BUTTERFLY EFFECT | KV

THE CONFRONTATION

DAYVON BENNETT
| VON|
ATLANTA, GA📍

Von and Durk sped through the streets of Atlanta, the city lights blurring into streaks of neon against the dark sky. Von's mind raced faster than the car, fueled by a volatile mix of rage and fear. His phone buzzed again, and this time it was Kayla.

"Von, it was a false alarm. Dess is here. She's safe," Kayla's voice crackled through the line.

Von felt a rush of relief, quickly replaced by an intense anger. "What the hell, Kayla? You said she was taken!"

"Man, it was a scare. Deshawn's guys were around, but they didn't get her. She's here, but you gotta come quick. She's freaked out."

Von hung up and slammed his fist on the dashboard, his knuckles turning white with the force. "Damn it! We're headin' back."

Durk glanced over, concern etched in his features. "You good, Von?"

"No, I ain't good," Von snapped, his accent thick with frustration. "I told her no company, and she let Jayda in. She don't get how serious this is."

They pulled up to Kayla's house, and Von practically jumped out of the car before it had come to a complete stop. He stormed up to the door and pounded on it, the force of his knocks echoing through the quiet neighborhood. Kayla opened the door, looking relieved but wary.

"She's inside," Kayla said, stepping aside.

Von marched in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Dess. She sat on the couch, her face pale and drawn. She looked up, relief flooding her eyes, quickly replaced by apprehension as she saw the fury in his.

"Dess, what the hell were you thinkin'?" Von's voice was a low, dangerous growl. "I told you no company, especially not Jayda. You don't know who you can trust right now!"

Dess stood, her own frustration bubbling to the surface. "Von, she's my best friend! She came to check on me. What was I supposed to do, turn her away?"

"Yes!" Von shouted, the veins in his neck bulging with the force of his anger. "You were supposed to keep yourself safe! Deshawn's out there lookin' for any way to get to you. You can't be takin' risks like this!"

Tears welled up in Dess's eyes, but she blinked them back, meeting his anger with her own. "I didn't know, Von! You can't expect me to shut everyone out. I need my friends."

Von's chest heaved with the effort to contain his rage. "You need to listen, Dess. I'm tryin' to protect you. Deshawn's dangerous, and he'll use anyone to get to you. We're goin' back to your house. I'm stayin' with you. I ain't lettin' anything happen to you."

Dess's eyes widened, but she nodded, seeing the resolve in his eyes. "Okay, Von. I understand."

Von turned to Kayla, his expression softening slightly. "Thanks for keepin' an eye on her, Kayla. But we gotta be extra careful now."

Kayla nodded. "I get it, Just wanna make sure she's safe."

With that, Von took Dess's hand, guiding her out of the house and back to the car. The drive back to her place was silent, tension hanging thick in the air. Von's mind raced with the events of the night, his anger simmering just below the surface.

When they arrived at Dess's house, Von walked her inside, his eyes scanning every shadow, every corner, as if expecting Deshawn to leap out at any moment. Once inside, he locked the door and turned to face her.

"Dess, I need you to understand somethin'," Von said, his voice softer but no less intense. "I ain't mad at you, I'm just scared. Scared of losin' you. Deshawn's a real threat, and I need you to trust me when I say we can't take any chances."

Dess nodded, her eyes filling with unshed tears. "I do trust you, Von. I'm just scared too. I don't know what to do."

Von stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her. "We'll get through this. I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you with everything I got."

She leaned into him, finding solace in his strength. "Thank you, Von."

He kissed the top of her head, his anger slowly ebbing away. "We're in this together, baby. We'll make it through."

As the night wore on, Von kept a vigilant watch, his mind never straying far from the thought of Deshawn. He knew they were in for a fight, but as long as he had Dess by his side, he was ready to face whatever came their way.