Chapter Twenty Seven
In the living room, the men found a seat gathering around their father. Norma handed each of them a small glass of brandy.
“Thank you, Norma,” Christopher said.
“You’re most welcome, sir.”
She took her leave. Christopher brought the glass to his lips taking a sip of the strong liquor. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been hunting. I’ve been on more fishing trips then I can count with Fred and Sampson. But what I want to do is go on a trip with my boys. So how about it, while you’re all in town I’d like to make a day of it.”
“Dad you talk like we don’t live in Chicago,” Jordan said.
“Having a home here and living here is two different things,” Christopher responded.
“We’re only out of town for extended periods of time when business calls for it,” Julian said.
“Which your business calls for it often,” Christopher retorted.
“Anytime you want to get together for a trip we’re here. Just let us know, and we will clear our schedules,” Jonas stated.
His father smiled up at him. “Thank you, son. I appreciate that. Let’s do It next week.”
“The girls will want to come, too,” Jacob added.
“They’re just as busy as you all,” Christopher said. “It seems I have to schedule appointments with all my children these days. Either way, I’ve already spoken with Eden and Phoebe. We’re going to Saint Lucia at the beginning of the year.”
“You are not going on a trip to Saint Lucia without me,” Jordan injected.
“Me either,” they all began one by one.
Christopher chuckled. “Well, you better make reservations then.”
The men all agreed and drank their brandy. “That brings me to my next question.” His eyes landed on Jaden. “When do you plan to settle down?” Jaden glanced behind his shoulder then back to his father. The other men in the room snickered. “Even though I was looking at Jaden, I’m talking to all of you.” The chuckles stopped immediately.
“Ah, now no one has anything to say.”
Jonas rose to his feet.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jordan asked.
“Would you like to accompany me to the restroom little brother?” Jonas winked and left the room.
“Well?” Christopher said not willing to let up.
“How many times do we have to have this conversation?” Josiah questioned.
“Until you answer it.”
“What do you expect us to do, online dating?” Jacob inquired.
Christopher shrugged. “Might not be such a bad idea.”
Groans jumped from one person to the other. “You’re kidding me, right?” Jaden objected.
“I don’t think it’s such a bad idea.” All eyes turned to Jonathon. “What?”
“If you want to date you don’t have to market yourself online,” Julian confirmed.
“I know where you’re going with this.” Jonathon walked to the bar poured more brandy then turned to them, “But everyone knows who we are. How can we find someone who’s sincere and trustworthy when so many women flock to us because of our social status?”
“I’m glad you asked!” Christopher beamed. More groans went throughout the room.
“Excuse me, fellas,” Martha peeked her head into the room.
“Are you ready, Ms. Martha Jean?”
Martha looked around the room for Jonas. “Let me get him for you,” Jaden stood happy for the interruption.
“I know it’s late and you’ve got business to attend to in the morning,” Martha stated.
Christopher checked the time. “It seems that you’re right. Okay boys, we’ll resume this conversation later.”
As each of them filed out of the room, they gave a quick hug and kiss on Martha’s cheek. Taken aback, Martha held a steady grin as the last one reached her.
“Drive safely. I don’t suppose the brandy you had here tonight will impair your driving?” Christopher posed it as a question.
The men all grinned. “Not even close.” Jonas said appearing out of thin air. “Ready?” he posed the question to Martha.
“Yes.”
“Did you like the garden?” Jonas asked.
“It was beautiful.”
“You’re welcomed to visit it anytime.”
“I don’t know if Mr. Rose would like that.”
“I’m sure he would. He could use the company, trust me.”
One by one they trailed out the door. Christopher stood next to Jonas, one hand on his shoulder.
“Son, I was serious at the dinner table earlier. As soon as you set a wedding date, let me know. You know Norma is going to want to help out.”
“What makes you think Samiyah wants to marry me, pop? She just recently got divorced?”
“Because she loves you just as much as you love her. Any woman in her right mind would be lucky to have you as their husband and time waits for no one. Who wrote the rule book on how long you have to court someone before you marry them? Now go get her.”
“I hope you’re right,” Jonas said.
Jonas didn’t know when it happened, but he’d fallen in love with Samiyah and God help him if she didn’t feel the same.
On his way to the car, Jonas dialed Samiyah’s number and waited for her to answer.
Claudia pulled out of the Rose’s parking lot adjusting her rearview mirror. The street was pitch dark since the house sat on its own road for a couple of miles. Claudia turned her high beam lights on.
“Why is his father’s house in such a desolate part of town?” Claudia asked.
“It’s the home they grew up in, and it has memories of their mother there. He’ll probably never leave it.”
“Is their mother alive, what’s the story behind that?” Claudia asked.
Samiyah thought back to what Jonas had shared with her. Even though Claudia was her best friend the information seemed so personal that she wasn’t sure if she should tell it.
“No, she’s not.” Was all she said.
“What happened to her?”
“You’ll have to ask Jaden the next time you see him.” Samiyah wiggled her eyebrows.
Speaking Jaden’s name brought a broad smile to Claudia’s face. “What makes you think I’ll be seeing him again?”
“Oh please, you know you’ll be seeing that man again.”
“He didn’t ask me out, and unlike your man, he didn’t make any promises to call.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t.”
Claudia was hopeful, even though she’d only had one night of pleasant conversation with him, Claudia wanted more. They passed a car that sat off the road but quickly jumped behind them as they flew by. Claudia’s attention was pulled to the flashing lights in the rearview mirror.
“Someone behind us is flashing their lights,” she said.
Samiyah turned around; the lights continued to flash. “Maybe it’s one of the guys?”
“But why would they flash us and not just call.”
“You’re right,” Samiyah said. “Keep driving.”
The car sped up and was now on the girl’s bumper. “They’re blinding me,” Claudia said.
Samiyah’s phone rang. “She pulled it out of her handbag. “It’s Jonas, maybe that’s him behind us, I can’t tell.” She answered the phone peering through the back window. “Hey sweetheart is that you behind us?”
“I’m still in my father’s home, but I’m leaving now.”
“There’s a car behind us flashing their lights. They’re on our tail.”
The car rear-ended them giving a little jab to the bumper. Samiyah and Claudia screamed.
“What’s happening?” Jonas said alarmed.
“I don’t know they just bumped us!”
The car swerved around coming to a hard stop in front of their vehicle cutting them off. The ladies screamed again as Claudia hit the brakes coming to a sharp stop.
“Where are you? Tell me where you are now!” Jonas commanded.
The passenger of the car got out. Samiyah watched as the guy walked to her side. With extreme force, he leaned back and struck the window with a crowbar busting the glass instantly.
“Aaaaaaaah! They screamed again. Shards of glass fell into Samiyah’s lap as he reared back and struck the window over and over.
“Samiyah!” Jonas yelled. “Samiyah!”
There was shuffling through the phone. A second later a voice spoke. “Two for the price of one, it must be my lucky day.”
“Who is this!”
“I would be offended by that question, but I have no time for it.”
A foreboding ran throughout Jonas. “Kevin?” He questioned.
“See that’s why I never get offended because I know before long you’ll pick up on the sound of my voice.”
“How’s your night Jonas? I hope all is well considering.”
“What are you doing?” he growled just about ready to break his phone in half.
“Getting your attention, I can’t manage to get it otherwise, and it seems I’m not the only one. Man, you did a number on that pretty little assistant of yours. Broke her heart in pieces, I was going to take her, but she was all too forthcoming about giving up your father’s location. You shouldn’t put everything on your schedule, and you should know by now, not to trust women.
But since I’ve got your attention now, let me tell you what’s going to happen next. This fight I have been so politely telling you about for the last couple of weeks is happening tonight. I need you to be there and not only do I need you to be there, I need you to win. See there’s a lot of money at stake here, and as soon as you deliver, you will get your sweetheart back and her friend. Just to be clear, there are three fighters so bring you’re A-game because you’ll need to win against all three of them.”
“I swear if you touch her.” Jonas threatened.
“She won’t be harmed unless… well, it’s up to you. She is a beauty. I can see why she’s caught your attention. I’m happy to have her in my company. We’ll be in the old gymnasium off of Rucker’s and Lance street, come through the back. “Oh, and don’t even think about calling the police.”
The call disconnected.
Jonas pushed passed his brothers, but they pulled back on him.
“Tell me what’s going on?” Jaden said.
With a powerful shove, Jonas pushed Jaden against the car. “He has Samiyah!”
“Who has her?” They all questioned. Jonas let his brother go and opened the driver’s side door jumping in.
“Jonas, tell me what is going on right now!” Martha demanded. He’d almost forgotten about her. Getting back out of the car Jonas reassured Martha.
“I’m going to get her back. I promise.”
Martha’s hands were in fists now. “Oh my God!” A look of terror was on her face.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think he would take it this far.”
“I don’t care about what you thought or who he is. This is all your fault!” Martha beat against his chest, but she might as well have been punching a brick wall for the damage it was doing. Jonas let Martha strike him, feeling all her emotions in his spirit. Martha cried and beat her fist into his chest before collapsing into him. He held her up.
“You’re right, this is all my fault, but I promise you won’t close your eyes to sleep tonight without her being there.”
Christopher grabbed Martha, pulling her away from Jonas. Tears streamed down Martha’s face as she thought of the horrible things that could be happening to her one and only baby girl. Jonas jumped back in the car. Jaden ran to the passenger side as Jonathon and Jordan climbed in the back while the other men jumped in a separate car. Jordan dialed Julian, Josiah, and Jacob while putting them on speaker phone. Jonas sped out of the driveway; his mind focused on getting to Samiyah.
“Who has Samiyah?” Jaden asked again getting down to the bottom of it.
“Kevin, he’s been calling me for weeks wanting me to agree to an off the books fight and for weeks I’ve told him no. At first, I thought maybe he’d fell on hard times, but he’s just greedy. He said there’s a lot of money at stake, but he just made the biggest mistake of his life. Kevin has Claudia, too.” Jonas glanced at Jaden. “I swear if something happens to her,” Jonas said.
“Nothing’s going to happen to either of them, we’ll get them back.”
As they got up the road, they came to a sudden stop as Claudia’s car came into view sitting with the emergency lights blinking on the side of the road. Jonas’ mind went wild with thoughts of what was happening to Samiyah. He sped off and drove to his home in Hyde Park pulled into the garage and switched vehicles. In the trunk of his Dodge Durango was a bag he kept with boxing gear inside.
Jordan stepped up to him. “I just made a phone call, I have a friend who’s a detective—” Jonas cut him off.
“No, he said no police, I’m not risking it.”
“He won’t even know he’s there,” Jordan argued.
“Listen to me,” Jonas said putting a hand on Jordan’s shoulder with a firm grip. “I don’t care what you do, but I have zero chances of messing this up. I’m going in there to get her first and then if your friend wants to show his face, fine, but not a minute sooner.” Jordan had never seen Jonas so serious about any woman.
“Let me handle this,” Jordan said. They jumped in the truck and drove to the gymnasium.