33. Anastazia

SOMETIME LATER…

Everyone in the courtroom rose to their feet as the judge got ready to read the verdict. Bashar had assured me not to worry and that it was looking good for me, but how many times did people think that and it turn out not to be good? How many innocent people had gone to prison, even in this day and age?

The prosecutor, Emilia, was damn good at her job, and a few times, I saw the jurors look at me skeptically after she’d ask a certain question.

I licked my lips as I watched the judge read the verdict silently before handing it back off to the clerk.

“In the case of The State of California versus Chase, the jury finds the defendant not guilty.”

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that when the courtroom erupted into loud shouts, clapping, obscenities being thrown, and just a lot of pandemonium in the midst of the judge banging his gavel, I didn’t know what the fuck was going on.

“What?” I looked up to a grinning Bashar.

“You ain’t hear him? He said not guilty.”

“Oh shit,” I mumbled, looking at my family already approaching to hug and congratulate me.

“You lying bitch!” I heard Allyson, Cedric’s stepsister, yell out, but I ignored her, gripping Analicia tighter when I felt her try to pull away and respond.

I didn’t give a fuck what she thought. I was free, not only from going to prison, but this trial, not having custody of my baby, and most importantly, from Cedric.

Asif approached me, saying nothing before kissing my forehead, then my lips. I loved him, the thought making me bury my face into his broad, strong, good-smelling chest.

Finally, we left out of the courtroom, security helping us navigate the crowd and reporters that were blocking the entrance and exit. As Asif helped me down the steps, I spotted Jacinta, fidgeting a little bit. Stopping when I got to her, I regarded her for a minute before we embraced.

“Thank you,” I said, happy she’d gotten up there and testified against Cedric. Many may not have agreed, but it was brave of her to do that for me.

“Of course.” She pulled back. “It wasn’t only for you though; it was for me too.” She smiled.

“What are your plans, because he is still free?” I kept her hands in mine.

“I didn’t want to, but CJ and I are gonna fly to Minnesota where my parents are and stay there for a while. Might stay forever depending on how the hospitals are run.” She looked back in the direction of where Cedric, Emilia Finley, and Cedric’s family were talking to reporters in the distance. “I doubt he will follow. I don’t think he ever really cared about me like that. It was just you. I was something to keep his bed warm when he woke from a coma and something to belittle you with before all of this.”

I nodded to say I understood.

Jacinta and I hugged once more then parted ways.

“Is Maestro’s aight?” Asif asked me once Jacinta had walked off.

“I don’t care where we eat, but the girls and I do love the Lychee Martinis, so that works.” I smiled at him.

Asif returned the gesture before nodding to Bashar and Prime as they took their women plus my mother to their vehicles.

As our families drove out of the parking lot, Asif quizzed, “What you wanna do after? We gotta celebrate, but I do have to handle some shit?—”

POP! POP!

Two gunshots ringing out cut into Asif’s sentence, and with immediacy, he pushed me between two trucks, shielding me. I could see through a sliver, though, and couldn’t help but scream my ears off, watching Jacinta’s body drop with two holes in her head. Everyone currently outside let out screams, shouts, and were running like champion track stars.

“Cedric!” His stepsister gripped his wrist, shocked by him killing Jacinta.

“Oh my gosh!” I hollered when he put a bullet in his own sister’s abdomen, sending her to the ground as blood gushed between her fingers.

Asif picked me up and raced to our car, throwing me inside and quickly grabbing his gun. The courthouse had a no gun policy, frisking everyone who’d entered. Cedric had clearly retrieved his from the car he rode in, which was why he’d done his work right by it.

“Get down and stay down,” Asif told me, checking his rounds quickly and shutting the door.

I did as he said, though I didn’t want him to go. I just wanted him to get in this car and drive.

More bullets rang out as police sirens could be heard, and after three more, it all stopped. Slowly, I rose up to peer out of the back window to see Cedric slumped over, brains spilling out the back of his head as Asif limped some, a bloody stain on his side from being hit.

The lot was full of cops, first responders, and reporters. They were taking photos of Allyson—who was now frozen and clearly dead—Jacinta, and Cedric. Three dead bodies in a matter of seconds.

“Wait, no!” I hopped out when I saw a cop approach Asif. “No, it was him, what the fuck!” I cried, pointing so they’d look at Cedric and leave my baby alone.

“Baby, it’s cool. I’ll handle it. Drive the car back to the crib.” He winced some.

“No, he needs medical attention, and he didn’t start this—” I tried to explain, but Asif gave me a look, so I stopped.

I watched as they began to put Cedric, Allyson, and Jacinta in body bags before I got in the car, dialing Bashar so he could know what the fuck had just happened.

HOURS LATER…

I was going crazy at my sister’s home, along with everybody else, and Bashar had been doing everything he could to find out the status of what was going on with Asif, but no one claimed to know. I felt horrible and like I should’ve never messed with him, getting him wrapped up in my shit.

When my phone rang, it seemed like everyone’s ears perked up as I reached over a slumbering Sophie.

“Hello?” I picked up, my background so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“You miss me?” Asif questioned tiredly, making me sigh in relief.

“What is going on? Where are you?” I ran off. “Bashar said?—”

“I’m in the hospital. They had to go in and treat the bullet wound.”

“Can I come? Can you have visitors.”

“I can, but only you.”

“I don’t think they’re gonna go for that, Asif.”

“They will. I’ll call ’em after I send you the info.” He hung up before I could protest.

“He said he’s in the hospital. He had to have surgery for to treat bullet wound and he wants to see me only.” As the groans and complaints started, I said, “That’s just his words. He should be calling soon.” I rose to my feet.

“She can stay here,” Analicia told me, referencing Sophie. “Everyone else is.” She chuckled through a sigh.

The whole clan was in this big ass house at the moment, including all the kids, but thankfully, they’d all ran themselves ragged from being together all day.

I left the house and drove straight to Hillside Memorial, checking in and making my way to the room number Asif sent over.

As I entered the room he was in, I couldn’t help but to feel so thankful that he was alright. My eyes darted around him, looking for handcuffs of any kind, but I saw nothing.

“Come here.” He waved for me to come closer because I was standing there staring at him after shutting the heavy door.

I did as he asked, trying to refuse him from pulling me onto the bed with him, but it was a futile effort.

“You still smell good,” I admitted, and he chuckled, chest rattling against me as I enjoyed the sound. I wouldn’t know what to do if I’d never heard it again. “They’re not going to try to arrest you, right?” I looked up into his face.

Shaking his head, he replied, “Nah. They only cuffed a nigga because when they walked up, I was the only one alive holding a gun. But with all them witnesses and muthafuckas literally filming, newscasters and not, it was easy as fuck to back up my story.”

“So they saw he started it and killed Jacinta,” I said, still feeling terrible for asking her to testify. Maybe he wouldn’t have taken her life had she not.

“They did.” Asif looked down at me, hugging me closer to his side. “Got his sister dying on the tape and him hitting me with a bullet first too. I ain’t even notice the parents hop in the car and try to drive off until I watched the video, which is wild to me.”

“It is but Gabe, his father, has never been a good man. I guess that’s where Cedric got it from.” I sighed dejectedly. “I’m sorry I got you wrapped up in this. You got shot because of me.”

“I wouldn’t wanna be wrapped up with any-fucking-body else but you. Nothing worth having is easy, love.” He kissed my forehead. “I let him hit me first, that ain’t on you.”

“So it would be self-defense?” I quizzed and he nodded.

“Otherwise, I look like some nigga just trying to involve himself. I was planning on torturing his bitch ass a little later, but shit worked out differently.”

Quietness lingered for a bit before I said, “Thank you for saving me. Not just today but since you came around. You’ve been taking care of me mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially since day one, and I want you to know I appreciate it.” I sat up some to look down into his beautiful jade and amber swirled eyes.

We kissed a few times before he said, “You appreciate that shit enough to sit on it?”

“No, maybe tomorrow, but not when you’re fresh from surgery.” I lay back down along his side, chuckling as he grunted in disagreement.

Although an hour ago I thought this would be one of the worst days of my life, it turned out to be one of the best. Cedric was no more, I had a real man, a good man, my baby was safe, so was my family, and I wasn’t going to prison for trying to kill Cedric’s ass.

The only downside was Jacinta losing her life. But the same way I was a warning story for some, maybe she could be, too, to the ones who thought they could change a man.

“We can put something on old girl’s funeral if you want to,” Asif stated, seemingly reading my mind.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t fucking with you having sympathy for her at first, but after looking in her eyes, I saw how fucking pitiful she was. And today, she ain’t deserve that shit.”

“I love you.”

“Course you do.” He cheesed widely with his handsome ass as I pretended to punch him. “I love you more, though.”