Chapter 33
“GOOD MORNING!!” Ricky yelled and opened up the drapes to the bedroom I had been asleep in for three days straight. The light flooded the room and I groaned loudly.
“Five more minutes.” I stuck my head under the covers, only to have them pulled off me.
“You’re ruining the chi of my apartment. Go take a shower and get out of bed. Stop fucking sulking.”
“What the fuck, Ricky?! My marriage is fucking over… what am I supposed to be doing?!”
“Why don’t you try explaining what happened and getting him back?!” Ricky crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me in defiance. “I am not going to sit by and watch my best friend waste away!!”
I put my head in my hands, knowing that Ricky was right. I did need to talk to Justin. What the fuck could I say to him though? Would it even be an obtainable task? I doubted it. I’d probably be wasting my breath.
“Stop being a stubborn little bitch and fucking call him.” A portable phone was placed in my hands and I looked at it as if it was an object I had never seen before.
In all honesty, I was terrified to call Justin. I didn’t want to see him cry because of me, and most of all I didn’t want any more confirmation that my marriage was over.
“Do you even care that your children miss you? Stop being a spoiled brat!! You fucked up but it’s not the end of the world!”
“Do you have to be so harsh?” I hissed at him and wiped the tears that stung my cheeks.
He was absolutely right, I hadn’t thought of my kids, I was just so fucking absorbed in my own self pity that I hadn’t even given a second thought to my babies. They were supposed to be my first priority!
“Someone has to knock the sense into you, I figured it’d be the best for the job.” Ricky sat next to me on the bed and pulled me into a tight embrace. “I love you, Nat, but this is unhealthy and you have to get a grip.”
“I’m afraid to talk to him.”
“I know… but it has to be done.” A reassuring smile along with a kiss on the cheek was sent my way. “I’ll be with you the entire time. You need to call.”
I looked down at the phone in my hand and took a deep breath. I dialed the familiar numbers and shook as I lifted the phone to my ear.
It felt like the ringing would go on forever, and I hoped it wouldn’t. How could I speak to him after what I had done? I wasn’t worthy of Justin.
“Hello?”
I heard his voice for the first time in days and went to hang up the phone. I couldn’t do this. Before I could end the call, Ricky grabbed my arm and placed the phone back to my ear.
“….Justin….hi….” I managed out through hyperventilating
“Natalia?”
“Yeah… uhm I’m really sorry to be calling you and bothering you and you can totally hang up on me at anytime, which I bet you’re going to do because I’m a complete fuck up. We all totally mess up sometimes but I was just royally and utterly wrong and-” I rambled on which caused Ricky to elbow me in the ribs and an “ow” was drawn out of me. “I just uhm… wanted to know if we could talk.”
Silence met me and I was sure that he had hung up on me. I wanted to cry more than anything because my marriage was over; this was just more proof of it.
“I guess.”
A ray of sunshine hit me and a smile crossed my face. He had wanted to talk? This was a step towards the right path, right? Maybe not but the false hope helped me to calm down.
“Really?”
“Yeah… uh I guess you’re at Ricky’s… I’ll stop by later…”
“That’d be nice.”
“Alright then, I’ll see you later tonight.” Justin hung up the phone, and my next step was to go see my kids. I had to make sure they were alright; I needed to be a good mom.
Sure I wasn’t a good wife, but I swore I’d be a good mother to the twins. They needed me and god be damned if I wasn’t going to be there for them. I was over being selfish… for the time being at least…
**
“You are a hypocrite.” Tommy stood in the doorway of Justin’s hotel room and uttered the words which made Justin look up from his glass of rum.
“And why exactly am I a hypocrite?”
“You’re angry at Natalia for the same reasons she should be angry at you.”
“What? For cheating? Excuse fucking me, but I do believe I was drugged when the Paris incident happened. Natalia lied to me and did it on her own free accord! She had been sleeping with him for months from what I fucking heard!” Justin exclaimed, boiling with anger and clutching his cup of rum tightly.
“It’s not cheating I’m speaking about.”
Tommy walked into the room and poured himself a shot and greedily downed it. Justin just watched in mute fascination and curiosity.
“Then enlighten me on what you are speaking about.”
“Natalia was keeping a secret you say? She lied to you, you say? I do believe you have your own secrets and your own set of lies which you have been feeding her for 4 years now.”
“Sometimes it’s necessary to have secrets.” Justin stiffened and pulled at the collar of his shirt which suddenly seemed so confining.
“Maybe it was necessary for her to have this secret as well.”
“Fuck you, I think my secrets are different than this. She was fucking cheating on me, and I mean it didn’t constitute as cheating a few months back when we weren’t together … and fuck I get what your saying, but this last week or whenever the fuck it was… it was just unacceptable.”
“Have you ever considered that she may think your secrets are just as unacceptable?”
“Those secrets don’t concern or pertain to her. She doesn’t need to know.” Swallowing down the rest of his rum, Justin glared at his Irish best friend. “And so help me God, Tommy, don’t open your mouth about the past.”
“I never said I was, I was just making an observation.” Tommy’s shot glass was set down on the table and he headed towards the doorway. “I was just wondering how you would feel if she found out your secret and acted the way you are.”
“Well… besides adding for the tenth time that my secret has nothing to do with her and she has absolutely no right to freak out if she ever found it out, which she never will.” Justin paused and stared straight at Tommy. “Besides, didn’t she overreact about the Paris incident?”
“That is true.”
“Yes, and enough of this damn subject. There’s business to attend to… one of my best was killed last night. The death of Martin Rochester will not go unnoticed. The Lopez’s are back and finally out of hiding, it’s time to make our move.”
“What do you suggest?” JC asked and walked into the sitting room with Trace Ayala at his side.
“What do I suggest?” A grin formed on Justin Timberlake’s face, a grin which would frighten the devil himself. “I suggest we have some fun… a shipment of cocaine, weed…and all that fun stuff is coming tonight at Chelsea Pier. A shipment for the Lopez family, but which will go to us. What I suggest is an ambush.”
“All that for a lousy shipment?” Trace looked irritated but Justin’s hand went up in the air, silencing him.
“Oh, it’s no lousy shipment… there’s family on that boat, my dear Uncle-in-Law, Eduardo Diaz.”
Tommy and JC instantly looked horrified. That was Natalia’s uncle, the man they despised, but never the less her uncle. JC was the first to protest.
“You can’t be thinking what I think you are…?”
“Killing Eduardo, you mean?” Justin asked.
“Yeah. “ JC nodded, which caused Justin to grin.
“Why of course, that was exactly what I intended.”
“Fuck that. I’m out.” JC crossed his arms and Tommy quickly agreed.
“I’m out too… I’m not as sick and twisted as you to kill Natalia’s fucking uncle.”
“You’ll do as I say.” Justin glared at his two friends and workers who dared to speak against his wishes.
“No I will not do what you say!” JC hissed in anger. “Just because you’re angry and freaking out about your wife doesn’t mean that you have the right to turn us against her!”
“JC’s right, if that’s how quick you are to turn on someone then maybe we should just not be friends or workers, maybe JC and I should join up with the Lopez’s.” Tommy said defiantly. Justin looked shocked as did JC but Trace just watched with brightened curiosity.
“This has nothing to do with a vendetta against Nat or paying her back for cheating on me. This has to do with Eduardo being a nuisance.”
“Like hell it does!!” Tommy practically screamed, JC grabbed his shoulder in a calming manner and did the only thing he could think of, he thought of a compromise. The situation at hand needed soothing and he could possibly be the only one to do it.
“I have a plan…”
**
A knock on the door sounded Justin’s arrival. I nervously stood up from my place on Ricky’s couch and hurried towards the door. It was still quite early, only about 8ish on a beautiful but cold December night.
The Christmas season was about, but I felt not so Christmassy. I was missing my other half and I couldn’t very well be happy when my life was turned upside down. Christmas was supposed to be about happiness, family and togetherness, not a time for a family to be tearing apart. (The season was also supposed to be about Jesus but I’m not a good Christian, so sue me! :P)
“Hey.” He said plainly as I opened the door and came face to face with the striking man that was once and in the literal sense still was, my husband.
“Hey... uhm come in…” I stepped aside and let him enter.
“So uh you wanted to talk?” He had gotten straight to the point and avoided any gaze at me which was longer than necessary.
“Yeah…” I led him over to the couch and started to feel myself hyperventilate. “I just wanted to talk about what happened…”
“It’s in the past.” Justin waved his hand, as if physically dismissing the topic.
“Really?” The shock was evident in my voice. I really hadn’t expected to receive a response like that from Justin. I had expected us to talk for hours and not even get anywhere but things to be able to mend. I hadn’t expected things to already be mended when he got there.
“Yeah, I don’t hate you… we have kids and I think we can act civilly towards each other. We are adults after all.”
“I’m just confused… last time I spoke to you… you hated me and were pissed off… what brought on this change?”
“Well… it’s not what but who.”
“Who?”
Had someone spoken to Justin on my behalf? I wanted to hug whoever it was and shower them in whatever jewel or treasure they desired. They were in fact, my salvation.
“I met an amazing woman, Carina, when I was upset and it was like she changed my complete view of everything. She put together the pieces of my broken heart. Carina is really a unique and wonderful person. I’d love for you to meet her.”
What the fuck was he talking about?
“That’d be nice. She seems like a great girl.”
“Oh she is, and beautiful, that’s how I first noticed her. I was drinking away my sorrows at this bar and she just walked in and the whole room was like glowing after her arrival.” Justin was smiling and his next words brought my fears to life and broke my heart. “You know how I used to say you were my angel? This girl is like really an angel, she’s celestial and perfect… like after all this happened I thought I was destined for misery for the rest of my life but Carina just spoke to me and enlightened me and god I think I could love her.”
I listened to him gush on about this Carina while I thought of ways to kill her. It was the only way I could keep the tears back and force a somewhat genuine smile. He didn’t need to know I was smiling because I wanted to kill her, really.
“Damnit, I actually have to go meet her for drinks… but yeah the divorce papers are coming along nicely. I was thinking of splitting custody of the twins, 6 months with you and 6 with me… but I have to get going. We’ll talk more about it later.” Justin got up from the couch and headed toward the door. “Later Nat, give the twins a kiss for me.”
I wanted to kill myself, literally, I wanted to die. Fuck killing Carina, she didn’t do anything wrong, she didn’t fuck up, it was all me. I lost control at that moment, went a little mad and in a rage of anger and tears ended up going out to my Lexus RX330 with a bat and taking out my frustrations on it.
I wanted the 400 anyway.
**
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Justin smiled as he reached The Blarney Stone, a small tavern in which the four men intended to meet up before their work was to be done. Justin usually never did field work of this kind, but this was a personal matter to him. He had to make sure that the job was going to be done correctly.
“We were getting a little worried.” JC looked at his friend in curiosity. “What’s with the big smile?”
“Oh nothing, but Trace you need to do me a favor.”
“Sure. What is it boss?”
“I need you to find a really hot broad named Carina, tell her I’ll pay her whatever she wants; I just need her to do whatever I say… like an actress.” Justin concluded and ordered a bottle of champagne to celebrate their intending victory.
“For tonight? Isn’t that a little last minute?” Tommy inquired.
“Oh no, not for tonight… but for the next time I see Nat. I let her think I have a girlfriend. I may be a sick fuck but that thought really makes me feel better.”
“You’re a real asshole Justin.” JC said with annoyance lacing his voice. “Not too long ago you wanted to believe the best about Natalia and were looking for a way to clear her for this bullshit. Why the fuck do you want to fuck with her head, kidnap and possibly kill her uncle and torture her?”
“I still want her to look for a way to make her mine and perfect again… but until it happens she’s going to pay for being a fucking tramp. It gives me peace of mind.”
“That’s sick. Do consider seeing a psychiatrist.” Tommy rose from the table, rejecting the champagne which was placed down. “Let’s just get this over with now.”
The four men road to the docks in silence, almost all silence except for Trace, who tried to keep up the spirits of the group. The feat was practically impossible but Trace nevertheless tried.
“We’re here boss and waiting for your command.” Lance chirped Justin on his Nextel, it was 5 to 12 and the ship had just arrived at the harbor. The time was perfect to begin the assault.
“Great… at 12 exactly have everyone prepared to attack.” Justin replied and silenced his phone. Each of the men pulled out a gun and looked at one another. “Boys, its Showtime.”
The car was emptied and the men crept in the shadows towards the harbor, where the ship “De La Mar” was quickly being emptied. Justin had calculated that as soon as the gun fire was to occur, Eduardo would run and try to get away. He was not the type of man which cared for physical confrontation; he was more of the type to ruin you from every other prospect.
Many times it was known that he had tried to make it so Justin would lose his fortune and so his business associates would abandon him. Justin wanted revenge on this man.
JC had suggested they kidnap him instead of killing him, Justin would have rathered to see Eduardo’s blood spill onto the ground but it was impossible for that to occur right then. Justin loved his workers, they were his best friends and it would pain him to lose them, so he compromised… for now at least. JC thought it was possible to “persuade” Eduardo to give information about the Lopez Family. Justin knew that he was right and there could be no better way to bring them down, then from the inside.
Soon enough Eduardo would die… but for now, it was time to focus on the demise of the Lopez Family.
