Zurianne never imagined that saving her mother's life would cost her own freedom. Forced into an arranged marriage with Christopher Whyte the infamous Jamaican Don feared by many,she braces herself for a life of cold stares and ruthless commands. Bu...
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Paige's laughter filtered through the phone, light and carefree. "Girl, mi nuh know how mi manage life wid all dis quietness, di loudest ting out here is crickets. But mi love it. Peace sweet, Zuri."
I smiled, tracing the edge of the suitcase on the bed with my fingers. "Good. You deserve peace, Paige. Keep enjoying it for both of us."
We spoke for a few more minutes, her voice painting pictures of country roads and slow mornings, a world far removed from mine. Then, the bedroom door swung open.
Chris stepped in, his presence filling the room instantly. "Come on me ready , bring di rest a di suitcases," he said, voice calm but clipped.
I ended the call. "Talk later yerr Paige."
Before I could reach for the luggage, Chris's hand closed around the handle, taking it from me like it weighed nothing. His gaze didn't linger; he turned toward the door. "Come on."
The air between us was thick with unspoken things as we walked out, the quiet thud of our footsteps the only sound.
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I crouched in the back, tightening the straps on Christian's car seat until I was sure it wouldn't budge. Zavian kicked at the air, giggling, and I steadied his little legs before fastening his buckle.
Zurianne slid into the passenger seat, her perfume faint but sharp in my nose. I shut the back door and rounded to the driver's side.
The moment the engine started, the front escort moved, a black SUV sliding out ahead of us. Another pulled in tight behind, boxing us in like a moving wall of steel. No gaps. No chances.
We rolled down the driveway, tires crunching over the gravel. I kept my eyes on the road, my voice low and even.
"Dis a di last time yah guh see dis yah house," I said. "Suh... wish it well."
Out the corner of my eye, I saw her stiffen, her head turning toward me, but I didn't look back. The weight of what I knew, what I'd planned wasn't something I could let slip yet.
