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I swarmed in his arms. “No! Goddamn it! Jas, baby, listen to me!” my cords strained painfully. “Baby, I’m right here. Please, don’t do this to me. Jas, we have to go home. Together!” I tried searching the recesses of my mind for one—anyone. Then it hit me. “The old has passed away! The old. The old…” I struggled to recount it. “Behold, the new has come!” Growing frustrated, I blurted, “Corinthians, chapter five! If anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!”
I gave up being accurate. It was clear, I hadn’t retained my Bible verses from my primary education. But that should have been enough for him to hear.
“Jas!” I cried, seeing the now black-eyed man’s hand twitching. “New! New!”
He was dying. That was it. Jas had killed the man as everyone watched on.
The next thing I knew, a ferocious shout hurled from Jas’ chest and he released the guy. Jas’ chest heaved hard and hands flexed at his sides as he eyed the man with complete abhorrence.
Juggy left my side as I watched every move Jas made.
Two trucks pulled up and Man shouted, “Let’s fuckin’ go, Ahk!”
I turned at his alarming yelp. People were crowding the area. Juggy was directing Becky and Corinne to one of the trucks. I watched him pick up Shizu’s tiny frame and urge the other girls to go. Snapping into action, I charged at Jas, nearly twisting my ankle in the heels.
“Baby,” I tried grabbing his face, but Jas wouldn’t budge at the neck. I moved into his line of view, my body shivering, words sputtering. “Le—let’s go, baby.We—wa—we’ve gotta go!” Finally, he peered down at me. “Jas! Let’s go.”
“Yo!” Man shouted again. “Popo’s a block out!”
I pushed him as hard as I could, mirroring his typical intensity, though it was useless. But Jas did finally break. With heavy panting, wide nostrils, and dark eyes, he took me at the arm and we took off for the truck.
“Are you sure I can’t get you another bag of ice for your fists?” Mel craned her neck into the door of the bedroom and quietly asked.
We were in the air for the States in less than three hours. If it weren’t for Captain Willie and his son arriving on the island this afternoon, opting to spend a day touring tomorrow, God only knew what the next few hours would have turned into. The security team I’d hired advised us to leave the island as soon as we could. It was all good; that was my plan anyway.
I glanced down at the arm I had draped around Ashira’s body curled into a fetal position and saw how swollen and cut my shits were, I shook my head. “No thanks, Mel. Maybe some tea for her.”
“Absolutely.” She closed the door, leaving me with a resting Ashira and in a quiet space for conversation with the Lord.
I’d fucked up. So bad, I’d fucked up. The thing about falling for a girl was you can’t control your emotions regarding her. It weakens your judgment and makes you behave irrationally. The worst of it was I didn’t regret my actions, only questioned why I didn’t put that motherfucker out of his misery.
I warred spiritually since I came through to full consciousness on the speedy ride back to the estate. As Ashira cried, throwing her things into the luggage then helping me with mine while I communicated with Ava who had reached out to Captain Willie and his son, I fucking warred in spirit.
We’d loaded in the truck, drove nearly an hour to the airport, and I prayed silently in the spirit. When Mel was processing our identification and our luggage was being stowed beneath the aircraft, I sought the Lord in prayer. As everyone grabbed their respective places of comfort on theEllis Bombardierand I insisted Shizu and Ashira took the bedrooms and that I’d be with Ashira, I beseeched Him. Mel and her crew got us settled in, understanding we needed to eat and sleep. She even took care of Ashira and Shizu’s scratches and cuts after they showered here on the plane. I’d been given an ice pack for my hands and face where that pussy caught my jaw. And now, as I lay here, needing to feel her as she slept, I sought out my God.
My eyes slowly opened, letting me know I’d dozed off. I didn’t mean to. I’d showered and eaten what I could. When it was Jas’ turn to shower, I lay here waiting for him to come out so we could talk…or just hold each other. I could feel the unbearable weight of the anguish he carried from the moment my full senses had returned once we’d left the house. No one spoke. It was the most silent my friends and I had ever been together. Juggy and Man, unaffected yet sensitive to the moment, tended to my best friends. I couldn’t provide the comfort I normally would because, quite frankly, I was devastated, traumatized by the ‘could haves’ and the possibility of the aftermath coming back on Jas.
Rubbing my eyes, I yawned feeling my bruised cords, then turned over to Jas. I loved his heavy arm on me, extending his protection. The amount of safety and relief I’d felt couldn’t be measured.
“Hey…” my voice brittle and whispery.
His head rolled my way and the dark circles around his eyes were just a small detail of his duress. With his swollen hand, he caressed the side of my face, acknowledging me. “You good?”
Instead of lying, I rasped, “Did you eat?”
“I tried. You’re hoarse.” Then he tossed his chin. “Mel brought you more tea.”
Instantly, my mouth felt dry. I tried flipping over again, my legs protesting in pain, elbows, too. I did, indeed, see a silver tray topped with a tea kettle, mugs, and an assortment of sugars and honey. But there, just in behind the mug and saucer of sliced ginger and mint leaves, was a purple velvet box.
Andreatta’s Promises…
My pulse raced and body jolted then locked. I was out of breath, and for no reason all of a sudden. Slowly, I rose to reach for it. Inside was an emerald-cut hollow ring with pave diamonds going around the platinum band. Its radiance beamed, flashing in my eyes against the silver tray. And I cried. A torrid of tears rushed down my face as I turned and threw my arm and aching leg around Jas.
“Why are you crying?” he asked with a violently beating heart.
“Because I love you so much.”
“I know your answer’s no. Knew it when I brought it out here.”
