Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
I raised my eyebrows. “Where is everyone?”
Maxwell scanned the room. “Em isn’t in here yet?”
“No.” I walked around the table and headed to him. “Now, my question—”
“Look, man.” Maxwell checked over his shoulder as if nervous he was about to get in trouble. “We are going to have to handle this very carefully because everyone is already high on emotion—”
“Where is King David?”
“He took the helicopters back with Harlem Crew to Ufuoma’s yacht—”
“What?” Anger surged through me. “For what fucking reason? Did we lose Ufuoma or Fara?”
“Naw. I have them both in my suite with guards on the inside, balcony, and outside—”
“Hold on.” I continued walking his way. “Why are they in your suite? Bring them here—”
“No way, man. Last time I brought Paolo’s mom, you all killed her for some simple bullshit. I’m not risking that again.”
Seething, I stopped right in front of him. “Maxwell.”
“Yeah.”
“Did I miss the announcement declaring David and you as the new leaders of the Brotherhood?”
Sighing, Maxwell held up both hands. “Just let me explain, man.”
“Explain and do so quickly.”
“First of all, the French never got on the helicopters to return because some of them are missing and then David isn’t here because he’s fucked up that you know. . .” Maxwell’s bottom lip quivered. “Because. . .Blue is. . .probably. . .you know?”
I widened my eyes. “Dead?”
Maxwell let out a long breath.
No wonder David isn’t here.
I ran my fingers through my hair.
Maxwell lowered his voice. “We have to be very careful about how we deliver this to Em.”
Tension gathered in my shoulders.
“David is all types of emotionally fucked up. Motherfucker plans to just circle the damned ocean and shit. It’s fucking dark. You can’t see shit, but I couldn’t convince him otherwise. I mean. . .if we couldn’t find Blue when it was light. . .then, how are we going to. . .”
I became quiet, mulling over the insanity of it all.
Emily’s number one is dead. This won’t be good.
While I hadn’t been close to Blue, the new soldier had been growing on me. I loved the way she made Emily smile.
My mouse needed that.
And now. . .
Maxwell disturbed my thoughts. “Most of Harlem Crew went back with King David. Nobody wants to accept it. Shit.” Maxwell shrugged. “My heart is broken. I don’t want to accept it either.”
“Accept what?” Emily strolled in.
Maxwell’s forehead wrinkled as he looked away.
Pressure built in my chest. The need to grip my heart came to me, but I fought through it.
Emily stopped by us. “What’s going on?”
I cleared my throat. “We have a problem, mysh.”
“What?” She eyed Maxwell. “Did we lose Fela’s daughter and wife?”
I shook my head. “Not that.”
“Then, what?”
“Let us go in the hallway to talk about this. Maxwell is actually catching me up on everything. He could further explain what happened.”
Maxwell shook his head.
Really?
I sighed. “We should talk about this in the hallway.”
Emily continued to watch Maxwell. “Why aren’t you talking?”
“Cause there’s a lot to digest, Em.” He pursed his lips.
“A lot to digest?” Emily stepped back and scanned the room. Her gaze fell on Boris who appeared exhausted and was slumped against the wall. Next, she slipped her gaze over several Brotherhood’s faces.
Finally, she turned back to me. “Where’s Blue and the French?”
I tensed. “Maxwell said that the French never got on the helicopters?”
She continued to watch Maxwell. “Why not?”
He looked her way. Sadness filled his gaze. “They wanted to keep searching for Blue.”
She took another step back. Her expression went neutral which told me that she was masking her emotions from us.
Instantly, my chest felt like it was being squeezed.
Emily fisted her hands at her sides. “What happened, Max?”
His jaw tensed. “There was a restaurant shooting. Then, I chased after Ufuoma. She ran to her yacht. Boris, Giorgio, and Blue followed us there. So. . .because David and the French were shooting up the yacht, it began to turn over and sink. That forced us to get off the motherfucker fast. Last time I saw Blue, she was jumping into the ocean.”
Emily crossed her arms over her chest. “Why were they shooting up the yacht?”
Maxwell quirked his brows. “Well. . .David thought Blue had died in the restaurant, but she didn’t. Either way, he got emotional and went Rambo on Black Axe.”
What?
I blinked.
David was typically calm and collected—the very opposite of me. The last thing I needed in a number one was for him to match my energy.
David and I must have a talk. Only I can go. . .Rambo.
Emily looked at me. “Any more helicopters here? I’m going out to help David and everyone search—”
“You are not.” I gritted my teeth.
“Yo, Em.” Maxwell inched closer to her. “David called in the Italian Coast Guard. There’s fucking divers and shit out there. All types of people are searching right now.”
“I can still. . .go out there and. . .” She grabbed the side of her skirt and twisted the material with her fingers. “The more people help the faster we can find her. Right?”