Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
C old Sheets
Ronan
“Come on, ya have to be fucking kidding me,” I grunt and reach for my phone that won’t stop ringing.
I reach to cut it off. I’m not answering any calls today. I want to spend the day in bed with my wife. Thinking of Danika, I roll over to get my morning shag.
However, I’m met with cold sheets as I reach for my wife. I sit up as the room suddenly feels still and empty. I know right away she’s gone.
I roll my eyes and growl. I can’t believe she’s done this again. She’s my wife now, what the fuck is she thinking? I throw the covers off my naked body and that’s when I notice the piece of paper that floats from the bed.
I stand and round the bed to pick it up. Rubbing my forehead while I read, I try to calm my temper. At least she’s left an explanation this time.
I’m so sorry, babe. I have to head back. Something has come up and I need to handle it ASAP. I promise to make it up to you. Please take care of my mom. It wasn’t safe to take her with me. I don’t know what I’m walking into.
Love,
D. McGowan
I smile slightly at the signature on the note. However, that’s short-lived as I think of the danger she could be in. I move quickly to throw on a pair of pants and grab my phone.
“Hello,” Tadhg says on the other end.
“I need ya to find Dean. When ya find her, sit on her and make sure nothing happens to her, but stay out of her way. Don’t get yerself killed,” I say quickly.
“Excuse me?”
“Just do as I say. Find my woman and watch her back. I’m on my way.” I hang up and call my mother-in-law.
“Hello, Ronan. I didn’t think I would hear from the two of you today.”
I pause to think. I don’t know how much her mother knows about her other life. I want to get to Danika, but I don’t want to cause any panic with her mother.
“Danny had to head home. I thought we could have breakfast together before our flight out. I’d like to get to know my mother-in-law a little more. How does that sound to ya?”
“I love the way that sounds. There’s so much more I wanted to ask you. I’ll be ready in ten.”
“Are ya sure ya don’t need more time?”
“Not at all, honey. I’ll be packed in ten. I’m sure you want to follow after your wife as soon as possible.
“I’m not going to hold us up. I take it you are the safer one to travel with,” she says knowingly.
“Aye. I’ll be to your room to pick ya up in ten.”
She hangs up and I begin to place calls to see if I can learn anything about what’s going on with my wife. This shit will be the death of me. We need to talk; this can’t be the way we do things.
***
“Can I ask you something?” Danika’s mother asks as we sit on the tarmac waiting for clearance for takeoff.
My blood is boiling. We’ve been delayed twice. I should’ve been home hours ago. I keep calling Tadhg, but he says Dean has been home after making a few questionable stops.
I didn’t ask him to elaborate on those. I get that Danny has been working. What’s making it hard to breathe is not knowing what she had to handle or if it could bite back.
I won’t be okay until I have her in my arms and can reassure myself she’s safe. It’s taking all that I am to remain sane in front of her mother. What I want is to flip everything over and demand they pull this fucking plane off.
“Aye, you’re welcome to ask me anything,” I reply.
“Has Danny ever mentioned her sister or told you anything about her?”
I take a moment to think. My anger is clouding my mind. I nod my head.
“Aye, once. I asked if she had siblings, but her response wasn’t too welcoming. It’s not a topic she’s open to talking about.”
“Why the heck is that?” Den’Nisha muses to herself.
“Have you asked her sister about it?”
“I would if the girl would answer my calls. I’m starting to worry. Anika is my difficult child. We bump heads, but she’s always been close to her sister.
“She looks up to Danika. Since the day I brought Anika home, Danny has looked out for her. When Freddie would only take Danny for the weekends, Danny always brought her sister something back.
“For her to have cut her off, something huge must have happened, but Danny won’t tell me what’s going on. My mother’s intuition is starting to scream that I need to find my baby. Something isn’t right.
“Danny might be mad at her, but something isn’t right. I wish Freddie were here. He would find her for me,” she whispers to her lap.
“I’ll do it. When I get back, I’ll find her.”
“Thank you, Ronan. I appreciate it.”
* * *
Dean
“Looks good, Baby Girl,” Lyric croons.
“Um, I don’t know yet.”
I run my hand over my new haircut. I had to do it. I had to cut off my locs.
That fucking Bujar did have a contingency plan for his death. Lyric received a call from a cop on the horsemen’s payroll and some guys from another crew we deal with. Both intercepted a file on me that had pictures.
Luckily, I had makeup on in them that covered my freckles. Uncle Freddie made the suggestion years ago as he thought they stood out too much and made my face memorable. I felt, for now, the locs needed to go for the same reason.
We may have cut these couple of attempts off before they caused damage, but we don’t know who else may have received a package. That’s why I had to come home.
I wanted to deal with this personally. By the time my plane landed in New York, LaSalle was already calling to see what he could do. Within an hour he had a list of those I needed to see.
I made those visits before coming home to have a barber come to give me a fresh start. I can only hope my husband likes it.
I feel bad for taking off the way I did. It wasn’t until my flight took off that I thought about the fact that I can share things like this with him. I’m going to have to get used to this new dynamic.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have dyed it so dark. I’m used to your carrottop. Other than that, it’s fire,” Lyric says.
“Personally, I liked your hair before the locs, but to be honest, the women in your family have a face for any type of hairstyle,” Byron says.
“Well, good thing you’re not who I aim to please,” I scoff.
“About that, when are we going on that date? It would make your mother happy to see us together,” he says.
“Yeah, not happening and I promise you she’s over it and will be fine.”
“Damn,” Lyric coughs into his hand.
Byron glares at him for a long beat. I ignore them both and go to pay the barber so he can leave, and Lyric and I can talk. We still have business to handle.
It’s not quite time for me to come out of hiding, but I do need to make some things clear to everyone. Once these two are out of my hair, I plan to reread that letter. To be honest, I don’t know why Byron is here.
I wasn’t expecting him. Lyric said he would meet me here, but Byron arrived within seconds of Lyric. After paying the barber and handing him a tip, I turn my focus back on Byron and Lyric.
They’re still having a staring match. Lyric looks like an annoyed older brother while Byron looks murderous. I tilt my head to the side and study the two.
My mind begins to work. Why on earth does Byron hate Lyric so much? I remember when we were younger, Byron wanted an older brother so badly.
The Byron I remember was loving and gave everyone a chance. While his brother Myron would dismiss people, Byron would embrace them and care for them. That’s what made us friends.
“Lyric, I changed my mind. I think we should meet in the morning. Come by for breakfast and we’ll talk then. I’m tired,” I say as I keep my eyes on Byron.
“You got it. I’ll swing by first thing. Call me if you need anything before then.”
“I will. Byron, you stay. I want to talk to you about something,” I say as Lyric gets ready to leave.
Byron gets a shit-eating grin on his face. There’s something else in his demeanor. I don’t believe he’s picked up on the shift in the room, but from the way Lyric moves, he gets it. Before he walks out the door, he looks to me and nods his head.
I know right away he understands to wait for Byron to leave so he can follow him. Something is up. I’m going to get to the bottom of it.
“What’s up? We can talk freely now. How was your trip with your mom?” Byron asks.
I lift a brow and home in on him. He’s hiding something. However, it’s weird because I’m noting things that don’t make any sense.
“It was nice. I’m mad I had to cut it short for some bullshit,” I say.
“I would have dealt with it and not even bothered you if it were me. Family is important. You shouldn’t have had to cut time with your mom for this.”
I shrug. “Business is business; it waits for no one.”
“Is that why you haven’t checked in on Anika? I mean, when was the last time you even spoke to her?”
I get ready to break on him, but something in his eyes catches my attention and I decide to take a different approach. I move over to the couch and wave for him to follow me. We both have a seat, and I take the time to assess him.
“When was the last time you spoke to her?” I ask.
He hesitates. Immediately, I know he’s about to tell me a lie. That is a huge red flag because Byron and I know each other too well to outright lie to each other.
“To be honest, I can’t remember the last time we spoke. It’s not like her not to talk to any of us. What happened between you two? How can it be fixed? She’s your sister.”
“Nah, she’s not. She’s just another bitch in the streets that needs to walk on by if we ever cross paths. She broke my trust. Her ass is dead to me.”
He releases a sigh. “Fuck. You and those fucking trust issues,” he mutters to himself so low I almost miss it.
“Excuse me? What was that?”
“Nothing.” He looks down at his watch. “Listen, I have somewhere I need to be. I’ll call you later.”
Yeah, I bet.
* * *
Lyric
“Time to find out what the fuck you’re up to,” I say to myself as I start my car and pull out to follow Byron.
I think Danny is finally seeing what I’ve known about Byron. Something isn’t right about that kid. I’ve never done shit to him, but he’s hated my guts since my father found me and brought me home.
“Sorry to ruin your perfect life, kid. It’s time you get over that shit,” I mutter.
I read the moment Danny shifted into that killer instinct. She saw something to trigger her watchful eye. Freddie made a machine out of that woman. I can only imagine what I’d be like if I had met the man sooner.
I’ve had a fucked up life so I try to never rock the boat. Never once have I complained to my father or anyone else about Byron. I would have loved to have been friends when we first met.
I did try. I thought it was cool to have a little brother. I was sorry to learn about the loss of our other brother. I never got to meet Myron.
From what I’ve heard, Byron is the good twin. If that’s the case, I’m glad I never met the other one. Byron seems to have a split personality.
He puts on around certain people, but I’ve seen the other side. The side he’s been letting slip lately. Something has been up with him.
If I’m going to be honest, he has gotten worse over the last two years. Maybe a little longer than that. More like right after Freddie’s death. Byron lost his mind when Danny chose me as her right hand.
I was just as surprised as he was. She’s known Byron much longer than she’s known me and from what I hear, they were once really close. Freddie was the man, and he treated me like one of his own.
When I was having a hard time when I first arrived, he took me under his wing and looked out for me. I’ll forever be grateful to him for that. That’s why I have Danny’s back. I’ll protect her with my life for Freddie.
I get caught at a red light, which Byron breezes past. Frustrated, I bite out a curse. I’ll have to race to catch up.
Suddenly, I can see Byron turn his car around up ahead. However, he’s in the wrong lane; he’s in my lane heading toward me.
“What the fuck?”
I just barely have time to reverse and try to back out of the way, but I’m not fast enough. I look on in horror as he races to collide head-on with my car.
Son of a bitch. The airbags pop out and I jerk forward. Then, on impact, I black out.