CHAPTER 10
"Nikki ..." It was a mere whisper but she heard it and jumped up from the floor where she had been sleeping. She had sat down on the floor so she could see his face -- he looked at peace and wasn't in any pain and she needed to keep seeing that. She must have fallen asleep and slid down the bedding. When she heard him call her name, she moved up quickly. "Baby, how are you? Are you in pain?" He nodded and she got him two Vicodin and some water. He managed to get them down. "You are doing so good -- the bullets are all out and you aren't bleeding anymore. You need to be really still though so that the bleeding doesn't start." "Jess and Leon?" He was still whispering. "Dominic -- can you use your voice?" "I don't want to wake the babies." She looked at him with absolute fear. My God -- had she given him too much medication and fried his brain? He suddenly looked at her as if he woke up all the way. "Never mind -- they're with Mia and Brian in Texas. Wonder why I thought they were home? I think I was dreaming about them and you and it was a regular morning." He was using his full voice and she was so relieved that she had to hold back the tears -- she didn't want to worry him about her. "Jesse and Leon are sleeping somewhere in the house. Let me get a wash cloth and wash you off -- and you need some penicillin and ..." He reached up and grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the floor. "I need you right now more than anything. I need your touch and your kiss -- I need to know you love me and forgive me and won't leave me when I'm healed and you don't want a divorce and you won't take the ..." Nikki pressed her mouth to his and when he opened her mouth and slowly brushed her tongue with his, she touched his face, letting her tears fall, and discovered they were mingling with his. "I belong to you, Dominic -- forever. We're solid, as ever." She kissed him again, all over his face and his free hand cupped her breast and she laughed. "Only you could get horny after being shot five times. I hate to tell you this, buddy, but that pain killer has killed any fun you'll be having for a little while and you are not getting off your tummy so you're out of luck for now." She kissed his mouth sweetly. "But I can guarantee you'll be getting really lucky as soon as you are all better!" Nikki stood up and went into the bathroom and got a warm wash cloth, some of the babies wipies and went and washed her husband's face, arms, his head and neck, the parts of his back that weren't bandaged. "That feels so good." "Good. Do you think you can go back to sleep?" "I need to get people together to get Jimmy Tran and ...." "Dom, I'm not going to threaten to leave you because you won't believe me about that anymore, but I will tell you this -- I have the ability to knock you out completely for days at a time. And I will do it. You are not doing anything, not talking to Jesse or Leon, not talking to anyone about anything -- you are gonna lay there and heal. My daughter's are going to come home and want a healthy father, not one in a grave." "You'd drug me?" He was smiling at her and at the fact that she was not smiling back. "Damn straight." She walked over and got the liquid penicillin, she poured him a tablespoon. Last night she needed half the bottle, now she was going to give it to him slower. He swallowed it with a grimace. "Stop being such a baby." She teased and he laughed. "Come here and taste it if you think I'm being a baby." She knelt down and put her tongue into his mouth for a long kiss. It did taste pretty gross but he tasted better. Leon and Jesse walked in at that moment. "Jesus -- the guy gets shot five times and he's trying to get it on with his old lady already!" Leon laughed and Nikki stood up and threw them both out of the room. She turned to Dom. "I put the baby monitor next to you -- if you need me, just call. I need to get some coffee and talk to these guys. Go to sleep." "I'm not sleepy -- you got me all stirred up, girl." His eyes were closing as much as he tried to keep them open. He reminded her of her girls when they were trying to fight sleep. Before Nikki had the door closed, he was sleeping. Nikki, Leon and Jesse walked downstairs together. "Hey, we wanted to see him." Jesse said, disappointed. "I know, honey, but neither one of you can right now -- he's talking revenge on Jimmy Tran already." "That's D for you. But he's right -- we need to do something." Leon said, angry, furious. He had seen the pictures of Nikki and knew immediately what Dom didn't -- that they were fakes. But he also figured out that was what had infuriated Dom so completely for the past three months. Leon had taken the pictures, put them in the manila envelope and on top of the refrigerator. "Leon, I'm changing this subject -- and I'm in charge around here. I know that you guys are used to Dominic being the big boss of this team -- that isn't really a team anymore but I know is still a family -- but right now, control is in my court. That was my marriage that he tried to ruin, my husband that he tried to kill." Nikki got herself a cup of hot coffee and looked at the baby monitor -- she was glad Jesse had been able to set it up so quickly. She could see Dom's face and he was sleeping peacefully. "Leon, I need you to sneak over to Mia's house, here is the key -- make sure no one see's you. Go in the backdoor and to the right of the kitchen they have a small office set up. Brian said in the desk left hand drawer there is a check book and their savings account. I need you to grab a deposit slip for the checking and the savings -- make sure you've got each one. I'm going to go online and transfer funds to them today." They both looked at her in shock -- they always knew she was strong but had no idea she was this tough. She was totally in control of the situation and had been since the moment they got home last night and she took those bullets out of her husband. "I'll need both your help with him when he is sleeping -- cleaning wounds, moving him, cleaning him -- but when he's awake, you've gotta be away from him or he'll start talking revenge and I'm gonna knock him out with the drugs." "Are you shitting me?" Leon asked in shock. "I am not. He's not going to do any planning, make any phone calls, do anything but heal. I know he's got it out for Jimmy Tran but this is my husband and the father of my kids -- I will take care of him and if it means keeping him in a drugged sleep, I'll do it." She stood up, looking at the monitor. "Jesse, do you think you can go to that 24 hour pharmacy for me tonight -- I called and told my doctor I dropped the bottle and it broke and I need another one -- he made me make an appointment to come in tomorrow but I did it so he'd give me the penicillin." "Yeah, as soon as it's dark. That's where I get my stuff, too. Should I get more ..." He looked at Leon -- no one knew about Jesse and the Xanax -- he wasn't ashamed of it, he just didn't like the stigma it brought with it. People thought you were weak if you needed something like that -- they didn't understand that some problems, some hurts just don't go away no matter how hard you try or how much you pray or how much therapy you get. Leon took the hint and got up and went into the bathroom. He knew, but didn't want Jesse to know he knew. He loved him like a little brother. Jesse was the greatest car mechanic he knew and one of the best guys he had ever known and didn't want to hurt him in any way -- not even this. "Should I get more Xanax?" He whispered. "If you can, it would be great, but don't hurt your credit there as far as your insurance and stuff." "Nah, Phil, the pharmacist, will give it to me." She smiled at him.
CHAPTER 11
Nikki went upstairs with jars of baby food -- he wouldn't like it, but it would be easiest for him to digest with all the pain killer and penicillin she was pouring in him. He woke up when she walked into the bedroom and gave her a weak smile. "You weren't kidding when you said you could knock me on my ass with this dope, were you, sexy?" "Nope! Breakfast is here -- now would you prefer bananas, vanilla custard, sweet potatoes or carrots?" "Nik, I know you were mad at me, but this sounds like what Glory eats with gusto." She smiled and showed him the jars. "No way." "Way. It will be easy for you to eat and for you to digest. In a few days we'll move up to biter biscuits and rice cereal." She opened the bananas and fed him slowly. He coughed more than she liked, but drank a lot of water, which was good for him. He ate four jars, which really pleased her. "Now I'm going to change the bandages -- it might hurt a little bit. Do you want another pain killer or a tranquilizer?" He looked at her softly. "I can't believe after the way I treated you that you are taking care of me like this." "Dominic, do you remember the credo we live by -- what is in the past stays in the past?" He nodded. "Let's let the last three months be put into that past, too, and never repeat it, okay?" "Sounds good. I'll take a trank, but I don't want to be out again." She got up and gave him a tranquilizer and waited fifteen minutes for it to start to kick in. "I feel good." She laughed and started changing the bandages. He wasn't bleeding much at all and nothing looked infected. She used alcohol to clean them and while he moaned a little, nothing bubbled and she knew that was a good sign. She filled them with more antibiotic cream, making a mental note to have Jesse get more when he went to the pharmacy tonight. The next few days were going to be interesting. Dom would be declared dead at the race -- it would rock everyone who was part of the street circuit except for Jimmy Tran. Because Vince knew nothing of who was behind it, Jimmy would think he was safe. He wasn't, Nikki thought, staring at her dozing husband. She got gently into the bed next to him, and put her head on his good shoulder. "You know what? I have so many things left to tell you that I've never told anyone -- nothing major -- like I starred as a princess when I was in kindergarten and I never forgot the way my parents cheered or how that tiara felt on my head -- I wore it to bed for a week. And how at one of my foster homes, one of the few good ones, the people who were taking care of me were so cool that they bought me the soundtrack to "Grease" and even had a pink jacket made up so I could pretend to be a Pink Lady." She laughed, rubbing the back of his head. She knew he wasn't listening to any of this -- he was off in some sort of drugged out world of his own. "So many little things I want to know about you -- like where you got this little scar behind your ear -- and how many times you had detention -- and what was going through your head the first time you kissed me." Nikki was crying gently. "There's so much left for us to find out about each other, Dominic. Don't you dare ever leave me." She felt her own eyes getting heavy and wanted to hit the clock for the 15 minute intervals but couldn't do it in time. She was sleeping in a heavy sleep.
CHAPTER 12
Hours later Nikki woke up to the sound of steps on the staircase. She wished suddenly that she had a gun. She didn't think Dom had any in the house and reached into her purse and grabbed her butterfly knife, flipping it into a position of protection. She didn't move out of the bed, just waited. It was dark out and she realized she must have slept for hours. She reached over and felt Dom's pulse -- still steady as could be. His bandages were clean -- no bleeding. It was good. She watched as their bedroom door opened slowly and then dropped the knife when she saw it was Leon and Jesse. "Hey Nik, sorry to wake you." Jesse walked over to Dom and lightly kissed the top of his head. "I hate seeing him like this. I wish it was me again instead of Dominic." "Don't ever say that, Jesse." Everyone looked in surprise at the person who uttered those words -- Dom was wide awake. "I don't want you to ever be hurt again. I'm sorry for all I put you through these past few months, brother." "Forget it - I already have. Leon and I are coming back to work at DT with you. We'll run things until you are strong enough to come home." Nikki smiled at them both with love in her eyes. "I lost most of my business -- I yelled at my customers, I didn't pay my bills, I ..." "Dominic -- forget all that -- as soon as you are back on your feet and ready to work the cars will be rolling in. Especially after that race you ran." "Holy shit -- that car is still at the beach." "No, it isn't -- I had it towed this morning back to DT." Nikki said and was once again stared at in shock. "Enough talking. Listen to me, my darling, you need all the rest you can get so you can heal. You need some penicillin and you need some medication and then you're going to go nighty nighty just like our little girls do and I don't want fights from you like I hear from them." He smiled at her. "Will you sing to me?" "If you are a good boy and take your medicine and eat for me." "Eat what?" "Once a horn dog, always a horn dog." Leon laughed and Nikki shoved them out of the room, promising to meet them downstairs. She fed him the baby food again and he was eating well -- tomorrow she was going to move onto harder foods, to see what his body could take. He was healing well -- a strong man who worked out daily and took care of himself. It was wonderful. She gave him the penicillin and he made the same face. "A kiss?" "Yuck." But she leaned down and kissed him, letting her tongue dance with his for such a long time. God, how she suddenly wanted him. It had been so long since the sex had been good between them. It was time to get that back -- as soon as he was healed. "Now you're taking some pain killer and tranks and heading off to sleepy time." "Only if you sing to me." She rolled her eyes and promised and he swallowed the medication. She sat on the floor, close to his head and sang "Amazing Grace", one of the girls favorite songs. He played with her hair so gently and soon his hand rested on her shoulder getting heavier and heavier. He was sleeping and she crept out of the room and downstairs. "Guys, I need some help. We've got to get him off those bloody sheets and clean him up. He's out like a light and heavy as hell but if he was awake, he'd be helping me and that would cause him to bleed." "Of course we'll help you, Nik. You don't have to ask twice." They followed her upstairs and it was a job -- Dom was a dead weight from the medication and the pain. They gently moved him from side to side while sliding the sheets out from under him and clean sheets back along with towels. They washed his body, changed what little clothing he was wearing and Jesse gave his legs a good massage. "I heard about people who get really bad leg cramps and stuff when they are in bed a long time so I'm gonna do this every night, okay?" Nikki nodded, smiling at his incredible sweetness. Once he was all tucked in and his pulse was once again checked, they went back downstairs, the monitor well within her sight. "So what is your plan, Nik -- I know you have one. And who is Derrick?" Leon asked. "First of all -- Jesse -- did you get the meds? I had no idea I slept so long." He handed her a pharmacy bag and she giggled when a pile of tabloid magazines, candy bars, and a jar of strawberry lip gloss fell out along with the two medications she needed. "You have got to be the sweetest man." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Hey, I'm sweet!" "You are one of my best friends on earth, Leon." She kissed him, too. "Were you able to get into Mia and Brian's without being seen and get the deposit slips?" "No doubt." He pulled them out of his back pocket. "Cool, thank you. I'm going to run upstairs and make the transfer of funds -- why don't you two make the three of us some dinner? Can you do that? I've got tons of stuff in the refrigerator." "No, prob." Leon was already up and Jesse was behind him. She could hear them bickering about what to cook. If Leon married, as she was sure he would someday -- what would Jesse do? He definitely had his share of women, one in particular that Nikki didn't much care for, but marriage? She just couldn't imagine it. He'd just have to come and live with them again. The thought made her smile. Upstairs in the office, Nikki pulled up her account in her banking site. She transferred ten thousand dollars into each of Brian's accounts. She knew it was far more than they needed but it made her felt safe. Immediately after the transaction the phone rang and she looked at the caller ID -- it was the bank. She knew they'd call with a transaction that large. She gave her ID # and code and the transaction was completed. Back downstairs she was greeted with the smell of eggs and bacon and sausage being cooked. "We've got our days and nights all mixed up, don't we?" "Hell, yeah, so we figured that we might as well have breakfast for dinner since we can only go out when it is dark. We'll have chesseburgers for breakfast tomorrow!" Leon laughed and sat a heaping plate in front of her. Nikki stared at the monitor. He looked so good. "Jess, could you go up and take his pulse?" Jesse took off and was back down within minutes. "He's fine -- same as always Nikki. I can't believe he was shot five times and fixed up in his own bed." He sat down and jumped into his food, as always. Dom would have made him say grace but Nikki let it slide -- she figured that God was hearing many prayers since the night Dom was shot and more before that when it seemed he was losing his mind. "When I think he is totally stable, I'm going to have to go out one night." "To meet Derrick?" Leon asked -- this was bugging the shit out of him and she knew it. "Yes, and please don't ask me about him. This is nothing that will hurt my man in the least -- this is a business deal. Guys I'm going to make a call and then tell you something." Nikki picked up her cell, the only phone in the house they were using and called Vince. "V, it's Nik. What happened at the race?" She listened for a long time and a smile swept her face. "Good -- no, Dom's sleeping or I'd put him on the phone with you. This is exactly what he wanted, though, big bear. Thanks, love you and Letty -- tell her I love her and I'll see her soon. Promise? Bye." Nikki hung up the phone. "Well, Vince told a few people and the word spread like wild fire that Dom is dead. Vince said Jimmy Tran was there and looked totally satisfied, that fucker." "We're going to get him big time." Leon said, fury in his eyes. "I'll explain the plan to you if you swear, on the lives of my children that you will follow every single thing I tell you and tell no one of my plans." "On the lives of your kids? Are you nuts?" Jesse said in disgust. "No, I'm just serious. Both of you swear it -- Jesse, you are the godfather of Daisy and Leon, you are godfather to Glory. Swear it." They both did, as hard as it was for them. "We are not going after the Trans. I am. I am Mrs. Dominic Toretto and this is my fight -- I know you love him, I know you are part of the family -- but this is MY FIGHT. That was my husband that he shot five times, my husband he tried to kill. His brother tried to rape me and my sister-in-law. I am going to end this war with the Trans and that man Derrick is going to help me." "Why the hell would you bring in an outsider when you've got us to help you?" Jesse said, sounding hurt. "Because, I don't want this to be about the team or about the family -- this is Toretto against Tran. We won once, he won once -- now it is time for someone to kick some ass in a serious way. When Dom is recovered you know he is going to go for blood and I'll lose him to jail -- that will not happen. They will never suspect a woman is going to come after them. But that is exactly what is going to happen." "Vince won't allow it." "How will Vince know, Leon? You swore on the life of my kids you won't tell." "He'll go after him when he finds out it was a Tran. He already suspects from the way Jimmy acted at the race when he heard Dom was dead." "Suspected is different from knowing. He also thinks Dom has a minor flesh wound. Listen guys, I ...." Suddenly Nikki stopped talking, stopped breathing. She noticed on the monitor -- she could see Dom sleeping but could see the outlines of two figures in the room with him. "Oh my god. We need a fucking gun." "I know where Dom keeps it -- I'll be right back." Leon took off down into the basement and came back up with a loaded shot gun. "Let's roll." They all went upstairs -- in the past, they would have asked Nikki to wait downstairs and she probably would have said no but this was a new Nikki and asking her would be pointless. Leon pushed open the door slightly and pointed the gun at the two intruders. "Shit! I could have killed you both! Letty, don't cry." It was Letty and Vince and Nikki ran in, hugging both of them. "How did you get in?" "Ah, key?? Remember?" She smiled and turned to Letty who was staring at Dom. She took her hand and Letty looked at her. "He loves you so much, Let. You are his other sister -- he wants you to be well. Come over and talk to him -- I don't know if he'll wake up, but he'll still hear you in his heart. Tell him you love him and want him to get better." Letty moved toward the bed with Nikki and knelt down and whispered to Dom. "I do love you, Dom. I'm sorry for everything." Dom opened his eyes slowly -- he was very groggy but smiled at her. "I love you, too, Little Letty. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I'm so sleepy, girl." He fell asleep and Vince grabbed Nikki's arm gently. "Flesh wound, staying at a hotel?" "Oh shit -- are you parked where anyone can see?" "No! We took a cab a few miles back and then walked the backyards here. I just had a feeling you'd be here. I'm gonna get the guys and we're gonna go on a little trip." "V -- is that you?" Dom whispered and he went over to him. Vince kissed Dom's head. "Jimmy Tran -- we need to get him -- he shot me but I think he was trying to kill Nikki." "Don't even sweat it, big boy. We're gonna out tonight." Nikki felt furious -- things were not going to go the way Vince was planning. She walked over to Dom and told him he needed more medication. He looked at her strangely. "Honey, you've been sleeping -- I'm not overmedicating you on purpose!" She forced a totally fake laugh and slipped him two extra Vicodin with the Xanax. He was gonna be out all night. She turned to Vince. "Go downstairs and sit with Jesse and Leon -- I'll explain everything to you in a few. And Vince -- don't come back up here -- he will be out for the entire night -- I knocked him out." Vince tried to stare her down but couldn't. "What are you planning, Nikki?" "Just go." She turned to Letty. "Can you help me with his bandages -- I want to make sure they are fresh and Jesse usually helps me but I guess I'm sorta tired of all this testosterone." They both laughed quietly and worked on Dom together.
CHAPTER 13
Letty suddenly reached over and took Nikki's hand -- it was the first time she had voluntarily touched Nikki. "What, honey?" "I want to help you." "You are helping me and Dom, too." "No, with Jimmy Tran -- I know you are planning something without the guys and we'll do it together." "Letty, you can't have more stress." "Nikki, I need to get myself back and I can't find me anywhere -- maybe helping you kick the ass of the man who shot him will do that -- I used to be the tough bitch, remember?" Nikki laughed and hugged her. "So long as you promise to protect me from Vince when this is all over, I say it's a good plan. If Mia was here, we could be Dominic's Angels." They both laughed and went downstairs. Letty sat on Vince's lap and kissed him to distract him as Nikki pulled Leon and Jesse into the kitchen. "Remember, you swore on the lives of my children to keep my secret. Not even Vince. I'm doing it tonight and Letty is coming with me." "Nikki! This is fucked up!" Leon was truly outraged. "Jesse, I knocked Dom out for the night because he was getting fussy with Vince and I knew he was gonna try and get up. I need you to take his pulse every fifteen -- here's the clock." She handed him the timer he had set for her. "If it goes above those numbers I gave you, I want you to call 911 because I could have given him too much." Jesse nodded. Nikki lifted the cell off the table and dialed. "Derrick -- tonight -- and I need it all. I'll get you the cash." She waited, told him a number and hung up. "Fuck, Nik. If anything happens to you ..." "You'll help Dom raise my kids." "No I won't because he'll fucking rip my head off for letting you go." She kissed Leon on the cheek. "Just keep your promises. And help me with Vince tonight." She walked into the living room. "Hey V, we've got some gorgeous steaks in the fridge -- would you make them?" He got up immediately and she and Letty stared at each other. "We girls are going upstairs to change -- I think we need a night out while you watch my hubby." "What? You're leaving him?" Vince asked. "She deserves a night out for a few hours, V -- she's been exhausted." Leon said and Nikki silently blessed him. "Yeah, besides, I know how to take his pulse and shit -- he'll be fine." Jesse said and showed Vince the monitor. "Letty, you want to go out with Nikki?" Letty hugged Vince and nodded. She still didn't talk much and it broke Nikki's heart but maybe, just maybe she would find that tough little girl again. Letty was already dressed in all black and heavy boots. Nikki ran upstairs, taking Letty with her. "It's like you knew what to put on, Let." She smiled and stripped off her clothes, making sure to stay out of the way of the monitor -- that's all she needed to do was give the boys a free view. Letty sat down near Dom's head and petted it. He was totally out, but called Nikki's name. "Right here, baby, I'm right here." And he went right back to sleep. He was so helpless right now and it did remind her of her girls. Nikki looked at Letty as she pulled on a tight black tank top and a pair of tight black jeans and black motorcycle boots. It was weird in a way but felt right too. Letty was comforting her husband in a room where they had had sex -- bizarre probably wasn't even the right word. Nikki grabbed Dom's big black leather jacket, pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and put two pairs of leather driving gloves in each pocket -- one pair for each of them. She stopped for a moment -- could she do this? Could she stand up to another Tran -- possibly take his life? She was willing to take Johnny's but ... then she looked at Dom and thought of those bullets and how he had thrown his body over hers to protect her. How they had followed his race car -- hoping to do as much damage as possible. She thought of her daughters -- she had to protect them and if she let Dom do it, they'd probably grow up without him. She got a jacket out of the closet for Letty. "Ready to do this?" Letty nodded without even knowing the plan. Nikki took her into the bathroom and ran the shower so they couldn't be heard on the monitor. She explained everything to her and was delighted when Letty's eyes lit up. "We can do this?" "With the help of my friend, yes. Are you positive you want to come?" "Yes, I love all of you." He words were staggered, like a child's and Nikki held her close for a moment. "We love you, too. Let's go and kick some ass." "Dominic's Angel's." Letty laughed and they walked downstairs. Nikki noticed the strange looks Vince gave her at her outfit and hair pulled back so tight. "We're outta here -- keep a good eye on my husband." She kissed all three guys goodbye and Vince held her tight. "Where?" "This little club -- El Gato? Hector is always there at night -- he's cool." "I don't know if Letty should go and what about the Trans?" "The Trans can wait until Dominic is up on his feet and can defend himself with you and the guys -- not without him or he won't be satisfied and you know that." Vince nodded because she was right about that one. "We'll have a couple of soda's and something to eat and be home in a few hours. I've got my cell if you need me." She hugged Jesse again, whispering to him. "Remember your promise and to keep checking his pulse -- don't hesitate to call 911." "I will and I won't."
CHAPTER 14
She walked with the keys to Leon's car and Dom's garage in her hands. She opened it up and she pulled out and Letty shut the doors and got in. Nikki drove for a little while. Nikki talked constantly -- she felt it was good for Letty. She talked about the babies and about the trip that Mia and Brian were on, she talked about a new television show, she just babbled until Letty interrupted her. "Who is this guy?" "Derrick? I met him back when Dom and Jesse were searching for Lizbeth." She saw Letty's face fall. "No, Letty, that is the past. Move on. We love you, remember? Anyway, it was good because he taught me a lot about self-protection and even revenge and that's what we need right now, right?" "Without a doubt, girl." Letty smiled. Nikki pulled into a warehouse lot and drove behind a building. There was a large truck and a large man waiting next to it. "Hey Derrick." She and Letty got out of Leon's car and Derrick laughed. "Could you have brought a brighter car or was that one busy?" She smiled at him and shrugged. "It's cool -- I've got a black one back there for you." Nikki looked past his shoulders and saw the car. It was a Viper. She handed Derrick the money -- over one hundred thousand dollars. Good thing Dom kept money in a safe under the house. "Jacket off -- let me see your body." She pulled her jacket off and Letty grabbed her arm. "It's okay, I promise. He is here to help us." Derrick put his hands on Nikki's waist, measuring her without needing a tape. "You positive about this part?" She nodded and Letty watched in horror as Derrick strapped explosives to Nikki's midsection. "This is the detonator -- well, the detonator if that shit on you was real but no one will know -- not even a bomb expert would know without a close inspection." He handed it to her and they walked over to his truck. He explained everything and Nikki and Letty jumped into the Viper and took off for Jimmy Trans' house.
CHAPTER 15
It was easy enough to scale his wall and his guard dogs weren't worth anything once she hit them with a tranquilizer dart. Jimmy didn't bother with flood lights because of the dogs. 'Idiot', Nikki thought to herself. She did what Derrick had instructed her to do -- stunned at how many cars Jimmy had. She hadn't had time to check this place out fully but Derrick had done it for her. Letty started on one end of the cars and Nikki the other -- Vipers, Benz, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche, -- anything expensive and fast. The garage was locked up tight, but Derrick had taught her well and she jimmied it, first checking with one of his gadgets to make sure there was no alarm set. Nothing. 'what an pompous idiot' Nikki thought. Inside there were at least ten motorcycles and five or six more cars -- she wondered how much NOS was under these cars but realized it didn't matter. She was going to do what she had to to protect her family. She hooked them all up, with Letty's help. Nikki pulled the manila envelope out of her back pocket where it had been tormenting her since she put it in. Nikki and Letty walked quietly up to the front door and rang the bell. Derrick had watched the house for a few days. The Tran family lived down the street -- this was Jimmy's house and he had no one living with him except a different woman or women every night and a small staff. A man opened the door and looked at them in shock. At first Nikki wondered why and then remembered the locked gates and the dogs. "Hey there, we're here for Jimmy." Letty said with a sneer in her voice and Nikki looked at her in surprise. Maybe, maybe ..... "I will see if Mr. Tran is available. Who should I say is calling?" Nikki handed him the manila envelope. "Just give him these -- he'll know." Nikki looked at Letty for support and winked. Letty looked like she was getting back some of her fire. Please God. They followed the man into the house and waited in Jimmy's library. Letty knocked a valuable statue onto the floor and Nikki laughed. "Girl ...." She had started to push another one when Jimmy walked in. "The Widow Toretto, I presume. Oh, and you've brought a friend. Lovely." He was wearing a pair of silk boxers and nothing else. Fucking self-assured asshole, Nikki thought to herself. "Well, Jimmy, you've got that one wrong. My husband is very much alive -- if you had used something other than these piss-ant bullets, he probably would be dead." She deposited three bullets onto his floor and he kicked them out of the way. "No, no -- don't come near me. You remember what I did to your big brother, don't you? You don't think he got that wound in his leg from the car accident, do you?" "Bitch." "Damn straight." Letty snarled, throwing another Ming Vase and Nikki laughed. She did seem to be coming back -- it might not last, but this was the first time she had seen the real Letty in so long. "I touch who I want and what I want and if your husband is alive, why isn't he here?" "Because I'm here, you coward." Jimmy took a huge step toward her and she pulled her jacket open to reveal the fake explosives on her body. "Those aren't real. I don't believe you'd kill yourself just to get back at me. Now all these beautiful pictures can be reality but we'll add your friend in for fun." Nikki pulled the detonator out of her pocket. "You positive they aren't real?" "Absolutely positive." He reached for her and she hit the button. Suddenly it sounded like world war three was going on outside of his house. "What???" He ran into the foyer and Letty giggled, which made Nikki giggle. "I think he's unhappy about his toys." Letty said, pushing the computer monitor off his desk. "Don't forget the hard drive, girl." Letty grabbed it, ripped it from the desk, wires and all, and dropped it into the enormous fish tank that Jimmy had in the library. "Can't imagine this man is this stupid." They walked into the foyer -- the front door stood wide open and Jimmy and his staff were outside looking at the destroyed cars and motorcycles. Jimmy grabbed a cell phone from his maid. "I'm calling 911 on your ass, bitch." "You might want to think about that, Jimmy. First of all, there are witnesses who saw you shoot my husband, second. I have copies of all of these fake pictures, third, this isn't the first stop we made tonight." She stared into his eyes and what she was saying dawned on him. "Don't your parents live three doors down?? Amazing how far a detonator works, Jimmy, my boy. And we didn't bother with their cars. And you can't imagine how easy it was for us to get into that house. And if you don't believe me, make the call to Daddy -- but, be careful -- sometimes phones and cell phones can be programmed to go off like bombs. But the choice is yours." He slowly closed his phone and stared at her. "I will kill you." "Aye, there's the rub, Jimmy, if I can quote Will Shakespeare to you. I have no problem detonating everything that is on my body and sending you straight to hell with your no good brother. I may be dead but I'm pretty sure my destination will be higher." He screamed in rage. "This is not over, bitch from hell." "That's where you are wrong, Jimmy. I'm giving you exactly 24 hours to leave this state and email me a picture from another country, I don't care which one, holding the daily paper with the date shown, in your grubby dirty little hands." They were all quiet when another voice broke into the conversation, booming out. "It will never happen that way, Nikki." It was Vince and he had a gun. When he shot Jimmy Tran in the chest, knocking him back at least twenty feet, Nikki was stunned. "Vince?!?" "Only way to stop it. Stop this dirty little war they started over Jimmy's slut sister and Dom." "Leon and Jesse swore -" "They didn't break their word -- you two are too damn easy to tail -- great tails that you have." Letty laughed and punched him. "If any of you, " he addressed Jimmy's staff, "feel a need to call the police, you are putting all of your lives in jeopardy. If you feel the need to tell the Tran family who was here, again, you will end up with the same fate as your boss over there. Take what you want from the house -- have a ball -- and get out. The cops should be here in twenty after those explosions of the cars." He turned toward the girls. "Car?" "Vince, it's around the block but you know, we can take care of ourselves. Fuck it, you piss me off when you treat me like I can't take care of myself because ..." Vince looked at Nikki in shock -- this was Letty talking??? He grabbed her and kissed her hard before she could stop speaking. "I love you so much Let." "Yeah, me too, you fucker." "Let's go and have this love fest later." Nikki drove herself back to Derrick alone. Letty went with Vince and promised to meet them at the house. She was uncomfortable -- she hadn't wanted Jimmy dead -- but was there a way to make peace -- to make it stop. Somehow in her head she had hoped that scaring him would be enough, but Vince was right, it never would have stopped -- she had only angered him further. Now he was dead and no one would know who or how or why. She had seen the servants walking out with crystal and other possessions. Life was upside down for her and she needed to turn it straight again.
CHAPTER 16 Three months later
"Can you believe I'm getting married in two hours? Me??" Letty laughed as Nikki attempted to fix the flowers in her long brown hair. "Letty, stand still!" Every time she started yapping, more flowers would fall. "I'm gonna super glue them in if you don't." Mia yelled and all three women laughed. Letty was back and was all the way back -- she had come so far that she had made more than a circle -- she had wrapped all the way around to being the sweet and funny girl she should have been if her parents hadn't warped her so badly in the first place. "Wait Nik -- thanks for letting us have the wedding in the backyard and making everything look so beautiful. I never thought I'd have anything like this in my life." Letty said, a tiny tear in one eye. It did look beautiful -- they had strung white lights everywhere, white chairs with ribbons were set up and the aisle Letty was walking down was covered with white rose petals. She and Vince were being married under a white rose covered awning. It was stunning. Nikki walked over to her. "You deserve it but after picking that ugly bridesmaid gown I have to wear, I've almost changed my mind." "It is pretty damn ugly." Mia said. "I hate to put it on." They both laughed and Letty told them both to fuck off. "I'm going to check on the girls and Alex and Dominic. I'll be back. Stand still and shut that big mouth for once!" Letty stuck her tongue out at Niki and laughed. Nikki walked into the nursery -- all three babies were sleeping soundly. She thanked God again -- they were safe and they were going to stay safe. This was their last month in this house -- she and Dom and the kids were moving out east -- somewhere where the name Toretto didn't bring fear or interest or revenge (although she knew he was still well known for racing, even across the country.) It was time to live life like adults, not so fast and furious, not like a street version of West Side Story. She walked into her bedroom and was surprised to find Dom laying in bed under the covers. 'Oh shit, she thought to herself -- he isn't feeling good.' He had been doing great -- working out his back to fix his muscles that had been torn by the bullets, eating well, playing with the girls, loving her. She was still in her robe, waiting until the last moment to put on the bridesmaid dress (which really wasn't that ugly but certainly not something she would have picked) and didn't want it to wrinkle. She thought Dom would be out with the boys -- she could hear them yelling and playing and swore if any of them knocked over any of those decorations, she'd kick their asses in front of everyone. She had already threatened to turn the hose on them twice -- Vince was like a big puppy dog -- he couldn't stop grinning. "Dominic, honey?" Dom opened his eyes slowly and Nikki sat down on the bed and he put his head into her lap. She petted him gently. "Aren't you feeling good?" "Not really. Would you close and lock both doors -- I want to talk to you." She did as he asked. If his back was hurting this much again she would have to force him to the doctor. "Your back hurting?" "No, my feelings." Nikki wondered what he was talking about -- his feelings were hurt so he retreated to bed? This wasn't making sense to her. "Someone hurt your feelings?" She felt like she was talking to a child. "You." He didn't say anything else and suddenly she felt his prized possession pushing against her leg. "You are full of shit." "No, I'm so sad." He was trying not to laugh and she ran her hand down his naked back, looking at the scars he had -- how well he had healed. It was amazing -- she could still remember every moment of that night he had been shot, how she took out the bullets, all the blood. "You don't feel too sad." She said, pushing her leg against him. "But I am. Do you wanna know why?" Oh God, he was really playing this game well. "Of course I do -- would you like to call me Mommy?" He shook his head no. She tried to play along and not laugh. "Okay, just do your best to tell me." "Well, I have this really hot wife and she took good care of me and we've been making love some but not enough." "That's so sad but aren't you getting all your strength back?" This was so pathetic but she was enjoying it. She was already getting hot for whatever he was planning in his totally animal mind. "Yeah, and that's the problem. My wife keeps insisting that she gets to be on top all the time and I think it is definitely my turn." His sad voice turned deep and husky and he pulled her down on the bed. "See, my pretty little wife hasn't realized yet that I am all the way better and she'd better get ready for it. Every ounce of my strength is back and all my desire and I've been denied way too long to do all the things I want to." He rolled over on top of her, opening her robe to her waist, devouring her with his eyes. His hand went to the two flattened bullets she wore on a long chain that hung between her breasts. It was unspoken between them -- a reminder of what they could have lost -- they didn't even look like bullets anymore -- no one would guess what they were or that they had been dug out of his body by his wife. "I want you right now, Mrs. Toretto and I'm absolutely not taking any excuses -- I don't care if the queen of England is getting married in our backyard. I want to get all the way inside your soul again -- my way." "Oh Dom, I'm so ready." They kissed long and slow and loving and when he had his full weight on her, she knew he was truly healed -- he was moving like a cat again with that agility that turned her on from day one. The wedding was forgotten -- the entire world was forgotten for a few hours in their bed -- the bed she had saved his life in, the bed they had saved each other in. So long as they could touch souls like this -- they didn't need anything else but their kids to make their lives happy. Nothing on the horizon but good days and sweet nights.
"Nikki ..." It was a mere whisper but she heard it and jumped up from the floor where she had been sleeping. She had sat down on the floor so she could see his face -- he looked at peace and wasn't in any pain and she needed to keep seeing that. She must have fallen asleep and slid down the bedding. When she heard him call her name, she moved up quickly. "Baby, how are you? Are you in pain?" He nodded and she got him two Vicodin and some water. He managed to get them down. "You are doing so good -- the bullets are all out and you aren't bleeding anymore. You need to be really still though so that the bleeding doesn't start." "Jess and Leon?" He was still whispering. "Dominic -- can you use your voice?" "I don't want to wake the babies." She looked at him with absolute fear. My God -- had she given him too much medication and fried his brain? He suddenly looked at her as if he woke up all the way. "Never mind -- they're with Mia and Brian in Texas. Wonder why I thought they were home? I think I was dreaming about them and you and it was a regular morning." He was using his full voice and she was so relieved that she had to hold back the tears -- she didn't want to worry him about her. "Jesse and Leon are sleeping somewhere in the house. Let me get a wash cloth and wash you off -- and you need some penicillin and ..." He reached up and grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the floor. "I need you right now more than anything. I need your touch and your kiss -- I need to know you love me and forgive me and won't leave me when I'm healed and you don't want a divorce and you won't take the ..." Nikki pressed her mouth to his and when he opened her mouth and slowly brushed her tongue with his, she touched his face, letting her tears fall, and discovered they were mingling with his. "I belong to you, Dominic -- forever. We're solid, as ever." She kissed him again, all over his face and his free hand cupped her breast and she laughed. "Only you could get horny after being shot five times. I hate to tell you this, buddy, but that pain killer has killed any fun you'll be having for a little while and you are not getting off your tummy so you're out of luck for now." She kissed his mouth sweetly. "But I can guarantee you'll be getting really lucky as soon as you are all better!" Nikki stood up and went into the bathroom and got a warm wash cloth, some of the babies wipies and went and washed her husband's face, arms, his head and neck, the parts of his back that weren't bandaged. "That feels so good." "Good. Do you think you can go back to sleep?" "I need to get people together to get Jimmy Tran and ...." "Dom, I'm not going to threaten to leave you because you won't believe me about that anymore, but I will tell you this -- I have the ability to knock you out completely for days at a time. And I will do it. You are not doing anything, not talking to Jesse or Leon, not talking to anyone about anything -- you are gonna lay there and heal. My daughter's are going to come home and want a healthy father, not one in a grave." "You'd drug me?" He was smiling at her and at the fact that she was not smiling back. "Damn straight." She walked over and got the liquid penicillin, she poured him a tablespoon. Last night she needed half the bottle, now she was going to give it to him slower. He swallowed it with a grimace. "Stop being such a baby." She teased and he laughed. "Come here and taste it if you think I'm being a baby." She knelt down and put her tongue into his mouth for a long kiss. It did taste pretty gross but he tasted better. Leon and Jesse walked in at that moment. "Jesus -- the guy gets shot five times and he's trying to get it on with his old lady already!" Leon laughed and Nikki stood up and threw them both out of the room. She turned to Dom. "I put the baby monitor next to you -- if you need me, just call. I need to get some coffee and talk to these guys. Go to sleep." "I'm not sleepy -- you got me all stirred up, girl." His eyes were closing as much as he tried to keep them open. He reminded her of her girls when they were trying to fight sleep. Before Nikki had the door closed, he was sleeping. Nikki, Leon and Jesse walked downstairs together. "Hey, we wanted to see him." Jesse said, disappointed. "I know, honey, but neither one of you can right now -- he's talking revenge on Jimmy Tran already." "That's D for you. But he's right -- we need to do something." Leon said, angry, furious. He had seen the pictures of Nikki and knew immediately what Dom didn't -- that they were fakes. But he also figured out that was what had infuriated Dom so completely for the past three months. Leon had taken the pictures, put them in the manila envelope and on top of the refrigerator. "Leon, I'm changing this subject -- and I'm in charge around here. I know that you guys are used to Dominic being the big boss of this team -- that isn't really a team anymore but I know is still a family -- but right now, control is in my court. That was my marriage that he tried to ruin, my husband that he tried to kill." Nikki got herself a cup of hot coffee and looked at the baby monitor -- she was glad Jesse had been able to set it up so quickly. She could see Dom's face and he was sleeping peacefully. "Leon, I need you to sneak over to Mia's house, here is the key -- make sure no one see's you. Go in the backdoor and to the right of the kitchen they have a small office set up. Brian said in the desk left hand drawer there is a check book and their savings account. I need you to grab a deposit slip for the checking and the savings -- make sure you've got each one. I'm going to go online and transfer funds to them today." They both looked at her in shock -- they always knew she was strong but had no idea she was this tough. She was totally in control of the situation and had been since the moment they got home last night and she took those bullets out of her husband. "I'll need both your help with him when he is sleeping -- cleaning wounds, moving him, cleaning him -- but when he's awake, you've gotta be away from him or he'll start talking revenge and I'm gonna knock him out with the drugs." "Are you shitting me?" Leon asked in shock. "I am not. He's not going to do any planning, make any phone calls, do anything but heal. I know he's got it out for Jimmy Tran but this is my husband and the father of my kids -- I will take care of him and if it means keeping him in a drugged sleep, I'll do it." She stood up, looking at the monitor. "Jesse, do you think you can go to that 24 hour pharmacy for me tonight -- I called and told my doctor I dropped the bottle and it broke and I need another one -- he made me make an appointment to come in tomorrow but I did it so he'd give me the penicillin." "Yeah, as soon as it's dark. That's where I get my stuff, too. Should I get more ..." He looked at Leon -- no one knew about Jesse and the Xanax -- he wasn't ashamed of it, he just didn't like the stigma it brought with it. People thought you were weak if you needed something like that -- they didn't understand that some problems, some hurts just don't go away no matter how hard you try or how much you pray or how much therapy you get. Leon took the hint and got up and went into the bathroom. He knew, but didn't want Jesse to know he knew. He loved him like a little brother. Jesse was the greatest car mechanic he knew and one of the best guys he had ever known and didn't want to hurt him in any way -- not even this. "Should I get more Xanax?" He whispered. "If you can, it would be great, but don't hurt your credit there as far as your insurance and stuff." "Nah, Phil, the pharmacist, will give it to me." She smiled at him.
CHAPTER 11
Nikki went upstairs with jars of baby food -- he wouldn't like it, but it would be easiest for him to digest with all the pain killer and penicillin she was pouring in him. He woke up when she walked into the bedroom and gave her a weak smile. "You weren't kidding when you said you could knock me on my ass with this dope, were you, sexy?" "Nope! Breakfast is here -- now would you prefer bananas, vanilla custard, sweet potatoes or carrots?" "Nik, I know you were mad at me, but this sounds like what Glory eats with gusto." She smiled and showed him the jars. "No way." "Way. It will be easy for you to eat and for you to digest. In a few days we'll move up to biter biscuits and rice cereal." She opened the bananas and fed him slowly. He coughed more than she liked, but drank a lot of water, which was good for him. He ate four jars, which really pleased her. "Now I'm going to change the bandages -- it might hurt a little bit. Do you want another pain killer or a tranquilizer?" He looked at her softly. "I can't believe after the way I treated you that you are taking care of me like this." "Dominic, do you remember the credo we live by -- what is in the past stays in the past?" He nodded. "Let's let the last three months be put into that past, too, and never repeat it, okay?" "Sounds good. I'll take a trank, but I don't want to be out again." She got up and gave him a tranquilizer and waited fifteen minutes for it to start to kick in. "I feel good." She laughed and started changing the bandages. He wasn't bleeding much at all and nothing looked infected. She used alcohol to clean them and while he moaned a little, nothing bubbled and she knew that was a good sign. She filled them with more antibiotic cream, making a mental note to have Jesse get more when he went to the pharmacy tonight. The next few days were going to be interesting. Dom would be declared dead at the race -- it would rock everyone who was part of the street circuit except for Jimmy Tran. Because Vince knew nothing of who was behind it, Jimmy would think he was safe. He wasn't, Nikki thought, staring at her dozing husband. She got gently into the bed next to him, and put her head on his good shoulder. "You know what? I have so many things left to tell you that I've never told anyone -- nothing major -- like I starred as a princess when I was in kindergarten and I never forgot the way my parents cheered or how that tiara felt on my head -- I wore it to bed for a week. And how at one of my foster homes, one of the few good ones, the people who were taking care of me were so cool that they bought me the soundtrack to "Grease" and even had a pink jacket made up so I could pretend to be a Pink Lady." She laughed, rubbing the back of his head. She knew he wasn't listening to any of this -- he was off in some sort of drugged out world of his own. "So many little things I want to know about you -- like where you got this little scar behind your ear -- and how many times you had detention -- and what was going through your head the first time you kissed me." Nikki was crying gently. "There's so much left for us to find out about each other, Dominic. Don't you dare ever leave me." She felt her own eyes getting heavy and wanted to hit the clock for the 15 minute intervals but couldn't do it in time. She was sleeping in a heavy sleep.
CHAPTER 12
Hours later Nikki woke up to the sound of steps on the staircase. She wished suddenly that she had a gun. She didn't think Dom had any in the house and reached into her purse and grabbed her butterfly knife, flipping it into a position of protection. She didn't move out of the bed, just waited. It was dark out and she realized she must have slept for hours. She reached over and felt Dom's pulse -- still steady as could be. His bandages were clean -- no bleeding. It was good. She watched as their bedroom door opened slowly and then dropped the knife when she saw it was Leon and Jesse. "Hey Nik, sorry to wake you." Jesse walked over to Dom and lightly kissed the top of his head. "I hate seeing him like this. I wish it was me again instead of Dominic." "Don't ever say that, Jesse." Everyone looked in surprise at the person who uttered those words -- Dom was wide awake. "I don't want you to ever be hurt again. I'm sorry for all I put you through these past few months, brother." "Forget it - I already have. Leon and I are coming back to work at DT with you. We'll run things until you are strong enough to come home." Nikki smiled at them both with love in her eyes. "I lost most of my business -- I yelled at my customers, I didn't pay my bills, I ..." "Dominic -- forget all that -- as soon as you are back on your feet and ready to work the cars will be rolling in. Especially after that race you ran." "Holy shit -- that car is still at the beach." "No, it isn't -- I had it towed this morning back to DT." Nikki said and was once again stared at in shock. "Enough talking. Listen to me, my darling, you need all the rest you can get so you can heal. You need some penicillin and you need some medication and then you're going to go nighty nighty just like our little girls do and I don't want fights from you like I hear from them." He smiled at her. "Will you sing to me?" "If you are a good boy and take your medicine and eat for me." "Eat what?" "Once a horn dog, always a horn dog." Leon laughed and Nikki shoved them out of the room, promising to meet them downstairs. She fed him the baby food again and he was eating well -- tomorrow she was going to move onto harder foods, to see what his body could take. He was healing well -- a strong man who worked out daily and took care of himself. It was wonderful. She gave him the penicillin and he made the same face. "A kiss?" "Yuck." But she leaned down and kissed him, letting her tongue dance with his for such a long time. God, how she suddenly wanted him. It had been so long since the sex had been good between them. It was time to get that back -- as soon as he was healed. "Now you're taking some pain killer and tranks and heading off to sleepy time." "Only if you sing to me." She rolled her eyes and promised and he swallowed the medication. She sat on the floor, close to his head and sang "Amazing Grace", one of the girls favorite songs. He played with her hair so gently and soon his hand rested on her shoulder getting heavier and heavier. He was sleeping and she crept out of the room and downstairs. "Guys, I need some help. We've got to get him off those bloody sheets and clean him up. He's out like a light and heavy as hell but if he was awake, he'd be helping me and that would cause him to bleed." "Of course we'll help you, Nik. You don't have to ask twice." They followed her upstairs and it was a job -- Dom was a dead weight from the medication and the pain. They gently moved him from side to side while sliding the sheets out from under him and clean sheets back along with towels. They washed his body, changed what little clothing he was wearing and Jesse gave his legs a good massage. "I heard about people who get really bad leg cramps and stuff when they are in bed a long time so I'm gonna do this every night, okay?" Nikki nodded, smiling at his incredible sweetness. Once he was all tucked in and his pulse was once again checked, they went back downstairs, the monitor well within her sight. "So what is your plan, Nik -- I know you have one. And who is Derrick?" Leon asked. "First of all -- Jesse -- did you get the meds? I had no idea I slept so long." He handed her a pharmacy bag and she giggled when a pile of tabloid magazines, candy bars, and a jar of strawberry lip gloss fell out along with the two medications she needed. "You have got to be the sweetest man." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Hey, I'm sweet!" "You are one of my best friends on earth, Leon." She kissed him, too. "Were you able to get into Mia and Brian's without being seen and get the deposit slips?" "No doubt." He pulled them out of his back pocket. "Cool, thank you. I'm going to run upstairs and make the transfer of funds -- why don't you two make the three of us some dinner? Can you do that? I've got tons of stuff in the refrigerator." "No, prob." Leon was already up and Jesse was behind him. She could hear them bickering about what to cook. If Leon married, as she was sure he would someday -- what would Jesse do? He definitely had his share of women, one in particular that Nikki didn't much care for, but marriage? She just couldn't imagine it. He'd just have to come and live with them again. The thought made her smile. Upstairs in the office, Nikki pulled up her account in her banking site. She transferred ten thousand dollars into each of Brian's accounts. She knew it was far more than they needed but it made her felt safe. Immediately after the transaction the phone rang and she looked at the caller ID -- it was the bank. She knew they'd call with a transaction that large. She gave her ID # and code and the transaction was completed. Back downstairs she was greeted with the smell of eggs and bacon and sausage being cooked. "We've got our days and nights all mixed up, don't we?" "Hell, yeah, so we figured that we might as well have breakfast for dinner since we can only go out when it is dark. We'll have chesseburgers for breakfast tomorrow!" Leon laughed and sat a heaping plate in front of her. Nikki stared at the monitor. He looked so good. "Jess, could you go up and take his pulse?" Jesse took off and was back down within minutes. "He's fine -- same as always Nikki. I can't believe he was shot five times and fixed up in his own bed." He sat down and jumped into his food, as always. Dom would have made him say grace but Nikki let it slide -- she figured that God was hearing many prayers since the night Dom was shot and more before that when it seemed he was losing his mind. "When I think he is totally stable, I'm going to have to go out one night." "To meet Derrick?" Leon asked -- this was bugging the shit out of him and she knew it. "Yes, and please don't ask me about him. This is nothing that will hurt my man in the least -- this is a business deal. Guys I'm going to make a call and then tell you something." Nikki picked up her cell, the only phone in the house they were using and called Vince. "V, it's Nik. What happened at the race?" She listened for a long time and a smile swept her face. "Good -- no, Dom's sleeping or I'd put him on the phone with you. This is exactly what he wanted, though, big bear. Thanks, love you and Letty -- tell her I love her and I'll see her soon. Promise? Bye." Nikki hung up the phone. "Well, Vince told a few people and the word spread like wild fire that Dom is dead. Vince said Jimmy Tran was there and looked totally satisfied, that fucker." "We're going to get him big time." Leon said, fury in his eyes. "I'll explain the plan to you if you swear, on the lives of my children that you will follow every single thing I tell you and tell no one of my plans." "On the lives of your kids? Are you nuts?" Jesse said in disgust. "No, I'm just serious. Both of you swear it -- Jesse, you are the godfather of Daisy and Leon, you are godfather to Glory. Swear it." They both did, as hard as it was for them. "We are not going after the Trans. I am. I am Mrs. Dominic Toretto and this is my fight -- I know you love him, I know you are part of the family -- but this is MY FIGHT. That was my husband that he shot five times, my husband he tried to kill. His brother tried to rape me and my sister-in-law. I am going to end this war with the Trans and that man Derrick is going to help me." "Why the hell would you bring in an outsider when you've got us to help you?" Jesse said, sounding hurt. "Because, I don't want this to be about the team or about the family -- this is Toretto against Tran. We won once, he won once -- now it is time for someone to kick some ass in a serious way. When Dom is recovered you know he is going to go for blood and I'll lose him to jail -- that will not happen. They will never suspect a woman is going to come after them. But that is exactly what is going to happen." "Vince won't allow it." "How will Vince know, Leon? You swore on the life of my kids you won't tell." "He'll go after him when he finds out it was a Tran. He already suspects from the way Jimmy acted at the race when he heard Dom was dead." "Suspected is different from knowing. He also thinks Dom has a minor flesh wound. Listen guys, I ...." Suddenly Nikki stopped talking, stopped breathing. She noticed on the monitor -- she could see Dom sleeping but could see the outlines of two figures in the room with him. "Oh my god. We need a fucking gun." "I know where Dom keeps it -- I'll be right back." Leon took off down into the basement and came back up with a loaded shot gun. "Let's roll." They all went upstairs -- in the past, they would have asked Nikki to wait downstairs and she probably would have said no but this was a new Nikki and asking her would be pointless. Leon pushed open the door slightly and pointed the gun at the two intruders. "Shit! I could have killed you both! Letty, don't cry." It was Letty and Vince and Nikki ran in, hugging both of them. "How did you get in?" "Ah, key?? Remember?" She smiled and turned to Letty who was staring at Dom. She took her hand and Letty looked at her. "He loves you so much, Let. You are his other sister -- he wants you to be well. Come over and talk to him -- I don't know if he'll wake up, but he'll still hear you in his heart. Tell him you love him and want him to get better." Letty moved toward the bed with Nikki and knelt down and whispered to Dom. "I do love you, Dom. I'm sorry for everything." Dom opened his eyes slowly -- he was very groggy but smiled at her. "I love you, too, Little Letty. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I'm so sleepy, girl." He fell asleep and Vince grabbed Nikki's arm gently. "Flesh wound, staying at a hotel?" "Oh shit -- are you parked where anyone can see?" "No! We took a cab a few miles back and then walked the backyards here. I just had a feeling you'd be here. I'm gonna get the guys and we're gonna go on a little trip." "V -- is that you?" Dom whispered and he went over to him. Vince kissed Dom's head. "Jimmy Tran -- we need to get him -- he shot me but I think he was trying to kill Nikki." "Don't even sweat it, big boy. We're gonna out tonight." Nikki felt furious -- things were not going to go the way Vince was planning. She walked over to Dom and told him he needed more medication. He looked at her strangely. "Honey, you've been sleeping -- I'm not overmedicating you on purpose!" She forced a totally fake laugh and slipped him two extra Vicodin with the Xanax. He was gonna be out all night. She turned to Vince. "Go downstairs and sit with Jesse and Leon -- I'll explain everything to you in a few. And Vince -- don't come back up here -- he will be out for the entire night -- I knocked him out." Vince tried to stare her down but couldn't. "What are you planning, Nikki?" "Just go." She turned to Letty. "Can you help me with his bandages -- I want to make sure they are fresh and Jesse usually helps me but I guess I'm sorta tired of all this testosterone." They both laughed quietly and worked on Dom together.
CHAPTER 13
Letty suddenly reached over and took Nikki's hand -- it was the first time she had voluntarily touched Nikki. "What, honey?" "I want to help you." "You are helping me and Dom, too." "No, with Jimmy Tran -- I know you are planning something without the guys and we'll do it together." "Letty, you can't have more stress." "Nikki, I need to get myself back and I can't find me anywhere -- maybe helping you kick the ass of the man who shot him will do that -- I used to be the tough bitch, remember?" Nikki laughed and hugged her. "So long as you promise to protect me from Vince when this is all over, I say it's a good plan. If Mia was here, we could be Dominic's Angels." They both laughed and went downstairs. Letty sat on Vince's lap and kissed him to distract him as Nikki pulled Leon and Jesse into the kitchen. "Remember, you swore on the lives of my children to keep my secret. Not even Vince. I'm doing it tonight and Letty is coming with me." "Nikki! This is fucked up!" Leon was truly outraged. "Jesse, I knocked Dom out for the night because he was getting fussy with Vince and I knew he was gonna try and get up. I need you to take his pulse every fifteen -- here's the clock." She handed him the timer he had set for her. "If it goes above those numbers I gave you, I want you to call 911 because I could have given him too much." Jesse nodded. Nikki lifted the cell off the table and dialed. "Derrick -- tonight -- and I need it all. I'll get you the cash." She waited, told him a number and hung up. "Fuck, Nik. If anything happens to you ..." "You'll help Dom raise my kids." "No I won't because he'll fucking rip my head off for letting you go." She kissed Leon on the cheek. "Just keep your promises. And help me with Vince tonight." She walked into the living room. "Hey V, we've got some gorgeous steaks in the fridge -- would you make them?" He got up immediately and she and Letty stared at each other. "We girls are going upstairs to change -- I think we need a night out while you watch my hubby." "What? You're leaving him?" Vince asked. "She deserves a night out for a few hours, V -- she's been exhausted." Leon said and Nikki silently blessed him. "Yeah, besides, I know how to take his pulse and shit -- he'll be fine." Jesse said and showed Vince the monitor. "Letty, you want to go out with Nikki?" Letty hugged Vince and nodded. She still didn't talk much and it broke Nikki's heart but maybe, just maybe she would find that tough little girl again. Letty was already dressed in all black and heavy boots. Nikki ran upstairs, taking Letty with her. "It's like you knew what to put on, Let." She smiled and stripped off her clothes, making sure to stay out of the way of the monitor -- that's all she needed to do was give the boys a free view. Letty sat down near Dom's head and petted it. He was totally out, but called Nikki's name. "Right here, baby, I'm right here." And he went right back to sleep. He was so helpless right now and it did remind her of her girls. Nikki looked at Letty as she pulled on a tight black tank top and a pair of tight black jeans and black motorcycle boots. It was weird in a way but felt right too. Letty was comforting her husband in a room where they had had sex -- bizarre probably wasn't even the right word. Nikki grabbed Dom's big black leather jacket, pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and put two pairs of leather driving gloves in each pocket -- one pair for each of them. She stopped for a moment -- could she do this? Could she stand up to another Tran -- possibly take his life? She was willing to take Johnny's but ... then she looked at Dom and thought of those bullets and how he had thrown his body over hers to protect her. How they had followed his race car -- hoping to do as much damage as possible. She thought of her daughters -- she had to protect them and if she let Dom do it, they'd probably grow up without him. She got a jacket out of the closet for Letty. "Ready to do this?" Letty nodded without even knowing the plan. Nikki took her into the bathroom and ran the shower so they couldn't be heard on the monitor. She explained everything to her and was delighted when Letty's eyes lit up. "We can do this?" "With the help of my friend, yes. Are you positive you want to come?" "Yes, I love all of you." He words were staggered, like a child's and Nikki held her close for a moment. "We love you, too. Let's go and kick some ass." "Dominic's Angel's." Letty laughed and they walked downstairs. Nikki noticed the strange looks Vince gave her at her outfit and hair pulled back so tight. "We're outta here -- keep a good eye on my husband." She kissed all three guys goodbye and Vince held her tight. "Where?" "This little club -- El Gato? Hector is always there at night -- he's cool." "I don't know if Letty should go and what about the Trans?" "The Trans can wait until Dominic is up on his feet and can defend himself with you and the guys -- not without him or he won't be satisfied and you know that." Vince nodded because she was right about that one. "We'll have a couple of soda's and something to eat and be home in a few hours. I've got my cell if you need me." She hugged Jesse again, whispering to him. "Remember your promise and to keep checking his pulse -- don't hesitate to call 911." "I will and I won't."
CHAPTER 14
She walked with the keys to Leon's car and Dom's garage in her hands. She opened it up and she pulled out and Letty shut the doors and got in. Nikki drove for a little while. Nikki talked constantly -- she felt it was good for Letty. She talked about the babies and about the trip that Mia and Brian were on, she talked about a new television show, she just babbled until Letty interrupted her. "Who is this guy?" "Derrick? I met him back when Dom and Jesse were searching for Lizbeth." She saw Letty's face fall. "No, Letty, that is the past. Move on. We love you, remember? Anyway, it was good because he taught me a lot about self-protection and even revenge and that's what we need right now, right?" "Without a doubt, girl." Letty smiled. Nikki pulled into a warehouse lot and drove behind a building. There was a large truck and a large man waiting next to it. "Hey Derrick." She and Letty got out of Leon's car and Derrick laughed. "Could you have brought a brighter car or was that one busy?" She smiled at him and shrugged. "It's cool -- I've got a black one back there for you." Nikki looked past his shoulders and saw the car. It was a Viper. She handed Derrick the money -- over one hundred thousand dollars. Good thing Dom kept money in a safe under the house. "Jacket off -- let me see your body." She pulled her jacket off and Letty grabbed her arm. "It's okay, I promise. He is here to help us." Derrick put his hands on Nikki's waist, measuring her without needing a tape. "You positive about this part?" She nodded and Letty watched in horror as Derrick strapped explosives to Nikki's midsection. "This is the detonator -- well, the detonator if that shit on you was real but no one will know -- not even a bomb expert would know without a close inspection." He handed it to her and they walked over to his truck. He explained everything and Nikki and Letty jumped into the Viper and took off for Jimmy Trans' house.
CHAPTER 15
It was easy enough to scale his wall and his guard dogs weren't worth anything once she hit them with a tranquilizer dart. Jimmy didn't bother with flood lights because of the dogs. 'Idiot', Nikki thought to herself. She did what Derrick had instructed her to do -- stunned at how many cars Jimmy had. She hadn't had time to check this place out fully but Derrick had done it for her. Letty started on one end of the cars and Nikki the other -- Vipers, Benz, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche, -- anything expensive and fast. The garage was locked up tight, but Derrick had taught her well and she jimmied it, first checking with one of his gadgets to make sure there was no alarm set. Nothing. 'what an pompous idiot' Nikki thought. Inside there were at least ten motorcycles and five or six more cars -- she wondered how much NOS was under these cars but realized it didn't matter. She was going to do what she had to to protect her family. She hooked them all up, with Letty's help. Nikki pulled the manila envelope out of her back pocket where it had been tormenting her since she put it in. Nikki and Letty walked quietly up to the front door and rang the bell. Derrick had watched the house for a few days. The Tran family lived down the street -- this was Jimmy's house and he had no one living with him except a different woman or women every night and a small staff. A man opened the door and looked at them in shock. At first Nikki wondered why and then remembered the locked gates and the dogs. "Hey there, we're here for Jimmy." Letty said with a sneer in her voice and Nikki looked at her in surprise. Maybe, maybe ..... "I will see if Mr. Tran is available. Who should I say is calling?" Nikki handed him the manila envelope. "Just give him these -- he'll know." Nikki looked at Letty for support and winked. Letty looked like she was getting back some of her fire. Please God. They followed the man into the house and waited in Jimmy's library. Letty knocked a valuable statue onto the floor and Nikki laughed. "Girl ...." She had started to push another one when Jimmy walked in. "The Widow Toretto, I presume. Oh, and you've brought a friend. Lovely." He was wearing a pair of silk boxers and nothing else. Fucking self-assured asshole, Nikki thought to herself. "Well, Jimmy, you've got that one wrong. My husband is very much alive -- if you had used something other than these piss-ant bullets, he probably would be dead." She deposited three bullets onto his floor and he kicked them out of the way. "No, no -- don't come near me. You remember what I did to your big brother, don't you? You don't think he got that wound in his leg from the car accident, do you?" "Bitch." "Damn straight." Letty snarled, throwing another Ming Vase and Nikki laughed. She did seem to be coming back -- it might not last, but this was the first time she had seen the real Letty in so long. "I touch who I want and what I want and if your husband is alive, why isn't he here?" "Because I'm here, you coward." Jimmy took a huge step toward her and she pulled her jacket open to reveal the fake explosives on her body. "Those aren't real. I don't believe you'd kill yourself just to get back at me. Now all these beautiful pictures can be reality but we'll add your friend in for fun." Nikki pulled the detonator out of her pocket. "You positive they aren't real?" "Absolutely positive." He reached for her and she hit the button. Suddenly it sounded like world war three was going on outside of his house. "What???" He ran into the foyer and Letty giggled, which made Nikki giggle. "I think he's unhappy about his toys." Letty said, pushing the computer monitor off his desk. "Don't forget the hard drive, girl." Letty grabbed it, ripped it from the desk, wires and all, and dropped it into the enormous fish tank that Jimmy had in the library. "Can't imagine this man is this stupid." They walked into the foyer -- the front door stood wide open and Jimmy and his staff were outside looking at the destroyed cars and motorcycles. Jimmy grabbed a cell phone from his maid. "I'm calling 911 on your ass, bitch." "You might want to think about that, Jimmy. First of all, there are witnesses who saw you shoot my husband, second. I have copies of all of these fake pictures, third, this isn't the first stop we made tonight." She stared into his eyes and what she was saying dawned on him. "Don't your parents live three doors down?? Amazing how far a detonator works, Jimmy, my boy. And we didn't bother with their cars. And you can't imagine how easy it was for us to get into that house. And if you don't believe me, make the call to Daddy -- but, be careful -- sometimes phones and cell phones can be programmed to go off like bombs. But the choice is yours." He slowly closed his phone and stared at her. "I will kill you." "Aye, there's the rub, Jimmy, if I can quote Will Shakespeare to you. I have no problem detonating everything that is on my body and sending you straight to hell with your no good brother. I may be dead but I'm pretty sure my destination will be higher." He screamed in rage. "This is not over, bitch from hell." "That's where you are wrong, Jimmy. I'm giving you exactly 24 hours to leave this state and email me a picture from another country, I don't care which one, holding the daily paper with the date shown, in your grubby dirty little hands." They were all quiet when another voice broke into the conversation, booming out. "It will never happen that way, Nikki." It was Vince and he had a gun. When he shot Jimmy Tran in the chest, knocking him back at least twenty feet, Nikki was stunned. "Vince?!?" "Only way to stop it. Stop this dirty little war they started over Jimmy's slut sister and Dom." "Leon and Jesse swore -" "They didn't break their word -- you two are too damn easy to tail -- great tails that you have." Letty laughed and punched him. "If any of you, " he addressed Jimmy's staff, "feel a need to call the police, you are putting all of your lives in jeopardy. If you feel the need to tell the Tran family who was here, again, you will end up with the same fate as your boss over there. Take what you want from the house -- have a ball -- and get out. The cops should be here in twenty after those explosions of the cars." He turned toward the girls. "Car?" "Vince, it's around the block but you know, we can take care of ourselves. Fuck it, you piss me off when you treat me like I can't take care of myself because ..." Vince looked at Nikki in shock -- this was Letty talking??? He grabbed her and kissed her hard before she could stop speaking. "I love you so much Let." "Yeah, me too, you fucker." "Let's go and have this love fest later." Nikki drove herself back to Derrick alone. Letty went with Vince and promised to meet them at the house. She was uncomfortable -- she hadn't wanted Jimmy dead -- but was there a way to make peace -- to make it stop. Somehow in her head she had hoped that scaring him would be enough, but Vince was right, it never would have stopped -- she had only angered him further. Now he was dead and no one would know who or how or why. She had seen the servants walking out with crystal and other possessions. Life was upside down for her and she needed to turn it straight again.
CHAPTER 16 Three months later
"Can you believe I'm getting married in two hours? Me??" Letty laughed as Nikki attempted to fix the flowers in her long brown hair. "Letty, stand still!" Every time she started yapping, more flowers would fall. "I'm gonna super glue them in if you don't." Mia yelled and all three women laughed. Letty was back and was all the way back -- she had come so far that she had made more than a circle -- she had wrapped all the way around to being the sweet and funny girl she should have been if her parents hadn't warped her so badly in the first place. "Wait Nik -- thanks for letting us have the wedding in the backyard and making everything look so beautiful. I never thought I'd have anything like this in my life." Letty said, a tiny tear in one eye. It did look beautiful -- they had strung white lights everywhere, white chairs with ribbons were set up and the aisle Letty was walking down was covered with white rose petals. She and Vince were being married under a white rose covered awning. It was stunning. Nikki walked over to her. "You deserve it but after picking that ugly bridesmaid gown I have to wear, I've almost changed my mind." "It is pretty damn ugly." Mia said. "I hate to put it on." They both laughed and Letty told them both to fuck off. "I'm going to check on the girls and Alex and Dominic. I'll be back. Stand still and shut that big mouth for once!" Letty stuck her tongue out at Niki and laughed. Nikki walked into the nursery -- all three babies were sleeping soundly. She thanked God again -- they were safe and they were going to stay safe. This was their last month in this house -- she and Dom and the kids were moving out east -- somewhere where the name Toretto didn't bring fear or interest or revenge (although she knew he was still well known for racing, even across the country.) It was time to live life like adults, not so fast and furious, not like a street version of West Side Story. She walked into her bedroom and was surprised to find Dom laying in bed under the covers. 'Oh shit, she thought to herself -- he isn't feeling good.' He had been doing great -- working out his back to fix his muscles that had been torn by the bullets, eating well, playing with the girls, loving her. She was still in her robe, waiting until the last moment to put on the bridesmaid dress (which really wasn't that ugly but certainly not something she would have picked) and didn't want it to wrinkle. She thought Dom would be out with the boys -- she could hear them yelling and playing and swore if any of them knocked over any of those decorations, she'd kick their asses in front of everyone. She had already threatened to turn the hose on them twice -- Vince was like a big puppy dog -- he couldn't stop grinning. "Dominic, honey?" Dom opened his eyes slowly and Nikki sat down on the bed and he put his head into her lap. She petted him gently. "Aren't you feeling good?" "Not really. Would you close and lock both doors -- I want to talk to you." She did as he asked. If his back was hurting this much again she would have to force him to the doctor. "Your back hurting?" "No, my feelings." Nikki wondered what he was talking about -- his feelings were hurt so he retreated to bed? This wasn't making sense to her. "Someone hurt your feelings?" She felt like she was talking to a child. "You." He didn't say anything else and suddenly she felt his prized possession pushing against her leg. "You are full of shit." "No, I'm so sad." He was trying not to laugh and she ran her hand down his naked back, looking at the scars he had -- how well he had healed. It was amazing -- she could still remember every moment of that night he had been shot, how she took out the bullets, all the blood. "You don't feel too sad." She said, pushing her leg against him. "But I am. Do you wanna know why?" Oh God, he was really playing this game well. "Of course I do -- would you like to call me Mommy?" He shook his head no. She tried to play along and not laugh. "Okay, just do your best to tell me." "Well, I have this really hot wife and she took good care of me and we've been making love some but not enough." "That's so sad but aren't you getting all your strength back?" This was so pathetic but she was enjoying it. She was already getting hot for whatever he was planning in his totally animal mind. "Yeah, and that's the problem. My wife keeps insisting that she gets to be on top all the time and I think it is definitely my turn." His sad voice turned deep and husky and he pulled her down on the bed. "See, my pretty little wife hasn't realized yet that I am all the way better and she'd better get ready for it. Every ounce of my strength is back and all my desire and I've been denied way too long to do all the things I want to." He rolled over on top of her, opening her robe to her waist, devouring her with his eyes. His hand went to the two flattened bullets she wore on a long chain that hung between her breasts. It was unspoken between them -- a reminder of what they could have lost -- they didn't even look like bullets anymore -- no one would guess what they were or that they had been dug out of his body by his wife. "I want you right now, Mrs. Toretto and I'm absolutely not taking any excuses -- I don't care if the queen of England is getting married in our backyard. I want to get all the way inside your soul again -- my way." "Oh Dom, I'm so ready." They kissed long and slow and loving and when he had his full weight on her, she knew he was truly healed -- he was moving like a cat again with that agility that turned her on from day one. The wedding was forgotten -- the entire world was forgotten for a few hours in their bed -- the bed she had saved his life in, the bed they had saved each other in. So long as they could touch souls like this -- they didn't need anything else but their kids to make their lives happy. Nothing on the horizon but good days and sweet nights.