Savings: $15,285.96
He nodded slowly. It wasn’t nearly enough to run from The Dessalinés Mob, but it was something, and something was better than nothing.
Boe glanced at her. “I don’t give a fuck what you don’t wanna do. We leave in the morning. Go pack.”
∞∞∞
After packing, Nivéa sat stiffly on the couch, Nyla tucked tight against her chest. It was seven thirty-six p.m., and sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. She kept tending to her baby, holding her a little closer than usual, too afraid that if she nodded off for even a second, Boe would do something even crazier than he already had.
Nivéa’s anxiety was through the roof. Her thoughts collided as she searched for a way out of the situation. Leaving with Boe in the morning wasn’t an option, no matter how many bags she had packed. But fighting him and trying to make a run for it wasn’t smart either. She had Nyla to think about.
Biting down on her bottom lip, Nivéa scanned the living room before glancing back at Boe. He tore his gaze from the TV and locked onto her, making it clear he was still alert and sharp. He hadn’t fallen asleep either. He was too busy watching her and worried she’d try something.
“You need to calm down.” He told her, as if he weren’t holding her hostage.
“How the fuck am I supposed to calm down in a situation like this?”
“I don’t know, but figure it out. You acting like we haven’t been together and in love for four fuckin’ years. Like you don’t know me. Just chill out. Don’t try anything stupid.”
I don’t know you at this point. She thought, but she didn’t dare voice it.
Instead, Nivéa let out a slow breath and leaned back into the couch, staring straight ahead. No matter how many times he told her to chill, her mind refused to slow down. Part of her hoped Caresha would pop up unexpectedly, loud and reckless like she sometimes did. But she knew better. It was way too late for that. Earlier, Caresha had mentioned she had to report to work early in the morning to work a double, which meant she would be calling it a night sooner than usual.
Then there was Crown. The thought of him settled heavily in her chest. She wished he would pop up and save her, even though she had begged him to stay away and just let her be. She had learned that if anyone could handle Boe, it was him.
God, she thought to herself, thinking she had no way out. But then another hour passed, and her phone went off, sparking an idea for how she could possibly escape the nightmare. The sound sliced through the quiet. Agitated, Boe pulled her phone from his pocket and shut it off.
“What the fuck you got an alarm set for this late?”
Nivéa hesitated before answering, taking a moment to breathe. “Ny usually wakes up around nine, and I give her a bottle. I set it early so I can have it warmed for her.”
It was a lie…a good one.
The truth was, she set that alarm every night to remind herself to activate the security system Crown had installed. Aftergoing so long without one, it wasn’t yet second nature for her, so she made it part of her routine. Before lying down, she would go into the app and set the house.
And right then, clarity hit her.
A wave of relief washed over Nivéa as the realization set in. All she had to do was get to her phone and press the panic button, triggering the silent alert. But that wasn’t possible because Boe had her phone. Her thoughts quickly darted to the touchscreen panel mounted in the kitchen. However, that wasn’t an option either, at least not right now. Not with him watching her every move like a hawk. He hadn’t let her out of his sight since he arrived, even following her to the restroom.
Nivéa shifted slightly on the couch, her heart pounding and her mind racing. She had a way out, but had to figure out how to reach it before it was too late.
“What are you doing?” She snapped, jolting from her thoughts when she noticed Boe scrolling through her phone. The last thing she needed was for him to find the home security app.
“Where the fuck did you meet Ahmad?” He asked, hatred burning in his eyes.
Nivéa rolled her eyes and exhaled, irritation bubbling up as she realized he was digging through her messages. But what frustrated her most was that he wasn’t even pronouncing Crown’s name correctly.
“Does that even matter?”
“Hell yeah, it matters. Who the fuck is that? And where’d you meet him? You got hearts next to the nigga’s name and shit.”
There was no way she was telling him about her t-shirt business and how she had met Crown there. Thinking fast, she reached for the first lie that felt believable.
“The gas station. He asked for my number.”
Boe stared at her for a long moment before scrolling through her photos. He noticed that the last few were of her and Nyla,with only one featuring the new nigga. He paused, studying the image closely. He swore he recognized the partially visible figure of Crown, but the shot was mostly obscured by Nivéa, who was lying against his chest rather than focusing on his face. The only discernible features were Crown’s beard, lips, and chest.
“You fucked this nigga?”
