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 fuckedwith. 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.
