Journey of the heart(3)

Chapter 52: On Edge

The atmosphere in the apartment was different after Jaylen's meeting with Rashad. Mya could sense the shift in him—he had been calm when he walked through the door, but now that calmness had hardened into resolve. Something had changed in that meeting, something he hadn't fully shared with her yet.

As the evening wore on, Mya kept a close eye on him, waiting for him to open up. But Jaylen stayed quiet, distracted, like he was working something out in his head. She wanted to push, to ask him what happened, but after everything they'd been through lately, she decided to give him space.

That night, after Zaria was put to bed and the apartment fell into its usual quiet, Mya couldn't hold back any longer. She found Jaylen standing by the window, staring out at the city, the distant glow of the lights reflecting in his eyes.

"What really happened today, Jay?" Mya asked, her voice soft as she stepped closer.

Jaylen didn't turn around immediately. He kept his gaze fixed on the skyline, his hands in his pockets. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a whisper. "I got Rashad to agree to back off. But it's temporary. He wants more than just the money I owe him. He wants a piece of my business."

Mya's stomach tightened. "A piece of your business? You can't give him that, Jay. That's everything you've worked for."

Jaylen turned to face her, his expression serious. "I know. That's why I didn't agree to it. But he's not lettin' this go. He's pushin' harder than I thought he would."

Mya crossed her arms, trying to steady her voice. "So what do we do now?"

Jaylen exhaled, rubbing his hand over his face. "We keep pushin'. Andre's workin' on somethin' else. He thinks we can put pressure on Rashad's people and force them to back down, but it's risky. This ain't the kind of game where you can just walk away clean."

Mya's heart raced, a mix of frustration and fear bubbling inside her. "I hate this, Jay. I hate that we're still dealing with this. I don't want Rashad anywhere near us."

Jaylen stepped closer, his hands gently resting on her shoulders. "I know, Mya. I hate it too. But we're almost out. I promise. I'll fix this."

Mya looked up at him, her eyes searching his. "You keep saying that, but I can't shake the feeling that something's about to go wrong."

Jaylen's jaw tightened. "I won't let it. I swear."

Mya sighed, resting her head against his chest. She could feel the weight of everything pressing down on him, but she also knew Jaylen wouldn't stop until this was over. She just hoped they wouldn't lose themselves in the process.

The next few days were tense. Jaylen was out more often, handling business and keeping in touch with Andre. He'd check in with Mya, letting her know things were moving forward, but the updates were brief and lacked the certainty she was hoping for.

Mya tried to focus on her work at the café, putting the final touches in place for the grand opening. Melody noticed the tension in her, but Mya was careful not to let it spill over into their work. Still, it was hard to stay fully present when her mind was constantly drifting back to Jaylen.

On the morning of the café's soft opening, Mya woke up to a text from Jaylen that sent a chill down her spine: I need you to keep Zaria inside today. Don't leave the apartment.

Her heart pounded as she quickly typed back: Why? What's going on?

Jaylen's response came seconds later: It's just a precaution. I'm handling it. I'll be home soon.

Mya stared at the phone, her chest tightening with fear. She knew Jaylen wouldn't send a message like that unless something serious was happening, but she also knew he wouldn't tell her everything until he had it under control.

The café opening was supposed to be a huge milestone for her, something she had worked toward for months, but now she couldn't think about anything except Jaylen. She grabbed her phone and called Melody, her hands shaking as she explained the situation.

"I need to stay home today," Mya said, her voice trembling. "Can you handle the café without me?"

"Of course, Mya," Melody said, concern lacing her voice. "Is everything okay?"

Mya hesitated. "Not really. Jaylen's dealing with something, and I don't think it's safe for me to leave the apartment right now."

"Don't worry about the café," Melody said quickly. "I'll take care of everything. You just focus on keeping yourself and Zaria safe."

Mya thanked her, hanging up and pacing the living room. She felt trapped, unable to do anything but wait for Jaylen to come home. Zaria was playing with her toys on the floor, blissfully unaware of the tension filling the room, but Mya couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something dangerous.

Hours passed, and Jaylen still hadn't returned home. Mya kept checking her phone, hoping for an update, but all she got was silence. She tried to stay calm for Zaria's sake, but the fear was creeping in, tightening around her like a vise.

Finally, just after sunset, she heard the door open. Jaylen walked in, his face drawn and tense, but alive. Relief washed over Mya as she rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You're okay," she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.

Jaylen held her tightly, his hands gripping her like he never wanted to let go. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Mya pulled back, searching his face. "What happened?"

Jaylen sighed, his eyes dark with the weight of the day. "Rashad made a move today. Tried to pull me into another deal, but I shut it down. It got tense, but Andre had my back. We're good—for now."

Mya's stomach tightened. "For now?"

Jaylen nodded, his expression hard. "It ain't over yet. Rashad's pushin' harder than ever. But we're close. One more move, and this'll be behind us."

Mya stepped back, her heart racing. "What kind of move?"

Jaylen hesitated, his eyes flicking toward Zaria, who was now watching them from across the room. "Let's talk about it later. I don't want her to hear."

Mya nodded, but the anxiety clawing at her wouldn't let go. She knew Jaylen was doing everything he could to protect them, but the danger felt closer than ever.

That night, after Zaria was asleep, Mya and Jaylen sat in the quiet of the living room. Jaylen finally explained what had happened, how Rashad had tried to rope him into a bigger deal that would put him back in the game. But Jaylen had refused, pushing back harder than ever, with Andre pulling strings behind the scenes to weaken Rashad's position.

"It's working," Jaylen said, his voice low. "Andre's found more dirt on Rashad's people. We're about to flip the whole thing. But it's risky, Mya. I don't know how they'll react when they find out."

Mya felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "What do you mean, flip it?"

Jaylen met her gaze, his eyes steady. "We're gonna make sure Rashad has no choice but to walk away. He won't have anything left to come after us with. But if he figures out what we're doing before we make our move..."

Mya swallowed hard. "You think he'll come after you?"

Jaylen didn't answer right away. Instead, he took her hand, holding it tightly. "I'm not gonna let him get that chance. We're almost out. I just need you to trust me."

Mya nodded, her throat tight with emotion. "I trust you, Jay. But I'm scared."

Jaylen pulled her closer, his voice soft. "I know. But I got this. I won't let anything happen to us. I swear."

As they sat together, the weight of the situation pressing down on them, Mya knew they were standing on the edge of something dangerous. And while Jaylen was doing everything he could to keep them safe, the storm was far from over.