Undercover

28.

Maya's P.O.V.

"Ouch!" She winced.

I sighed while dabbing some more rubbing alcohol on her swollen and busted lip.

"I'm sorry. I'm done tho." I threw the q-tip in the trash as she placed the bag of frozen broccoli on her eye.

"Thanks again for coming to get me. It's been a really bad day."

I stood up from the bathroom floor and used the ponytail holder on my wrist to throw my hair in a messy bun.

"I wanted to ask you in the car and I know you probably don't wanna talk about it, but I need to know what happened."

"Nothing. We just.....got into it and things went left."

I folded my arms while leaning against the sink. She was sitting on the toilet lid looking down at her bruised hand.

"Not buying it. Tell me wassup, now."

"Or what? You gone beat me up too?" I frowned at her clap-back. "Spare me the pain, I've been through enough."

I glared at her and I guess the look I gave her was enough to make her spill the beans.

"Okay fine. Remember the drive-by my brother did? He shot one of Alejandro's best guys and now he's dead.

"Damn," I mumbled.

"When he found out, I was already at the house with him. He started getting high on his own shit. Then, when I tried to diffuse the situation before the motherfucker put his self in a drug coma, he took his pain out on me."

I shook my head as I watched the tears in her eyes begin to flow.

"He beat me and cursed at me as if we were strangers. He pushed me around and I couldn't fight back because he was too strong. I-I....."

I got up and hugged her as she shook and cried in my arms.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I got you. Ain't nobody gone fuck with you as long as I'm around."

She held me tight and I wanted her to believe my words, but deep down I knew that what I did to my cousin was going to come back to bite me in the ass.

My life was good. Perfect almost. Only thing that I wanted was my mom back. I come here to get her freed - I passed that mission.

But she told me to watch for the snakes in the family.  Now I see why. And I know I beat bitches from time to time, but this a dude we talking about. My blood.

Even if he was mad, that gives him no right to beat on any female. That shit for pussy made niggas. But now, I've gotta find a way to keep the both of us safe.

I just pray I figure that out as soon as possible.

Jamila's P.O.V.

7:34 P.M. the same day

I fixed the rack in the corner of the store as I continued to walk around and straighten things of for closing in two hours. Yes, I'm prepping to go this early, if you know, you know.

I finished my duties and went back to the cash register helping Adri check out customers. No one extravagant came through or eye-catching until this one guy walked in.

He had a gray turtle neck on with some blue jeans and boots. Now, this is Atlanta we talking about.

Why the hell is this boy wearing a turtle neck? He gone die of a heat stroke at this rate.

"Girl, he gone sweat to death in that shirt."

I laughed giving the receipt to my last customer as Adri leaned on her register, watching him walk around the men's section of the store.