chapter TWELVE

Grace

A week later, I am living under Mama Ada’s roof.

After ten years of absence, Mama Ada and Rachel takes me on a tour to get reacquainted with my cozy hometown of Dana Point, including Mama’s home church. My weeklong tour involved getting a haircut, manicure, pedicure, facial, and massage, much to my dismay. But I willingly went through all that trouble since my room with a view of the Pacific Ocean makes it well worth it.

My favorite part of the room is the reading nook. The big bay window with plush cushioned seating is surrounded with books on shelves. It has become my little corner where I pray.

Today, under extreme duress, I am on a shopping spree with Rachel.

“Are we done yet?” I ask from inside the fitting room—my jail cell for the past hour.

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Oh, thank you.” I blow out a breath as I search for my missing top.

I frown, admiring my new pink lacy bra. I almost let out a giggle when my eyes land on my panties. My granny panties, according to Rachel. The obvious difference between the two is hilarious.

“You need more clothes.”

“No, I don’t! Even if I did, we shouldn’t be shopping like I’d need to change into a different outfit every hour on the hour,” I respond, glaring at the door. “And don’t you have work?”

Rachel groans from behind the door.

“I only get busy during the end of the month when I collect rent from the tenants. Plus, managing The Fort isn’t hard. It’s actually harder to manage you! Will you stop distracting me with work? I know you’re not used to shopping or spending money on yourself, but when Mama Ada gives her platinum card with strict instructions to shop till we drop, who am I to deny her of that happiness?”

“But you didn’t buy anything!” I reason, putting my blouse on.

“I don’t need anything, and you need everything!” she explains. “Ugh! When we get home, I’m burning those granny panties and khaki pants!”

I hurriedly slip into my black flats quickly opening the door. “You know what I really want to buy?”

She giggles and shrugs her shoulders, matching my demeanor. Perhaps because she’s never seen me this excited.

“I need art supplies. Like an easel, paints, brushes, a drawing pad, charcoal pencils. Is there an arts supply store nearby?” I fish for my wallet in my old, little jean bag. “Here, I can pay for it.” I show her the card Joe gave me. “I don’t want to use Mama Ada’s card.”

She rolls her eyes then saunters toward the checkout line. She faces me, saying, “Too bad! We’re using it!” She searches for her phone inside her purse. “Siri, find me the nearest art supply store,” she says while the cashier starts ringing us up.

A woman with a robotic English accent speaks through the speaker, “Okay, here is what I found.”

“See? Easy-breezy!” Rachel squeals, smiling at the cashier.

After paying, we walk out of the store with five bags overflowing with clothes. As soon as we get in the car, she hands me her phone to read her the directions. Once we arrive at the book-and-art-store combo, Rachel and I split up. She turns to the book aisle while I make my way down the arts supply side. It only takes me a few minutes to fill my cart with everything I need.

Spotting Rachel, I excitedly wave at her. “I’m done.”

She peeks through my cart and begins to move stuff around. “Cool. Let’s pay for all these ASAP.” She glances at her watch and wiggles her brows at me. “I didn’t exactly tell the boys where we were going.”

I frown. “Why? Rachel! You told me that…” I groan audibly. “I should have known they wouldn’t have let us leave without taking one of them.”

“Drake left early this morning for DC, and Nix had a conference call with someone in the DOD. Nate is with Pops to stock up on supplies, so really, no one could go with us. Besides, everything’s on the up-and-up. We’re officially on relax mode, according to Nate.”

Rachel steals the cart from me and pushes it to the front like a madwoman. In no time, we are out of the store and walking to her car. We haphazardly throw the bags in the trunk. I jump in the car first while she pulls a paper that was stuck on one of the windshield wipers.

“Oh my God!” Rachel shrieks as she hurriedly puts on her seat belt.

I click mine in, turning to face her. “What’s wrong?”

She throws a balled up paper at me. “That’s what’s wrong!” She peels out of the parking lot in a hurry, making the tires squeal.

With my hands shaking, I manage to straighten the paper without ripping it up. The writing on it is enough to send my mind into a tailspin, with horrifying endings.

“Rachel.” Her name out of my mouth sounds like a prayer, soft and hopeful.

“Don’t worry; the note just says they’re watching. Stay calm. We’ll be fine. I have a gun, and I’m not afraid to use it!” Rachel’s voice is shakier than my fingers, which makes believing her impossible.

“Where is it?”

She puckers her lips, using it as a pointer. “In the glove box. But the clip is in the trunk.”

I open the glove box, revealing a shiny silver case. Pulling it out, I place it on my lap. I don’t know what has gotten over me, but I open the case and fall into a giggling fit. It must be my nerves. Either that or I am going crazy.

“What? You have something against pink?” She gives me an irritated look. “It can still shoot and kill, ya know. Actually, Nate modified it to where, if I’m shooting a guy, it aims for his dick.” My eyes widen in disbelief. “Geez, I was just joking. You can aim it wherever you want.”

I slam the lid shut and shove the case inside the glove box like it has some communicable disease.

“Oh my God! I don’t need this right now!”

The car slows down. My eyes snap up, and I realize the cause of her distress.

The entrance to the freeway is closed.

“What do we do now?”

“Relax; Siri will help us.” She presses the Home button. “Hey, Siri, take me home!” Rachel yells.

Once again, the robotic English voice comes to life. “I don’t know your home address. In fact, I don’t know anything about you. In Settings, tap on my info, and then choose yourself. Then, I’ll know who you are.”

“What?” I blurt out dejectedly. I eye Rachel and her not-so-smart smartphone.

She gives me a sheepish look. “I bought a new iPhone, okay? I still have to add my info. So, apparently, I’m a stranger to Siri. Ugh! Hey, Siri, you’re a piece of shit!” Rachel shrieks while maneuvering her way out of the line of cars.

“Your language,” Siri calmly replies.

I actually agree with her.

“Okay, she’s not going to help us. Maybe,” I suggest hesitantly, “we should call Nate.”

“This stupid freeway shouldn’t be closed!” Rachel quickly glances at me. “No! We’re not calling anyone. Have you seen a pissed off Hayes boy?”

“No.” A feeble squeak comes out of my lips.

“Well then, congratulations.” Her voice is oozing in sarcasm. “I have, and it’s not a pretty sight. Hey, Siri, directions to 1054 Covington Street!”

“Getting directions to 1054 Covington Street.”

I want to kiss Siri after her response. Her very positive response.

We are driving along fine when a car cuts in front of us. It begins to slow down, forcing Rachel to do the same. Before Rachel can react, another car speeds up and then slows down before moving a little too close on my side.

“Shit!” Her breathing is getting heavier by the second. A clear sign of distress. “Grace, press star 1. I need Nate.”

Without hesitation, I call.

Within seconds, Nate’s deep voice comes through the speaker. “What’s up, baby?”

“Don’t panic, but I’m sort of in a jam or a pickle, whichever you prefer, honey.”

“Jam? Pickle? Are you pregnant, baby?” Nate exclaims in delight.

“No! Grace and I went shopping and, um…well, we’re on our way home, and I think we’re being followed. There’s one car in front of me and another one to my right. Both black. Both heavily tinted. I think they’re trying to box me in.”

“You think?” he screams, making both of us grimace. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear the shopping part since you didn’t tell me about it before! Where are you exactly?”

“On Redstone Boulevard.”

“Hold on.” A few seconds of nothing but, “Fuck,” and, “Shit,” fill the car. “All right, you’re about two blocks away from the police department. Keep going straight. It’ll be on your left. Go in and ask for Detective Logan. He’ll know what to do.”

“Okay. Thanks, baby.” My racing heart begins to calm, matching Rachel’s even tone.

“And, honey, your ass is grass!”

The line goes dead.

I reach for Rachel’s hand and give it a love pat. “It’s okay; I think mine is, too.”

“Pssh, your ass is safe. Nix likes your ass. Mama Ada’s lucky no one can kick her ass! The only person who I want to kiss my ass is acting like a stupid ass!”

I groan loudly, scrubbing my face in frustration. “Rachel! We’re in danger! Be serious!”

Suddenly, the car in front of us abruptly changes lanes and speeds down a narrow street while the car on my right swerves and hastily parks on a side street. I breathe a sigh of relief when a police car appears on my side, and a black sedan drives alongside Rachel’s.

“What the hell is going on?” Rachel says exactly what I am thinking, except for the hell part.

Then, her phone shrills loudly against my palm.

I answer, “Hi Nate.”

“Am I on speaker, Gracie?”

“Are you calling to chew out my ass again or explain what’s going on right now?”

“I called Logan. He was in the area, so he’s going to escort you to The Fort.”

“Escort us?” Rachel’s voice wavers. “Can’t you be any subtler?”

“This is subtle. If I’d called Nix, he would have called SWAT. Drake and Nix will lose their shit when they find out. And, trust me, they will. And, when they do, they’ll rip me a new one, my dear wife.” Nate’s sarcastic tone is impossible to ignore.

“But Mama will protect you, my dear husband.”

“Oh, I’m sure she will. She’s praying to St. Jude right now. I probably should do the same. After all, he’s the patron saint of the hopeless, and I’m feeling fantastically hopeless right now. Thanks to you, my lovely wife.”

“Don’t be troubled, baby; Grace is praying as we speak. Ta-ta for now!”

Rachel looks at me, and we fall into hysterical giggles. The two lovebirds always seem to find the silver lining in everything. Perhaps that’s the reason they’ve stayed married all these years, even after marrying at a young age.

With our well-armed escort beside us, the drive home is pleasant and more relaxing. When The Fort comes into view, my jaw drops like it normally does. I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing a fifty-eight story, five-hundred-fifty-eight-foot-high skyscraper. It’s so majestic and beautiful with the Pacific Ocean in the background, littered with boats. Before driving inside the belly of the parking structure, Rachel waves to the driver inside the black car. After, she steps on the gas, and haphazardly parks the car.

Once inside the private elevator, Rachel punches the fifty-third button.

“We’re not going to your unit?”

Rachel shakes her head. “No. We’re going to the office.”

“We’re going to the office?” I parrot back.

She nods. “That is correct.”

“But why?”

Her brows almost touch; she’s squinting so hard. “Seriously, Grace, you need to think faster than that. I need to be there, for appearance’s sake.”

“Oh.” I shrug. “But I thought you said Drake was in DC, and Nix was in a meeting. Obviously, no one will be there.”

“Yes, but if Nix comes back, my office should look like I’ve been there all this time. Actually, once we get there, I want you to go to Nix’s office just to make sure. That guy tends to just creep up on you. Then, run down to my office. You got that?” Rachel leans against the glass wall, warily eyeing me.

The girl’s confidence in me isn’t much to be talked about.

“Got it.” The closer we get, the more frantic the butterflies in my tummy get, fluttering like crazed critters. “How are you going to apologize to Nate?” I ask to distract myself.

She giggles and then snorts. “We’ve been married for six years, Grace. How do you think I will apologize?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. Cook dinner?”

“Nah, that’s too hard! I’ll tell you what I’m going to do.” She pauses and wiggles her brows at me. “Tonight, I’m going to have dirty, loud sex with my husband.”

I can only gawk at her until the elevator dings and thuds to a stop. As soon as we step out of the elevator, the round marble table catches my attention. I glide my fingers across the smooth surface while Rachel walks toward the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. It slides open, startling me.

“It has motion sensor and is bulletproof. This place drives me insane. You fart, and someone knows. So, don’t be scratching your ass because it will be on tape.”

I give her an incredulous look, and she answers with an eye roll this time.

“Anyway, Nix’s office is down that hall, the one on your left. See you in a few.”

As I walk down the hallway to Nix’s office, my palms get sweatier by the second. This weird sensation of excitement fires up in my belly. My hand stops mid-knock when I hear a woman’s voice.

“Oh…Nix…I’m…close…I’m cum…”

My eyes widen in horror as I hear the overly pleasured woman behind the door.

She’s definitely not having a come-to-Jesus moment; that’s for sure.

Dear God, forgive me for judging her.

My embarrassment grows exponentially when she screams his name over and over, but hearing his gruff sex-induced voice stills my heart.

“Tanya…I love fucking you.”

I take a step back, completely out of my comfort zone. I break into a brisk walk before I hear another moan or word that would increase my penance from ten times to a hundred.

I push open Rachel’s office door, surprising her.

“Oh, hey! He’s not there?” Her voice trails off when she sees my face, and her smile instantly disappears. “Please tell me he didn’t growl at you like a rabid dog!”

There is zero chance of getting into sticky situations when you live with nuns. However, my current situation calls for an immediate fabrication of events. Since there is no way I am going to discuss with her what I just heard—

Oh God…what she moaned…they moaned…

Forgive me, Father, for I have moaned—I mean, they moaned and sinned—

“Hey!” Rachel snaps her fingers at me. “Who moaned and sinned?”

I gasp, covering my mouth. “Did I say that out loud?”

“Mmhmm.”

A few seconds pass, and Rachel’s mouth forms into a big, wide O when she puts two and two together. How she figured it out, I’ll never know, and I’ll definitely never ask.

“Dear God in heaven!” She stands and pulls me toward a shiny lacquered wall. She punches a series of numbers on a control panel. A part of the lacquered wall slides open.

My jaw drops, which seems to be happening a lot as of late. Even though Joe mentioned it to me, seeing it still comes as a surprise. I give the wall I’m standing next to a good poke. Who knows which walls of this place move and shift?

“You have your own personal elevator, I see.”

“It’s a security measure, according to the Three Stooges, since they’re paranoid as hell. Go!” She pushes me inside. “I don’t want to chance Nix and the troll-bot seeing you out there. This baby goes straight to my unit. Give me thirty, and I’ll be right down. Well, on second thought, make that an hour. I need to castrate someone with a butter knife. Oh, forget the damn butter knife. I’ll just use my nail file!”

I gape at her as the door slowly closes.

Shutting my eyes tight, I whisper, “What are you doing to me, Phoenix Hayes?”