Ms. Understood

INTERCEPT

Niko made me get out of his car with my arm gripped in his hand. I looked around, hoping one of his neighbors could see us or the gun on his hip.

I no longer saw Mikey's spirit, and my heart dropped.

Niko stood behind me while he unlocked his front door. I could feel him smelling my hair and pressing against my butt. I felt a bulge, and my eyes watered again.

After he pushed me inside the house, he slammed the door and closed the blinds.

The inside of his house was aesthetically pleasing, I was surprised. I instinctively sat down on the couch, but he quickly pulled me back up.

"No, we're going upstairs."

Niko wasn't wasting any time, and I couldn't believe what was happening. I was hesitant, so he pulled the gun from his hip, and I walked towards the stairs with him right behind me.

"These paintings were shipped from Senegal. Their dope, right?"

I looked at the stair wall, then gave a subtle nod as we went up the stairs. He kept his hand on my back, pushing me to keep going.

"Damn, you're fine as fuck." Niko said, rubbing my butt.

We walked down a short hall and he pulled me into the master bedroom. He shut the door. It was like a switch went off and he started kissing my neck and squeezing my ass.

"Mmm, Imma fuck you real good."

I tensed up, trying to find a way out of this. But he was still holding his gun.

"Kiss me back, Mag."

My body wouldn't move then he cocked the gun. I softly kissed his lips, not opening my mouth.

He pulled away. "Do it like you mean it."

"Please Niko. I can't do this..."

I felt a hard blow to the side of my face and fell to the carpeted floor. The pain was instant... the butt of his gun caused the injury.

Dizziness was after the pain, and I couldn't get my balance. Once my vision stopped blurring, I saw my blood drip on the carpet.

"I'm trying to be fucking nice to you and you keep acting stuck up!"

Niko pulled me off the floor by my braids and I screamed from the pain. He slapped me with his hand this time but I blacked out.

I woke up to my head pounding and my wrists tied to the posts of the headboard. My sobs were instant as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

My shirt and bra were pushed up, exposing my breasts while Niko's face was between my legs. My clothes were off from the waist down. He was wearing only boxers.

"No! Stop, Niko!"

"Relax. I'm just trying to get you wet and in the mood. You're too tense, baby. I couldn't even get the tip inside you."

He put his mouth back on me and I felt disgusted and began screaming.

"NIKO STOP! FUCKING STOP!"

I kicked my legs and I soon felt the barrel of his gun pressed against my forehead.

"You must really think I won't kill you."

"Niko, I don't wanna do this! Please stop! Please!"

"I don't need your permission or you to be breathing for me to fuck you..." the anger in his eyes shook me to my core.

I cried as I watched his finger slowly pull the trigger back. Then suddenly Niko was snatched away.

"AAH!"

His body hit the dresser mirror and the shoelaces around my wrists fell off. I saw blood all over his body as growls filled the room. His face and chest were sliced open.

Thank you.

I thanked Leo's beautiful wolf spirit. I tried to hurry out of the bed but felt lightheaded.

"Niko! What the fuck happened?!"

A crying Stephanie ran into the room collapsing onto his lifeless body. I continued trying to get stable on my feet. I fell to the floor but didn't stop moving.

I got back on my feet then leaned on the wall next to the bedroom door. I felt nauseous then threw up where I stood.

"I can't let you leave, Magnolia."

I turned to face her. With tears falling down her face, Stephanie now had Niko's gun pointed at me.

***

An all-out brawl ensued with six against one. They could have shot me but probably didn't want to bring too much attention to what was happening.

With every swing and jab, I blocked and went for blood. But it seemed the more men I took out, the more would come. I killed enough of them to give me an opening to get into my room.

I went inside, locking it. My bag had a few weapons, but I needed more. But then I heard gunfire and screams from outside of my door.

When I opened the door, all I saw were bodies, then Big Jim and Julien Laurent standing in the center.

"Hey boss, you good?" Big Jim asked.

I laughed to myself. "Yeah, thanks. Julien, what are you doing here?"

Julien wiped the specks of blood off his face with his handkerchief.

"I had a feeling you were going to try and handle everything on your own. So, I kept surveillance on you."

"You just can't stay peaceful...can you?"

"Not when my good friend is being hard-headed. Your father meant a lot to me also, and so do you. I'm not letting you do this alone."

"Your wife and mother are going to freak out if you have a manic episode again."

"They will be fine. Plus... this is very therapeutic for me."

I laughed as the three of us got on the elevator. When it opened, I was taken aback. All my father's allies were standing in the lobby. Many were the sons of his friends that I knew growing up.

Julien's phone went off. "We know where Max Stokes is located."

I smiled, ready to end things right now, but then I got flashes of a bruised and bloody Magnolia tied up. My heart dropped to my stomach.

"I have to get to my mate."