Cassius

Trey runs out a back exit with his boys, as I call 911.

I don’t care if they want to pull a motherfucking gun on me. Right now, all I can think about is saving Evangeline.

Blood covers her shirt, pools on the floor.

But they didn’t pull a gun. They must have realized that this shit got real, way faster than they were prepared for.

They just made a break for it.

The ambulance screams into the parking lot below, sirens blaring.

Hotel security is after the men who came here today, but all I see are gentle Evangeline’s eyes closing, her body still. My arms are around her.

“Baby, don’t go,” I cry, my face streaked with tears. “Hold on, Evangeline. Hold on.”

The medics are in the room, lifting her onto a stretcher as the police run after Trey.

I don’t watch them go; I just pray they run fast and get those fuckers.

My eyes, they’re on her.

I refuse to let go of her hand, and ride with her to the ER.

And then I wait as she’s rushed behind a white curtain, as doctors race for her body. I pray that they can stitch her back together. I pray that they can make her whole.

Because it’s my motherfucking fault she broke, when I swore I would protect her.

She was too good for me.

And I’ve never felt that truth like I do right now.

The nurse asked for her name, told me she would make some calls. And I’m glad.

I can’t call her fucking father and tell him that his little girl may have just died under my watch.

No. It can’t be the truth.

She will survive.

She must.

But she also needs a better man than me.

A man with a story that doesn’t end with blood on the floor and broken hearts and broken dreams.

She deserves a man who can give her something more. Something safe, something whole.

* * *

Outside of the hospital, I place a call. I can’t bear to face Evangeline’s father, and I know he’ll be here any minute. I need some fucking words of wisdom before I can look him in the eye.

Maybe it’s crazy to hope Mom can offer that to me, but I’m desperate. So fucking desperate.

“Can she talk?” I ask the nurse at the home.

“Oh, Cassius, I’m sorry. I spoke with your brother. We thought you were still out of town,” the nurse explains.

“I just got back yesterday,” I tell her.

“And Chad didn’t tell you? I’m so sorry, but she was moved to LA General two days ago. I thought you knew. We left a message at the home number on our paperwork, and Chad is listed as the emergency contact until you got home.”

I put Chad as the contact, thinking that, yeah, he may be a fucking asshole about a lot of things, but I trusted that he could keep his shit together when it comes to Mom.

“Why is she at LA General?” I ask, looking up at the signage on the hospital where Evangeline has just been admitted: LA General.

“She paid off a janitor to get her liquor. She was drinking, took a bad fall. She broke her hip. She had surgery yesterday. She’s in recovery now.”

“Holy shit.”

“I’m so sorry, but if you go to the hospital, the doctor can give you a better update on her progress. Unfortunately, she won’t be able to return here. Our rules are pretty strict. The best thing for her at this point would be a rehab center for substance abuse.”

I snort. This entire day has just blown up in my motherfucking face.

Last night I was in a cocoon, the world so small, under the covers with Evangeline.

And now she’s bleeding, and my mom is broken, and I know in my gut that Chad put Trey up to this.

“After her accident, the judge sentenced her to a thirty-day program,” I tell the nurse. “She could have used a much longer one, obviously. But back then I didn’t have the money. Once I had the funds, she was already back home and refused to go.”

“Well, most of those places won’t take someone who needs as much support as she does, anyway. Her liver is wrecked and her brain injuries, though not debilitating, have caused her to lose so much of her mobility.”

“And now a broken hip. Shit.” I shake my head, thanking the nurse for her help.

My shoulders shake.

I fall to the ground, my knees hitting the pavement as everything around me just collapses.

“Motherfucker!” I scream, knowing there’s no one left to listen.

“Hey, bro,” a voice calls. “Man, you okay?”

I lift my head. It’s Jude and Holden, Evangeline’s cousin and roommate.

I can’t deal with this now, with these guys who are fucking Los Angeles royalty.

And me? A fuckup from the other side of the tracks.

“Hey,” Jude says, reaching for my hand. “You’re losing it, you know that, right?”

I run my hands over my face. “Evangeline. You know about her?”

“Yeah, man, we know,” Holden says, clapping me on the back. “She’s in surgery right now.”

“It’s all my motherfucking fault.”

“No,” Jude shakes his head. “It was the fucking men who stormed in on you both— who are currently behind bars, by the way.”

“The cops found them?” I shake my head.

“They didn’t get far,” Holden says. “And no one is blaming you.”

“Maybe you don’t, but I can’t set foot in that hospital. I can’t look Evangeline’s father in the face.”

“Right now, you can’t worry about that. Right now you need to just hope that Evangeline gets out of surgery okay.”

“You know the most fucked-up thing, besides knowing my brother is behind all this shit? Finding out my mom is in this same hospital right now. Had surgery yesterday. And my fucking brother was keeping that from me.” I hold up my phone. “I just found out.”

“Shit, man.” Holden shakes his head. “Listen, go see your mom. We’ll keep you posted on Evangeline.”

We exchange numbers, and I take a long look at these two guys. If my life’s taught me anything, it’s to be leery of anyone willing to step out on limb for you.

“Why are you helping me?”

“I’ve known Evie my entire life,” Jude says. “Last night, at the club, I’ve never seen the girl so fucking sure. Like she knew exactly what she wanted. That girl may have lived a sheltered life, but she’s no fool. She trusts you, so I trust you.”

Holden shrugs. “I just do what he says.” He points to Jude.

“Why do you trust Jude so much?” I ask Holden, remembering what it was like not to question the boys whose backs I had.

I haven’t had that in a long fucking time.

“Jude can get you drugs, girls, clean piss, or a job, with a moments notice.”

I narrow my eyes. “Aren’t you some Hollywood movie producer?”

Holden laughs. “Jude may make movies, but they’re all low-budget, weird-ass shit. He wishes I’d star in his films. But that’s just his hobby. What he’s really known for is taking care of anyone he lets in his inner circle.”

Jude listens to Holden, but I notice he doesn’t disagree. He looks at me, as if considering me carefully. I feel fucking exposed, but at this point, my face is against the fucking ground. The only people I have left are in this building, fighting for their lives.

“We’ll call you, Cash, when we have word,” Jude says. “If I know Evangeline, and I think I do, she’d want you with your mother right now.”