Page 29

“Kenny?” I whisper in horror.

He slowly smiles at me. “Yeah, bitch. Your worst nightmare. You’re gonna pay for what you did to me. You and that whore of a sister of yours. And I’ll make sure Zaire is forced to watch you suffer.”

“He’ll destroy you,” I croak.

“Not before I destroy him,” he declares, punching me in the face and knocking me backward on the steps.

Pain radiates throughout my face, and I instantly feel my left eye starting to swell. My nose stings, my head hurts, and it seems like the world is tilting on its axis. I blink several times, knowing that I have to overcome this shit if I have any chance of surviving.

I can hear the other men drawing closer as Kenny towers over me again, but this time, I kick him in the shin. I know that he’s in pain from the torture Zaire inflicted on him but evil knows no bounds because he doesn’t stop.

Kenny kicks me down as I try to stand, and when I grab his foot to pull him down, he punches me in the side of my head. The force of the impact of his fist causes me to release his foot, and he stumbles back slightly.

We are both in bad shape. I’m trying to recover from the ringing in my ears and how he rocked the hell out of me with that punch. How my sister withstood this shit, I’ll never know.

Kenny’s gripping his midsection and wincing, so I know that he’s dealing with bruised ribs and some internal injuries, as well. But when I survive this bullshit, and I will, I expect to have a migraine for days to come.

Reaching down, he punches me in the chest before grabbing my hair and trying to slam my head against the concrete stairwell. I grip his balls and squeeze tightly, forcing him to release my hair and grab himself.

“Put the gun down!” I hear someone shout from one floor above us.

I spin around, shooting up the stairs just as one of the men leans over the railing, looking down on us. I hit him in the neck. The other two scatter as the third man comes tumbling down the stairs.

“Shit,” I hear someone cry out just as Kenny wraps his arm around me and grabs my gun-wielding hand.

I try to jerk my hand free, but he’s got my hand in a vice grip. Using my free elbow, I jab him in the ribs, and he topples over, bringing me down with him. He cries out in pain; I know that whatever Zaire and his crew did to Kenny, he’s still suffering from those wounds.

I struggle to get up as the other two men race down the stairs. I barely make it through the exit door before they shout after me.

“I’ma kill you, bitch!” I hear one of the men shout as a bullet whizzes past my ear.

“Dumb fuck. Don’t kill her. We need her,” the lead man growls.

“Trying to stop her,” the second man hollers out.

I pass the two cars in the parking lot, but I know that it’s over for my ass if either of them shoots again. There’s nothing for me to hide behind.

I turn around and shoot over my shoulder, but I know that I’ve missed them.

“That bitch trying to shoot us,” the second man shouts as I run around the corner.

I look behind me to see how much of a lead I have on them.

Before I can think of my next move or even decipher if I’ve run into a dead end, my feet are snatched from underneath me. I feel as if I’m flying through the air before I’m pushed down. A hard body covers mine, and all I can think about is that it’s over now.

I have no idea what they’re going to do to me now that they’ve captured me again or that I’ve shot their men.

I struggle to push the man’s weight off me as I shout, “Get off me,” but I hear, “Stay low.”

“Get off me,” I grumble.

“Stay fucking low!”

“Malik?” I whisper, finally recognizing the voice.

He rolls off me quickly.

“Stay here, and don’t move, no matter who comes.”

I look up in horror at the stinking trash can that he’s hidden me behind, and for the first time, I realize why my fall didn’t hurt. Malik had shoved me onto an old mattress behind the dumpster.

Thankful, that I escaped, I try not to think about all the germs and bacteria crawling all over my body right now.

Malik creeps away from me and holds up one finger, telling me to stay put. I watch as he disappears. Fear rushes through my veins as I wait impatiently for him to come back to me.

I search my purse, and disappointment fills me when I realize that my phone isn’t in there. They must be holding onto it to reach Zaire.

Several gunshots ring out.

Grabbing my gun, I hold it out, ready to aim at whoever walks around that corner. I may not be a crack shot like Zaire or his men, but I damn sure know how to use a gun.

I hear someone coming around the corner, and my hand trembles slightly before I steady it again. Praying that it’s Malik, horror runs through me as I see Kenny. This time, he’s holding a gun, and he’s smiling at me as blood pours from his side and his shoulder.

“I’m not finished with your ass, bitch. You’re going to learn a lesson to—”

Kenny doesn’t finish the sentence because right in front of me, his head explodes. My eyes widen, I lose my breath, and panic fills my chest.

I’m prepared to scream.

I want to scream.

I feel it welling up inside of me.

Only it doesn’t come out.

I don’t know if I’m in shock or if I’m just too afraid to alert someone to my location. But the scream never manifests.

Zaire comes striding calmly down the alley, and when he spots me, that calmness is out the door. My baby rushes to me, picks me up off the filthy mattress, and lifts me into his arms.

Crushing me against his chest, he kisses the top of my head before pulling me back and showering my face with kisses.

Zaire pushes me out of his embrace and looks me up and down as his hands roam from the crown of my head to my ankles, checking me for injuries.

“Baby,” he whispers in a relief-filled voice.

“Zai.” I cry, finally able to release my emotions.

I shake in his hold, afraid for him to let go, afraid I’ll be taken away again, but he holds on tight.

“Shh, baby. You did it. You held your own. It’s all right now. You’re safe,” he whispers.