281

Across the Divide

S.M Dave

Nya


As I continued to stare into his face the room grew quiet and then a deafening
silence took place. It was short, barely noticeable but I noticed. I glanced at each of
the men in the room who were all occupied by one thing or another. Then unsettle
lodged itself in my bones when a small draft of wind swept across my face. The
feeling so imperceptible, so faint, I wasn’t completely certain if I hadn’t imagined it.
Then there was a pull, like an invisible force urging me to look toward the door. I
wanted to ignore it, brush it off, until an eerie feeling came over me raising the fine
hairs on my arms. I recognized that feeling and it wasn’t something that could be
ignored. Immediately goosebumps took residence on my skin then I braced myself,
readying. “Elisha,” I whispered in warning…or refuge.

The door swung open abruptly with the force of a kick then male enforcers
stormed the room. Fear and shock immobilized me and the erratic bang of my pulse
restricted my hearing. It was like I was watching a movie play out before me; the
sound muffled and incoherent. Elisha, Remy and Vin all jumped up, surrounding me
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like a barrier between myself and the enforcers. Everyone’s faces were angered. Their
muscles tensed. Spittle flew from their mouths as they yelled savagely at one another.
Eyes landed on me in expressions ranging from surprise, to curiosity, to downright
fury. I was prepared for this, right? I knew this was a possibility and still, I couldn’t
suppress the tremor that repeatedly raced through me. “That’s bullshit! Don’t you
touch her!” “Stand down!” “Stand down!” In a sharp, piercing blast the noise flooded
my ears, loud and clear. Still immobile, I sat watching as Elisha and his friends
fended off the enforcers that were pointing and grabbing for me.

“I said don’t touch her,” Elisha growled. “Stand down!” “Stand down!” The
enforcer’s shouted, tasers and nightsticks all poised at the ready. “Get your hands off
me,” Elisha snapped, snatching his arm away. “You know the rules. You know the
consequences. You’re coming with us,” one of the enforcers cautioned. “Elisha,” I
grabbed his shirt, gaining my voice and mobility. “Angel,” he pivoted, clasping my
hands in his and kissing them. “We knew this could happen,” I smiled weakly.
“Promise me you’ll find me.” His eyes lit up at my request, his aggressive demeanor
melting away slightly. “I promise, Angel. I’ll find you.” “Alright, Mr. Monroe, let’s
go!” Two men pulled Elisha toward the door as one lingered behind as an escort for
me. The enforcer’s large hand gripped tightly around my arm lifting me to my feet.
His breathing was heavy and sweat trickled down his face into his startlingly furious
eyes.

“Let Vin and Remy go. They had nothing to do with this,” Elisha plead to his
escorts. “We’re aware of the details,” one of the enforcers said. “We’ve come for you
and Nya. That’s all.” “Nya,” Vin repeated with a frown. “How’d you even know her
name?” “Anonymous tip,” the guy said over his shoulder then began coding into his
walkie talkie. “Anonymous tip,” Vin and Remy echoed looking to one another.
Elisha remained quiet and impassive. “We were careful,” Vin assured gesturing
between the three of them. “We’re the only ones who knew her name. Well, other
than…” His brows shot up. “No,” he shook his head. “No,” Remy repeated,
seemingly on the same line of thought. Several feet down the hall Landon appeared
in the doorway, his face wrecked with guilt and shame. “Landon, you didn’t!” “He’s
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your best friend,” Vin and Remy contested with shocked devastation. Tears blurred
my vision of Landon, but the door slamming was proof of his betrayal. “What the
hell?” “I can’t believe this. Why would he do that,” the two exclaimed while being
directed to the side of the hall with the other onlookers. Elisha was now being
escorted through the hall backwards in his refusal to look away from me. “It’s okay,
Angel. It’s okay,” he repeated more for his benefit, I think than my own. I nodded
my head trying to trust his words. My gaze locked on his beautiful, hazel eyes,
recognizing the promise behind them as well as the fear his face masked.
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Elisha

I
thought I was prepared for the consequences of getting caught, but what I most
definitely wasn’t prepared for was the fear on Nya’s face. When that door flew
open and the enforcers stomped in, Nya seemed to go into a catatonic state. My
first thought was to console her, take her into my arms and ease her fear but I
couldn’t. I had to protect her. I had to protect us. It was a combination of both Nya’s
fear and my own that made me resist the enforcers regardless of my being in the
wrong. My dad had taught me to be a God fearing, strong and intrepid man and it’s
because of that philosophy that not many things scare me. Although, the likelihood of
being separated from Nya petrified me. I knew well that this was a possibility. Still,
the magnitude of the effect of our imminent separation eluded me. Every step I took
away from her was more excruciating than the last but I had to take them. The
promise I’d made was the only thing that made me finally give in and go with the
enforcers without a fight. It also gave me the comfort and strength I needed to let her
go. While being escorted from the room and into the hall, my gaze remained
steadfast on Nya. All the while I told myself that I’d see her again, no matter what I
had to do. Or give up.

Remy and Vin had now joined the rest of the gathering crowd. The pair’s now
despondent appearance being a manifestation of helplessness and appall, the later
most likely a result of Landon’s betrayal which I chose not to entertain. I was pulled
to the wall, an enforcer flanking either side of me. They moved me over to allow the
sweaty, fat guy who escorted Nya out of the room. His wide body framing hers as he
guided her with one hand fastened onto her wrists at her back. She looked at me as if
I was the only thing keeping her together, while I couldn’t help but feel as if I’d let
her down. Yes, I’d vowed to find her and I meant that in the deepest recesses of my
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soul, but I failed at protecting her. This very predicament was proof of that. “I’ll keep
my promise to you, Angel. As soon as I get out of here, I’ll find you.” “I know.” Her
eyes filled once more with tears. She stepped forward, forgetting that she was
restricted by her bound hands and was swiftly yanked back for her attempt. The
enforcer turned her body away from me and ruthlessly slammed her against the wall.
Immediately I saw red. Unfortunate asshole, I surmised then anger speared inside me
like never before.

I shifted slightly toward the guy at my right then rammed my elbow into his gut,
when he hunched over, I shot my knee into his face. The enforcer to my left
stumbled backwards hesitant to pursue me but I was pissed and he was collateral
damage. Stepping back on my right foot, I pulled my arm back putting all my weight
into the force of my fist that connected to his face. He fell backwards and hit the
floor, hard. My vision zeroed in on the fat bastard who hurt Nya. One moment, I was
five feet away and the next I was on him. I grabbed a fist full of his greasy hair and
jerked his head back then bashed his face into the wall once, then a second time, only
stopping when I heard the desired sound effect: crack. When I released him, his
wide body slid down the wall and to the floor in a bleeding heap. I stepped over him
to Nya, who was now trembling and sobbing. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry, Angel! I’m
so sorry,” I whispered cupping and kissing her face. “I’m okay. It’s okay,” she
sniffled. “Are you sure? Did he hurt you?” “Elisha, I’m okay,” she smiled weakly and
I kissed her again.

I didn’t care that I’d just took my anger out on two innocent guys, I didn’t care that
the entire floor of males was staring at me in awe. I didn’t even care about the
thundering footsteps of the new group of enforcers who were now fast approaching.
All I cared about was her. My angel. My Nya. “I’m so sorry, Nya.” “Hey, stop that.
What do you have to be sorry for?” “I promised I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. I let
you down…” “You didn’t let me down. I’m okay.” “It’ll never happen again,” I vowed
hugging her to my chest. “Mr. Monroe?” The enforcers slowed, approaching with
caution while taking in the scene. “We need you to come with us.” “You know the
rules. You know the consequences.” With one last, lingering kiss on Nya’s lips, I
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released her and stepped back. She nodded assuring me that she was ok. I got down
on my knees with my hands raised. “You’re right. I know what I did. I’ll go with you
willingly but don’t. Hurt. Her.” Tearing my gaze away from Nya, I trained my sights
on the new guy who was now clutching onto her arm. “If you hurt her…I guarantee
on my life that you won’t see the night,” I promised. The fear on the man’s face told
me that he knew I wasn’t kidding and that fear let me know that he wouldn’t dare risk
it.

The ten enforcers now surrounding me looked tentatively to one another. The
three that were on the floor were now being helped to their feet. From behind me a
timid, male voice spoke while he cautiously placed my arms behind my back. “It’s
okay, Mr. Monroe, you made your point. She’ll be escorted back to the female’s side.
No one will hurt her; you have my word.” I nodded looking up at Nya while down on
my knees, the moment reminding me of the night at the creek when I first saw her.
Light illuminated her face, making her look like the heavenly being I’d insist she was.
That day I wanted to know her, needed to know her and now that I have, there was
no turning back. “Will you marry me,” I asked quietly, causing a startled look to
come across her face. “W-what?” “I know we haven’t seen the world or even had a
chance to experience it, but Lord knows my world is nothing without you. And to
someday leave you behind in the hopes that I’ll discover someone similar or better is
a risk I’m not willing to take. Nya, wherever you are… is where I wanna be.
Angel…I’m officially giving you my heart, forever… If you’ll have me?”

Although my mind was racing, my heart beat was steady and certain. I knew what I
was asking and I meant it. I needed this woman and would do anything to keep her,
even if it meant I had nothing else. “Yes Elisha, I’ll have you.” “You will? You’ll
marry me,” I echoed completely stunned. “Of course, I will,” she beamed and the
affirmation on her face made my heart soar. “She agreed to marry me,” I exclaimed
as the enforcers lifted me to my feet. “I love you, Angel!” “And I love you,” Nya
assured as a new set of tears streamed down her face. The enforcers began pulling me
in one direction and the guy holding Nya’s arm pulled her in the other. Neither of us
dared to take our eyes off one another until we absolutely had to. “Be careful with my
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fiancée, or else,” I laughed though I meant the threat bone deep. Nya and the man
rounded the corner and out of sight. “She agreed to marry me,” I said acknowledging
the many onlookers in the hall. For a guy who was about to have the very future he’d
endured years for taken away, I was on top of the world! “I know congrats are in
order but what do you need us to do about all this,” Remy inquired from behind me.
Through a wide and unwavering smile, I managed to reply, “call Joshua. Tell him I’m
getting married.”