Page 83 of The Sting of Love
Donny sets the stick on the ground and an explosion echoes through the air.
I don’t know what it is. Neither of us do. Then I see it. Fireworks burst into the sky in a flurry of red, gold and green. It came from the beach.
Donny takes advantage of the window of opportunity as Mario looks up to the sky. In a flash Donny grabs his gun and shoots him in his neck. Blood splatters all over me and my scream mingles with Mario’s.
He flies back over the side of the cliff, but not before hitting me to the ground so hard I go over the side too.
I scream so hard it feels like I’m screaming from the depths of my soul. I grab on to a protruding rock and hold on for dear life. I can’t hold on though. It’s not stable enough and my hands are beginning to slip.
Donny rushes to the side.
“Willow!” he cries. “Give me your hand.”
I look up into his handsome face and those eyes of his. They look silver against the moonlight.
“Donny,” I wince.
“Baby please give me your hand,” he begs.
I try to reach up and I slip. I slip right off and I go down and I swear this is it but he catches me.
He holds on to my wrists so tight, pulling me with fierce strength. With a ruthless cry he yanks me back over to the path and we both fall backwards on the ground.
I was already crying, but those tears turned into tears of joy as he pulled me into his arms and held me.
“Donny.” I gasp, shuddering with both gratitude and shock that I’m still alive.
“I love you,” he whispers into my ear as he holds me close to his heart. “I love you, Willow.”
“I love you too.”
* * *
Three men I’ve never seen before come to see him at his place. He brought me back here over an hour ago. The men all had tattoos of crosses on their necks and seemed as tough as him.
They looked like mafia. There was no question about it. When I saw them altogether I felt a little foolish that I never guessed that about Donny when we first met.
It doesn’t matter. None of that matters. I’m still at the place in my heart I was when this night started. The place I was when I left Lurlene’s and decided I had some fight left in me to salvage my relationship.
I’m still here despite what happened and I think that says a lot.
I’m in the living room waiting for Donny, trying to listen out too to hear what’s happening. It doesn’t feel like it’s anything sinister. I hope whatever it is, is over, or sorted out with Mario’s death. I don’t even know the full details of what happened and honestly I don’t think I want to.
He’s an example of the evil men Lurlene talked about. Bad and ready to kill if you do the least to push them.
It’s funny I never got that vibe from the men who came to see Donny. The guys definitely looked scary but they had this respectful way about them that each showed when they saw me.
The click of the front door closing makes me straighten up on the sofa. Then the living room door opens and Donny comes in. He’s taken off his shirt and is now wearing a vest. His hair is ruffled and worry still clouds his eyes.
He comes over and sits down next to me, reaching out to touch my cheek.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah… it is now. The main threat is over. How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.”
He presses his lips together and draws in a deep breath. “So… looks like I nearly got you killed again. It was a very close call, Willow.”
