Page 44 of The Devoted Husband

The longer Dominique stalked her, as if she were her prey, the more frustrated Sade became. She wouldn’t be in thissituation if she hadn’t valued Dante more than she valued herself—her freedom. But even that thought made her smile because it felt like he finally loved her more than himself. To have gone through all of that and not be able to be loved by him because she had to spend the rest of her life in prison sent a sharp pain through Sade’s heart.

“You gon’ give me that pussy...or do I have to take it?” Dominique asked, circling Sade.

“You can try.”

Dominique’s movements were swift as she wrapped her arm around Sade’s neck and pressed her into her body. With a roar, Sade leaned forward and flipped Dominique forward, causing her body to crash against the sink. Then Sade straddled her and punched her repeatedly. When one of her friends pulled Sade off her, Dominique quickly shuffled to her feet and put Sade in a headlock.

Sade pulled the shank Simone had given her out of her waistband and used it to slice Dominique’s arm, causing her to scream. One of the women hit Sade in the back of her head, causing her to stumble forward on her palms and knees. When she grabbed Sade’s hair and tried to hit her in the side of her face, Sade jammed the shank into her side.

The sound of feet shuffling in their direction caused the women to retreat from the bathroom quickly, but it was no use. Simone rushed into the bathroom, effortlessly taking the shank from Sade to hide. The officer on duty had called for backup, and they immediately pressed the women against the wall.

“Everybody out,now!” Office Freeman yelled.

Sade’s eyes locked on Dominique’s as she held her bleeding arm. The grin that Dominique gave her suggested this wasn’t over. But at least she knew now that Sade was no one to fuck with.

Dante

The Next Day

Dante sat on Barron and Ava’s front porch with Barron’s shotgun draped over his lap. Apparently, Sade’s concerns about Atlas’s family were valid. With the news of his death, his family immediately began to draw their own conclusions. When they learned the police ruled it a justifiable homicide because Dante, Sade’s best friend and lover, was acting in self-defense...They went crazy. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten her grandparents’ address, but they’d gone there looking for her. Dante decided to stay with them as he waited for the security he hired to be available to guard the house until Atlas’s family’s emotions and tempers lessened.

It saddened Dante to see the web that had unraveled around them. While he wanted to blame it all on Imani and Adam, even Atlas, he and Sade played their roles too. If he had been honest about his memory returning, Sade wouldn’t have felt as much pressure to withhold the truth. His Smiley...amurderer? Dantestillcouldn’t believe it. And because of Willow, he was one too.

The door creaked open, and Barron sat in the rocking chair beside Dante’s.

“You plan to stay out here all night?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“What have you and my granddaughter gotten yourselves into, son?” Dante’s head hung and shook. “Did shereallykill someone?”

“Sade didn’t do anything but try to protect me...from Imani and Adam...” He chuckled, his eyes watering. “From myself.I’ve made some fucked-up decisions over the years, and Sade has always had my back...just like I have hers. She didn’t kill anyone, and even if she did, it was for a good reason.”

“You really think Atlas’s people will come back here looking for her?”

“I don’t know, but I’m unwilling to take a chance. I’m sorry about all this. If I just...would’ve ignored Imani’s advances and attempted to hurt her sister, none of this would have happened. All of this is my fault.”

“It’s all our faults. Ava and I could’ve done better with the girls after their parents died. We thought they would grow out of their sibling rivalry and eventually have a healthy relationship. Imani is...different, and we ignored that for a while. She doesn’t think and feel the way the rest of us do. I should’ve acknowledged that sooner.”

Barron ran his hands down his face before standing and gently squeezing Dante’s shoulder. “Come on in here and fix yourself something to eat.”

Two Days Later

Dante’s mind was spinning. He hadn’t heard from Sade in days. Her court date had passed, but her information had not been updated in the system. As he headed to visit Imani, he decided he had two options: to call and speak with the warden or have Everett do so. He decided to call Everett and see what he could do.

“Attorney Richmond’s office. How may I direct your call?” his assistant greeted.

“Hello. Is Attorney Richmond available?”

“He’s currently meeting with a client. May I take a message?”

“Yeah, this is Dante Williams. Can you let him know I haven’t heard from Sade in three days? I want him to call the warden to see if he can get some information. I wouldn’t be as concerned if her bond had been processed online, but from the looks of it, she missed her hearing with Judge Peterson.”

“Oh no. Okay. I’ll forward this to him as soon as his client leaves. We have your contact information on file, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Perfect. Expect a follow-up call within the next hour.”

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