Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac 3 (The Saint-Mercier Family Saga)

Wren

“No!” I screamed out like a wounded animal, gaining Detective Ricardo’s attention.

He marched over to where I stood and lifted the tape.

I flew over there and dropped to my knees next to the body.

Tears streamed my cheeks, dripping off my chin.

My body shook. Not because I was cold, but I was terrified to see what was underneath this blanket.

Detective Ricardo pulled it back, and I blankly stared down at him.

The body was burned severely. Like they were damn near unrecognizable, but something in me told me this wasn’t my man. I peeled the sheet back further and checked for the tattoos on his chest. It didn’t align with Maniac’s and I knew then, “This isn’t him.” The water works cut completely.

“Are you sure?” Detective Ricardo asked.

“I feel it in my soul that this isn’t Maniac.” I pressed my palms against the cold ground and lifted to my feet.

If this isn’t Maniac, then where is he?

“Wren!” Luxe yelled from behind the tape. She lifted it and strutted in my direction with her phone glowing in her hand. When she reached me, she leaned her mouth by my ear and said, “He’s safe.”

My heart rate slowed. “Where is he?” I couldn’t help but ask. This man knew how to give me a fucking heart attack.

“He just made it back to the house. I’ll take you home to him.”

“What about his car?” I asked her, pointing my thumb over my shoulder.

“Don’t worry about all that. C’mon.” Taking me by the hand, she pulled me toward the tape and we stepped underneath. I took one last glance over my shoulder as she dragged me to the car.

Hopping inside, I waited ’til she got in alongside me and pulled off.

What really happened? Why did he leave his car?

So many thoughts rushed my mind. I need answers, and Luxe wasn’t getting to him fast enough.

Luxe pulled into the driveway and a black Tahoe was parked up there by the door. Before the car even came to a complete stop, I lifted the door and hopped out. Running full speed to the door, I turned the knob and entered the house.

“Maniac!” I screamed out his name. My body gravitated toward the staircase ’til I heard something come from behind. When I turned around, I saw him standing there in the living room doorway with his shirt open. A dried blood stain rested at the corner of his mouth.

I dashed to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. My head rested against his lower chest. “I was worried about you. I thought you were dead.” Peeling away from him, I pounded my fists into his chest. “I thought you were fucking dead!” Tears streamed my cheeks. “Don’t fucking do that!”

Maniac caught me by the wrists and stared down into my face. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryna scare you.”

“What happened?”

Releasing me, he replied, “I had to go handle Cassius ass. Did you really think I was gon’ let him get away with the shit he did to you? That nigga had to pay.”

“So that was Cassius?”

Strolling away from me, he went over to the bar in the corner of the room and grabbed a bottle of his liquor.

Popping it, he turned it up and gulped from it.

“That nigga was causing too many problems for me. He had the fucking nerves to look me in my eyes and tell me that he was the one who shot at us and set Luxe up to get arrested. He thought it was gon’ be me who found that body.

I’on know how the fuck he even knew ’bout our warehouse, but that’s a problem for another day.

” Facing me, his eyes glossed over. “I couldn’t leave here ’til I knew that all the problems were handled. ”

Zooming over to him, I palmed his face and said, “I’m just glad that you’re okay. That’s all that really matters.”