Chapter 32

32

Evenie

I ’d barely gotten any sleep the last couple of days.

I couldn’t believe that Leon was Iona’s uncle. In what world would something so cruel even be possible? My husband had been engaged to the niece of the man that held me captive? It was insane. Knowing that there was a family history of mental issues had me on edge. If he was capable of the things he did to me, what about her?

Even though Tyrion had changed the locks and gotten us a security system, I was still on edge about Iona being on the loose. We’d gone to the police and gotten an emergency restraining order against her, but in my mind, that shit was just a piece of paper. If she was crazy enough to come into our home and plant cameras, what was stopping her from coming back?

All night long, I tossed and turned or looked up at the ceiling. My paranoia was beginning to set in. I swore I heard somebody moving around outside. I swore I heard footsteps in the house. I’d woken Tyrion up several times the last couple of nights to go check things out. He always came back with nothing, stating that we lived in an older house, and it was probably just an animal scavenging around the house.

That never made me feel any better. I’d taken to sleeping with my gun under my pillow just to feel somewhat safe. It was still unsettling to me that she’d been watching us for weeks now. That meant she’d seen and heard everything, including us having sex. Who knows what might have been said for her to feed off of. What information could she have gathered about our locations?

It was too much.

“Evenie… Ev!”

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Nina waving her hands in my face. I’d gone to lunch with her, but there wasn’t much eating being done on my part. If I wasn’t hyperaware of my surroundings, I was staring off into space in deep thought.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” I asked.

“I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay, girl?”

I shook my head. “I’ve been better, Nina. I can’t believe that this is where things are.”

“I know, boo. I should have cut that bitch when I had the chance. I know I said I wanted Tyrion to be happy, but I swear that had to be the reason she and I never clicked.”

“You sure it wasn’t the fact that she wasn’t me?”

She giggled. “I mean, that’s part of the reason, but seriously. There was something unsettling about her in my spirit. Like there was an evil dwelling there. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to upset my friend or make him think I wasn’t happy for him. He knew her better than I did… at least so we thought.”

I was trying not to get in the mindset of questioning Tyrion’s senses when it came to that bitch. The monkey on my back was telling me he should have picked up on something. I didn’t want to place blame because, ultimately, Iona knew her situation better than anyone. She wasn’t being responsible for her mental health, and neither was her damn mama.

I shook my head. “I just don’t understand why her mother didn’t say something sooner. You know your child, especially one with mental issues. She should have been said something. And I don’t wanna hear shit about she couldn’t as a mental health professional. She’s her mother. Her daughter was dating a man with a child, potentially having children with him. It should have come up.”

“I agree. Looks like you came back just in time, girl.”

“Yeah, just in time to shake some shit up. This can’t be life, Nina. We were finally happy. Finally in a great space.” I held up my hand. “He gave me a new ring.”

Nina grabbed my hand. “Oooo, bitch! This is nice! I don’t know how I missed this rock! This is the real reason that bitch is mad.”

“Honestly, I think it is. Tyrion said according to the footage on her phone, the last video feed she watched was the night we went on our date. I can’t believe she watched us have sex—”

“What!” Nina yelled, drawing attention from surrounding patrons. She covered her mouth. “Y’all had sex?” she whispered.

“We did.”

“How was it? And I don’t mean I need details. Tyrion is my brother. I don’t want to know how his thang is hitting. I meant, how did you feel?”

“I was nervous at first. He talked me through it though.”

She snapped her fingers. “I know that’s right. Ain’t nothing like a man talking you through it, girl. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself because that sexual tension was thick as hell. My baby might get that sibling she’s been telling Jersey about.”

I laughed. Of course Summer would tell Jersey she was getting a sibling.

“If I do get pregnant, you better be right behind me,” I said.

“Actually…”

She smiled brightly as she dug in her purse and produced a small envelope, handing it over to me. I slowly took it from her and opened it to reveal an ultrasound picture.

“You’re pregnant!”

She nodded happily. “Girl, I don’t know how it happened after ten years, but we are having another one.”

I stood and walked around the table to hug her.

“I’m so happy for you, Nina.”

“Thank you, boo. Looks like it’s you who has to catch up with me this time. You remember being pregnant together with the girls?”

I smiled. “I do. Damn did we give Tyrion and Jaime a run for their money.”

“The crying and cravings. They hated when we got together because it was ten times as bad. When we found out, the first thing Jay said was he wondered if we were in sync this time. He said he needed to mentally prepare himself.”

“We weren’t even that bad. He’s just being dramatic. Seriously though, Nina. I’m happy for you. We always said we were gonna have a bunch of kids and raise them together. I don’t know if I’ve ever said it, but thank you for being there for Summer in my absence. I know you poured all the love I wished I could have into her.”

“No thanks needed. That’s my baby. Always has been, always will be.”

I gently rubbed her stomach. “I’m glad I get to watch this little nugget grow up. Hi, TiTi’s baby!”

I bent over and kissed her stomach. I prayed that one day I got to enjoy pregnancy again. I wanted the chance to experience all I’d missed with Summer. I realized I was a few years shy of forty, but if I could have that at least once, it would make all the difference in the world.

Nina and I sat together for the remainder of our lunch hour before splitting ways. My eyes darted around outside as I made my way to my car. When I was just a few feet shy of it, I saw that not one, not two, but all four of my tires were slashed. As I rushed up to examine the damage, I saw a note on my windshield. With a trembling hand, I pulled it off and flipped the paper open.

You’re gonna wish you’d stayed away from what was mine, bitch.

I frantically looked around for any sign of Iona, but there was none. Pulling out my phone, I called the police first, then called Tyrion.

“Hey, baby—”

“Tyrion, she followed me.”

“Where are you? Did you call the police?”

“Yes, I called them. I went to lunch with Nina at Marco’s . When I came out, all four of my tires were slashed, and there was a note on my windshield. She said I’m gonna wish I’d stayed away from what was hers.”

“Shit! Okay, go back inside. I’m on my way.”

“Tyrion?”

“Yes, baby?”

“If that bitch grows the balls to come anywhere near me, she’s gonna end up just like her uncle.”

I hung up the phone and walked back into the restaurant. Iona could play crazy if she wanted to. Everything I fought to stay alive for was still everything I had to live for. If she thought she could take that from me the same way her uncle had, she had another thought coming.

I lay next to my baby, watching her sleep. Tonight was the first night she’d been home since this shit started. Tyrion and I wanted her to stay with his parents until this was over, but she cried and begged to come home. It wasn’t even that we felt she was safer with them. If Iona wanted to get to her, she knew where both of our parents lived, according to Tyrion. She knew where Nina lived too, although it wouldn’t be wise for her to show up there. Nina and Jaime would shoot first and ask questions later.

After the police showed up, they reviewed the footage from the parking lot. There was Iona, clear as day, stabbing my tires. It was obvious that she didn’t care about getting caught. She hadn’t bothered to cover her face or anything. In fact, when the bitch was done, she looked directly at the camera and smiled before sticking up her middle finger and running off.

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to see what kind of car she was in. She’d left everything behind, so we knew it wasn’t hers. At this point, we were back at square one. She was in the fucking wind, and we were waiting around like sitting ducks for her to try some shit before the police could even do anything. This must have been what it felt like for Tyrion when I went missing. Just sitting and waiting… dreading and praying… cursing and crying.

I gently stroked my baby’s hair, thinking hard about what I’d have to do if pushed. I’d protect Summer Rose at all costs, even if it meant losing my freedom to do so. I’d hate to spend more time away from her, but I’d eat a prison sentence before I allowed a hair on her precious head to be harmed.

“Baby,” I heard softly.

I looked up to see Tyrion standing in the doorway of Summer’s room. It was nearing one in the morning, and I’d refused to go to bed.

“She’s asleep, love.”

“I know.”

“You need to get some sleep too, Ev.”

“I’m fine, Tyrion.”

“You’re exhausted. Today has been a lot, and you need to get some sleep.”

I shook my head. “I can’t leave her.”

“Then will you at least let me blow up the air mattress and we can both sleep in here?”

I nodded. He sighed as he left the room. Not long after, I could hear the air pump going. About five minutes later, he returned, maneuvering the queen-size mattress into the room. Once he laid it out, he left again, returning with pillows and a quilt for us. Reluctantly, I kissed Summer’s temple before climbing out of bed and joining him on the mattress. I made sure to turn my body so I could see her at all times.

Tyrion wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to him.

“Get some sleep, love.”

“Sleep is the last thing on my mind, Tyrion. I spent too much time being a victim. I won’t be one again, and I for damn sure won’t let her be one.” I looked over my shoulder at him. “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“If it came down to it…, would you—”

“Without a second thought. That’s my baby, and you are my wife. I’m not a man if I can’t defend or protect you or her. Ain’t no question of that.”

I nodded as I rested my head against the pillow. For the longest time, I stared at the wall until my thoughts began to drift back to my time in that basement. I remembered feeling like I was going stark mad because I didn’t know what day it was or how much time had passed.

I was completely at the mercy of a stranger, not knowing what he really wanted with me. It was clear from the beginning that he was a little touched. As time passed, I saw just how much of a mental case he could be. His mood was unpredictable. Sometimes he was happy. Sometimes he was sad. Sometimes he seemed like a whole other person, and not one I liked very much. There were times he’d look at me with so much hatred, and his words matched the expressions on his face.

“You thought you were just gonna up and leave me, bitch? You thought I would never find you, huh? Try that shit again. We said ’til death do us part. That means either you die, or I kill you, bitch. You try to leave me again, and I will gut you like a fish, then slit your fucking throat.”

I remembered sitting there praying that someone would save me or that I had the guts to save myself. I wasn’t a fighter or a violent person. Leon had put his hands on me enough to know that he could do real damage to me if he wanted to. But Iona… she had no idea the rage I felt inside just thinking about her. The fact that she shared a bloodline with the man that stole me from my family only fueled that rage. If I had to take all of it out on her at some point, I would do so and repent later.