Page 67 of Dreaux: The Corporate Assassin

Hearing what sounded like air leaving a balloon, we both looked down to see Sandra’s once protruding stomach deflating. Beside us was Bridgette with a steak knife. I had no plans to touch her stomach because I knew whatever was inside wasn’t related to Andre Boudreaux. No one had come close to bearing my children—no one except Denim Atkins.

Before I could address the obvious, Bridgette dropped the knife and stepped toward Sandra, slightly shoving me out of the way. “I saw this girl at the club last week, throwing back Patron shots like water—game over, hoe. Leave my brother alone, and I’m not going to tell you again. Next time, we gonna make you a flying playmate for Jules’ ex. Now, you’ve come over here disturbing our meal, plus you touched my man. You’re about to get these hands, hoe. Come here!”

In the blink of an eye, Bridgette had Sandra on the ground and was beating the shit out of her. Stunned, I let her get off a few hits before I called for help. “Y’all come out here and help me!” I shouted toward the house. “Bridgette, you strong as fuck girl. Shit!”

Grunting, I tried to get her off the ground, but it was useless. Seeing Jules run from the porch, I sighed in relief until I realized he wasn’t coming to make it any better.

“Beat her ass, baby! Beat them lying demons right on up out of her.” Dousing oil all over the girls, this nigga was commanding the spirits of whore-ism to loosen its bind on Sandra. I tried my best to break it up plus stop him, but I gave up.

“I know that ain’t my damn good oil!” my grandfather hollered as he pulled his belt from his waist. “Jules, I’m about to beat your ass, boy!”

Hearing my grandfather and seeing him with a belt, Jules took off running through the front yard. Not only him, but Bridgette, too, as she tried to save her man.

“Andre—”

“Sandra, get up and go, man.” I chuckled as I looked down at her. She was bloody and greasy as fuck. “Stay away from me and my people. Next time, I’m chopping you into little pieces and spreading them in your mama’s yard. Bye.”

Leaving her with what I said, I returned to the porch. Everyone was entertained by the chaos. As I made my way to the door, Sweets and Wild were standing off to the side, with their plates still in hand.

“Your family is ghetto, Sweets,” Wild mumbled as he bit into his cornbread. “I love it here.”

“Me, too, baby.” She winked at me as I shook my head at them both. “Me too.”

“Good afternoonand thank you all for joining me here today.” I adjusted the microphone as I stood at the podium. “I wanted to come and give an update on a major case that my team and I have been working on for a few weeks now.”

Looking into the crowd at the sea of reporters, I took a deep breath. There had been speculation in town for weeks about what was going on. It was time to clear the air, and a press conference was the best solution to get everyone the information we’d been collecting.

“First off, I want to thank my agency, as well as our city and state officials, who have lent a hand to make all of this possible.” I gestured toward the representatives as they stood behind me. “Mayor Mills, we couldn’t have done this nor pulled it off without your efforts. We thank you.” Giving him a curt nod, I turned back to the audience and continued, “Human trafficking of any kind is something that we as a society have to take a stand against. Too often do we turn on the news or radio stations and hear about a mother begging for help to bring her child back home. I’m sick and tired of seeing billboards with missing children on them, vanishing without sight. Here recently, we managed to bust one of the biggest sex trafficking ring this nation has ever seen. While we were able to work swiftly and get a lot of women and children back home to their families, there’s still more work that needs to be done. We need those responsible to pay for their involvement. Whether a seller or a buyer, we won’t tolerate such inhumane activities, especially not in Milly Grove.”

Turning toward the projector, I clicked my pointer, showing each individual who was being held accountable for their role in the illegal operation. Whispers rang out amongst the crowd as a list of well-known officials was displayed.

“Question, Agent Atkins?—”

“That’sSenior SpecialAgent,” Agent Roberts stepped to the mic and interrupted. “She’s been promoted.”

“My apologies,” the reporter corrected himself, and I nodded with a smile. I was recently promoted after the sting by my team, and I was excited about it. No one was privy to my name change, and for the time being, I wanted to keep it that way. “How did you know what was happening and that it was going on in this city?”

“Rebecca Holmes, wife and co-conspirator to former Lieutenant Governor Bryce Holmes, was in an altercation, in which her phone was confiscated. During a warrant search and an internal investigation, we found her recent plans to sell not only children and women to very prominent members of our nation’s elite but also plans from the past and in the future. We had to act swiftly on the opportunity to intervene so that those heinous actions could be stopped. And I’m pleased we did just that.”

“And the lieutenant governor?”

“As reported, she and her husband got into an altercation that turned physical. He succumbed to injuries inflicted by his wife, and she will serve time for his death as well as her connection to the illegal sex trafficking.”

Clearing my throat, I leaned on the podium and spoke directly into the mic. “Ladies and gentlemen… we want to send a message here today that no matter who you are, you will not get away with something as serious as this. Any crime you commit or partake in, you will be subjected to the judicial system regardless of your status, wealth, or title. No amount of money can save you once we find out what you’ve done. We hope this message is clear for those working with someone or committing such a deplorable act. To the families and victims of trafficking, we stand with you. If you know anyone who needs help of any kind, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you all, and God bless.”

With flashing camera lights and questions still being asked, my superior stepped to the mic to answer any additional ones. As I stood off to the side, a familiar face caught my eye. Closing my eyes tightly for a second, I reopened them, and the face was gone. I missed Dre so much that I was starting to see him everywhere I went.

After the arrests, I was hoping he and I would have a chance to sit and talk, but it was to no avail. My calls went from being dry and short to him not answering at all. I even went as far as going to his penthouse, but they told me that not only did I not have access, but he had left. They did have a plant he’d left for me, and when I read the note, I bawled. I knew he was attempting to amend for Rissa and Eric, and although it was fucked up, I was choosing to forgive him because I loved the damn corporate killer.

I needed him to know that we could work it out. There was a ton of bad blood running a river between us, but we could build a bridge. I was determined to find him and make him have a conversation with me in person, so I visited City Hall in hopes of catching him at work. I was told he’d gone back home to Florida. Uno even approached me and said Dre’s business was concluded for now, and he chose to go back home. I sent messages through Skip, but they all went unanswered too. I tried my hardest to reach him and make things right, but it was no use. It seemed his mind was made up about us, and I needed to move on. The only thing I had left was a broken heart and his last name.

“You did good up there today,” my father greeted me as I stepped from the stage.

My mother followed close behind him, beaming in admiration. “I’m so damn proud of you. We both are…”

“Damn, right! My baby is a senior special agent.”

Once everything went down, I confided in my father and told him all about what Bryce and Rebecca were into. He was so hurt and disgusted by not just what they’d done, but possibly losing Briley. We took her to see a therapist to see if there was anything we needed to do or watch for, but they assured us that she was fine and to keep all lines of communication open with her. Briley was adamant that she was never hurt in any way, and I believe her. I don’t know what I would do if they’d harmed my baby, especially since I couldn’t touch either of them now.

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