22. Dutch
I cracked my eyes open , feeling like I'd been hit by a Mack truck. Damn, we partied hard at that cabaret last night . A grin tugged at my lips when I thought of Makari. I reached for my phone, squinting at the bright screen as a text from Makari lit up. That woman… still got to me, even after all this time.
My stomach dropped when I read the message.
Makari:
Good morning, love. Jahlil is hurt. I'm headed to 1452 Oak Lane. I'm also going to give him the ledger so you and I can move on. If you don't hear from me in an hour, you have my location. Love you.
"Fuck," I muttered, bolting upright. What the hell was she thinking ? Makari knows Jahlil is bad news, but she'd always been stubborn as hell.
I jumped out of bed, throwing on the first clothes I could grab. I put on my T-shirt backward, then yanked it off and turned it around. I stumbled into a pair of jeans. The urgency made me clumsy as I fumbled with the button.
I had to get to her , and I prayed things hadn't gone sideways. I grabbed my cut off the chair. The Sons of Shadows patch reminded me of everything I had to protect. It also reminded me of what I would lose if things went bad.
What was Jahlil's angle ? W as it a setup? My mind raced a mile a minute with questions. I blew out air. I had to slow down and think things through. I couldn't go in there half-cocked.
I snagged my keys and made my way to the door. Outside, the high sun slapped me in the face. I had no time to appreciate the day. I threw my leg over and started the engine. The rumble of my Harley vibrated through my bones as I tore out of my driveway.
"Come on, move!" I yelled at a minivan creeping along the fast lane. I fought the urge to flip them off. No time for road rage today.
I sped through town, hitting the outskirts and weaving through traffic. It was a perfect place for an uninterrupted meeting. My gut tightened. What the hell was Makari thinking, coming out here alone? That woman was going to be the death of me.
I pulled up to what looked like an abandoned house. I hopped off my bike, and my heart stopped when I approached the open door to see Darian with his hands on Makari. They were going at it hard, and Makari was fighting back.
I didn't say shit. I just crept up behind him and stole on the back of his head. Not expecting a hit, Darian was stunned. My eyes locked on Makari so she'd know help had arrived.
"You got three seconds to get the fuck off her," I snarled. I snatched Makari away from him.
I caught sight of Jahlil slumped against the wall. Bro looked like he was dead.
I wanted to check over Makari to make sure she was okay, but I couldn't take my eyes off Darian, who was only stunned momentarily.
Darian smiled. "Careful, you should watch your temper. We wouldn't want certain information getting out, would we now?"
My blood ran cold.
"That's right. We wouldn't want Makari to know about your involvement with Malakai's unfortunate demise, would we?"
Makari stiffened beside me. Shit, this was bad . I could see questions forming on Makari's lips, but now wasn't the time.
"Your beef is against me. Let Makari leave," I ordered.
Darian's eyebrows arched. "Nah, she's part of this. When you crossed me, so did your loved ones."
The next thing I knew, Darian snatched the ledger from Makari's hands, shoving her toward me. I caught her stumbling a bit as Darian bolted for his car.
Shit, I was torn between chasing him and making sure Makari was okay.
"Dutch, wait?—"
I cut her off. "You good?" I gave her a once-over, and she nodded.
I chased after Darian and caught up to his car, but he was already pulling away. I slammed my hands on his trunk. Frustration burned in my gut.
Inside, I crouched down next to Makari, who was assessing Jahlil's condition.
She shook her head. "It's not good."
"He's gone, babe. We have to leave him here."
We exited the house, shutting the door. "Let me call the squad from the burner. He has a family." I handed her the phone, and she called and gave them the address.
We hopped on the bike, not waiting for the squad to arrive.
I felt safer after we'd arrived at my home. The silence between us was deafening. "Welcome to Casa de Dutch," I announced, trying to lighten the mood. "It's not much, a roof and four walls, but better than the safe house."
I had bought a house after we'd broken up years ago. Makari looked around, taking in every detail.
"Can I get you something to drink? I have water and beer, or if you're feeling fancy, I even have that bougie tea you like to drink."
She nodded, sinking onto the couch. "Water will be fine."
I went to the kitchen to get water for her and a beer for myself. I needed something to calm my nerves a bit. I then returned to the living room and gave her the water before popping the top on the can of beer.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked. I knew it was stupid. Of course, she wasn't okay.
Makari let out a bitter laugh. "Am I okay? Hmm, let me see. My brother is dead. I'm being hunted by a killer, and then I find out you're involved somehow. Yeah, I'm peachy."
I winced at her words. "Makari, I?—"
She cut me off. "I don't want your excuses right now! I need a minute to breathe!" She fumed.
I nodded.
"I can't believe this is happening, Jahlil, he…" Her voice cracked. "He was like family, you know? First Malakai… now Jahlil. It's too much, and I don't know how much more I can take."
My chest tightened seeing her like this. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but against better judgment, I gave her the minute she asked for.
Makari sipped her water, her eyes distant. I knew that look. She was trying to piece things together and process them. The silence between us wasn't awkward. We'd both been through the wringer and seen shit that most folks couldn't handle, yet we were still standing.
I didn't know if I should mention what Darian implicated back there. Did she need to know how deep this shit ran? I opened my mouth, ready to tell all, but I caught sight of her face. She was over it. I couldn't bring myself to say anything yet.
I took a swig of my beer, trying to regroup. "Hey, go upstairs and get some sleep," Makari nodded, exhaustion showing in her expression.
She stood and headed upstairs as I watched her climb the stairs. I blew out air and ran a hand down my face. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath.