When Victor cupped her jaw, Taylor could see the anxiety clouding his beautiful green eyes. “I cannot lie. I am worried about the safety of our family. We have an enemy that we don’t know. We’re fighters, only we have no clue who to fight.”
“Yeah,” Taylor said, sighing. “But, between Linc, Bella, and Donna, they’ll uncover our enemy’s identity. “And the doctor is on the case too.”
“Let’s hope they come up with something soon. With all the Secret Service, we’re safe. Unfortunately, the rest of our family is charged with fending for themselves.”
Taylor looked up at him with a smirk. “Honey, I pity the fool that runs up on Lincoln, Donna, or anyone else in this family in a dark alley.”
“Yeah,” Victor agreed with a chuckle. “Meanwhile, you know my dad’s about to tell me that I need to get back on the campaign trail.”
Taylor raised a brow. “He’s right.”
Victor nodded. “I know,” he admitted with a sigh.
They entered the house and parted ways. While Victor met with his father, Taylor planned to check on Bella. She took the stairs and walked several hallways until she reached her bedroom. The strong aroma of weed smacked her in the face as she knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Bella called from the other side.
Taylor entered and smiled because Bella looked much better. But that wasn’t hard to do since she’d looked dead right after her attack. “I see you’re in here smoking the devil’s weed again.”
Bella giggled and took a pull from one of the pre-rolled blunts Victoria had left her. “This shit right here, friend, is better than any painkiller they could have given me in the hospital. I feel like a new woman.” Bella stretched her neck and twisted sothat Taylor could see the side of her face. “Did my face grow back yet?”
Taylor laughed and plopped down in a chair by her bed. “Shut up, stupid!”
Bella laughed and rubbed her jaw. “Feel like it’s growing back.”
Taylor leaned forward and caught her hand. “No, seriously, how do you feel?”
Bella sat up. Her expression turned serious. “I feel well... well enough to get out of this bed and hunt down the motherfuckahs the shot my man.”
“Well, shi-id, let’s get to it,” Taylor muttered. ?
CHAPTER 25
NIYAH
Xander pulled over in front of the medical examiner’s office. Niyah turned and looked back at the car that had been following them since they’d left the Creed Compound. She’d relented to Xander’s insistence that one of Lincoln’s men provide security as long as he stayed out of the way. Xander placed his hand on her shoulder. “I promise you won’t even know he’s there.”
Niyah turned and smiled. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’m grateful for the security.”
She could see relief in his expressive blue eyes. “Okay, good.”
“Time to make the donuts,” Niyah muttered, grabbing her backpack from the back seat.
Xander opened the door, climbed out of the front seat, and ran around to the passenger’s side. He opened the door and held out his hand to help her out of the car as if she were helpless. Niyah chuckled and accepted his hand. She stepped out of the car, startled by his large hand, cupping her jaw. He leaned down and kissed her lips before they parted to protest. But would she protest? The last time she was that close to him, she had longed for more.
Xander kissed her forehead. “Have a good day,” he whispered against her skin.
Niyah stepped back and looked into his eyes. He was tearing down the walls she had built around her heart. Surely, that had been his strategy all along. “I’ll see you later.”
“You will,” he responded with a sexy grin.”
Niyah walked off toward the entrance, knowing that Xander was staring at her ass. She didn’t dare turn around.However, she did throw that ass a little harder, giving him something to look at. When she got to the door, she giggled at her silliness and pushed inside.
A quick trip down the hall and around a corner landed Niyah at her office door. Only, before she could enter, she was approached by a pretty woman with long micro-braids. “Dr. Reed?” she addressed her with an unrecognizable foreign accent.
The woman was wearing a short, white, intern’s coat. Niyah shook away the sadness at the loss of her previous intern and smiled. “You found me,” she responded playfully.
The intern smiled in return and handed Niyah some paperwork. “I’m Katima Leer, your new intern.”
