52

Clay opened the door for James and I to walk out of the warehouse. Our bodies were coated in blood, warm blood now cold on my face. My arms hurt from moving them so much. James and I finally looked at each other the fire in both our eyes dim as we were finally looking at each other, not as rivals or annoyances in the other's lives. But we looked at each other like the siblings we were. We nodded at each other. A familiar purple Ford Mustang approached and parked beside my brother's car. Tommy got out of the car and approached.

"Is it done?" he asked angrily. James looked at me and then nodded at Tommy.

"It's done." he announced. I looked at Clay.

"Call The Undertaker. Have him clean this up. Stay with him until it's done." I replied and Clay nodded pulling out his phone and making a call. James looked at me.

"Yara Tommy's going to take you home." he said and moved off toward his car. I nodded looking at Tommy who winced some.

"Yara why you ain't tell us Kanan's been hurting you?" he asked lowly. I stared at him with tired eyes.

"Because we've been apart for so long, so disconnected. I didn't think-"

"No you didn't think." he said before stepping up to me and placing his hand around my neck to gently lean in so our foreheads could touch. I could feel his body shaking as he tried to contain himself. "Yara you're my sister and my connect's woman. You know I will always have your back." I nodded slowly.

"I know… I know." I replied. Clay approached me.

"The Undertaker is on his way." he announced. I nodded and moved to follow Tommy to his car. He pulled a bunch of towels out of the back and placed them in the passenger's side and I sat down.

"So there's a lot shit we don't about you huh?" he asked. I just glanced at him, my eyes showing I was tired. He nodded and started his car and took off. I looked forward thinking of what I did- what we did. We stabbed him, we cut him, we listened to him scream and grunt. We watched the anger turn into madness from pain. My final blow was to his crotch and he let out the loudest pained scream he could. James let him experience that pain for a bit watching as I stabbed him again in the crotch before he ended his miserable life and sliced his throat.

I know Kanan hurt James and his family too. I know it was best for him to exit this world all together. I knew this didn't mean things would completely be changed for James and I, but now I would hope there would no longer be hostility in our tones when we spoke. I directed Tommy back to the neighborhood but not to Vincent's house directly. He didn't need to know where he lived.

"Yo you sure you don't need me to talk you to do the door and make sure you get inside?" he asked. All the street lights were dim. No one should see me. I shook my head.

"I will be fine." I replied. And I would be. Once I exited the car, I walked swiftly through the neighborhood making my way all the way back to the gates. They opened and I walked quickly up the long drive way and to the front door. Many of his men already saw me and someone was at the door to let me in.

"Are you alright, Ms. St. Patrick?" he asked and I nodded, finally the emotion coming back into my face as I looked at him with a light smile.

"Yes. I am fine. I am not hurt." I replied. He nodded and I just walked past him stepping out of my shoes knowing they'd need to be burned. This entire outfit would need to be. I stopped at the stairs. A maid was standing behind me with a large bag. I removed my entire outfit, my eyes staying connected to the top of the stairs. Once I was bare, the older woman put the clothes in the bag and I just stepped up the stairs calmly and collectively. I didn't touch anything as I made it to the top. I moved down the hall hearing music playing from Grandma Amara's room. It sounded old, maybe from her youth. I passed the room and finally made it to the familiar black door. I raised my right hand and opened it stepping inside. Already the room smelled like him and I could hear the shower running in the bathroom.

I moved over to the bathroom, it was cracked as usual. I glanced at the dresser beside our bed to see his gun was on the side. I couldn't help but smile as I gently entered the bathroom, steam hitting my gently. I moved over toward the shower, listening to him sing something low. I slowly pulled the shower curtain from the back and peaked in and saw his back to me and already he paused and turned to face me. His hair was drenched and over his face and he smiled. God he was so sexy. I stepped inside and let the water jump from his body onto mine and then finally he wrapped his arms around me and pulling me into him embracing me tight.

"My queen." he says lowly and I smile more.

"My king." I replied and we leaned back to gaze into each other's eyes before leaning so our lips could meet lovingly. He did not ask me about what happened or where I had been. I was in his arms and that was all that mattered. But he also knew I had done something tonight. As the blood dripped off my face and into the water, Vincent knew death was the outcome.

With his eyes only he just asked if I was okay. I nodded softly and he what he had to do now. Quietly, the two of us switched positions so that I could be engulfed by the water. I sighed gently feeling the warm water wash over, washing this day over. I stared up at Vincent now as he took some face wash and began to wash my face and he didn't miss a spot. I dipped my head back so the face wash could slide away. After wiping my eyes with a cloth, Vincent and I quietly bathed each other. Me more so him. I raised my arms so he could run the cloth firmly over my flesh to wash off the evidence. Once the soap fell away he leaned in and kissed a long line from my hand to my shoulder and I smiled chuckling as our lips found each other's again, smiling into each other.

I wondered if James was doing this right now, with either his wife or Angela. Or maybe, due to the choices he's made in his marriage, he is doing this alone. I couldn't imagine now doing this by myself. I wouldn't want to. I'm sure if he had the choice he would want Angela, but she's on the side of good. Tasha would do it, probably. She'd do anything to keep her man, for now. I washed my hair and as the shampoo fell from my hair, Vincent's fingers tangled themselves gently into my scalp. My hair was too thick to successfully run your fingers through them. We shared another passionate kiss, a kiss of happiness that we were both here and safe.

We pulled back to stare up at each other with nothing but love and content. Right now, in this moment we were not gangsters or criminals. We didn't care what was on the other side of this shower curtain. Right now, we were two people who didn't care about anything except the person in front of us. Finally I just leaned in to his embrace and he held me close to his wet yet warm chest. I inhaled his scent in silence for a few seconds.

Once we had to get out, and dressed, I braided my hair back and rolled it up and placed bobby pins in it before curling up together in the bed and letting the night take us.

The next morning, a gentle knock was at the door. On instinct, I opened my eyes seconds after Vincent and we were both looking up at the door.

"What?" Vincent asked annoyed.

"Ms. St. Patrick…" Clay said and his tone was thicker than usual. This worried me. I sat up and looked at the door.

"Come Clay." I announced as the door opened. "Is everything alright?" He nodded once.

"Last night is fine. But there is a U.S. Attorney at the door asking for you, one Angela Valdez." he said. I couldn't help but stiffen at this.

"What the fuck? What's a government official doing at my door, Yara?" Vincent asked sitting up himself and staring with me with concern. Did my brother find some way to betray me?

"Is she alone?" I asked. Clay nodded.

"The eyes confirmed she is alone." he said and I looked down. What did she want? I looked at Vincent before looking at Clay.

"Have her wait for me outside." I replied and removed the blankets from my body. Whatever she wanted, I would handle immediately and efficiently.

Author's Notes

Hello all, just want to thank all for reviewers for coming along on this Power journey, I didn't expect it to go this long. But I love Vincent and Yara so much I plan to see this to the end ha. We aren't done yet! Updates coming soon.