Still In

XXXI

Dave

"Tanya, please, just take a sip of water." Angela said, rubbing a frantic Tanya's back.

"I can't!" Tanya yelled, hysterically.

30 minutes earlier...

I stroked Tanya's hair as I watched the tv. I had spent the night here and after breakfast, we decided to watch a movie. 10 minutes in and she had fallen asleep. Deciding to put her in the bed, I carefully stood up and immediately held her legs. She squirmed and turned her head, lightly kissing my neck.

"What are you doing?" She asked, quietly.

"I was trying to put you in bed." I said, sitting back down.

She moved her arms and stretched before looking at me and smiling. "Sorry."

"When'd you become a light sleeper?" I asked, stroking her hair.

"When D'Andre was born."

There was a knock on the door and Tanya got up. She went to open it and then came to sit back down with a letter in her hands. She opened the letter and read over it. Her hands started shaking and she started screaming and crying. Quickly snatching the letter from her hands, I read it.

You fuck with my friend

I fuck with your kids

Come find them if you can

P.S. check on dear old granny

I stood up and picked Tanya up, racing out the house to get to my car. Once she was in and secured, I got in and sped off. She pulled out her phone and called whoever while I drove to Angela's house.

"KIANNA THEY TOOK MY BABIES!"

When we got to Angela's house, we found her passed out on the floor. After getting her up and making sure she was good, she went straight to tending to Tanya. The door opened and Rashad, Sean, Randy, Kelsie, and Kianna walked in. The girls went straight to Tanya and the guys came to me. I was pacing back and forth until Sean put his hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, man, you good?" He asked.

"Of course not, Sean. Somebody took my fucking kids." I growled.

"Come on, let's go outside." Rashad said, opening the back door.

We all walked out and I leaned against the house. My breathing started to pick up and before I knew it, Sean and Randy were holding me up as I cried.

"Breathe man, breathe." Randy said.

"Look at me, man." Sean said. I turned to him. "We're gonna find 'em, alright?"

"Yeah." I mumbled.

"We gone find 'em and whoever had the balls to take 'em gone breathe for the last time. Go in the bathroom, clean yourself up, and turn your emotions off. You not 'Dave' no more. They didn't take 'Dave's' kids, you hear me?"

"Yeah." I said, wiping my face.

"Come on." He patted my back and we went back inside the house.

I went to the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. Wiping my face off, I stared in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot and my face was slightly red. The door opened and Tanya waddled in.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were in here." She said, closing the door. "I just need to wash my face."

I lifted her up and sat her on the counter. Her eyes were red and puffy along with her nose. I used my thumb to wipe the tears that fell.

"You remember what I told you when you asked me if I was back to being Smoke?"

"You said that you've always been Smoke."

"Exactly." I said, holding her hands. "Smoke got you back and Smoke's gonna get our babies back. Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

"Take a deep breath, wash your face, and drink some water. I got you, I got this, I got us. Okay?"

"Okay." She said. "Now, you listen to me, David. I want you, our kids, and everybody else that's going with you brought back alive. You hear me? I know we are or were on bad terms, but I love you and I need you here for me and our kids. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." I kissed her forehead. "I love you, too."

I laid my forehead on hers for a while just staring in her eyes. I pulled her into me and hugged her tight before leaving out the bathroom. Going into the kitchen, I stood next to Angela who was washing dishes.

"I'm gonna get them back."

"I know."

"I know I did some fucked up shit, but I'ma fix this."

"I know you are." She said. "Watch your mouth, boy."

"Sorry."

I kissed her cheek before walking out the house. The guys and I all piled into Sean's truck. He pulled off and I looked out the window, clenching my jaw.

"Where to?"

"Dawn's house."

_____________________

"Ahhhh!" Dawn screamed as Randy kicked open the door.

"Shut the fuck up." Sean mumbled, pushing up the broken door.

I walked over to her and sat down on the coffee table. She smirked at me and placed her hands on my shoulders. Looking in her eyes, I bit my bottom lip.

"Hey, daddy." She said. "I knew you'd be back."

"Yeah?" I asked as Randy came up behind her.

She jumped feeling his presence. "Ohh, you wanna have fun."

I stood up, still staring at her. She started to get on her knees, but I stopped her. I ran my hands up her body, stopping once I got to her neck. I wrapped one hand around her throat and started choking her. Her turned on smirk turned into panic as my grip got tighter and tighter.

"D-D-Dave." She struggled to say.

"Hmmm?"

"T-Too tight."

I let her go and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. Randy bent down to her level and just stared at her. She looked up at me then at Randy, frightened.

"W-What's going on?" She asked.

"Come on, y'all." Sean said, walking over. "Don't do her like that."

He held his hand out and she, foolishly, took it. She stood up and brushed her legs off. "Thank you."

"Do her like this." He said before pushing her dead in the jaw, knocking her out.

"Damn, cuzzo." Rashad laughed.

"Y'all wasting fucking time."

Randy and Sean lifted her up by her arms and legs, carrying her outside. After throwing her in the trunk, we all got in the truck and left. Sean was right. I wasn't Dave anymore. Smoke was getting his kids back.

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