Page 3 of The Cancer I Chose (BLP Signs of Love #4)

A week since the talk...

The thump of the club’s speakers could be felt through the sidewalk as we walked to the entrance of Champagne. It was an upscale lounge with good music, food, drinks, and hookah. After a week of looking over my shoulder and feeling unsettled, I needed a night out to put my mind at ease.

Rylas had been constantly blowing my phone up with threatening texts and voicemails because I refused to answer him.

It got so bad that I wasn’t staying at the estate.

I even went as far as to block his contact from my phone.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stop me from receiving messages from unknown numbers.

If he weren’t my brother, I would’ve gone to the police, but the Cancer in me had an inkling of hope that the boy I knew would re-emerge.

I wasn’t sure how we could go forward from this, even if he did, but considering Rylas was the only family I had left, I was willing to give it a try.

My bleeding heart was begging for me to.

Samara wrapped her hand in mine as we walked to the growing line.

Kaliyah was too busy texting on her phone to pay us any attention.

Samara was telling me about Zuri’s recent report card and how fluent he was becoming in Spanish.

We both knew that being bilingual came with its perks, so I loved that for my little godson.

I would have to pick him up one of those comic magazines he loved as a reward.

Finally, we shuffled to the front of the line. After an ID check and quick pat down, we were let inside the lounge. My first stop was the bar. I came here for the drinks first and everything else after. It was hard not to focus on how wrong things were with my brother, but I did my best.

After securing a lemon drop for myself while Samara and Kaliyah got margaritas, we headed deeper into the mix.

Kaliyah was leading the way, saying some nigga she was talking to was here tonight.

My steps slowed when we neared the section, and I saw Rylas standing amongst the men.

He looked better today as far as his appearance, but those eyes still looked very demented.

Samara noticed how tense I was and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Is everything okay?”

I tried to plaster on a genuine smile. “Yeah, just didn’t expect to see Ry here, is all. We’re not really on speaking terms right now.”

Samara looked from me to my brother while Kaliyah shuffled into the section and got comfortable on the lap of some guy I’d never seen before. “Would you rather chill at the bar?”

I nodded and released the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. “Yes... please.”

Without further questioning or probing, Samara grabbed my hand and pulled me away.

I could hear Ry calling after me, but I kept it pushing.

Tonight was supposed to be relaxing and fun.

I did not want to be cornered by my maniac of a brother again.

Once we were safely seated at the bar, my shoulders finally melted down my spine.

After a few minutes, Kaliyah walked up and leaned on the bar. “Hey. Y’all good? Why y’all leave me alone?”

I nervously picked at the frayed edges of my Daisy Duke jean shorts. “I didn’t feel like being all up in a nigga’s face tonight. I’m cool with chilling at the bar,” Samara answered before I could think of a lie.

Kaliyah looked between both of us. “Humph, I guess.” She turned to me. “Ry told me to tell you he’s sorry, and he wants to talk.”

Had she planned this little impromptu meeting? Did she know the depth of what was going on between us? If she did know, did she still agree to ambush me by bringing me here knowing he would also be here after assaulting me?

I glanced over my shoulder to the section where I’d last seen him to find his eyes still focused on me.

It was so unsettling. In a room full of people, why was he so interested in me?

Could it be because he felt guilty for what he’d done and wanted to fix things?

I wasn’t too sure, and for that reason alone, I decided to stay at the bar.

I turned around to face them. Kaliyah smiled widely, waiting for my reply. “Did you invite me here because he told you to?”

Her smile dropped as she looked genuinely confused. “I mean, yeah. He’s your brother. He said you were upset with him and wouldn’t answer any of his calls. I was just trying to help, Nuri.”

I sighed because it wasn’t like I’d told her what was happening. “I’ll talk to him later. For now, I just want to have a good time.”

She agreed to pass the message along, called us boring bitches, and headed back over to the section.

“Anyway... let’s get fucked up,” Samara declared once we were alone. I toasted my drink to hers, and that’s exactly what we did.

By drink number three, I felt very weird. “I’m going to run to the restroom,” I told Samara.

My words were extremely slurred, which caught me off guard. It would usually take double the number of drinks I had tonight before I was even tipsy, yet I was feeling every drop I’d had a hundred times over.

I grabbed onto the bar to steady myself as I tried to stand.

Even though I tried to prepare myself, I still ended up nearly toppling over.

I heard Samara scream my name before someone caught me in their arms. I was almost certain my heart stopped when I looked up into my brother’s eyes.

The sinister smile on his face was the last thing I saw before the room stopped spinning and everything went black.

I struggled to open my heavy eyes when I started to feel a tingling in my limbs.

When I finally did, I began to gasp heavily, trying to catch my breath.

The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was compared to the lounge I remembered being in.

My lungs began to scream from the potent smoke filling the space I was in.

“You’re a pretty one, aren’t ya?” I heard an unfamiliar voice croak. Only then did I find the strength to open my eyes. “Ahh, there you are. Hi, pretty lady.”

My blurry gaze swept around the room, trying to piece together where I was or what was happening. I came up clueless every time. The last thing I remember was being in the lounge. How did I end up in a tinted-out truck with a strange man?

Even though I was certain I could move, I remained in place.

My breathing rate increased as fear coursed through my veins.

Tears filled the corners of my eyes as my brother’s wicked smile appeared in my mind.

The sinking feeling in my stomach warned me that I wouldn’t like whatever was about to happen next.

The light-skinned silver fox next to me beamed.

“I don’t have to be a mind reader to know that you just realized your brother fucked you over. I just wanted the land, but you are a nice cherry on top. I can’t wait to get my hands on you.”

I felt his hand slowly slide up my thigh. I winced as he got closer to my center. Thankfully, the truck stopped, and the driver spoke, stealing his attention.

“We’re here, Zyro.”

This stranger Zyro’s eyes returned to me.

“I have something to handle, but I will be back to finish what I was starting.” He reached forward, grabbing my chin.

“And I better not see any tears when I return. Welcome to your new life. You belong to me now, but I will take good care of you, Nuri. I will make you a happy wife.”

The fact that he knew my name made my situation even more real.

This was planned, and I was not part of the conversation.

What had my brother promised this stranger that he felt comfortable enough to touch me without permission and to claim me as his, as if I was cattle to be sold off to the highest bidder?

Cotton filled my mouth as I stared into menacing brown eyes.

The hard set of his jaw told me he was not to be fucked with.

He looked like the kind of man who could cause damage for insubordination.

Thankfully, he released me and climbed out of the open door.

I heard him tell the stocky driver to keep an eye on me but not to touch me under any circumstances.

It sickened me because the tone in his voice said he wanted me all to himself.

I would rather die than find out what awaited me with this overly possessive man.

My thoughts raced as the driver climbed in, then pulled off.

It took everything in me to calm my racing heart.

I had to get the fuck out of here. I silently remained crumbled on the buttery cool backseat, waiting for my opportunity to get out of this situation.

I would be a fool to allow my fear to keep me frozen in place.

I didn’t ask for this shit, and whatever Ry had promised this man wasn’t my business.

I was getting the fuck out of here even if it cost me my life.

I don’t know how long we sat before I saw the driver glance at me through the rearview mirror.

Since I hadn’t moved an inch, he opened his door and slid off the seat.

I held my breath as I watched him look back at the truck, then forward, before walking closer to the brick building we were parked behind.

When I saw him begin to unbuckle his pants, I knew this was my chance to run.

I discreetly pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t open.

Fuck... child lock! I almost gave up hope until I remembered the driver’s door was still open.

In a split second, I decided to risk it all and hopped across the center console.

When I got in the driver’s seat, I slammed the door closed, then jerked the truck into drive all in one motion.

The tires squealed loudly as I took off down the alley.

I had no clue where I was, but when I got to the end, I made a right and pressed the gas with every pound in my body.

The truck barreled into an urban neighborhood of apartments.

The layout was a maze, but eventually, I made it to a street lined with traffic lights.

I tried to read the sign when I heard a roaring engine behind me.

I didn’t need superpowers to know I was being pursued.

I took a left and violated every traffic law I had been taught.

It was hard maneuvering through traffic in such a large vehicle, but I managed to navigate it.

My freedom was on the line, and I wasn’t giving that up.

Every time I thought I’d lost them, they gained on me again.

I wasn’t sure if it was because I wasn’t familiar with the area and they were or what, but I started to lose hope until a call came through on the screen.

It got my brain juices flowing, and something told me that they were probably tracking this big bitch, so I needed to get on foot.

I approached another apartment complex. I figured it would be easier to get lost there than to be exposed in this truck.

Glancing in my rearview mirror, I didn’t see any lights, so I whipped along the curb, not even caring that the front tires were on the sidewalk.

Placing the truck in park, I pushed the door open, hopped out, and sprinted toward the back of the apartments.

Because it was early in the morning, there wasn’t anyone outside but me.

I heard that same roaring engine as I disappeared behind the last building.

My heart was beating out of my chest as I sprinted with no destination in mind.

I just knew I had to get away. When I heard yelling in the distance, I accelerated faster than I even knew possible.

One minute I was running for my life, and the next I was being snatched backward by an arm around my waist. I began screaming bloody murder, too afraid of what would happen if I were taken back to the stranger in the truck.

A hand was slammed over my mouth, muffling my screams. I was certain this was the end, not even caring that I was crying hysterically.

“Shh... shh... I got you, baby girl. Chill out, they’re coming.” A deep, low voice vibrated every nerve ending in my body when it exploded through my eardrums.

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, I heard feet thumping against the pavement.

I tensed and tried to remain calm as two men raced past where this stranger had me tucked around a corner.

He held us in place until they were gone.

Slowly, his head lowered, and I knew he was looking down at me.

I couldn’t see his eyes, though, because a black hood covered them.

“They’re gone, so I’m going to remove my hand now.” He paused as if he were waiting for me to acknowledge what he’d said. I nodded my head once, letting him know I understood. He released his hand from my mouth and stepped back at least six feet. “You should be good now.”

I began shaking my head, feeling the adrenaline in my body begin to decrease, and the laziness of the drugs return. It was like I lost control of my body as I started pacing and scratching my skin from the stress.

“No, no. They’re going to find me. He sold me.

That man wanted to hurt me. I can’t go back there.

I need to run. I don’t know where I am. Where am I?

I’m scared. Help me, please. Where am I?

” It was like once I started talking, I couldn’t stop rambling, trying to make sense of everything.

I bent over, feeling so out of control, continuing to cry.

“Yo, what the fuck is wrong with her?” someone asked from somewhere beyond the haze of my eyes.

“I’on know. You good, baby girl?” It was that voice that sounded like a quiet, stormy night. The kinda voice that would put you straight to bed. I wanted to focus on it, but I wasn’t myself. I had no control over what was happening to me.

The pacing began again. “Oh my God… Oh my God… Help me, please. Don’t let them take me.

I don’t know them. My brother... He… Please help me.

Where am I? I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.

” I kept rambling and eventually stopped pacing and dropped to my knees, trying to make sense of my jumbled thoughts.

Nothing made sense. It didn’t even feel like I was in my body anymore.

“Bro, what the fuck are you doing? Leave her ass out here. This is a bad idea.”

My body rocked from side to side as someone lifted me. “Shut that shit up and get the door, Jah. I can’t leave her out here like this. Something ain’t right.”

“Ain’t right... ain’t right... ain’t right...” I mumbled, repeating what was said until the world faded to darkness for a second time.