I looked at the gun on my lap for a few more seconds then said, “No, I trust God has this under control. We are getting it together, Kev. Jason isn’t here. God is.” My eyes started to water because I truly felt the presence of God. I smiled and touched Kev’s hand. I picked up the gun and laid it on Kev’s lap softly, touched his chin, and guided his face to look in my eyes.
“Get rid of it. We don’t need this. You don’t need this anymore. God is our protector now!” And I meant that with all of my heart. Hopefully it was true.
Chapter 27
Leavin’ Ohio
I touched the handle of the car to exit when Kev stopped me. “Babe, you not gonna give me some suga’ before you go in the house?”
I turned around and looked at him. He had his eyes closed and lips poked out for me to kiss him. I leaned in to him, closed my eyes, and kissed him.
“That’s better. Love you.” He smiled.
“I love you too. Let me get in here and get this stuff so we can leave. I’ll have everything ready when you get back.”
“All right.”
I turned and looked at him as I was getting out the car. “Kev, what made you give me that gun?”
“I don’t know, just in case, you know? I really don’t believe Jason is here but for a moment . . .” His words trailed off. He didn’t finish his statement.
I got out the car and walked toward the front door. Kev rolled down his window and hollered, “You want me to come in with you? I can wait for you, then we both can get the boys and leave.”
I didn’t think he needed to come in. I figured I was good. “Don’t be silly, I’m fine. I’ll lock the door soon as I get in the house. Kev?” I frowned up my face and stated, “Jason ain’t thinkin’ about me.” I then smirked. “He’s moved on to the next hottest thing around, you know how he do it.”
Without ever saying another word to him I opened the door, turned, and blew Kev a kiss with my hand. He sat there for a minute watching me and slowing down the last few minutes we were sharing in silence before I went in the house. His eyes were stuck on me while I puckered my lips and closed my eyes and aimed that kiss at him.
I walked inside my house. I thought how odd it was that the television was on. I don’t remember leaving it on, I thought. I walked from the foyer into the living room. I took my shoes off and went to walk through the living room to the kitchen for a soda. As I stood there fiddling with my shoe strap, someone grabbed me around my waist. I turned around and looked; it was Jason. I tried to run. I reached the front door and turned the knob, when I saw Jason’s hand on the lock. He stood behind me and whispered in my ear. He never moved his hand off the front door.
“I’m not playin’ wit’ you. If you go out the door everything you love will die today!”
I cried out hysterically, knowing that this was my end. I turned around and let the doorknob go slowly. I walked toward him then stopped, deciding to take the punishment. Better me than everything I loved.
“Well, I see you been busy the last week in Vegas. Oh yeah, congratulations. You did get married didn’t you?”
My eyes got big. Jason knew everything. I dropped my purse right there on the floor. I was afraid but the way I saw it, the only way for survival was to hear exactly what he knew. It was a surprise, but I let him continue.
“Reese, what you think? I wasn’t gonna find out about this? Come on now, baby girl, you been around me for too long. You should know I find out everything.”
He dropped pictures on the table of me and Kev while we were in Vegas. I glanced down a t them. We were holding hands, walking the strip, and he even had some from the wedding ceremony.
“I can’t wait to get Kev, he’s dead! Supposed to be ma’boy!” He started tearing the pictures up.
My eyes were gazing around the house, looking for a way to escape, but I couldn’t think of anything. If only I had taken the gun Kev was trying to give me. I noticed the gloves he was wearing, then the black clothing he had on along with plastic Baggies that covered his shoes. I was scared.
“So, Reese, let’s get this party started.” He put the blunt he was smoking in the ashtray on the table in front of him, turned the television off with the remote, leaned back in his seat, and folded his hands.
“You don’t have nothin’ to say? Huh, Reese, you don’t think you owe me anything? You was just gonna leave me and not say a word? Huh? That’s not right. I told you, baby, the only way out of this is a body bag. You didn’t believe me? You must have thought I was kidding, huh?”
I started to cry harder, and that’s when I noticed the gun lying on the table. I thought about trying to grab it quickly. What do I have to lose?
His eyes traveled to where mine were looking. “I wish you would reach for that gun.” He laughed, and then his face went grim as he got off the couch. He picked up the gun and walked over to me.
“You really gonna stand there and not beg me? Beg for yo’ life, Reese. Beg me, like Shy did that day in the warehouse. Remember that?”
I couldn’t control my body from shaking.
“Beg me, Reese!” he demanded. “Beg for your worthless life!” He touched my face with his hand, then put the gun to my temple.
I closed my eyes. I knew he was going to shoot me. “No, Jay, please! Don’t do this!” I stooped down and covered myself.
“Get up!” he commanded and stood me up. He was hurting my arm ’cause he snatched me off the floor fast and hard.
“Let me look at you one more time.” His voice softened. He took the gun and began to stroke my face with it softly. “You are so beautiful, Reese. Too bad your husband isn’t here to protect you this time, huh? You thought he would always protect you. Is that what you thought?” He was now eye to eye with me.
“I’m gonna do him, Reese. This is real personal. I don’t care what happened between us. Kev was never to touch you! And he went off and married you? I’ma kill him!” He shook his head back and forth real slow. “I just wish he would have come in here with you. I would have killed you right in front of him before I tortured him. What kinda friend steals their best friend’s woman?”
I never responded. I just watched him and knew he was insane. He pushed my head with the tip of the gun and I stumbled back. “Jason, please, I’m beggin’ you not to do this. What about my boys?” I pleaded.
“Oh, da boys will be fine. They got a daddy, matter of fact, they got two now!” He laughed. “Besides, they too young to remember this. They won’t even remember you when they get older. Oh yeah, their daddy got a new wife, she’ll raise ’em,” he explained like it was nothing.
“You don’t get it, I don’t care. You tried to make me look like a fool, Reese. You out there in Vegas wit’ my boy!” He hit his chest in anger. “And on top of all of that you marry him? Seriously, I started to come kill you there!” He continued in my face, one minute laughing, the next enraged. “But I waited. I wasn’t about to spend no money to come out there for y’all. You ain’t even worth it. Besides, I was havin’ too much fun wit’ Eva in Aruba.” He laughed. “Yep, you were right. I was wit’ Eva.” He cocked the gun and kept it at my right temple.
I dared not open my mouth about him and Eva. But I dared not keep my mouth closed either. At that very moment I did the only thing I knew I could do. I began to pray aloud, “Jesus, I need you!” I screamed. I knew He was all I had. If there was to be a miracle, Jesus would have to be behind it. This man was standing in my face, in my house, with a gun to my head, and I knew without a doubt that he was going to shoot it!
Jason laughed. “Oh, now you wanna call on Jesus. You should have thought about that awhile ago don’t you think? I don’t think He’s comin’, Reese. You’ve done too much. It’s over!”
The next thing I knew I heard a loud boom that deafened me. There was a ringing in my ears and I could feel the side of my head open. It was as if my head was exploding. I was dazed as I placed my hands over my ears. I staggered, trying to grab hold of anything I could so I wouldn’t fall. That’s when I saw it: my bloody trail of fingerprints.
