Chapter 41 #2
“Yes, Gale…” When Jay didn’t hear anything, he turned around and crossed his arms as if he could singlehandedly protect them both.
Maybe… The more Nala looked at him, the more she realized he was bigger than she ever took him for.
Then again, the only times Nala looked close at the male members of The Aviary was when they called attention to themselves, which Jay had yet to do.
Now she saw the outlines of muscles beneath that gray suit.
Do he and Maggie date at the gym or something?
They were both muscular. Between Jay’s biceps and Maggie’s calves of steel, they could probably win a competition or two.
Well, for all Nala knew, they did that in their spare time.
What do they do for a living? This was the wrong time to ask.
Nala drew her legs up on the bed, making sure her thighs were covered once more. “You know my real name, right? Cut the Gale crap. Show me that much respect.”
Any hint of a smile disappeared from Jay’s face. “I see. If that’s how it is, then I’ll honor your request… Nala.”
“I’d ask how you know my name, but you being some rich asshole, I’m guessing it’s easy enough to figure out.”
“Yes. Now, if you knew who I really was, then I would be in a lot of trouble.”
“I’m sure. And, of course, you’re not going to tell me who you are.”
“Not anytime soon. Hopefully, you can find out eventually.”
Nala dangled her legs over the side of the bed. She wanted to flop down and stare at the ceiling but was afraid her skirt would ride up her ass. Why did I wear this tonight? Blech.
“Do you know why Maggie gave me that awful photo?” she finally asked. “Since we’re having heart-to-hearts. I’m assuming you know what your wife is up to in her spare time.”
Jay nodded. “I know about that. I’m sorry you had to see it. She wanted you to know.”
“How did she get that photo?”
“Now, let’s not ask too many questions. You don’t need to know the answer to that.”
“Yet.”
He smiled again.
“I don’t like being kept in the dark. Varen keeps me in the dark too much. I know I’m not computer savvy and able to hack into shit, and I can barely Google what I need to find, but I’m not stupid. I deserve to know what Varen knows.”
“I’m sure Varen will…”
A thump interrupted them. A loud thump, followed by a louder, angry grunt.
“Jay!” Maggie’s voice burst through the door. Not frightened. Not panicked. Definitely anxious. “The chicken has hatched an egg!”
Before Nala could ask what the fuck was going on, another thump - a bunch of thumps, really - flickered in and out of her ear.
Jay held up a hand and pressed his ear to the door.
“Nala,” he whispered. “Get in the bathroom and lock the door. Do not come out until we tell you it’s clear. Do you understand?”
She was off the bed before he finished his sentence. “What if they get in the bathroom?”
“I hope you know self-defense.”
She didn’t. That was a gross oversight.
Still, she sprinted to the bathroom, latching the door behind her the moment Jay flung the bedroom door open. As much as she wished she could see what was going on, Nala knew it was nothing good.
Perhaps only a minute passed by, but it was a long, infuriating minute. Where was Varen? Shit! Nala didn’t have her phone. This was only compounded when the bumps entered the bedroom, followed by…
“I said get back here!” Hawk. A very angry Hawk. She swooped into the bedroom, whooshing through the air before something heavy hit the floor. “Why won’t you fucking die?”
Oh my God!
Nala wished she could say she was the bravest woman in the world.
She wished she could say she burst through the bathroom door and took her sister’s killer head-on.
Maybe snatch something sharp in the bathroom and drive it deep into that tall Amazonian’s jugular.
But, oh no. She was far from the bravest woman in the world, as proven when Nala hopped in the shower and drew the curtain closed - as if that would protect her.
Oh my God, oh my God…
She was about as religious as an agnostic, but Nala said a prayer, anyway. Where was Varen in all of this? Holy shit! Was she dead?
“You two are really pissing me off!”
“Fuck off, you plumed pet.” Nala had never been so relieved to hear Maggie’s deep voice. “This is your last warning. Get down on the ground!”
“For fuck’s sake, shoot the bitch!”
“You think you’re getting out of here alive?”
Hawk’s maniacal laughter pierced every space around Nala.
She rocked back and forth in the tub, trying to block out what happened.
Because if Hawk made it into the bathroom?
Nala was as good as dead. “As soon as I’m done with you two, I’m going to shoot that smug fucker in the head and skin the bitch alive!”
“You do that, hon.”
Nala’s blood left her face with the rest of her breath when a loud gunshot went off.
Silence. Then, a scream. Someone had been hit. She couldn’t tell who, aside from a woman. Hawk? Maggie? More thumps. More grunts. Radio static crackled. Nala squealed into the back of her hand and wished that Varen was there to hold her and tell her everything would be all right.
The ensuing quiet for the next two minutes nearly gave Nala a heart attack. What had happened? Were people dead? Should she brave going out there? Fuck, she wished she had a gun. A machete. Anything that could take down an assassin. Ahaha. Who was she kidding? She would be killed first!
Someone pounded on the bathroom door.
“Nala!” Varen! “Nala, we gotta get out of here! The security detail is on their way but I don’t want to wait!”
She scurried to the door, flinging it open to reveal Varen’s arms coming through and scooping her up.
Thank heaven! She clung to Varen, being whisked away from that evil room and whatever had transpired there.
While Varen deftly escorted her out of the hotel room, she braved opening one eye and seeing upturned furniture and the comforter on the bed nearly torn to shreds. There was no blood and no bodies.
“What happened?” she cried, nearly vomiting in relief when their security backup appeared in the elevator.
Varen joined their small team of men in black jumpers, all of whom remained stoic and quiet while they got on radios and phoned the police.
It won’t do any good. Don’t you get it? “I heard a gunshot… Maggie and Jay…”
“Are nowhere to be found.” Varen put a heavy hand on Nala and turned her around, her voice lowering as she tried to speak out of security’s range.
“Something is going on, Nala. Something neither you nor I can comprehend. I don’t know who those people are, but…”
She motioned to a small envelope tucked in her inside pocket.
“We are not safe. Hawk was going to kill us all tonight.”
I knew it. Nala sucked up her fear and tried to put on the bravest face she had. “Are you hurt?” she asked meekly. “I’m scared, Ven …”
“I know, darling.” She pulled Nala into an embrace, letting her tears hit soft clothes. “We’ll get through this. You have to believe me. You are never leaving my side until this is over.”
What she didn’t tell her was that “until this is over” could mean their deaths.