Get it together, McKenzie! Act now, cry later!
Immediately, she set her coffee on the table and rushed over to Jasmine. She leaned in and carefully removed the IV from Jasmine's hand. Just as she lifted Jasmine out of the crib she heard footsteps behind her and the sound of the door closing.
"Hey, Kitten, I thought that fool would never leave. It's been a while. Eight months, if we're counting."
McKenzie froze, her breath caught in her throat as she held Jasmine tightly in her arms. With a sense of dread, she slowly turned to face her worst nightmare.
"W-w-what are you doing here, Alejandro?" her voice trembled as she backed away.
She needed to find a way to get both of them out of there. Alive!
"Is that any way to treat the father of your baby? The man you vowed to love for the rest of your life?" he smiled darkly, exposing his gold grill.
Alejandro stalked toward them with a predator's grace, his movements slow, his black eyes narrowed. His white vest clung to his lean, wiry frame, his muscles coiled with every step. His jeans sagged low on his hips, exposing the waistband of his boxers.
His long, straight, black hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and a trimmed black mustache and beard outlined his mouth. Ink crawled up his neck and down his arms, the designs dark and jagged, telling stories of blood spilled and loyalty earned in pain.
The brass knuckles on his right hand gleamed, his fingers flexing around them like they were an extension of himself.
He was the true definition of a street thug. But he wasn't as stupid as people thought. His outfit was meant to throw people off their game, to make them underestimate him because he wasn't wearing a suit.
But she knew exactly what he was, a monster.
"Oh come on, Kitten," he growled, "If you come back to me I'll forgive you for betraying me, and we'll be one big happy family again."
He trailed the long scar from his eye to his mouth. "Maybe, we can even get matching scars."
McKenzie knew that scar all too well. She was the one that gave it to him during their last fight.
"We were never a happy family! I'll never come back to you!" she screamed.
"What's going on in here?" the security guard bellowed as the door flung open and he stepped into the room. "All doors are to remain open!"
Alejandro removed a gun from his waist and pointed it at the security guard and McKenzie stifled a scream.
"This isn't any of your business. My wife and I will be leaving now. Come on, wifey."
"Alejandro, please don't do this." McKenzie's eyes misted with tears.
"I haven't done anything. Come with me and nobody gets hurt," he bit out.
Well aware that Alejandro didn't make idle threats, McKenzie understood the gravity of the situation. If she didn't go with him things could escalate, real quick!
She inched over to him and just as he reached out to grab her, the security guard lunged at Alejandro. The gun went off, startling Jasmine awake.
McKenzie's heart thundered in her chest and Jasmine screamed as the two men scrambled on the ground.
"Kitten, run!" the guard barked.
No one outside Alejandro's world knew her as Kitten so he had to be one of Yellows' men! It was a nickname she hated since he gave it to her one night, after laughing at how she had curled into herself after he had tormented her…like a kitten.
McKenzie sprang into action. She ran from the room down the hall, daring not to look back.
"Ma'am, you can't leave with the child! Ma'am!" A nurse called out desperately behind her.
But there was no way she was going to stop. Hadn't they heard the gunshot out in the hallway?
"Security, don't let her leave!" The nurse alerted the security officers at the entrance of the hospital.
The two security officers turned to face McKenzie and she stopped.
Fuck!
She scanned the area for another means of escape. She was about to turn and run down the hallway when another gunshot rang out.
Alejandro snarled, "Everybody down! Anybody moves and they're dead!"
McKenzie felt sick to her stomach and the room began to spin.
Hold it together McKenzie, hold it together.
Everyone was in danger because of her. She needed to diffuse the situation immediately.
"I'll come. But, please, let Jasmine stay," she begged.
Alejandro laughed manically, "My legacy? My blood? How about I take Jasmine and leave your ass behind? How about that?"
He stalked toward McKenzie threateningly and grabbed Jasmine's hand, who screamed loudly.
"Please, don't take her. I'll come! We both will."
"That's what I thought."
Just then, Alejandro's eyes narrowed and he pushed McKenzie out of the way causing her to stumble. He fired a few rounds into the security officers at the entrance of the hospital. Persons on the ground screamed and covered their ears.
"I told you, anyone moves and they're dead," he screamed. "Ya'll really think I'm playing?"
Alejandro grabbed McKenzie's arm, "Enough of this shit. Let's go!"
He steered her through the back exit of the hospital where the black panel van was waiting at one end of the alley. She knew that if she got into that van her life was over and so was Jasmine's. The blaring of the sirens could be heard fast approaching. McKenzie knew she had to stall for time.
While passing by a dumpster, something caught her eye, a rusted iron bar jutting out from beneath it. Her heart pounded against her ribs as an idea formed. Tightening her grip on Jasmine, she pretended to stumble almost collapsing, setting Jasmine onto the grimy ground.
"Get up, you dumb bitch! The police are almost here. I swear I'll kill the both of ..."
The rest of Alejandro's words were cut off as she snatched up the iron and swung it with everything she had. The impact cracked against Alejandro's hand, sending the gun clattering to the ground.
He roared in pain, but she didn't hesitate to bring the bar down again, this time against the side of his head.
A sickening thud echoed through the alley as he staggered, slumping to his knees.
"You're dead, bitch! Do you hear me?!" Alejandro growled, blood seeping down the side of his face.
But before he could move, to retrieve his gun, the door burst open.
Two men in black suits stormed out, their guns locked on Alejandro.
"We'll take it from here, Kitten. Go!" one of them barked.
McKenzie barely had time to react before the alley exploded in gunfire. The deafening cracks of bullets filled the air, metal ricocheting off the brick walls around her.
With Jasmine back in her arms, she swallowed her screams as she bolted towards the other end of the alley, praying that neither she nor Jasmine would catch a stray bullet.
Once she reached the street, she kept running. Even though her lungs felt like they were on the verge of collapsing, and her arms ached, McKenzie continued to run. Not only did she have to worry about Alejandro's retaliation, but now she was sure the police would be looking for her too…again.
Finally, she slowed down five blocks away and slipped into a busy mall. At least, this would give her the cover she needed until she came up with another plan.
Without her handbag, she had no phone, no birth papers, no passports and no money.
The money she had managed to save to leave the country was stashed back at the apartment. She knew Alejandro would have someone posted in front of the place in case she tried to return.
FUCK!
Everything was falling apart.
She had to re-strategize, come up with a new plan.
As she walked past one of the many pharmacies in the mall, she stopped.
But first, she knew exactly what she needed to do. It wasn't the perfect option but it would buy her some much needed time.
Not meeting Yellows tonight at 9:00 p.m. was not an option. If they weren't on that boat they were as good as dead.
She glanced around, making sure no one was following her before slipping inside.