Holding my finger up to my lips, I shushed her but rushed over to check her out.
“You have to be very quiet, OK?”
Quickly, she nodded her head before whispering, “Yes ma’am.”
I checked the window, hoping to get out of the house the easy way. It was painted shut, so I couldn’t open it without making too much noise. I cursed under my breath as I committed to the idea of going out the same way I came.
“Is my Uncle Darius still here?”
“Was Darius here, baby?”
“Yes. I saw him talking to the man by the door. He didn’t see me. I asked did he come to get me, but the mean man said sit back down until your daddy gets here.”
“Well, I’m here to get you. Stay right here until I come back for you,” I instructed, kissing the top of her head.
I needed to make sure the coast was clear before I moved her. My feet were light as I slipped out of the room and moved down the hall.
“Damn, I thought you fell in,” the man from earlier joked.
“Hands up!” I demanded.
“What?”
I fired a warning shot, shooting past his head and making his hands shoot straight up in the air.
“Put them behind your head, and don’t try anything crazy.”
I only had one pair of cuffs on me, so hopefully, I didn’t run into anyone else. As I was cuffing him, the door burst open, causing me to whip around to see where the sound came from.
“Not this cop bitch again!” Darius bellowed.
“Hands up, Darius!”
“What the fuck are you talking about? You better lower that gun.”
“Put your fucking hands up. It’s over.”
“Ain’t nothing over. I thought your baby daddy took care of you. Aren’t you suspended or something?”
“I’m not gon’ ask you again.”
I didn’t have time to try to analyze what he said. All I wanted to do was get out of here with Amira. I could let the cops or whoever sort him out. I only wanted Amira. He lunged at me, causing me to send my second warning shot into his thigh.
“Ahh! You bitch!” He crumpled to the floor. Spit flew from his mouth as he bellowed. I didn’t give more than one warning. He should have been there for the first one.
“Amira,” I said, opening the door without taking my gun off Darius. “Close your eyes and cover your ears for me, baby.”
I picked her up, securing her body against me as I moved toward the door with my eyes glued to Darius. As soon as my hand was on the doorknob, I burst out of it and ran chest first into group of men. The bile rising in my throat settled as soon as my eyes found him. It was Nicholas.
“Jameela?” His eyes were wild as recognition set in.
“I got her, Nicholas. I got her.”
His eyes danced between me and Amira as he seemed to put things together in his head. The other men moved around us and entered the house. I could hear yelling and commotion, but I didn’t bother to look back. My mission was accomplished.
“Como estas, princesa? Estás herido?”
“No, I just want you,” Amira replied but kept clinging to my shirt.
