Page 63 of The Aries Alliance
“She’s fine for now. I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
When we ended our call, I texted Val my address.
By now, Scarlett was dressed with her overnight bag in hand.
“I’m texting my sister to be on standby. You’ll get through this. I promise.” I reached for her shoulder, but she jerked it back.
“I’m tired of your promises. I’ll be on the porch, waiting for Val.”
“Okay. I’ll wait with you.”
“I want to be alone.”
Scarlett’s body shook.
I stood with my mouth open, confused about when I became Scarlett’s enemy.
“I’m not leaving you. We’re on the same team, remember?”
Scarlett’s eye’s shot fire at me.
“Are you sure about that when you allowed this to happen? What good is it to be on the inside in a damn alliance when I’m hurt like this? What’s your purpose? To put a dagger in my heart? You’re no better than they are!” she shouted.
I put on the rest of my clothes, realizing that Scarlett wasn’t going to be rational. Hell, I wouldn’t be if I were her either. Although I didn’t want to, I left her alone so she and I could process the firestorm that was about to come her way.
Breaking News
Warrick Redmond wasthe pile of shit I thought he was. When I sat my behind on his front steps like a kid in detention, I held in silent tears, wanting to fall into the earth. By the time I was seconds away from collapsing, Val rolled onto War’s freshly mowed lawn, running over a bush in the process.
War swung open his screen door and stepped out, eyes wide.
“Hey, Val. You good?” His voice was steady despite his shoulders tensing up like he had on football pads.
“Who would be good rolling out of the house after hours without knowing what’s going on?” She frowned at War and perused the quiet neighborhood.
Fortunately, we hadn’t awakened anyone who didn’t need to be in the middle of our business.
Val moved toward me, wide-eyed, in a black satin headscarf, looking like an urban pirate in her striped pajamas and flip-flops. She snatched my bags and threw them in the back seat of her Prius.
I rushed to the passenger’s seat without acknowledging War.
Like the tornado she was when she pulled up on War’s property, Val left War’s driveway and screeched down the road.
At the first stoplight, she turned halfway toward me.
“Make all this make sense, girlfriend.”
“He said a news story is going to break about me being some kind of racist.”
“You mean that somebody’s going to believe that bat shit crazy bitch that’s been coming for you since the day you came on campus?”
“I don’t know. He thinks she’s working with the president of the university to take me down.”
“You think her crusty rusty ass is sleeping with that snoozer? I don’t know how he could keep it up when he can’t even stay awake in meetings.”
“Folks do stupid mess when they’re desperate.”
“If she’s as off as you said, nobody will take her seriously.”
