Chapter 9
“Sneaux,” I whispered, gently nudging her bare shoulder while I dug my hand around in my purse until I felt the zipper for my hidden compartment.
When I woke up to use the bathroom, I could’ve sworn I heard movement in the common areas of our suite.
Although I wasn’t sure, I still wanted to be prepared.
My baby was clearly exhausted because Sneaux rolled over and mumbled something inaudible.
Once I had my hand wrapped around the handle of the dagger, I pulled it out of the secret compartment.
I spent years in self defense classes learning how to defend myself, and now I also had Sneaux to protect.
My eyes remained trained on the door, but I still nudged Sneaux a second time to see if she would wake up.
The movement was growing more audible as the intruder moved deeper into the dark suite.
I coached myself to breathe while my free hand still nudged Sneaux’s shoulder, harder that time.
My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest, but I was holding it together as best as I could.
A bulky shadow came into view, and I didn’t hesitate. I flicked my wrist, sending the dagger whizzing across the room toward the intruder. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp hiss before sinking into flesh with a wet slice, drawing a startled cry from him.
“Sneaux!” I shrieked, grabbing a hold of the lamp on the nightstand next to me and tossing it at the shadowy figure. In the darkness, I couldn’t be certain that I hit my intended target, and if I did hit him, was it a fatal blow?
“AGHHHHH!” The intruder emitted a shrill groan, telling me that something had hit my target. We were on the defense, and Sneaux snatched up her gun and aimed it at the figure. The lamp crashed against his head, and the way the body doubled over, I could tell we were attacking his back.
“Fuck! It’s me!” Mr. Luis choked out. “What the fuck did y’all throw at me?”
“Here you go, inviting yourself into our space without permission again. We aren’t dressed!”
“She stabbed me in my back. I was looking for the light switch,” he gritted, back still to us. “What room is Patrice in? She’s going to need to put her medic training to work.”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Luis. I didn’t know who it was. I just knew I needed to protect us.”
“Who the fuck still throws daggers? It’s 2026, where ya fire?”
“Oh ummm, I know how to shoot a gun too. I just haven’t had access to one since I came to Florida.”
“Ion need an apology. I need a room number,” he boomed, pulling my dagger out of his shoulder, then tossing it to the floor.
“She’s two doors down,” Sneaux informed him.
“Ms. Knife Happy almost killed me.”
“It’s a dagger.”
“Girl, I’m fucking bleeding from a sharp object you threw. Who gives a fuck what it is? I was just feeling around for somewhere to sit until y’all woke up. I was going to wait patiently. Sneaux, wake yo ass up!”
“MCHT!”
Sneaux sucked her teeth and scooted out of the bed, naked as the day she was born, and stormed over to slam the door shut.
I leaned up in bed to pull the switch for the light.
The look on Sneaux’s face told me she was infuriated.
She walked back over to my side of the bed, nipples poking at me, but I diverted my attention to her face.
“You okay?” She walked over and cupped my chin, sleep still altering her perception. I could tell by her low red eyes.
“I’m fine. I didn’t know it was your father. I just heard someone moving, and then I tried to wake you up, but you weren’t budging,” I rambled, my chest heaving up and down.
“It’s okay. He doesn’t sound like he’s dying,” Sneaux remarked with a smile as she leaned in to peck my lips, her locs tickling my face.
I offered a forced smile, but I felt horrible.
“Patrice. Wake yo ass up! My daughter’s girlfriend done stabbed me,” we heard Mr. Luis on the phone before the door closed.
“I thought he wouldn’t be able to find us?” I wondered aloud.
“Patrice gave us up. I guess the blackmailing didn’t work,” Sneaux’s eyes furrowed as she grabbed her phone.
“Don’t you dare text her husband or Mrs. Ellis. You already put Patrice in a tough position with the man who actually pays her salary,” I coaxed, gently removing the phone from her grasp.
“She lucky I’m soft on you,” Sneaux complained before disappearing into the bathroom.
Just that fast, there was a sliver of sunlight peeking through the curtains.
The sun was rising. We slept for at least a few hours before Mr. Luis interrupted our sleep.
I extended my arms above my head to stretch while emitting a loud yawn before getting out of bed to find some clothes for us to wear.
When Sneaux exited the bathroom, she was clearly perturbed. I tossed both pairs of jean shorts and two different shirts onto the bed and stepped in her path. Her energy was off, and I hated to see her like that.
“Relax, babe. We’re together, and nothing or no one is going to come between us again,” I smiled, then palmed her cheeks and threw her own words back at her for emphasis. “Now that you’re back in my orbit, nothing and no one will stop me from claiming what’s mine.”
Sneaux smiled, and I pecked her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Always have and always will,” Sneaux expressed.
I continued into the bathroom to get myself together.
Sneaux was on the phone with her father when I came back out of the bathroom.
They were on speaker while she rubbed sunscreen lotion into her skin.
Now that my adrenaline wore off, I was nervous.
For so long, I’d resented everyone that was involved with the four families.
The last two days with Sneaux made me forget about our bitter past and live in the moment.
However, something gnawed at the pit of my stomach, telling me that our lives wouldn’t be so simple.
Sneaux ended the call and stood from the bed.
She took my hand in hers before leading the way to Patrice’s room down the hall.
The door was unlocked, and we sauntered into the suite that mirrored hers.
Sneaux might’ve blackmailed Patrice and put her job on the line, but she was nice enough to ensure she had favorable accommodations on the island.
Mr. Luis was hugging the back of a chair while Patrice’s blue gloved hands worked on his back.
There was a first aid kit on the table, a small bottle of sterile saline, and an open pack of gauze sprawled across the table.
Mr. Luis winced in pain as Patrice covered the wound.
Sneaux released the grip on my hand and went closer to her father while I leaned up against the edge of the couch across from them. “You sure he doesn’t need to go to the hospital?”
“I told Luis he might need stitches, but he’s just as stubborn as you,” she grumbled as Sneaux walked back over to stand beside me.
“Patrice, yo ass feigning for the unemployment line! You ain’t dumb, you knew Sneaux was up to something when she asked you to file flight plans to Curacao when y’all were going to Aruba?
We were all over that fucking island, and then I remembered Sneaux planning this trip for Milani as a graduation present and tracked my plane down,” he seethed, then snapped his head in our direction.
“And you two! How the fuck do you run away on my private jet? I had to charter a jet like I don’t own my own shit!
My blood pressure ain’t been this high since y’all were in high school doing all that stupid shit y’all used to do together. ”
“We didn’t come down here to indulge in your bullshit.
Tell us whatever you came all the way to Aruba to tell us, so we can get back to enjoying our vacation.
I’m not going home now, and matter of fact,” Sneaux sassed, unenthused as she grabbed my hand.
“We out. I’ll fly commercial when I’m ready to come home.
Her words washed the smile off Mr. Luis’ face, and he stood from the chair, forcing Patrice back. Mr. Luis was always the nicest man, but when he flipped, everything always went left.
“Milani, get the fuck out! NOW!” He demanded, eyes searing into Sneaux as he raised his good arm to point at the door.
“Stop moving your arm so much, you’re going to make it worse,” Patrice pleaded.
“You get the fuck out too!”
Patrice threw her hands up in the air and headed for the door. Sneaux pulled me behind her towards the door, but Mr. Luis darted across the small space, sending the chair he was bracing moments prior tumbling to the floor.
“I really don’t understand how y’all have so much heat for Milani.
She should be the one holding a grudge. You and Zechariah grew up together.
Y’all were best friends, and when he died, you didn’t even have their back!
You chose the four families over what was right!
” Sneaux released my hand and turned to face her father.
They shared a face; Mr. Luis’s was just covered in a goatee, and his eyes were darker than Sneaux’s ever could be. I bit into my bottom lip, unsure what to do. The tension in the air was thick.
“Don’t ever play on my top like that. I stand on principles, and you know that!
I’ve always known that you secretly placed some of the blame on me.
It killed me to eat that shit and not tell you the truth about what happened to Zechariah.
The four families chose you over Zechariah and Janice,” he nudged Sneaux’s shoulder.
“I chose you over my childhood best friend, and I’d do it over and over and over again! ”