Eyes Ever to the Sky (A Sci Fi Romance) (The Sky Trilogy) (30 page)

Cece slid beside him, her palm slipping into his. Her hand was cold and shaking. He couldn't look at her. Not when he knew what he had to do.

Sirens filled the air. The police would be here soon. Hugh swallowed hard and tried to prepare himself.

“Hugh?” Cece whispered, tugging lightly on his arm.

“
We have to go. We're already late,” Nomad said, the emotion drained from his voice. “When the general learns about this...” Nomad swallowed. “Bad, bad, bad. I should just kill the girl for what you did, but we don't have time for another fight. Goddamn it, Jopari.” Nomad shot him a vile look, clambered through the order window and pulled the body off the jagged glass. The head dangled loosely to one side and Hugh looked away. Once the beast was on the ground, Nomad muttered something in a language he didn't understand, pulled out a vile of liquid and poured it on the beast. The body began to smoke and hiss. Hugh and Cece stepped back.

“
Let's go,” Nomad said, turning.

“
He doesn't have to listen to you anymore,” Cece answered, jutting her blood-speckled chin.

Hugh almost smiled. He focused on the warmth of her hand, the brush of her arm against his. Then he took a deep breath. “I have to go.”

“What?” The fear was back in her voice. Her face was spattered with blood. A cut ran down her brow, blood matting her hair. She stared up at him, shock registering on her face. She was so beautiful. He felt like dying. “What did you say?” she asked again.

His vocal cords seemed frozen, yet he forced the words out. “I... have to go. To leave. I can't stay here. I'm sorry.”

She clutched his hand tighter. “No. No, no, no. You don't have to listen to him.” She pointed at Nomad. “He lies. He's lying to get you to leave with him.”

“
I almost got you killed,” Hugh whispered. The sirens blared outside.

“
You saved my life!” Tears spilled down her face. The hand that clutched his shook.

He could barely draw breath. Still he had to look at her. After all, it was the last time.

“I can't be the one who kills you.” His voice trembled now. “I can't watch myself do that.” He pulled his hand out of hers, like ripping off one of his own limbs.

“
Hugh,” she whispered, stepping forward. She reached for his hand. He pulled it away.

“
Live a good life, Cece. A happy life.” He tried to make his voice cold. “We're too different. It could never work out.”

“
It could.” She placed her hands over her heart. He turned his eyes away now. Each glance knifed into his chest. He didn't trust himself if this went on any longer.

“
I'm going.” He turned to her, trying to make his face stern, knowing it was the only way to save her. “I'm leaving. There's nothing you can say or do to change that.”

Tears spilled down her face. He looked once more, memorizing the slope of her neck, the curve of her bottom lip, the dozen freckles sprinkled across the bridge of her nose. Then he turned away before her beauty turned him to stone. He faced Nomad, hating the very sight of him. “Let's go.”

Nomad nodded weakly, then he pushed Hugh forward, toward the back. Nomad blasted through the back wall with a few solid punches. Debris reigned down in huge chunks. He pushed Hugh through. 

“
What about the cops?” Hugh asked, struggling through the hole.

Nomad snorted. “Don't worry. They're preoccupied.”

Hugh didn't worry. All he could do was listen to the sounds of Cece's quiet crying.

Then they took off into the sky.

CHAPTER F
ORTY-EIGHT — CECE

Friday 9:37 a.m.

Cece watched them go, not quite believing it was real. Hugh wouldn't leave her in this rubble with a beast silently smoking into ash at her feet. He wouldn't just leave like that, would he? No, he didn’t leave her. He was taken.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. The air was acrid and filling her lungs at an unhealthy rate, but she didn't move. If she just waited right here, he'd come back.

Smoke filled the air until her vision blurred. She began coughing, deep racking coughs that shook her whole body. Her lungs yearned for clean air, but her body seemed cemented in place, the last place where they'd touched. If she left this spot, his leaving would be real.

Men poured into the hole Nomad had made. Hands clasped around her wrists, her waist. She struggled as they pulled her out of the smoking rubble, but they were too strong.

Light lanced her eyes. She blinked and coughed as the alley came into focus. Behind her, Lizzy's was smoking as if it had caught fire. Her eyes locked on the dumpster, the place she'd met Hugh. It was like a punch in the stomach. She doubled over, light-headed. 

A man in blue put his arm around her. A cop, she could see that now. They had pulled her out of the building. Their cars' blue and red flashers glanced off the brick and bounded into her eyes, making her head swim. She stumbled forward. She was going to pass out.

“Easy, miss. Easy,” the cop said, grabbing her arm to steady her. “The ambulance will be here soon. If they can even get here through all that mess. Jesus,” he said, distracted.

“
All that mess?” she croaked, not really caring. Her eyes tracked upward.

The cop thumbed back his hat and wiped sweat off his brow. “We had a hell of a time getting here. Road's all tore up. Goddamn craters.” The cop shook his head in wonder.

He had her full attention. “Craters?”

“
Yeah.” He looked back toward the road, still shaking his head. “Craters like those ones in the bark park. Dozens of em.”                            

CHAPTER FORTY-NI
NE — CECE

Monday 1:57 p.m.

Two days later, Cece picked her mother up from county lock-up. Mama looked wrung out and in need of a shower, but there was no sign of harm done while behind bars. She fell into Cece's arms, sobbing. Cece patted her back and murmured reassurances until she managed to get Mama out the door, down the steps and into Fer's mom's car.

The ride back to the trailer park was quiet. Fer's mom drummed her fingertips on the steering wheel to the beat of some Jack Johnson tune, but no one spoke. Cece sat at the window and let her eyes track over every cloud. She'd been doing this ever since he left, looking up, staring. Waiting.

She drew her eyes down to her hands, clutched in her lap. The pink cast on her wrist was just one more painful reminder. She squeezed and squeezed, but she couldn't compress the pain.  In her mind one thought rang out all else.
He's gone. He's gone. He's gone.

“
We're here,” Fer's mom said, pulling to the curb in front of their trailer. Mama and Cece thanked her, slipped out and shuffled up the steps. The loose porch railing creaked as they climbed. Soon it would detach and be yet another eyesore on their eyesore of a life. Cece fought back tears and pushed up a smile for Mama. She was back. That was something, after all.

The door flew open and a man stood staring at them from inside the trailer. His white hair was coiffed into a stiff wave across his head. He wore a loose cream-colored shirt, tailored black pants and actual penny loafers. A gold necklace and bracelet flashed from his neck and wrist. Who was this stranger in her hou—

“Papi!” Mama cried. “What are you doing here?

Abuelo. Her grandfather. He had come. He pressed Cece into a tight hug. The smell of his aftershave brought images swimming back to her, the hot day at the airport, the big bed in the house in Bolivia, the scratch of his stubble against her cheek when he kissed her goodnight.

Abuelo half walked, half dragged Mama into the house. Cece followed, her legs feeling unsteady.

Inside, her grandfather set Mama on the couch. There, standing awkwardly in the back, was Aunt Bea.  

“
Ay dios mio
,”  Mama said, gaping at her sister. “What are you doing here?” Mama could barely catch her breath. She leaned on the couch arm for support.

“
We came because we heard you were in trouble,” her grandfather answered in accented English. “A young man showed up at my door two days ago. He spoke English and said I must come here. Things were very bad. I called Beatriz. It's time to heal our
familia
.”

Bea nodded, tears flooding her eyes. “I should've come when Cece called me. I had no idea.” She looked around the trashed trailer. 

Her grandfather's brow wrinkled into deep lines. He reached for Mama's hand with his big brown one, his eyes sweeping around the trailer. “What happened here?” he whispered.

“
You disowned me. You never wanted to see me again.” A tremble rose into Mama's voice. She placed a hand at her throat as if she were struggling to hold in the sobs.

“
That's over. All of it.” Abuelo's voice was low and commanding. Both of his daughters nodded, their eyes finding each other. Abuelo pulled Cece in and gestured for Bea. She stepped over and threw her arms around them.

Cece's heart swelled as she pressed her face into Abuelo's chest. After a few moments, Cece pulled back, a question tugging at her brain. “Abuelo, the young man. What did he look like?”

Her grandfather rubbed his hands together, thinking. “Tall, broad. Dark hair and eyes. About your age. There was another waiting for him down the driveway that could've been his
hermano
.”

Cece drew her hand to her mouth. “Did he say his name?”

Grandfather shook his head. Then he nodded slowly, remembering. “Hugh.”

Cece took a step back, closing her eyes. Mama, Abuelo and her aunt began talking in Spanish too fast for her to translate. Instead she pressed her back to the wall and tried to breathe.

Hugh had sent her grandfather here. Though he couldn't be here to rescue her, he'd sent another. That meant only one thing.

He still loved her.

***

Cece bounded down the steps of her trailer. Fer stood at the bottom in a new
Avenged Sevenfold
t-shirt, her face beaming with pride.

“
Sweet. Where'd you get it?” Cece said, pointing to the shirt.

Fer smiled. “Sean got it for me. Said I should have something new. Not look like such a scumbag all the time. I punched him in the nads for that one.”

Cece laughed. “I like it.”

Fer pulled something from behind her back. It was another t-shirt, similar to Fer's but with a different black logo on the front.

“Oh my God, Fer. For me?” Cece held the shirt up and examined it.

Fer nodded, looking proud. “I bought this one. No drug money. Thought it'd be a cool memento for your first concert.”

Cece gave Fer a big hug. “Many more to come,” she said, pulling it over her head. She smoothed her hair out and stared down at her new shirt.

A dented Honda pulled up, music blaring. Michelle sat in the driver's seat, a scowl on her face. Travis beamed at them from the passenger seat. 

“So, she’s really dating Travis, huh? I just can’t imagine. They really are dating?” Cece whispered, leaning into Fer.

Fer nodded. “Guess Michelle finally figured out we knew she was south side trash like us. That dating Gage wasn't fooling anyone. Plus, he's a dick.”

Cece nodded. “Travis hasn’t said anything to her about what happened, right? She doesn't know?” She lowered her voice. “About Hugh and the beast?”

Fer shook her head. “We both swore we wouldn't tell. Don't worry. Travis is a solid dude.”

Travis hopped out of the car and jogged over, tossing his shaggy hair out of his eyes. “You cats ready?” he asked, beaming.

Fer nodded. “It's gonna be kick-ass.”

Travis nodded. “C, do you have a minute? Michelle wants to tell you something.”

Cece stiffened. She wasn’t ready for a confrontation with Michelle, but Travis was smiling at her expectantly. She blew out her breath. “Sure.”

Travis waved at Michelle who reluctantly stepped out of the Honda and strode over. She stopped on the sidewalk and crossed her arms over her chest. Cece had a feeling this would not be good.

“
Go on,” Travis said, placing his hand at the small of her back. It seemed weird, them touching, but then again they'd been going out for a week now.

Michelle cleared her throat and raised her eyes to Cece. “I know I made you think I put your mom in jail, but it wasn't me. My dad told me about it, and when you asked me if I'd turned her in when I saw you with him,” her eyes flicked to Travis and heat flooded into her face, “I was pissed. So, I lied and made you believe I ratted your mom out.” She looked back at Cece. “Well, anyway, I'm sorry how that all went down.”

Cece nodded. “It's okay. Travis convinced me you had nothing to do with it. But thanks for the, uh, apology.”

There was an awkward silence. Michelle shrugged and looked to Travis, who kissed the top of her head. She strode back to her car and pulled away.