19. Aliyah
ALIYAH
Ipress Naya's number for what feels like the hundredth time this week, pacing the length of Jackson's guest room. My heels click against the hardwood floor with each step. The line connects, but instead of Naya's warm voice, a male voice cuts through.
"Who the fuck is this and why do you keep calling?"
I halt mid-stride. "Excuse me? I'm Naya's best friend. Who are you?"
A heavy sigh crackles through the phone. "You're Aliyah."
My fingers tighten around the phone. Not a question - a statement. "How do you-"
"I'm sending a driver. Be ready in twenty minutes." The line goes dead.
I stare at my phone, unease crawling up my spine. Jackson's been avoiding me for days, burying himself in "work." The thought of slipping out without his knowledge sends a thrill through me.
I change into a fitted black dress and check my jewelry - all my recording devices perfectly in place. The doorbell rings exactly twenty minutes later.
A man in a crisp suit stands at the door. His casual stance betrays the alert look in his eyes. "Antonio." He gives a slight nod and an easy smile. "I'm here to escort you."
I follow him to a black SUV with tinted windows. As we pull away from Jackson's house, I notice Antonio's eyes constantly darting to the rearview mirror. His knuckles whiten on the steering wheel at each turn.
"You seem tense." I lean forward between the seats.
Antonio's eyes meet mine in the mirror, and that practiced smirk crosses his face. He's really quite handsome, but it doesn't do anything for me. "Just doing my job."
"And what job is that exactly?"
His mouth quirks up. "Getting you from point A to point B in one piece." He takes another sharp turn, scanning the mirrors again. "Though between us, you're making my cousin's life interesting lately."
"Your cousin?"
"Jackson." He says it like it should mean something to me. "Though I probably shouldn't be running my mouth. Bad habit of mine."
I slide forward between the seats, letting my bangles jingle. "So, Jackson's your cousin? That must be fun, working for family."
Antonio's dark eyes crinkle at the corners. "Yeah, him and Ryker both. Though Ryker's the one who actually signs my checks."
"Ryker?" I keep my voice light, curious. Though I'm a little stunned that Jackson's cousin has my best friend. Or I'm assuming if he answered her phone and sent a car for me. "That's who has Naya, right?"
"Shit." Antonio winces. "I really need to learn when to shut up."
"Oh honey, don't stop now. You're doing great." I flash him my most disarming smile. "So what's this about Naya doing here?"
"He needed someone with medical training on site. Your friend fit the bill." Antonio takes another turn, checking his mirrors. "Though when that rival crew grabbed her, I thought Ryker was going to lose it."
My stomach drops. Rival crew? Kidnapping? And here Naya fed me some bullshit about her being at a conference, then staying with her aunt. And I asked Jackson to make sure she was safe… That bastard knew exactly where she was this whole time.
I press Antonio harder, and he tells me the whole thing. I keep my hands stroking up and down his arm, teasing him until he stops resisting my questions.
"But she's okay now?" I keep my voice steady, filing away every detail Antonio spills.
"Yeah, recovering at the house. Ryker hasn't left her side much." He shakes his head. "Man, if he knew I was telling you all this..."
We pull up to massive iron gates that swing open silently. The estate sprawling before us could swallow Jackson's place whole. Perfectly manicured gardens stretch in every direction, and the house itself looks like something out of a movie.
Antonio leads me through marble halls to what appears to be a private medical wing. I pause outside the door, gathering myself. Then I burst in with all my usual dramatic flair.
I channel every ounce of sass I possess to mask the shock of seeing my best friend in a hospital bed. "Well, well. Looks like Mr. Tech Daddy couldn't wait until you were out of the hospital to get you in bed after all." My gold bangles jingle as I strut in, taking in the scene.
I recognize the man beside Naya's bed instantly.
Ryker's steel gray eyes track my movement like a predator, but I refuse to be intimidated.
The sleeve tattoo peeking from beneath his rolled-up shirt catches my attention - circuit patterns mixed with what look like traditional mafia symbols. Interesting.
"Oh my god!" Naya gasps as I sweep her into a hug, careful of the bandages I spot peeking out from her hospital gown. My perfume mingles with the antiseptic smell of the room. "I can't believe you're here!"
Ryker pinches the bridge of his nose. "She wouldn't stop calling. Made the mistake of sending Antonio to get her."
I release Naya, planting my hands on my hips. "Girl, you are lucky." I give Ryker a deliberate once-over, noting how his jaw tightens. "This whole operation is crawling with fine men. Antonio's just the tip of the iceberg."
"I'm leaving before this gets worse." Ryker stands, and the way he kisses Naya's forehead - possessive yet gentle - tells me everything I need to know about their relationship.
Even if I'm pretty sure he fucking kidnapped her and that's why she lied about where she was - and never answered my calls. "Try not to tire her out too much."
Once he's gone, I perch on the edge of Naya's bed, taking in the dark circles under her eyes, the careful way she holds herself. My heart aches seeing her hurt, but I keep my tone light. "So this is where you've really been hiding."
"Yeah." Naya picks at the pristine white sheets. "How much do you know?"
"Everything." I lean back on my hands, watching her face.
"Antonio spilled the whole story. The shooting, the kidnapping, the whole Romeo and Juliet meets Silicon Valley thing you've got going on.
" My dark eyes sparkle, masking my concern.
"And honestly? I don't blame you one bit.
If a man that fine wanted to kidnap me, I'd let him too. "
Naya sighs. "It's not quite like that…"
"You love him." I state it plainly, watching her reaction.
Her eyes soften. "I do."
"Does that mean you're staying here?" I ask.
Naya cocks her head, and I'm certain she's considering lying to me. But then she tells me at least a partial truth. "Yeah," she says with a nod. "I am."
I sigh, sinking back next to her. "I don't blame you." I wave a hand. "Look at this place. Look at him. You couldn't get me out of this."
Naya rolls her eyes, but she looks happy to see me. We spend the next hour catching up. She fills me in on what's really been going on with her, and I gush over Ryker. It's nice.
As our conversation starts to wind down, the door opens, and Ryker strides in with a doctor. I take that as my cue.
I hop up from my perch on Naya's bed. "Time for me to go." I lean down, pressing a kiss to her cheek. My bangles jingle as I straighten up. "Don't be a stranger, okay?"
"There's a car waiting outside," Ryker says, his hands sliding into his pockets.
My eyes light up. A small kernel of anger inside of me hopes he tells Jackson just how interested I look in their cousin. "Please tell me it's that fine piece of Italian dessert from earlier."
"Antonio's waiting at the gate," Ryker confirms, his expression neutral. I'm sure he just wants to be alone with Naya.
"Perfect." I sashay toward the door, throwing a wink over my shoulder. I hate to leave her, but she is taken care of here. I'm certain of it. After everything she told me, I need to trust her to make her own decision. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
I step out of Ryker's mansion, expecting Antonio's easy smile. Instead, Jackson's dark form looms by his Aston Martin, arms crossed over his chest. Even in the fading light, I can see the muscle in his jaw working.
"Going somewhere, angel?" His voice drips with cold fury.
I lift my chin, giving him a bright smile. "Just visiting a friend. Now, I'm ready to go home."
His hand clamps around my upper arm, steering me toward his car. The possessive grip sends heat coursing through me, but I keep my expression neutral as he practically shoves me into the passenger seat.
The engine roars to life. Jackson's knuckles whiten on the steering wheel as we tear down the winding roads. "You left without telling me."
"With your cousin." I examine my nails, feigning boredom. "Not exactly high-risk."
"I don't give a fuck who it was with." His voice drops dangerously low. "You're mine. You don't leave without my permission."
I laugh, the sound deliberately light and mocking. "Yours? That's cute. Antonio seemed pretty interested-"
The car swerves onto a secluded dirt road, trees pressing in on both sides. Jackson throws it into park and turns to me, dark eyes blazing. His hand slides into my hair, gripping tight.
"You want to play games, angel?" His breath fans across my face. "Let's play."
His other hand slides up my thigh, pushing my dress higher. I arch into his touch despite myself, heat pooling low in my belly.
"Tell me again how interested Antonio was." His fingers trace higher, teasing. When I try to move against his hand, he holds me still. "They might like to look, but who do you belong to?"
I bite my lip, refusing to give in. But then his fingers find their target and any thoughts of resistance shatter. He works me ruthlessly, drawing desperate sounds from my throat until I'm trembling on the edge.
"Say it." His grip in my hair tightens.
"You," I gasp. "I'm yours."
Only then does he let me fall apart, swallowing my cries with his mouth. When the aftershocks fade, he straightens my dress with careful movements.
"Let's go home." He starts the car, satisfaction evident in his voice. "And don't think we're done discussing this."