Page 147 of Rugger: The Huntress

“He wasn’t sup– supposed to be– be there. He was there to protect me.”

“That was his job, baby.”

“I knoooooooow.”

“Shhhhh.”

Swiftly, Chemistry rushed me out of the loft. With her gun drawn, Roulette was waiting on the other side of the door.

“Let’s go, baby.”

We made it to the stairwell where Rather lowered and pushed the door open. Her back faced us as she cleared the path with her rifle, prepared to shoot anything that moved. Chemistry trekked down the stairs and out of the door. Range stood beside the awaiting SUV. Roaman stood behind it. Pistols pierced the air, ready to fire.

“Let’s go.”

One by one, we piled into the truck.

“Stay down,” Chemistry fussed.

The girls readjusted my body so that I was laying across three pairs of legs on the first row.

We sped off into the night. Although I couldn’t see, I knew every turn we made. According to the direction we were headed in, the tarmac was our next stop. St. Catana was our final destination. However, nothing in me wanted to leave Sonnie behind. I wanted his body to rest beside my father’s. He’d deserved his spot in our family’s burial plot. And, when it was all said and done, that’s where he’d be.

“It never felt right,” I cried out. “It never felt right.”

“What are you saying, baby.?”

“The day. It never felt right. I– I– I didn’t feel right all day. From the moment I opened my eyes, I knew– knew something was on the horizon. It never felt right.”

“Shhhhhh,” Chemistry coaxed, placing a hand on my cheek while rocking me back and forth.

“It never felt right.”

“Shhhh.”

FIFTEEN

Two weeks later…

My knuckles crashed against the front door of the residential home. The black shades Sonnie had bought me for Christmas shielded my eyes from the sun’s rays. They were already in excruciating pain and nearly swollen shut.

It had been fourteen whole days and my heart had yet to stop aching. Sonnie’s death was still fresh and so were the wounds it caused. Nevertheless, I’d flown hours across the waters while preparing myself for this very moment.

The door stretched open. Behind it appeared a man that made my heart skip a full beat. I inhaled deeply, reminding myself that he was nothing more than connection to Sonnie. My lover,my person,had met his demise. He’d lived by the gun and died by it. In an ironic twist, I knew that it was the only way he’d want to leave this earth if he had the choice.

“Rugger,” Solomon greeted me.

“Solomon.”

I couldn’t coat the pain with a smile. It was too unforgiving.

He stepped aside and invited me into his home. I shook my head, unable to take a step in his direction. It hurt too bad. Everything ached.

Tears slipped from beneath my shades as my right leg began to shake. My nostrils flared, threatening a full-on cry, but I mustered the strength to reduce intensity of my emotions.

“Is it my Sonnie boy? Is he alright?”

I shook my head. “No, Mr. Santoro. Sonnie is not alright.”

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