She was blocked off from the world and the only person who she had seen in the past few months was Brelin and she was grateful for him. Without him constantly supporting and reassuring her that everything would be all right she would have gone insane.
She entered her temporary holding cell and her heart melted when she saw Gucci sitting inside.
“Guch!” she exclaimed as they rushed toward each other hugging and crying. “Oh my God, Gucci!”
“I’m so glad to see you,” Gucci said as they touched each other’s faces. “I’m so sorry. I heard about what Reason did to you, Raegan.”
“It’s okay. In a lot of ways I feel like I deserved it. If it wasn’t for you though, Guch, I would be dead right now. Your little story saved my life. I would not be here if the Feds hadn’t showed up when they did. He was going to kill me,” Raegan admitted. She lowered her voice and continued. “Thank you for not dragging Nah into this.”
“I would never. I know how you feel about him,” Gucci replied.
“I have to get my life together, Guch. We’ve been living so wrong. I just want to be a mother to my son and just get right you know? What if I would have died? Would I have gone to heaven? After all that I’ve done I honestly can’t answer yes. I have never been so afraid in all my life, Gucci. I don’t want to be afraid to die. I want to know that I have done good things in this world. If I ever get out of here my main priority will be my son. It has to be. Money isn’t a good enough excuse to go around living the way that we did. I hurt so many people,” she said as tears fell while she thought of Nahvid and her child.
“Look at you. You’ve really changed,” Gucci said.
“Almost dying will do that to you,” Raegan said with an emotional laugh. “Brelin and I talked a lot about the things that I’ve done ...”
“Brelin huh?” Gucci asked in shock, knowing that she addressed their lawyer as Mr. Nolen.
Raegan smiled and shook her head. “Stop it, Guch ... He’s a friend. He’s been by my side nursing me back to health,” Raegan explained, trying to convince herself that their relationship was strictly platonic. She couldn’t ignore the butterflies she felt when his name came up, however. She was confused as to how she could have growing feelings for Brelin when her love for Nahvid was very much alive. Raegan was neither in the place nor mental space to figure her feelings out, however. The only thing she had time to focus on was survival in the atmosphere she had been thrown into. “I’m serious though, Gucci. We both have to do better. We were selling ourselves short. I mean we out here risking our lives, robbing niggas, banks, basically whoever had it ... but why couldn’t we go out and get it ourselves? There is a world of opportunities out there. Why couldn’t we just dream bigger?” Raegan asked sincerely. She was tired of hustling, scheming, and screwing her way through life. Raegan wanted to live with a guilt-free conscience and a love-filled heart. She didn’t know what would happen, but it didn’t matter. Innocent or guilty, imprisoned or free, she was going to start to live better and focus on the things that mattered most.
As the driver pulled up to the tall glass building Chanel gripped Faugner’s hand tightly.
“Everything is okay. You’re not at risk, Chanel. The Feds have no clue who the third female accomplice was. Gucci and Raegan have kept their mouths closed regarding you,” he assured as he helped her out of the car and escorted her up to Brelin’s office.
She hadn’t felt completely free in months. Part of her felt guilty for being the one who got away. She made sure that she kept their commissaries stacked and that their legal fees were all taken care of. She couldn’t take the risk of writing them, but Brelin always delivered messages to them on her behalf. Those girls were her sisters and it was killing her that they were locked up. The federal DA was dragging his ass on allowing them to cop pleas because he was hoping that the time in jail would cause Gucci or Raegan to crack. He felt that there was more to the story, but little did he know that they would never turn on one another. So he was waiting for nothing.
They entered the office and Chanel was immediately surprised at how young Brelin was. He couldn’t have been a day over thirty-five. She had to smile because she knew her girls and knew that both Gucci and Raegan were enjoying the eye candy.
“You must be Chanel,” Brelin greeted.
“And you must be the miracle lawyer who is going to get my friends off,” she answered with a friendly smile.
“The three of you together, I could only imagine you all being nothing but trouble,” he said, noticing that all three girls were drop-dead gorgeous. He would have imagined them on the arms of important men, not strong-arming banks and hustlers. Chanel was back on top and the queen in Faugner’s castle. She was designer clad and her hair and makeup were flawless. Brelin shook his head knowing that looks could be deceiving and the Red Bottom Bandits were living proof.
“I need them out like yesterday,” Chanel said as she sat back in her chair.
“I’ve tried to explain that the legal system takes time,” Faugner said.
“But I’m tired of waiting. I need them out. With them locked up two-thirds of my heart is locked down. What is the DA saying?”
“They have offered Raegan two years and five years probation,” Brelin revealed.
“Two years!” Chanel exclaimed.
“That’s not bad considering that the charges constitute twenty years to life in prison,” Faugner interrupted.
Brelin stood to his feet and walked in a back and forth path behind his desk. “It’s Gucci who concerns me. The DA is being lenient on Raegan because she was a clear captive of Reese Grimes and they understood her need to protect her son. Gucci killed a cop. They want to give her fifteen years,” he said. “I’ve been arguing them down for months, but they’re not budging. Gucci is the one who might have to do the time.”
“She’s the one who can’t do the time! Gucci is too soft for prison. She can’t spend that much time behind her bars, especially without Raegan or me in there with her,” Chanel said.
“What amount of money would make this disappear?” Faugner asked.
“If I was having this conversation, which I’m not,” Brelin replied seriously. “About three million dollars. That would be enough to fake a death, get the warden and the DA to confirm it. But she would have to start completely over. She couldn’t ever contact anyone from her past life, including her mother.”
“And Raegan would do two to three years,” Chanel confirmed.
“That’s not enough time to pull anything fishy. With good behavior she’ll be out in a year and a half and if you count time served that knocks it down to a year. Raegan will be fine,” Brelin assured. He had grown extremely fond of her so it was in his best interest for her to come home as soon as possible. He was ready to get to know her on an intimate level. He was intrigued by her and wanted her to gain her freedom more than anyone knew.
Chanel looked at Faugner and she nodded her head.
“Just to make sure that you and I are on the same page ...” Brelin began.
“This conversation never happened,” Chanel confirmed as she put on her oversized Burberry sunglasses and walked out of the room.
Chapter Thirty-three
It was the middle of the night when Gucci was snatched from her bed. Before she could protest her mouth was gagged with chloroform, putting her lights out temporarily. Raegan lay still listening to the commotion as tears fell down her cheeks. She had known that the guards would come for her. Brelin had snuck in a letter from Chanel explaining both of their fates. Directly after reading it Brelin destroyed the incriminating note. The selfish part of her was jealous that Gucci got to go home, but she understood the reasoning behind the decision. It still didn’t make it hurt any less because now she was facing jail alone.
The next morning she woke up and immediately felt the absence of Gucci’s presence. It seemed as though the other inmates noticed too, because bitches who had never messed with Raegan before were trying her now ... pushi
ng her buttons ... testing her limits. Brelin came for a legal visit first thing in the morning.
“Can I speak with her in private, my man?” he asked with authority.
The guard left the room, leaving them with complete privacy.
“I feel lost without my friend,” Raegan said. “I’m scared, Brelin. I don’t have anybody.”
He took her in his arms and held her tightly. “You have me and you have two great friends who are waiting for you on the outside. They need you to hold strong, Raegan. I need you to be strong. I don’t know what it is about you, but you’ve had my attention from day one, shorty,” he admitted. “And I’d like to explore that once you’re free. Once things are settled and I’m driving you home.”
“You don’t want me, Brelin. Trust me. I hurt everyone who tries to get close to me,” she admitted. “I’m only pretty on the outside.”
“Oh I want you, ma,” he whispered as he stepped closer to her, putting his lips to her ear. “I want to kiss you, and taste you, and make you cum, I want you and I’m going to have you. We just have to handle this first. You have to stay positive and let this time go by. I’m going to be campaigning the DA for your early release every day until he agrees. You won’t do any more than a year. I promise you that. That’s my word.”
Brelin’s pledge made Raegan moist between her thighs. There was definitely a mutual attraction, but she was ridden with guilt because of it. There was not a doubt in her mind that she loved Nahvid, but here she was having strong feelings for the man in front of her.
“I have a lot of baggage, Brelin,” she whispered. “I have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t want to be your boyfriend. I’m a man and I’m not interested in being friends, Raegan,” he answered. “I want to pursue the real thing with you.”
There had been so much treachery between her and Nahvid that the idea of starting over felt refreshing, but she couldn’t do anything in her current circumstance.
“I like you, Brelin. I care a lot about you. You were the only face I saw when I needed someone the most,” she said. “But I need time. Time to fix myself, time to pay my debt to society, and time to learn how to be a good mother. I have to figure out what I want and I can’t get involved with you when I’m clearly involved with someone else right now. Not to mention that Nahvid has my son in his care. If you’re still around after all of that, then we can explore these feelings that we’re having, but I can’t promise you anything because there is someone else tugging at the other side of my heart,” she said. The last thing she wanted to do was push him away, but she needed to be honest with him. Her love had a lot of limitations these days and he deserved to know upfront.
The guard reentered the room at that time and Brelin changed the conversation and took a step back to put space between them. “I respect that and I’ll wait for your decision. I’ll see you soon,” he said before walking out of the door.
Gucci awoke with the worst headache she had ever experienced and in complete exasperation as she looked around the room she was in. She climbed out of bed and cautiously peeked out of the bedroom door, looking up and down the empty hallway of the fancy house. “Where the hell am I?” she asked herself as she crept with the stealth of a cat, making no noise as she walked along the plush, carpeted floor. The last thing she remembered was going to sleep in a prison cell. How had she ended up here? Am I dreaming? she thought. She saw the front door at the bottom of the steps and thought about making a run for it, until Chanel stepped into her line of sight.
“Chanel?” she whispered.
Chanel stopped mid-step and looked up the staircase to find Gucci staring incredulously. “Hi, Guch,” she greeted warmly as she stood staring happily at her friend. She ascended the stairs and hugged Gucci so tightly that they both began crying.
“Did you break me out?” Gucci asked, still astounded by the sudden freedom that she possessed. “Am I dreaming?”
Chanel laughed as she wiped her tears. “No, Guch, it’s real. I paid for you to have a new life. They were trying to give you fifteen years, Gucci. So Faugner helped me set it up so that you could fake your death,” Chanel answered. “I couldn’t tell you. Raegan knew, but we didn’t want you to turn down the opportunity to start over so we didn’t tell you. You can never go back, Guch. Gucci Stewart is dead. Your mother will be taken care of. I will make sure that her bills are paid monthly, but in order for you to stay free you have to change who you are and cut off all old ties to D.C.”
Gucci’s eyes burned at the pain of letting go of her mother, but it was too late to decide otherwise. Chanel had made an executive decision, one that Gucci appreciated, but one that hurt nonetheless.
“Do you understand?” Chanel asked, seriously.
Gucci nodded her head and replied, “What about Raegan? Is she here?”
“Raegan is still in prison. She has two to three years. Brelin Nolen says she will be out sooner if she behaves. The day that she is released we are flying her down here. We made it out of D.C., Gucci, and now we don’t ever have to go back.”
Final Chapter
One Year Later
Raegan, I think about you all the time, ma. Life here in London doesn‘t feel right without you. I know that our history is complicated. I hurt you and you hurt me. We did a lot of that to each other, but through it all you are still the greatest love I’ve ever known. I’m addicted to you. You’re my Sunny Rae. I show baby Micah your picture every day. He’s getting up there now. He’s not the little baby who you remember. He can’t wait to see you and I don’t mean to add pressure but neither can I. I need to be with you, Raegan. Even if we can’t pick up where we left off, I yearn for your friendship. You complete me. Having you in my life makes me whole so please allow me that. I know you won’t write me back so I’m done begging, lol. But just remember that you have two people out here that’s missing you and thinking about you every day that you’re away. You’re a real woman, Raegan ... be my real woman.
Nah
Raegan closed the note and wiped away a stray tear as she put it inside the prison-issued laundry bag. It didn’t contain much and in all honesty she wanted to say to hell with her things and leave all the bullshit behind. She was getting out today and she was so anxious that her stomach hurt. Brelin had kept his promise and had stuck it out with her until the very end. She only ended up serving thirteen months, but to her it felt like forever. Without a crew in prison she didn’t have the easiest time adjusting. Bitches tested her every day, but as she prepared to leave her cell she felt so proud of herself because no matter what they couldn’t break her. She was the one on her way home while the bum bitches were stuck behind bars. Tired of living in captivity she was ready to breathe free air. It was funny because out of all the things that she had gone without it was the simple freedoms that she had come to miss. She valued the little things now, but more importantly she had become a person of value while being locked up. Her time hadn’t been served in vain; she was wiser and a better person. She was walking out of prison and never coming back again. She came out of her cell with the laundry bag slung over her shoulder and she looked back at the tiny space that had been her home for the past year. Turning up her nose she shook her head and bowed her head as she whispered, “Thank you, God, for seeing me through this. Now please take me to my son.”
A part of her feared that Micah wouldn’t recognize her, but she knew that when she laid him on her chest the synchronized beats of their hearts would remind him of who she was. She was his mother and no time, distance, space, person, or place could ever keep them apart. Their bond was unbreakable and she would never jeopardize her role as his mother again. Prison had given her time for self-reflection and she had realized that she had put herself in this position. For so long she had pointed the finger at her child’s father. Using excuses and scapegoats to justify her getting in the game, but at the end of the day it was her actions and her bad decisions that had ultimately sent her life spiraling out of control.
&n
bsp; She saw Brelin waiting at the end of her cell block and she waved excitedly. He gave her a wink and she headed toward him. She never saw the sneak attack coming her way. She was merely steps away from freedom when Bianca, the leader of a lesbian girl gang, and her crew came out of nowhere. They had tried to bully Raegan into submission her entire bid, but she had steered clear of them until now. Her face dropped in horror when she felt the blade plunge into her abdomen as Bianca stabbed her up.
Raegan saw red as she flew into a rage as a stabbing pain filled her stomach. She lunged toward Bianca in defense mode, pushing the girl off of her. She couldn’t focus on all three chicks but she could focus on one. She knew the rules of the street. Take out the head and the body will fall so she planned to beat the fucking brakes off of Bianca. Raegan grabbed Bianca’s hand and fought her for the homemade shank knife. She knew that the fight was unbalanced as long as Bianca was carrying and she wasn’t. Raegan bit into her wrist until she tasted blood, forcing Bianca to drop it to the ground. Then she worked the big bitch. Throwing blows relentlessly and shoving the girl forcefully as the two tussled. Raegan was taking out all of her aggression. She pushed Bianca with all of her might causing the girl to break the weak railing that separated the highest cellblock from the concrete floor below. Bianca’s face instantly transfixed in horror as she felt her body going over the edge and she grabbed Raegan’s clothes, sending them both flying over the edge.
“Agh!” Raegan screamed as she grabbed for the hanging metal and held on with all of her might. Bianca desperately hung on to Raegan’s leg as the two girls held on for dear life. “Brelin!” Raegan called out as she heard the commotion of guards rushing to help them above her head. Her hands were sweating and her abdomen piercing with excruciating pain as she tried to hold on.
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