We moved down to #7 in General Fiction, but that's quite alright with me cause that still the TOP 10. Thanks so much for your continued love and support. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 31
Ivy
We all sat around the living room just trying to figure things out. I know Caya said she wanted her space, but I just couldn't leave her to battle these demons alone.
"I think I should go check on her," I stated, standing up from my seat on the couch.
"Do you really think that's a good idea? You know she wants some space." Kellen said. I shook my head.
"No, that's my bestfriend Kel and no matter what she says I'm going to be there for her."
I pulled away from him lightly and walked toward the back of the house where Caya's room was. I knocked quietly two times and waited for her to answer the door. A few seconds had passed and she still didn't open the door. I lightly turned the door knob only to find out it was locked.
That sent me into an instant panic. I started beating on the door.
"Caya!" I yelled. "Caya open up this door now!"
I guess everyone up front heard me screaming because they rushed to the back of the house.
"What's going on?" Mama asked.
I shook my head rapidly. "Cay-Caya's not opening the door and it's locked. We've gotta get in there."
Kellen looked at me for a split second then told everyone to move back. He grabbed a hold of the door knob and jammed his shoulder into it, causing it to break open. We immediately rushed into the room only to find it empty.
I looked around in confusion. "Where the hell is she?" I wondered aloud while my eyes scanned every corner of the room.
"F*ck!" Tahj shouted. I turned to look at him expectantly.
"She's gone." Was all he said.
I lowly chuckeled but I really didn't find anything funny. I gritted my teeth to keep from cursing him out.
"What the hell do you mean she's gone?" I asked slowly.
"She made me promise not to stop her. Smoke said he'd kill CJ if she didn't come alone."
Tears of fear and frustration began building in my tear ducts. I knew Smoke wouldn't hesitate to kill either one of them if they pissed him off enough. I just wish someone would've said something to us. This was a suicide mission and Caya knew it.
"Shhh it's okay baby, calm down." I heard Kellen say before I felt his arms wrap around me. I didn't even know I was crying until my head made contact with his chest. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and ran his fingers through my hair.
"Behbey you gotta calm down or you gon' make yaself sick. We gon' get ta Cay and CJ, buhlee dat."
"But we don't even know where they are!" I cried.
Just then, Detective Taylor walked back into room on his cellphone. He wrapped the call up as soon as he stepped into the doorway.
"I got a lead." Was all I needed to hear. "Someone called in an anonoymous tip saying they saw the SUV heading toward Northeast Houston, near the Raintree neighborhood. Does that sound familiar to any of you?"
"Raintree?" Kellen questioned.
"Yes," Mama spoke up. "That's where Tee lived before he moved out here with us. He took her back to where it all started."
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Caya
I pulled up in front of the address Smoke gave me, and my heart nearly stopped. How could I not know that he would bring me back to the place where it all began? The place where my father got his start in this crazy ass life we're caught up in. This house held so many memories, and it honestly shocked me to see that it was still abandoned.
I slowly climbed out of the car, and said another quick prayer before approaching the front door. I honestly didn't know what to expect once I stepped foot into that house, but I made up in my mind that I wasn't leaving here without my son. And even if I didn't make it out of here alive, it would be my mission to see that he did.
Thinking quickly on my feet, I decided not to use the front entrance. I slowly crept around to the back of the house to see if I could get a good look inside any of the windows. The first two were a bust, but once I got to the third window toward the back of the house, I could see CJ handcuffed to a bed. My heart instantly began palpilating and I bit my lip to keep my emotions in check. I was here to save my son, not cry.
I looked around on the ground near the window looking for anything that I could to break the window. I knew it was risky, but I figured if I could catch Smoke off guard my chances of escaping were a lot greater. I located a loose brick lying on the ground and picked it up. I took my shirt off and wrapped it around the brick.
I lightly tapped window to get CJ's attention. When his little curly head finally turned toward me I lifted my finger to lips. Hopefully he got the picture and didn't scream as the glass shattered. I quickly smashed the window and dropped the brick from inside the shirt. I rewrapped the shirt around my forearm and used it to clear out the jagged edges of the glass. Without giving it a second thought I hopped through the window and over to CJ's bed.
I wrapped his little body in my arms and kissed him all over.
"Oh my baby! Mama's here baby, I'm so glad you're okay." I squeezed him tighter. Tears began relentlessly pouring from my eyes. I was so happy to be holding my baby back in my arms.
"Mommy," CJ whispered.
I kissed his forehead and shh'd him. "It's okay baby, we're gonna get out of here I promise. Are you hurt?" He shook his head and pointed behind him.
I turned around only to be met my Smoke's flying hand. He slapped me back onto the bed causing me to scream and hold my burning cheek.
"You really thought you was just gone break in here and snatch the kid? F*ck no, you know me better than that!" he yelled.
I scurried over in front of CJ's body so Smoke couldn't cause him any harm.
"No Smoke, I didn't think it would be that easy. Don't hurt him Chrestano, he's just a kid...your kid." I pleaded.
"So you say."
That got my blood boiling. "Don't you dare deny my son you sick piece of shit!" I screamed slapping him. I don't know what came over me but I refused to sit back and let him talk shit about me or my child. He was about to feel my wrath.
He wrapped his hands around my hair and yanked me down to the floor. I was in a world of pain but I refused to show it. I could hear CJ's cries and screams from behind me, but I couldn't turn my head.
"You lost your f*cking mind b*tch. You wanna be tough? You wanna be bad? I'll make you bad." He then began sending blow after blow to my stomach. I did my best to block each hit but he was definitely bigger and stronger than me.
"Daddy pwease stawp! You hurt mommy, pwease stawp hurtin' mommy!" Cj screamed to the top of his lungs. It killed me to know my son was watching me get beat within an inch of my life by his sadistic father. If all the things I'd done to him in the past didn't scar him for life, I knew this would.
"Why?" I screamed out. "Why are you doing this to me? You've already killed my father, you already killed G, Kellen isn't taking over the empire, what more do you want?" I cried, barely able to catch my breath.
He kneeled down to my level and whispered in my ear. "This one is for King. You thought I'd just let y'all get away with killing my brother?" he kicked me in the side and I thought for sure I'd heard my ribs crack. I let out an ear-piercing scream.
"Please stop!"
I could hear CJ's cries becoming louder and louder, but there was nothing I could do about it. I know he felt helpless tied up to the bed watching his mother get beat to death. I let my head hang low as I tried to maintain the little energy I had left. I knew my life would for sure end here, but I had to get CJ out of here some how.
Smoke began walking toward CJ and my heart rate instantly increased. "No, please no." I whispered.
"Shut the fuck up!" he hissed.
My eyes began darting around the room, looking for anything I could to stop him from hurting my baby. My eyes landed on a titanium bat in the corner of the room. My eyes flew back to Smoke noticing he was getting closer to a fearful Cj.
"I'll do you a favor and make this one quick." He said wrapping his hands around CJ's neck. That sight alone was the motivation I needed to scurry across the room and grab the bat. I ran up behind Smoke and swung with all my might.
His arms fell from around CJ's neck, but I didn't stop swinging I kept hitting any part of his body until I felt like I couldn't swing anymore. His limp body lay still on the floor and I dropped the bat. I quickly began looking around for the keys to the handcuffs CJ was wearing.
I couldn't find them anywhere in the room, and the only place I hadn't looked was on Smoke. I carefully reached my hand inside his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys. I hurried back over to the bed and tried every key until I successfully unlocked the handcuffs. I grabbed CJ up off the bed and ran toward the front of the house. I unlocked the door and swung it open.
"Going somewhere?" Smoke's voice startled me. I turned around to come face to face with the devil himself.
He was covered in blood and approaching me with a limp. I really did a number on him as I'm sure he did on me.
He raised his right arm, revealing a gun and pointed it directly at me. I slowly put CJ on the ground and whispered to him to run. He looked up at me unsurely.
"RUN!" I screamed at him, and he high-tailed it out of the house as fast as his little legs would carry him.
I held my hands up as Smoke began approaching me.
"Don't do this Smoke. You don't have to do this. Look at me baby," I whispered. "What happened to us? How did this become us? All four years couldn't have meant anything to you." My voice cracked. "I loved you Christian," I confessed calling him by the name I knew him as. "I still love you. This doesn't have to be us. Fuck Ivy, fuck Kellen." I took a deep breath. "Fuck G and my father. It could just be us. We could even leave CJ here."
I slowly walked toward him, making sure to keep my eye on the gun. "We can start over and be on some Bonnie and Clyde type shit. I never liked Houston anyway." I reached up to slowly carress his cheek. "We can avenge your brother's death and get the f*ck outta dodge baby, how does that sound?" I kissed his lips. "Huh? You like the sound of that? Just me and you." I kissed him once more.
His hands found their way to my ass and he squeezed it. I took it upon myself to deepen the kiss and wrap my arms around his neck. His left hand roamed up and down my back before settling on my ass and pressing my front up against his. A low groan escaped his lips as I sucked on his bottom lip. I ended the kiss with a few small pecks.
"I haven't been kissed like that in so long." I whispered against his lips.
"And you won't be again." Before I could register what was happened he'd pulled the trigger and I felt the most excruciating pain rip through my abdomen. I looked up at Smoke with wide eyes before my body collapsed to the ground. I brought my hands up to the wound and tried to stop the bleeding before I bled out.
I heard his footsteps drawing nearer until he was standing right over me. I opened my mouth to speak, but all I could taste was the bitter taste of the death that awaited me. He lifted the gun up directly above my head and I took a deep breath before squeezing my eyes shut tightly.
BANG!
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I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. Smoke's lifeless body lay right next to mine with a single gunshot wound to the head.
"That was for G!" I heard Mama Bee yell. Two more shots rang out. "And that was for Tee you sick son of a bitch. Rot in hell."
---
I slowly sat up in the bed causing Tahj to rush over to my side and place pillows behind my back for support. I looked over at him and rolled my eyes. I did not need him babying me.
"I'm okay Tahj, geez." I sighed.
He shook his head. "You may think that, but the doctor said for you to take it easy. Are you hungry?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No. I just want to see my son."
Right on cue, Cj, Kali, Ivy, Kellen, Mama Bee, Aria, Snipe and Dectective Taylor all came piling into the room.
"Thank God y'all are here, Tahj was working my damn nerves." I cut my eyes over at him.
"Oh hush Caya and let that man take care of you. We almost lost you, it's normal for him to feel this way." Mama Bee fussed.
I kept my mouth closed because I knew better than to argue with her. Apparently after Mama Bee came in and killed Smoke I passed out. I actually coded on the way to the hospital three times before they finally stabilized me. I broke three ribs, suffered a black eye, and lost a lot of blood from the gunshot wound. Luckily, the bullet didn't puncture any major organs and I was expected to recover in a few weeks. That didn't stop Tahj from smothering me though.
"Come here babies," I motioned to Cj and Kali. They both ran over and tried their best to climb onto the raggedy ass hospital bed. Tahj picked the both up and sat them down next to me.
I ruffled CJ's curls and kissed his forehead. "Mama loves you, you know that right?"
He nodded. "Mhm, me luh you too..this much!" he opened his arms as wide as they could go.
I kissed Kali's cheek so she wouldn't feel left out. "I love you too, babygirl." I told her, earning 'aww's' from everyone in the room. I playfully rolled my eyes.
"Me wuv yew too!" Kali gushed back.
Detective Taylor then stepped up.
"I need to tell you that Chrestano is dead. Yes, Mama Bee did her thing, but according to the police report," he put air quotes around the words police reports. "I arrived on the scene to see him about to shoot you and asked him to put the gun down. He did not respond and I acted accordingly. Just make sure your story matches up with that." He winked at me.
I was forever grateful for Detective Taylor. I knew CJ's kidnapping had made national headlines, and Mama Bee could receive serious jailtime for his murder, although it was justified. They could connect her to so many more murders if she was convicted for this one.
"Thank you," I whispered squeezing his hand.
"Anything for family. I've got to get going, I'll check up on y'all later on this week." He turned around and kissed Mama Bee on the cheek before walking out the room.
We all sat in the room just talking for a few before Tahj made his way over next to me with his annoying ass. I rolled my eyes and kissed my teeth at him.
"What?"
"Don't what me woman. You over here kissing on the kids, where my love at?" he pouted.
I giggled. "Aw is somebody jealous?"
"Hell yeah," he nodded.
I puckered my lips up and he turned his cheek toward me. I leaned in to kiss him and he quickly turned his head, carefully grabbing my cheeks in the process. The moment our lips connected I felt an instant spark between us. The man literally kissed the soul out of me. He broke the kiss off and I lazily brought my fingers to my lips.
He smirked at me. "You felt that too huh?"
I nodded.
"Mhm, now you mine and I'm not taking no for an answer with your stubborn ass. This shit official now."
And I didn't have a damn problem with that.
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Damn, y'all thought Caya was dead huh? Lol. I couldn't do that to y'all. Let me know what you think about this chapter though.
Caya getting CJ back?
Mama Bee saving the day? I bet y'all thought it would've been Tahj, but Mama Bee had more of a reason to yanno?
Caya and Tahj? About damn time huh?
Dect. Taylor the real MVP! lol
The next few chapters will be skipping ahead in time. YES, it will be happy. Then there will only be a few more chapters until the end of this book. YES! there will be a sequel. DO NOT ASK ME! lol
But I do need some help with names The Bodyguard 2 is so boring yano?
love always,
-Nalani Rose