Her mouth opened as if she wanted to speak, but she had no words. She felt like a deer in the headlights as she stared into her friends’ concerned faces.
“You okay?” Kyomi whispered.
“Yo, who the fuck was that? Glimmer, you done already pissed me the fuck off. Don’t push it. Whoever you wit’ right now, tell them to bring ya ass back to me before I come find you,” Trick snapped. She could tell he was infuriated, which terrified her.
“I’m not coming back,” she said weakly as she averted her eyes from Kyomi and Deja, ignoring their questioning gazes.
Trick laughed menacingly in her ear. “That ain’t how this shit works. Since you seem confused, let me break it down to you. Bring ya ass back here so we can get married, or I’ma make sure ya daddy gets fucked real good in that jail cell he’s rotting in before his neck is sliced. Get back here by the end of the day.”
The phone went dead silent. Glimmer pulled the cell away from her ear with fresh tears in her eyes.
“What happened? What she say?” Deja asked. Her dark brows dipped in concern as her pouty lips poked out in a pout.
Glimmer couldn’t speak. It seemed like all she could do for the past twenty-four hours was cry. She covered her face with her hands as she accepted the fact that she would have to go back to Trick. If there was any way for Glimmer to protect her father, she would.
Kyomi rubbed her back. “Glimm, what happened? Talk to us.”
Glimmer gently nudged her away as she flung the wonderful smelling covers off her and proceeded to scoot toward the edge of the bed. “I have to get out of here.”
“Wait, what?” Deja asked while Kyomi placed a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder.
Glimmer nudged her away again, harder this time. “Stop, Ky. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” She sobbed as she stood to her feet, wincing at the aches in her body.
Deja rounded the bed while Kyomi hopped up. They both stood in front of Glimmer, wanting an explanation. Glimmer didn’t know if she could offer one. All she knew was she needed to make her way back to Trick’s house by the end of the night.
“Don’t make what harder than it has to be? What the hell is going on? You need to be back in bed and resting. No offense, girl, but you look fucking exhausted. You?—”
“Stop.” Glimmer held her hands up. “Just let me go. Please.” She whimpered as she fought not to crumple to the floor.
“Go where?” Kyomi asked with tears in her eyes, ever the empath.
“I know like hell you ain’t talkin’ ’bout goin’ back to that nigga,” Deja snapped, ever the aggressor with the big heart.
Glimmer immediately got defensive. She knew Deja loved harshly, and she only wanted what was best for Glimmer, but right now, she couldn’t handle the tough love.
“I have to. You have no idea the pressure I’m under. You have no idea what I’ve been through. If I don’t go back, peopledie. Do you understand that?” Glimmer argued with her voice elevated.
By now, her voice came out in a panicked screech, and Deja and Kyomi tried to calm her down. They talked over one another until their voices meshed into one roar of emotion.
“The hell is goin’ on in here?” Haze’s voice cut through all the noise, and all three women instantly fell silent.
Dread filled Glimmer’s heart because she knew her mission had just gotten one hundred times harder as her eyes landed on Haze and Gideon standing just inside the room.
“Somebody answer him,”Gideon said, his voice softer than Haze’s had been but still demanding.
“Glimm is tryna leave,” Deja tattled as she cut her eyes at Glimmer.
Gideon’s eyes traveled to her. She was so gorgeous to him, even in distress. She leaned against the bed in discomfort. He knew her ankle still hurt, and he made a mental note to grab her an ice pack in a minute. First, he needed to figure out what the hell was going on and why the three women who had just been reunited were arguing.
Glimmer rolled her eyes. “I thought I wasn’t a prisoner?”
“You’re not, bookie, but you aren’t safe goin’ back to that man either.” Kyomi rubbed Glimmer’s arm affectionately. Gideonwished it was him that was comforting her. He didn’t know what it was about Glimmer Delacroix, but he had the constant urge to cater to her ever since she popped up here the day before.
He noticed how Glimmer avoided Kyomi’s gaze. Kyomi always had a way of making people fold. She just had a way about her. It was her kindness and childlike innocence. Glimmer must have understood that, too, because she looked like she was trying to remain strong.
“You tryna go back to that nigga?” Haze asked as he looked directly at Glimmer, who avoided his gaze as well.
“I have to,” she muttered. “He’ll have my dad killed if I don’t.”
