Page 54 of The Devoted Husband

“I was asleep. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I was worried about you. Look at what I sent you.”

The longer she watched Jones’s video, the more infuriated she became.

“I need you to get out of the house. I’ll meet you at—”

“It’s too late. People are here. They...” Her eyes widened. “There’s like ten people outside. They broke the window, and now, they’re trying to kick down the door.”

“Okay. Listen to me. I’m on my way, but I probably won’t get there in time. I need you to go to the garage and leave. Even if they try to find you, you should get someplace where other people are around.”

Sade shook her head as she grabbed two knives from the kitchen and headed back to their room.

“No. I’m tired of running and being uprooted.

I’m tired of hotels.” She laughed. “I’m tired of Jones.

” As she grabbed her 9 mm, Sade told him, “If anyone trespasses and enters our home, I’m going to kill them.

And I pray to God that Jones is out there too. ”

Dante sighed and cursed under his breath. “All right, Smiley. I’m doing one-twenty. I’m trying to get there as quickly as I can.”

More glass shattered as Sade nodded her agreement. Voices spilled, and footsteps pounded on the tile.

“Okay, Tay. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“If anything happens to me . . .”

“It won’t. Please , bae.”

“If you come in here, I’m going to shoot!” Sade warned, ending the call and extending the gun.

She heard laughter before three women rounded the corner and entered her room.

“You killed my sister, bitch?” The woman with wide eyes and curly hair lifted a bat. “Now, I’m going to kill you.”

As the woman charged in Sade’s direction, Sade fired.

The other two women screamed and fled the room—bypassing bullets in the process.

Sade hopped over the woman’s body, making sure no one else was in their home.

She released more bullets, causing everyone else who was outside to flee.

Her entire body trembled as she slid down the wall.

Ragged breaths escaped her as her grip on the gun loosened.

“Fuck!” she roared before finally releasing her tears. Cramps caused Sade to grab her stomach as she groaned. Her baby’s discomfort only increased her pain—emotionally and physically. “I’m sorry, little one,” she whispered, inhaling a sizzling breath. “Mama’s so sorry.”

Resting her head against the wall, Sade continued to breathe deeply. When the cramps subsided, she called 911.