King of the Don's

thirty one

Vaughn

I was standing in the storage warehouse in the south end of Boston going through our delayed shipment, when I received a phone call. Right away I knew it was Briar from the specific ringtone I got for her, and I reached down to get my phone from my jacket pocket. I swiped the screen to answer the call, "Briar baby do you think-" I started, but she quickly interrupted me, and as soon as I heard her voice, I knew something was wrong.

"Rich is the rat!" Her words were frantic, "Rich is the rat, and he's working for Oliver and he's trying to make me leave with him." Briar rushed the words out, and I felt my stomach fucking dip at her words. I knew better than to stand around and ask a dozen questions, and I immediately took off toward the door, motioning for Miles to come with me, "Where are you at? Can you get to our room?" I asked her, and she whispered back, "I'm already in here!"

I got into the drivers seat and started the car engine, but without missing a beat I instructed her, "Briar, listen to me carefully. I have a loaded gun in my nightstand. Grab it, and sit in our closet." I told her in a firm, calm voice to try and keep her from panicking. 

"And when anyone, it doesn't matter who, tries to come in, you fuckin' shoot them. You don't hesitate, you hear me?" I asked, but she didn't answer. I could hear her shuffling around, and I pulled out and onto the main road, narrowly missing a tan sedan.

"Briar!" I got her attention, and she let out a shaky breath, "I'm here. I'm in the closet." She whispered lowly. 

"I'm on my way, baby. I'll be there in ten minutes" I tried to reassure her, "Grounds security is on their way up to you now, okay?" I made sure she knew, and she started breathing heavier, letting out a panicked cry, "Vaughn, I'm really scared." She uttered the words, and I clenched my firsts around the steering wheel. "I know baby, but when he is through that door, fucking shoot him." I reiterated, and Miles spoke up from the passenger seat, "Grounds security is entering the house now, Don."

I felt the slightest bit relived, but I was still minutes away. 

When I finally pulled up to the gate, my hands started shaking as I went to put in the code, and I suddenly couldn't fucking remember it. "What's the fucking code?!" I asked, irritated now that we changed it monthly. I had the urge to ram through the godforsaken gate, but I knew it was impossible to tear through. 

"10312003." Miles told me, and I quickly put them in.

I wasted no time speeding up the drive way, and as soon as the car was in park, I threw open my door and sprinted inside the house and up the stairs. The minute I was in our bedroom, I felt as Briar darted into me. I picked her up and banded my arms around her thighs, taking on all of her weight. With my other hand, I held onto the back of her head, "Talk to me, baby. Tell me you're okay." I asked as I looked down at my sweet girl. She didn't answer me right away, and after a few seconds I gently pulled her head out of her place in my neck, and I eyes ran over her. My palm instantly went to her purple cheek. 

I'm going to fucking kill Rich. 

"I'm okay. I'm alright." She told me, and buried her head in the crook of my neck again, taking a deep inhale.

"I'm going to take care of this, okay?" I asked, and she nodded her head as her tears started falling, "Okay."

After I was able to calm her down, I placed Briar back on her feet and motioned for her to get behind me. She stayed pressed right up against my back, her fingers clinging around my forearm. When I looked down at Rich, I noticed he was bleeding from his forehead, "Did you do that to his forehead?" I asked her, and she nodded her head against my back, "Mhm."