Monday was my day to close at the DX. Steve had been gone for hours, and Soda was about to leave.
"Have a good night buddy!" He called over his shoulder as he headed for his truck.
"You too man!" I replied, not knowing if he heard me or not.
A few hours later I started closing up when some guy pulls up in this red 66 Chevelle with the fender busted in.
"Sorry man, we're closed." I yelled, keeping my face on the floor I was sweeping.
"Aw c'mon, it ain't gonna take that long. I just need this dent out before my show tomorrow..." He pleaded.
I spun around and glanced at the dent in the front fender. It really wasn't that bad, probably take thirty minutes at the most.
I sighed. "Alright man I'll.." I glared at his face, I knew him from somewhere. I stood there a minute as it all came back to me. My fists clenched, my nails digging deep into my palms. He realized who I was by my reaction, and his first instinct was to get in his car and drive off. He made it as far as closing the door when I grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him out through the window of the car. I slammed his back into the pavement, his hands gripped tight around my arms.
"Did you get what you wanted?" I screamed through clenched teeth. "Huh? Was she good enough for you?"
He laughed, "best I ever had."
My arm reeled back, and then with all the force in me my fist collided with his face. He tried to punch back, but I moved causing him to hit my shoulder instead. His hand gripped tight around my throat, and it didn't take long for me to loose my grip and gasp for air. He stood to his feet as I was coughing and spitting up on the pavement. I pulled myself to my feet, and when I looked back at him he was turning towards me with a gun in his hand. I grabbed his hand, trying to get the gun away from him. His elbow met my mouth hard, I tasted the blood dripping off my lip. I felt his fingers twitch and a loud *bang* followed.
I hit the gun, knocking it away from us, then with my whole body I bashed him into the side of his car, adding a few more dents to it. My hand shoved his head against the door, my other hand held his wrists behind his back.
"If I ever see you around here again I swear to God it'll be the last breath you breathe."
I shoved off him, picked up the gun, and watched him drive away.
I bent down to put the lock on the garage, but something sent a pain into my left side. I looked down and noticed my DX shirt covered in blood.
I cursed while climbing into my car, my hand pressed hard against my side as I drove one-handed to the hospital.
I walked through those double automatic doors I knew all too well, and looked across the front desk at James.
"Dimitri I really thought the last time was going to be it for a while." He said.
"Yeah well.... when it comes to Jels, you know.." I winced as another pain shot through my ribs.
His head sprang up from the chart he was reading, "What's wrong with Angelica?" A startled look upon his face.
"Nothing." I said urgently, "That douche bag that...had his way with her a while back showed up at the DX tonight." I explained.
He nodded understanding.
"And he had a gun." I slowly pulled my hand away from my side exposing the injury.
"He shot you?" James's voice raised.
"It's just a graze...I think." Suddenly I wasn't so sure.
"What the hell was this guy using?" James asked, inspecting the bullet fragments he one-by-one pulled out of my side. "Bullets don't usually shatter until after impact.."
"Ahh... shit.." I bit down on my lip.
"Sorry.." James voice apologetic. "That's the last one. A few stitches and you'll be on your way."
I inspected the bandaged taped to my skin before pulling my bloody t-shirt back over my head. I then noticed how late it was and realized I hadn't turned my phone back on after work. Jels called at least four times. I sat on the edge of the hospital bed with the phone pressed against my ear.
"Hey babe......yeah sorry something came up.......I'll tell you about it when I get there okay?....love you too, bye."
James peered up from the prescription he was writing, "You heading over there now?" He asked.
I sighed, realizing how tired I was. "Yeah."
He handed me a slip of paper and I started for the door.
"So..I guess I'll see you later." I said before stepping into the hallway.
"Yeah, just promise it won't be here." He commented.
I smiled then walked out the door.
