Chapter 37

My body tenses up with impatience and anxiety as I sit in the hospital room. The plastic chair is stiff and uncomfortable against my back, and I shift in my seat, trying to find a more comfortable position.

The air is thick with tension and unease as other worried faces mirror mine. I have been waiting an eternity to see Shorty, and the lack of information about her condition has my nerves frayed at the edges.

No one will tell us a damn thing.

My palms sweat, and I clench and unclench my hands in frustration.

Ash paces back and forth. "Who would do something like this?" he mutters, his fingers rubbing agitatedly at his temples. "None of this makes any sense."

"I bet you it was that Payton bitch," Lupe says in an accusatory tone.

I look up at her. "What makes you say that?" I ask, my heart in my throat. Payton's behavior toward me is a deeply rooted, psychotic obsession. That nagging feeling that grew at the back of my mind is back—the idea that Payton will resort to hurting Shorty to get revenge on me. The thought not only pisses me off but fills me with dread and anxiety.

Lupe's hazel eyes flash with anger. "You didn"t witness how delusional she was, believing you were her boyfriend. That right there was psycho bitch 101."

Telle, who is sitting beside Lupe, nods in agreement. "That girl was ruthless. She"s the type who would stop at nothing to get what she wants, and if that means taking out Shorty or anyone else who stands in her way..." Telle pauses. She leans back, runs her hands through her hair, and exhales deeply. "She won"t hesitate to pull the fucking trigger."

The muscles in my neck tighten, coiling like a spring.

"Including Sophia," Tiny adds quietly. Her words are like a sword piercing through my chest.

Oh, Jesus Christ.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees and interlocking my hands behind my neck. I squeeze tightly, trying to release some of the tension. The thought of anything happening to Sophia...

I can"t even describe what it will do to me.

It will destroy me.

Destroy Shorty.

The fear overwhelms me, and I can"t catch my breath.

"Breathe," Lupe says, suddenly sitting beside me. She rubs her hands up and down my back. "Take a deep breath, Donnie," she continues, her voice soothing and calm.

I sit up and gaze at the ceiling. "I-I can"t," I struggle to say, trying to focus on my breathing. All I can see are the times we"ve come close to breaking. Every moment of heartache, every argument, every disappointment plays out in my mind like a movie. This might be what will cause my world to shatter.

"You need to be strong. After everything Shorty"s been through, you"ve been there, by her side," Lupe says, breaking through my thoughts. "You"ve witnessed things that can never be unseen. That kind of shit never goes away, no matter how much you press the delete button."

Lupe pauses, and I turn to her and notice the fiery determination in her eyes, but I can also see the sadness she keeps concealed beneath the surface, a hidden pain that she tries to suppress.

"No matter what happens, you will overcome it together. Because you and Sadie are epic. Whoever is doing this-their fucked up actions are not going to be your ending." Lupe"s voice cracks, emotions breaking through the fa?ade of her strength.

I take a deep breath, and then another, and another. My heart rate slows down, and my muscles relax until Gio has an outburst.

"I can't take this shit anymore. We should be out there looking for her!" he snaps, pointing toward the window.

Seb"s voice cuts through the tense atmosphere as he warns, "Javi is on the case, Gio. We have to do this the right way."

"Fuck that," Gio growls and resumes pacing.

"I"m sick of seeing la Reina in the fucking hospital. And now Tia?" Max mutters under his breath. "Did anyone call Paloma?"

"Yeah. She's on the next flight out," Telle says.

I can't sit any longer. What I need is to get out of here before I rip this city apart to bring Sophia back home where she belongs.

Just as I am about to stand up and get an update on Shorty, two officers enter the room. My heart sinks as they make a beeline for me, their expressions grim.

"Excuse me, sir," one of the officers says, his hand hovering near his holster. "Which one of you is Donovan Du Pont?"

My gaze flickers between the officers. "That's me." I nod hesitantly.

Without warning, the officers grab me by the arms and haul me to my feet, their grip firm and unyielding. My pulse quickens as I struggle against their hold. "What"s going on?" I demand as they slam cuffs on me. Why are you arresting me?

"You're being arrested for assault," one cop says.

What the fuck? Assault? If this is a cruel joke, because it has to be, it's not fucking funny.

As we leave the room with the other guys, Seb"s voice suddenly echoes out, "Hey, wait a minute. You got this all wrong, officer." I turn to see him quickly following us, his expression a mix of confusion and anger.

They are leading me out of the waiting room when Ash bursts through the doors, his face a mask of rage. "What the hell is going on?" he demands. "Where are you taking my brother?"

One of the officers turns to face Ash, his expression steely. "Your brother is being arrested for assaulting Payton Reed," he replies curtly.

Ash"s eyes widen in shock, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Donnie would never lay a hand on anyone," he spits, his voice dripping with contempt.

The officers exchange a skeptical glance, clearly unimpressed by Ash"s words, before turning to me. "We have a statement that says otherwise," the other officer states matter-of-factly, his tone clipped.

"That"s bullshit!" Lupe snaps. "You need to be arresting that fucking psycho stalker bitch."

"There"s a restraining order against her," Ash explains as it will help clarify this hellish nightmare.

A few minutes later, Shorty"s grandmother and mom walk out, looking equally concerned.

Ash steps forward, his eyes blazing with resolve. "My brother is innocent. Payton has a recent history of stirring up trouble. She"s doing this out of revenge," he argues, his words ringing with conviction.

One of the officers draws out a taser from his holster and speaks firmly. "Sir, I"m going to need you to step back."

Seb quickly steps in between Ash and the police officer. He places a hand on Ash"s chest to calm him down. "Ash," he warns, his tone dark and ominous, "Back the fuck off."

Ash"s nostrils flare, and his breathing becomes heavy.

"Ash, it"s okay," I tell him.

He shifts his gaze to me. "We"ll figure it out," I reassure him.

Finally, Ash takes a step back, but his eyes remain fixed on me.

"Call Mom and Dad," I instruct him because I'm going to need a good fucking lawyer.

With a curt nod, Ash steps away and pulls out his cell phone to make the call.

"Let"s go." The cop tugs my arm.

"Hang on, officer." Jo steps forward. "It's Javi, " he says, putting the phone on speaker.

"Donnie, it"s Javi," a deep voice says urgently through the receiver. "Do not say a word until your lawyer arrives. I"m on my way to you now."

I feel dread creeping up my spine. "Okay," I respond.

"We"ll figure this out. It"s going to be okay," Javi says, sounding sure of himself.

I nod in response, even though he can"t see me.

As the officers escort me out of the building, Lupe gives me a tight smile when she says with a strong voice, "You will overcome this."

Seb steps beside her and puts his arm over her shoulder. "We'll take care of Reina," he says. His tone exudes confidence, leaving no room for doubt.

I can only imagine the fury that Shorty will unleash when she wakes up, and I don"t feel sorry for anyone who crosses her path when she finds out that her best friend was stabbed and that her baby girl was taken.

Sadie

In my dream, Sophia and I are riding on the back of a white unicorn with a bright pink mane and tail that tousles in the wind as we soar higher and higher in the sky.

The sky is breathtaking. The clouds are painted in vibrant shades of blue, pink, and purple, forming a never-ending rainbow. The stars twinkle like diamonds in the sun.

We fly through the sky, Sophia"s infectious laughter echoing as we watch large-sized Care Bears jump from one fluffy cloud to the next.

I must be high as fuck, I think.

That is the only explanation for this crazy ass dream.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifts, and I feel a noticeable change in the mood around us.

The once friendly and adorable Care Bears have completely transformed, leaving them nearly unrecognizable. Once filled with warmth and affection, their eyes turn a menacing shade of red. Their soft and colorful fur transforms into a dark and ominous black. It is almost as if they have been possessed by an unknown force, triggering their defensive instincts.

The sky above us begins darkening, the stars disappearing. Even the unicorn, which had previously shone with a shimmering white coat and a glittering horn, now appears different. The horn has been replaced with a devilish one, and its once radiant coat has darkened.

The horse suddenly starts to buck, and my heart races with fear and anxiety. I quickly look down to check on Sophia, but she is nowhere to be seen.

Out of nowhere, a sharp pain shoots through me, and I cry out in agony.

My eyelids start to flutter and I try to gain a sense of my surroundings when I hear Mom's panicked voice calling out to me. "Mija?" she says, and I can sense the fear in her tone.

Something is wrong.

In response, my voice comes out as a hoarse whisper as I try to reply. "Mo-mom?" I manage to say, struggling to comprehend what"s happening.

"Oh, thank God," she sighs in relief.

I attempt to recall the events that led up to this moment. The fragmented memories seem to be in disarray, and the more I try to put them together, the more anxious I feel. It"s like being lost in a maze with no clear path to the end.

My hands instinctively move toward my stomach in a protective gesture, and the tension in my chest lessens when I feel my boys are safe.

"Mom, what"s happening?" I ask, my voice trembling with fear.

My words become excruciating groans, and Mom yells for someone in the room to go get the doctor.

The room is filled with multiple voices, all blending into each other, making it difficult to identify who"s speaking. A calm voice breaks through the chatter. "Sadie, my name is Dr. Peterson, and you"re at Memorial Hospital." His voice has a soothing effect. "Can you open your eyes?" he asks.

As my eyes slowly open, I feel grateful that the room is dimly lit, sparing me the discomfort of waking up to bright lights. It takes a moment for everything to focus.

"Sadie?" I turn to see the doctor standing beside me, his expression grave.

I try to speak, but my throat feels sore and dry. "Wh-what happened?" I manage to croak out.

The doctor"s face remains somber as he asks, "What do you remember?"

Mom leans over and gently lifts a cup of water to my lips. As I drink, I notice how exhausted she looks, as if she hasn"t slept in days.

I struggle to piece together the events that brought me to this moment, but my mind feels frustratingly blank. Overwhelmed by confusion and disorientation, darkness begins to creep in, and I feel myself slipping back into unconsciousness but not before seeing the image of Tia lying lifeless on the ground.

I glance around the room and notice the inky darkness outside, indicating several hours have passed since I fell asleep.

My eyes then land on a head of brown hair. Donnie is sprawled on my thighs, his head turned away from me. I run my fingers through his hair, and he stirs, gradually turning to face me. Despite the dim light, I notice that the light in his eyes has faded, and the pain in my chest intensifies.

He gazes at me with a look of sorrow and an immense amount of love, as though he is reassuring me that he is there by my side, and that together, we can face whatever is to come.

As soon as the stupid tears begin to flow down my face, he carefully climbs into bed with me, making sure not to hurt me, and lays beside me on his side. I nestle into his embrace and begin to weep.

He caresses my head and kisses my temple, his lips lingering. My fists clench his shirt while he holds me as my body shakes with sobs. When I gaze into his eyes, I see tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. I reach out and wipe them away. We lock eyes until he leans down and presses his lips to mine in a gentle kiss.

"You're okay," he whispers softly, and with those words, I drift off to sleep in his arms.

The hushed voices abruptly pull me from my slumber.

When I look to my side, Donnie is no longer beside me; instead, he"s standing at the door with Javi. It appears to be a tense conversation, evident from the taut muscles in his back straining against his shirt and the rigid set of his shoulders.

"Donnie? Javi?" I call out in a hoarse voice.

When Donnie turns to me, a faint smile is etched on his lips, but his eyes betray a hint of anguish.

"What's going on?" I ask, dreading to hear that something has happened to Tia or Sophia.

Donnie opens his mouth to speak but Javi interjects. "Hey, Sadie," he says quietly.

"Hey."

"Can I come in?" he asks wearily at the same time Donnie shuts his eyes while gripping the side of the door.

"Of course. You don't have to ask," I tell him.

Donnie stands by the door, hesitantly opening it wider for Javi to enter. When Javi steps inside, I notice the exhaustion etched on his face. He has dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He looks at me with eyes that have seen too much, and his mouth turns downward in a weary expression.

"You look better," he says.

"Javi, what's going on?" I ask him, not in the mood for this roundabout conversation.

Javi pulls a seat beside me, the chair scrapping against the tile floor. He leans forward and holds my hand. "I have some news and I need you to do the best you can to stay calm."

When I don't respond, he gives me a stern look. "Promise me, Sadie."

I give him a curt nod.

A noticeable lump travels down his throat, his Adam"s apple bobbing up and down. I lift my gaze to Donnie, who is standing against the wall with his arms clasped behind his back. His head is tilted back, and his eyes are trained on me.

"It's about Sophia," Javi starts, and I turn to face him.

"What bout Sophia?" I ask, my heart racing in my chest like a roadrunner.

"When we found you and Tia unresponsive, we went to check on Sophia."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"She wasn't in the apartment, Sadie, but there was a note on her crib, an indication that she was taken."

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

I hear the blood pressure monitor beep faster in rhythm with my heartbeat.

My dream.

The fact that Sophia was not with me was a sign that something was wrong. My subconscious was telling me something has happened to her.

I stare into Javi's eyes and that's when I hear it.

A piercing and agonizing screech filled the air.

It sounds like someone is being burned alive.

That's when I realize it is me who is screaming.