Chapter 19
“Yeah?” Nautica answered the phone for Ben. He was still in Vegas, looking high and low for Carter. For all he knew, she wasn’t even in town. He prayed he was close but it had been hours since he ran in the abandoned house. The more time that passed, the more unsettled he became.
“Bet.” Nautica ended the call. He ran out of the warehouse. Instead of allowing his driver to drive him, he jumped behind the wheel. Koen was taking this far, making Nautica wonder if this was about something deeper. After all, he showed up at his wedding and left with his wife.
He arrived on the street. Ben spotted him, flagging him down. They were parked side by side.
“She’s here.”
“How do you know?”
“I sent my drone.” He showed him a picture of Carter.
“Aight. How many men are outside?”
“None but I saw a couple inside.” Nautica placed his twin Glocks on his waistline.
He parked and got out. The three of them crept towards the house.
The twins took the front door. Nautica went to the back.
They kicked the doors in at the same time.
With his gun in hand, he crept inside. Mayhem broke out once they were inside.
Bullets were flying everywhere. Nautica laid three men down before taking the back staircase in the kitchen.
He ran into Carter and Koen. Carter locked eyes with him.
Unbeknownst to him, Koen had his gun in her back.
“Move out the way,” Koen demanded.
“You crazy as hell if you think I’m letting you walk out of here with my wife!” Nautica spat.
“I walked out of your wedding with her, it wasn’t a problem then,” Koen spewed. Nautica laughed, making Koen angrier.
“It was a problem but I was on some bullshit tryna let you make it ‘cause I wronged her. Now you got to die.” Nautica never lowered his gun. He figured Koen wouldn’t hurt Carter, considering the extremes he took to get her.
Carter sent her elbow into his stomach, knocking him off his square.
She ducked, covering her head while Nautica riddled him with bullets.
“Come on, we got to go.” He pulled her up. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He looked up in time to see a shooter coming down the top of the steps. He pulled the trigger with Carter still in his embrace. She turned after hearing the man drop.
“Give me a gun,” she demanded. He passed her one of his guns.
“Come on, Nala, we gotta move.” He gripped her hand, pulling her down the stairs.
“Stay here.” He demanded as he left her in the stairwell. He checked to make sure the the coast was clear. There was nothing but dead bodies scattered throughout the house. He didn’t see the twins.
“Sis, I’m behind you don’t shoot,” Daniel warned as he walked down the steps where Carter waited for Nautica to tell her to come out. Carter turned, hugging him.
“Come on.” Nautica stuck his head in the stairwell.
“Where B?” Carter asked. Ben rounded the corner with his gun in hand as Nautica pulled her out the door. He led the way back to the cars with her brothers in tow.
“I just called my cleaners. They on the way. Sis, you straight?” Ben asked, hugging her.
“Yes, thank y’all for coming.” She smiled. Both twins gave her the look of death.
“Man, take yo’ ass home.”
“Right, goofy ass,” Daniel agreed. She laughed at them with a shake of her head. Her and Nautica got in the car, pulling off.
“Congratulations to my fine-ass wife on her new shoe store!” Nautica stood, holding his glass up. Everyone screamed and cheered as they celebrated Carter. Nautica sat down beside her. She kissed his lips with the biggest smile on her face.
“Thank you, baby!” Carter gripped his face with both hands, kissing him again. A month had passed since him and her brothers rescued her. They had grown closer than they already were.
“You’re welcome my love.” He kissed her chin while she blushed.
“Are you drunk, Nautica?” She laughed at him. He was having the time of his life.
“A little bit.” He tossed his arm over her shoulder.
“I wish I could drink with y’all,” Greer whined. She was on the other side of Carter.
“It’s almost over, baby,” Amari said, and Greer nodded. Carter stabbed at her Mac and cheese, putting a forkful in her mouth. She picked up a piece of chicken, feeding it to Nautica.
“Let’s go dance!” Promise stood, not waiting for them as she headed to the dance floor. Carter got up, pulling Greer’s arm.
“I don’t wanna dance,” Greer protested but Carter wasn’t having that.
“Friend, please, it’s my night!”
“Fine.” Greer got up. They joined Ace, Promise, and Lola on the dance floor with Carter’s family and friends. Their men walked out on the floor with them. Nautica wrapped his arms around Carter’s waist.
I see Why by Moneybagg Yo came on. Everyone went crazy. Nautica gripped her wrist holding it up to display their matching watches.
He awoke her to breakfast in bed. Every gift she opened was jewelry.
She wasn’t mad; diamonds were a girl’s best friend.
Her favorite gift was the matching diamond bracelet and necklace set that her and her daughter had.
Her second favorite was the blue Richard Mille he got that matched his. He’d also sent her money.
“I miss Nimo.” Carter wrapped her arms around his neck. He circled his arms around her waist.
“Me too. We gon’ really miss her when we leave.”
“Maybe we should just stay here. Or we can take a road trip somewhere with everybody.”
“That’s cool, you know Amy gon’ curse you out.” He laughed, causing her to laugh. Nautica pulled her towards the photo booth where his brothers were with their wives. They hopped into the frame. The photographer snapped away while they did a ton of different poses.
“You ready to go?” Nautica whispered in her ear with his hands on her waist.
“Yeah, let me go say my goodbyes.” She kissed him. She walked towards her parents who looked like they were preparing to leave as well.
“Hey, baby, your party was beautiful. I had so much fun! I love you!” Nova hugged her, kissing her cheek.
“I love you too, momma. I love you too, daddy, thanks for coming.” She hugged Kanu next who kissed her forehead.
“I love you too, baby girl. Make sure you bring my granddaughter to visit.”
“I will, I promise,” she assured with a nod while still in his embrace.
“Okay, be careful. Call me if you need me.” He kissed her forehead once more. Then he grabbed Nova’s hand. Nova waved as they left.
“Sis, thanks for a good time! I’m out!” Daniel hugged her as Nautica walked up. They slapped hands.
“Thank you, De, where Ben go?”
“He snuck out a hour ago.”
Carter rolled her eyes but she wasn’t surprised. Ben didn’t care for crowds.
“Okay, call me.” Carter walked towards the DJ booth on the stage.
“Thanks everyone for spending my special day with me. I’m drunk as hell so I’m going home. I love y’all!” Carter spoke into the mic.
Nautica held his arms out for her and she dropped into them. He carried her outside to his white Rolls Royce. He placed her on her feet. He opened the door and she climbed in. He got behind the wheel, pulling off.
“Maybe I should have drove.”
“I’m good. Did you enjoy your night?”
“I did, Nautica. Thank you so much for everything.”
“You’re welcome, my love.” He grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. Her marriage had been beautiful as of late. It hadn’t felt like an arrangement in a while. She hoped that feeling always remained.