Page 7 of If I Gave You My Heart
"Okay, well, bring ya ass on down here. Text me on your way down so I know what time to come get you from the bus stop."
"Okay, thank you, really."
"No problem, fam. Love you."
"Love you too."
After ending the call, I sighed to myself. I was thankful for my cousin because now she would be my fresh start. Where she lived was far away from home. I'm pretty sure that I could live my life out there and stay off the radar. As the ride I was in slowed toward the bus stop, my heart pounded deep in my chest. I didn't know if it was anxiety or what, but I knew I had to get on that bus.
After paying for a one-way ticket, I found myself a spot, and because it lacked passengers, I was able to put my feet up in the chair next to me. As the bus pulled off, I closed my eyes and slowly drifted into a sleep. Starting over in Winder, Georgia, would have to do.
After sixteen hours and a backache, I was stepping my foot off the bus and onto the concrete of the Peach State.
"Cuzzzz!" I heard Talia's light voice sing as she ran toward me.
I hugged the fuck out of her because it felt good being around the only family that I had. She helped me get my two suitcases from underneath the bus and then walked me over to what I assumed was her car.
"This you?" I asked when I looked at the all-white Lexus.
"Mmhmm, some little overseas ball player got it for me last year when I passed my realtor's exam."
"It's cute," I commented as we put my luggage in the small ass trunk.
"Thank you, cuz."
Talia didn't waste any time. She got straight to it as soon as we were in the car. "So why are we here and not preparing for this wedding? I thought we loved Edward."
"He's dead," I blurted.
"Nyoka, don't tell me you killed him."
Talia knew what I did for a living, and I loved that because I didn't have to put up a front or hide who I really was around her.
"Of course, I didn't," I quickly defended, although I was going to.
"Damn, do you think it was someone trying to get to you?" She had a bit of worry in her voice, and I didn't need her to be uneasy with the thought of me staying with her.
"No, he was assigned to me for me to kill, but he ended up getting in a car accident."
"That's some movie shit," she said lowly as she pulled into afternoon traffic.
We sat silently for most of the ride. I preferred the silence because I had too much shit on my mind. I decided to leave behind my Acura and just get myself a new car. I was lucky that no one from the agency knew Talia as my family member. I wanted the things I had put into storage when I decided to move in with Edward, but the last thing I needed was someone to follow the movers right to her front door. I purchased the bus ticket off an alias I had never registered with the agency. I had already lived a life on the edge, but now knowing that I probably had about a hundred assassins on my ass, my nerves were so damn bad.
When Talia pulled into the driveway of her house, I had to give her props for sure. "Damn, this place is nice."
I knew she lived alone because my uncle, her dad, had died a few years back and left her with everything. Uncle Marcus was my father's younger and only brother. He had gone to the Navy and retired. Talia's mother had left him for another man when she had graduated high school, so he had been raising her as a single father ever since. When he passed, it was shocking to both Talia and me. One morning, he just didn't wake up. Dying from natural causes at the age of fifty-five was crazy as hell. Although Marcus was my uncle, he was the only father figure I had known. So, when he died, I didn't take a contract for two weeks and came down here to spend some time with Talia. I was glad I never disclosed my location to the agency when I took that time off. Had I done it, I wouldn't have had anywhere to go right now.
"Daddy was having this house built right before he died, so I had it finished and then moved in as soon as it was ready. I hope he's proud of how it turned out."
We exited the car, and Talia helped me bring my things inside. I loved a house with high ceilings and hardwood floors.
"Let me show you to your room," Talia stated as she started to climb the curved stairs.
I followed behind her, thumping my filled suitcase up the stairs behind me. The room that she showed me was fully furnished with a queen-sized bed, dresser, television, and nightstand.
"The bathroom is out the door and the next door to your right. I'm really happy you're here, cuz." Talia walked to the door and then looked at me and smiled. "I know after that long-ass ride, you want to get your rest. I'll be around whenever you get up."
"Thanks, Talia."
