even breathe. She was hysterical.
“Sugar, where are you. Are you hurt?” he asked, and then she heard him talking to others around him. He wasn’t alone.
“There was this guy. He hit me and wanted me to go with him. Oh God, I hit him, I sprayed him with stuff from Cherise then hit him with my car. I’m so scared, Leon,” she cried, holding the steering wheel and forcing herself to continue to drive as far from the location as possible. She didn’t know how long the spray would last or if that guy had help. Looking into her rearview mirror, she saw nothing but black.
“Sugar, where did this happen? Are you injured?”
“He’s behind the old post office and the building-supply place off Kensington. I got outta there real fast.”
“Honey, you need to come to us.”
“No. No, I won’t let him kill you. He wants you and your brothers dead.”
“Calm down, Ellena. He’s not going to kill us. I know about Parker. We have the feds, and now Internal Affairs is investigating. I need to know that you’re safe and the best place to be is with me and my brothers, sugar. I know that you’re scared, baby. Please listen to me.”
“I want to make sure that they’re not following me.”
“Don’t worry. You’re forty minutes from us. Head to me. Head to our place, Ellena. This is not a situation for you to handle.”
She heard the intensity yet calmness in Leon’s voice, and she believed him. She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted to trust what he was saying despite how determined Parker sounded with his threats.
“Ellena?” he whispered.
“He threatened me, Leon.” She heard his long release of breath.
“Come to me, baby. In my arms you’ll be safest.”
* * * *
“Where the hell is she? It’s nearly three in the morning?” Mack asked as he paced the living room.
“She’s not coming. She’s too scared. That fucker scared the shit out of her, Leon.” Roy raised his voice. They were all exhausted and worried.
The sound of a car pulling up the driveway slowly had them all running for the door.
Leon led the way and immediately saw Ellena’s car. The lights were off as she pulled it behind the detached garage.
Leon pulled open her door as she slowly got out. He pulled her up into his arms and hugged her tight.
“Oh God, Ellena. We were so worried.” He caressed her head.
“I’m sorry, Leon. I’m so sorry,” she whispered in a very raspy voice, and she felt so delicate and almost limp in his arms. She must have been exhausted.
“Get her into the house,” Roy told Leon.
“The car. They’ll see the car.”
“It’s okay, sugar, they’ll cover up the car and no one will know you’re here.” Leon looked at his brothers over her shoulder, and he could see the fear, anger, and concern in their eyes.
Troy and Roy covered the car as Leon and Mack walked Ellena into their house.
“Call Eloi and let him know that she’s here and she’s safe.”
Mack pulled out his cell phone as they walked into the living room.
The moment he began to lay Ellena onto the couch, he saw the dirt on her dress, the tears in the material and her very swollen, bruised cheek.
“They fucking hit you?” he whispered as she closed her eyes.
He gently caressed her lower lip as he heard Mack inform Eloi that Ellena was safe and with them. He explained about her injuries and how exhausted she looked.
Leon began to look over her injuries and as he gently laid a hand over her waist to check her, she gasped and curled up in a ball.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked her. He was getting angrier and angrier. What did that piece of shit Parker do to her?
* * * *
Ellena didn’t want to tell Leon about the spa and how Parker cut her. He looked so angry and upset with her. She just wanted to keep him safe, and she knew that Leon had a short fuse. Especially when it came to men hurting women.
“I think she needs some ice for that,” Mack said and Troy and Roy entered the house,
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