Scarlett.
Tip. Tip. Tip.
I still can't forget that sound of water dripping.
That was the only sound in that place when I arrived.
Water dripping.
Martin's warning kept replaying in my head..
He's my son, Scarlett. Don't go. Don't fall for his trap. He wants you, dead.
Dead...
Its funny how most of my life I have only heard this one thing said to me, constantly, over and over.
Want You, dead.
I wanted to call Rage. Tell him everything at once. Knowing he'll do something.
But I couldn't. Not when my only family's life is at stake.
"Timmy." I called out, with my left hand touching the gun, Rage gave me, in my jean's waist band.
I was armed.
Before I left the community.
I had taken my gun and a long end knife from Rage's weapon collection. Hiding them both in the waist band of my jeans.
There was no sound. Just the water dripping somewhere.
It was all so eerie..
"Timmy." I screamed.
My heart was clenching, painfully and my shoulders felt cold and stiff.
I was so scared. I knew at any moment, my life will change forever. And I won't be able to do anything about it.
Consciously, my right hand rested on my stomach.
Everything's going to be okay.
Everything's going to be okay.
I kept chanting to myself and my unborn baby..
I have waited my whole life for this. My whole life to give birth to my child. My blood. My family.
I can't loose this. I cant loose.... my baby..
I sent a thousand prayer to anyone up there, to help me and Timmy out of this, alive..
I flinch when the sound of my cellphone ringing, alerts me.
I quickly press the green button seeing the caller id of Tim.
"Where is he..." I said through gritted teeth even though my whole body trembled with fear.
The sound of footsteps, from my left makes me gasp, and I pull out my gun with my free hand and pointed it in that direction.
My hand shivered uncontrollably.
He chuckles from the other end of the phone call.
"Stop playing games. I am here now. Let him go." I hissed into the receiver.
"Oh, my darling, Scarlett. Whats the fun in that?" He asks in that velvety smooth voice.
"Please....let him goo..." I pleaded into the phone, with my eyes still set into the darkness.
The only light source was that of the large window with broken shades.
It was too dark to make out anything, just a shadow of walls here and there.
It was getting dark, the sun setting. I needed to hurry up.
"Find him, and he is all yours..." Zaine whispers into the receiver, his breath crackling on the speaker.
Just then the sound of something steel, dropping on the floor, makes me move abruptly and turning into the direction, where I came from.
"Let him go...he is all I have. You have me now. I did what you asked." My voices cracks a bit as I trembled with fear and my gun raised in front of me.
The sound of the call being disconnected, makes me scream. I throw my phone away in anger and used both my hands to hold my gun.
"Timmy!!!" I yelled, moving forward.
I trip on something on the floor, but was able to adjust myself, preventing myself from falling face down.
"Timmy..." I screamed.
My throat felt scratchy.
The moments from my past kept playing in my head, from when I used to scream so much, my throat would get scratchy and closed up.
Shaking my head off, all my dreadful thoughts, I keeping walking further in the place.
Finding stairs at the far end, I immediately run to it, grabbing the railing and carefully climbing up.
It was dark but bright enough for me to make out the stairs and climb up, carefully.
Distant noises could be heard somewhere from the upstairs.
I quickened my steps and reached the end.
Staying still and calming my heavy breathing, I listen closely to make out where the noises were coming from.
I stumbled my way through the left corridor, hearing a muffled sound.
"Scarlett..." I hear Zaine's voice from somewhere, making me halt my steps.
"Come find us, darling..." He coos. His voice echoing throughout the ruins.
My lips tremble and a tear slipped down my left eye.
"Please...Don't do this.." I said in a whisper.
I was scared beyond imagination.
I could hardly see anything now. My shoes scruff against the floor with my hesitant steps. I had no idea where I was going.
I shriek when the sound of Pigeons flutter alarms me and raised my gun in their direction and pulled the trigger.
The sound of the gun fire echoed throughout the place.
I could smell the gun residue mixed into dust.
As if on cue, several noises could be heard around me. Without thinking twice, I fire the gun all around me.
When I hear the click of my empty gun, I gasped. Something cloth like drops on my head and my knees buckle under me, making me go down my knees.
I cry out louder trying to get that thing off of me. But the long end of that grimy cloth made it difficult for me.
When I successfully took the cloth off of me, I was blinded by the sudden light.
Closing my eyes, I blink several times, making out a long figure in the end of my vision.
I rub on my eyes and get on my feet again.
A muffled noise makes me frown just as I adjust to the brightness.
The colour drained off my face, and my breath hitched.
I stood still.
The cold creeps up my back and I fall onto my knees again.
I could hear myself breathe.
Stumbling on my knees I crawl forward, my palm hurting with the tiny stones protruding into my delicate skin.
"T-Timmy..." I yelled out.
A sudden burst of energy envelops me and I get back on my feet and ran towards my brother.
I shot him.
Those noises were meant to scare me into firing the bullets.
Timmy was tied to the ceiling above by his hands, his mouth taped and his eyes bloodshot red with agonising pain. Blood oozed out from his chest, his legs tied together were a feet above the floor in air.
I could not scream. I could not cry. My vocals shut down completely.
I run to him.
Taking out the long end knife, I cut the ropes around his legs, his tears streaming down his eyes, while he could barely make a sound.
I was too short to go up and cut off the ropes around his wrists.
Looking around me, I find an empty water drum. Grabbing it, I put infront of Timothy and climbed up.
With great difficulty I cut the ties off while making sure, he does not drops down on the floor without support.
When his arms come loose, I wrap my arms around his middle and climbed down the drum, stumbling on the floor, because of his weight.
His tremblings arms wrap around me as I lay him down.
Ripping off the tape from his mouth, he lets out a cry with a shaky breath.
I pull his shirt up and found two bullet holes in his chest with the blood sliding down and pulling under him.
Using the knife I tear off his shirt and put some pressure into the wound.
"Timmy. Oh god! I am so sorry.." I kept ranting while I cried.
I couldn't look him in the eye.
"S-Sc-Scar. Ru-Run." He chokes out.
I shook my head closing my eyes and cried in agony.
"I didn't know you were here. Oh god! Timmy I didn't mean to do this." I cried.
"L-Look at-at me..." He chokes out. And I look up immediately.
His mouth was open and his tears smeared his face.
"Yo-You need to le-leave." He chokes out.
"He-he is ba-baiting you." He continues.
I put my fingers over his lips.
"Please don't leave. I need you. Please. Ill get help. Don't you dare die on me, Timmy." I cry.
Trying to get up on my feet, I stumbled helplessly.
He puts his bloodied hand over my forearm and shakes his head.
Closing his eyes, He coughs uncontrollably while I rubbed his back and put more pressure into his wound.
"Help!! Help!!" I screamed, my voice echoing throughout that goddamned place.
"Sc-ar.." He chokes out grabbing tightly on my bicep.
"Let me go get help. We will make it out of this. Okay? Just hold on. Let me get help." I try to get back up but he does not allows me.
Its like he knew it was the end for him..
"Look at me..." He cries out.
"Please..Timmy." I begged.
"Will-Will you do some-something for...... for me..." He whispers painfully.
I nod, sobbing hysterically.
"Name your baby, after-after me." He says smiling, with so much pain.
My voice cracks and I burst out crying harder.
"You-You need another Ti-Timothy in your life, who-who has your back. O-Okay, Scara-boo.?" He asks.
"Don't leave me. You are the only family I have. Please. Don't leave me in this world without you." I begged grabbing his shoulders.
But he didn't say anything.
His chest goes up and down and he finds it difficult to breathe.
Choking on air.
"Timmy." I screamed.
"Timmy. No!!!"
His eyes bulged out.
His chest goes up.
And I watched him take his last breath...
***
Rage.
"Shh..." I cooed, as she cried hysterically in my arms.
My heart broke listening to everything that happened that night, Timothy died.
He was baiting her. He wanted her to kill him.
"I couldn't do anything..." She says sniffing and looks up at me again.
"I know baby. I know..." I said in a pained voice.
"He just...left..." She says her voice breaking as she sobbed.
"The police came right after that. I begged them to let me stay with my brother. I told them. He would come back if he heard my voice. He knows I need him. They didn't listen to me. They just cuffed and took me away from him..."
I cup her face in between my hands and made her look at me.
"There was nothing you could have done. You need to understand that." I whisper.
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"He needs to pay for what he did, Rage. I cant be your weakness. Thats why I stayed silent all this time. I needed you to stop worrying over me and make Zaine, pay for what he did to us. For what he did to...Timothy." She looks me in the eyes with a determination.
"I promise you..." I whispered.
"I promise you, Scar... I will make him pay." I said solemnly.
She closes her eyes and lets few tears slip down her eyes. Touching her forehead to mine, she sniffs.
"He was distracting us, Rage." She whispers.
"Why would you say that?" I ask opening my eyes.
"I just do..,He is planning something big. He had come back after Timothy died. He had told me he would come back for me. He has been planning on something, while the two of us were distracted. I know he is..." She whispers.
Opening her blood red eyes, she sniffs once more.
"I don't want to loose you, Rage. I cant loose you and our baby. I can't..." she begs.
"You won't..." I swore.
"I'll come back to you. No matter what happens. No matter where this end takes me. I'll always come back to you."
***
"No activities. None at all." I ask in disbelief, throwing the papers on my desk and facing Romero.
"Ever since Mrs. Díaz was convicted. He has been off the radar. We had been keeping a close eye on anything unusual. But nothing..." Romero says shaking his head in frustration.
I sit on my chair and leaned back.
"Keep looking." I said, dismissing and closed my eyes.
"Yes sir." He says.
I hear the door knob turning and the door to my office being opened.
I open my eyes as he turns around to face me.
"Sir..." Romero says before leaving out the door.
"Yes?" I ask..
"Congratulations on the baby girl...." Romero smiles.
I smile back and gave a nod.
Thats all I could.
After Martin's betrayal, I couldn't make myself trust anyone anymore. Unless its my wife.
Once he's gone, I have an ear to ear smile on my face.
We had an ultrasound yesterday.
Scarlett didn't want to be surprised by the baby's gender so we decided on finding out.
The community has been ecstatic about the news that the next heir would be a girl.
They already can't wait for her to take my place.
Little do they know....
Both of us, don't want to be a part of this life anymore.
Taking off my suit jacket, I shrug it off on the arm chair.
It was dark in my bedroom, since it was two in the morning and Scarlett's asleep.
Taking off all my clothes, I head into shower.
With my palms stretched on the tiled walls, I close my eyes and breathed in and out, deeply.
Its been exhausting since Scarlett's revelations.
I haven't been able to go out, myself to find Zaine. With Scarlett's ultrasound and my men on a hunt, everyday I wished this ends sooner so I can get out of this mess.
I just wanted to live peacefully with Scarlett and our baby without having to deal with the world's problems and having to constantly live in the worries of who's out to get us next.
The problem is. There is nothing that is leading us to Zaine.
Even Gomez hasn't heard shit from him.
We don't know who out there is connected to him that can lead me to him.
And as close as we are getting to the due date. I am worried about all the crap dropping down on us when the baby arrives..
I don't want to bring my baby into this world when someone out there is hell bent on killing her.
More of a reason for me to find him sooner. Kill him. And get the hell out of here, somewhere no one knows us and we can be a normal family.
Stepping out of the shower, I dry myself with a towel.
With a tired sigh, I wrap the towel around my waist and headed out.
I stop abruptly when I hear Scarlett panting.
Crossing over to her, I find her tossing and turning in her sleep, with her face smeared in tears.
"Baby" I whisper softly.
She cries out and turns over but I quickly turn her on her back again to make sure, she doesn't hurts the baby.
"Baby, wake up. Its just a dream." I urged patting her cheeks while with my other hand, I hold her down.
She sniffs and cries more.
I sit on the bed pulled her fragile body in my arms.
This hasn't happened alot since I got her back.
And she never tells me what she is dreaming about.
"Scarlett." I say louder and woke her up, shaking her shoulder a bit.
Her eyes bulge out and she pants louder.
"My baby..." She chokes out and her hands instantly go for her stomach, searching...
"Rage, my baby. My baby is dead. He tried to kill my baby." She screams, hysterically.
"Scar...Calm down baby. Our baby is okay!!" I grab her hands and gently laid them on her growing bump.
I feel the kick, right under her hands.
"See...She is okay. Scar...it was just a dream." I say, kissing her forehead, feeling my own eyes prick.
"She is...kicking." I whispered in wonder.
"She is trying to console you..."
She sniffs and her voice cracks while she sobs.
"I-I thought he killed her...." she sobs hysterically on my shoulder while both our hands are on her stomach feeling our baby girl kick.
"Who did, Scar? Zaine?" I ask..
She shakes her head on my shoulder and sniffs again.
"N-No" she chokes out, shivering beneath me.
"Then who, Scar? What are you hiding from me?" I ask making her face me.
She looks up at me with her teary eyes and gulps.
Our baby stops kicking and I spread both my hands all over her stomach in case she kicks again.
"Don't hide anything from me, Scar. You know how angry that makes me." I said, in a deathly whisper, looking back into her eyes.
Her mouth opens but she closes it back again. She gulps and nods.
"Who tried to hurt you?" I ask my eyes growing wide with anger and my jaw ticking.
"I met Lila Carter when I was in prison.." She whispers.
My brows furrowed.
I knew Adrian and Lila were in the country but I was too busy getting Scarlett back to give it a second thought.
"Did she try to hurt you?" I ask.
"No-No. She tried to save me. She said you helped her and she stayed behind to protect me.." She says.
"Tried to save you from who? Zaine?" I ask.
"The guard. The prison guard. He was trying to hurt me and pushing me around whenever he saw me... I don't know why...Lila would protect me from him." She answers.
My nostrils flare and I try to get up but Scarlett grabs my arms.
"Rage...Don't. Not now. Don't leave..." she begs me.
"Why wouldn't you tell me this before?" I shout. She flinches but holds onto my waist.
"Because You were worried about so many things...I didn't want you to worry more." She cries and snuggles into my chest.
I sigh in frustration and grab her by the shoulders.
"What was his name?" I ask.
"I-I don't remember" She replied. I knew she wasn't lying or trying to save him, she kept eye contact when she tells truth.
"Please don't leave. Worry about this later. I want you to stay..." She said in a small whisper.
Its crazy how she makes me melt and calm down from my fit of anger.
I grab her in my arms and laid down next to her.
Her face coddled into my chest, I play with her hair and rubbed her back.
I try not to let the crackling feeling in my chest, that I feel when I am about to combust with my anger, get the best of me.
I needed to be there for her more than I needed to kill someone who thinks he can get away with hurting my wife and child.
"Rage..." she whispers.
"Mhmm..." I respond.
"Please don't be angry. I didn't want to worry you.." she says in a small voice.
"I won't. As soon as you're asleep. I am killing him." I say it deadpanned.
"I know..." she whispers.
The killer in me does not scares her away anymore. Like it used to.
She knows I'll kill whoever who tries to hurt her and she can't do anything about it.
"Do you think, We can name our baby girl, Timothy?" She asks making me smile.
"I am not very gender based. If it makes you and that bastard happy. I don't mind naming her Timothy.." I said with a small chuckle.
"What would you name her if I hadn't wanted to name our first child, Timothy?" She asks looking up at me.
"Angela.." I said without a second thought.
"We should name her Angela Timothy.." She smiles brightly and pulls up to come face to face with me.
"We should.." I say matching her smile.
We stay in a moment of silence.
When my eyes shut down, I sigh heavily, feeling the weight of my worries, crushing my happiness.
"Do you think I would make a good father?" I ask in a whisper.
I feel her fingers touch my cheek, So I open my eyes.
"Why would you say that?" She asks furrowing her brows.
Using my thumb, I smoothen her worry lines.
"Because of who I am?" I said it more like a question.
"A hunk?" She says with humour.
I chuckle and kiss her nose.
"I am serious." I say after awhile.
She cuddles into my neck and wraps her arm around my hips.
"You would make an amazing Dad. You will protect her at all costs. I know. If something were to happen to me, you would make sure you give her the love she would have needed from me. If you think killing for your country and your wife, makes you a bad person and someone who is not fit to be a father, than you are highly wrong. I know..I believe...there is no one in this world who would give Angela Timothy everything she ever needs. You would raise her like a warrior that you are." She whispers.
Tears slide down the side of my eyes and I blink them away, gulping.
"She won't be allowed to move out until I am dead" I said in a serious note.
Scarlett chuckles and looks up at me.
"Nothing about you, will ever make me worry that you are not going to be a good father to my daughter." She smiles.
I smile down at her.
After she had told me, about the events leading to Timothy's death, I had confessed to her about my past that I did not know until I confronted Martin.
I may have had changed that night. But for her I was still the person I have always been.
I saw myself as the unworthy son of Zac Díaz and his crack whore mistress.
She changed that point of view by reminding me of the role I would be playing in a matter of few months when we give birth to Angela Timothy Díaz.
***
Author's Note:
I am so sorry to keep you guys waiting for an update.
I have been working so much recently that it has been hard to keep up. Specially when I had to write a death Scene which was difficult to write due to personal reasons.
I promise to make a habit of updating atleast once a week.
Thank you for being patient.
Love you guys!!!
Lots of Love.
T. ❤️
P.S. How was the chapter?