"The boys are taking longer than I thought they would."
Evelyn glanced down at the watch on her left wrist, I had not noticed the time either. The two of us had been so wrapped in our conversation that we managed to lose track of time. Reuben should have been back at the house for dinner by now.
I wonder what was keeping him.
Do you really want to know? Or do you think his ass is up to something?
Does it really matter? It has been hours since I have heard from him and I was getting a little anxious and concerned. Reuben has been a different character since all this Greg-mess has enter our relationship. He was secretive before, but even the workers of the house seem like they were keeping things from me.
Or maybe I am just paranoid?
Maybe you just know your man.
That too.
I twisted my legs impatiently underneath the dining table, trying to adjust myself more comfortably but something was not settling well in my spirit. Evelyn was speaking with the family's personal chef about dinner, maybe if I engaged in their discussion I would not be so 'on edge'.
Food is always a blessed distraction. Amen to that.
"How does that sound, Maia?"
My eyes bucked in response to my name being called.
"What was that?" I asked in confusion.
Evelyn smiled then repeated:
"Grilled salmon, garlic green beans, and butter roasted sweet potatoes? Does that sound good to you?"
"Sounds great." I smiled.
Tell Sis to make some more of them beignets for dessert. Them hoes were fire.
Girl, shut up.
Evelyn got up to take a personal call when I realized my phone was not on me. I could slap myself, how the hell did I manage to go on about the day without my phone being on me? Reuben could have tried to call me... Hell, Mama or Daddy, too.
Getting up from the table, I headed into the foyer and into the closet and grabbed my purse, my notification light on my phone illuminated the entire boxed room. I knew I missed some calls, or my social media was popular today.
We've got a million followers on Instagram, bitch! Stuntin' on these hoes.
Yes ma'am.
How many followers does Sheridan's hoe ass got?
Who cares?
EXACTLY BITCH! Fuck her punk ass followers.
I cannot with you today.
With a quick fingerprint unlock, Andrea's face popped on my screen. I had missed twelve calls from my sister.
"Damn, Sis," I muttered.
No calls from Reuben.
That's surprising.
A missed call from Jada and two from Mom.
Call Andrea's ass before she flies her ass out here.
Exactly.
Andrea was my little big sister. She will pop up on my ass and demand answers for my 'willful neglect'. Her and them damn fancy terms. She was such a college kid, she would say the same things to my mother and father until they threaten to hit her with a dictionary.
I dialed her line and it went straight to voicemail for the first two tries. I decided to not call her back until I saw she immediately called me after the second attempt.
"Drea," I smiled as soon as I answered her call. "You've been on some stalker shit today, little girl. What is this fuss and what's up?"
No response.
"Andrea? Girl, are you there?"
Still nothing. But faint breathing. This must be another one of Andrea's practical jokes, like a few nights ago. I sat there for a moment, nothing being said... Waiting for her to do her goofy laugh or do one her silly voices to break the monotony between us. But there was, once again, nothing.
The hell is wrong with sissy?
"Sis," I turned from the closet, allowing my eyes to wander. Trying to wrap my mind around Andrea being cryptic "Girl, are you there?"
But there was an unsuspected:
"Maia."
Given in response from an unknown, man's voice. This took me immediately by surprise. Andrea was never the type to do a one-night stand, especially not letting the fool linger around her crib until the afternoon.
Or answer her damn phone.
Exactly, this did not make sense. My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to wrap my mind around this entire situation.
"H-hello?" I wanted to be a tad rude, but I decided to keep my cool instead. "Where is my sister?"
Fuck that! "Who is this? And why is your bitch ass answering my little sister's phone?"
I told you I was trying to be cool. Calm down.
"She's busy at the moment."
The nerve, girl! The nerve of this ashmite.
I licked my bottom lip in agitation. Dude was trying to play, and I got time today.
EXACTLY! Who in the fuck is dude? And why is he answering my sister's phone?!
Period. In that order.
"Look, Asshole, put my damn sister on this phone."
The mane on the other end let out this deep chuckle on the other line.
Instantly, the hairs on my arm, and the back of my neck stood at attention. The pit of my stomach twisted into knots. The saliva in my mouth ran dry and my heart stop beating immediately.
I clasped my chest, as it felt like an elephant had did a belly-flop onto my chest. Breathing had become harder to do and my mind raced to try to control all of the waves of panic that had suddenly overpowered me.
That laugh.
That voice.
It was him...
...What had he done to Andrea?!
"W-what did you d-do to h-her?!" I nearly screamed when I tried to compose myself as two maids came from the study room and looked at me cautiously. I excused myself, walking out to the back screened-in porch beyond the kitchen as Greg continued to laugh. "Where is she damn it?!"
"Let's just say she's feeling no pain, right now."
I cringed at the statement. That message could mean so many things.
Oh my God, how in the fuck did he snatch her?
Was she okay?
How long has he had her?
Has he drugged her?
Oh my God... what he if he is back to his old sick ways and has raped her?!
I would never forgive myself if he harms her.
"Let her go Greg! Why are you continuing to torture me and my damn family?!" The tears poured down my face. I was so tired of this cat and mouse game this monster was playing with me.
"Mymy—"
"DON'T FUCKING CALL ME THAT!" I screamed once again. "YOU NEVER CALL ME THAT SHIT AGAIN!"
"Maia, baby, I didn't mean to upset you—"
I did want to hear shit he had to say. There was absolutely nothing that I wanted to hear from him.
"Fuck all of that! Release my sister!"
"Only if you agree to meet with me."
Say what?!
"We have much to discuss."
I was seeing red; the anger was now overtaking the fear. Greg acts as if we have once shared some sort of connection. Raping and destroying the life a little girl was not a bond.
"Burn in hell, you sick piece of shit!"
"You'll meet with me, or the bitch is fucking dead."
This fool has lost it!
"I didn't want to come to this, Mymy—I mean, Maia. But you have left me no choice."
I let out an exasperated growl.
"No choice?! I have left you no choice?!" I paced the porch. "Why the fuck do you keep showing up?! Why won't you just rot like you fucking deserve?!"
He grew silent as I panted like a wild woman. I was exhausted with this shit, I needed to end this thing.
Today.
It's time to put an end to Freddy Kruger. This nightmare ends today.
"Fuck it. Tell me where and I am there." I said in a low tone.
I could almost feel him smile against the phone, which made me want to vomit.
"Mardi Gras Truck Stop. It's right off US Hwy 63 S..."
"Fine. I'll be there—"
"Come alone, Maia... Or I swear to God, your family will not find Andrea's body."
Another tear fell down my cheek.
"She had better alive and well when I get there if she is not—Motherfucker, you just better have my sister there." I hung up.
What the fuck is our next move?!
I do not know; all I know is this bigger than just me—Nobody fucks with my family.
....................................................................................
How I managed to get out of that house was beyond me. From me faking an illness to Evelyn and the maids convincing me to lie down in a guestroom then to me crawling out the bedroom's window and calling an Uber. This was all so surreal, and I felt horrible because Evelyn thought I had somehow contracted food poisoning, and she had been the only person cooked for me today.
Not to mention the maids are already suspicious because they heard some of your conversation with... I cannot bring myself to say his name.
Please do not. I feel horrible as it is and the fact, I am in a car heading to where this fool is at is bad enough. But this was for my sister. I would never in a million years agree to even be within a thousand feet of this asshole, let alone go off somewhere alone with him. But because I was no one's fool, I held down the middle button on my cellular phone alerting David that I was under duress.
That may be a smart idea or a dumbass idea... But as of right now, it beats a fucking blank.
Immediately my cellphone lit up.
Reuben.
What should I tell him?
David got your alert.
MumMum says you've gone missing.
Honey, what is going on and where are you?
I play the scenario over and over in my head. If Reuben shows up, Andrea is as good as dead. I was conflicted about how to respond.
Baby?
You are not answering me, and it is scaring me.
Sis, what do we do?
I closed my eyes and shook my head as the tears kept falling.
"WHOA!"
I gasped as the driver came to a sudden stop. My eyes jerked open as I saw we were in a wooded area, nearly coming off of the highway where there was a car stopped in the middle of the road. The front fender was smashed in and there was dark smoke coming from underneath the hood.
"Looks like a damn Hit-and-Run," He shook his head. "Aw, damn—There is someone still in the car." He pointed out someone's head resting on the steering wheel. "Ma'am, you stay here and call 9-11, I am going to make sure the driver is alright."
I nodded my head as I quickly pulled up my keypad and dialed for an ambulance.
"Hello, I would like to report an accident..."
My uber driver exited and pursued forward with caution. I watched on from the vehicle's backseat as he carefully assessed the car's damage making his way to the driver's side. "Yes, right off Highway 63 South... It looks like it was a hit and run..."
"Hey there buddy, are you doing alright?"
He reached out his hand to touch the driver's shoulder then suddenly, the person sat up from the steering wheel and drew a gun!
"Oh my God!" I clasped my hand over my mouth.
"Hey, man—"
*Pop*
"Ahhhh!" I screamed as I watch my uber driver get shot in the head! His body dropped with a thud as Greg arose from the banged-up car!
Holy shit, girl! Get in the fucking driver seat and get the fuck out of here!
I did exactly that, I climbed into the front seat right as Greg noticed what I was doing, he drew the gun at me.
"Don't you do that, Maia—"
Run that hoe over, Sis!
What the fuck about Andrea?!
Fuckity-fuck-fuck!
He kept the gun on me as he came to the passenger side door and tried to open it, it was locked.
"Open this goddamn door, now!"
I reluctantly pressed the button allowing him to get in. He smirked knowingly as he opened the door and climbed into the truck.
"You killed that man." I shuddered.
He shrugged as he kept the gun pointed on me.
"I told your ass not to bring anyone."
Sick motherfucker.
"Now drive this sumbitch." He instructed. I sighed as I started the ignition and pulled off from the scene... Praying to God Reuben was keeping track of where I was going.
No response from Maia meant one thing... Greg had gotten a hold of her and was now using Andrea as bait. My fingers itched at the chance of strangling that bastard with my bare hands.
"Sir," She's traveling to the outskirts of the city... Towards St. John—"
Nick and Zeek both looked at me. I gritted my teeth in response, he was trying to move her to some place secluded, somewhere he thought I could not find her.
"He's taking her to the Bayou." I muttered trying to keep my head on straight, but I was falling apart at the seams.
I had to get to her and Andrea in time.
I am sure this idiot was in a manic mindset and was a lose cannon. Andrea was mouthy and I knew he would not take much shit from her, but I do not know how long he will hold out from Maia ignoring his advances—I had to get to them faster.
"David."
He looked at me through the rearview.
"How fast can my helicopter make it to me?"
He was quiet for a moment.
"Your pilot says he can have it hovered above us in the next ten minutes."
I nodded my head then looked to Nick and Zeek.
"You stay with David and get back to the Dad's—"
He shook his head.
"I'll be damned if I allow you to do this by your fucking self!" He argued as Zeek watched on.
"It is not a request, Nick—I cannot endanger you or anyone else."
"My sister-in-law's life is on the line—I am in until the end, little brother."
"And," Ezekiel butted in while loading the gun he had. "I am not going any fucking where until I know Andrea is alive and well—"
"With all due respect, Sir," David cut in. "That bastard did shoot me, so I am already involved."
We all shared a maniacal laugh as David kept on driving down the highway.
Honey, I am coming to you. Just please hold tight.
I am coming. This will all soon be over with.