Devastated

“I already threw a pity party for myself and spent all of yesterday shopping,” Robin said, displaying her new handbag.

“What about you, Taylor?”

“I got these braids,” Kimani answered.

Robin fingered one of the beads. “Your braids are gorgeous. I wish I could get my hair done like this, but I don’t want to be accused of cultural appropriation.”

“If it makes you happy—”

Robin shook her head. “We can’t always do what makes us happy.”

“I bet I’d look pretty hot in Fulani braids,” Ron joked.

They ended their evening with a toast to unemployment.

“I might be home late,” Marissa told Kimani as she got ready to leave. “Miguel’s going to be at The Lair.”

“Oh, well, have fun.” Kimani gave her roommate a wink and hug. “You going to be okay returning home alone?”

“Miguel promised to take me home. I told him about the break-in. What about you? It’s kind of late.”

“The police had a talk with Jake, so I don’t think he’s going to try to pull anything—at least not for a while.”

But she was wrong.

After getting dropped off in front of her house, someone came up behind her just as she was about to unlock the door.

“Excuse me, buddy,” she heard behind her.

Before she could turn around, she was shoved face first into the door. Pain exploded at her forehead, and her vision blurred. Two perpetrators were fighting each other, then it seemed a third appeared. At first, she was too shocked and disoriented to do anything. A gun went off, jolting her enough to scream, but a gruff hand covered her mouth and slammed the back of her head to the door. She slumped to the ground.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Bataar didn’t have to say anything before Ben knew that something was wrong. Bataar wouldn’t knock on Ben’s hotel room at this hour of night unless he had something important to say.

“Chin’s been shot,” Bataar informed. “And Moe’s not answering his phone.”

Ben felt his veins turn cold. “Kimani.”

Bataar was silent for one second too long. This had just gone from bad to worse.

“Chin managed to get in his car to tail Jake,” Bataar continued, “but he had to pull over because he was losing too much blood.”

Ben felt a vein explode. “So we don’t know where she is?!”

“Bill’s on his way to Kimani’s home, which is where Moe’s cell locater is signaling, and Chin already called 9-1-1,” Bataar said, rubbing his jaw.

Shit. A flight back to San Francisco would take at least two and a half hours.

“Your jet is being readied,” Bataar said.

Not bothering to pack, Ben grabbed his mobile, threw on his shoes, and strode out. A gun meant this wasn’t about a little act of intimidation. Fucking Jake!

“We had two guys at the scene, and we couldn’t stop Jake?” Ben thundered.

“Vince was there. And Chin didn’t think he needed to have his piece on him.”

Ben took a breath to keep his blood pressure from going through the roof. He had to keep his emotions in check if he was going to think clearly. “How was she?”