Chapter 17
I barely get the chance to gather my thoughts properly when the door slams open and Grandma Gina hurries into the room, followed by Caesar.
The sight of him has my heart dipping in my chest.
“What is he doing here? Why is he here?”
Caesar comes to a stop just inside the room, raking me with a dark, burning gaze.
“Amaya, are you okay? What happened?” Grandma Gina asks as she hurries to my side.
“I remember everything. Grandma.” I say urgently. “I remember everything
She climbs into the bed and pulls me against her bosom. Her familiar peach scent chases half of the darkness away
“Are you okay enough to tell us what happened?” She asks softly If you’re not…”
I lean away
and wipe at the wetness on my cheeks.
“No, I’m ready to talk about it.”
“Well, tell us. Who did this to you?” Jayla chirps in.
take a deep breath..
“When I went downstairs to get into the car that was supposed to take me to Caesar’s dinner party, Elle was already seated at the backseat”
Grandma Gina and Jayla gasp in shock.
I deliberately keep my gaze away from Caesar. I don’t know if he’s surprised as well.
“I remember that I started feeling really thirsty during the ride. It got so bad that I nearly suffocated, but Elle offered me a bottle of water. I was so desperate that I wasn’t thinking properly, I drank from her bottle and everything suddenly become
worse.
It felt like there was a noose around my throat. I remember that passed out. When I woke up, Elle informed me that Jayla had come to take me home”
Jayla’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Me? I was at home with the babies all night. I never stepped out of the house.”
I blink in confusion. “That’s where it gets weird. I can swear that saw you inside that SUV. But there was someone else in there as well. I don’t know who he was.”
Jayla gets to her feet and paces the room-
This can only mean that the potion she gave you made you hallucinate, too.”
“That’s my guess. She literally shoved me into the car with this fake Jayla” and I passed out. The next thing I remember is being dropped off outside the hotel where the dinner party was held. I have no idea what they did to me.”
I look up in time to catch Caesar’s fierce expression. He doesn’t look angry. He’s furious.
His dark eyes glitter beneath the glow of the white lights, making him appear Dangerous, Formidable.
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Without saying a single word or even sparing me a glance, he is around and walks out of the room.
“Where is he going?” Jayla asks no one in particular.
“I have no idea.” Grandma responds. “But judging from his expression, I’m sure heads are about to roll”
CAESAR
Rage. That’s the word that perfectly describes the dark tornado that currently swirls inside of me.
My mind travels back to that night at the hospital, how I accused Amaya of deliberately getting drunk and embarrassing me at my family’s dinner. A thick layer of regret currently lies at the pit of my stomach, and I hate it with a passion.
Not only was she hurt, but she was hurt under my own roof. That is unforgivable.
I whip out my phone and place an urgent call to Henry who’d hurried back to the penthouse earlier to get some supplies for Amaya and her babies,
Thankfully, he answers on the first ring.
“Henry?”
“Yes, sir. Is there a problem, sir?”
my tone.
cannot even hide the anger in my
“Are you still at the penthouse?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Make sure that Laila and the new driver do not go anywhere. I’ll alert some more guards to come over and watch over both of them. Keep them under lock and key if you have to. Do you understand me?”
Henry sounds confused as hell.
“Yes, sir. But is there a problem..?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be coming home with Armaya very soon. Get the house ready.”
I’m just putting my phone away when I hear a familiar voice from behind me;
“You sound very confident, Mr. Manchester. What makes you think I’ll come home with you?”
I spin around and my heart does that weird jumpy thing as I come face–to–face with Amaya.
Her red hair is wild and mussed. She looks tired and sleepy as hell, but still calls to something deep inside me that I can’t seem to get a grasp on.
I take a step towards her and she quickly takes one back. That fucking hurts.
“Amaya…
She lifts a finger, effectively cutting me off.
“You said it yourself, Caesar. The contract between us is over. The only relationship left between us is because of my incident. What are you going to do about that?”
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Chapter 17
I’d rather talk about how I igend to take her back home, but at least she’s talking to me. I’ll take what I can get. For now.
“I’ll conduct a very thorough investigation on this matter, Amay You need to come with me because you might have to speak to the police and the Pack heads as well”
She shrugs. “Sure. Give me twenty minutes to get ready.
My spirit soars. “Really?”
Her eyes narrow haughtily.
*I’m coming alone. Oh wait, Jayla might tag along, too. My babins will stay here with grandma because I’ll be coming back here as soon as we’re done.
Then she turns around and walks away.
My heart burns with an emotion I do not quite understand as I watch her leave. But that only strengthens my resolve
At the end of this investigation, Amaya will have no choice but to come home with me. She must become my wife by the end of the week.
AMAYA
Heaven is crying and clinging to me and my heart lurches painfully at the sight of her little face scrunched up in tears. It’s -almost like she can sense my departure.
“I’ll only be gone for a few hours, my love.” I whisper, kissing her chubby baby cheeks over and over again.
“Mama will be back soon.”
Caesar waits patiently beside one of the luxury SUVs parked outside as we say our goodbyes.
“Take care of yourselves, okay? Make sure whoever tried to kill you is punished.” Grandma Gina says fiercely as Jayla and I turn towards the waiting vehicles.
My pulse pounds wildly as I drink in the sight of Caesar in his sleek, custom–made, charcoal black suit.
Gorgeous. Untouchable. Those are the adjectives that best describe him.
I tighten my lips, trying to appear unbothered even though my heart is nearly beating out of my chest.
“Are you going in this car?” I ask when we’re within talking distance.
Caesar nods. “Yes. All of us will go in this car.”
1 nod. Then suddenly, I grab Jayla’s arm and swiftly walk towards the next car, ignoring her gasp of protest.
“Where are we going?”
“Yes, where are you going?” Ceasar’s calm, smooth baritone cuts into the afternoon air,
I pause beside the new car and turn to him.
“I’d rather not be in an enclosed space with you right now, Mr. Manchester. Jayla and I will be taking this car if you don’t mind.”
I see the flash of annoyance in his eyes, but my heart still hurts when I remember his harsh words at the hospital, so I really
Chapter 17
do not give a bloody damm–et this point..
Without waiting for his response, I try to pull the car door open but it doesn’t budge. Dang! It’s lockerl.
I can feel my control wavering but I lift my chin and turn to the ary–looking man who stands guard at the other side of the
GIT.
Tm assuming you’re the driver. Can you unlock the car, please)
He shakes his head.
“Miss, the boss wants you to ride with him.”
I risk a glance at Ceasar to find him staring at me with those cold, unreadable eyes.
“I don’t want to ride him. I want to ride with you.” I say with all the sweetness I can muster.
“But, Miss… The guard turns in Caesar’s direction, his eyes filled with indecision.
“Are you really debating bout this, Jamal?” Caesar growls. “I gave her an order.”
I blink in surprise at his authoritative tone. Jamal lowers his head and turns back to me.
“My apologies, Miss, but the boss has spoken. You have to ride in his car.”
Anger shoots through my veins like a geyser.
“Jamal, I think your boss has forgotten that I’m not his pet. I’m not his puppet, either. Please tell him that I will not be riding
with him.”
The guards stare at me in awe, all twenty of them. It’s very clear that no woman has ever dared to defy Caesar Manchester. But there’s always a first time for everything-
“Jamal.” My heart thuds when I hear Caesar’s voice once again.
“Yes, sir?”
“Unlock the doors. Let them in.” He says quietly.
My lips curve in a triumphant smile as Jayla and I duck into the luxurious interior of the car.
“Girl, I swear you had all my hair standing. Jayla gushes. “How did you know he was gonna change his mind?”
I shrug. I’m still in disbelief.
“I didn’t
We arrive in New York City exactly three hours later. Jayla fell asleep halfway through the journey, but my nerves were too ramped up to induce sleep, coupled with the fact that I’ve been unconscious for the past three days.
I don’t know if it’s the downside of being a new mother, but I also miss my babies pretty badly.
“We’re here already?” Jayla mumbles as I try to pull her out of the car as gently as I can.
“Yes, we are
I feel his dark, powerful presence behind me before I even see him. Caesar appears in the periphery of my vision, his face
Chapter 17
fixed in a frown as he glances at Jayla.
“I’ll have the maid prepare a room for her. You both can stay here…
“No, Mr. Manchester.” I cut in swiftly. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your offer. I’m returning to the Blue Rivers Extension today. My babies need me.”
Caesar’s eyes darken with an emotion I don’t quite understand. te opens his mouth to speak but just then, a familiar, girly voice rents the air.
“Caesar, darling, you’re home!”
I turn around in time to watch Elle launch herself into his arms and place kisses on both his cheeks. My guts churn with bitterness. It’s obvious that he couldn’t wait to get us out of the way so he could invite his perfect ex–wife back into his life.
Caesar’s eyes are firmly fixed on me while Elle literally begs for his attention.
1 don’t care. I don’t care, I whisper to myself over and over again
I clear my throat and she swings her head in my direction, her blonde hair bouncing around her perfectly oval face.
“Um you’re in the way. My best friend is heavy. I need to get her inside.”
Elle steps away from Caesar, her eyes narrowing in a mixture of shock and surprise as she takes me in.
She’s really making me believe that she’s responsible for my incident at this point.
Instead of addressing me, she turns to Caesar,
“What is she doing here, Tesoro mio? I thought you sent her away? Why is she back here?”
Cesar steps away from her embrace and shakes his head..
“I do not owe you any explanations for my actions, Elle. Get inside. There’s something very important that I need to address.”
Elle lets out a frustrated sound and spins in my direction once again;
“You begged him to take you back, didn’t you?” She snarls, her face reddening with anger. “Have you no shame! After everything you did –”
Fortunately for her, she barely finishes her statement when Henry comes running out of the house, his face etched with panic.
“Sir, sir! The house keeper is dead. Miss Laila’s room was broken into and she was found dead. It looks like a suicide…”
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