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1:30 p.m.
Destiny Frankfort shiftedthe transmission into park and cut the engine to her newly purchased Kia Soul. In her assigned parking spot at her business, Tooth and Nails, she rested against the seat and rubbed her temples.
She almost contacted her clients to cancel her appointments today, as she still had a banging headache from yesterday’s embarrassing fiasco and the assault she’d endured at Lisa’s hands.
Destiny grimaced, thinking about Lisa. She’d known her as a client for a year now, and Lisa always seemed friendly, but last night, she’d gone all Mortal Kombat. The only reason Destiny could understand it was if Lisa herself wanted Langston.
She shook off the thoughts, removed the keys from the engine, grabbed her purse, and opened her door just as a woman approached her car.
“I’ve been here for an hour,” her first client of the day said, looking irritated.
“Whatever you do, don’t slap me.”
The lady frowned. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Destiny eased out of the car, and when the door slammed, the noise increased the pounding in her head.
“Great, just great,” she murmured, strolling toward the front door of Tooth and Nails with her client beside her.
The squealing of tires against asphalt and grinding of brakes made the women pause and turn as a black SUV rushed to cut them off.
“What the hell!” they shrieked, shocked.
The doors opened, and two men in ski masks jumped out and grabbed Destiny.
Both ladies screamed, and Destiny pleaded, “No! Please! Take whatever you want! I have money! Please!”
The second woman cowered against the building’s brick exterior. She watched in horror as the men tossed Destiny in the truck and pulled away.
* * *
Same day
1:30 p.m.
Northshire Bend Mall
Cynthia Clark strolledthrough the luxury suite of the mall, the phone plastered to her ear as she spoke to her son, Langston.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. My heart hurt so bad for you, baby. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Mom. I’m an adult. I can handle my issues on my own.”
“I know that. That’s not what I mean. It’s just, well, you would want to know if someone broke my heart, wouldn’t you?”
“And what would you tell me?”
Cynthia hesitated, pursed her lips, and walked to a makeup counter.
“That’s exactly what I thought,” Langston continued.
“You’re my child.”
“And you’re my mother.”
“The relationship doesn’t work both ways, regardless of what you want to believe.”
