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The shot rings out and straight through the gut. She drops the gun onto the counter and jumps up and down like a child who just won a toy. She runs into my arms shrieking, “I did it. I did it!” She’s smiling from ear to ear.
“Yeah, babe. You did it. We’re coming back in a couple of days, so you can get even better.” I hug her close.
Nineteen
Stronger Inside and Outside
Maddie
The week is a series of trips to the range and working out in the home gym in War’s basement. We’ve been lifting small weights to build my strength. The morning after my first workout with War, I could barely walk. Everything hurt. He exhausted me at night with lovemaking and tortured me with sparing and working out during the day. I am beginning to think he is a sadist.
War is relentless in his training. We spent time negotiating tactics to get out of holds and quick hits and jabs to shock the attacker into releasing for even a split second so that I can run for safety.
I’m in the kitchen making breakfast after yet another hour of working out, exhausted yet happy.
I smiled as I make the eggs and bacon, humming along with the radio. The song, “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves, is playing. I love this song. The smells of bacon sizzling in the frying pan fills the air.
War is taking a shower. I think I hear a crash and twist my body towards the sound. Did War fall?
“War?” I call out. Nothing. “War are you okay?” Still nothing. I stand silent. Why isn’t he answering? I head towards our bedroom, then immediately come to a full stop. War’s words come back to me, “If anything seems off, you make a call to Guard immediately, find an instrument you can use for a weapon if you’re not close to the gun, and find a hiding spot. Avoid any face to face contact if at all possible.”
I hear the creaking of the floorboards. I grab the heavy wooden cutting board that’s within my reach along with my phone from the counter. I scroll to Guard’s number and hit the button to connect. I hear a groan from the bedroom. As I hold the phone in one hand, I make my way towards it.
“Yeah, Maddie, that you?” I hear coming from the other end of the handset.
“Hurry! At the house, please hurry,” I whisper loudly.
“On our way. Stay put, Maddie. Get somewhere safe and stay put,” Guard reminds me.
“I think War is hurt. I need to go check on him.” I say frantically.
“Maddie, you putting yourself in danger will not help War. He will never forgive himself if you put yourself in that position for him.” Guard said gruffly into my ear, then he barks out orders to others.
“Please hurry, Guard. I can’t see him, but I think something is happening to him,” I plead.
“Hide; we’re on our way,” he says. I am moving toward the garage and am going to hide when I’m grabbed from behind. A hand over my mouth and one at my waist grabbing me and forcing me backwards. I drop the phone and board, clawing at the hand at my mouth.
Again, War’s words come to me. “Baby, bite down hard anywhere you see flesh. Elbow in the face, aim for the nose. Then run for help.”
I fight. I bite, elbow, punch, and kick until I’m dropped. I scream for War and start to run. Right into War’s arms. I bury myself in his arms crying. He holds me close, a hand at my head while murmuring sweet words to calm me down.
“Shh, you’re okay, Kitten. Calm down,” he says, quieting his voice.
I am shrieking, “He’s in the house we have to go.” I pull at his arms, trying to drag him out with me.
“Maddie, calm down. It’s me, Risk.” I hear behind me.
I turn to face Risk. What the hell?! He damn-well scared the hell out of me. I was shaking both from shock and fury. I turn and stomp to Risk and just as I’m about to give him a piece of my mind, I’m pulled back by War. I’m about to tell him to let go when I notice he doesn’t have a scratch on him. What was that moaning and creaking? Where was the crash coming from? I look back and forth from Risk to War.
“What’s going on?” I ask suspiciously.
“Sit down, Maddie.” War said.
I sit and wait. “You’re going to get upset. But I want you to know that I arranged for Risk and me to setup a possible abduction, to see how you would react,” he says matter of factly.
“You did what?” I ask, confused. Then my fury erupts. I stand and go nose to nose with War, which isn’t easy because I have to stand on the sofa to do this. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was? Did you think this is funny? I thought you were hurt or worse and I couldn’t reach you. I was panicked and scared. I called Guard who is on his way over here right now with a crew of your brothers, who, when they get here, I hope kick your asses for putting me through this.” I have my hands on my hips and I’m yelling at an octave that would make anyone’s ears bleed. My chest is heaving. I am fuming mad when I turn to Risk, “And you, I thought we were friends. I made you a Maddie pie and I don’t just make those for anyone. Ask Demon, he knows. He’s been letting me know he wants a pie by leaving me notes, because he won’t actually say more than one word at a time, and I didn’t make him another pie.” I am now ranting and blubbering and even to myself I know that I am making little to no sense at all.
War grabs me and tries to force me onto his lap. I struggle, wriggling to get back up. “Kitten, settle down,” he commands. “Listen to me. Then if you want to continue being mad, you can be mad.”
