Chapter 16
DONATELLA
“Mm-mm,” Donna said, smacking Bella’s hand when she tried to steal her last oxtail. “Get yo fingers out of my food! You wouldn’t gimme none of your shrimp.”
“Yo stingy ass,” Bella muttered with an eye roll.
“Whatever,” Donna retorted before stuffing the last oxtail in her mouth. “You want another drink?” she asked with a full mouth.
“Naw, you lush! Let’s go. I got some work to do.”
Donna frowned. “Aren’t you off?”
Donna took her job series. She had to if she wanted to stay alive. But Bella was the worst kind of workaholic, combing through case files, even in her downtime.
“I am, but I caught a weird case.”
Donna tucked her too long hair behind her ear and leaned forward. “Fuck that case! You’re hanging out with your big sister. We in these streets tonight.”
Bella grimaced. “Where is your man?”
Donna shrugged. “Shit, I don’t know. But I’m meeting him in North Carolina Friday.”
“Have you seen Mom and Dad?” Bella asked.
“Yep. I had dinner over there last night. Now, it’s your turn. Don’t you wanna spend time with your big sis?”
“Big sis,” Bella scoffed.
“Well?” Donna prodded with raised brows.
“Fine,” Bella relented with a sigh. “A night out won’t kill me. Let’s do it.”
Donna threw her hands in the air and wiggled in her seat. “Yaaas! We out here, sis!” She waved over the server and asked for the check.
The waiter slipped the check into the jacket and placed it on the table. Donna checked it out first and then stuffed it with dollar bills. She handed it to the waiter. “Lunch was great. Keep the change.”
“Thank you,” he expressed with a smile before walking away.
Donna stood and grabbed Bella’s wrist. “Let’s blow this joint.”
Bella stood and grabbed her purse. “Where to, Sis?”
“How about Reese’s? They got a live blues band today.”
“Oh, I could definitely get down with some blues today.”
With Bella in tow, Donna stepped out of the restaurant. She inhaled a breath of fresh air as the warm sun kissed her cheeks.
“It's time to get my garden started,” Bella said. “You should come over tomorrow and help me.”
“I’ll think about it,” Donna muttered. “Where’d you park?” she asked as they walked toward her car.
“I had to park around the corner. You can drop me off at my car, and I’ll follow you to Reese’s.”
“Okay.” Donna used the key fob to unlock the doors.
Because Donna was so late, Bella must not have noticed her new car. But as they got closer, she had to have been blinded by the beauty of her brand-new Maserati with a matte, black finish.
“When did you get this?” Bella asked.
“A week ago. Lincoln bought it for me,” Donna revealed with a wide grin.
Bella’s mouth flew open. “You let him buy you a car.”
Donna laughed. Hell, yeah!” she squealed. “I’m fucking him!!”
Bella stopped walking and glared at her like she’d grown a third eye. “So, your pussy is for sale.”
“It shole ain’t for free!”
“Oh, my God,” Bella scoffed. “You trifling.”
“Whatever,” Donna dismissed with a chuckle. “I’m not you, Mother Teresa. I don’t get offended when my man buys me things. Hmph, he be working the shit outta me.”
“Ugh.” Bella rolled her eyes and reached for the door handle.
“Don’t hate!” Donna shouted as she ran around to the driver’s side.
Bella opened her mouth to counter, but the sound of screeching tires clipped her words. Donna whipped around just as a black cargo van halted to a screech in front of them. The side door of the van slid open and masked men appeared with weapons trained on her and Bella.
“Oh shit!” Donna blurted. “Gun!” She leapt and slid across the hood, not quite making it to the other side.
Bella grabbed Donna’s gun from the waistband of her jeans and pulled her to the ground just as the occupants opened fire. She hit the concrete with a thud but shook off the pain. Bella was using the car for shielding while firing back at the shooters.
Donna lifted the back of Bella’s shirt in search of her weapon, but it wasn’t there. Bella, where is your gun?” she yelled over the loud gunfire.
“Purse!” Bella shouted.
Her purse was on the curb. Donna opened it, dumped the contents on the ground, and grabbed Bella’s gun. She moved to the rear of the car, leaned over the trunk, and fired into the van.
Donna could tell that one of the shooters -had been hit by the way his body jerked.
Two more shots had him slumping over and tumbling out of the van.
They continued to exchange bullets until a second shooter was hit in the shoulder.
Even when he ducked into the van, Donna continued to fire.
Bella trained her weapon on the driver. It was then that the driver of the van chose life and stepped on the gas.