Page 67 of Love & Vendettas

With slow, measured moves and vast control, Bayleigh slowly chases the nightmares away. She’s all that I need and everything that I am. She’s all-consuming, and there’s no one else that I would rather walk this journey with.

When we finally release almost twenty minutes later, she rolls off me, heads to the bathroom, and turns on the water. I listen as she washes herself, and I try to fall asleep again.

I’m just drifting off when she returns with a soapy washcloth and hand towel. She washes me off and then dries me before returning the items to the laundry basket. This time, when she slips back in beside me, I hold her close, kissing her forehead, her closed eyelids, her nose, and then her mouth before I say, “Rest, sweet baby.”

“I am. As long as I’m right here in your arms, I’m safe from harm and worried about nothing.”

Bayleigh yawns, stretches, and cuddles closer to me.

No more than half an hour passes, as I lie awake staring at the ceiling and thinking about what’s happened before I hear a buzz. I ignore it until it happens again.

I turn sideways and notice that my phone is lighting up. It’s my personal phone, which is usually on do-not-disturb through the night. It automatically turns on at midnight and only allows calls from Bayleigh, the boys, and Parker.

I know my boys are all here safe, and Bay is sleeping peacefully in my arms. Stretching, I grab the phone as I glance at the clock on my nightstand.

It’s three-thirty in the fucking morning.

Why the fuck is Parker calling me at this time of the morning? I pull the phone closer. Whatever he has to say isn’t good. I ease myself from around Bayleigh and get out of bed. She shifts and mutters something sleepily but continues resting.

The phone has stopped ringing by the time I make my great escape. I head into the sitting room with my phone, looking out into the darkened night. The lake is so black that you can’t see anything. It doesn’t even look like it exists, but I know that it’s there.

I dial Parker’s number.

“Z.”

“Yo, wassup?”

“I just got a call from Dazz, and he says the Gentleman’s Garden has been raided. The cops received word that there was a prostitution ring operating out of there. If that’s not bad enough, Chivalrous Knights burned down,” Parker declares of my strip clubs.

“The fuck you just say to me?” I grumble loudly.

Quickly, I look over my shoulder and see that Bayleigh hasn’t stirred in her sleep. I make my way to my dressing room as he repeats what he just told me.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I grumble, getting dressed.

“I wish I were, Z, but . . . wait, this is Malik calling now.”

“The fuck you mean wait, nigga?”

“He’s been calling me since I’ve been on the phone with you. My guess is he’s calling about the same thing. I’m on my way to Chivalrous Knights now.”

“I’m calling Frances and Marc to meet up with me. I’ll head over to the Garden now.”

“All right. I’ll see what’s up at CK and keep you posted.”

“You do that.”

I end the call as I grab my keys and make another one.

“Hello?” Ghalen answers.

“We gotta roll.”

“I’m already out front, Bossman.”

I end the call and walk back to the bed. I hate to fucking do this to her, but I don’t have a choice.

“Baby?”

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