Chapter Eighty-Eight
Marcus
M y father turns onto the street of the address we were given. I see a swarm of police cruisers at the base of the building ahead of us.
“Just pull over, Dad.” I need to get out of this car.
He finds an empty spot and pulls over. I barely wait for the car to fully stop before I’m on the sidewalk. As I begin to walk, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I answer. “This is Marcus.”
“Prince Charming.” I hear her shaky voice.
I stop in my tracks, my hand in my hair, tears in my eyes. “Baby, fuck, it’s so good to hear your voice.” My eyes search the sidewalk ahead of me. “Where are you?”
“I’m about to come downstairs. Please tell me you’re here. I need you right now.”
“I’m here. Fuck, Gigi, come to me, please.”
I hear the line crackle, like she’s holding it against her clothes. “We’re on our way.”
“Stay on the phone with me, please.” I’ve never felt so desperate to hear someone’s voice.
“Okay.”
I hear doors open and the sound of an elevator ding. “Ethel slept on me last night.”
“That man-stealing hussy.” Her laugh breaks with tears.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
I hear another ding and walk faster toward the doors of the building. An officer puts his arm out. “Sir, this is an active crime scene.”
That’s when I see her walking out the door. “It’s okay, I’m her husband.”
Gigi’s eyes find mine when she hears my voice. A ragged sob escapes her mouth as she runs to me, throwing herself into my arms. I hold her as tight as I can against me, my hand in her hair. “God, it’s so good to hold you right now.”
“You’re all I thought about.” Her tears soak through my shirt.
An officer approaches us. “We will need her at the station to record her statement.”
I nod. “Give me your card. We’ll meet you there.”
Keeping my hand on her head, I release Gigi’s back and take the card. Once the officer leaves us, I move my hands to her cheeks, and her eyes squeeze shut as she grabs my right wrist. That’s when I see the bruise on her face and the marks on her wrists.
“Fuck, baby, what did they do to you?” My eyes search hers.
She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. Just get me out of here, please.”
I kiss her forehead and hold her to my side as I walk her to my father’s car, where he and my mother are waiting.
“Oh, Gigi! You’re safe.” My mom has tears in her eyes as she hugs her.
“Good to see you’re safe, Gigi,” my dad says flatly.
“I’m so sorry for all of this.” Gigi looks at the ground, her apology leaving me confused.
“Why are you sorry?”
Her lips form a tight line. “Nevermind. Let’s get to the police station and get this over with.”
We get into the car and I give my father the address off the card that the officer gave me. Gigi is cuddled into my side, her legs over mine. She’s silent. She won’t look at me. I know she’s been through a traumatic past twenty hours, so I just rub her back and feel so thankful that she’s okay.