Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 5 - Damien

Chapter 5 - Damien

 The cops arrive ten minutes after 911 did. The EMS performs first-aid to Smith before they take him and Alex to the police patrol car. I really have to thank the cops for keeping Hunter away from me. They have him circled as though he was part of the criminal gang. However, despite the probing by the cops, Hunter manages to still prey on me. Does he think I can escape from Paul’s claws, who by the way dashes his ass off here after his beloved master called for him?

“You’re lucky Mr. Stone was here to save you or you could have been disemboweled by those brutes,” murmurs Paul to me with his back leaning against Hunter’s car’s door. “Your parents would not want to see your intestines all over Kingsley Park, would they?”

“Why am I still here?” I irritatingly ask. I feel like some invisible handcuff links me to Paul that if ever I run away, I fear I’ll get my hand amputated.

“Mr. Stone specifically orders me to look after you.”

“What for?”

“For his interest, of course.”

I let out a laugh.

“I heard that he enjoyed his Caribbean vacation so much. He should have just stayed there.”

Paul grunts with dissatisfaction.

“Mr. Stone came back after a week in the Caribbean to look after his father. It’s not like you do not know about his unsurprised visits in your parents’ house. Right! You were always away… or hiding.”

“Look, Paul. I have told you many times that I am done with Hunter and the deal.”

“But I am afraid, Ms. Mohr, that for Mr. Stone, the deal is still good.”

“Just let me go, will you?”

Paul crosses his arms and turns to face me. “Not with me around.”

Okay.

I get that Hunter still needs me to play as his hired girlfriend for the sake of his father’s failing health. I don’t think they know who I really am or what role I played for the Mayor’s chain of brain stroke. First was when Hunter broke the news to him that Angel Grant was leaving him for a reason I was not even told. Just after he was quickly recovering from a transient and mild heart attack, Hunter caused his father to be sent to the hospital again. No one knows about what has transpired in the conversation but the mayor seemed really upset about Hunter and Angel Grant’s break up. Second incident was when he had another stroke episode—worse than the previous—during his hospital stay. I presume it was caused by Damien’s unanticipated change. Damien was all over the news for breaking into pubs with his new found friends, for smoking weeds and coke in abandoned apartments, and for even caught arguing with his mother many times outside the hospital premises.

Common denominator for all these is me. ME.

“You okay now, miss?” asks one female cop.

“Yes,” I reply.

I feel Hunter’s hand on my waist.

“Thank you for listening, officer.”

“We will contact you, Mr. Stone, for updates about this case. Right now, take your girl home,” says the female cop after eyeing me. “Don’t let her stray on dark empty alleys alone.”

“I assure you this won’t happen again.” Stone’s grip on my waist tightens. My entire body tenses as I smell his scent and feel his skin touch mine.

“I don’t care about your silly love quarrels. Save that for Valentines or break-up season, okay?” Her arched eyebrows are directed to Stone. I wonder what Hunter told this woman to react like this.