I stared at him wordlessly, unable to form those words. I opened my mouth, but still no words came out. Looking into Junior’s eyes, I saw all the love I felt for him reflected back at me. I’d never known love like this before, not even with my own husband, and the fact that we weren’t able to be together felt entirely unnatural. I was mad at the universe for putting us in this impossible situation, and I took my anger out on Junior.
“God dammit, Junior! I can’t say that and you know it!” I shouted as my tears began to flow freely. But I couldn’t be selfish, I told myself. I had to set him free. I shook my head. “Xavier is crazy. He’s never going to let us live in peace. And I promised your mother that I’d keep you safe. Don’t you understand that?”
“Yes, I do, and that’s why I’m here. You think I came over just because I couldn’t stand being away from you?”
“It’s true, isn’t it?” I questioned.
“Yes, but that’s not all of it. The last couple of days I’ve been watching my family prepare for a war. A war that is starting because of me . . .”
“No, because of me,” I corrected him.
“Shhhh! Let me finish.” I shut up and allowed him to continue. “One of my best traits is that I know how to listen, and so the last few days, I’ve been like a fly on the wall. I overheard Vegas talking to my father about Minister Farah, an old family friend. Apparently Vegas went to see him about this situation before he left. Minister Farah suggested very strongly that I should disappear. That we should disappear. See, the thought is that if we disappear, your husband will lose all interest in my family.”
“How can you be sure?” I asked him. It made sense, but I also knew my husband, and he was a vengeful motherfucker.
“I can’t be sure, but what other options are there? This war; it’s on. My family is prepared, but there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it at this point. What I do know is that if we leave, the battle will be a whole hell of a lot shorter, and less blood will be shed.”
I was still skeptical. “I don’t know, Junior. I don’t see Xavier stopping until he’s brought down your entire family.”
“I hear you, but no matter how jealous or possessive you say he is, he’s still a businessman. Minister Farah suggested that once we’re gone, the family can approach Brother X and offer him some kind of olive branch. Give him money, or allow him to use some of our contacts. Truth is, our businesses could help each other.”
It was starting to make sense, and part of me wanted to believe it could work, but one thing still didn’t feel right. “I don’t know, Junior. I mean, there must be a reason your family didn’t take the advice. No one came to you and told you to leave town, but your mother just straight up threatened me and then kicked me out. She doesn’t want you to leave; just me.”
He smiled. “Yeah, my moms is intense that way, but one thing I do know about her is that ultimately, she wants nothing more than for her kids to be happy. After we get through this, we will be happy, and she will come to accept us being together. I promise.”
“You make it sound so easy.” I walked into the living room, checking out the window to see Xavier’s thug still parked across the street. That man would never let me go, and not because he loved me, but because in his mind, he owned me.
Junior came up behind me, and I dropped the curtain in a hurry. “All we have to do is get on a plane and leave, Sonya. Maybe go to Europe or Asia, somewhere they’d never think of looking for us. I can keep us safe. Don’t you see that we have no choice?”
“You think your family is going to just let us disappear? We’re talking about your mother, the woman who insists that all of her grown children live under her roof. Besides, let’s just say we manage to get away somewhere safely. Then what are we supposed to do for money? I can’t be a nurse on the run. Xavier’s men will track us down and kill us.”
“That’s not going to happen.” In spite of my attempts to come up with all the reasons his plan couldn’t work, Junior remained calm. “I’ve got a few million stashed away for a rainy day. We should be able to survive on that for a while. I’m not like my brothers and sister: I don’t need much other than you.”