Page 10 of Mister 3: The Prelude

After putting the ring back into its box, I slipped it into my pocket and got ready to head out. I had a few errands to run and payments to collect before coming home to get ready for our date. Now that Piper was the head boss, she was less hands on. The bulk of her days were spent having conversations, making decisions, and giving orders. I, however, was busier than I was when I was simply Ahmad’s bodyguard and henchman. The role reversal could be draining at times, but I took great pride in being all that I was to Piper.

That thought had me wanting to pull up on her before I got too busy in the streets. I stopped by Elite’s jewelry store and copped her a black diamond choker that would match the ten carat black diamond engagement ring I’d give her tonight. After that, I got her favorite chocolate chip cookies from Ricki’s Cookies and headed to the warehouse.

A smile lifted the corners of my lips as I headed down the long corridor to get to her office. My head bobbed as a greeting toward the people that littered the hallway. After knocking, I let myself inside. She was on a call, but Piper ended it quickly at the sight of me. We didn’t smile a lot in the past. Quite frankly, we didn’t have a reason to. These days, we smiled daily—especially at the sight of each other.

Piper rounded her desk and made her way into my arms and on my lips. A quiet moan escaped me as I wrapped my free arm around her waist. Deepening the kiss, I kicked the door shut.

“Mm,” she moaned against my lips, wrapping her arms around my neck. “This is a nice surprise.”

“I know we have a date tonight, but I wanted to see you real quick and give you this.”

“Cookies?” Her shoulders hiked in excitement as she took the plastic container of cookies from my hand. They weren’t just cookies—they were her favorite cookies from her favorite shop. I knew she’d be satisfied with just those, and that’s what made me want to spoil her more.

Chuckling, I shook my head as I pulled the necklace out of my pocket. “Yeah, but I was talking about this.”

Piper gasped and covered her mouth as she eyed the necklace.

“Wow, baby. This is absolutely beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it. I want you to wear this tonight. Dress in all black. Wear heels.”

“Yes, baby.” Turning, she requested, “Put it on me.”

I obliged her request, lowering myself to kiss her neck once the necklace was around it. Her body melted against me as she pulled my arms around her body.

“You make me so happy,” she muttered. “I love you so much, Nathan.”

“I lo—”

Loud banging on the door cut off my reply. “Ayo, boss. We got company.”

While I rushed over to her desk and pulled up the security cameras on her computer, Piper opened her door.

“It’s like six police cars and two black SUVs in the parking lot,” her guard, Pierce, continued. “What you want us to do?”

Piper massaged her temples. “They can’t come in here. Go see if they have a search or arrest warrant while I try and get this shit broken down downstairs. If all they have is an arrest warrant, they can’t come in. I’ll send whoever they want out.”

“Got you.”

I cursed under my breath as I watched FBI agents hop out of the SUVs. I had no time to try and figure out what the hell they were doing here. Regardless, the bottom half of the warehouse was loaded with enough pounds of weed to send us all to prison for the rest of our lives. My first priority needed to be getting Piper the hell away from here and finding out how they got here later.

“We have to go,” I said, rounding her desk. “I can get you out of the side door, but we have to move quick.”

She nodded, almost having to jog to keep up with my quick, long stride.

“Boss,” Pierce called on the walkie talkie.

“Don’t answer,” I told her.

“But—”

“If you answer they will know you’re in here, Pipe. Don’t answer.”

Releasing a shaky breath, she trusted me and nodded. I put her on my back, needing us to be able to move a little quicker as the sound of doors bursting open pierced my ears. As MPD and the FBI agents made themselves known, I slipped down the hall toward the secret wall that led to the side door. It didn’t lead directly outside, instead, it would take us down an undergroundtunnel that would put us in the basement of the laundromat we used to clean our money.

After putting the code into the keypad behind the picture on the wall, it opened quickly. We stepped inside and I closed it before we briskly walked down the tunnel. Neither of us spoke, and I was sure she was just as surprised by the turn of events as I was. As I opened the door of the laundromat, I released a calming breath. We made our way through the basement, and she plopped down in the first chair she saw. Her forearms rested on her thighs as she palmed her face.

“What the fuck is going on, Nate?”

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