Page 43 of The Devoted Husband

“Okay, all right, take some deep breaths for me, Sade.” Dante stood and began to walk. “Breathe for me, baby. You don’t need to run your blood pressure up and get lightheaded again.”

“You’re right,” she agreed quietly before taking several deep breaths.

“You’ll get a bond, and I’ll pay it. Then Richmond is going to get rid of whatever bullshit Jones has against you. Because that’s all it is—bullshit. Then you’ll be free of this, and we can focus on us and bringing our baby into the world.”

“God . . . I hope you’re right.”

Sade

“You need to be careful,” Simone warned. “The girls are talking, and Dominique has her eyes on you.”

Sade looked up from the sketch of Dante she was drawing. Thankfully, Simone had a notebook she wasn’t using. Drawing and writing had become Sade’s escape. The quad was curious about her. She was pretty and friendly...What could she have possibly done to be arrested? Sade opted against telling anyone outside of Simone what she was in for, but it didn’t take much for them to convince an officer to look up her charges.

A double murder charge kept some inmates away, but to others, it seemed to make them gravitate toward her. Sade was used to being a loner, so she didn’t care for the attention. She had a decent bond with Simone, and that would be all she needed.

“What do you mean?” Sade checked as Simone sat next to her.

“She likes you.”

Chuckling, Sade shook her head and returned her attention to her drawing. “I barely like women as friends. I’m definitely not about to be rubbing coochies with one.”

Simone cackled, covering her mouth to silence her laughter as eyes shifted in their direction. “Yo, I don’t know what I expected you to say, but it sure wasn’t that. Just be careful, okay? I’ma put something under your pillow to help keep you safe. Try not to be by yourself unless you’re in the common areas. Dominque has a huge ego and doesn’t take rejection lightly—especially if it’s public. If she gives you a hard time, find me.”

Though Sade agreed, she didn’t think it would come to that, but she was quickly proven wrong. The moment Simone went tomake a phone call, Dominique and three of her followers made themselves comfortable at the table Sade occupied. She looked at them all and gave them a polite smile before returning her attention to her drawing.

“Who is that?” Dominique asked. “Your man?”

They didn’t have official titles, but Dante was her man. He was no longer just her best friend and the father of her child. He’d expressed his desire to be her husband—still. Even after finding out about her and Atlas. Even after finding out about the baby. He didn’t even ask how long she knew about her pregnancy...if she knew when she left him...and Sade was grateful because she’d never volunteer that information.

“My husband,” Sade corrected, pulling the picture close. She didn’t want to share Dante with anyone...in any capacity...except their child.

“You think he’d mind if I took care of you while you were in here?” Dominique asked, stroking Sade’s cheek. Sade immediately flicked her hand away with a scowl. “I think he might want me to,” Dominique continued. “You’re too pretty and petite not to have someone in here looking out for you.”

“I can look out for myself.”

Dominque chuckled and rolled her tongue across her cheek. “Yeah, I heard they think you got a couple of bodies behind you, but I don’t believe that. You look too sweet to harm a fly.”

Sade swallowed back a chuckle. Leaning forward, she whispered, “Looks can be deceiving.”

“Ooh, I like you even more now.” When Dominique’s hand lowered to Sade’s thigh, Sade warned her. “If you don’t get your hand off me, you’re going to become victim number three.”

“Damn!” one of the women who was with her yelled before they all erupted into laughter.

Except Dominique. Dominique frowned. “Did you just threaten me?” she asked, hovering over Sade.

“That’s not a threat; it’s a warning.”

“Break that up over there,” the officer on duty yelled, banging her baton against the counter.

Sade didn’t bother looking to see if Dominque would leave. Instead, she returned her attention to her drawing. It seemed Simone was right about Dominique. Sade could only hope she would take her charges seriously and not try her in any way.

Just After Dinner . . .

Sade was uncomfortably bloated. She hadn’t had one vegetable since she’d been processed. As much as she appreciated the apples and bananas, they worsened the bloating. Her diet had never been heavy on processed meats and starch, which was what almost every meal she’d been given consisted of. For dinner, they were served corn bread, mashed potatoes, and what was supposed to be hamburger steak. It tasted so artificial Sade didn’t bother trying to force it down.

She was glad she was finally able to order commissary because otherwise, she’d die of starvation surviving off jail food. Dante had put enough money on the phone and in her account to order and talk for the rest of the week. He was so confident he’d have her out by then, but if needed, he’d add more money. Her mouth was watering at the thought of the salad and chicken wings she had ordered.

After unsuccessfully using the bathroom, Sade washed her hands and groaned at the sight of Dominique standing at the doorway. She rubbed her palms together with a crooked grin as her minions hung a sheet over the doorway to block anyone’s view of what was about to happen inside.

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