Wren
“No!” I screamed out like a wounded animal, gaining Detective Ricardo’s attention. He marched over to where I stood and lifted the tape. I flew over there and dropped to my knees next to the body. Tears streamed my cheeks, dripping off my chin. My body shook. Not because I was cold, but I was terrified to see what was underneath this blanket. Detective Ricardo pulled it back, and I blankly stared down at him.
The body was burned severely. Like they were damn near unrecognizable, but something in me told me this wasn’t my man. I peeled the sheet back further and checked for the tattoos on his chest. It didn’t align with Maniac’s and I knew then, “This isn’t him.” The water works cut completely.
“Are you sure?” Detective Ricardo asked.
“I feel it in my soul that this isn’t Maniac.” I pressed my palms against the cold ground and lifted to my feet.
If this isn’t Maniac, then where is he?
“Wren!” Luxe yelled from behind the tape. She lifted it and strutted in my direction with her phone glowing in her hand. When she reached me, she leaned her mouth by my ear and said, “He’s safe.”
My heart rate slowed. “Where is he?” I couldn’t help but ask. This man knew how to give me a fucking heart attack.
“He just made it back to the house. I’ll take you home to him.”
“What about his car?” I asked her, pointing my thumb over my shoulder.
“Don’t worry about all that. C’mon.” Taking me by the hand, she pulled me toward the tape and we stepped underneath. I took one last glance over my shoulder as she dragged me to the car.
Hopping inside, I waited ’til she got in alongside me and pulled off.
What really happened? Why did he leave his car?
So many thoughts rushed my mind. I need answers, and Luxe wasn’t getting to him fast enough.
Luxe pulled into the driveway and a black Tahoe was parked up there by the door. Before the car even came to a complete stop, I lifted the door and hopped out. Running full speed to the door, I turned the knob and entered the house.
“Maniac!” I screamed out his name. My body gravitated toward the staircase ’til I heard something come from behind. When I turned around, I saw him standing there in the living room doorway with his shirt open. A dried blood stain rested at the corner of his mouth.
I dashed to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. My head rested against his lower chest. “I was worried about you. I thought you were dead.” Peeling away from him, I pounded my fists into his chest. “I thought you were fucking dead!” Tears streamed my cheeks. “Don’t fucking do that!”
Maniac caught me by the wrists and stared down into my face. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryna scare you.”
“What happened?”
Releasing me, he replied, “I had to go handle Cassius ass. Did you really think I was gon’ let him get away with the shit he did to you? That nigga had to pay.”
“So that was Cassius?”
Strolling away from me, he went over to the bar in the corner of the room and grabbed a bottle of his liquor. Popping it, he turned it up and gulped from it. “That nigga was causing too many problems for me. He had the fucking nerves to look me in my eyes and tell me that he was the one who shot at us and set Luxe up to get arrested. He thought it was gon’ be me who found that body. I’on know how the fuck he even knew ’bout our warehouse, but that’s a problem for another day.” Facing me, his eyes glossed over. “I couldn’t leave here ’til I knew that all the problems were handled.”
Zooming over to him, I palmed his face and said, “I’m just glad that you’re okay. That’s all that really matters.”
Maniac
TWO MONTHS LATER
Shit was back to running smoothly after I handled Cassius. We’d gone on our honeymoon and had a great time. Now, we were preparing for the baby to get here. Aside from that, Valentine’s Day rolled around on my ass, and I had to make sure that Wren has the best one ever. For the day, I sent her out to get pampered. I already had everything planned out. She’s to have a spa day, get her hair and nails done and then go back home to get dressed. I even went as far as to picking out her outfit for her.
I booked a penthouse suite downtown with a private chef. Shit could’ve easily been at the house, but I wanted to do something different. It took me a moment to figure out what I wanted to get her for Valentine’s Day, especially since I’ve been damn near giving her the fucking world ever since we met. I just can’t wait for her to see what it is.
Before I got to all of that with Wren, I needed to go by the house and take Ma her Valentine’s Day gift. Every year, I made sure to get her something around the holidays. It be hard tryingto pick out something for a woman that has everything she could ever want. Pops make damn sure of it.
Getting up from my desk, I exited my office, making sure to lock the door behind me. Stopping by Tina’s desk, I asked, “Did you wrap that shit for me?” gaining her attention.
She smiled up at me and reached down to the floor next to her feet. “Yes, sir.” Tina handed me the pink gift bag. I ain’t even bother to worry about looking down into it to see what it looked like.
