Page 26 of The Devoted Husband

Two Days Later

Originally, Dante was supposed to meet Sade the following day. When she texted him an hour ago and asked him to meet her at this restaurant, Dante was confused but wouldn’t miss the chance to see his favorite girl. He didn’t have to be escorted to the table by the hostess. He recognized her from behind as soon as he saw that thick hair and loose curls.

Dante approached the table, his feet slowing when he noticed someone sitting beside her. He wasn’t sure, but it looked like Atlas. Instead of making his presence known, Dante hung back to listen to their conversation, unsure why Sade had asked to meet her while Atlas was there.

“I’m not sure what you want me to say to that, Atlas,” Sade said.

“Say you agree.”

She shook her head. “But I don’t. I told you what my priorities were right now. Even being out with you right now is going against my desires. And now you want me to tell Dante about us?”

“I love you, and you don’t have to say it, but I know you love me too.”

“Look...I won’t deny that I have a lot of respect and appreciation for you because of what you did to Dante for me, but—”

Dante couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was one thing to consider Sade dating Atlas. Had she just admitted to being in on the plan to have him framed and killed? How could she say she had Atlas do what he did? Unable to hear anymore, Dantegrabbed Atlas by the back of his shirt and slung him to the carpeted floor.

Their eyes remained locked on each other’s. It didn’t matter how much Sade screamed for him to stop and pulled at his arms, Dante wouldn’t let go. He wanted to watch as the life faded out of Atlas’s eyes. Even when Atlas blacked out, Dante kept his hands around his neck. It wasn’t until several arms wrapped around him that he got up.

“I can’t believe you, Sade!Thisis what you wanted me here to say? That you were in on it with them? How could you betray me like this!”

“It’s not what you’re thinking!” she yelled with tears streaming down her cheeks, but they meant nothing to Dante.

He’d heard it with his own ears—Sade appreciated Atlas for what he did to Dante for her—for her. Atlas had only done one thing to Dante, and that was run into him and almost kill him.

What was the reason?

Was she so upset about him being with Imani that she wanted him dead?

Wasthatwhy she left him in Vanzette?

None of it mattered now because Dante vowed to make them both pay as he was pulled out of the restaurant.

Sade

Sade didn’t think anything would make her feel better after what happened at the restaurant yesterday, but getting the call that her sister had finally woken up did. All day, she’d been trying to process what happened. Of all the restaurants Dante went to, he chose the one she was at with Atlas. She didn’t even want to be in public with Atlas, but he’d convinced her to go out for dinner so they could talk. If she had known that he wanted to discuss letting Dante know about them, she would have told him no. Sade knew her best friend and that he’d react violently to that truth, and that was why she didn’t want him to know until after she had the baby.

“Thanks for calling,” Sade said to Reggie.

“You’re welcome. Your sister is being transported back to prison after her doctor clears her. I don’t know when that will be, so make your visit quick.”

Nodding, Sade went into her sister’s room. Her eyes watered immediately at the sight of Imani sitting up in bed. Slowly, her head turned toward the door. Sade covered her mouth, fighting back her tears, causing Imani to groan and roll her eyes.

“You aresodramatic.”

Laughing, Sade dropped her hand. She sniffled but didn’t think her tears would fall.

“Shut up. You should be glad I’m happy to see you’re awake.”

“Mhmm. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to set eyes on you and find out what the hell happened.”

Imani sighed as Sade pulled up a seat next to her bed. “Honestly, I don’t know what happened. One minute, I’m doing laundry. The next, I’m getting hit in the back of my head.”

“And you don’t know who did it?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t have any beef with anyone currently. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten into a fight. I don’t know.”

---