Jediah took a quick puff of the cigar.“Where’s Sahil?”
Raven gulped.“I don’t know.”
“Somehow, I don’t believe that.”
“He left the country after he killed your father.He can be anywhere.”
“If you can find him and bring him to me, maybe I’ll consider your proposal.”
Raven pursed her lips.Then, she nodded.“Deal.”
“It’s not a deal until Sahil is in front of me,” Jediah said.“Will that be all?”
Raven nodded.She turned and walked away with the bodyguard closely following behind her.They stopped at the car they arrived in, and he opened the door for her.After he got behind the wheel, the car drove off.
Dimitri moved to Jediah’s side.“We have to keep an eye on her.We’ve seen all that she’s achieved in such a short time.She’s not going to take it lightly when she passes this stage of denial.”
“If Raven wants a war, I’ll give her a war.Why are you worried?Yourprofessionalworker can keep an eye on her if she makes a move against us,” Jediah said and turned around.He was about to walk toward the back of the warehouse when an indistinguishable yell came from behind him.
Everyone went on high alert, reaching for their guns.As Jediah was about to turn around, a blast came from somewhere.The force threw him off his feet and sent his body flying.Above, the lights flickered before going dark.Jediah’s body slammed into an iron column as smoke and groans filled the air.Hethuddedto the ground as a loud ringing developed in his ear.
“Mi still caan’ believe him do this,” Bryony complained while unloading the washing machine.
Ashari, who sat on a cushioned chair Bryony had pulled into the laundry room and kept by the open window, sighed.She continued rubbing the irritated skin of her ankle.“I can,” Ashari muttered.
“Him don’ tek it off at night when you a sleep?Or when unu…”
Ashari froze as Bryony trailed off.Her heart raced as she remembered the last time Jediah was intimate with her.He hadn’t even mentioned it since then.She didn’t want to be the first one to bring it up.She still couldn’t fully wrap her head around what had happened.
“Dear?”Bryony said.
Ashari blinked rapidly to clear the mental fog.She made a tight-lipped smile as she looked toward Bryony, who stared at her with concern-filled eyes.“I’m fine, Bryony.I promise.”
“Okay,” Bryony sighed.“He wasn’t always like this, you know?”
“How?Crazy?”
“He’s not crazy.He’s just complicated.Jediah has never quite been the same since his mom left,” Bryony explained.
“What was he like?”
Bryony smiled at nothing in particular as she reminisced.“Jediah was a sweet boy… when him neva did a catch lizard or bruk the window dem a try kill bird with slingshot.Him and Dimitri coulda work me blood pressure.”
Ashari, now cradling her belly, chuckled as Bryony laughed.
As the laughter died down, Bryony’s eyes locked onto Ashari’s hand.“Has the baby moved yet?”
Shaking her head, Ashari sighed.She felt her belly at different spots.“Cedella says I shouldn’t worry ’cause not every baby is active during early pregnancy, but I’m still kinda worried ’cause I should’ve feltsomethingby now.”
“Hmm,” Bryony hummed.
“I wonder if our baby will be like him… The good parts, I mean.”
Bryony’s gaze lingered on Ashari’s hand before it dragged up to Ashari’s eyes.Her brows furrowed.“Jediah is misunderstood because of how he does things, but he is a good man.He’s your husband, you should know.”
“You’re going to say that right now?”Ashari asked, then wiggled her anklet-clad foot in the air.
“I’m sorry, Ash.But at least try to understand why—”