jo exchanged a look, and then Eddie placed a palm down on his brothers' chest and got up off his knees. He took a handkerchief out of his back pocket and wiped his hands clean as he walked towards me. I didn't notice the blood on them earlier and watched as it stained the material of his handkerchief.

Eddie squatted down in front of me and placed his hands on my knees. I tried to prevent myself from recoiling back from him, but I couldn't help it, I was terrified. "Did Eli say anything about the money from Hector?"

"No, but tonight he started talking about the two of us getting out of here, and then that guy showed up--" my voice broke off into a sob and I covered my mouth with my hand. What had Eli done? This was my fault. He did this because he wanted to start a fresh start with me.

Eddie nodded to Jo Jo who was now behind me and my heart picked up as I swiveled around and watched the large Samoan man head back into my bedroom. "Maisy, Eli got himself into some shit," Eddie explained, as gently as he was capable of. "If he stole Hector's money so you two could runaway together, and then you went and killed one of his guys..." His voice trailed off. He didn't have to say it, but he did anyway. "They're gonna be coming after you."

Everything caught up to me in that moment and I broke down and cried again. Between my sobs I suggest calling the police and saying the whole things was a botched burglary, but Eddie shoots down the idea. "You can't go to the police Maisy. You killed one of Hector's guys, the police can't protect you."

Jo Jo came back from my bedroom with a small bag that belonged to Eli in his hand. Eddie took my hands and stood up, pulling me from the couch with him. "You need to get out of town. Eli would never forgive me if I didn't get you away from this."

For the first time in a while I looked at him there on the ground. There was a circle of blood pooled around him soaking into the hardwood floors. I'd never fully let Eli into my heart, so it didn't exactly break right then, but maybe it was just the shock. I knew one thing for sure, I'd give anything to have him wake up and be okay.

"What about Eli?" I whispered, trying to hold back the tears.

But tears didn't work with Eddie.

"We'll take care of him, the other guy too, but you have to get out of here Maisy." Jo Jo came up beside him and handed him a red shirt that looked exactly like the one that was draped on top of my hamper. "Put this on," Eddie ordered, shoving the shirt over to me.

I stared down at it, totally dumbfounded. "You have blood on the one you're wearing Maisy. You've gotta change." I didn't think about the two of them standing there in front of me, as soon as I looked down at my t-shirt and saw Eli's blood on it, I knew I had to get it off. I reached down and grabbed the hem, gingerly tearing it from my body, and as the material swept past my nose, I was reminded of changing in the bus station bathroom the night I found my mom. The same metallic smell filled the air as it did now and I thought I was going to be sick.

As soon as I got the new shirt over my head, Eddie placed his hands on my shoulders and steered me towards the door, I could hear Jo Jo behind us. "I'll try to smooth things over kid, but its best if you lay low for a while."

"I have nowhere to go," I admitted pathetically.

Jo Jo bent over and handed me my sneakers that were discarded by the door earlier today. As I struggled to put them on my feet, Eddie dug into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, producing a wad of cash and shoving it into my hands.

"Jo Jo will take you to the bus station, find somewhere new, change your name, but don't think for a minute these guys are going to stop looking for you Maisy."

"Can't you tell them I had nothing to do with it? I don't know anything about any money!" I tried to reason with Eddie but he just shook his head.

"If Eli stole that money from Hector, he's going to be out for my blood too. You sticking around here won't do any of us no good."

He wasn't leaving me any choice, and even if he was, I'd probably end up running anyway. Eli was gone; I'd just killed a man, and people were going to start looking for me. I couldn't go to the police; I wasn't safe.

Again, one night had changed everything.