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“Hey, my mistake,” Xavier said, holding up his hands and backing away. “If you see her, tell her I’ll talk to her soon, okay?”
“Whatever man,” the boyfriend said and closed the door.
Xavier went back to his car, and no sooner had he closed the door than hit send on his phone. When the man answered on the other line, a cold calm settled over Xavier.
“I’m calling in that favor you owe me.”
Aimee tried not to cry, but sound escaped as small whimpers without her intending to. She couldn’t help it. The last thing she wanted to do was get more attention from John, but her emotions overruled her choices, and the whimpers escaped.
The closet door slid open flooding her with light. “Your little boyfriend just came to my house.”
John threw her cell phone at her. If she hadn’t dodged her head to the side it would’ve cracked her right in the skull.
“He’s called you like a hundred times. How does he know where I live?”
Fear gripped her heart. She tried to tell him she didn’t know, but her words were muffled by the duct tape over her mouth. John pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.
“I’m going to kill you either way, but whether it’s slow or fast is up to you. I’m only asking one more time, so you better stop lying to me. How does he know you were here? How does he know where I live?”
Aimee sobbed and shook her head again.
“Stop lying to me! I’ll kill you, him, and everyone you care about! Tell me!”
All she could do was keep shaking her head, but John yelled over and over for her to tell him. She just didn’t have an answer for him.
Wind suddenly buffeted against the walls of the mobile home. It was nighttime now, but blinding white light flooded the entire inside of the mobile home. Aimee heard the front door burst open, and John turned and fired his gun. Aimee screamed, trying to duck down further in the closet, but her wrists and ankles were duct taped together and didn’t really allow for a lot of movement.
There was a quick gunfight, but for her it lasted a lifetime. John threw his gun at whoever was coming in and he tried to run. Aimee saw four men in full riot gear chase after. Two more men stopped at the closet and pulled her from it.
They didn’t bother with the duct tape, but instead just carried her out the door to safety. As they did, she saw John stuck halfway through the window of his bedroom. Half a dozen guys were there pulling him threw, and she knew there were the ones that had come up behind him. He had nowhere to go.
The men carrying her sat her behind a large armored truck. A spot right where Xavier was crouched and waiting. He pulled out a pocket knife and cut free her wrists and ankles, then pulled the duct tape from her mouth.
“You did this?” she asked.
“Of course,” he said. “I knew something was wrong, but I knew the police wouldn’t listen to me.”
“These men are yours?”
“What? Of course not. It’s illegal to employ a private standing army. I just know a few guys that owe me favors. Perpetually. That I donate money to.”
Her heart soared and she wrapped her arms around him. “It was John, he was the one that robbed the bank. The money is in the couch cushions. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”
Xavier nodded to the men around them and they ran back in the building, presumably to check the couch. “It’s okay,” he said to her. “I believe you. I’m sorry for my part in all of this. What say I take you home?”
Aimee swallowed, knowing she wouldn’t see him again. Xavier helped her to stand and they walked to his limo. Roland was there waiting for them.
She knew it wouldn’t be long before they were at her place, so she clung to Xavier and held to him as long as she had with him. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and stroked her hair softly. She felt so comfortable and safe that she didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep.
Xavier nudged her gently with his elbow. Aimee woke, surprised she’d slept, and looked around. She was not at the café. They weren’t even in the town anymore.
“Where…?”
“Home. Our home.”
She looked at him.
“I want you to come stay with me.”
