SPITFIRE (Book #2 Of Fire Series)

XXXVII

My heart pounds so quickly that I don't feel the distinction between each beat anymore.
I could flat-line and it would all feel the same to me.

When I die, my tombstone will be written:
Here lies Caia Nandipha Zondi.
Mother.
Fiancé.
Daughter.
Sister.
Friend.

On my death certificate, my cause of death will be:
Cardiac arrest.

"What the fuck do you mean," Uncle Jim grits into the phone, unbeknownst to him I'm listening to every word, drinking up the information as much as I can.
"This is Reaper we're talking about! How the hell were they able to take him?"

I surge into a plague of goosebumps as I shudder quietly. My knees nearly buckle but I keep it together for now at least.

"That- what-" he whispers.
"He gave himself up?"

"W-what," my quivering lip expels the minute question, blowing my cover.

"Shit," he spits quietly as he whips around to look at me.
"I'll call you back."

We stay there for a few long seconds just staring at one another, the elephant in the room, now the size of a whale.

"Classic question," he sighs.
"How much did you hear?"

"Enough," I whisper, my numbness enveloping me slowly as my legs exponentially lose the strength to keep me up.

"This isn't a game, Miss S," he exhales with restraint as he takes a step towards me.

The corners of my lips slowly hike up as I release an almost maniacal laugh, but alas, it never reaches my eyes, which have begun to mimic clouds, raining over my cheeks and staining my face.

"It might as well be," I cackle.
"My life story would make a killer plot."

"Nandi-" he murmurs softly, the sympathy glistening in his eyes.

"Who," I whimper.

It takes him a couple of seconds to exhale, deciding on whether or not he sees the need to tell me or not, before he mutters, "The Circle."

My heart drops into my stomach and my blood boils as I look at him.

He's becoming blurry right before my eye and I guess I'm crying. Again.

"Miss S," he murmurs cautiously as he approaches me slowly.
"Jayden is going to be fine. I promise you, it's okay-"

"Nothing is fucking okay," I holler as I swat his arms that have started to embrace me, away.
"I can't- I can't- I need him here! I need, Jayden here!"

"Nandi, please calm down," he attempts softly. His hands slowly reaching out to me again as his face contorts with evermore concern.
"The baby-"

"Don't fucking tell me about the fucking baby," I grit as I take a menacing step forward.
"Since you don't seem to want to bring him home, I'll do it myself."

With that I spin on my heel and stomp my way back to the golf cart I used to get here from the main house. The cream white vehicle stands quite a ways away from Uncle Jim's cottage and I've already worked up my heart by the time I reach it.
That, or my heart is beating out of my chest because of today's revelations.

"Gave himself up," I quietly scoff to myself as I sit in the driver's seat.

The little cart doesn't even reach the little bridge going over the pond, when Uncle Jim sprints in front of me, nearly getting flattened by my vehicle.

"Are you out of your mind," I spit as I immediately step in the break.

It wasn't even going that fast anyway.