I moved closer to the door in case this man forgot that I was his soon-to-be wife and decided to crash out on me next. He turned the music up and the nice atmosphere and vibe that we had going was ruined.

His thoughts were so loud I felt like I could hear them. When traffic cleared, we were back on our way in silence. As we sped across the bridge into Jersey, I looked down at the message from Cornell.

I wished he would leave me alone. He didn’t even really care about being sorry, he was nervous I would expose him. If he knew me, he would have known I was the last person that would ever expose someone.

My eyes grew heavy as Menace whipped in and out of traffic, so I leaned my head back and took a quick nap. It wasn’t like he was speaking anyway, and the nap would help with the tension in this car. I wanted to add another requirement and decided against it because I read the room.

Skyler would be proud of me for actually following her advice andreading the room.

The car doorslamming caused me to jump out of my sleep. Once my eyes adjusted to the light, my heart left my body, and it was my soul looking around at my surroundings. Tears accumulated in my eyes as I started to panic and look for anything.

Something.

“Fuck, Stevie! He’s going to kill you because of whatever Ryan said to him… God, Jesus, Shamu… someone please help me,” I started to hyperventilate and check the mirrors.

He was going off on his security and they stood there allowing him to go off, while Duke stood to the side and watched. I noticed most rules didn’t apply to Duke. He was his security, but he seemed like family and a friend at the same time.

While they were preoccupied, I unlocked the door and tried to open the door. I couldn’t figure the stupid shit out and was trying to remember how he had opened it.Jesus, if you let me out of this, I promise I won’t steal grapes anymore.

As if he knew I was telling the truth, I heard a click, and the door started to raise. Soon as I had enough clearance not to knock my head on the door, I hopped out the car and held my dress as I ran on the gravel toward somewhere. I didn’t know where the hell I was going, but it wasn’t going to be in one of these damn grave sites.

“Wonder, where the fuck?” I heard Menace’s voice, and continued running, wishing that I had truly worked out more.

You never knew how much working out was important until you’re sprinting in a pair of Tory Burch sandals, in a maxi dress while clutching your purse and the hem of your dress. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I screamed.

“Nooo! Help! Please, no!” I screamed, giving up on my trek toward Narnia.

I was flinging my purse and arms around while crying because as much as I missed my mama, a bitch didn’t want to go with her right now. “Wonder, what the fuck are you doing?”

I opened my eyes and noticed it was Menace, without a shirt on and his chest heaving up and down. “Why do you want to kill me? Dawg, I ain’t have shit to do with whatever Ryan did… that should be a requirement… you cannot kill me, please.”

He stared down at me and started laughing while I was bearing my entire soul to him. “Why do you think I’m going to kill you, baby?”

If I wasn’t so upset that he was going to kill me, then laughed about my fear, I probably would have swooned at him calling mebaby. Except, I was upset that he thought my pain was hilarious.

“Do I amuse you, Mitchell? Am I a fucking… God… give me a second.” I held my hand up and rested my hands on my knees because I felt the vomit tickle the back of my throat.

“Why in the fuck would you jog without stretching?”

My head shot up and I looked at him. “I was running, Mitchell.”

“Why the fuck do you keep calling me Mitchell?”

“’Cause I don’t know your name and I’m being serious right now.” I turned around and spit, feeling the vomit wanting to come because I had decided to run today.

Once I was able to get my breathing under control and knock the vomit back down, I stood up and looked at him. “Why are we here if you’re not trying to kill me?”

When I looked behind Menace, his security and Duke were laughing at me. “This is our date.”

“You took me to a fucking cemetery for a date? Maybe you should have let Jeffie or Greene plan something because what is this?”

He grabbed my hand, and we walked back over to security as they laughed at their phones. “It’s not funny.”

“Mrs. C, you were running like someone in a scary movie… shit was hilarious.”

“I am not, Mrs. C… we don’t even know if I will make it out of this cemetery alive.” I looked at them through squinted eyes.

Menace put his shirt back on and that’s when I noticed his gun tucked in the back. “He always carries a gun with him,” Duke explained when he saw my eyes widen as I said my prayers.