but he grabs the hair on top of my head and forcing me back to my feet. “Let’s go.”
“Xavier will be back out here any minute,” I threaten as Kai continues to push me at gunpoint toward the black SUV parked down the street.
Kai laughs darkly. “I hope he does, because I’m going to kill that bitch ass sell-out.”
The moment he says that, Xavier’s voice calls out my name. Kai turns to look back just in time to see Xavier jump off the porch. But, before Xavier can fully make the jump into the ground, another man who was hiding on the other side of the porch tackles Xavier in mid-air. Xavier grunts as he hits the ground and another man comes sprinting from a neighboring yard and kicks Xavier in the gut.
‘Xavier!” I scream and Kai backhands me across the face.
“Shut up!” he orders, as he turns back to watch the attack.
A metallic taste covers my tongue and I clutch my face as it stings like fire.
I’ve never felt so helpless—so lost on finding a way to Xavier. I’m forced to stand there and watch.
Both men beat Xavier while he lays on the ground, and then one of them kick Xavier in the face, instantly knocking him out.
“No!” I shout again, not caring if it earns another hit from Kai. Tears pour out of my eyes and Kai tightens his grip on my arm. “Xavier, get up!”
The two men back away from an unmoving Xavier.
“Fuck!” Kai shouts. “You dumb shits. You weren’t supposed to kill him here. Our prints are all over that fucking house.”
“What do you want us to do?” The bigger of the two men asks.
Kai waves his hand dismissively. “Burn this shit to the ground and leave him.”
The men nod, and as if Kai is a general and they are foot soldiers go into the house to no doubt carry out orders.
“Come on.” Kai shoves me forward while still holding the gun on me.
He forces me into the back seat and slides in next to me. Within a few minutes, an unmistakable orange light flickers out onto the otherwise darkened lawn and the two men run toward the truck.
The engine drives past the house, and Xavier’s body still lies in the same place. I lean my head against the window, unsure of what’s about to happen to me, but knowing without Xavier I don’t care either way. Without him, my world means nothing.
Chapter 34
Xavier
A voice in the fog of my brain tries over and over to wake me up, but it’s a real struggle to open my eyes. “Xavier? Can you hear me, man?”
My eyelids drag open and I attempt to cure the blurry vision. “Where is she? Where’s Anna?”
Cole’s face comes into focus and his brow furrows. “There’s no one here but you.”
I lean up on my elbows and light form the flames licking their way up the side of Grandmother’s house illuminates the entire block. “Holy shit!”
I rush to get up, but Cole puts his hand on my shoulder. The light from the flames catches the gold of Cole’s badge and the swirling red and blue lights from the top of his cruiser flash across his face. “Easy, big guy. You need to stay put.”
I shove his hand away and shove myself up on my feet. “Cole, they’ve taken Anna. I’ll kill them before I allow them to hurt her.”
Anger boils over inside me. I will get her back.
Cole steps in front of me. “Hold on, X. Let me call for—“
“There’s no time for that shit.”
“Then let me go with you.”
I keep walking. “I won’t allow you to risk your life too. Call the fire department and take care of this. I’m going to get Anna.”
I don’t give Cole time to argue anymore. I sprint to Quinn’s car, hop inside, and crank the engine to life. The tires squeal against the asphalt after I back out of the driveway and slam the transmission into drive.
There’s only one way to handle this—the only way people like Kai and Bishop handle problems—with brut force and take what’s mine back.
The wheels on the little white car damn near fall off as it screams through the streets of Detroit to find its way to Nettie’s. I rush the door and at first Nettie smiles at me, ready to greet me, until she takes in the expression on my face.
“Xavier?” I don’t answer her.
I rush to the stock room and lift the twin mattress I slept on for years