Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 130761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 654(@200wpm)___ 523(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 654(@200wpm)___ 523(@250wpm)___ 436(@300wpm)
My heart skipped a beat.
“You are a good man, Xavier Deyes.” I placed my hand on his cheek. AK looked at me in surprise, and knowing he was the most special man I would ever meet, I spoke from my heart. “I . . . I love you,” I whispered and saw his eyes widen. “I do not expect you to say it back. I just . . . I just wanted you to know that my heart is now in your hands. You have honor, and pride, and the kindest soul in existence.” I tried to keep my voice from breaking.
I tried to hide this . . . goodbye.
“Fuck, Red.” He rolled me onto my back, his eyes searching my face. “I love you too.” My heart swelled more than I thought possible. And AK kissed me. He kissed me, and with such grace and adoration, made love to me, slowly, passionately, lovingly.
Afterwards, still wrapped in AK’s arms, I fell asleep. And when I saw Sapphira in my head again, begging me for help, I took her cold, bruised hand and promised, “I am coming for you, sweetheart. I will be with you soon.”
*****
I stopped at the edge of Lilah’s home. Just one more time. I had to see her and Grace one more time. Grace was playing with dolls on the lawn. A smile came to my lips when I saw Ky sitting opposite her playing with dolls too. “Why the fuck am I doing this shit?” he said to Lilah, who was watching them happily.
“Because you are her papa and she wanted to play with you.”
“You wanna learn how to dismantle a bike, Grace? Get your hands dirty with oil and shit instead? It’ll be fun.”
“No.” She thrust a doll at him. “We’re playing dolls. And Jamie-Rae needs to go to the salon to get her hair fixed.”
“Fuck my life!” Ky groaned and took the doll from her hand. Lilah laughed at her husband, and my heart ached at how perfect they looked. She had found it—true happiness.
“Orrrrr,” Grace sang. “We could play hide-and-seek again?”
“Again?” Lilah said in exasperation. “What is it with you and this game?”
“It’s my favorite!”
“Done.” Ky got to his feet. “Anything but this doll horseshit.”
I backed away from the edge of the backyard when I saw Grace head toward the woods to hide. I dashed through to the path, never looking back. I knew it would be nearly time, if Ky’s information had been correct. I kept running until I broke through the trees and onto the edge of the road. There were no cars or trucks yet. It was quiet, so I stood and waited.
I fought my nerves. I knew what would be waiting for me. But I had to do it. AK would be safe, and I knew she was there. The dreams were too real to be dreams. He had her. I knew it. Something in my gut told me I had to find her.
I had felt something click into place last night as AK slept, holding me close. A truth that I knew was real.
He had her.
I heard the sound of an engine coming from the bend in the road and took a deep breath. A white van—the one Ky had told AK about last night—approached. I steeled my nerves. This would be my only chance to get to Sapphira. Ky had said they came once a day. This was my only chance. AK read me too easily. If I left it any longer, he would know something was wrong. If I told him what I had remembered, he would never let me do this. But I would not risk his life, or the lives of his brothers. I fisted my hands in an effort to stifle the trembling. The van came to an abrupt stop.
A man I did not recognize came out of the van, smiled and shook his head. I did not know him, but it was obvious he knew me. He quickly looked around the woods suspiciously. “It can’t be this fucking easy.” I tried to take a step back. A gun was suddenly aimed at me, two more men coming out of the van with their guns out too.
“Get in,” the first man ordered, and another man opened the back door of the van. Terror held my legs in place and I stayed rooted to the spot. The man nearest me lurched forward, wrapping his arms around my waist. I held back my instinct to scream for help. My captor dragged me toward the van. We were only a step from the back doors when I heard a sound that made my body jerk in horror and the blood drain from my face.
“Found you, Aunt Phebe!”
I turned my head, only to see Grace burst through the trees and stumble to a stop at the edge of the road. Her blue eyes widened when she saw me in the man’s arms. “Run!” I screamed, sheer terror seizing control of my body. “Run, Grace! RUN!” A hand slapped over my mouth, stopping my frantic order. Grace turned, face pale, and moved to run back into the woods. She had barely made it five yards before the second man had grabbed her by her hair and slammed his hand over mouth.