Page 96 of The Marriage Agreement (Agreement)

“Next time, let me know the plan and we can join forces in kicking them out.”

“Sounds good,” I say and kiss her lips. She turns to her side, and I clean myself and her off with my shirt that was close by, then pull the covers over us and wrap my arms around her.

“Good night, Dele.”

“Night, Luke.”

Chapter 63

LUKE

I made a quick trip to New York to close some deals. I wanted Dele to come with me, but New York is still a place with bad memories for her, and she wants to stay away. I had Bruce look into her uncle per her request; he was bad. I had to tell her about it, and she begged me to get him help if I could.

He’s been at a rehab center for the last few months and getting better, but Dele doesn’t want to see him yet. She will in the future, she says. I won’t push until she’s ready to take that step. After my meeting, I’m hanging out with Daniel at his place. We’re both not interested in going out. We’ve just finished discussing his plan to move to Chicago when my phone rings.

It’s Bruce. Since it’s just Daniel and I, I answer it on speaker. “Hey, I’m with Daniel. What’s up?”

“Luke, we have a problem,” he says, and my heart pounds right away because the only problem we could have is something happening to Dele. She’s out clubbing with her friends tonight—what went wrong for Bruce to call me?

“Dele just cut one of my guys.” I exhale the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“Did the guy try to grab her?” I ask. The only way Dele will use her knife is if some guy grabs her, triggering her to fight back.

“Yes.”

“Fuck! Why would he grab her instead of talking to her?”

“He was trying to get her out of the club, but she’s refusing to leave with him unless you confirm her pet name and her dance name—” I smile. That’s my girl. “—and the place she’s at is about to get chaotic. A fight is about to break out. My guys see guns.”

“Are your guys listening?”

“Yes.”

“Ask them all to mute and give the phone to her.”

“I can’t mute.”

“Fine.” It only takes a second, and I hear her voice.

“Hello.”

“Your pet name is ‘Ayo mi’ and your dance name is ‘Nami’k’. Please go with them before things get out of hand.”

“Okay,” she says. As if on cue, a gunshot rings out loud. The line disconnects.

“Dele!” I shout.

“Luke, the line was cut off. We should know in a few minutes. Let me call you back,” Bruce says. Before I can say anything, he disconnects.

“Fuck!” I pace with my heart pounding again. My mind is reeling with lots of crazy scenarios. In each one, I can’t handle it if anything happens to her. I call Bruce’s line back, and he keeps sending me to voicemail. While I pace, Adam arrives to join us. I barely notice him as I await updates on Dele. My phone rings.

“Tell me she’s okay,” I ask right away.

“She’s fine. They lost signal for a moment. I should let you know that Dele feels bad and is insisting on treating the wound of the guy she cut.” Of course she is.

“Get him out of there as soon as she treats his cut.”

“I knew you would say that.” He laughs at me and hangs up.

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