Page 33 of The Devoted Husband

“You need to be careful,” Simone warned. “The girls are talking, and Dominique has her eyes on you.”

“She likes you.”

Simone cackled, covering her mouth to silence her laughter as eyes shifted in their direction.

“Yo, I don’t know what I expected you to say, but it sure wasn’t that.

Just be careful, okay? I’ma put something under your pillow to help keep you safe.

Try not to be by yourself unless you’re in the common areas.

Dominque has a huge ego and doesn’t take rejection lightly—especially if it’s public. If she gives you a hard time, find me.”

“Who is that?” Dominique asked. “Your man?”

They didn’t have official titles, but Dante was her man.

He was no longer just her best friend and the father of her child.

He’d expressed his desire to be her husband—still.

Even after finding out about her and Atlas.

Even after finding out about the baby. He didn’t even ask how long she knew about her pregnancy.

..if she knew when she left him...and Sade was grateful because she’d never volunteer that information.

“My husband,” Sade corrected, pulling the picture close. She didn’t want to share Dante with anyone...in any capacity...except their child.

“You think he’d mind if I took care of you while you were in here?” Dominique asked, stroking Sade’s cheek. Sade immediately flicked her hand away with a scowl. “I think he might want me to,” Dominique continued. “You’re too pretty and petite not to have someone in here looking out for you.”

“I can look out for myself.”

Dominque chuckled and rolled her tongue across her cheek. “Yeah, I heard they think you got a couple of bodies behind you, but I don’t believe that. You look too sweet to harm a fly.”

Sade swallowed back a chuckle. Leaning forward, she whispered, “Looks can be deceiving.”

“Ooh, I like you even more now.” When Dominique’s hand lowered to Sade’s thigh, Sade warned her. “If you don’t get your hand off me, you’re going to become victim number three.”

“Damn!” one of the women who was with her yelled before they all erupted into laughter.

Except Dominique. Dominique frowned. “Did you just threaten me?” she asked, hovering over Sade.

“That’s not a threat; it’s a warning.”

“Break that up over there,” the officer on duty yelled, banging her baton against the counter.

Sade didn’t bother looking to see if Dominque would leave. Instead, she returned her attention to her drawing. It seemed Simone was right about Dominique. Sade could only hope she would take her charges seriously and not try her in any way.

Just After Dinner . . .

Sade was uncomfortably bloated. She hadn’t had one vegetable since she’d been processed.

As much as she appreciated the apples and bananas, they worsened the bloating.

Her diet had never been heavy on processed meats and starch, which was what almost every meal she’d been given consisted of.

For dinner, they were served corn bread, mashed potatoes, and what was supposed to be hamburger steak.

It tasted so artificial Sade didn’t bother trying to force it down.

She was glad she was finally able to order commissary because otherwise, she’d die of starvation surviving off jail food.

Dante had put enough money on the phone and in her account to order and talk for the rest of the week.

He was so confident he’d have her out by then, but if needed, he’d add more money.

Her mouth was watering at the thought of the salad and chicken wings she had ordered.

After unsuccessfully using the bathroom, Sade washed her hands and groaned at the sight of Dominique standing at the doorway. She rubbed her palms together with a crooked grin as her minions hung a sheet over the doorway to block anyone’s view of what was about to happen inside.

The longer Dominique stalked her, as if she were her prey, the more frustrated Sade became.

She wouldn’t be in this situation if she hadn’t valued Dante more than she valued herself—her freedom.

But even that thought made her smile because it felt like he finally loved her more than himself.

To have gone through all of that and not be able to be loved by him because she had to spend the rest of her life in prison sent a sharp pain through Sade’s heart.

“You gon’ give me that pussy...or do I have to take it?” Dominique asked, circling Sade.

“You can try.”

Dominique’s movements were swift as she wrapped her arm around Sade’s neck and pressed her into her body.

With a roar, Sade leaned forward and flipped Dominique forward, causing her body to crash against the sink.

Then Sade straddled her and punched her repeatedly.

When one of her friends pulled Sade off her, Dominique quickly shuffled to her feet and put Sade in a headlock.

Sade pulled the shank Simone had given her out of her waistband and used it to slice Dominique’s arm, causing her to scream.

One of the women hit Sade in the back of her head, causing her to stumble forward on her palms and knees.

When she grabbed Sade’s hair and tried to hit her in the side of her face, Sade jammed the shank into her side.

The sound of feet shuffling in their direction caused the women to retreat from the bathroom quickly, but it was no use.

Simone rushed into the bathroom, effortlessly taking the shank from Sade to hide.

The officer on duty had called for backup, and they immediately pressed the women against the wall.

“Everybody out, now !” Office Freeman yelled.

Sade’s eyes locked on Dominique’s as she held her bleeding arm. The grin that Dominique gave her suggested this wasn’t over. But at least she knew now that Sade was no one to fuck with.