Page 27

Taylor's head shot up at the mention of J'Ru. "For like a dinner or something?" she asked with a raised brow.

Talia nodded her head. "Yeah. J'Ru said a dinner for two," she recalled the phone call with J'Ru.

Everyone could see the shift in Taylor's demeanor at the sound of that. Jadey leaned in toward Britain. "Am I missing something?" she whispered questioningly.

Britain simply shrugged her shoulders. She was unaware of any of Taylor's and J'Ru's dealings, and she wasn't about to pry to find out. "Speaking of the guys, isn't Leila set to give her acceptance speech?" Britain quickly shifted the attention from Taylor and onto something else.

Jazzy took a sip of her wine as she nodded her head. "Yeah, at four," she confirmed as she reached for her phone to check the time. "It's 4:05 now," she announced, causing Britain to rise from her seat and scurry toward the living room to turn on the television.

"Typically, how long is a speech?” Britain asked as she hit the button to lift the television up from the entertainment center.

The rest of the ladies followed behind Britain, claiming seats on the couch alongside her. "Pretty long. I'm sure she's still talking," Jadey replied.

Britain flicked through channels before finding the news station that was reporting live from the City Hall building. Leila looked stunning in her white pant suit that complimented her golden fawn skin. Her thick hair was straightened and flowing down her back and tucked behind her ears, showcasing the beauty within her oval-shaped face. She spoke with grace as her shoulders were pushed back, and her head was held high. Leila was showcasing exactly why she was chosen to be the mayor.

Despite Leila being the focal point on the screen, the ladies' orbs couldn't help but to wander behind Leila, where Priest, Kaymen and J'Ru stood alongside each other. The three men looked nothing but handsome, fitted in their debonair suits and clean jewelry. "That's my husband, y'all," Jadey gushed as she fawned over Kaymen with an ear-to-ear smile on her face, causing the ladies to laugh.

"J'Ru looks like he doesn't want to be up there." With a laugh, Jazzy pointed out the uninterested look etched all over J'Ru's face as he stood behind Leila.

Britain's soft brown orbs landed on Priest, who kept his signature resting expression on his face. Not as outspoken as Jadey, Britain internally fawned over Priest in her head. Priest looked spectacular in the tailored Giorgio Armani suit. Because they ended their phone call before he got dressed, she wasn't able to see the finished product of his hair cut. Through the screen, she could see how sharply his beard and line up was trimmed, and it caused her mouth to water.

"How does Priest get his skin to glow like that?" Taylor asked as she tilted her head, evoking laughter out of the ladies.

Britain shrugged. "We exfoliate," she responded to Taylor with a light smile.

"I know that's right, Brit-Brat!" Jadey teased while clapping.

The ladies returned their attention to Leila as she continued with her speech. She went on to speak about her future changesand plans, along with how honored she was to be first woman ever to be officially elected as mayor.

Leila was on the verge of concluding her speech when she took a moment to gather her emotions and catch her breath from the lengthy heart-felt speech. Before she could utter yet another word, a swift bullet penetrated her skull, causing her warm crimson blood and brain matter to splatter all over Priest, Kaymen and J'Ru.

Terror struck the premises of City Hall as Leila collapsed lifelessly to the ground, causing everyone to shriek in fear. People scrambled to find shelter in case any more bullets were to fly. The television screen went pitch black, causing Britain and the ladies to spring up in the panic. Leila had just been assassinated on live television. The gruesome scene had etched a permanent mark on everyone who witnessed it firsthand or watched it from home.Leila was dead within seconds of taking office. Her last moments consisted of her rightfully basking in her victory. Her blood seeped through the grooves of the cement as it trailed down the steps as if it were a stream of a calm river.

Her police escort quickly stepped in, barricading Leila's body as they barked orders for everyone to take cover inside the building. Priest's security detail rushed in, escorting him, Kaymen and J'Ru into their waiting SUV. They immediately pulled off, maneuvering out of the frenzy that was created in the vicinity of City Hall.

Panicked, Jadey's first instinct was to call Kaymen. With the cameras shutting off, she had no idea if he had been hit or even grazed.The call rang and rang before going to voicemail. "Kaymen's not answering," Jadey heaved as she paced the floor while calling her husband's phone once more.

"Neither is Priest," Britain told them as she received the sound of Priest's voicemail.

"J'Ru isn't answering either," Taylor announced.

Jazzy used her cell to dial Cyro's number. As expected, his cell went to voicemail as well. "No luck with Cyro either. He always answers my calls," Jazzy shook her head.

"I think we should head back to the city," Britain suggested as she rose from her seat.

Jazzy eyes widened. "Slow down. I think they would kill us if we showed up in the city. Priest did this for a reason." She motioned her hand around, referring to him sending them off to the Hamptons.

Britain sighed as she ran her hand through her hair, her stress obvious on her face. "Quite frankly, I really don't care what he does. We just need to know they're okay. If they answer while we're on our way there, then we'll turn around," Britain stated with finality. The thought of something happening to them lingered in her mind far too long to be able to remain comfortable in the Hamptons. They needed to get back home to make sure the guys were okay.

"You can't just stay here alone, Jazzy," Taylor reminded her.

Jadey, Britain and Talia agreed with Taylor while Jazzy remained reluctant. It wasn't that she was any less worried than they were, but after seeing Leila die on live television, she caught on to the fact that this trip was truly just an excuse for them to be out of the city. She knew them returning may complicate what the guys had going for themselves. "Fine," she finally caved in.

The ladies hurriedly threw on clothes that were more suitable to step out in. The arranged security Priest appointed them had the SUV ready for them to go back to the city. Britain locked up behind them before they all piled into the vehicle.

As they drove past the city lines of the Hamptons, the ladies kept trying to call the men, only to receive their voicemails. It was frustrating to say the least, but they kept calling.

Feeling her phone vibrate in her hand, Britain quickly answered, thinking that it was Priest who was calling.Unfortunately, it was only Remy. She was praying that he wasn't delivering any bad news.