Page 20 of Love & Vendettas

“What about Riley’s car? He’ll do something to hers out of spite just because she did something to his,” I explain.

“That’s already been taken care of. Go home and take care of your sister, Bayleigh.”

“But—”

“Bayleigh.”

His voice is quiet, controlled, and deadly. Shit. Damn, Georgette. Why’d you have to call him?

The look that he gives me speaks to my soul. He feels my pain, and I know that everything will be all right, though it isn’t right now.

“Zaire, please don’t be mad at me.”

His nostrils flare.

“We’ll talk later. Madison will meet you at the house to see about Riley’s wounds and to check for any internal injuries.”

Madison is Dr. Madison Kimbrough, who attends to the members of Zaire’s team for any urgent issues, gunshot wounds, and anything else medical-related that he needs her to handle.

“I love you,” he whispers as he holds me in his big arms. I feel safe here. Zaire is six-two with broad shoulders, muscular arms, and the build of a linebacker. Zaire presses a kiss to my head, releases me, and then turns away from me.

I turn and walk back down the sidewalk to the driveway. I hop into the backseat with my sister and pull her into my arms.

She breaks down sobbing, and I hold her and rock her back and forth for a while as we wait for Ghalen and Zaire to finish talking.

“What do you think he’s saying?” Riley asks, looking up at me with wide eyes.

“I have no idea, honey. I just know that I don’t like seeing this side of him.”

Zaire works hard to keep me out of his business, but this isn’t business; this is personal.

Ghalen returns to the car with us and climbs inside.

“Ghalen, what did he say on the way over here?” I ask, knowing the answer to that question.

I know Zaire like the back of my hand, but I’m wondering what, if anything, he has said to Ghalen.

“He’s worried, Ms. Bayleigh. He was scared that you might get hurt or get yourself in trouble, and he wasn’t here to protect you,” the big man answers, reversing out of the driveway.

It’s then that I realize Zaire never removed his hands from his pockets. No sooner than we pull out than I see a black Charger coming up the hill. It pulls to a stop, and I turn around and look out of the window.

Janel and Kim both jump out. This ends in no good way.

10 – ZAIRE – BRASS KNUCKLES

I kick the door in as I hear Kenny shout. “I’m calling the cops!”

I hear a car pull up behind me, and as I listen closely, I can tell that it’s Kim’s Charger. She drove Janel over to pick up Riley’s Mustang and drive it back to our house.

I didn’t want Riley driving in the condition she was in, nor Bayleigh as upset as she was. I’ll take Bayleigh’s car back.

I step inside the house over the splintered wood and walk to the kitchen, where Kenny’s hiding like a coward.

My hands are shoved in my pockets.

“There’s no way that this ends in your favor, Kenny.”

“Man, you saw what she did to my car?”

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