Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
YUMI
Igroaned when I opened my eyes from the sunlight shining through the window. Memories of last night were running through my mind, and I couldn’t understand exactly what the hell was happening.
My head was pounding as I placed my hand over my eyes to block the sunlight.
The last thing I remembered was going out with Chanel and Carmen to celebrate winning the Aldana case.
While rubbing my temples and jogging my memory, it hit me that someone had snatched my ass up.
I sat up abruptly and looked around the small room to see my mom asleep in the recliner in the corner of the room.
I frowned in confusion, but I was happy as hell to see her.
“Mommy.”
Her eyes popped open, and she smiled at me. “Hey, Mimi. I’m glad you’re awake.”
“W-what happened? How did you guys find me?”
She got up and came over to me, taking my hand in hers and kissing it. “Your father found you. He told me some people were trying to take you, but he and Zeke stopped them before they could.”
I was still a bit disoriented, but I was thankful they were in the area in time to stop whoever was trying to take me. My thoughts flashed to Emery. I knew he was probably going insane by now, wondering where I was. “Where’s my phone? I need to call Emery.”
“I think it was broken when those people tried to take you . . . I also don’t think it’s a good idea to call him, Yumi. Those people were probably after him and tried to take you because of him.”
I rolled my eyes, trying not to blow up at my mom. “Why can’t you ever be on my side? And why do you all hate him so much? I’m going to marry him, Ma, and as my mother, I want your support. He really is an amazing person.”
“We don’t hate him, baby. We just hate what he does. He runs a whole criminal empire. He’s dangerous, and he doesn’t deserve you. I’d hate for you to be mixed up in his mess and lose you. Look what happened last night.”
The door to the room opened, and my father and Zeke walked in.
“Baby girl. I’m glad you’re awake. Are you okay?” my dad asked, walking over to me and kissing my forehead.
“I’m fine. I need a phone.”
“Why don’t you come down and have breakfast with us first?”
“I can’t eat anything. I have to call Emery. He’s probably worried sick about me. And where are we?”
“In Traverse City at the rental property,” Zeke finally spoke up.
This shit seemed fishy as hell. I was never one to believe in coincidences, especially since they supposedly saved me, only to bring me an hour and a half away from the city.
What the hell was the point when they could have just taken me to their home instead?
One plus one didn’t equal two in this situation.
“Okay. What the hell is going on? And don’t lie to me,” I said, looking at my dad and Zeke.
“Nothing is going—”
I cut my dad off. “Stop. Lying. To me!”
“Those niggas were about to snatch you up because of your drug-dealing boyfriend! Every time you’re with him, it’s like you lose all common sense!” Zeke yelled.
I jumped up, maybe a little too soon because I lost my balance, but I was able to gain my footing and jumped in his face.
“You’re a fucking weirdo! Even back in the day, you always had something to say about a nigga you barely even knew!”
“Because of this shit you’re doing now! Talking like a fucking hoodrat!”
I reached over my dad to slap his stupid ass, but my dad snatched me up before I could get to him.
“Calm down, Yumi.”
“No! Get me the fuck out of here before I kick his stupid ass!” I pushed my dad off me and hurried out of the room and down the stairs.
“Mimi!” That was my mom calling me, but I didn’t stop to answer her.
“All of you are a bunch of judgmental, miserable ass people who don’t have a life, so y’all stay in mine!” I looked around, realizing that I had no shoes on. “Where the hell are my shoes!”
“You’re not going anywhere, Yumi,” my dad voiced. “No matter what I have to do to keep you away from him, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that won’t happen.”
I turned to look at him until it finally hit me. “Wait . . . You did this . . . Y-you kidnapped me to keep me away from him!” I yelled, totally baffled by their bullshit. “The death threats. That was you, too?”
“I did what I had to do to get you to see that you’re making a mistake, being involved with those people!”
“So, you’d rather have me whacked before you allow me to live my life the way I want to live? When are you going to realize that I’m grown as fuck and make my own decisions? Huh?”
“You don’t make good choices, Yumi. And I would never have you killed. I’m not that heartless when it comes to you being with that asshole.”
“You motherfuckas are sick!” I couldn’t believe this. My own family was against me, and I couldn’t understand why. I was becoming lightheaded, so I had to sit down to get my shit together. I was leaving this damn house, no matter what I had to do.
“Is that true, Will?” I heard my mom ask. “I thought you said someone else was trying to take her, and you stopped it?”
My dad’s body and eyes shifted between her and me. It was clear his ass had been lying to her, which made this situation even more confusing. What the hell were he and Zeke up to?
“They’re hiding something, Mom. I know the things Emery was into were dangerous, but out of the four years we were together in high school, nothing ever happened to me.
He treated me like I was made of glass, encouraged me to become a DA, and when I had that diabetes scare, he was the one to make sure I was eating right.
I was in love with him, still am, and he and Zeke never wanted us to be together.
He told me all those things about him and manipulated me to believe the same thing would happen to me if I stayed with him.
But the biggest question is, . . . why?”
Zeke walked over to me. “Because those things were true, Mimi. Have I ever gone this hard about anyone you’ve dated before? I would never do something to hurt you, Cousin. We’ve always been tight, so I don’t get why you wouldn’t listen to me when I’m telling you something that’s for your own good.”
“Nigga, get the fuck out of my face. You’re only doing this because you don’t like Emery from that time he punked you in front of Sienna Gordon. Ever since, you’ve had a personal vendetta against him, so don’t make this seem like you’re just looking out for me.”
My dad looked at me and said, “Yumi, you don’t understand.”
“Help her understand then, William.”
Everyone’s heads turned to see Emery, Mook, Mill, and about five of their goons standing in the dining room area. They were so quiet that no one even heard them come in.
I stood, rushing into his arms as he held me and kissed my lips and forehead repeatedly.
“I missed you, baby,” he said softly in my ear.
“I missed you, too. Please get me out of here.”
“In a minute, baby. I think it’s time we have a little family chat before we do.”
“Get the hell out of my house!” my dad roared.
“Shut the fuck up and sit down. It’s about high time you and ya clown ass nephew get fucking exposed.
I’m sick of playing with you niggas. I’ve extended enough grace and never said shit, but it’s time for y’all to stop playing in my wife’s face and get to the real reason y’all broke us up in the first place. ”
I saw Zeke from my peripheral vision as he rushed toward us, but the gun pointed at his forehead by Mill halted him.
“Try it, bitch nigga, and your brains will be all over this motherfucka.”
“Okay, what is going on? Please. I’m trying understand all of this,” my mom said, rubbing her temples in frustration. “Will, tell me what is going on.”
“I told you already, Marie.”
“All you’ve told me was that him and his family were a part of a dangerous empire, and at the time, I agreed to get Yumi away from him because, of course, I didn’t want her mixed up in that kind of stuff and mess up her future.
But obviously, there is more to this story than you’ve been letting on. ”
“That’s the truth—”
“Stop fucking lying, nigga!” Emery belted out. I could tell he was getting frustrated with my father’s lies. I placed my palm on his face to direct his attention to me.
“Talk to me, Emmy. What happened?”
He sighed and kissed my palm. “Sit down, baby.”
I took a seat at the dining room table and waited for the bomb to go off. It had been years since this hatred for Emery had been lying dormant, and since he’d come back into my life, it seemed as though it was rising again.
“You remember the first time your people invited me over for dinner, and your pops took me out back to his shed to have a conversation with me?” I nodded.
“Well, he already knew the shit that I was into. Apparently, the prosecution firm he worked for had information on my family. At the time, your father was at risk of losing y’all house because he was trickin’ off his money and snorting that shit. ”
“Bullshit! He’s lying, Yumi! Don’t believe anything he says!”
“Oh, God,” my mother voiced, losing her legs at that revelation. My mouth hung open in shock, not believing what I was hearing.
Emery continued. “So, he asked me for a favor. He said if I gave him a hundred grand, he would make those files disappear and wouldn’t tell you what I was into.
I was young and afraid of losing you because I knew you didn’t like drug dealers, so I gave him the money, only for his bitch ass to keep extorting me.
After a while, I got fed up and didn’t give a fuck what he did.
I followed his ass around for a week, only to find out that, not only was he snorting coke, but he was fucking on little teenaged girls too.
When I threatened to expose him, that’s when he told you.
Zekey here has secrets too, but his preference was grown niggas instead of bitches. ”
“Motherfu—” Before Zeke could attack him, Kevin sent a fist flying to his face. Blood and teeth spewed out of his mouth as Zeke’s body hit the floor, knocking him out cold.
I sat there completely frozen as I looked at my father, who had tears in his eyes, but his face held a deep scowl. He was fuming.
“Will, . . . tell me this isn’t true,” my mom said, tears in her eyes also. He didn’t speak, just continued to stare a hole through Emery.
“I wouldn’t lie to you, Mrs. Clark. I let that bullshit go after he outed me because I knew I needed to get my shit together before I came back for your daughter. All this bullshit could have been avoided if he would have just left me the fuck alone.”
“I can’t believe this. I have to go. Please, get me out of here.” I stood as Emery took my hand and proceeded to guide me toward the front door.
“Yumi, you leave with this man, and you’ll regret it.”
“Threaten her again, and I’m going to forget she loves your bitch ass, and I’ma do yo’ ass in. Threaten me again, and I’ma put your old ass on your back.”
“Emery. Let’s go.” I looked at my dad and shook my head.
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now.
I knew there was a reason for your hatred of him, but I would have never thought it was to this extreme.
You were afraid he would expose you, so you sent me away and kept Mom in the shadows about everything.
” I looked at my mom. “If you want to come with us, you can. I’m only extending this invite because I know you didn’t know, just like I didn’t. But it’s up to you.”
She looked up at me, looking as if she’d aged within the last twenty minutes. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Marie . . .”
“Shut up, Will! Emery, take care of my daughter. I never had an issue with you as a person, just your lifestyle. I hope you’re preparing to get away from that life. Not just for my daughter, but for you too.”
Emery nodded. “Already in motion.”
“Good. You gentlemen can leave now. I’ll take it from here.
” Emery guided me out of the house, and before my feet could touch the porch, he lifted me bridal style and carried me out to his truck.
I buried my face in his neck, feeling as if my world was crashing around me.
I would have never thought my family would betray me this way.
My father was extorting my boyfriend for money because he was being a sick bastard, and he’d even manipulated my cousin to take his side.
We got inside his truck with me still on his lap.
He placed soft kisses on my forehead as tears leaked down my face.
When our eyes met, my face screwed up, and I began bawling.
Emery held me tighter and allowed me to cry on his shoulder.
It took almost ten minutes for my tears to stop as he rubbed my back.
“I’m sorry my father did this to us. I would have never thought he would do all of this.”
“It’s okay, baby. I didn’t want to tell you that shit, but he forced me to do it. He took this shit way too far. I would burn the fucking world down before I ever let anyone hurt you.”
“I just . . .”
“Everything is going to be good, baby. From this day forth, you won’t have to worry about shit else. I promise.”
I nodded. If there was one thing I knew, I knew that Emery Omari Aldana would set shit off behind me.
And I would gladly do the same.