Page 11

Tayla

A fter a few minutes, the rear door opened, and Nina stepped out.

“Nina,” I calmly said while pulling back the safety on my gun so she could hear it.

My gun was pointing right at her, primed to shoot.

I saw the slight jump in her posture, but after she realized it was me, she managed to overcome the fear before it consumed her body.

Then she stuck her hands in her pockets and turned, studying me with that scrutinizing look that used to shrink me. It wouldn’t work today.

“Well, if it isn’t that traitorous daughter of mine.”

“Daughter?” I scoffed.

“You and I know we haven’t been that for a long time, if ever. Humor me, though, and tell me why I’m a traitor when you’ve lied to me my entire life.” She let her eyes trail over my figure in disgust.

“The truth is that I never wanted you, Tayla. You were supposed to help me keep Julius and be the daughter who made us a powerhouse family. We were supposed to be at the top of the Jungle, not Brian. When he didn’t stay, I began to resent you.

Then you spent all your time with them, like I didn’t suffer nine months to push you out.

That was enough to have your loyalty, at least.”

“Is that all? What I’m hearing is that you’re a weak woman who will do anything a man says if it gets you what you want. Are you dumb? He was using you, Nina.” That must have been the trigger for her because she began to yell.

“Julius loved me! You…You and those people I should have put down, along with Brian, killed him. Julius was right. I should’ve shot all of them. You little bitch. You took him from me when you put out that hit. I guess that old motherly saying is true,” she gritted out.

“Hmph, and what’s that, Nina?” I asked, giving her the same disgusted look she’d given me earlier.

“That if I brought you into this world, I can take you out,” she said.

Before I could react, she’d pulled the trigger three times, two of them hitting me.

I winced as the excruciating pain coursed through my body.

With the strength that I had left, I lifted my gun and shot towards Nina.

I managed to pull the trigger twice, both hitting her.

If I’m dying today, so are you!

Everything was fading to black as I pushed into one of the bullet wounds, trying to stop the bleeding. Suddenly, I fell to the ground hard, unable to hold my body up any longer. I lay motionless until I closed my eyes and prayed, hoping God would forgive me for all my sins .

“Arrrrrrrgggghh!” I belted out in tormenting pain. I was dying, and there was no one here to save me.

Fight Tay. Fight!

I didn’t know how long I’d lie there before I heard a voice.

“Over here, D. Shit, she’s lost a lot of blood. Do we have enough time to triage?

“Nah, we need to move now!” I faintly heard before I was scooped up from the ground.

I figured I’d lost so much blood, I was hallucinating because it looked like Stephon and Devin had come to save me.

Then, a crack of thunder rumbled through the sky before it opened up, with the heavy rain washing away my blood.

I fell limp, looking into the sky, letting a lone tear fall for Brice and what I was leaving behind.

I’m sorry, Brice; I should have told you. I love you!

Then everything went black.