It’s Jade.
And when I check my notifications, I see that there are thirteen missed calls from her.
“I need to take this.”
“Sure.”
I grab my phone and head out into the hallway.
“Hello?” I answer with an attitude. How dare Roman use his assistant to communicate with me when he couldn’t even say two words to me this morning.
“Bitch!” Jade is crying hysterically. “Why didn’t you pick up the phone?”
A foreboding chill covers my skin. Jade is not the emotional type. Something must be very wrong.
“What is it, Jade?” I ask reluctantly. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Roman.”
“What about him?”
A tear rolls down my face in anticipation of whatever she’s going to tell me. I know whatever it is isn’t good.
“They shot him, Elizabeth. Those fuckers shot him.”
At first, I can hardly breathe.
Next begins the uncontrollable watering inside of my mouth.
And now I’ve finally thrown my entire lunch up.
Jacob finds me on my knees, crouching in pain, and covered in vomit.
“My God, Elizabeth, let me get you a doctor.”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and look up at him through tear-filled eyes.
“No, Jacob, I need to go home now.”
And then I pray to God for a miracle.
18
ROMAN
Ican smell the salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean as I glide down the coast in my yacht. The sun reflects off the side of Elizabeth’s face in a way that makes her look almost ethereal. She’s never looked more happy and it makes me feel like a superhero knowing that I put that smile on her face. Then there’s my son. He’s jumping with joy in his favorite car bouncer toy that he loves. Not a care in the world.
Oblivious to the subtle rock of the waves, Elizabeth continues to beam as the staff serves us a sumptuous brunch, and after the night of fucking we’ve had, we need to replenish. She dips her pinky finger in a small bowl of applesauce and slides it inside Knox’s mouth. He abruptly stops his jumping and savors the fresh taste. His reaction to food entertains me. He’s a boy after my own heart. I can’t wait for him to try a peanut M&M one day. The perfect food. He’s going to love them.
As the ship takes a slight turn toward our destination, I realize something. I don’t know where the hell we’re going. I don’t remember giving the captain a destination plan. Are we going north to the Cape or are we headed south toward Miami? I have real estate in both places. I just don’t remember what we decided.
I open my mouth to ask Elizabeth if she remembers where we’re headed, knowing damn well that she’s probably planned some child friendly outings wherever we’re going, but… I can’t.
This is not like me.
Something is strange.
Every time I try to open my mouth and ask her a question, she can’t hear me. Why can’t she hear me? My heart feels like it wants to burst outside of my chest and not in a good way. I think this is what true fear feels like. I know something is very wrong and that I am at the center of it, but what?
