I smiled at her.

She smiled at me.

Then I hauled my ass to my office and booted up my machine.

I was clicking through the website Roxie designed for me when Daisy called from my door, “I’m gettin’ a sandwich, darlin’. Want me to get you one?”

I shook my head. “I’m not here long. I’ve gotta go meet Matt and go over our strategy for tonight. I’ll pick something up on the way.”

“Gotcha,” she murmured and turned on a wave and a, “Later.”

I watched the door close on her.

Then I thought about my plaque in the hall and meeting Matt later.

This brought me to thinking about Hank and Lee.

This sent my hand to my phone.

I called Shirleen.

“Girl, I just got done rappin’ with you,” was her greeting.

“You know,” I told her, getting to the point of what was really upsetting her, “they’re gonna grow up and when they do, they’re gonna leave.”

She said nothing, but I felt the vibes, and they were not good. Not angry, just unhappy. So I kept speaking.

“But what you need to know and never forget is that the love and stability you’ve given them since you’ve had them is the most precious thing they’ve had in their lives. And they’ll never forget that either. So they’re gonna grow up and they’re gonna live their lives. And because you gave them that, you are not ever gonna lose them.” I took in a breath and used Duke’s words. “But now, you need to give them freedom to fly.”

She again said nothing and I waited.

Then she said something.

“You’re right, child.”

“I know, Shirleen.”

“Still, gonna kick his ass if he knocks up some skinny white girl.”

I laughed and said, “I’ll help.”

“Good to know,” she murmured. “Later.”

Disconnect.

I put my phone on the desk and my eyes to the computer. I had them there approximately three seconds before the door to the suite opened.

Ren was sauntering in. Trousers. Dress shirt.

Delicious.

“Hey,” I called, getting out of my chair and moving around the desk.

His lips were quirking when he said, “You know, you don’t have to get up, babe.”

I made it to him, got on my toes, put a hand to his abs and touched my lips to his before I replied, “Yeah, I do.”

He shook his head, lips still quirking, and he asked, “Got a sec?’

“Sure,” I answered.

He jerked his head to my desk as it hit me we hadn’t broken that in yet, and I made a mental note to schedule that for the near future.

I moved to sit in my chair. He moved close and leaned against my desk, arms crossed on his chest, chin dipped, eyes on me.

“Vito and I just had it out,” he declared.

Shit.

Ren kept going.

“It was ugly and I’m done. I resigned.”

Fuck!

Ren wasn’t done.

“I got shit to tie up and Marcus isn’t quite ready. Vito’s got a month of me around to make the transition. Then I figure you and me can spend a couple of weeks on a beach. That’ll give Marcus time so when we come back I can get down to that.”

Nice.

Me. Ren. And a couple of weeks on a beach.

One could not say I liked why he had time for a vacation. But I was not going to argue with it.

Therefore, I agreed, “Okay.”

“Can you arrange it so you’re not workin’ anything and you can get away?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I answered.

“Good,” he muttered, but the look on his face said that nothing was good.

I reached out a hand and slid my finger down his thigh. “You okay?”

“Always had hope,” he told me.

People always did when shit was going down with families.

“He still has a month,” I reminded him.

Ren shook his head. “No. I’ve committed to Marcus. It’s done.”

I got out of my chair and got close. He uncrossed his arms and wound them around me, pulling me off my feet so I as leaning into him. I returned the favor and settled in, curling my arms around him.

“He’s stubborn. His loss,” I said gently.

“Still sucks.”

It totally did. Ren excommunicated by Vito and us not able to carpool.

Not that we rode to work together much.

But still.

I pressed closer and gave him a squeeze. “Well, the good news is, you’ll have another desk we can break in.”

His eyes warmed and he grinned at me.

I pressed even closer and whispered, “I’m sorry, baby.”

“Me too,” he whispered back on his own squeeze.

“How about we go out tonight? Maybe to Brother’s. Relive our first date with food this time. And, of course, sex on the stairs at home,” I suggested.

His eyes seriously warmed and he replied, “Works for me.”

I grinned. “Cool.”

He bent in and gave me a quick kiss before pulling away and saying, “Gotta get back.”

“Yeah. I gotta go grab some lunch and meet Matt. Since we’re in separate cars, I’ll meet you back at the house. Say five thirty?”

“Yeah, honey.”

He leaned in and gave the top of my hair a kiss before he moved me back and disengaged.

“Later, Ally,” he called as I watched his broad shoulders in his dress shirt as he walked away.

“Later, honey,” I replied.

He gave me a look over his shoulder and a low wave before the door closed on him.

I gave some thought that made my happy place tingle as to how I was going to take away Ren’s bad day that night. Then I turned my attention to my computer.

I sent Roxie some changes, sent approvals of the proofs to Ava and shut down my computer.

I grabbed my phone, shoved it in my back pocket, and tagged my purse. I took off, locking up, and thinking about where I’d hit in order to get lunch.

I took the elevator down to the parking garage, texting Ren as I went, On my way to lunch and Matt.

I knew I wouldn’t get his return text until I drove out because the signal was lost under the building. I also knew I’d get it when I drove out because he always returned my texts.

I had my keys out and was close to my car when I felt it.

I wasn’t alone.

I braced and turned to see Darius baring down on me.

He did not look happy.

Oh man.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“Fuck hey, Ally and,” he lifted a finger and jabbed it at my face when he got close and stopped, “fuck you.”

What the hell?

“Darius, why’re you—?”

He cut me off, his handsome face twisted with fury. “I know it was you.”

Uh-oh.

“Me what?” I asked hesitantly.

But I had a feeling I knew what.

“I know it was you. Ally, always up in everybody’s shit, tellin’ me you’d be up in mine. So it was fuckin’ you,” he jabbed his finger in my face again, “that set Lee and Eddie on Malia.”

They’d had the talk.

They hadn’t told me, but Darius sure found out.

Fuck.

“Darius—”

He got in my face and I snapped my mouth shut.

“You stupid, nosy, fuckin’ bitch.”

My back snapped straight, but Darius wasn’t quite finished.

“We’re done,” he clipped. “You and me. And ‘cause of you, me and Lee and Eddie. We’re done. It’s all done. It’s…”

He kept blasting me with angry words, but I felt another presence. My eyes went around him and they got huge.

Fuck!

“Darius!” I shouted, grabbing his hand.

But it was too late.

Snookie Rivers, or at least the man in the DMV picture Brody got, was there and he was ready.

As Darius turned, Rivers slammed a tire iron in the side of Darius’s head. I saw the blood start to flow even as he went down.

No.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

I screamed, reaching into my purse for my pepper spray as Rivers turned to me.

I started backing up quickly, still screaming.

He was on me before I had the pepper spray out, but I got my hand on it and pulled it out as he shoved me into the side of my car. He swiftly lifted a hand, and I felt a sharp stab in my neck just as I got the pepper spray out and up between us. I blasted him in the face and he reeled away, choking.

I wanted to go to Darius but to get him help, I needed to get away and find somebody.

So I ran.

The problem was I got five steps in, and on the sixth, my leg weirdly gave out under me. I hit the deck on my hands and knees, still shouting, but weaker now, as a strange lethargy invaded my limbs.

I kept crawling, fell to my stomach and started dragging myself before my cheek planted into the cement and everything went black

* * *

I heard the gunshots.

One.

Then two.

It took effort but I forced my eyes open.

I managed this, but I couldn’t get my wits about me. My head was fuzzy and I couldn’t focus on anything.

I struggled to get it together and sensed movement.

It was then I struggled to focus and saw something looming over me.

“Shot him in both legs.” I heard. “He wakes up, he can watch, but he can’t move.” Then the voice went on musingly, “If he doesn’t bleed out first.”

I had no idea what whoever that was was talking about, and I didn’t have it in me to put it together.

I did have it in me to feel that whatever I was laying on moved and the thing looming got closer.

So I could focus.

Rivers.

It all came back to me.

Fuck!

His fingers came to my face. “Now it’s just you and me, Ally. Just you and me. Finally.”

Fuck, shit, fuck.

I realized I was drugged, but that didn’t mean I didn’t try to scoot away as he bent over me.