Mr. President

I wasn’t this happy when I became a millionaire for the first time, and I wasn’t this happy when I opened Python.

This is a dif

ferent kind of happiness. A fucking baby?

I mean…a baby?

Can you fucking imagine it? I’ll tell you something, with Destiny’s genes and my DNA, it’s going to be one badass baby. Smart, beautiful and brave. My child.

“I was afraid of what your reaction would be,” she confesses, her weak smile turning into a genuine one. There’s a glint in her eyes, and I realize that my reaction was everything she needed.

I realize something.

“Yes I still fucking love you, Destiny Renee,” I tell her.

She smiles.

“Good,” she says. “Because I fucking love you too. And I’m glad you’re not upset.”

“Are you crazy? I’m so fucking happy, babe,” I say as I hug her once more, and then kiss her on the lips. “Now I know why you want to leave.” Now that we’re going to have a child, everything changes. I’m not just fucking around with my life, or even with Destiny’s; there’s a whole new life to consider.

“Yeah… I’m just a bit afraid, that’s all,” she whispers, instinctively placing one hand over her belly, as if she’s trying to protect our kid from the whole mess of the world we’re in.

“Okay, okay. Let me think,” I take one deep breath, trying to rearrange the thoughts inside my head. This changes everything. But one thing is obvious: I can’t go forward with the plan I came up with. I can’t put Destiny in danger. “You’re leaving then, Destiny. I’ll arrange a place for both of us… Somewhere warm where you can rest and enjoy yourself. California? What about Europe?” She cuts me short by placing her index finger over my moving lips.

“Austin… You said ‘you’re leaving’. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

“Babe… It’s just for a while. I have to face Lester.” There’s no way around it. Sure, I'm going to be a father now, but a lot of women depend on me. What kind of example would I set for my child if I just walked out on hundreds of women who are victims of sex trafficking? And leave Lester to prosper? He’d give free reign to all the human traffickers in the city, make New York a hub for the worst scum that’s ever walked the Earth. I can’t walk out on this. Even if it costs me everything—all my money, even my life, I have to do my best to finish off that fucking bastard.

“When I’m done with all this I’ll go and join you… Or you can come back to New York. Whichever you prefer, babe,” I continue, but she’s not buying it.

“No, Austin, stop it. That’s not happening.” She’s laying the law down and I know it. Her decision has been made, and she won’t change her mind. Fuck, I really don’t feel comfortable with her staying in New York. “I get it why you want to stay… And you’re right, we can’t turn our backs to this. Strokes doesn’t have a chance without us.” She takes a deep breath, mentally preparing for her next words. “What’s your plan?” She asks me.

“No, I don’t want you involved in this any more than you are right now,” is my only answer.

“The plan, Austin. Tell me.” Do I have the right to make decisions for her? She’s as tough as I am.

With a resigned sigh, I start explaining what’s on my mind. She sits there quietly, just taking in my words and nodding slightly.

“That’s it,” she says afterwards. “We’re doing it.”

“Babe, I don’t feel comfortable about it… Not anymore, now that I know you’re pregnant.”

“We’re doing it,” she whispers, her lips a straight line, and that’s it. We’re doing it. “It’s going to work, Austin. I know it will,” she says in a soothing tone, placing one hand on my face and laying a tender kiss on my lips.

It’s going to work.

I know it will.

I mean, it has to work.

Or we’re all fucked.

83

Destiny

Here we go, I think as I raise my closed fist to knock at the door right in front of me. I drop my hand against it three times in quick succession and then I wait, my heart beating anxiously inside of my chest. I hear footsteps inside of the house, and then a man inside roars, “Who’s there?”