Page 165 of Prime II: The Banks Empire

Fear.

I couldn’t do this to him. Couldn’t let him watch me get dragged out of here kicking and screaming. Couldn’t traumatize him all over again.

I stopped struggling.

“Okay.” My voice came out broken. Barely a whisper. “Okay. I’ll go.”

“Zainab…” Prime reached for me.

“Prime.” I looked at him. Let him see everything in my eyes—the fear, the desperation, the love. “Take care of Yusef. Take care of our baby. Please.”

“I’m gonna get you out.” His voice was fierce. Absolute. “You hear me? I’m gonna get you out. Tonight. I swear to God, Zainab. I’m gonna fix this.”

The handcuffs closed around my wrists.

They turned me toward the door. Started walking me through the crowd. Past the cameras that were still rolling. Past the guests who were still frozen in shock. Past everything I’d built, everything I’d dreamed of, everything I’d finally let myself believe I could have.

As they pushed me through the entrance, I caught one last glimpse of the crowd.

Vivica Banks was standing near the back.

And she was smirking.Then the door closed behind me, and my dream turned to ash.

To be continued…