MARIE ✔️

F I F T Y - S E V E N

K A D E N

I sit and listen as the front door slams close. My legs twitch to stand up and run, but my brain keeps my planted to the floor.

After Maya told me the reason she's here, all I could think about was what if Marie was in her situation. Of course I'm worried about my little sister, but now she has a big bad Mafia on her side.

A fucking Mafia. I didn't even think that kind of shit still existed.

Apparently she's got herself knocked up with the leaders right hand man. I swear I did not teach her to do that.

Fuck. Why am I not running after her? It's cold and rainy outside yet my body is still sitting here thinking about everything.

Maya told me her fucking husband sent her here to keep her safe? What the fuck. Like, when did she have the time to get a fucking husband? It was under my impression that she's been safe and sound at her little farmhouse and away from trouble. Turns out she was in trouble the whole time. All the way in New York too, God dammit.

Seeing Maya in the position she's in, it's like a mirror to me in Jasmine. No matter how much I try to change, this will always be my lifestyle. It's in my blood and you can't change that. I've tried. I've fucking tried and all it did was cause more trouble for the people I care about.

A harsh knock on my bedroom door interrupts me from my thoughts.

I don't get the chance to even say come in before Maya is barging her way through the door and stomping towards me.

"Get the fuck up." She says. I slowly raise my eyes to hers. "I'm serious, K.J. get the hell up and go after her."

"Get the fuck out, Maya." I sneer.

"No. You can sit here and fucking cry like a child or you can suck it up and go after her!" She's all up in my face now, screaming like a lunatic while holding her stomach.

I stand up, now towering over her. "You don't fucking get it!" I yell. "She's better off without me.." I say a little quieter.

Maya shakes her head. "Don't give me that shit. Do you know what fucking happened when I got pregnant? My man stayed and he protected me. He didn't run like a coward." She scoffs looking at me with disgust. It makes my blood run cold. "He protected me, and now I have a family."

"I'm your family-"

"Yea, you are. And now they are too. And so is she. I can already see it, Kaden. That is going to be the woman you marry." She shakes her head. "You're a fucking leader, Kaden. And leaders protect! That's what Prudence did."

Maya told me about Prudence Garcia, she's apparently the boss and new best friend of Maya.

"She protected me, and now in exchange, you protect Jasmine. If you believe for a second that you can't, that's how you'll hurt her."

"I- fuck, Maya!" I yell in irritation, because she's right. Only I can protect Marie and right now I'm throwing it all away over a few doubts I have.

"Come on, big brother. Go. Fucking. Get. Her."

It's like her words pull me out of a trance, and then suddenly I'm pulling my coat out and running out of the house.

Jasmines jeep is gone, making the drive way look so empty. I quickly hop into my car and waste no time getting it started up and zooming down the street.

I pull my phone out from my pocket and press her contact. I put the call on speaker and listen as the line rings and rings, until it finally hangs up. Okay, understandable.

Fifteen minutes later I'm pulling into the driveway of Jasmines house, right next to her Jeep.

I don't waste anytime to get out of my car and run into her house. The familiar smell engulfs my senses.

Quietly, I walk up the wood stairs going straight to Jasmines room. The door is already wide open and she sits on her bed with a sketch book in hand and a pencil in the other. She doesn't notice me yet, so I softly knock on the wall to get her attention.

She ignores it, not once lifting her head up, already knowing it's me. I throw my head back and sigh.

This might be hard.

"Marie.." I walk further into the room until I'm standing in front of her. She still doesn't look up at me. "I'm so sorry, Jasmine."

The only acknowledgment she gives me is the small scoff.

This may be worse than I thought.

I take a seat next to her on the bed. I can't help but steal a few glances at what she's drawing. It's a light sketch of a dragon that takes up the whole page.

A piece of Jasmine's hair blocks my view of her side profile, so reaching towards her, I softly tuck the strand behind her ear. I can feel her skin go warm just from my contact.

I sigh. "I'm so fucking sorry, Marie. I didn't mean to push you away I was just-" I cut myself off not wanting to say the last word.

She turns to me and raises a brow. "You were what?" She asks. I clench my jaw and turn my head away. She scoffs, and just like that she's back to drawing.

Fuck.

"I was scared." I softly say. I don't look back up at her until she's softly soothing my back with her fingertips.

"I know." She says. I look over to her as she's already doing the same. "But, it doesn't mean you should be. I'm not scared because I know if I'm with you I'll be safe. Even if you don't think the same."

"How am I supposed to be sure about that? What if I can't keep you safe?"

"Then I'll still have you." She whispers.

I nod my head. My palm reaches up to her cheek, grazing the surface.

She slowly leans in to press her lips against mine, the contact instantly relieving my needs for her.

I'm gonna marry this woman one day, I can fucking promise you that.

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