He shook his head at Wiz who had flattened his body against the building.
“Hold up, guys. We have company,” Hank said into Wiz’s ear.
So much for easy.
“An SUV just pulled up to the north door of the one story building. Two guys getting out and going in.”
“Great. Now it’s getting interesting,” Quinn said.
They maintained their positions and didn’t have to wait long. A big man that was about Wiz’s height and weight, wearing all black, strolled outside. With his size twelves, he slid a brick closer and stuck it in the doorway. A sliver of light shone through the door, but not enough for them to be seen.
Adrenaline pumped through Wiz’s veins as he eased along the side of the building for the perfect opportunity to strike.
When the man turned, he cupped his hand around his cigarette to block the slight breeze as he lit it. Wiz inched closer. It wasn’t until the guy took a couple of puffs did Wiz moved in.
He clubbed him in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, making sure not to hit him hard enough to knock him out, but hard enough to take him to his knees. Then Wiz kicked him in the side, knocking him over. With the toe of his boot, he smashed the lit cigarette that fell to the ground.
“Where’s my wife?”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
Wiz cocked his gun and shoved it in the man’s face. He agreed to try and honor Bishop’s request, but right now, he couldn’t make any promises.
Quinn eased from the shadows and the man’s gaze jockeyed between him and Wiz.
“I said, where’s my wife?”
“She … she’s in the other building.” He pointed his thumb over his shoulder.
When Quinn cleared his throat, catching the man’s attention, Wiz clocked him in the temple with his gun, knocking him out cold.
Wiz texted Hank.
Gotta package for you to wrap.
*
Olivia’s heart almost stopped when two other men, dressed in black, walked in. What shocked her was that Amanda’s brother, Corin, was one of them. She prayed he would ignore her, or just glare at her from across the room like he’d done in the past. She didn’t want anything to do with him. No attention. No conversation.
No such luck.
He slowly approached her, but stopped when he noticed Keisha in the corner.
Olivia glanced at her sister, who hadn’t said a word to her since their argument and was now dozing in her chair. Olivia didn’t know how she could sleep when the room was freezing despite the space heater hooked up to the generator.
“I can’t believe that all this time there were two of them. Which is which?” Corin asked.
“That’s the sister.” T.C. pointed to Olivia.
Corin moved toward her and she bunched her shoulders and slouched in her chair as if that could make her invisible.
“I thought you looked familiar the first time I saw you,” he said. He started to say more, but T.C. spoke.
“We made contact. Her old man knows where the diamonds are. He’s got forty-minutes.”
Corin turned away from Olivia and she released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She would never be able to look at Amanda the same, now that she knew her brother had something to do with the attacks.
“That’s good. Maybe we should head to the meeting place,” the third guy’s words cut into Olivia’s thoughts.
“Nah, we got time.” T.C. stuffed his hands in his pocket and rocked on his heels as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“So what about the sister? What you gon’ do with her once you get the diamonds?” the third guy asked.
T.C. leaned against the dingy wall where plaster was peeling and folded his arms, crossing his legs at the ankle.
“We’ll take care of her and her old man once we get Bishop’s diamonds.”
A chill crawled up Olivia’s spine. They had to know that she could hear them, but what could she do?
Her gaze went to her sister who was now looking back at her. Did she finally understand that her selfishness might get them all killed? Sure, she said she was sorry, but for Oliva, it just wasn’t enough.
Olivia lowered her eyes, and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. She prayed Wiz had a plan, especially if these guys were planning to kill them.
“I heard Bishop is heading to Chicago,” Corin said.
T.C. nodded and grinned. “Yeah, get ready to move up the ladder, Boyz. I got in contact with him earlier and told him that we’ll have his items by midnight.”
“What’d he say?” Corin asked.
“He said he’ll see us at midnight.”
“That’s cool. By the way, where’s Frankie?” Corin asked.
T.C. looked at his cell. “He should have been back by now. His ass is out there smoking again.”
“I need a smoke, too. I’ll be back,” the third guy said.
“Hold up. I’ll go with you.” Corin glanced at Olivia, and goosebumps crawled up her arms at the creepy grin he gave her.
A short while later, Olivia jerked when a loud commotion broke out somewhere in the building.
“What the …” T.C. hurried out of the room.
Grunts and punches echoed through the building and Olivia couldn’t believe they were fighting each other. She thought gang members were like brothers. Why would they be fighting?
Unless …
Her gaze met Keisha’s and Olivia couldn’t help the slow smile that crept onto her face.
Cameron.
“I was wondering when he was going to come for you.” Keisha lowered her gaze and sighed. “Olivia, I really am sorry for everything and I swear you will never hear from me—”
They both jumped in their seats when two gunshots thundered in the distance and a wave of panic scurried through Olivia’s body. She believed in Wiz’s skills, but he was still recovering and—
“Where is she?” he yelled. Loud footsteps sounded through the building, doors banged against walls, and seconds later, he appeared. He stomped into the room like a bull storming into an arena.
A cry of relief slipped through Olivia’s lips and all she could do was stare at him. She had never been so happy to see her man as she was at that moment.
When Wiz spotted her across the sparsely furnished room, he stopped in his tracks and his expression quickly changed. The love radiating in his eyes brought tears to hers and she couldn’t hold back the sob clogging her throat.
He slowly approached her and she knew the exact moment he noticed her bruised face and busted lip. She had no idea what she looked like. But if the sudden crimson tint to his skin and the way his jaw tightened was any indication, her bruises were bad. Very bad.
“Who did this to you?” he growled. He hadn’t even bothered to untie her hands and ankles. Anger bounced off of him in waves, leaving her speechless.
Just then, Quinn appeared and shoved T.C. into the room.
“I know we can work something out. All we wanted to do was return the diamonds to their owner,” T.C. pleaded, his palms held out in front of him.
Wiz looked from T.C. to Olivia and back again. Before she could stop him, he made a beeline for T.C. Wiz grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the peeling wall, ignoring the way the guy swung at him, missing every time.
“You put your hands on my wife!” He punched T.C. in the face so hard Olivia could have sworn she heard bones crack.
Quinn strolled to her, his reaction similar to Wiz’s when he got closer. At first, he didn’t speak, as if reining in his own temper.
“Let’s get you untied.” He held on to her when he undid her ankles. “Can you stand?”
“I think so,” she said absently, her attention on Wiz. “Quinn, you have to stop him! Cameron’s going to pull out all of his stitches.”
Quinn shook out of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “He’ll be fine. Besides, he needs to do this. He’s been through a lot these past few we
eks.”
Olivia frowned at him, but then straightened her face. Quinn knew this side of her husband a lot better than she did. Whatever Wiz needed to do to make peace with the recent events, she wouldn’t stop him.
Wiz used T.C. as a human punching bag. Even when T.C. slid to the floor, blood streaming from multiple cuts, Wiz didn’t let up. It wasn’t until he started stomping and kicking T.C. that Quinn intervened.
“All right. That’s enough.”
Wiz didn’t stop as if he hadn’t heard Quinn.
“Cameron, please.” Olivia inched closer. “Please, baby. Let’s get out of here.”
That’s when she remembered Keisha. With all of the commotion, Olivia had forgotten about her. She knew it was going to be hard to leave without her sister, but this was something Olivia had to do.
“C’mere.” Wiz pulled Olivia into his arms, holding her tight. “God, sweetheart. I was so worried. I love you so damn much.” His voice, muffled in her hair, held so much anguish it tore at her insides. How could she end up in a similar position as before, knowing he would be beside himself with concern? If only she had listened to him sooner about her sister. If this experience didn’t teach her anything else, it taught her to never let anything or anyone come between them.
“Are you all right?” He kissed her lips and placed his hand on her belly. “Are you both all right?” His words were strained and concern covered his face.
She nodded and held him tight until he winced, reminding her of his wounded side. “I knew you would find me. I just knew you would find me.”
He gently cupped her face. “Always. You know I can’t live without you.” He lowered his mouth, placing a soft kiss against her bruised lips, careful not to put any pressure on them. Her whole face hurt, but his sweetness helped take her mind off the pain.
This was the second time that they’d been in this type of position and she hoped to God they would never have to endure anything like this again. Unlike before, at least she would be able to walk out on her own and their baby was safe.
Wiz glanced at Keisha. He and Quinn had yet to say anything to her. Why would they? It was because of her that they had to risk their lives because of her nonsense.
Wiz stepped away from Olivia, reached inside his jacket pocket, and pulled out a velvet pouch. He dropped it into Keisha’s lap.
“Your diamonds. I hope they’re worth the shit you put us through.” He wrapped his arm around Olivia and guided her to the door. “Q, make the call.”
Epilogue
Two weeks, six days later
Wedding Day
Olivia’s heart was about to burst with the love she had for the man standing before her. And he was so handsome. His black tuxedo fit perfectly over his muscular frame, and he looked as if he had just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine.
She couldn’t wait to be Wiz’s wife. During her short walk down the aisle, she had alternated between smiling and crying. Overwhelmed with all that she and Wiz had been through lately, there were moments that she couldn’t believe that this day had finally arrived.
“The couple has written their own vows,” the minister said and nodded for Olivia to start.
Olivia took a deep breath in and released it slowly in an effort to still her nervousness.
“Cameron, I was a lonely soul when we first met. Yet over the years, you have filled a void in my life with your love. With your patience. With your understanding, and … and did I mention patience?”
Everyone laughed and Wiz smiled, his green eyes watching her intently. He squeezed her hand as she fought back the tears threatening to fall.
“Thank you for choosing me to share your life with. There are not enough words in the world that can express how happy you make me. You have brought so much joy and laughter into my life. You’re my real life hero, making all of my dreams come true. You are the perfect example of what a man should be. I love the way you take care of me, the way you watch over me, and most importantly, the way you love me.
“I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you and raising our baby in a loving home. I will always be loyal to you. I will support you in sickness and in health, through good and bad times. I promise to love you, cherish you, and respect you from this day forward. And I make this vow to you in front of God, our family, and our friends.”
“Cameron,” the minister prompted.
“Olivia, twenty-two years, one month, two weeks, and six days ago,” he grinned and she laughed, “when you moved into the neighborhood, you became the most beautiful woman in the world to me and you became my best friend. Since then, you continue to amaze me with your tolerance, your selflessness, and your loving spirit. You inspire me to be a better person, a better man. Today, you are so much more than my best friend and the woman I love. You’re my heart. I am looking forward to starting my life over with you.
“Olivia Shanta Miller, I promise to be a faithful, loving husband. I will cherish you, respect you, and I will protect you until the day I take my last breath. I pledge my life to you in front of God, our family, and our friends.”
He wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks as the minister continued with the ceremony. Olivia thought the first time she had married Wiz that it had been the happiest day of her life, but she was wrong. This day, standing in front of their friends and family, after the harrowing last few weeks, was definitely the best day of her life.
Minutes later, after the exchange of rings and a prayer, the minister said, “You may now kiss the bride.”
“I’ve wanted to do this since the moment you walked down the aisle,” Wiz whispered before covering her mouth with his. She melted into him when his arm circled her waist and he pulled her closer. Gripping his thick biceps, excitement soared through Olivia’s body as she savored the feel of his lips against hers and their tongues mated. His love for her came through loud and clear, and joy bubbled in her stomach. They had finally done it. They were officially husband and wife.
They didn’t pull apart until cheers sounded throughout the small chapel.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Miller.”
Olivia glanced around the room feeling so blessed. Wiz’s family had arrived in town earlier in the week and almost all of their friends were in attendance. As everyone greeted them, she thought about her sister. As promised, so far, Keisha hadn’t contacted her. Olivia wondered if she was even still in the city. Wiz had told her about the events leading up to the rescue, and how the leader of the Cidal Boyz wanted Keisha returned along with the diamonds. Olivia had made peace with how things ended and would keep her sister in her prayers. Keisha would never be a part their lives again, and for the first time, Olivia was okay with that.
*
“Congratulations again, man. You finally made an honest woman out of Ollie.” Malik tapped his glass against Wiz’s beer bottle.
Wiz chuckled at the ongoing joke. For the last few years, Malik had asked him every chance he got, when was he going to make an honest woman out of Olivia and marry her again.
Wiz glanced across the banquet room. She was beautiful. When she walked down the aisle in that sexy, long flowing gown, he almost swallowed his tongue. Never had he seen her glow and look as lovely as she was today. He continued to study her as she laughed at something one of their guests said. Nothing brought him more peace than to see her happy.
Now that the delicious sit down dinner and dessert had been consumed, he and Olivia were floating around greeting their guest. The fifty people they had invited, except for Travis, were in attendance. Wiz would admit the celebration wasn’t the same without his young buddy. Home recuperating, Travis was still in a great deal of pain after the shoulder and back surgery. Though the three bullets that hit him hadn’t punctured an artery, they damaged some soft tissue and cartilage as well as nicked a bone. Wiz knew that could have been Olivia had Travis not put himself between her and the shooter.
Wiz shook his head, trying to free the sudden though
t. He returned his attention to Malik.
“I’m glad Vicky was able to make it,” Wiz said to Malik when he saw her sitting at the table with her date and Raeanna.
“Yeah, me too. She’s making a good recovery and planning to return to work in a week.”
“That’s good.”
She was still suffering from headaches and back pain, but to look at her, she seemed like her old self. She had even removed the bandage from her neck where a bullet had grazed her.
Olivia still struggled with guilt that the two were shot while guarding her. Victoria had told her more than once that she was fine and didn’t blame her. The reassurance helped, but it was Travis who seemed to get through to her after she visited him in the hospital. He had assured her that none of what had happened was her fault and that it was all part of the job. Travis, the smooth talking lady’s man, had her blushing and laughing by the time the conversation was over.
The last two weeks had been rough. After his numerous interviews with police detectives, Wiz was more than ready to go on his honeymoon. He, Malik, and Quinn had weaved a believable story and the cops bought it. What surprised Wiz was Olivia’s willingness to go along with the tall tale. He was so proud of the way she had handled everything, including Keisha’s betrayal. He knew the decision to walk away from her sister wasn’t an easy one.
The day after leaving Keisha behind, there had been a news report that four members of the Cidal Boyz gang had been found dead, a bullet to each of their heads. The media claimed another gang had gunned down the victims. According to Quinn’s sources, it had been Bishop’s work. When he found Keisha beaten, supposedly the gang leader went ballistic. Maybe Keisha had been telling the truth about her and Bishop being in love.
I guess there really is somebody for everyone.
“I’m sure you know how lucky you are,” Hunter said, cutting into Wiz’s thoughts as he joined him and Malik. “That’s a hell of a woman you have.”
“I agree, but I remember you saying the same thing to Malik about Tasha a few months ago.”
Operation Midnight Page 22
