Max turns my head to face him. He’s saying something but I can’t hear him. Ghost, Trick, and Max all have their arms on me, yelling things at me. I see their mouths moving but there is no sound.
Sissy slides down the wall clutching her neck and gasping violently for air.
My eyes drift to the door and I see Mimi, Nat, and Lola staring wide eyed and open mouthed at Sissy.
I shrug out of the hold the guys have me in and walk over to Nat. She’s my only hope at this point.
Lifting my hands, I hold her face. She looks worried. I say confidently, “I swear to you on Tina’s life, nothing happened. ”
I hold her face firm but her eyes drift to Sissy. She looks at Sissy a long time before she whispers, “I believe you. ”
I pull her towards me and kiss her forehead. She moves her hands over mine which are holding her face. I rest my chin against her forehead and whisper, “Where is she?”
Nat shrugs against me.
This night can’t get any worse.
***
I stumble onto of the club.
Luckily, I got my purse before I left. My cell phone blasts Nik’s ringtone – Beyoncé’s ‘Halo’.
No way am I answering.
B-Rock looks concerned but lets me on my way without stopping me.
As I cross the street, I listen to Beyoncé sing the first verse.
Remember those walls I built,
Well, baby, they’re tumbling down,
And they didn’t even put up a fight,
They didn’t even make a sound.
Fuck off, Beyoncé. There’s no such thing as angels. No one wears a halo. And if they do it’s only to disguise the pointed horns that sit atop their heads.
I told Nik I didn’t trust my instincts when it came to men and it looks like I was right on the money.
Women say it all the time. I didn’t even see it coming.
I thought we were happy.
A sob tears out of my throat just as I’m unlocking the door to Safira.
It starts a torrent of tears. I sob so hard I can’t pull in a full breath.
It takes me a minute to get in the door. Once I’m in, I lock it behind me. I turn off the alarm, keep the lights off and stumble. On my knees in the middle of my store. A store I don’t want to own anymore if it means I’ll have to see Nik every day. Still sobbing, my eyes blur and I can’t see but I crawl my way to the general direction of the store room.
Heartbreak and sorrow swirl through my limp body.
My knees hurt. I wheeze, huff and puff.
Screw you, Panic attack!
I can’t breathe. I think I’m going to pass out.