Chapter 3
I caught her before she fell to the floor, then scooped her up into my arms.
“Aye, what the fuck is going on? Put my wife down, nigga,” the punk-ass groom warned.
I sized his ass up then scoffed. “You might want to stick to reading scripts, my nigga. Keep playing them gangsta roles. A nigga like me is actually about that life, and I don’t need nobody’s direction to end a nigga.
Back the fuck up away from me before they be doing a special on you celebrating ya life. ”
His eyes squinted, but he backed away from me while Killa and Meeko held his security at gunpoint to keep them at bay.
“Sir, you need to leave right now!” some broad with crooked-ass teeth yelled at me.
“Respectfully, you need to move the fuck out of my way, too, before I call Doctor Johnson on yo’ ass to fix that yuck mouth,” I told her.
“Them bitches is spelling out the word Mississippi,” Meeko jested. A few of the crowd members laughed as I watched Jordin’s mother and father approaching.
“Torrie! Shut this shit down!” the nigga yelled to whoever I assumed was the coordinator. I saw his security team moving to get everybody out of the venue while the coordinator made an announcement and gave apologies.
“Zion,” Ms. Jasmine said once she made it to me.
“Mama Jas, Papa Los. It’s good to see y’all.” I planted a kiss on her cheek, then nodded to Mr. Carlos.
Mama Jas smiled. “It’s good to see you, too, baby. But I want you to think about what you’re doing. This isn’t the way to do this—not here, and not at this time.”
“Respectfully, Mama Jas, I’ve been thinking for fifteen years. She ain’t getting married to that man. If she’s marrying anybody, it’s gon’ be me. And not to be rude or disrespectful, but I’m on a time schedule, so we have to get going.”
She tossed her hands up and stepped back.
“This is crazy, but all I have to say is take care of her,” Papa Los said.
“That’s how it is now, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace?” the nigga asked.
“It’s out of our hands,” Papa Los told him.
He scoffed. “So y’all are just going to stand there and let this man take my fucking girl and not do shit?” he asked his security, trying to get help from anybody he could.
“That’s exactly what the fuck they’re going to do.
Maybe next time, hire some niggas who ain’t pussy.
If y’all will excuse me, I got business to tend to.
” I motioned for Meeko and Killa to follow me as I carried Jordin out of the venue.
As soon as the doors opened, cameras flashed in my face.
Killa and Meeko jumped right into action, just like they always did, smacking every camera out of their hands.
“Nigga, our celebrity moves in silence. Get the fuck out of the way before I rock your shit,” Killa threatened.
I could hear the irritation in his tone and knew it was time to move before blood was shed.
I hurriedly moved to my awaiting truck out front and eased into the back, being careful not to disturb Jordin.
I was almost sure she’d come to, by the time we were up in the air.
I hated that I put her in that position, but she brought that shit upon herself.
After making love to her all night, she thought she was about to marry the next nigga the following day, leaving me with a wet dick and a broken heart.
Nah, I couldn’t allow her to play me like I was an option and not a first choice.
Some people may say I was crazy, doing too much, or abducting her, but I didn’t give not one fuck.
I didn’t do well with heartbreaks.
I didn’t eat for a month after I chose to stop Jordin from coming to see me—few and far between, when those gates first closed behind me. Depression fucked me up, but I braved through because the sunshine awaiting me beyond the storm gave me the motivation I needed to do my time until we reunited.
I looked down into her pretty, made-up face as Meeko pulled away from the curb. She was the most beautiful bride I’d ever seen in my life. To know she did all of this for another man pissed me off more than I cared to admit.
“I hope yo’ ass prepared to be cussed out for this shit.” Killa chuckled lightly.
“I can take it. What I want to know is, how y’all just let this shit go on? I mean, I don’t expect y’all to watch over her like a warden, but y’all knew she planned this shit, and y’all didn’t do shit to stop it.”
“Aye, we did try. Shorty was keeping this shit tucked tight after we warned her more than once to chill on that nigga,” Meeko replied.
I shook my head, trying to decide if snatching her off the altar and taking her away was a smart idea.
I probably should have waited for her to come to me before I decided to take her on a jet to St. Croix.
But since time was against me, I had to work quickly and get her out of that situation.
I felt her body move before her eyes opened, and she blinked.
When her eyes came to me with a slight frown on her face, I could tell she was a bit dazed and confused.
I’d hoped she would stay out of it until we boarded the jet, but I knew I had to convince her sooner rather than later.
“Zion?” she questioned.
“Yeah, baby, it’s me.”
“How did—where are you taking me?” she asked, trying to sit up. I helped her to an upright position, moving all the material of her dress. I wanted to snatch that shit off and burn it, but I was patient.
“I have the jet gassed up and ready for take-off. I’m not trying to force you, Dinny, but I need to know that you're ridin’ with me.”
She blinked several times before her hand went to her head and rubbed. “Zion, what have you done?”
“What my heart told me to do.”
She shook her head. “I—this isn’t right. There were cameras and bloggers there. This is going to be all over social media, Zion. It could destroy his reputation.”
“Dinny, on some real shit, I don’t give a fuck about his reputation. That nigga can never get another acting gig in life, and I wouldn’t feel the least bit sorry about what I did. All I give a fuck about is you.”
“This will destroy my reputation, too! Do you care about that?”
I shrugged. “I do, but I don’t. I care because I want you to do and be whatever it is that you want to be. But I don’t care, because whatever you need, I can provide. Just as I always had.”
“Zi, . . . this is wrong.”
“Was it wrong when you rode my dick last night and told me how much you missed and loved me?” I asked, coolly. The slap that followed had me closing my eyes, wishing I hadn’t said that shit. I couldn’t help it, though.
My feelings were hurt.
“Don’t talk to me like that in front of them. As a matter of fact, don’t speak to me like that at all. I haven’t seen you in ten years, Zion. You disowned me, and now you want to come back as if everything is just supposed to go back to how it used to be?”
“I expect us to grow together, Dinny. I know shit will never be how it used to be, but I’m determined to make it better, .
. . greater. We can’t do that if you're trying to run off and marry another motherfucka. You made me a promise; now you want to break it for some washed-up actor? Nigga needed you to upgrade his image and status because nobody was fucking with him after that little drunk shit he did in the club. How that shit work, Dinny?”
Her eyes ballooned at my revelation. “How did you know that?”
“I spent the last six hours researching his bum ass. Obviously, he was competition, but now I know his ass ain’t shit compared to me. And that’s not me being arrogant. I’m just stating facts.”
She looked out of the window and sighed. “I can’t leave like this, Zi.”
“So you want to go back to him? I know what I did was fucked up, but if that’s who you want, I won’t force you to come back to me.
I’ll have Meek turn the truck around and take you back to him.
As much as it will hurt me, all I want is for you to be happy.
If that’s with him, I can’t do shit but respect that. ”
She didn’t speak, but the tears flowing down her face had me pulling her close to me and kissing her forehead. Her arms circled my waist, and my arms wrapped around her. No more words were spoken as we rode in silence the rest of the way to the airstrip.
Killa turned and looked back at us with a smirk on his face. “Told yo’ hard-headed ass,” he directed to Jordin.
She reached up and mushed his head. “Shut up and mind your damn business.” She sniffled. I shook my head and kissed her head, hoping this trip would be beneficial for both of us.
We landed in St. Croix eight hours later.
It was 11 p.m. by the time we made it to our private villa.
Before we boarded, Jordin questioned me about her items. When I opened the trunk to retrieve them, she was befuddled.
I explained to her that Jessie had already brought her things to me earlier that morning when I set up the impromptu trip.
She cursed under her breath about killing Jessie before she turned and stomped up the steps to the jet.
That was eight hours ago, and she hadn’t said a word to me since.
It was cool, though.
I knew she needed time to process everything, and I knew she was worried about the outcome of this situation. But I already had plans to fix whatever was broken between us on the trip. I needed her to understand that what we shared was meant to be, no matter how long ago it had been.
The car pulled into the driveway, and I stepped out, retrieving our bags from the trunk, then opened the door for Jordin. She stepped out and looked around before heading toward the door.
I tipped the driver and followed her up the walkway. Opening the door, I let her in first, then went inside and locked the door behind me. Jordin stood in the center of the living room, looking around at all of the red roses surrounding the room.
There was champagne and strawberries on the table, with rose petals on the floor and table. I could feel the thick tension still floating between us, and she looked at me, folding her arms across her chest.
“So what now?” she asked.
I looked at her. “Now, we love again.”
She was quiet as she stared at me. I set our bags down and held out my hand to her. She hesitated for a minute but slowly made her way to me and took my hand. I pulled her close to me and kissed her forehead.
My palms went to her face, and I stared into her beautiful, brown eyes.
“I don’t want you to doubt me, Jordin,” I told her, clearing the lone tear that fell from her eye.
“I tried to forget about you. I even expected you to kick me out last night, but when you didn’t, I knew there was a chance that I could get you to stay.
When I woke up and saw that you were gone, my fucking heart stopped beating.
Right then, I knew exactly what death felt like.
I always said you were my end and my beginning.
I still want what you promised, but I won’t force you to do more than I already have. I never stopped loving you, Dinny.”
Her eyes closed, and her head shook a little.
“And I never stopped loving you either. It was easy for me to choose him because you weren’t around.
I thought I’d be married and starting my life with him, but you showing up last night really shook shit up.
” She sighed and looked away for a spell before her eyes came back to me.
“Imagine standing at an altar, feeling like you were about to make the worst mistake of your life, then suddenly, the man you’ve always loved comes and snatches you away on some Dwayne Wayne shit. ”
We both chuckled.
“My favorite episode. I never thought I would have to do that, though. I thought you would always choose me.”
“It’s been fifteen years without you, Zion. What was I supposed to do? You basically gave me the boot, then expected me to still be available to you when you got out. You broke my heart, but now you just expect me to forgive you for that?”
“Eventually. I didn’t want to be selfish to you, Dinny.
I didn’t want you to spend that fifteen with me.
It killed me every time you came to see me, and I had to watch you walk away, leaving me behind.
That shit broke me. I warned you, though, baby.
I told you I was coming back for you. Even reminded you in all those letters I sent. ”
“I didn’t take you seriously. Ten years is a lot of years to still hold on to someone.”
“Time may have moved on for you, but it didn’t for me. I was okay with you passing time with these niggas, but I never wanted you to stay too long. What made you want to stay with him, of all people? Because he’s famous?”
“No! He just. . . He reminded me of you.”
I scoffed. “That man couldn’t touch me even if I stood two centimeters in front of him.”
She cocked her head and smirked. “Cocky much?”
“Nah, but don’t compare him to me. We are not the same. Let another nigga bust up my wedding and take my girl. That whole venue would have been aired out and used for his funeral service.”
“I never knew you were this violent. Not until that night,” she reminded me.
“Because I would never show you that side of me, baby. That night should have never happened in the first place, because I don’t move like that. But that man put a gun to your head and snatched your jewelry. He touched you, which was a violation and had to be handled accordingly.”
“If Trouble took the gun, how’d you end up getting so much time?”
I rubbed her cheek with the pad of my thumb. “How about we get comfortable first, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Cool?”
She paused for a second, then nodded. “Fine. How long am I being held hostage for?” she jested.
I chuckled and lifted her bag, handing it to her, “Give me a week to learn you again and for you to learn me. If you not fucking with me after that, I’ll let you go be free.”
“Hmm, that sounded a little poetic. You must have tapped into your Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, while you were locked up, huh?” She giggled.
“Ha ha. I see you got jokes. The master suite is down the hall, straight ahead. Take all the time you need. I know we had a little to eat on the plane, but are you hungry?” I asked.
“Maybe just a snack. It’s too late to be eating at this hour.”
“Hmm, I see the grown Jordin is health-conscious. I fuck wit’ it.”
“Gotta be. The older we get, the less chance we have of survival. Gotta watch what we put into our bodies.”
I nodded. “I concur.”
“I won’t be too long. I’m ready to hear all about what happened over the last fifteen years and this soft kidnapping you concocted.”
I laughed as she smiled, then turned and headed down the hall. I was glad I was able to ease the tension between us since I took her away.
It was all I cared about as I felt the tension finally loosen in my chest.