Page 2 of Bond

“My dad then, the young one is my husband,” she told me, completely unaware of the thoughts I’d been having about asking her to have lunch with me. But now that she’d confirmed she was married, that would never happen. “What was it you were after?”

“Umm, here,” I handed her the piece of paper with the part number on it. She took it from me, read it, and walked off saying over her shoulder, “I won’t be long, I’ll just go grab it for you. Take a seat if you want to.”

I didn’t sit because I wanted to get out of there; my chest felt heavy, and I started sweating. It had nothing to do with how hot it was because the air conditioner was running at max and the temperature in the warehouse had been perfectly comfortable when I’d first entered. No, I knew what this was. It was disappointment mixed with regret that the first woman to get such a reaction from me was already taken. I couldn’t wait to get out of here and back home. I just hoped they’d loaded my vehicle already.

“Here you go,” Rochelle said, coming towards me with a box. “Did you need anything else?”

“Nope. I’m good, thanks,” I replied, backing away from her. “It was nice to meet you,” I told her, turning away and hastily leaving, knowing there was no way I’d ever be back here. Not if I could help it; the temptation would be too much, and if there was something I’d never do, it would be poaching someone else’s woman.

And until today, I’d not been back. I was a glutton for punishment, though; I had to see her one more time, especially with what Blaze and Cairo told me of the few times they’d seen her and how she was being treated. They’d offered to help her more than once, but each time she’d said she was fine and there was nothing to worry about. Even with the bruises covering her face. And I knew there were bruises because Cairo had snapped a picture of her the one day.

While I’d been gutted to see the bruises, what had held my attention was her belly that was pushing up against the loose dress she wore. My heart sank to my stomach at the sight, and I couldn’t help but wish that it was my baby she was carrying.

Neither Cairo nor Blaze had agreed with her, but they couldn’t force her to leave even if they wanted to. I’d even had a quiet word with Noni, and she’d stopped in the last time she was in the city, but Rochelle wasn’t working. Her father had said she was at the hospital having a baby. That had been three months ago.

Suddenly the rain let up, and I was brought out of my self-absorption of the past. Sitting straighter in my seat, I prepared for the traffic that I was about to hit that would take me to the industrial area where the wholesaler was. The next shipment would be picked up at the airport, and I can’t say that I wasn’t looking forward to that. We wouldn’t be wasting an entire day travelling three hours either way when we had the plane.

Not long after the rain stopped, I pulled up in front of the wholesalers. Staring at the front door, I wondered for what seemed to be the hundredth time if this was a good idea. I just needed to see her one more time to see how she was. Just one more time, that’s all, then I’d leave and never come back.

Getting out of the vehicle, I made sure to lock the doors before slowly walking into the shop. Her father was behind the counter, and I was shocked at how he looked. When I’d last seen him, he’d been a big man, well-muscled and healthy-looking. In the space of a year, he seemed to have withered, and his dark skin had a decidedly yellow tinge to it.

He looked up as the bell on the door tinkled to let him know someone had entered, and the relief that filled his eyes made me wonder what was going on with this family.

Walking towards the counter, I nodded a greeting at him, “Joe.”

“It’s you. We haven’t seen you in a while, but it’s like my prayers have been answered.”

Frowning with confusion at his words, I ask, “What’s going on, Joe?”

He looks around the store surreptitiously, as if he is worried about someone hearing him. Bending over the counter towards me, he motions for me to come closer, “I need you to take my daughter and granddaughter with you when you leave.”

Not understanding what he meant, I stand up slightly, but he grabs hold of my hand to stop me from moving away, “I’m begging you, please take my daughter with you when you leave.”

Still not sure what was going on, but the desperation in Joe’s voice makes it clear that what he is asking for is urgent.

“I’m going to need more than that, Joe. Isn’t she married? Her husband won’t be best pleased if she disappears with me, and I don’t need that sort of problem.”

He shakes his head quickly, “You won’t; her husband is dead, thank God. I saw the way you looked at her over a year ago, and the fact that you haven’t been in since then but still have your brothers check on her tells me that you’re a good man. She needs protection from her husband’s family. I’m too sick, and I don’t have long left. I need to know my girls are okay. I’ve asked around about you and your club. Everyone I’ve spoken to tells me you are trustworthy and are capable of protecting them if needed.”

A feeling of dread creeps up on me at his words. “Joe, you have to understand I’ll need more information than what you’ve just given me. And I’ll have to check with my president and club. I can’t bring danger to our club and family without them being aware of it. We have women, children, and our townspeople to protect.”

His shoulders sink and his head lowers in defeat, but he nods, “I understand. I’m sorry for asking.”

I’m not ready to leave it like that, though, “Hey, tell me what’s going on. If I can help, I will, but I need all the information I can get, and I’ll have to check with my president. Do you have somewhere we can talk privately?”

Hope lights his eyes again, “I do. Let me close and lock the front door.”

He hurried, well, as much as a sick man could hurry, to the doors of the shop and turned the sign around to ‘closed’ and locked the doors before shuffling back to me and motioning me to the back. I looked around but didn’t see Rochelle anywhere.

“She’s not here,” he informs me, sitting heavily down in a chair behind the desk in the office he’d taken me to. “I sent her home to pack in hopes that you’d take her. She’ll be back soon.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that because until I had more information, I wasn’t agreeing to anything.

“Tell me what’s going on, Joe. Why does Rochelle need to get out of town?”

Joe runs a shaky hand down his face, sweat beading his brow. Picking up a bottle of pills from the table, he tries to open it, but his hands are shaking so much that he can’t. Taking them from him, I read the label and see that they are painkillers, strong painkillers. Shaking two out, I hand them to him along with the bottle of water on his desk.

“It’s my fault,” he starts, “they approached me four years ago wanting to use my warehouse to store drugs. I, of course, refused, but then I started getting break-ins or my shipments went missing, and then they threatened Rochelle. It’s only been the two of us ever since her mother died when she was ten. She’s all that matters to me.” He takes another sip of water before continuing.

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