Wren
THE FOLLOWING DAY
My mind has been on what Uncle Trayvon did.
It’s been bothering me badly. I still couldn’t believe that he willingly sold me to some strangers.
They may not be strangers to him, but I didn’t know the first thing about those people.
To sell me to a married man at that is just diabolical.
What in the world can this man possibly want with me when he has a whole wife at home.
I feel sorry for her. She isn’t enough for him that he has to come and collect another woman.
I lay there in my bed, gazing up at the ceiling, contemplating on what I’m going to do.
Aria was right, I didn’t owe my uncle and brother anything, but at the same time, if they were to get killed, I’d lose my mind.
I was extremely young when my daddy got killed, but it still hurt to know that he was taken away from me.
To lose two people at the same time by the hands of someone else is something that I’m not certain I’d be able to come back from.
Reaching over onto the nightstand, I grabbed my phone and dialed Tyree’s number. I don’t care if it’s still early in the morning and he probably hadn’t gotten up yet; I needed to know who these people were that they were trying to put my life in their hands.
“What?” he finally picked up the phone. It rang so many times that I thought it was gon’ go to voicemail.
“Who are these people?”
“Wren?”
“Yeah… who are they?”
I hadn’t told them about my lil interaction with the guy who I’m assuming his name is Maniac from his chain, but I can’t be too certain.
He could be just walking around with that around his neck because he’s a maniac.
No one knows but my brother and Uncle. If they wanted my help, they were gon’ have to give me answers.
If I was to put my life on the line for them, they owe me big time.
“Ugh,” he groaned and I heard shuffling noises coming through the phone. “You’re seriously not thinking ’bout doing this are you?”
My eyes bucked. “I mean, do I really have much of a choice, Tyree?”
“They are the Saint-Mercier’s. The one he sold you to, his name is Kairo, but everyone calls him Maniac.”
“Why?”
“’Cause he’s one of the most ruthless mufuckas that you’ll ever meet. That man is certified crazy and needs to be in a nut house.”
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “Will I be safe?”
“I can’t answer that question for you. All I can say is, if you really plan on doing this, stay on his good side. Don’t do anything to piss him off. These are really dangerous people, Wren. Don’t trust ’em.”
“Thanks.” Removing the phone from my ear, I disconnected the call and went straight to Safari to Google.
I’ve heard of the Saint-Mercier’s before.
In fact, they sold some of the best liquor in the country.
I just never knew who they were. From the name, I thought they were some foreign people or something.
Soon as I typed in the name, different pictures of people popped up.
There he was. Kairo “Maniac” Saint-Mercier.
The man was so fucking fine. Too fine to be so fucking crazy as people were putting it.
He didn’t have any social media. Most of the pictures of him that showed up on Google were professional photos that they took while he was out.
That’s understandable. A man as dangerous as him has to be cautious of the trail he leaves behind.
I moved over to the next Saint-Mercier. Luxe. She’s gorgeous. Long, thick curly hair. It says that she’s twenty-nine, single and an appraiser, which means that she deals with a lot of fine art.
“I can see it.”
Swiping off the screen, I went to my call log and pressed Aria’s number. It rang a few times and she picked up.
“Please come on, we’re already late,” she begged before turning her attention to me. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey.” I popped up in bed and traced my fingers over the pink flowers on my comforter. “You’re fussing at Zion?”
“Ugh, yes!” Zion is Aria’s three-year-old son, who she’s been raising on her own.
His father is nothing but a dead beat that hasn’t been in the picture since he’s been born.
Aria has tried so many times to try and get him to be a father, but you can’t force someone to do anything.
She been learned to just let shit be. As long as Zion is well taken care of, that’s the only thing that really matters.
“We’re running late for his doctor’s appointment. He didn’t want to leave the house without his toy truck. He had me looking all over for that shit.”
“You want to call me back after you get from the appointment?” I didn’t really want anything, was just calling to let her know the information that I learned about the people that I was supposed to deal with for only God knows how long.
“Yeah. I’ma call you soon as I leave from there.”
“Okay.”
Getting up from bed, I went into the bathroom and turned on the faucet.
My hair looked a mess. I’d balled it up on top of my head because I have a hair appointment this morning for a VIP luxury silk press.
That be the highlight of my month. The way Tabitha be massaging the hell out of my scalp.
Oh my God. Her hands are sent from heaven.
Grabbing my floss, I flossed, brushed my teeth, rinsed my mouth, and then washed my face. My appointment is in a couple of hours, which leaves me enough time to make it to get breakfast and a coffee from 7Brew.
Once I was done, I went back into my bedroom and found me something to wear.
I decided on a pair of denim shorts, an oversized gray sweater, some black stockings underneath the shorts and a pair of gray and white Nikes.
Grabbing my purse off the dresser, I headed out of the room and stopped in the kitchen along the way.
Smoke laid in front of his bowl, waiting for me to give him some food. “Hey, boy.” Placing my purse on the counter, I went over to the pantry and grabbed their food out of there. As I dumped his food into his bowl, I noticed that their water was low, so I refilled the container.
“See you later boy.” I stroked his head, and he snapped at me. Feisty ass.
Grabbing my purse, I headed for the door and pulled it open.
My right foot went out and it touched nothing.
I jumped back and looked out the door to see that my porch was missing.
Shutting the door, the wind slapped me in the face.
I closed my eyes and counted, “One, two, three…” and then opened the door again for my porch to still be gone.
Removing my phone from my purse, I dialed Uncle Trayvon’s number. Someone has to be playing a joke on me right now. Who in their right mind would steal a fucking porch?
“Hey, baby girl,” he said soon as he answered.
“Someone stole my porch!” I screamed.
“What do you mean they stole your porch?”
“Exactly what I said! It’s nothing there!” I stuck my foot out there and swung it in the air. Nothing.
“Did you check yo’ camera to see who did it?”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I’m checking it now.
” Removing the phone from my ear, I placed it on speaker and went to the Ring application.
When I pulled it up, I saw Maniac’s ass standing on my porch with another guy.
He leaned down into the camera and blew me a kiss.
Fast forward, the guy that was up there with him removed my got damn porch!
“I’m gon’ kill him.” Rage coursed through my frame, which led to the words that seeped from my lips. I’d never killed anyone in my life before, but Maniac is gon’ make me strangle his ass before it’s over with.
“Who?” Uncle Trayvon asked. I almost forgot he was on the phone.
“Maniac took my porch. Call him and tell him to bring it back now.”
“I’ll call him and see what’s going on. Give me a few minutes. I’ll call you back.” The phone beeped, and I shut the door.
Beeping could be heard from outside. It started out in the distance and then grew closer to me.
I ran over to the living room window and looked out to see an eighteen-wheeler backing up to my trailer.
Lifting the window, I yelled, “Hey, what are you doing!” only for him to not be able to hear me because he was still inside the truck.
Once the truck was fully backed up to my trailer, the driver’s door opened and he hopped out.
“What are you doing?” He looked up at me but didn’t say a word just began hooking my trailer to the truck.
“Uh, hello! Do you not see me in here!” That man pretended as if I wasn’t hanging out the window. “Mr.!”
Once he was done, he got back into his truck and my trailer jerked. I wobbled, struggling to hold my footing. “First my porch and now my whole trailer!” I immediately called Uncle Trayvon back because whatever he was doing, ain’t working.
“Trayvon! He’s stealing my trailer with me in it!” I yelled, still not believing what was happening.
“He’s sending me straight to voicemail. I’m not sure what’s going on.”
“What have y’all gotten me into?” I eased down onto the couch, not wanting to slip and slide all over the floor. I’m sure whatever he’s doing is very much illegal. No one is supposed to move a trailer with someone inside it. “I’m calling the police.”
“Wren, please don’t. I’m going to handle it.”
“Like you did when you sold me to him? I’m calling them.” I ended the call before he was able to try and talk me out of it. Dialing nine one one, I waited ’til they picked up.
“Nine one one, what’s your emergency?” the woman’s voice came through the line.
“My name is Wren Sloane, and I think I’m being kidnapped.”
“You think?”
“Yes, someone by the name of Maniac… I mean Kairo Saint-Mercier is stealing my trailer with me inside it.”
“Oh, my goodness. Can you tell me exactly where you are?”
Rubbing my left temple with my index and middle finger, I replied, “I’m on the back of an eighteen-wheeler going down Wares Ferry. I’m not sure exactly which way or where it’s taking me.”
“Are you able to take a look out the window and see where you are?” Turning on the couch, I looked out the open window and saw the Shell gas station to the right of me. The truck turned and got onto the Boulevard.
“We just got onto the Boulevard heading toward Sam’s.”
“Okay, stay on the line with me. Let me know where you’re going. I’m about to see if I can get in touch with a cruiser in that area.”
She was talking as if I’m able to go somewhere. I’m stuck here in this fucking trailer ’til it stops. There’s no telling where he’s taking me.
My phone beeped. Removing it from my ear, I saw it was Tyree calling. Just like Uncle Trayvon, he wasn’t gon’ be able to help me either. I placed the phone back to my ear and looked out the window. A kid in a car next to us looked up with an ice cream cone in their hand.
The truck stopped at a light. If I weren’t so far from the ground, I’d hop out the window and run.
“Ma’am, are you still there?” the dispatcher asked, breaking my thoughts.
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Okay, we have a cruiser in route. Where are you now?”
“Still on the Boulevard by the Raceway gas station.”
I’m not certain where they are taking me.
It would’ve seemed that I’d be heading to the other side of town or something.
I remembered that Maniac had said I had twenty-four hours to come home or else he was coming to get me.
I’m guessing this was his way of coming to get me.
What’s crazy to me, he told me that but didn’t tell me where he lived.
How was I supposed to come if I wanted to?
The truck pulled off, and I could hear the sirens nearing in the distance. I looked out the window only to be disappointed. It was just an ambulance passing us.
“Do you know how long it’s gon’ take?” I questioned her. They need to get to me before I make it wherever they were trying to take me.
“They should make it to you soon. Please try your best to remain calm.”
I sucked in a deep breath and released it. For the next ten minutes, we rode ’til I heard sirens. The truck didn’t bother to stop. It kept going as if it didn’t see the police behind it. If I heard the sirens, I’m certain he did as well. This man don’t even give a damn about the police.
“He’s not stopping,” I panicked. My heartbeat kicked up a notch. If he wasn’t stopping for the police, there’s no telling what he has planned for me.
A few minutes later, I felt the truck slow. I looked out the window and saw nothing but grass and trees from my view. The truck pulled onto a dirt road, and I heard a noise coming from in front of us. The truck jerked, moving me again. The sirens can still be heard coming from behind us.
The truck came to a halt. The driver got out and seconds later, I heard a noise near the front door.
Knock!
I jumped, and my heart dropped to my ass. Getting up, I eased over to the door and looked through the peephole. Maniac stood on the porch with his hands resting in his pockets.
Grabbing the doorknob, I slowly pulled the door open. “Yo’ ass just couldn’t come willingly.” Shaking his head, he neared me. My heart palpitated. It was so rapid that I could’ve sworn I was about to have a heart attack. “Call ’em off.”
“I’m not doing anything. You shouldn’t have kidnapped me.”
My lower lip poked out.
“Take a look around. Am I holding a gun to ya head? All I did was come for what’s mine.”
“I don’t belong to you.”
“I got a contract that says otherwise. Call ’em off.
This my last time telling you or shit gon’ get ugly.
You don’t have to be scared of me, you should be scared of anyone who thinks they can have you or get in my way of having you.
” Stepping closer, he removed his hand from his pocket and it eased toward his waistline.
“You got to the count of three or bodies ’bout to start dropping. One, two, t—”
“Okay!” I stepped out onto the porch and saw the line of police cars, waiting outside a steel gate. If I was kidnapped, how come they didn’t bother to come in behind me. It was as if they were afraid to cross over into his yard. Why does so many people fear him?
I looked back, and he stood there with a gun resting in his hand. I’m not sure how he thought that was gon’ be enough to take down all those police. They’d kill his ass for sure.
Stepping down, I slowly approached the gate with my hands up. I ain’t want them to place bullets in me and confuse me for the kidnapper.
“I’m sorry, but it was a bit of confusion,” I told them, stopping, leaving feet between us.
“You called and said that you were getting kidnapped, right?” the officer closest to me asked.
“I thought I was. He was just surprising me with new land and didn’t tell me.”
“Are you sure?” His eyes roamed my frame as if he was gon’ find a hint of uncertainty.
“Yeah. I’m so sorry. Y’all can leave now.”
The officer looked back at the rest of them and nodded. They all climbed back into their vehicles and pulled off, leaving me here with this psycho ass man.