“Whose truth, Jemma?” I yell.
“Ours, Mags, you tried to fuck me over. You did fuck me over. David is gone. That’s what you wanted, right?”
“No, I wanted you to know how I felt. I wanted you to see how much it hurt to give up my baby for you,” I say as my chest heaves with anger.
“You’re delusional, you know that. You decided to have that abortion. I told you to go to Brick about it.”
“Whatever. I said I’ll get us the money. So, come and get me. Now!”
I hang up the phone and text her the address to come for me. She’ll be able to get away from the clubhouse. No one gives a shit about her but me. Brick tolerates her.
I’ll show them all. If I can’t have him, no one can. Bitch should have killed me while she had the chance.
Jemma
This is a mistake. I know it is. Brick will never forgive me for this.
He wants Mags gone for good, but if I help her that’s not guaranteed. I have a baby to think about. I know Mags has lost it.
Her words prove it. I never forced her to abort that baby. That was her choice. She was afraid of Brick and what he might do. I told her he would never hurt her. I’ve always made Brick feel like all of this is his fault, but it’s mine.
I brought not only my crazy, but Magdalena’s crazy into his world. That’s why I have to do this. I have to help her and help myself.
I can’t ask one more thing of Brick. He has always helped me when he didn’t have to. I help Mags, I get my cut of the money, and then I can be off and out of Brick’s hair.
I stare at the gun in my hand. If Mags reneges, I’ll put a bullet in her trifling head. I’m tired of being led around by her every whim. It stops here.
“I’ll fix this, baby,” I say to my unborn child.
Shoving the gun in my bag, I put the car I just hotwired into drive. Rodney came through for me again, he was the one to let me out of the gates of the compound. The sooner I get this over with, the better off everyone will be.
I should’ve killed this bitch when I had the chance.
Chapter 34
It’s Her
Eva
“No, I don’t remember,” she says in a quiet voice. She looks around at us all, but there’s absolutely no recognition.
I try to tell myself it’s because I’m older, but deep down I know it’s more than that. I fist my hands at my sides fighting back the tears. It’s been the same thing for hours.
She has been in and out of sleep. We’ve tried to jog her memory each time she wakes, hoping she’ll remember us. Each time nothing.
“It’s me, Mommy, Eva,” I try for the hundredth time.
“And I’m Sal,” my sister says brokenly.
Mom shakes her head, still looking very confused. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.
Through tears, I stare into the same brown eyes I used to look up into when I was a little girl. She’s still just as beautiful as the last time I saw her. She and Sal have the same face.
Her skin is still as smooth as the last time I saw her. She still looks as young as I remember. Only, she’s thirty-nine now.
She was so young when she had me. Cage was ten years older than she was when they married. Her eyes were more vibrant then, but it was the same face.
She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t remember any of us. Not her own daughters, and not the girl who had once become like a daughter to her.
It’s my mom, she’s alive, and she doesn’t remember me. I place my hand over my nonexistent bump. I couldn’t imagine forgetting my baby or how my baby would feel to be forgotten. I know, in this moment, I’m devastated all over again.
“My head hurts,” she whispers as she looks away from me to the doctor who was here when we arrived.
“Yes,” Dr. Justice nods and steps forward. “That’s to be expected. Maybe we should cut this visit short for now.”
“What?” I exhale.
I have so many questions. I know she probably doesn’t have answers and at this point we don’t know if she ever will. I’m still reeling over the fact that it’s really her. It’s my mom.
“I’m sorry. This has to be very overwhelming for all parties. However, I do believe with some rest we will be able to relieve stress on everyone’s part.”
I want to scream that she’s already rested. Nothing has changed all day and she’s been sleeping off and on. What the hell will rest do to make her remember me? However, I bite the words and my tears back.
“Come on, Eva,” Misty says, tugging me from the room.
I move with her, only because I’m in shock. I wrap my arms around my middle. I need Owen’s arms around me. He would know how to make me feel better.
He would at least know how to make sense of this. Owen sees what no one else sees. At least at work that’s the way it is.
I need that now. I need him to see what we have missed for the last six years. How has my mom been here and we’ve not known about it?
I stop in my tracks as the nurse’s words come back to me. ‘I wasn’t able to get in touch with Mr. Kennedy or King Kennedy.’ My mind starts to spin. This can’t be happening. Why now?
Oh, my God. It’s not impossible. I mean, Mom is sitting in that bed. What if Cage is still alive? I turn out of Misty’s arms.
“Where is that nurse?” I ask.
“She’s downstairs,” Gutter offers as he looks at me questioningly.
“What’s going on?” Sal asks.
“I have a question for her. I need to talk to her,” I say and start for downstairs.
Just then the doctor steps out of the room. I don’t want to hear anything else he has to say. He’s been saying a bunch of nothing since we got here. He’s a nice man, but the answers I want and need are downstairs.
Misty is on my heels. I ignore her and continue down the stairs. When the nurse comes into view, I move faster to approach her.
“I want to see the call sheet,” I demand.
“What?” she asks with a look of confusion.
“I want to see the call sheet. The list for the next of kin. Show it to me now.”
“Oh, okay,” she replies as she wrings her hands.
She scurries over to the den and picks up a paper off the desk. I snatch it from her hand and pull my phone from my pocket. I look down at the page and my heart squeezes.
At the top of the list it says Mr. Kennedy. No first name is given. I know it’s not King because his name is second on the list.
I quickly dial the number. It rings twice before the line picks up. My heart aches as the voice on the other end meets my ears. It’s not the voice I thought it would be, but I think that hurts more.
“Hello,” the person I’ve known since I was a little girl answers in his deep voice.
“Mix,” I sob.
“Eva? Is everything all right?” he asks in concern. “How’d you get this number?”
“My mom just woke up,” is all I can say. I’m crushed to find out someone I’ve trusted so much could keep something like this from me.
“What?” Mix says but I can’t.
I pull the phone from my ear and hand it to Misty. “Talk to your dad.” I push the phone into her chest and walk off. I need fresh air.
I think I would have rather had been right. I wish it was Cage that answered the phone. To know that Mix has known all this time… it plain hurts.
I stumble out of the front door of the large home my mother has literally been asleep in for six years. I swipe at my tears. They’re tears of sadness, anger and so much hurt. I feel like I might crumble in on myself.
I’m so lost in my grief as I stagger from the house I don’t take in my surroundings. I keep moving, not sure where I plan to go. I need to breathe.
I stop as a chill runs through me. I realize I haven’t brought a jacket out with me.
“Hey, bitch,” is whispered in a hiss against my ear right before I feel a prick in my neck.
I don’t have time to turn and fight or respo
nd. It happens faster than I can blink. Everything goes black and I do crumble.
Chapter 35
Lost Souls Squad
Owen
I snap my head up the moment Mix mentions Eva’s name. I watch him closely as he asks her if something is wrong. I saw his face when the phone rang.
He grew pale from just looking at the number. Now, he’s calling her name frantically.
“Eva, Eva, Eva,” Mix calls into the phone. “Misty?”
I move closer as he listens to whatever is said to him on the other end. Mix’s eyes widen and he nods as if he can be seen through the phone. He pulls a hand down his face.
“Fuck me,” he heaves out. “Shit, baby girl, I didn’t want you all to find out like this.”
He pauses to listen some more. He places a hand on his head and starts to pace. “So Gutter is there with you all?” Another pause. “Good, is she talking… wow, this is fucking unbelievable. Where’s Eva? I can explain all of this.” He sighs.
I get closer still as Mix paces. I have an uneasy feeling. We’ve been dealing with this fire all day. The marshal says it was started by someone. It’s the same bullshit going on in South Carolina from the text I received from King. I don’t trust any of the shit going on around us.
“What do you mean she’s gone?”
“Put it on speaker,” I demand.
“Daddy, she’s gone. She went out the front door, but I don’t see her,” Misty says in a panic.
“Go get Gutter, now,” I bark.
“Gutter,” Misty starts screaming.
I pinch my eyes closed. That’s not the smartest way for her to do things. However, when I hear Gutter’s gruff voice, I find myself relaxing a bit.
“What’s going on?” I overhear Gutter ask.
“Eva’s gone,” Misty replies.
“Gutter, find my woman. Find her now,” I growl.
My phone rings as I’m barking orders. I look to see it’s Axle. I pick up right away. He was supposed to be heading over to sit with Sugar as soon as he reached South Carolina from his run.
“That bitch is gone and Sugar’s being rushed to the hospital, when I get my hands on her ass she’s dead,” Axle says into the phone before I can even answer properly.
“Wait, no one knows where Mags is,” I bellow.
“No man, and Jemma is missing,” Axle replies.
“Reap, did you do what I told you?” I look over at Reap who’s looking down at her phone.
“Always.” Reap nods. “This is interesting. It looks like their headed this way.”
“To Georgia?” I ask with my eyes narrowed. “Both of them?”
“Yeah.” Reap nods and looks up.
I had her slip a tracker on Jemma earlier. You live and you learn. I don’t trust my cousin completely.
I’d be a fool to. Mags knows how to manipulate her.
Reap is a slick little one. Jemma has this charm bracelet she wears. I’m sure Reap was able to slip the tracker on Jemma with no problem. I also had her slip a tracker on Mags. I always have to think ahead with those two.
“Get on the road, Ax,” I say into the phone. “See if you can intercept them.”
“Got it,” he grunts and hangs up.
I dial my dumbass cousin, because I know she’s not crazy enough to harm my woman or baby. The phone rings four times and I think I’m going to voicemail when Mags’ voice comes through the phone.
“Brick, Jemma isn’t available at the moment,” she sings.
“Where is she?”
“She’s taking a nap,” she cackles.
“What have you done?”
“Nothing yet.” She snorts. “I just put her and your precious whore to sleep until I need them. We’re on a little road trip, coming to see you, Daddy.”
I close my eyes to reel in my temper. When I open them, I signal for Grim to call in every one of the Squad members. This has now become priority.
“I swear to you, Magdalena. If a single hair is out of place on my woman’s head. Your death is going to be slow and painful.”
“My death has already been slow and painful, husband. I just can’t wait to watch you lose everything in front of my eyes,” she bites out and the line dies.
“Call who you need. Get a chopper in the air. Find them,” I order, through a tight knot in my throat.
I feel like I’m the one dying right now. My woman and my child are in danger and for the first time since Cage saved me as a little boy, I have something to lose. I can’t control this and that just might make me lose it forever this time.
Eva
My head is pounding as my brain clears from the darkness. I can’t open my eyelids, but I count that as good as Magdalena’s voice becomes clear to my fogged-up mind. I need to assess the situation.
“This is crazy. How did you even know they’d be there at that house?”
“You’re not the only one with a spy in the ranks,” Mags says smugly.
“Where are you taking us?” the other person says.
“We’re almost there. You’ll find out soon enough.” Mags laughs.
“Why are you doing this?” I recognize the voice this time. It’s Jemma, Brick’s cousin.
Jemma had been keeping her distance from Mags at the compound. She tried talking to me a few times. I’d been polite but short with her. I don’t trust anyone who can do what she’s done to her own cousin.
“He brought this on himself. If I’m dead to him, so are you and that slut.”
“Stop the car. Let us out now and you can just go,” Jemma says, but her voice sounds a little funny. Slurred sort of.
Mags doesn’t reply. I take a chance and try to open my eyes. This time they open slowly. I can feel my head pressed to the cool glass of the car window. It’s like feeling is coming back to my body slowly. I close my eyes again.
I start to pray that whatever she stuck me with doesn’t hurt the baby. My pregnancy is so new. I fight back the tears, not wanting them to give me away.
Jemma and Mags don’t say much for a long time. It’s when I feel lights shining against my lids that I open my eyes again and see downtown Atlanta come into view. It’s then when Jemma speaks again. I hold as still as I can to listen.
“You brought us here. You’re actually taking us to him.” Jemma gives a laugh. “You should have run.”
“It will be the end for us all,” Mags says emotionlessly.
Panic rises in my chest. My man and my baby are in danger if I don’t do something. This bitch is off her rocker.
I flex my fingers and toes. I don’t know if I have the strength to fight her, but I think I can run if I need to. Owen’s words ring in my head about protecting our baby and not fighting.
I crack my eyes open to look out of the window. My head is still pressed to the cool window. At first nothing looks familiar in this area. In the four years I’ve been here in Georgia I’ve rarely explored the city.
I almost gasp out loud when I see the Soul Deep Enterprise Building come into view. It rises up like a beacon of hope. If I can get to that building I can get to help. Security is there around the clock.
I wait for the car to get a few blocks closer to the building. God is on my side, because the light turns red about two blocks over. I can see the building from between the surrounding ones. That’s my path.
If Mags wants to follow me, she’ll have to do so on foot. I may be a heavier girl, but I’m fast. I had to be if I wanted to run behind King and Brick.
This is it, I think. I slowly move my hand to the lock and the handle, but I freeze when I hear Mags hiss.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“You’re going to let us out of this car,” Jemma demands, causing me to sag against the door in relief. Mags wasn’t talking to me.
“Where’d that gun come from?”
“You have always treated me like I’m the stupid one. You’d be dead by now if it wasn’t for me.” Jemma’s voice shakes.
“You are
the stupid one. You think David gives a shit about you. He left us, he wouldn’t do shit for you or his unborn baby,” Mags says vehemently.
I look into the passenger side-view mirror from the back seat. I can see Jemma through it with the back of her head facing the window. I shift my eyes into the car and see Jemma’s arms shaking as she holds out a gun.
Mags is facing the barrel of the gun with her jaw clenched tight. “No, Magdalena, he wouldn’t do anything for you. You fuck up everything you touch. I was fucked up when I met you, but you made me into an even more fucked-up person.
“I hate what we do to people. I hate who people think I am because of you. You’re crazy Mags, you’re so lost in your lies you don’t know the truth anymore. I’m tired, this ends now. I can’t play crazy with you anymore,” Jemma sobs.
Behind us horns start to blare and the atmosphere in the car shifts. It happens so quickly. Mags reaches for the gun and they begin tussling. My good sense tells me to make a run for it now. I’m not waiting around to get shot or to find out the outcome.
Swiftly, I pop the lock and throw the door open. I bolt out of the car. My body feels like lead, but I push with everything I have in me. I tense up when the sound of a shot firing behind me goes off.
Don’t look back, keep going, Eva.
I push forward willing my legs not to give. My heart pounds when Mags begins to call my name behind me. I ignore her and plow forward.
My lungs start to burn. I guess it’s been a while since I’ve had to run. I push that aside. My goal is right before me. I can see the front doors of the Soul Deep building straight ahead.
“Stop running, you bitch,” Mags huffs. It’s clear she’s winded. I can also tell she’s a pretty good distance behind me.
I call on all my strength and push my burning legs forward, hard. I push clear of the buildings on either side of me and that’s when I hear it. A sound that used to scare and excite me when I was a little girl.
Forever Page 22
