The line went dead, but it didn’t matter. I dropped my phone and took off toward my wife.
“Tiffany!” I yell as I race to her.
“Leave me alone, Nico.”
The moment I yelled Tiffany’s name, Jake stopped in his tracks and turned to me. He’s too far from my wife to get to her. Ghost was running behind me. I could hear his heavy footsteps hitting the pavement.
The red car lets out a shrill sound. I grab Tiffany from the back and yank her to the ground away from the cars just as the red car explodes. My wife and I roll across the pavement a few times before stopping. Large pieces of shrapnel rain down around us. I can even feel the heat of the fire nearby.
“Are you okay?” I ask, leaning up from her.
She looks dazed, and there is debris on her face, but she’s alive. I spot blood on her arm as she lifts her hand. She has a few scrapes going up her arm. When she tries to touch her head, she gasps.
“My wrist,” she whimpers.
By this time, Ghost, Roc, and Jake are standing over us. Ghost helps me up, and I immediately pull Tiffany to her feet. Her G- Wagon has been destroyed along with the red car beside it. Had Tiffany made it to that car, I know my wife would be gone too.
Rage boils up in me. The lava moves through my veins like water through a pipe. I’m so on edge my body is fucking vibrating.
“What’s going on?” Her voice pulls me back from the brink of exploding. Her tone is elevated, which tells me she’s in shock.
When I turn to face her, I spot a cut on her forehead that I didn’t see before. The cut is small and nearly in her hairline, but it’s bleeding.
I reach for her, but she shakes her head.
“No. Tell me this isn’t real. Tell me this is all you, Nico. Please.”
The fear in her eyes eats at me. I hate that someone has caused her so much trauma that she’s having this got damn episode. I wanted to protect my wife from this bullshit, but it seems I can’t.
“It’s not me, baby. I wouldn’t do this to you.” I’m not mad at her for asking. Hell, I had her kidnapped, but I would never put her in this type of danger.
Her entire body is shaking. I want to touch her so badly, but I don’t want to freak her out anymore.
In the distance is the shrill sound of sirens. I turn to Ghost.
“Get Maseo and the crew out here. I want this place canvassed before the cops start collecting shit.” Ghost nods before walking off.
Slowly and gently, I approach my wife and pull her into my arms. She comes willingly. I hate to admit how much of a relief that is.
“What’s going on? Why would someone do this? I don’t want to die.” Her words come out damn near on top of each other.
I hold her against my chest as she sobs, trying to make sense of this shit. The entire time I’m comforting her, my anger coils inside me like snakes in a snake pit. The muthafucker came for my wife. There will be no stopping me. I was going to kill his ass.
chapter Twenty-one
Vacation
Nico
Ipace in front of my desk. I have yet to tame the burning rage inside me. My hands have not unclenched since that phone call. I can still hear his voice in my head. The deep, taunting voice filled with laughter and pride. I shut my eyes as I envision the day I take the lights out of that son of a bitch’s eyes.
Ghost knocks on the office door before he, Jake and Roc walk in. I had a lot of guards. But only those three are allowed in and out of my house.
“Maseo has checked the cameras at the restaurant. He says the only shot he got is of a white male in a red baseball hat.”
“Sound familiar?” Jake asks.
“Same hat description of the guy following you that day.”
