My parents were right.
Once again.
Only this time, I wasn’t running away from Emery. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t concerned with why someone would want me to drop the case. My thoughts swirled with the possibilitythat this could be my family’s doing, but just as quickly as the thought entered my mind, it ceased. I knew for a fact they wouldn’t want me dead.
It had to be someone who really wanted to see Emil and Ellis locked away that badly. I didn’t know, but I sure as hell didn’t want to find out if this was someone out to get them.
“Oh my God. This can’t be real.”
“Let’s get you some things, then I’m going to take you to my estate. You’ll be safe there.”
“And how long will I have to stay there?”
“I’d prefer you stay forever, but I ain’t gon’ force you. However, once you’re officially an Aldana, that ass will be staying permanently.”
“I’m scared, Emmy.”
“Don’t be. As long as you have me, nothing will ever happen to you. Do you trust me?”
“I always have until you omitted the truth.” I didn’t mean to bring it up, but he did lie to me, which caused us to drift apart. I wanted to trust him because he was a different man than he was back then, and he’d only kept a secret from me. A big one, no less.
“That shit is the past, Yummy. You know everything, and I’m not hiding anything from you. So, what’s it going to be? We’re getting your shit, or do I have to implement some force?”
“I thought you said you wouldn’t force me?”
“To live with me, Yum. But until I get to the bottom of this, my home will be where you will be.”
I tossed my hands up. “Fine.” I wasn’t going to argue with him, because I really was scared that someone was going to harm me. It made me wonder if Ishoulddrop off the case. I walked into the house and looked around, making sure nothing had been stolen. Everything seemed to be in place except the painting over my safe, which seemed crooked.
I walked over and removed it, seeing that it was still closed and locked. I opened it up just to be sure and to get my loose cash and the Aldanas files. I could tell it had been tampered with, but because they couldn’t get inside, they weren’t able to take anything. I began taking everything out, then went to pack my luggage.
“Yumi!” That was Carmen calling my name.
“In the bedroom!” I yelled back. A few moments later, she appeared in my doorway, looking confused.
“Uhhh, did somebody die?”
“What? No.” I chuckled.
“Oh, because them niggas look like they’re ready to haul a dead body out of here!” I laughed. “What’s going on?”
“Someone broke into my house. They left me a letter saying if I don’t drop off the Aldana case, they’re going to kill me.”
“Wait, what? No way!”
“It’s true. When I took on the case, I didn’t think it would be like this,” I confessed, sitting on my bed as a bit of solemnness washed over me. Carmen came and sat next to me.
“I’m sure you didn’t. But we both know why you took on their case.” With humor in her tone, she pushed her body into mine lightly.
I smiled lightly. “Yeah, but I dropped it after seeing him. Then Salah told me that this could be the case that makes me a partner. You know how long I’ve been wanting this?”
“I do. But what if you don’t win? Did she reveal the con to that?”
“No, but there is no what if. I can’t talk about the case, but if I win this, I’m for sure going to gain that title. My family doesn’t understand, because they’re allowing their hate for Emery to prevent them from seeing how beneficial this is for me.”
“There has to be something deeper behind their hate for him.”
“I don’t know what it is, but what I do know is that someone is threatening to hurt me.”
