“I'm nervous, really nervous, but you're right.”
Damon squeezes her shoulder and kisses her cheek and I smile, walking over to the two of them, hugging my sister and patting Damon on the back
“Congrats y’all. So happy for you. I can't wait to be an uncle. Two is always better than one,” I wink at Bella.
She laughs and rolls her eyes.
“If they're anything like the two of us, we're in trouble,” she tells Damon. “We drove Mama nuts.”
“Payback when you went through your bitchy teenage girl phase.”
“Wait until you have kids! They'll be little devils,” she laughs looking at Normani.
We all are quiet, not sure what to say and Bella exhales, closing her eyes.
“I'm sorry, I..I shouldn't have-”
“It's okay,” Normani says, “Y'all hungry? Devin and I were about to make breakfast but…”
“I decided we needed some different sustenance first.” I wink at Damon and Bella rolls her eyes.
Crisis averted for now, but not forever. I want this thing between Normani and I to get to that stage. I know she's holding back because of her father, but I'll get her on board with it. The ring may be fake but my feelings for her aren't. I want this to lead to marriage and babies. I glance down at the ultrasound picture on the table and smile. She doesn't really have a choice because I'm never gonna let her go.
---
“Don't you think this is little excessive?” Bella grumbles from next to me as we walk into Home Depot.
“I have strict orders from my brother-in-law to make sure you don’t even think about liftin’ a paint can,” I say from next to her.
“I can lift a damn paint can,” she snaps.
I lift up my hands in defense and we walk towards the paint aisle.
Bella looks through different shades of yellow and takes a bunch of samples out from their slots.
“Which one you like better?” she asks holding up two samples.
I shake my head and laugh.
“To be honest Bells, they both look exactly the same.
“They're not!” she insists. “This one is Lemon Glow and that is Polished Pear.”
“Exactly the same.”
“God, this is pointless. I needed Lacey or Mani here.”
“Well my woman is holdin’ down the fort while you're here and Lacey is in Miami for the weekend.”
“Your woman huh? How's that goin’?”
“It's goin’. I care about her a lot.”
Bella eyes me skeptically.
“Care about her or what she's givin’ you? From what Damon and I walked in on yesterday…”
“Her, Bella. Everything about her. I uh...it's the real thing.”
“Well good. Y'all deserve happiness,” she says smiling.
She looks around the paint aisle and lets out a breath.
“Well fuck this. Eenie, meanie miney moe time. Wanna get some steak tacos?”
“Again? Shouldn't you uh…”
“What? I'm feedin’ two babies and myself, Devin John, don't you dare give me that look,” she says pointing at me.
I put my hands up in defense and smile.
“No look, none whatsoever. Let’s get this paint and get you fed, Mama.”
Bella smiles and I wrap my arm around her shoulder bringing her to me to kiss her head.
“Love you sis.”
“Love you too.”
Chapter 16
Normani
We're laughing together as we exit the restaurant and Devin pulls my hand, spinning me around the side of the building. My back collides with the brick and his lips immediately attack mine.
“I'll wait until we get home but fuck darlin’, you taste delicious.”
I grab his face pulling him to me again and my other hand goes to his belt, pulling the clasp free.
“Let me touch you,” I beg.
I snake my hand down the front of his pants and his hardness makes my pussy walls clench. We've been like this for weeks, our bodies unable to separate whenever we're together. Being with him is freeing, the woman he makes me, this sexual woman has become something I hunger for.
“God, I wanna drop to my knees right here cowboy.”
“Mmm.. I like that so much better than caveman.”
He reaches under my t-shirt and palms my breast. I moan into his mouth as I squeeze the base of him, kissing his neck, my hand stroking him, his breathing picking up.
“Darlin’, you have to stop,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Oh, please don't stop on my account, I'm enjoying the show. Although I'm a little jealous it was never my dick those pretty little hands were wrapped around.”
My blood runs cold at the voice I hear behind Devin and we both scramble to put ourselves together as I glance behind him and lock eyes with Zachariah, the devil reincarnated.
“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” I say gritting my teeth.
“He's with me,” says another voice I could never forget, no matter how long it's been since I last heard it.
My father.
“How did you get everyone to think you were dead?” I ask, my voice unaffected.
“Come on Roxy, you and I both know I don't share my secrets,” he says with a sick smirk.
“Don’t call me that,” I snap.
“You'll always be Roxy. Even when you try and plant yourself in a normal life, my DNA is still runnin’ through those veins. You'll always be a stealer, a liar, a killer, a-”
“You made me into that!” I yell. “That's not in my blood, you didn't give me a choice!”
“Of course I did. You chose your mother, you chose Miguel, you chose to live, now I'm giving you another one. Come with us, or your boyfriend, excuse me, fiancé, gets to bleed out on this cold concrete in this dumpy old town.”
I close my eyes hating that I was so stupid to put ourselves into this position. playing house while they plotted.
“I go with you, and you leave Devin alone?”
Devin’s been suspiciously quiet, and I don't want to turn around to look at him. I don't want to see disgust on his face. I don't want to see the realization that I shouldn't be on that pedestal he put me on.
“Yes,” my father answers.
“Don't Normani,” I hear him say from behind me grabbing my arm.
“I told you that you have no idea what they're capable of Devin. You didn't listen. You have so much to live for. I won't let them take you away.”
I turn and look at him and I don't see disgust in his eyes I see anger. Anger and hurt and I'm unsure if those emotions are aimed at me.
I put my hand on his cheek and put my lips to his softly. I break apart and rest my forehead on his.
“You know I loved you Devin. So, so much. Thank you for showin’ me what this life could be like, what I could be like with a man like you next to me.”
“Normani, please,” he begs, his eyes glistening.
“Let me help you, we can take them,” he whispers.
“They both have guns Devin. Don't, okay? Just let me go.”
“I can’t Normani!” he yells. “I fuckin’ can’t. I love you. I've never loved anyone like I love you.”
He pushes me behind him, and I struggle to get in front.
“She ain't goin’ with you. You want her, you gotta come and take her and even through my cold, fuckin’ dead fingers you still ain’t gettin’ her. She's mine.”
“Oh yeah? She was mine first, she tell you that?” Zachariah yells wielding the gun.
“Fuck you Zachariah. It was all fake. You used me, I never loved you,” I yell past Devin’s arm.
“Enough!” yells my father. “This isn't a lovers quarrel, we just want Roxy. Move out of the way Gavinwood or you'll be dead in five seconds.”
“Devin!” I yell. “They're not kiddin’ around, move out of my way! You don't know what you're doin’!”
I try to maneuver him, but he's too big and I can't. This fucking stubbor
n man. I see Zachariah walk closer and closer until his gun is trained in the middle of Devin’s forehead. I close my eyes and breathe, trying not to panic, trying to remember all those hours training with Miguel.
I watch as my father walks towards us, holding up his knife and I stand there with my hands above my head, looking over at Devin, silently pleading for him to just let me go.
“On second thought,” my father growls in my ear. “Maybe my little girl needs to be punished for outing us to the Feds. It is in fact, your fault that I had to spend over ten years in prison.”
He grabs my neck and puts the knife against my pulse point, digging it in enough to feel a sting. I steady my breathing as I watch Devin’s gaze turn to me.
Red.
I've never seen his stare so animalistic before and a shiver rolls down my spine.
My father digs the knife a little harder against my neck and I feel my warm blood start to drip down to my t shirt. I close my eyes trying not to squirm. I know how to get out of this but I don't think I can without Devin taking a bullet to the head.
“Let me punish her,” says Zachariah, his eyes gleaming with desire. “I'm gonna have fun with you Roxy. You little cocktease, you deserve it. Maybe I should take you right here, make you finish what you started with him, on me. God knows you owe me. Being with you a whole six months and not once did you satisfy me. Kisses, that’s all I fuckin’ got,” he growls.
“Because you're a piece of shit,” I seethe.
My father slowly takes the knife off my neck, pulling both my arms behind my back as Zachariah takes his gun off Devin’s head and backhands me with it. My head snaps to the side and I spit blood on the floor by Zachariah's shoe.
That's right you asshole, lose control.
I see Devin flinch next to me and I know he's about to snap.
Please not yet, please not yet.
“You're gonna let him do this?” I snap to my father. “All those years, you never let anyone do it, why now?”
“You're tainted now Rox. You were untouched, but now you’re not. We’ve been watching you. I don't remember raising such a slut, but I guess that's what happens when you get stuck in the web of Devin Gavinwood. Man can bring a sworn nun to her knees, right Mr. Smooth Talker?”
Devin clenches and unclenches his jaw and I squirm in my father's grip.
“I don't give a shit what my men do with you now,” my father says, disgust in his gaze.
“I'm gonna make your boyfriend over here watch. A woman like you needs to be handled,” Zachariah sneers.
My father lets my hands go and walks around to the front of us pointing his knife at Devin.
Fuck. Plan B.
“You're right Zacky, I do. Handle it then, big boy. All those months together, take what I never gave you,” I say, lifting my t shirt over my head and tossing it to him.
He catches it and his disgusting grin is all I need as confirmation.
Distracted.
I glance quickly to my father and Devin and he's far enough away. My father can fight, but so can Devin, especially in the state his is now. Devin’s gaze is barbaric, his jaw flexing. I discreetly shake my head, begging him to just go along with this for another minute.
Zachariah puts his gun in the back of his pants and corners me against the brick wall. His face comes down next to my ear and I shiver. Just a couple of seconds Normani, just a couple of seconds.
“It's gonna be my name you scream, Roxy. Stare at him when you do it. He's gonna watch you come all over my cock and you're gonna like it.”
I try to contain the bile rising up in my throat and watch as my father walks closer to Devin reaching for something by his ankle.
“Are you gonna keep talkin’ about it or are you gonna fuckin’ do it?” I say into his ear, my lips brushing against the lobe.
He reaches for my chest and I reach around him grabbing his gun in a quick second and knee him in the balls.
I train my gun on my father but it's too late. I pull the trigger and he staggers back with my hit, but he manages to get a shot off as he stumbles back. I see it all go down in slow motion, Devin's body being flung into the brick wall with the impact of my father’s bullet. I scream and run to his side as he lands limp against the brick wall.
“Devin, baby, talk to me. Say something, baby wake up,” I plead slapping his cheek.
His eyes slowly open to look at me and I reach for my phone and dial 911, rattling off our location and Devin's condition. I press my fingers to his neck and feel a faint pulse.
I feel a hand reach for my wrist and his beautiful voice.
“My beautiful darlin’,” he rasps.
I start to cry and cup his cheeks and look at the shot in his upper shoulder. I scramble to the side grabbing my shirt and wrap it around his arm tightly to stop the bleeding.
“I need to sleep, but I love you. I love you so fuckin’ much Normani.”
“No baby, stay awake okay, stay with me.”
His eyes close and I start to cry harder, his pulse still there as the operator tells me to keep calm and help will arrive soon.
I can't remain calm. Not a fucking chance.
“You fuckin’ bastard!” I yell whipping around.
Zachariah is limping away towards the street and I run towards him, pushing him into the brick wall, punching his face, over and over until he can't stand up.
He slumps to the ground, his body limp and I kneel down eye level with him, my knuckles bleeding, my heart bleeding.
I grab the gun on the ground and put it to his head and he laughs. I cock it and he stops laughing, staring at me.
“You think for one second I won't pull this trigger, you're delusional.“
“It was his idea, all of it. Us dating, the jobs, everything. I was only a year older than you Rox. He threatened my family, I had no choice,” Zachariah pleads.
I kick Zachariah in the face, and I turn and look at my father laying there in a puddle of blood, my shot gone right through his stomach. I move to stand above him with my gun trained on his head.
“You destroy everything I love,” I whisper. “I'll finally be free of you.”
“You'll never be free of me,” he laughs. “Every scar will remind you of me. Now I leave you with a parting gift, my sweet, Normani.”
I cock the gun ready to shoot as I feel my legs give out from under me and a sharp pain in my upper thigh. I glance down and see a knife sticking out of it, my father's hand loosening around the handle as he drops back down, his hand dropping to the side.
“Fuckkkkkk!” I yell grabbing for the knife.
I know I can't take it out but God my leg feels like it's on fire. I glance back to Devin and he flinches. I crawl towards him grabbing his hand and feeling his neck.
A pulse. Thank God.
“Devin baby, help is...almost...here…”
My head starts to spin, and I feel my eyes start to close. They're heavy, so, so heavy and I...
Chapter 17
Normani
I wake up to a beeping sound and my eyes have to adjust as I hear muffled voices.
“She'll be fine to go home tomorrow, as long as her levels stay the same all day today. The man she came in with is a different story.”
My eyes open wider as I hear them talk.
Hospital.
Devin.
Fuck.
“Where is he,” I rasp my voice hard and deep like a woman who smokes no less than three packs of cigarettes a day.
The doctor turns around and I see Lacey next to him, holding the inside of her arm.
“You're awake. How do you feel?” the doctor asks.
“Where is Devin?” I ask again.
“In surgery,” Lacey says. “He...he got shot-”
“I know that Lacey. How...is he okay? Is he gonna be okay?” I ask frantically trying to sit up in bed.
“You should lay back Ms. Jameson, you lost a lot of blood. Ms. Turner over here helped us with the transfusion.”
I
look over to Lacey and my eyes start to water.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
She walks over to the side of my bed and pulls me into a hug.
Changeup (Double Play Series Book 4) Page 17
