Chapter 15
chapter fifteen
Followed
Tiffany
Three weeks have passed since I tried to stay up late and wait for my husband to come home. I ended up falling asleep while watching highlights of the Knicks game.
That night I wanted to get to the bottom of our problems. I was tired of him staying out late and leaving before I woke up. We could not survive that way. And though I talk a lot of noise about needing him to open up or let me go, I wasn’t ready to stop fighting for my marriage.
I fell asleep, and the conversation never happened.
However, I guess it didn’t need to happen because since that night, Nico is always there before I go to work in the morning and he’s home to eat dinner with us every night.
It’s like night and day. No, we haven’t spoken about the fight or why he was avoiding me.
But we are in a good place right now. At least I’m able to see him.
I took Mira’s advice and used my husband’s connections to get a nice dress.
The Aurelia Award for Interior Design and Excellence presentation is next week.
Although I appreciated Ezra and his sister’s thoughtful gift, I didn’t feel comfortable wearing the dress.
I think he’s kind of felt the rift the gift brought between us.
In the last three weeks, he has been very brief in our correspondence. The few times I’ve had to go to the house to check in with the contractors, he has been MIA. Only Lauren is there.
Last week, my husband informed me that he would be out of the country during the week of the award ceremony.
I guess it was a good thing I hadn’t planned on asking him to go with me.
I think his trip even further proves that he didn’t want to go.
The man won’t even let me leave the house without a driver and bodyguard.
Yet you expect me to believe he wanted me to ask him to go with me to an event?
If he wanted to go somewhere with me, he’d just show up.
He wouldn’t ask. That’s been his MO since we met, apparently. As of now, Mira is still my plus one.
“Hey, Jake, do you mind swinging me by the market before we head home? I want to get Ms. Rose some of that honey-flavored tea she likes so much. We’re out at home.”
“Sure thing, Boss lady.”
Suddenly, my phone goes off in my pocket. It’s a text from Ezra.
Ezra Blackwell: I’m sorry I’ve been so distant lately. I’ve been working on some artwork. Would you like to see what has kept me so busy?
I stare down at the message for a second, not sure of how to respond. The dress situation and how Nico reacted has me feeling weird about Ezra. I’m not blind. I know he has been flirty with me. And I won’t lie as if I don’t find the man attractive. However, I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.
Ezra Blackwell: My apologies if this message is coming off as inappropriate. I assure you I’m not trying to be a problem. I just finished this beautiful piece and wanted to share it with someone I thought would appreciate it.
Feeling guilty, I quickly reply.
Me: Of course, I’d love to see your work.
Just because someone was flirty didn’t mean he would cross the line. Obviously, the man could get anyone he wanted. He’s an attractive and rich artist, he’s probably swimming in women.
My phone dings, alerting me to a new text.
I open the message and gasp immediately.
The painting is a side portrait of me done in the pop art style.
The earth-tone colors used to create my profile make the painting pop.
It’s stunning. Nothing like what Ezra usually does.
Bankman is known for his graffiti-style work, but this is different.
Me: Wow! It’s beautiful.
Ezra Blackwell: It is only as good as the muse.
For a fleeting second, I get that feeling again, as if I’m treading troubled waters. I quickly shake it off.
Me: It really is stunning, and you are a very talented man.
Ezra Blackwell: Thank you. Now that I have cleared this from my mind, I can finally get back to my usual work that pays me. LOL! Have a great day, Mrs. Basille.
I smile as I slip my phone back into my purse. When I look out the window, I realize we are not anywhere near the market and we should be pulling up by now.
“Jake, where are we going?”
“I need you to do me a favor,” he says in a calm but serious tone. I look back up toward the front, where our gazes briefly connect through the rearview mirror.
“Call your husband and tell him we’re being followed.”
The moment the word followed comes out of his mouth, my heart pounds. I go to turn around, but his voice stops me.
“Don’t,” he warns, causing me to turn back in my seat. “Look at me,” he directs.
I look into his deep-set eyes.
“You’re alright. Call Mr. B.”
I nod and pull my phone back out of my purse. With shaky hands, I press my husband’s name on my phone. He answers on the second ring.
“My love,” he says in greeting. “I’m in a meeting. Can I—"
“Nico,” I whisper his name. He stops talking immediately.
“Tiff, why are you whispering?”
No, really, why the hell am I whispering? Look, it’s my first time being followed. I don’t know the proper protocol.
“I’m with Jake,” I say in my normal tone. “He says someone is following us.”
He’s silent for a moment. “Give me a second,” he says to whoever he’s meeting with. I can tell he’s walking by the sound in the background. A moment later, he’s back on the phone, loud and clear.
“Put me on speaker,” he says.
“Okay.” I pull the phone away from my ear and transfer the call from private to speaker.
“You’re on speaker.”
“Jake?”
“Blue Sedan. White male wearing a baseball cap and shades. Been on our tail for ten minutes now, but I think I remember seeing this car when we were at the dress shop.”
Damn, Jake gathered all of that without me ever noticing anything. I guess there is a reason Nico has Jake with me at all times.
“Where are you?” Nico asks next.
“South of Piedmont. I’ve been taking him on a field trip for about five miles now.”
That was right around the time I asked him to take me to the market.
“Where is Cyrus?” Nico asks.
Who is Cyrus?
“Five cars back from the sedan. He’s the one who spotted him first.” Jake glances in the side mirror briefly before looking back forward.
Wait, you mean to tell me Nico has two bodyguards on me? You know what? I’m not even shocked.
“Alright.” Nico’s voice sounds so calm and assertive now. “Bring them to me. I’ll be at the south-side warehouse.”
“I got you, Boss.” Jake signals left and changes lanes.
“Angel,” Nico calls out to me, getting my attention.
“I’m scared.” The admission came out so quickly I went from oblivious to terrified in the span of seconds.
“I know. I need you to listen to me. When Jake gets to the warehouse, I want you to get to the floor immediately. Don’t get up until I come get you. Do you understand?”
My heart is racing, and my stomach is filled with rocks.
“Tell me this is a joke. Tell me this is your way of getting me to—”
“It’s not a joke, baby, I swear. But I need you to calm down.”
I press a hand to my chest. My breathing won’t regulate.
“I think I’m hyperventilating.”
“Take a deep breath in.” I follow his instructions. “Now blow it out slowly.”
I let out a breath and repeat his steps.
“Don’t hang up, please.” There is a plea in my voice that sounds like a whine.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay right here the entire time.”
I continue my breathing exercise as Jake maintains a constant speed to a warehouse. In the phone’s background, I can hear Nico and his men getting ready for us.
“He knows we made him,” Jake announces from the front seat.
“Shit, he’s turning around.” He tries looking out the side mirrors.
I turn in my seat hoping to get a view. I don’t see a sedan, but I spot another black Suburban making a U-turn in the middle of the road and speeding off in the other direction.
“Cyrus is on his tail.”
“Good. Tell him to stay on him. I’ll have Maseo pull the cameras and see if he can help him out. Jake, bring my wife to me.”
“Will do,” Jake says.
“I’ll see you shortly.” His deep voice brings me comfort.
“Okay.” I remove the phone from my ear and hang up.
I let out a relieved breath. Thank goodness I didn’t have to witness a shootout. I’m not built for that life. Growing up in the suburbs, I’ve never even heard gunshots in real life. I’m not a ride or die type of girl; I’m more of the ask questions and get verification type.
Not too long after, we pull through a crop of trees and down a dirt road.
We pass through an open metal gate and down a long driveway.
Up ahead is a large metal warehouse building.
Behind the main warehouse are three other smaller ones in a row.
There are a bunch of black SUVs parked in front of the main warehouse, and there are about fifty men all carrying large guns.
The moment my G-Wagon comes to a stop, my door flies open. I startle until I spot Nico. His gaze rakes over me before he undoes my seat belt and pulls me out of the car. I wrap my arms around him and let my tears flow.
Call me weak or whatever you want. But you do not know how terrifying it is to have someone following you and you know you’re leading them into a gunfight.
Nico pulls my head away from his chest. He cups my face in his hands and stares down at me.
“Are you alright?”
Fuck no. But I’m not physically hurt.
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“The driver got tipped off about two blocks from the main road,” Jake fills Nico in on what happened with a cellphone pressed to his ear. “Cyrus followed him, but he said he lost the car back on Main Street.”
“Is that my sister-in-law causing problems?” The sound of Sal’s voice pulls my attention away from my husband.
I let go of Nico and rush into Salv’s open arms. Out of all Nico’s brothers, Salvito and I are the closest.
“Dang, girl. I feel like you’ve been avoiding me.”
I chuckle at his remark. Standing beside him like a towering guard is Kazimir.
“Hey, Kaz.” I let go of Salv to give Kaz a hug. He wraps his arms around me, hugging me back.
“You good, Lil sis?”
I only nod. No matter how many times they ask that question, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be good with any of this.
Nico walks over to me. He looks a little nervous. I wasn’t sure why.
“I’m going to take her home,” he says to his brothers. “Can you finish up here?”
Salv grins big. “You want me to finish?” He places a hand on his chest.
Nico shakes his head with a chuckle. “Keep this muthafucker in line,” he says to Kaz while wrapping his hand around mine. “I’ll call and check back once we’re settled.”
He leads me to the SUV.
“Saint,” one of his men calls out, and I flinch. Nico looks over at me, and that nervous look is back. Now it makes sense.
“Get in the truck,” he tells me.
I don’t argue. Instead, I make my way over to the back of the G-Wagon and climb in.
I stare out of the window as the men with guns all listen to my husband.
He stands among them like a general directing his army.
For the first time, I’m seeing a side of Nico that I don’t think I was ever supposed to see.
This isn’t Niccolo Basille the hotel tycoon.
This is Saint, the man who had me kidnapped.
The man who killed my ex on camera and hasn’t worried once about the cops.
Saint, the man who has an army of men with guns ready to gun down someone following me.
Saint isn’t some made-up villain that Nico created to get me to fall for him.
For the first time, I’m realizing that Saint is a real person.