Chapter 8
Shadow walked in the backyard of Worth Baker’s home. He found him beside the pool with a spread of food in front of him.
“Son-in-law, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Worth stood, slapping hands with Shadow while pulling him in for a hug.
“I need some weapons.” Shadow got right to the point.
“How is life treating you? I hear you have another wife and a son?”
Shadow smiled at the thought of his family. He couldn’t wait to get back home to them.
“Yeah, I do. I miss Kemi, but she’s gone.” Shadow feigned hurt. Before he learned that she was alive, he did miss her every day.
“You sure about that? I believe she’s alive,” Worth admitted.
“What?!” Shadow played clueless.
“Yes, son. Which means you need to get rid of your new wife,” Worth demanded, making Shadow’s blood boil.
“Oh yeah, how you suggest I do that?” Shadow chuckled even though he could feel his anger rearing its ugly head.
“You know what I mean, son. Maybe she’ll be okay with raising your son if not—”
“If not what? If I were you, I would be real careful with the next words that leave your mouth.” Shadow aimed his gun under the table.
“Are you threatening me?” Worth threw his napkin down.
“Let’s say your daughter is alive. My family will remained unharmed. You know why that is, old man? I’m knocking niggas off like chess pieces when it comes to mine.” Shadow pulled the trigger.
Worth’s eyes grew wide in fear as the bullets silently entered his flesh.
Shadow stood to his feet while Worth fell back, clutching his stomach.
He lifted his gun, preparing to pull the trigger when something in his peripheral vision caught his attention.
Zach, he thought at the sight of Kemi’s cousin.
Zach looked at his uncle and at Shadow who held his gun in hand.
Zach reached for his gun. Shadow fired his way, hitting him in the stomach and shoulder.
Zach fired back as Shadow took off. He ran inside with his adrenaline on ten.
He snuck up behind one of Worth’s men. He could hear Zach speaking into his two-way.
“Worth has been hit. Shadow’s in the house. Make sure he doesn’t make it out.”
“Copy.”
Shadow placed his gun at the back of his head, pulling the trigger.
With his head on a swivel, he continued his stride through the house.
Two men rounded the corner, he squeezed twice, laying them down.
He made it to the front door when bullets whizzed towards him.
He ran out but not before getting hit. He made it to his car.
He got inside and zoomed out of the driveway.
He felt around his body, realizing that he’d been shot multiple times.
“Fuck!” He pulled out his phone, googling the nearest hospital.
He was getting weaker by the second but he had to keep moving.
Promise would never forgive him for dying on her and Pryce.
He headed in the direction of the hospital.
He texted Kemi, letting her know what happened.
He dialed Don next, letting him know what was going on.
He parked around the corner from the hospital at a gas station.
He walked the remaining way to the hospital, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
He walked into the emergency room and collapsed.
Promise was at home cleaning up. She had Pryce strapped to her body. He was two months old now. Time was flying, she wished it would slow down. The doorbell went off. She walked to the door letting Don in. Promise opened the door with a smile on her face.
“Hey, Don! Shadow isn’t back yet,” Promise greeted.
“Can I come in, Promise?”
She quickly stepped to the side. “What’s wrong? Is it Shadow?” She could feel it in her soul; something was wrong. Plus, Don was acting as if he had lost his best friend. “Don!” Promise snapped.
“He’s off grid right now. He was shot four times but he’s alive,” Don revealed.
Promise’s knees buckled but before she could hit the floor, Don caught her.
“Shadow’s a fighter, sis. He wouldn’t leave you or Baby P without a fight, believe that. I’m here. I got y’all no matter what.” He hugged her softly with Pryce in between them. She nodded her head even though she was a nervous wreck.
“Do you know where he is?”
“I do but in case anyone’s watching, he was adamant that you stay away.”
“I’m so mad at him,” Promise cried.
“Don’t be. Everything he did was for you. It’ll be men on the premises. He wants you prepared to go underground. If I can’t leave with you Promise leave without me you understand?” Don sternly asked, prompting her to nod.
Don walked out, leaving her to her thoughts.
She dropped to her knees, praying harder than she ever had in her life.
She needed Shadow to pull through, he had to.
Pryce began to cry. Promise pulled herself together.
She walked into the kitchen to fix him a bottle.
The doorbell went off. She headed back to the door.
This time, she was surprised at her visitor.
“What the fuck are you doing at my house?”
“May I?” Kemi asked. Promise walked off from the door. Kemi stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Promise led them to the den down the hall. She sat on the couch and unhooked Pryce from his carrier. She held him in her arms while she placed his bottle in his mouth.
“What do you want, Kemi? You have already caused enough problems in our life.”
“Y’all aren’t safe, Promise. The job I had Shadow to do went sideways.”
“So I heard, all thanks to you. You can leave now.” Promise looked up at her, angrily peering at her.
“I’m not leaving.”
“Bitch, what?” Promise stood to her feet.
“Sit down, Promise. I don’t have time to debate with you about something that isn’t changing.
I love Shadow. He loves you. He’s laid up because of me.
I feel it’s my job to protect you and Pryce in his absence so again, please sit down.
I’m not leaving.” Kemi looked up at her as Promise towered over her.
Promise reluctantly sat down. She continued to feed Pryce who was nodding off. She laid him on her shoulder, patting his back. After he burped, she laid him in his bassinet.
“My father survived. Men are on their way here if they aren’t already here.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Promise faked.
“You don’t but know this if I wanted you dead, I would’ve killed you before I came back around and took my husband back.”
“Bitch!” Promise spat.
Kemi shrugged as she laughed. “It’s the truth.”
“We have to get to Shadow. Don said he wants me to stay away.”
“He’s under an alias in Dallas at the hospital. He’s fine for now but I’m working on getting him.”
Promise began pacing, not believing the predicament they were in. Kemi had turned their worlds upside down.
She pulled out her phone, dialing Nautica. She walked into the hall as she waited for him to answer.
“You straight, sis?” He answered as she peeped her head back in the room. Kemi scoffed while Promise rolled her eyes at her.
“Did y’all hear about Shadow?” Promise hated even speaking the words but if she was in trouble, her siblings and their loved ones could be as well.
“Don called us. You okay?” He asked, even though he knew the answer to his own question.
“Kemi’s here,” she replied as they locked eyes.
“You want me to come get you?”
“I’m good. I just wanted to make sure y’all were caught up to speed,” she replied, causing Nautica to sigh.
“If you not gon’ come at least let me come get Pryce.”
“No, it’s safer if you two are together. I can’t be two places at once,” Kemi answered before Promise could as if she was the one on the phone with Nautica.
“Are you eavesdropping on my conversation, you weirdo?”
“P,” Nautica warned.
“I’ll call you back, Nautica. I don’t want Pryce out of my sight right now but thanks. I love you.” Promise hung up, not givin’ him a chance to respond.
“You need to calm down. You’re all bent out of shape instead of sitting back like the wife of a boss.”
“Oh should I be chilling carefree like you?”
“I’m not the enemy, Promise.”
“How do I know that? You show up introducing yourself as my husband’s wife as if that’s going to change the life we bui—“
A alarm began blaring inside, halting her words. Her stomach sank because she knew what that meant. Promise rushed towards Pryce. She scooped him up and rushed out the room.
“What’s going on?” Kemi asked, pulling her Glock out.
“Somebody’s here that shouldn’t be.” Promise ran up the steps while carefully cradling Pryce. She promised Shadow she would get to the bunker if something happened and that’s what she intended to do. She continued to run until they were on the third floor.
“What are you doing?” Kemi asked as Promise snatched the door open. She stepped inside.
“Come on before I leave you!” Promise snapped.
Kemi stepped inside. Promise locked the door.
She opened one of the drawers on Shadow’s wall of shoes.
She pressed the button that was in the drawer before shutting it back.
The wall slid over and a door appeared. The shoe wall closed behind them.
Promise quickly typed in the code to the door.
It opened and she walked inside with Kemi behind her.
The door shut as they walked down the steps.
The lights flickered on as they ventured further inside.
“I’m proud, Sawyer. Where does this lead, wifey?”
“Don’t call me that,” Promise hissed as her mind went to Shadow.
“Until our husband is back, you’re under my protection. The sooner you understand that the better it will be, now where does this lead to? I want to get out of here.” Kemi pulled around the collar of her dress.
“Don’t tell me you’re claustrophobic?” Promise laughed but Kemi didn’t. Kemi’s breathing visibly sped up as she began to sweat.
Promise unlocked the house, pulling her inside. She carefully laid Pryce down who was sleeping. Promise ran in the bathroom, getting a cold rag. She found Kemi standing over Pryce with her hand around her neck.
“Sit down,” Promise demanded. Kemi sat down and Promise put the rag on her head.
“Don’t think about where we are. Think about the last happy moment in your life,” Promise coached. Kemi laughed, making Promise smack her lips.
“I’m trying to be nice even though I don’t want to.”
“I haven’t been happy in a long time since I had to leave Shadow.”
Promise got up at her words. She didn’t want to hear that at all.
“Sit down. I thought you were helping me. You asked me to think about the last time I was happy, that’s my truth, wifey. Take it or leave it.”
“Stop fucking calling me that!”
“Why?” Kemi laughed. “Is that what our precious husband calls you?” She continued to gaslight Promise.
“Keep talking, Kemiya! You’re so tough but you’re scared to be confined to small places. Just thinking about being locked inside somewhere makes your knees weak. You keep it up, I’ma lock you in the closet,” Promise warned, wiping the smirk off her face.
“If you think about touching m—”
“You ain’t gon’ do shit ‘cause you and I both know my husband would never forgive you. And well, we both know that you’d rather watch him love me than be without him at all.”
Kemi glared at her because Promise read her like a book, even though she’d never admit it aloud. Promise had stolen her spot. It was her own fault so she had to deal with it.