I ignore the way the words, dead boyfriend, hurt me. If I allow myself to think about it, it will decimate me.
“Querida, there’s a gun at my back, in a holster. Lift up my shirt, slowly, and get it while Six is distracting him. Then you must duck inside for cover. Do you understand?” Skull whispers.
My heart is pounding in double time, but I hear. I reach down to feel for the weapon.
“What are you two talking about? You must know that there is nothing you can do.” Michael says. I freeze afraid he will see me getting a weapon.
“Sure there is you sorry motherfucker, we can kill you.” This comes from Torch who gets out of the limo; apparently he was driving. I thought when you rented limo’s they came with drivers? The inane thought settles in my brain, as I take the gun and carefully slide it from the holster. I hold it in front of me, below my stomach so that it is hidden behind the car.
“Now!” Skull cries while pushing me down behind the car. I can hear bullets flying all around me. They’re banging off the side of the limo and you can hear the pings as they hit like hail during a summer storm. Apparently, limos are bulletproof. Good to know. I slide inside the seat, figuring that was safer for the baby. Skull apparently had another gun because I can see it in his hand as he jumps in the car after me, sliding into the seat and pushing me along while he’s at it. He slams the door shut.
“Shouldn’t you be out there, you know, helping?”
“I’m doing what I am supposed to be doing. I’m guarding you.”
“I’m in a bulletproof car, with a gun I might add! Just go out there and help Six, Nailer and the others!”
“I am thinking it is a good thing Dragon saw you first. Are you always tan mandona?”
“Could you, like, speak some freaking English and if you’re not going to get out there to help them, I am.”
“No, querida, you are not,” he replies, holding my hand to keep me from moving. “My orders are to keep you safe in the car, and I shall do that. Now, let the others see to the rest. We were expecting this. Trust me.”
I freeze and look at him. “Who gave you orders?”
He doesn’t answer.
The shots are going on outside, but they have slowed down. I’m dying to know what is going on. I reach over to roll the window down and Skull grabs my arm, again.
“I would not do that, querida.”
“Well I would. I want to know what is going on! We can’t just hide away in here while the others are risking their lives!” I argue grabbing the gun I had put in the seat beside me. That’s when the pain hits. I scream.
“Que te duele, querida?” Skull asks.
“English!” I growl out, because it feels like a vise grip has locked onto my stomach. I feel warm fluid gushing down my legs. My water breaks. It can’t break, I’m not far enough along.
“Nicole, what is wrong?” Skull says when I start crying.
“I think my water just broke.”
“No jodas!”
Skull starts wadding up his jacket and bracing it at the door, then he slides me against it. I can’t really argue because I’m in pain. My eyes are watering and I’m trying to remember how to breathe correctly, but there was never a shower of bullets going on at the Lamaze class. Hell, I only have two classes under my belt. I know next to nothing. Dragon said we had plenty of time, that’s just another thing he was fucking wrong about.
“Keep the gun trained at the door, and if someone opens it you do not know, shoot.”
I want to ask him if it just wouldn’t be easier to lock the doors, but the idea of getting to shoot Michael makes me happy—so I don’t. Besides, Skull seems a little freaked out. I can understand it, I am too. But he looks a little green, so I’m afraid to question him too much.
I train the gun at the door, trying to breathe in and out when another pain strikes.
“Oh God, another one. That’s really close together right? It seems like it’s really close together, Skull.”
He bends on the floor and I wince because he’s leaning where my water broke. There goes his nice suit. I’d be embarrassed, but I’m hurting too much. I train my gun at the door because if it opens, I’m going to shoot first and ask questions later. Michael will not walk away from this breathing.
Skull reaches under my dress and I grab his hand.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Easy mujer, I am just going to take your underwear off. We need to see what is going on.”
“Oh hell no, I don’t think so.”
“Querida, we need to know,” he says as his hand is going back under my dress.
I use my free hand to stop at least one of his hands. I can’t get the other one because I’m clutching the gun. I’m starting to panic. There’s no way I want Skull to be the one who helps me here. Hell, I want to be at the hospital. It’s too soon to have the baby.
“If you want to help, haul your bony, Spanish ass up to the driver’s seat and get us to the damn hospital!”
He ignores me and I feel his hand grab the side of my panties and I can’t stop the scream that comes out.