“Hello.”
“How’s my girl?”
“I am not your fucking girl!” I shout as Jett and Kayne crowd around me. Just their mere presence makes my apartment go from feeling like a shoebox to a ring box.
“That’s no way to talk to me, especially when I have something you want.”
I grip the phone as I hear unintelligible moaning on the other end.
“Nino, don’t hurt him!”
“It’s a little too late for that, Tara.”
“I’ll give you anything you want, just let him go!”
“I’m glad to hear that you want to cooperate.”
“Put it on speaker,” Jett urges.
I do as he says and continue talking.
“What do you want?” I ask him anxiously.
“What belongs to me, of course.”
“And that is?”
“Tara, don’t be so stupid. You know it’s you that I want.”
I look back and forth between Kayne and Jett. They’re both shaking their heads.
I stand there quivering, holding the phone. I have no other choice.
“Fine. You can have me. Just assure me you’ll let CJ go.”
“Tara!” Kayne snarls at me.
“So your free pussy has some friends, huh?”
Kayne swipes the phone from my hand and brings it to his mouth. “You’re goddamn right he has some friends,” he says so menacingly, he becomes a completely different person in my eyes. “And they will crack your fucking skull wide open with a crowbar if anything happens to him.”
“You better hurry up for my sake then.” Nino doesn’t sound the least bit threatened.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Kayne asks.
“Just do as I say.”
There’s suddenly banging on my front door. Both Jett and Kayne pull guns from out of nowhere.
“Tara!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Tara! Let me in!”
“It’s Philly.” I go for the door, but Kayne yanks me back,opening it himself. He holds the gun right up to a startled Philly’s face.
“Whoa!” He puts his hands up in surrender.
