I stood. Straightened my jacket. “Something I should’ve done the moment he refused to negotiate.”
Quest studied my face. Whatever he saw there made him nod slowly.
“Handle your business, bro. We got things covered here.”
Serenity and Zainabcame back from the kitchen, both holding glasses of wine.
“Everything okay?” Zainab asked, her eyes searching my face.
“It will be.” I crossed to her, taking her face in my hands. “Serenity’s gonna take you to pick up Mehar. Then y’all are going to my beach house. Rashid doesn’t know about it. You’ll be safe there.”
“What about you?”
“I got something to handle.”
Her eyes flickered with understanding. She knew. Maybe not the specifics, but she knew.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“Always.”
I kissed her, deeply. The kind of kiss that said everything I couldn’t put into words.
Then I pulled back and looked at Serenity. “Keep them safe.”
“You know I will.”
Grandma Rita was coming back down the stairs, a small suitcase in Justice’s hand. She stopped in front of Zainab and opened her arms.
“Come here, baby.”
Zainab hesitated, then stepped into the embrace. Rita held her tight, one hand patting her back.
“This isn’t your fault,” Rita said quietly. “You hear me? Whatever you’re thinking, whatever guilt you’re carrying—let it go. That man made his choices. You didn’t bring this on anyone.”
“But if I hadn’t?—”
“Hush.” Rita pulled back, her clouded eyes somehow finding Zainab’s. “You’re family now. And family protects family. My grandson loves you. That’s all that matters.”
Zainab’s eyes were wet. “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed. Just take care of that boy when we get him back. He’s gonna need all the love you can give him.”
“I will. I promise.”
Rita nodded, satisfied. Then she turned to me.
“Handle your business, Prentice. Make that man regret the day he stepped foot on my porch.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I watched them leave. Justice and Rita in the Range Rover. Serenity and Zainab in Serenity’s Tesla, heading to pick up Mehar.
Quest clasped my shoulder. “Whatever you’re about to do—make it count.”
“I intend to.”
The warehouse wasforty minutes away.
