by M. Skye
“Yeah, big brother. I’ll be fine.”
“All right. I guess I’ll see you tonight.”
“Bye.” She walked out of the office.
Miguel shook his head as he absorbed all the secrets exposed today. He found himself looking at the computer again, trying to figure out why he just couldn’t shake the familiar feeling he had when watching the video. It was completely baffling, considering Mia and Tyree both assured him they didn’t have cameras installed around the house.
Something besides the obvious was going on. He had no idea where the video had come from, but he wasn’t sure how to tell Tyree that. If he knew the video came from a mysterious source and the text had come from a blocked number, he would freak out even more.
Miguel was confused about how everything seemed to fall into his lap, but one thing puzzled him the most: why was it that the person in the video seemed so familiar? The closer he looked, he realized what he thought was a man before was actually a woman. The slender frame was cloaked in dark clothing, but he could tell, without a doubt, it was a woman.
As he allowed his mind to run freely and explore every possibility, one name popped into his head: Renee. It had to be her. She had to be the one messing with Kyan that night. It was the only possible explanation.
As Miguel thought it over even more, he laughed to himself about how silly he was being. It had to be her. Renee knew the grounds of the house as well as Tyree and Mia. She also would have the most to gain if Tyree and Mia split again, and she knew what triggered it the first time.
Now, Miguel felt silly for setting off all those alarms in Tyree’s head about Kyan being unsafe. Their only problem was a scheming soon-to-be ex. He sighed in relief, taking pleasure in the fact that Tyree would soon be rid of her; and he packed his things up to get ready for dinner.
Miguel left the office and closed the door behind him. When he got to the elevator, he realized he left his desktop on, and he doubled back. After swinging the door open, he heard voices that sounded like they were in his office and raced around to see what the source was. After he saw that it was just his desktop playing, his laptop fell from his hand. He was clubbed over the head, and he fell to the floor. And then everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-two
Sitting at the dinner table, Tyree found himself shuffling around in anticipation of seeing his brother again. Asha was already there with Terence, and they looked like they had something to prove. Things were rapidly getting out of hand and, the more he thought about it, he knew he didn’t want Mia present for whatever drama this night would bring. He had to do a special song and dance to keep her staying at the house with Rick and Cassandra, and Jackson had assisted in getting Milan on board with his wishes. Now all he had to do was wrap things up between him and Renee, and they could move on.
The threat to his family, he convinced himself, was very real. He knew he needed to get them away from Atlanta until he had a handle on things but, now, he was sure he should be with them. He could take some time away from the company and spend it jet setting with his family. The reality was if they were always moving, then no one could touch them. That was his plan: to never get touched.
Tyree kept watching the door in anticipation of Miguel’s arrival, and he sighed when he only saw John and Karen entering. As much as he loved his mother, his father was not a person he wanted to be around when things were so tense in his life. He always seemed to amplify any bad feelings. Karen was always amazing in providing her warmth and comfort but, at the present time, he wasn’t ready to share what he was feeling, even with her.
Sitting with his eyes closed, quietly contemplating where to go first, Tyree felt a body slide down in the chair next to him and place her hands in his lap. His gorgeous smile appeared thinking that Mia had gone against his wishes and joined him anyway. As much as he wanted to keep her away from the drama, he had to admit he needed her close. He was feeling displaced and needed to feel the love only she could offer. Raising her hand to his lips with his eyes closed, he placed a gentle kiss on her hand.
Tyree knew Mia’s touch anywhere, and something was definitely off. When he opened his eyes, he dropped the hand suddenly, realizing it was Renee. He saw the hurt expression on her face, and he slid his chair over slightly. When Tyree glanced around the table, he saw the confused expression held by his sister and mother, and he shrugged. He had no idea she was back in town, let alone attending the dinner that was meant for family only.
Looking over and catching his sister’s hateful gaze, Tyree stood to walk over to her side of the table to explain what was going on. He had promised to end things the minute he saw Renee, and he was caught off guard and knew Asha was about to blow a fuse. Before he could effectively make his way over, John halted his progression. With his hand in the air, John cleared his throat, and Tyree huffed.
“Family, I would like to begin.”
“Miguel isn’t here,” Tyree hissed quietly.
“I’m sure your brother will be joining us soon, but we need to go ahead and get started with my announcement. It’s too wonderful to keep hidden any longer.”
“What is it? You know I don’t understand why we had to come to dinner to discuss something that could have been handled over the damn phone.”
“Tyree Akio Johnston,” Karen interjected, “you will show some respect. I know your feelings about your father, but you will at least give me the respect I deserve. I would very much like for you to take your seat and hear what he has to say.”
Tyree looked to his mother and nodded slowly, pulling his chair out and flopping down. As much as he wanted to flip the table and grab John, shaking him, making him come clean about Richmond, his loyalty to his mother made him stop in his tracks. No matter what he was going through she always had his back, so he would do anything she ever asked, even listen to his ass of a father.
Tyree watched as John smiled brightly when he reclaimed his seat and leaned down to kiss Karen’s cheek before beginning again. He had to fight back the urge to fly over the table watching that man touch his mother. He always thought she was too good for him, and now he was sure of it.
Tyree fiddled with his napkin while waiting for John to begin and he shivered when he felt Renee’s hand graze over his legs and then rest in between them. In the past, this act would have made him crazy but, now, it was just unwelcome. He began to get uncomfortable when her hand began to circle his zipper, and he drew in a deep breath. Reaching down, grabbing her hand, he placed it back in her own lap and tried not to notice the look that formed on her face. He was ready to leave this place and all the madness it came with.
Knowing Renee’s advances were the result of her not knowing the truth about where they stood was the only thing that kept Tyree from snapping her neck when her hand found its way back to his zipper. This time, she pulled it down and let her fingers venture inside. Letting out an uncomfortable growl, Tyree jumped up, grabbing Renee by the wrist. Pulling her into the lobby of the restaurant, he sat her down in one of the open seats.
Running his hand over his head, he sighed and turned to her. “You can’t do shit like that.”
“You looked stressed, and you know my talents of making you forget it.” She stood, advancing on him.
He held his hands out, stopping her before she got too close. “Stop. We are in a restaurant with my mother here. Have some decency.”
Renee looked stunned. He had never denied any of her crazy propositions, ever. “What’s going on, Tyree? Why are you acting like this? I would think you would be happy to see me. I’ve been gone over a week, and you should be ripping my clothes off, unless—”
“Unless what?” he asked knowingly. “Go ahead and ask.”
He noted the shock on her face, and he inhaled deeply. Here it was: the moment he could finally move on. Or so he thought. Tyree waited for her to voice her suspicions and he could confirm and be done with this whole mess, but she stood silent and then let out a casual giggle.
“Y
ou know what? I’m just tired. My mind is playing tricks on me. Of course, you don’t want me groping you under the table with your mother there. Sorry, it won’t happen again.”
Tyree was stunned. He couldn’t wrap his mind around how it wasn’t obvious to her. He sat there, looking blankly as she darted back to the table. Following her after a brief moment, he sat down, pulling her ear level with his mouth. “We need to talk.”
“I know, but not now.” She smiled, turning to look at John, who was still waiting to make his announcement.
“Now is the perfect time. I need to tell you something important.”
“That’s funny,” she smirked, “so do I.”
Tyree swallowed the lump in his throat and placed his hand on the table in front of them. “Let’s get out of here. We need to talk in private. There is a lot we have to discuss.”
With a smug grin, Renee turned to him and ran her hand down his face. “In due time, baby. Right now, let’s see what John has to say.”
“Fine,” he huffed, “but the minute he is done, we’re out of here.”
“Anxious to get me home, huh?”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Standing, dinging his glass, John looked around the table beaming. “To my beautiful family, as you know, there have been some troubles with one of our partners and, as a result of that, I have made a huge decision.” The whole table grew silent and gave him their undivided attention. “I’ve decided that, as of tomorrow, I will be returning to Johnston Incorporated full time.”
Tyree glanced to Asha and rolled his eyes before jumping up, causing his fork and knife to fall to the floor. “Great, just great, because I have an announcement of my own.” Everyone looked his way, and Asha gave him a nod of encouragement. “I’m taking some time off to travel with my family.”
Renee held her remarkable smile and placed a hand on his lap. “I’m glad you feel that way, because our baby needs the attention.”
“Our baby?” Tyree choked out breathlessly.
“It’s my news.” Renee beamed. “As of three days ago, I’m two months pregnant.”
The table was completely silent as Tyree slid back into his seat. John and Renee shared a brief look that didn’t go unnoticed by Terence and Asha. They were studying everyone’s reactions carefully until the ringing of Tyree’s cell phone brought things back into focus.
“Yes,” Tyree barked into the phone. He paused when he heard what was being said, and he let out a deep sigh. “I can do that, but do you need us now? We are kinda in the middle of something.” He was gripping his phone tightly as he spoke. “Okay, fine, I’m on my way.” Shaking his head, he exhaled. “No need to call anyone. We’re all together.”
Hanging up the phone and placing his head in his hands, Tyree allowed himself a brief moment to break down as a few loose tears fell.
Karen was instantly at his side when he raised his head. “Son, what’s wrong? Is it Miguel? Where is my baby?”
Tyree took her hand and pulled it to his lips for a gentle kiss, and he put his hand to her hair. “Mom, don’t freak out. It’s nothing like that. It’s just something we were working on that fell through. Asha and I are going to need to leave with Terence and meet up with Miguel to get it handled.”
Karen drew in a deep breath and placed her trembling hands in Tyree’s lap. “Well, do you have to go right now? We haven’t had dinner. We were in the middle of a celebration, and your brother hasn’t arrived.”
“Unfortunately, yes, but I assure you there will be time to celebrate everything in the near future.” He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her. Tyree walked out and turned to find Asha and Terence behind him with confused expressions. But before he could get inside his car, Renee walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and tried to put on his calmest face. “Renee, now is not the time. I have to fix something.”
“I understand that. I just wanted you to know that I’m going to head to the house. I think I should get some rest; the baby makes me tired.”
“Yeah, get some rest,” he huffed. “We’ll talk later.”
Tyree got into his car and buckled himself in before reaching over to grab his cell. He wanted to remain calm but, inside, he was terrified. The call he received had nothing to do with the business. They were really going to see Miguel in the hospital. Melvin, the security guard, found him passed out in his office and was instructed to call Tyree, Asha, Terence, and no one else because Rock, the head of the family’s security, arrived shortly after he discovered Miguel. He wasn’t sure what all the secrecy was about, but he was sure it had everything to do with either Richmond or John, if not both.
He knew whatever was going on had to do with the fact that he and Miguel were looking into Richmond, but he was discovering John had just as much to hide, if not more. Even though he was sure they were behind it all, he found himself wondering how he could have been stupid enough to put his family in danger like this once again. He knew he was definitely to blame and he took the weight of his decision and Miguel’s condition on his shoulders. Now, all he could do was damage control.
Chapter Twenty-three
Walking into the quiet house after leaving the hospital, Tyree found himself exhaling into the air. He had no idea how he was going to do what was necessary, no idea how to begin to wrap his mind around what needed to be done. Walking down the hallway, he stumbled into Jackson rocking Sydney in his arms and singing a light tune. Chuckling, Tyree reached over to touch her cheek.
“Late night?” Jackson laughed.
“Yeah, you?”
“Just putting the princess to sleep. Millie is out cold, and I didn’t have it in me to wake her up when she looks so peaceful. Syd was crying, and I wanted to keep the noise down. Singing always gets her to sleep.”
“Yeah, looks like it. She’s sleeping pretty soundly now.”
“Yeah. So, what’s going on? You look like you have something on your mind.”
Tyree leaned against the wall and shoved his hands in his pockets, trying not to make eye contact. “You ever know you need to do something, but know if you do you will never be happy again? Have you ever known the thing that would hurt the most was the only plausible thing to do to protect the people you love?”
Jackson shifted Sydney to his other shoulder and focused in on Tyree. “It’s those footprints we saw, right? You found more to them?”
“There’s a lot I can’t explain right now. I just need you to do me a favor. I need you to take Milan and Sydney away from here. Take them home. Do whatever you need to do to convince her to leave as soon as possible.”
“I can do that, but what about your girl and son? Are they safe?”
“For now. I’m working on that, too. I don’t want to freak you out; I just want to make sure your family isn’t involved in any of our mess.”
“I can appreciate that, but you know my wife and your girl. They’re going to want answers before we can get them to do anything.”
“I’ll handle Mia; don’t worry.”
“Tell me this: are we at least safe here for the night? If not, I’ll wake Millie up.”
“I have security surrounding the place and no one will get in here. I called Rick and let him know what was going on. No one will get into the main house undetected; that’s why I needed you here.”
“How serious is this?”
“Very,” Tyree admitted before reaching out to shake his hand. “Don’t worry about tonight; I got it covered. But get away from here tomorrow. You think I can ask you one more favor?”
Jackson nodded, stepping back into the next room while Tyree followed him. They were in the room with the door closed for a few minutes, and then Tyree emerged, walking down the halls in search of Mia. He needed to find her and see her beautiful face to help him deal with all the turmoil in his life. She was always the one who helped him hold things together. She would help him for the night; but in the morning, he would have to do the hardest thing he had ever done, an
d he wasn’t sure he was ready. He loved children, his son was the greatest gift he could ever ask for, but this news of Renee’s wasn’t what he needed. He had always wanted another child, but he wanted it with Mia.
Searching the obvious rooms, Tyree saw no sign of Mia. He did, however, find Kyan sleeping peacefully in the normal room he took when visiting. It had all of his favorite things, and it was where he was the most comfortable in the house. Sitting down on the bed next to him, Tyree rubbed his back, speaking to what he thought was a sleeping child.
“I’ve always wanted what’s best for you, little man. I always wanted to make you proud to be my son, but somewhere along the line, I feel like I failed you. If it weren’t for me, your life would have been so much easier, happier. I just need to protect you. You and your mom. You’re so important to me.”
Wiggling under Tyree’s palm, Kyan flipped over and reached up to hug him. “Daddy, are you leaving me and Mama again?”
“I don’t want to leave you or your mother. I just need you to be safe.”
“Why are you scared, Daddy? Are you scared I’m going to go away again? I didn’t mean to run away. The man just said Grandpa sent him to get me, and I really wanted to see him. I missed him.”
“Son, people will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to do what they want. I want you to know it wasn’t your fault. None of it was. I should have been watching you better.”
“I was okay, Daddy, I promise. They took care of me; they were nice to me.”
Tyree had never gotten this much out of Kyan regarding his kidnapping. They always assumed he was too young to remember, but now it seemed like he knew more than they thought. “Ky, do you remember how you got back home? Do you know who had you?”
He shook his head no, but the look on his face said otherwise.
“If you know something, you can tell me. I promise I won’t be mad, and you won’t get in trouble.”
“Renee scares me, Daddy. She doesn’t do anything mean, but I know she doesn’t like Mama, and she just reminds me of when I was gone. I had a dream about the mask people, and they sounded like her voice. I don’t like it when you leave me alone with her. The mask people said they would kill Mama if their plan didn’t work.”
