Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I shuffled in the closet to see her yanking a pair of leggings and matching jacket off the hanger. "Slow up…" I grabbed her wrist softly to stop her from yanking the pants on. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"
She shook her head, rolling her lips together before speaking. "Ronnie came back from the hotel with Boogie and she said the door was unlocked."
I frowned. "Unlocked?"
Gianna nodded. "Yeah. She asked me did I stop by and maybe forgot to lock the door. I told her no and not to go in." I let her wrist go and she began to put on her pants. "I told her to just go to her car and call the police. So I'm going over there."
"No,we'regoing over there," I corrected reaching over her to grab a hoodie.
"Remy, no." She tossed off her satin nightgown and shoved her arms into her jacket with no bra, zipping it up quickly. "Melo is sleep. It's three a.m. You have Sunday brunch at the restaurant…"
I wasn't trying hear none of that. "Gianna—baby, I'm not letting you go over there alone especially with the shit that's been happening. Melo sleeps heavy. He'll be fine," I said firmly already putting my hoodie on.
"Remy—" she began.
I gripped her chin in my fingers looking down at her, seriously. "Don't fight me. Remember you not doing anything alone anymore."
Her eyes fluttered closed briefly and she nodded.
Dropping a kiss on her lips I let her face go. "My keys are in the key bowl. Go start the car for me, okay? I'll be out in a second."
Without further protest, she nodded. Grabbing her shoes, she stepped around me. I threw on a pair of basketball shorts and gym shoes before going into my son's room. Melo wassnoring lightly. I carefully slid on his Crocs and gently slid a zip-up hoodie onto him over his pajama's.
He stirred slightly. "Daddy, where we going?" he mumbled eyes still closed.
"Just for a little ride, buddy," I whispered scooping him into my arms and kissing the top of his head. His arms wrapped around my neck, and he fell right back to sleep.
When I got to my truck, Gianna was sitting with her face lit up by the phone screen as she texted who I was sure was Ronnie.
She looked back, watching me while I buckled Melo into his booster seat. "I feel so bad," she sighed softly when I slid in the driver's seat.
"Don't. He'll be fine, baby." I placed my hand on her thigh. "Let's go see what's going on." Pulling out, I was on high alert. Watching every dark truck that looked like that black one. I could feel Gianna on edge too. She alternated between texting and her eyes flicking around.
I placed my hand back on her thigh. She dropped her hand on top of mine and gave it a squeeze. Five minutes away from her building she let me know that Ronnie texted that the police had just arrived. "Good, right on time," I mumbled.
When we pulled up and I saw two police cruisers, I let Gianna get out first while I got Melo out. I placed his hood over his head, my hand on the back of it to shield him from the blinking lights. Gianna was waiting for us at the door. Taking her hand, we walked to her apartment where Ronnie was waiting outside the open door.
"Are you okay?" Gianna rushed towards her.
"I'm okay, sis, but this shit is weird." Ronnie frowned shaking her head. "Nothing is out of place. Look—" she pointed.
Me and Gianna peered in. Nothing was out of place. Everything looked exactly as it always did.
"The cops are doing a sweep," Ronnie exhaled sharply planting her hands on her hips. "They told us not to touch the door. They say the lock looks like it's been picked though."
"What the fuck?" Gianna's breath hitched.
Both of our eyes landed on the doorknob. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder pulling her towards me. I could feel a slight tremble in her body. She was scared and that pissed me off even more.
"Sorry about all this, Remy." Ronnie's eyes went to Melo. "But thank you for coming."
"No thanks needed. I wasn’t letting her come alone," I responded. "But you can't stay here either. You got somewhere you can go or you need help with getting a hotel?"
She smiled, genuinely. "That's sweet. But I'll probably just stay with my mom."
Our conversation was interrupted when the officers came out.
"Hello. I'm Officer Mullins and this is Officer Cooper." The female officer gestured towards the male. "Ma'am are you the other roommate?" she asked Gianna pulling a notepad out.
