Page 19

“Mommy! I love Andre’s house. We get to order whatever food we want, and they bring it right on up!”

Smiling softly at my daughter, I played with her soft curls as we sat on Dre’s couch and watched a movie. We’ve been held hostage at his house for two days now, and I know my family was worried sick about not hearing from us. I haven’t seen or heard from Dre either, which had me stuck between depressed and mad as hell. He’s made sure we had food and clothing but nothing else. I even tried to dial out on the iPad he left here, but it just rerouted me to his cousin Mimi.

“Hang it up, Denim, and be thankful you’re still alive.”

That’s all she would say before hanging up the phone. The words rang out in my mind over and over. Dre could be back here at any minute to take not only my life but my daughter’s as well. He’s made it clear he’s not opposed to killing women and children, so I should probably be counting my lucky stars.

Another thing that’s played through my mind repeatedly is what he said about Bryce. Was he really who Dre made him out to be? He’s never shown me any signs to believe that he was sick, but what did I know? He hid an entire marriage and kids from me. For me to be a federal agent, how could I be so stupid?”

“Briley Boo, I need to ask you something?” I grabbed the remote and turned the television down before pulling her into my lap. “Mommy needs to talk to you about something very important, and I want you to be honest with me.” I gave her a soft, reassuring smile as she looked at me with bright and curious eyes. “Has your father ever done anything to hurt you?”

“What you mean, Mommy?” she asked innocently. “Like spank me?”

“Yes… and no.” I rubbed her cheek. It was so hard for me to ask her these questions, but I needed to know. “Has he ever done things to you that felt wrong ? Things that a daddy shouldn’t do?”

Tilting her head, she peered at me as if she were in deep thought. I never wanted my child to go through the ugliness of this world, especially at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and cherish her. If she told me he’d hurt her, I don’t know what I would do.

“Daddy’s never hurt me, Mommy. He played games with me, gave me lots of snacks, and gave me toys at bath time.” She smiled excitedly as she spoke of their time together. “He would look at me funny, but he never hurt me.”

“What about Rebecca or your brothers?” My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I awaited her answer. If she was truly helping her husband traffic kids, it was only a matter of time before she tried something with my daughter. Rebecca hated Bri, so I wouldn’t put anything past her.

“My brothers would just pull my hair and call me ugly.” Tears grew in her eyes, and I could hear the sadness in her voice. “Rebecca used to tell me that when I came to live with them, she was going to teach me how to be a good girl, but I was never bad, Mommy.”

“Hey, come here…” I pulled my daughter into my chest and held her as she cried. Angrily, I wiped my own tears as they began to fall. “You never have to worry about seeing Rebecca or your mean brothers ever again. Okay?” She nodded her head softly as she sniffled. “I’m never going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”

Right as I said that, there was a ding from the elevator. I held my baby close as the doors glided open. Fear washed over me as Andre stepped off, looking fine as ever. For him to be the devil, he was the sexiest sinner I’d ever seen. His lineup was always fresh, and even dressed down in sweats and a T-shirt, he displayed a boss-like aura that couldn’t be fucked with.

“Andreee!” Bri screeched as she jumped from my lap and padded toward him. The glare he gave me vanished when he scooped my daughter up in his arms. “I’ve missed you!”

“Well, damn, Bri! My feelings are hurt.”

Looking behind Dre, I spotted Jerome. Relief washed over me as I saw a familiar face. If I was living in my final days, I wanted Jerome to at least be able to get my daughter to my parents.

“I missed you, too, silly!” Bri giggled as Rome tickled her. She’d yet to let go of Dre, though. “I was going to ask Mommy if she could call you later, Dre. You told me you were going to take me to the mall and get my toes done.”

“How about you and me go downstairs to the bakery while Jerome and your Mommy talk?” Dre smiled as he hugged Bri. The way he was being with her was a complete contrast to the man who almost choked me to death nights ago. “Then maybe Jerome can take you to the mall tomorrow or something.”

“Yay!” She cheered as she looked over at me. “Can I go with Dre, Mommy? I promise to not each too much and bring you something back.”

“I really don’t want to let you out of my sight, Bri.” I fake pouted, although I was serious. Knowing what Bryce was potentially trying to do with her scared me. “How about we bake cookies instead?”

Pouting, Dre rubbed her back as he eyeballed me. There wasn’t hate in his eyes like nights before. Instead, there was nothing, and that scared me even more.

“How about this…” Dre placed Bri on her feet and crouched down in front of her. “We go in the kitchen and make a list of all the things you want to eat from the store, and I’ll go get it, and we can make it together. You think that’ll be better than going downstairs?”

“Can we do it on the balcony?” She pointed behind her. “I’m not scared, and I really want to sit outside.”

He chuckled as he grabbed her hand. “Yeah, come on. Let’s go in my office and find some paper.”

Stepping past me without another look, I watched as he and my daughter disappeared down the hall for a few minutes before coming back up the hall. I watched them slide the patio doors open, and he helped her into her seat as they began to talk like the best of friends.

“He loves Bri,” Rome said from behind me. Taking a seat next to him, I couldn’t help but place my head on his shoulder and wail. “Come on, Denim. You know I hate when you’re sad, bitch.”

“I messed up badly, Jerome, and I don’t know what to do.” I sobbed into his chest as he pulled me into his embrace. “He knows everything, and he hates me.”

Rome said nothing as he held me in his arms and allowed me to cry. I didn’t shed tears just for what could have been with Dre but for my daughter as well. I chose the worst possible father for her. I’d let my daughter down, and she deserved better from me.

“All right… get that shit out because you’re not crying over it again.” Jerome patted my shoulder as I calmed down. “We all make mistakes, sis, but the way we bounce back and learn from them is what matters. Are you done?”

“Yes…” I sniffed and whimpered as I dried my eyes. “I’m okay.”

“Good. Now, tell me why Andre called me and asked me if I wanted to come sit with you at his house instead of yours? I’ve been blowing you up for days. No one had heard from you, and if it wasn’t for Dre letting me know to tell your father that you were with him… they would have called the cops.”

Sighing deeply, I told him everything that had transpired over the past few days. He sat with his mouth hanging to his lap as I detailed the necklace tracking Briley to the abandoned building in Sunset Valley to Dre drugging and kidnapping me. I left out the part about the murders and Bryce being dead. While I may have cared a little about Rissa and Eric being killed, I knew Jerome didn’t care at all. Still, I didn’t want him to know about Dre’s double life.

“So you mean to tell me… Bryce was trying to traffic your daughter to your husband?” He was in literal shock as he placed his well-manicured hand over his mouth. “Where is that nigga at so I can beat his ass myself? That wench of a wife is going to have to see me too!”

“Bryce… is being… treated .” That is all I could say. He eyed me questioningly but didn’t say more. “As far as Rebecca goes, I’m going to make that bitch pay. I don’t know how, but I am.”

Rebecca has another thing coming if she thinks I’m going to let her get away with the shit she’s done and planned to do. I may not be able to make her husband face the consequences, but she sure as hell can.

“Listen, I know this shit is way out of my league, but I still believe that Andre is a good man that means well.” Standing from the sofa, he pulled me into his arms and squeezed me as only he could. “That man could have let you figure this out on your own and said, ‘To hell with you and your child.’ Honestly, he could have killed you when he found out who you were when you initially started looking into his family. The same way you love him… he loves you, Denim.”

Hearing the patio door slide open, Jerome and I pulled apart as Dre and Bri walked back in. I couldn’t help but smile at them holding hands because if I knew nothing else, I knew he cared for her.

“I’m about to head to the store and get the things on Bri’s list.” He gazed at me keenly before turning to face Rome. “Are you chilling here until I come back?”

“If it’s fine with you…”

“Bet. Just remember what I told you.” He nodded before bending to kiss Bri’s forehead. “I’ll be back, okay?”

“Okay!” She smiled and skipped over to the couch. Dragging my eyes back to Dre, he was staring at me as if he wanted to say something. I waited patiently for anything he was willing to give me, but instead, he gave me nothing. I watched as he walked toward the elevator, but what shocked me was Bri running behind him.

“Thank you, Andre!” She latched onto his legs, causing him to stumble. “For everything.”

For a second, I could see the emotion in his eyes as he smiled at her and nodded. My heart swelled and wept at the same time. Stepping onto the elevator, I watched as his pupils stayed on mine until the doors closed.

“I don’t know how, but bitch… you need to fix it. Whether he admits it or not, he loves you, and you love him too!”

Patting my shoulder, he took a seat beside my daughter, and I listened to her as she talked about her best friend, Andre. She told him about her bad dream she had of a monster in a suit trying to give her to another, but Andre saved her from both of the monsters. As I listened to her describe her reality and not a dream, I knew what I needed to do. Not only did I have to find a way to injure Rebecca, but I have to find a way to make things right with Dre. I no longer cared about being on opposite sides of the fight against criminals. I finally understood what my father was saying, and I finally agreed with what my superior had disclosed about the Boudreaux’s being too prominent to build a case against. I had to win Andre back. I had to show him I could love whatever version of himself that he wanted to be.

If it’s the last thing I do, I vowed to get him to forgive and love me willingly.

* * *

“Girl, now don’t let me have to keep calling your phone and you not answer. You know I get nervous when you don’t check in.”

Snickering at Jerome, I towel-dried my hair as I stepped back into the guest room. So much as my things were here, you might as well say I’ve moved in. I wouldn’t say Dre is holding me hostage, but he isn’t allowing me to go home. He did take me by the house to check on things. He even took me by the office so I could check in and get any documents or files I needed to work from home. As far as letting me leave the penthouse on my own accord? Negative. He still wasn’t even talking to me.

“I just got out of the shower, Jerome.” I rolled my eyes as I dropped my towel and began to oil my body. “How’s my girl doing?”

The day he came over to visit, it felt so good to laugh and enjoy another adult’s company. Dre didn’t engage with us much, but he was all in when it came to conversation with Briley. It was so sweet the way they baked cookies and made pizzas for everyone. Dre might not be fucking with me, but he thinks the world of my kid. Jerome even crashed with us that night and offered to take Bri with him the next day, so Dre and I could talk. It’s been two days, and still nothing.

“Briley the Boss is doing what she does best.” I could hear the frustration in his tone, and I couldn’t help but smile. “She’s spending my money with no regard. I’m going to drop her off with her grandparents and let her be their problem.”

“Leave my baby alone.” I placed the phone on the bed and bent over to oil my legs. “You the one?—”

Hearing the door behind me open, I peered over my shoulder and locked eyes with Andre. His eyes went from my face to my ass that was in the air. Closing the door behind him, my breathing became more rapid as he stepped closer to me. He locked in on my ass as he slapped it once before giving it a firm squeeze. I yelped and tried to stand, but he placed his hand on my back and bent me back over.

“Sis, what was that?” Jerome’s nosy ass asked. I swear his hearing is better than a damn Labrador Retriever. “Why are you breathing like that?”

“She will call you back, Rome,” Andre answered with his eyes on me. “Hang up the phone.”

“Wait, I wanna listen!” Jerome shouted before the line went dead.

Still bent over, I could feel my juices running down the inside of my thighs. My body trembled at his touch in anticipation of what was to come.

“You want me to fuck you, Dee?” he asked as I felt his manhood against my thigh through his sweatpants. “You want me to drop this dick off in you.”

“Mhm…” I bit into my bottom lip as I felt him ease two fingers inside of me. “I want you bad, Andre.”

Saying nothing, I swayed my ass as he fumbled with his joggers and dropped them to the floor. Riding his fingers, I moaned once I felt him slap his third leg against my ass.

“Did you want me even when you thought I was a killer?” He sped his movements, and I could feel him stroking himself behind me. “Even when you wanted to see a nigga behind bars, did you want me to fall knee-deep in that pussy?”

Feeling my walls contract around his fingers, I tried to stand, but all he did was slap my ass once more. Glaring at him, he gave me a knowing look that made me tuck my tail and get back in position.

“Yes, Andre,” I confessed, waiting for him to resume his assault. “I wanted you even then—I’ve always wanted you.”

Sliding his index and middle finger back into me, my eyes rolled into the back of my head at the feel of him. Moving it in and out of me, I felt myself getting closer and closer. I could only hope he didn’t take too long because I was ready for him to take his anger out on my pussy.

“So you thought you’d walk your thick ass into my life, smile, and fuck me… and then I would start baring my soul to you.”

“Andre…” I panted as he eased a third finger inside of me. “Please, fuck me.”

“You thought I was going to bare my soul to you because you made a nigga nut? Because I told you I was having mommy issues? You thought you were going to play a nigga like me and get away with it. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow your fuckin’ brains out.”

Placing his Glock on top of my back, he continued to finger fuck me while he jacked his dick. I was so scared, yet turned on, that I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to believe that he wouldn’t hurt me, but he sent my daughter away. All thoughts of what could and would happen were a distant memory once I felt myself about to release.

“I love you, Dre!” I cried as I felt myself about to come. “I love you, and you love me too! Oh my gosh! I’m coming!”

Never slowing his stroke down, his fingers moved in and out faster than I’d ever felt before. I shook uncontrollably as liquid gushed out of me. I fought hard to stay conscious because I didn’t want to wake up to a dead family member like last time. As I came down from my orgasm, I felt something warm sprinkling onto my back.

“Shit!” he groaned as he picked up his gun and stumbled back slightly. “Damn, man.”

My legs felt like noodles as I slowly stood and turned toward him. He was pulling up his sweats and stuffing his still-hard dick inside. I couldn’t believe he finger fucked me and busted on my back as if I was nobody—as if I was nothing. I’d never felt so used before in my life.

“Once you wash your ass and fix your face, come holla at me.”

Without a backward glance, he left out of the room as quickly as he came. Walking into the bathroom, I had to stop myself from crying over feeling so belittled. I had no one but myself to blame for the way he was treating me. After taking another quick shower, I forwent my routine and threw on my pajamas to see what he wanted. If he was going to kill me, there was no need to get moisturized for it.

As I walked into the sitting room, I looked around and didn’t see him. I peeked outside onto the balcony, but I didn’t see him there either. Hearing the shower going inside his bedroom, I decided to wait for him there. Stepping inside, I noticed the room was massive compared to the ones Briley and I were sleeping in.

Still hearing the water run, I decided to look around. He was already pissed at me. Being nosy couldn’t make it worse. Walking over to the desk in the corner, I found open folders with pictures inside. Picking up the first one, I saw it was a file on me. Everything from my birth certificate, graduation pictures, photos with Bri and my parents, and pictures of me meeting his mother were there. My entire life, in a nutshell, was here for this man to see, and he’s known about me all along.

Closing the folder, I started to walk away until something caught my eye—pictures of Bryce, clear as day, with various children and young adults. I immediately felt sick to my stomach from what I was seeing. There were countless photos of him with chained-up women and children, some beaten and others just fearful. Seeing Rebecca in some of the photos, too, had me seeing red. I was a ball of emotions from mournful to disgust to aggravation to outrage. Images of these once beautiful girls and women will forever live in my mind. There was information about shipments, along with grab locations, clients, and even dates on when the girls would be sold and to whom. Shakily, I read through each document, and the information I found made me queasy by the second. Amongst those were also court filings where he and his wife petitioned to gain full custody of Briley. The thought of her living with them made me want to vomit.

“I guess you finally see who the real monster is…” I jumped as I dropped the photos back down on the desk. Spinning to face Dre, his expression remained nonchalant as he wrapped the towel around his waist. “Now, do you see why he died the way he did? My only regret is that I didn’t make him suffer.”

“W-What is this, Dre?” I pointed to the documents. “These are real? That says some girls are being sold next week.”

“They are. My people are the ones that bought the majority of that shipment.” He stepped into his walk-in closet with me behind him. “We’re picking the girls up next week.”

“And then what?” I asked immediately. “What are your plans for them? I know you’re not keeping them.”

Although my assumptions were right about Dre, I know he wasn’t a predator. He purchased my daughter and didn’t harm a single hair on her head. I am thankful for what he did because had she gone to someone else, or even worse, her father, only God knows what would have happened.

“Oh, so now you know what type of man I am?” He chuckled and shook his head. I watched as he walked into his closet and pulled down a pair of Amiri jeans with the matching sweatshirt. He was about to head out, and my chest grew tight at the thought of him being with another woman. “I have a plan for all that, though, so don’t worry.

“Let me help.” I shook the thoughts of jealousy to the back of my mind as he dropped his towel. My eyes went straight to his dick as he covered it with boxers. “I want to help you bring those bastards down.”

“Lil’ Mama, who said I’m even going to let them live.” He chuckled at my naivety as he got dressed. I watched him douse himself in cologne, and I wanted to rip his clothes off him. “I know you’re the Feds, and this shit is right up your alley, but this don’t have shit to do with you?—”

“It has everything to do with me!” I jumped in front of him and shouted. I was pissed at him for more reasons than one. “They almost damaged my daughter, Andre! They tried to—oh my God!”

Falling to my knees, I bawled for my baby. I was so blinded by my job and dislike for her father and stepmother that I potentially let my baby be in harm's way. I failed her.

“Hey, come here…” He pulled me from the floor and led me to the bed. Doing something he hadn’t done in a while, he held me. “I know this is a fucked up thing to find out about. I know no words will make you feel better about the shit, but Briley is safe. From the moment I found out her father was the head of this shit, he was on my hit list. I would have never let Big Bri be in any danger. That’s why I made sure to buy her the night I did.”

“He needed to die.”

“He did.” Dre nodded and held me tighter. “You saw what he wanted you to see. Just like you attempted to do with me.”

Dre—”

“He didn’t get away with the shit he was trying to do, and the others won’t either. Even those closest to me had to be punished for the sick shit they were doing. My only regret is not finding out sooner. Maybe then, I could have spared more girls from the pain and heartbreak that my sisters had to endure.”

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I know Andre. He was tight-lipped about everything. Getting lost in the feel and smell of him, I started to relax. Taking a chance, I looked up at him as he looked down at me with hooded eyes. Placing my hand on his cheek, I reached up and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I’m sorry for everything, Andre. I know you hate me, and I know you don’t want anything to do with me, but I promise… I will make it up to you. I love you.”

Staring at me for a few minutes, I could have sworn I saw a flicker of something in his eyes before it was gone. Sighing, he kissed my forehead before shifting me off his lap.

“I’m about to head out. Don’t wait up.”

Dumbfounded, I watched him walk out of the room and listened as the elevator dinged. Once I realized I was alone, I screamed in frustration. Falling back on the bed, I kicked like a maniac. I’d brought a world of hurt upon myself, and it felt like there was no way to undo any of it. After tiring myself out, I couldn’t help but laugh at my antics.

“Get yourself together, Denim.”

Getting up from the bed, I walked back over to the desk and sat down. The more I looked through the files, the more I knew I wanted to be a part of this process. Looking around, I found an iPad and dialed Dre’s number.

“Yeah, Denim.” I ignored the aggravated tone in his voice. “I’m not trying to hear no bullshit right now, so get straight to it.”

“I want in, Dre. Kill whoever you want, but I want Rebecca alive.”

Disconnecting the call, I went back to study the files. So many men in high-profile positions were out here, moving like they weren’t the true predators. Lost in my thoughts, I jumped at the sound of his voice.

“Aight…” I peered up and saw him leaning against the threshold of his door. He wasn’t even gone fifteen minutes before he was back here. “What are you thinking we should do, wifey?”