Page 71 of His to Have
nineteen
Teo
Ishould’ve told her no. Hell, Ididtell her no. But Yanna wasn’t going for it, shutting down every excuse I threw at her.
“I’m not staying in no damn safe house,” she’d glared at me, chin high, eyes burning with defiance. “You can take me with you or I can find my own way there.”
I could’ve put my foot down and made her stay—made a decisionforher, the way most men in my position would. But that wasn’t the kind of husband I wanted to be. Yanna wasn’t some trophy wife. She was my partner, and even if I hated the thought of her walking into this madness with me, I respected her too much to cage her.
Besides, after watching her struggle the past week with the condition of her father, locked in a war between needing to be strong and not knowing what came next, I knew being by my side was for the best. Maybe she needed the distraction. Maybe she just needed control oversomethingwhile everything else was slipping away.
And maybe, deep down, I needed her with me too.
“Aye,” Keem nudged me, his gaze flicking out to the airfield’s runway, his attention on the car that had just pulled up. Its tinted windows and official plates were unmistakable.
I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders as I unbuckled my seatbelt, then helped Yanna out of hers.
It was time to move… time to get some answers. And more importantly, time to be with my wife — even if the circumstances weren’t ideal
The doors to the jets opened, and the stairs were lowered. Heavy sheets of rain hit the tarmac, drenching the pavement as soon as it landed. I stepped off the jet first, the warm, muggy Georgia heat welcoming me, followed by tiny droplets of rain bouncing off my skin. Yanna followed immediately, flanked by the security detail we’d handpicked together. There was no need to ask for coverage—my men were already moving with us, umbrellas up, keeping pace as we approached the row of blacked-out SUVs waiting on the airfield.
The familiar government official stepped forward, unfazed by the rain soaking through his pressed shirt and ruining his off-the-rack gray suit.
“Donatelli.” His voice was smooth but measured. “We weren’t expecting you back so soon.”
I didn’t bother shaking his hand or responding. My pace never slowed. My purpose for being in the city wasn’t his business. Him and his constituents assumed they could handle me, put me on a leash, but my moves were my own. The only thing he needed to worry about was delivering the information I requested.
When I didn’t answer, he cleared his throat, sensing that my silence was a response. I wasn’t here for pleasantries. And neither was he. He worked for me, not the other way around.
“You got something for me?” I asked, shooting him a look of impatience. The rain continued to pour, and I had no time for unnecessary delays.
“Yes, of course.” He reached inside his jacket, producing a black envelope and handing it to me. “Everything you requested. Adjustments have been made to ensure your wife moves freely without issue. Escorts are already positioned.”
I flipped it open, scanning the contents-- every officer’s name in the precinct of Yanna’s boutique, the names of the staff at the hospital, and a full workup of every place one of Yanna’s stolen goods had been sold. Then there was a list of potential threats in the area, many of them still needing to be neutralized, but there was a name that caught my attention.
Orlando muthafucking Moccasin and his precious wife Bianca. They were in town... interesting.
I passed the folder to Keem, who barely broke his stride. There was no need to go into elaborate detail—he already knew exactly what to do with that information. With everything that happened, I knew Orlando would be cocky enough to meet, believing he had the upper hand. He’d want to gloat... make demands... but I had other plans.
“Set it up,” I told Keem, then turned my focus back to the official. “My wife will be moving around the city in the coming weeks—her boutique, the hospital, and another matter that is now afamilymatter. She’ll have security, but no one will touch her. That won’t be an issue, right?”
The man straightened his tie. “Of course not.”
“Good.” I glanced at Yanna, who was already adjusting her plans with her security detail. Then I stepped in closer to him, closing the small distance between us. I understood my presence and the effect it had on men, especially weak ones like him. My authority alone was enough to make him stiffen, but I kept going.
“Because if a single hair on her head is ruffled—and I do meanany—if she so much as breathes the wrong air because you didn’t do your fucking job, your entire bloodline will suffer for it.” My voice was steady, cold. “All of them. Even that woman you have stashed in Buckhead, the one you think your wife knows nothing about.” I tilted my head slightly, letting the weight of my words settle. “Do we have an understanding?”
His throat bobbed, a nervous swallow, because he knew the truth. He’d been in the Reed-Donatelli fold long enough to understand the weight behind my words.
“Understood,” he replied curtly, but couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes.
Satisfied, I nodded and stepped back with a smirk, signaling for our group to move towards the vehicles. We all got into our respective cars. I guided Ayanna toward our private SUV, my grip tightening around her waist as I helped her into her seat then climbed in after her. She hadn’t said much since we touched down, but I felt her watching me and my every move. There was something in her gaze that wasn’t curiosity. Admiration… or lust maybe?
Was she turned on?
“You seem a little... excited.” I let the word linger on my tongue, my voice low enough only for her to hear.
She sucked her teeth. Almost rolled her eyes, but the grin she tried to suppress betrayed her. I couldn’t help but steal a kiss, brushing my lips against hers gently then pulling back with an arrogant smile.
