Page 67 of His Noble Heart
“You ain’t wrong, sis. What’s going on? How’s Rowdy doing?” Melodie asked.
I told them the same thing I told Talia and Indira. They would meet us at my place in an hour, if Melodie’s parents agreed to watch the kids.
I arrived at the grocery store and moved through the aisles quickly, getting what I thought I’d need for the next week. Before heading home, I stopped by my favorite deli and got a variety of sandwiches for us to snack on during our impromptu meet up.
When I arrived home, I parked in my designated parking spot which was in the parking lot on the side of the building. After putting my crossbody bag over my head, I got out and went to my trunk, which I’d opened before getting out of my car.
“Hey, Noelani.”
The sound of his voice startled the hell out of me, and I jumped back and grabbed my chest.
“Kenai, what the hell are you doing here?”
“You’ve been out a few days, and I wanted to check on you,” he said.
Although he spoke in a calm tone, his demeanor was off.
“How the hell do you know where I live?”
“I’ve been following you for months. Your parents have a nice home. Is that where you grew up?”
“The fuck you mean, you’ve been following me? Are you crazy?”
“No. I wanted to make sure you got home safe.”
I took another step back as I unzipped my crossbody, slipping my hand inside, and wrapping it around my gun.
“Kenai, while I appreciate your concern, I need you to leave and never come here again. This is an invasion of my privacy, and honestly, quite weird.”
“Noelani, it’s my job to make sure you’re safe.”
“I have a father, brothers, male cousins,anda man to do that. I don’t need you to keep me safe.”
He laughed and it sounded sinister as hell.
“Are you talking about that thug with the braids and tattoos? I cut your tires so I could be the one to save you, but he got to you before I did. If I’d gotten there a few minutes sooner, I would’ve been your hero, not him. Is he still in the hospital, by the way?”
His last question gave me pause because no one at work knew Rowdy had been shot. I hadn’t even shared it with Yazmeen. As far as everyone at work knew, I was sick, and my absences had nothing to do with Rowdy. I tightened my hand around my gun, taking a few steps back, adding another foot of space between us.
“Why, umm, why would he be in the hospital?”
“Because I shot him. I wished I’d killed him, but my aim was off because I was nervous. It’s not every day I attempt to kill someone.”
“Youshot him? Why?—”
“I love you, Noelani, and I can’t have a future with you if he’s around.”
Okay. This nigga is crazy.
“Kenai, I’m not interested in you in that way. I never have been, and I never will be. You’re just not my?—”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” he shouted, putting his hands over his ears.
When he moved aggressively toward me, I pulled my gun from my crossbody, gripped it with both hands, and aimed it at his head.
“Stay back!”
Another sinister laugh echoed through the parking lot, this time much louder than before.
