Page 31 of Trading In A Broken Heart

Jabari paid for dinner, and we got up from the table. When I first left the house, I had already made up in my mind that I was gon’ fuck the shit out of him, but now, I wasn’t so sure. Going home sounded like the better option.

“What now?” Jabari asked when he held the door open to the restaurant.

“Take me home,” I simply told him as I neared his Range Rover.

He opened the door for me and asked, “You sure you’re ready to take it in already?”

“I said take me home, nigga.” I yanked the door from him and shut it. Shit like that pissed me off. I’d tell someone one thing, and then they’d question me as if they didn’t hear what I’d said.

“I knew something was bothering you from how you was looking in the restaurant. I’ma chuck that shit up as menopause. The only reason I ain’t gon’ spazz on yo’ ass right now,” Jabari said when he got into the truck. My mouth slacked. This lil nigga had me fucked up.

“You lucky I don’t have on a belt or else I’d take it off and whup your lil nappy-headed ass.” This was the exact reason I didn’t want to fuck with these lil young niggas.

Jabari drove me to the house and didn’t waste any time speeding off as soon as my feet touched the ground. The door wasn’t even closed by the time he drove off. Nigga was being sassy as fuck, but once he calmed down, he was gon’ be right back blowing me up.

As I stepped onto the porch and placed my key into the door, I heard a noise come from behind me. Goosebumps covered my entire frame. Slowly, I turned to see who was behind me, and my heart fell out my ass when I saw him standing there. Travis.

“What are you doing here?” I asked and turned around and opened my door.

“Don’t play stupid with me. You know exactly why I’m here.” He stepped up behind me. I slipped into the door and went to push it closed on him, but he caught it with his foot.

“Go away, Travis, before I call the police.”

He chuckled. “What the fuck do you think they gon’ do to me? I can fire everyone on that fucking force.” He pushed the door in on me, and I stumbled back. This monster was really standing in my house right now.

It’d been over seven years since I’d last seen this man. He’d moved away from the city and moved back when he ran for governor. I almost shitted bricks when I first saw him. I prayed to God that he wouldn’t win that election, and he did. Now, he was back lurking around here, and I knew exactly what he was looking for.

“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance,” I told him, meaning every word.

“Where is she?”

The corner of my mouth lifted, and I replied, “Somewhere you’ll never be able to get to her.”

I blamed myself for him getting to her the first time. I should’ve opened my mouth and told her daddy what happened, but that was a secret that I’d been holding onto for years.

“There’s nowhere in this city that she can hide from me. You can willingly hand her over, or I’ll find her.”

“Over my dead body.”

Travis’s hand wrapped tightly around my throat, and he backed me into the wall. “That shit can be arranged, Rochelle.” I tried to swallow, but it clogged my throat. “Don’t worry. I’ll find her.” Releasing me, he left out of the house, leaving my front door standing wide open. That wasn’t even my concern right now. I grabbed my phone and went straight to my messages.

Me: He just came by here looking for her.

A couple days later

My body jerked. I opened my eyes, and all I saw was the interstate. “What the fuck!” I jumped up. Savion was in the driver’s seat, driving while I was buckled into the passenger seat. How didn’t I feel him get me out of my bed? It was dark outside. According to the clock on the car, one in the morning.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Relax,” was the only thing he said as he focused on the road.

I looked down and saw that I was dressed in a pair of black tights and a cropped T-shirt. A frown plastered on my face as I looked back over at Savion. “You love stripping me out of my clothes.”

“You’re talking like I raped you or something. You are my wife.” I didn’t know how to feel about that response. I just lifted the seat to see if I could get a hint of where he was taking me.

Atlanta.

The sign zoomed by. I quietly sat there, waiting for the car to come to a stop. When it finally did, we were in front of the aquarium.