Page 65 of Priest

“I ain’t gotta take shit. Not when she freely walks away from here.”

He hesitated for a moment and then replied, “September will go with you over my dead body.”

“Oh, that’s a given, chief. Now, I suggest you put that gun down. My boys are outside waiting to take your ass out. You ain’t making it out this bitch alive.”

“September, you know where our loyalties lie,” Morgan demanded when he turned to look at me.

“The same place yours did, Daddy? It seemed to me that you were only loyal to yourself, and you didn’t give a damn about me.”

“Priest has been in your head and fucked up your judgment!” Morgan shouted.

“My judgment hasn’t been clearer, Daddy.”

“You might want to rethink that statement, son, and put your gun down.”

I turned around and realized that I had underestimated the situation at the same time that I heard September gasp and shriek. “Daniel? What are you doing here.”

Daniel Usher stood behind me, and he had a gun aimed at my head.

“I was waiting for your father to return to the library so that we could finalize our little deal. When I heard you and himarguing, I decided to stay back and listen. When I heard the motorcycles pull up, I knew that I needed to stay hidden.”

“So why did you come out now?” September asked.

“Because this has all been fun, but it sounded like the negotiations aren’t favorable toward me. Priest, put that gun down and kick it away from you.”

“Nigga, I ain’t putting shit down. We’ll go out of this muthafucka in a blaze of glory.”

“Son, I know that you don’t think you’re about to walk out of here with my fiancée. You see, I’ve paid a pretty little penny for her.”

“Contrary to popular belief, Usher, she’s not a fucking piece of property. She’s a person whose price tag neither of you niggas could afford. She’s priceless, bitches,” I snarled.

“No, Priest. That’s where you’re wrong. Everyone has a price. So, Priest. Tell me. What’s your price to walk away from this? I get it. She’s young, ripe, and fine. A juicy piece of ass. I’m sure you tested it out while you had her,” Daniel Usher stated.

September lunged forward, “You bastard!”

Her daddy swiveled on a beat and aimed the gun at her. I was surprised by how well he maneuvered with his crutches. September was upset, but I warned her, “Chill. Don’t let this shit get to you, Ember. It’s grimy shit.”

Daniel laughed. “You’ve even given her a nickname. How sweet is that? Sweetheart, you’re going to walk out of here with me, and I’m going to let your daddy take care of this piece of work.”

Daniel waved his hand at me and beckoned me toward him.

“You’re not getting out of here like that,” I warned.

“Yes, I will. I doubt your boys are going to want to shoot me when I’ve got your prime MC princess with me. Sure, a lot of them have wanted to tap this pussy, so they won’t be shooting. Trust me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” September hissed.

Morgan pushed September forward, and when she pushed back, he turned the gun on her. “You will do what your husband says,” Morgan ordered.

“He’s not my husband,” September snapped back.

“Semantics, my dear. I think we need to push this ceremony up. You’re behaving like a wayward woman, and it’s time that I teach you a lesson,” Daniel declared.

Morgan pushed the gun into September’s back and pushed her forward until she was within touching distance. She looked at me with sorrow-filled eyes, and all I wanted was to protect her. Anger rose within me because I found myself in a similar situation to that I’d been in years ago when I failed to protect my sister and my mother.

I glanced beyond her to where the gun lay on the ground and then back at Morgan. At the last minute, she threw her arms around me and pressed her body into mine.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

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