“One of them slapped me, and the other threatened to rape me. I was so scared.” Tears fill her eyes. My nostrils flare. My wife is a fierce warrior. I’ve never known her to be scared. Not of me or anyone else. Even when I took her off the street, she was angrier than scared. Now, this piece of shit grabbed her, hit her, and threatened to violate her in the worst way.
“King, can you take Cori out?” He doesn’t say a word, but he takes Cori’s elbow and pulls her out of the house. Once I know she can’t see anything, I punch Reed again. He falls over, and I get on top of him and punch him until he begs for mercy, only he passes out before he can ask me to stop.
That doesn’t stop me. I leave him and turn my rage on his brother.
“Hunt, that’s enough.” I don’t know if it’s Stone or Steel, but my anger won’t allow me to stop. I can’t even see anymore. My vision is blurred, and blood spatters on me, but I keep punching.
“Son!” In this crazy state, I hear my mother’s voice. “Stop. I saw Cori. She’s fine.” I punch Reed in the ribs. “I said enough.”
I drop him, and he falls to the floor.
Stone puts a hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t know you had it in you, boy. I’m kinda proud.”
I ignore him and put my hands on my knees while I try to catch my breath.
It happens in a flash. I barely have time to register that Mom is holding a handgun. She promptly shoots Chandler in the back of the head and Reed in the temple.
“Now, it’s done,” she says. “The Titans will clean this up and make sure we’re not connected. Make it look like a murder suicide. That’s the gun Chandler was holding.” Mom wipes her gloved hands on her pants. “You’ll get what you want,” she says to Steel. “We’ll wash the additional money, but I suggest you get out of this life before you end up like them. I’m going to take Cori home. Don’t be long, Son. She needs you.”
Chapter 65
Cori
“Momma Had, you didn’t have to bring me here. I don’t need a doctor.” I know she’s not hearing me. She’s been hovering over me since she drove me from that house of horror to the hospital. Only, I didn’t have to go to the emergency room. She made a phone call, and I was whisked into a private practice.
“Please, sweetheart, let the doctors check you out.” Dax looks about a hundred years older. I reach for him, and he takes my hands and puts them to his lips. “I’m so sorry, baby. Please know that no one will ever hurt you again. Don’t leave me.” He lowers his head. “I need you.”
“I need you, too,” I whisper. “I knew you would find me.” I let out a half-laugh, half-sob. “I love you.”
“Me, too.”
“Take me home. I’m fine. I’ve been prodded and pricked—”
Dr. Best, a woman in her fifties with dark brown skin, comes in. She tosses her braids and sits down. She reaches for my sore cheek, and I wince.
“It’s just a bruise. You’re fine, Cori.” My husband exhales in relief. “Go home and get some rest.” She rises. “Not yet, though.” She gives me a sly grin.
“See? I told you.” I look smugly around the room. “But why not now?”
“Let’s talk privately.” Dr. Best points toward the door, but my husband and his mother take no steps to leave.
“It’s okay. You can say anything in front of them.”
Dr. Best tilts her head. “Okay, then. You’re pregnant.”
“What?” Dax and I say at once.
“You’re pregnant. I did a pregnancy test with your urine. I’m going to give you an ultrasound, and then,” Dr. Best stops speaking and looks around the room. “You and only you can tell me what you want to do about it.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m not pregnant.”
“Well, I guess my years at medical school and years as a practicing physician count for nothing, huh?”
I look around the room, and all I see is silent excitement from Dax and his mother. “Dax, tell them I’m not.” I point at him. “I better not be. I swear to God, I will divorce you.”
“Dr. Best, can you find out if it’s a boy today?”
“First of all, I’m not pregnant. Second, why are you asking that, Daxton? There will be no boy. You’re going to be stuck in a family full of women, including that mutt.” I reach and pull his ear.
