Asia shot out question after question.
Montana responded, “That’s as much as I can say over the phone. Sis?”
Asia said in a soft voice, “Yes.”
“Be careful. You might want to stay clear of Mike until all of this blows over, too.”
“What do you mean stay clear of Mike?”
“He’s the reason we had to cut our trip short.”
Asia asked, “Montana, so exactly what are you saying?”
Sean said, “Montana, don’t. Let Mike tell her.”
Montana placed her hand over the receiver. “She needs to know.” Montana ignored Sean and blurted out, “Mike’s life may be in danger. Someone from his past wants revenge and believe me they are no joke.”
“No. Please, tell me you’re just kidding. Not after Mike and I . . .” Asia’s voice trailed off.
“After you and Mike did what?” Montana asked.
“We . . . I can’t believe this. I can’t do this. I got to go.”
Without another word, Asia hung up the phone.
Sean said, “Baby, I wish you would have let Mike tell her.”
“But she’s my baby sister. I had to say something,” Montana responded.
She dialed Savannah’s number again and this time Savannah picked up. She repeated to Savannah what she had told Asia. Savannah responded, “I’ll check on Asia. Troy’s not here. Now I understand why.”
“I promise to be in touch. My phone’s dead and my charger is in my stuff back in the Bahamas so if you need to reach me, call the number that’s showing up on your caller ID,” Montana said.
Montana ended the call with Savannah and handed it back to Sean.
She found herself drifting off to sleep. Sean gently shook her and woke her. She wiped her sleeping eyes. It was now nighttime. They were at a gas station that appeared to have a small diner connected to it.
Jack said, “We can gas up, use the restroom, and grab something to eat.”
Montana rushed to the restroom at the back of the restaurant. The stares from the patrons didn’t intimidate her because her bladder needed relief.
When she exited the restroom, Sean was seated at a booth on his cell phone. She slipped in the seat next to him. He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed it.
Montana waited patiently for Sean to end his call. She looked out the window and saw Jack putting gas in his SUV.
“Honey, I’m so sorry. Our lives weren’t supposed to start off like this,” Sean said, now with his arm around Montana’s shoulder.
Montana leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I don’t blame you for what’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.”
Sean sighed. “I thought you regretted your decision.”
“Look at me.” Sean obeyed her. Montana continued to say, “I married you for better or worse.”
Sean added, “Our life will never be boring. That’s for sure.”
“Exactly. I knew that when I agreed to marry you.”
“So no regrets?” Sean asked.
“None, baby. None whatsoever.” Montana sealed it with a kiss to reassure him.
Jack walked up to the table and cleared his throat before sitting down. “I almost forgot you were newlyweds.”
Montana wiped the lipstick from Sean’s lips with her fingers. “I almost forgot myself.”
Jack said, “Montana, I promise you, I will not let anyone harm you or this man right here. He’s like the son I never had.”
Montana smiled. She could tell Sean respected Jack. She had just met him and could tell Jack was a man used to being in control and taking control. Between Sean and Jack, she felt well protected.
She laughed at Jack’s jokes about Sean. It was only because of her past experiences did she notice the car slowly pulling up to the gas station and four men who didn’t look like your ordinary travelers exit their vehicle.
“Sean, we got company.”
Sean didn’t hear her at first so she hit his arm. “Ouch,” he responded.
“They’ve found us,” Montana said.
Jack yelled, “Let’s go.”
Jack headed toward the back of the restaurant instead of the front door. She followed him as Sean walked behind them. Murmurs from the restaurant patrons could be heard as Jack led them through the back fire exit door.
“Stay close behind me,” Jack said as he held out his black gun.
Montana’s heartbeat increased.
Jack held up his hand. Montana stopped in her tracks with Sean on her heels.
Jack whispered, “When I count to three I want you to walk . . . not run to the SUV. Montana, hop in the back and get down.”
Jack counted out, “One . . . two . . . three.”
Montana increased her pace. It seemed the closer they got the SUV, the farther it got. Montana didn’t breathe until she was safely in the back of the car, and the gas station and restaurant was in distant view.
42
Sean kept looking back to make sure Montana was okay. He took his wedding vows seriously. He loved Montana with all of his heart and soul and would give up his life so that she could live if it ever came down to it. It took him a lifetime to find the unconditional love that Montana had freely given him. He would die before allowing anyone to come in between that.
Jack broke Sean’s train of thought. “We’ve lost them, but my instincts tell me that’s not the last we will see of them. I think we need to alter our plans. I’ll continue driving but I’m going to get you two to an airport. Instead of flying into DFW, I will have you fly into Addison’s airport.”
Sean agreed. He listened as Jack called and made the arrangements. Three hours later, Sean and Montana were landing at the Addison airport. Addison was in the suburbs of Dallas so Troy was waiting to pick them up.
Before he and Montana could reach Troy’s car, Savannah exited the car and ran up to embrace her sister.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Savannah said.
“Ladies, this reunion needs to take place in the car,” Sean said, hurrying Montana and Savannah along.
Montana and Savannah sat in the back seat while Troy jumped in the front passenger seat.
“Mike is being stubborn and hard-headed. He’s refusing to move to the safe house until we get coordinates on where Raheem is.”
“Best believe, he or his people if not already here are on their way to Dallas and they are determined to make not only Mike’s life a living hell, but mine too.”
“The only reason why they don’t know about me is because I was out of the country,” Troy said.
“Let’s keep it like that.”
“I’m sure if they’ve had Mike under surveillance, I’ve come up on their radar,” Troy said as he drove Sean to Montana’s place.
“Asia’s not answering her phone,” Montana said.
Sean responded, “I’ll try Mike.”
Savannah added, “I already did. He’s not answering his either.”
Mike was the one Sean usually called when he wanted to track somebody down. Now, who would track the tracker?
Troy said, “They may be in the safe house. If so, he would have made Asia ditch her phone.”
Sean dialed the number to the safe house from Troy’s phone. “Where are y’all?” Mike’s voice rang from the other end.
Sean sighed. “Man, you had us worried for a minute.”
“I had to go swoop up Asia. I’m not sure of how much info they have on me. Asia’s the most important thing to me and after fussing and plenty of resistance, I finally convinced her to come with me.”
Sean ended the call. “Asia’s fine. She’s with Mike.”
Montana responded, “Being with Mike doesn’t make me feel at ease.”
Sean didn’t know how he was going to break the news to her and Savannah but they would find out soon enough. “It’s really not my place to say this but I am. Mike thinks Asia’s life could be in danger so he brought her to the safe house with him.”
Ex
plicit words flew out of Montana’s and Savannah’s mouths. Montana said, “I knew it. I knew it from our last conversation.”
Savannah asked, “Knew what?”
Montana informed Savannah of what Asia had said. Savannah said, “I don’t know if I can keep going through this.”
Montana said, “A woman can’t help who she falls in love with. Look at us.”
Savannah agreed. “But Mike and Asia.”
Troy said, “Yeah. I thought they couldn’t stand each other.”
Sean added, “I saw it coming months ago.”
Montana frowned. “And you didn’t share this information with me?”
“It’s your sister. I thought you knew she had the hots for my boy.”
“I’m sure it was the other way around,” Savannah responded.
Montana said, “Yes, if anything Mike probably bugged her so much, she felt pity on him.”
Sean smiled. “Like you felt pity on me.”
“Sean, when I met you, it was lust . . . I mean, love at first sight.”
Everyone in the car laughed.
Epilogue
A month later . . .
Montana tried to concentrate on the dinner with her sisters and their men. It had been a month and Raheem and his men hadn’t made one move. Although cautious, Mike and Asia went back to a somewhat normal life. Normal as could be under the circumstances.
The dining room was filled with loads of jokes and laughter, but still Montana couldn’t keep her mind off of the unknown. Her eyes locked with Sean’s. He held a concerned look in his eyes.
Troy said, “Mike, I think you staying at the safe house with Asia for now is a good idea. At least we know getting into it is like Fort Knox.”
Mike responded, “I’m really not trying to live my life in fear. If it was just me, I would go confront him head-on.” Mike glanced in Asia’s direction.
Asia looked up at Mike. “Don’t let me be the reason you don’t. I’m not living my life in fear.”
“Calm down, Asia,” Montana said.
“You know your sister. I let her have her say. She’ll eventually calm down,” Mike said.
“I’m sitting right here,” Asia said. “Y’all talking like I’m not in the room.”
Mike said, “All I’m saying, Asia, is I want to take precautions until we—meaning Troy, Sean, and I—come up with a plan of action that will put Raheem away for good. He is not the type of person we can just go after. When we do decide to go after him, it will need to be a well-executed plan.”
“I understand that, but in the meantime, I’m supposed to put my life on hold? I don’t think so.” Asia crossed her arms.
“Asia, we would all feel secure if you stayed at the safe house. It’s only temporary. The safe house has everything you need. You’re here tonight, so it’s not like you can’t leave and go as you please. You just need to be more aware of your surroundings,” Montana said.
“I guess you’re right. It’s just this situation has me uptight. I like to be carefree. I can’t be carefree when I know there’s someone out there who wants to kill the man I love,” Asia blurted.
“Your man is happy that you’re finally admitting that you love him, but baby girl, I’m going to be all right.”
Asia calmed down a little. The rest of the dinner went by with idle chitchat, but Montana still couldn’t keep her mind off the issue.
Once everyone finished eating, Montana got up to clear the table.
“Need some help, sis?” Asia asked.
“No. I got this. You all sit down,” Montana responded as she got up and retrieved the empty plates from the table.
Sean insisted on assisting her with clearing the table. “What’s wrong, baby?” Sean asked when they were alone in the kitchen.
“Not knowing when or where this Raheem will decide to strike again has me nervous,” Montana admitted.
“Baby, I promise you this, I will give up my life to protect you. I will not let anything happen to you or your sisters.”
Montana gently touched Sean on the face. “I know you will. I love you for that. I hope that it never comes to that.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t. I just want to assure you that I’m going to do my best to keep you safe, so don’t worry.” Sean squeezed her in his arms.
Montana rested her head on Sean’s shoulder, confident that he would protect her by any means necessary.
But her mind drifted to Asia. Would Asia be okay if Raheem came after Mike? What if they tried to get to Asia to get back at Mike? Would Montana be able to deal with that? Those questions and more swam around in her head as she held on to the love of her life as if her life depended on it.
At this very moment it did. Feeling Sean’s heartbeat completed Montana’s heartbeat as she exhaled.
THE END
Urban Books, LLC
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Montana’s Way Copyright © 2012 Shelia M. Goss
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-6228-6041-8
This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.
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