In the Beginning

by Marks, Teir

  Deciding to bite the bullet, she responded to her mother’s message, telling her that she would get with Ashton and see when a good day would be. Though, she had not said she would ask him immediately.

  The bell over the door rang, and Korrae turned her attention in that direction, watching as four people walked in.

  “Lioness, seriously, we came to Carson to look at dresses.” The man stated.

  “Shut up, Lawrence.” One of the women responded. “We did, she didn’t find one. Let her shop for what she wants to.”

  “The only reason you’re not opposed is so you can buy something to wear for Nik, Chayse.” The man, Lawrence stated.

  “So. Jealous you don’t have anyone to dress up for?” Chayse, as Korrae had just heard, questioned.

  “Help me out here, Erin.” Lawrence requested as he turned to the tallest woman.

  “I could, but I don’t really want too.” She then turned her attention to, whom Korrae was assuming Lawrence at been referring to as Lioness. “Did you have something in mind, And?”

  At that point, Korrae made her way over. “Hi, welcome to S.I.D. My name is Korrae. Is there anything I could help you all find?”

  “Hi. I like your name. I’m Alijah. Sorry about the three of them.” She stated with a smile. “My anniversary is coming up, and I wanted something new to wear.”

  Korrae smiled at her. “Congratulations. I can definitely help you with that.”

  With that, she began to show them all around the store and picking out outfits she thought the three women would like from what they were telling her, though she got a distinct feeling that Erin was only participating to appease her two friends.

  The entire time she helped them, Brandon flirted with Lawrence. He didn’t seem to be offended by her friends flirting, but he did seem to think the other man was a bit much.

  By the time the women had picked out everything they wanted and Korrae had rung them up, she’d made a pretty penny. She thanked them for their business and told them to come back at any time. Though she was positive, they weren’t from the area.

  Nyela watched her students closely as they worked on their tumbling. She was teaching her intermediate students and was very proud of how they were implementing technique into the acrobatics in order to make sure they were landing the move correctly. They only had about twenty minutes of class left, and she could honestly say that she didn’t want it to end.

  Her intermediate class was her second favorite class. Her first being her class of beginners. It always made her smile at how they were so excited to start their gymnastics journey, how each and every one of them seemed to be buzzing with energy.

  That wasn’t to say that her advanced class wasn’t fun, because it was. She merely had to be stricter with them. A lot of them had goals of going to the Olympics or becoming professional coaches. Nyela was molding them for their futures, doing her best to give them the tools they needed to succeed.

  Right before class was over, each of the students helped place the tumbling mats back where they belonged after wiping them down. Each parent was fairly punctual, so after five minutes of class being over, there wasn’t a student left.

  Instead of heading back to Synn’s house immediately, she decided that she would stay and do some stretching and tumbling of her own. After all, she needed to be as limber as possible, and in the best peak condition if she was going to teach others. As well as continue in her other line of work.

  While she stretched, Nyela knew it wouldn’t be long before Synn was calling or texting her. Half an hour at the most. While all the other women had people escorting them wherever they went without one of the siblings, she had outright refused.

  She had reminded Synn that she was not some fragile flower, wasn’t made of glass, and didn’t need someone following her everywhere that she went. In her opinion, it would make it too hard for anyone that may be in connection to the men they had discovered so far, to make an attempt on her if they knew she was being looked after.

  As suicidal as she sounded, she needed that to happen. It would help in them discovering another person, capturing them, and adding them to the collection of men they had started. She didn’t say any of this to Synn, however, as she had been telling him she didn’t need a security detail. No, she knew for sure he would have put someone on her if she had.

  Getting up from where she had been seated stretching, Nyela began to perform some acrobatics. Her body was loose, and she always enjoyed the feeling of soaring through the air as she tumbled.

  She didn’t know how long she had been at it, getting lost in the feeling as she so often did when she was by herself. Her phone ringing was what burst the bubble she had immersed herself in.

  Nyela didn’t have to look at the phone to know that it was Synn calling. She picked up her gym bag and made her way out of the room she taught in as she answered the phone.

  “Yes, Synn?” She questioned, locking the door behind her.

  “Where are you?”

  Nyela rolled her eyes, and it was on the tip of her tongue to reply with, somewhere you’re not. However, she refrained from doing so.

  “I’m leaving the center.” She told him.

  “Alright.” Was his response, and again she rolled her eyes.

  “Bye.” She stated as she walked out of the front door, hanging the phone up.

  She slid into her car, deciding to stop and pick up some food. She was more than positive that Maleiha would not be cooking since she had to work that night. There was a possibility that Larkin might have, but she figured better safe than sorry. So, she decided that she would get enough for everyone, even Kylen.

  Grae watched as Maleiha got dressed for work as he sat on the bed. He was already dressed himself to go with her tonight. Not so much as to watch her, but because he honestly needed a night out to relax. Granted, a club may not have been the best place to do that. His little beauty would be there, so that would be relaxing enough for him.

  Once she was dressed and ready to go, Grae took her hand in his, and they left the bedroom, getting on the elevator and headed to the first floor. They passed by Rico, who was coming out of the kitchen with a tray of food in his hands. Grae raised an eyebrow at him, but Rico just smirked at him before telling them both to have a good night.

  Traffic was thin as they made their way to the club, resulting in a short drive. It was a Thursday night, so he knew that there wouldn’t be a full house that night. Just those people who either didn’t have to work on Friday morning or didn’t care that they had to work on Friday morning.

  When they made it inside, Grae pulled Maleiha to him, leaning down to kiss her before letting her go to get started on her shift. He made his way over to the section he and his siblings usually occupied and took a seat as he began to look out over the crowd.

  Devin had informed him that nothing had seemed out of the ordinary lately, though he had been wondering why Grae asked him. He was more than sure the other man could figure it out, but there was no need to give him more information than he needed to have.

  A few minutes later, Maleiha came over to him and handed him a drink before going to check on one of the four occupied tables in her section.

  He felt eyes on him several minutes later and looked around until he found Lisa staring at him. However, when his eyes came to her, she quickly averted her gaze. Grae chuckled to himself a bit. Ever since Leiha had essentially told her that Grae dying and her killing Lisa was the only way the other woman would ever be with him, she had steered clear.

  The casual, calmness in which his little beauty had spoken the words was enough to have the other woman afraid. From her tone, it had been hard to determine whether or not it was an empty threat, even to him. Though he assumed if push came to shove, she would have the capability to do anything she put her mind to.

  As the night went on, Maleiha came and kept him company every now and then before going back to waiting on her tables. She had only had four at the most the entire n
ight, so it left plenty of time for her to sit with him now and then.

  It was almost eleven when someone stepped into his section. Turning his head to look at who it was, Grae grit his teeth, blue eyes turning glacier.

  “Grae.”

  “Bitch.” He responded in the way of greeting. The other man simply chuckled.

  “Is that any way to treat an old friend?”

  “What do you want, Gavin?”

  Gavin shrugged. “I saw you sitting here and thought I’d come over. Reminisce with you about the good old days.”

  “Go away,” Grae told him.

  He was doing his damnedest to keep himself in check. Every instinct he had at that moment was telling him to gut the man in front of him and mount his head like a trophy. It was all too appealing and had they not been in a place where his little beauty was; he would have.

  He didn’t give a damn about it being a public place. He simply didn’t want her to have to witness him doing it. Grae was aware that she knew he was crazy, knew what he had done to Adam. However, keeping her from seeing him do something like that was a goal he strived for. At least until after they had been together a while longer.

  Speaking of his beauty, she chose that moment to step into the section.

  “I didn’t know you were having someone join you.” She stated before turning to Gavin. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “I’m not,” Grae told her. “And no, he was just leaving.”

  “Actually, I have something to ask you, Grae,” Gavin spoke, his face breaking out into a grin, and Grae did not like it.

  He got up, placing himself between Maleiha and the other man. “The answer is, go fuck yourself.”

  “Cute.” Gavin scoffed. “Where were you four nights ago at, let’s say, eleven p.m.”

  “None of your fucking business,” Grae responded, he was two seconds from putting his hands on Gavin.

  Movement caught Grae’s attention, and he noticed that three other men were approaching from different directions slowly. It was too precise to be a coincidence.

  “So, you weren’t at the Callahan Building?” Gavin asked.

  He kept his eyes on Gavin as he tracked the other three men through his peripheral. “No, never been there.”

  Gavin hummed as he rubbed his chin. “Okay, then.”

  At that moment, all the men lunged at Grae, restraining him as he struggled against them.

  “Maleiha Collins. You’re under arrest for breaking and entering into a private building and the possible disappearance of Brian Callahan.” Gavin stated with a smirk as he pulled a badge that had been hanging around his neck from under his shirt.

  Grae saw nothing but red as his layers began to dissolve. He was going to fucking murder him: him and his three fucking lackeys.

  “Gavin, I promise if you put your hands on her.” He seethed.

  “Grae,” Maleiha stated. “Calm down.”

  He heard her, but she had to know he was not going to do that shit. He continued to mouth off promises as he struggled to get free, and Gavin cuffed Maleiha, reading her rights to her. He then began to lead her away.

  “Feel free to come down to the station.” One of the men holding him stated.

  When they released him, Grae, immediately swung — catching one in the jaw before hitting one in the throat. He was fully aware that he was possibly assaulting law enforcement and could be arrested as well, but he didn’t have a semi fuck to give.

  “Grae!” Maleiha snapped as he felt himself slipping further. Her voice pulling him out a bit. “Stop it.” She told him, and he brought his eyes up to meet hers. His chest rising and falling as he seethed. “Where are you?” She questioned.

  Grae shook his head, trying to clear it. He needed to calm down for her sake. He couldn’t get her out of this bullshit if they arrested him too. Though he was definitely going to do away with Gavin the first chance he got.

  “I’m here, Beauty.” He told her. She nodded at him as Gavin began to pull her away.

  Grae's fist clenched as he watched them leave. He had to root himself in place because if he followed directly behind them, he would kill every single one of them, and that would not boaster well for Leiha.

  After a few minutes, he made his way out of the club, heading towards his car. He pulled his phone out about to make a call as it began to ring.

  “What?!” He snapped.

  “Woah,” Ashton stated. “I just thought you would want to know that Gavin, he’s…”

  “A cop.” Grae threw out through clenched teeth, cutting his younger brother off.

  “How did you know that?”

  “Because that bitch just arrested Leiha.” He told him before hanging up. As he got in his car, he pressed speed dial number eight. It rang twice before a voice answered.

  “This is William.”

  “Kincaid, get down to the 42nd police station. Now.”

  “Grae?” The older man questioned. “What happened?”

  “Just get to the station. I’ll explain it there.” With that, he hung up.

  Grae pulled out of the parking lot and made his way towards the police station, breaking every driving law imaginable.

  As he pulled into the parking lot, he had calmed down, if only marginally. Several of the officers were on his payroll, and if for some reason, they were unable to do what he needed them too, he knew William wouldn’t fail him. The man was a piranha of an attorney and anyone that went up against him, did not stand a chance. It was the reason his father had employed him, and he and his siblings had kept him on.

  When he walked into the precinct, he saw two of the men that worked for him.

  “Grae, what are you doing here?” Ronny questioned.

  “One of your colleagues hauled my girlfriend in here.” He told them. Both men’s eyes widened.

  “W-we…um, w-why…” Carl began to stutter, and Grae cut him off.

  “Find her and bring her to me.” He instructed.

  “Who’s the arresting officer?” Ronny questioned.

  “Davis. Gavin Davis.” Both men looked at each other warily before looking back at Grae. “What?!” He snapped.

  “Davis is a new Sargent. We don’t have the authority to…”

  “Then find her and keep him the fuck away from her.” Grae spat out through clenched teeth. They both nodded before scurrying away like frightened animals.

  His name being called several minutes later had him turning around to find William walking up to him.

  “My girlfriend has been dragged down here.”

  “What was she arrested for?” He questioned, getting down to business.

  “Breaking and entering and the possible disappearance of a person.”

  William looked at him for a moment before shaking his head. Grae was sure it was because the older man knew that he and his siblings were the ones to blame in some way for the charges.

  “Come on.” William then stated. “We’ll have her out in half an hour.”

  Maleiha listened as the lawyer who had come in with Grae shut down everything that the officer who arrested her, Gavin, had to say. She had to admit that she was glad that William, as he had introduced himself when he walked into the room, was on their side.

  “So, because my client's prints were found at the building, from a night that a party was being hosted, you dragged her in here?” He questioned. “Did you drag in every other person who was in attendance at the party?”

  “Every other person's prints weren't found on a chair that witnesses say, was tossed out of a window to the ground below.”

  “Several people attended that party, work in that building. You mean to tell me that her prints were the only ones found on that chair?” When Gavin remained quiet, William continued. “I didn’t think so. Did you ever stop to think that someone could have kidnapped Mr. Callahan, and he was the one that threw the chair from the window as a last-ditch attempt to get someone’s attention? To get help?”

  “Maybe. May
be he was trying to alert people to the fact that your client was the one who was kidnapping him.”

  Maleiha lifted a brow at Gavin as William began to laugh. Did he really think that she would be able to kidnap anyone aside from a child? It wasn’t as if she was the biggest person in the world, and William pointed that out to Gavin.

  “Maleiha is all of five foot five and one hundred and thirty odd pounds soaking wet. You expect me to believe that she kidnapped a grown man from his own party with hundreds of people around.”

  “The partygoers did report a blackout, so it’s definitely possible.” Gavin countered.

  Maleiha heard Grae scoff, and she was glad that was the only thing he had done. She could feel his anger rolling off him in waves since he and William had walked into the room.

  “And how long was this alleged blackout?”

  “About two minutes.”

  “You want me to believe that she kidnapped a man in two minutes during a power outage?” William shook his head. “If you believe that you’re a fool.” He then turned to her. “Come on; we’re leaving.”

  “This interview isn’t over.” Gavin countered.

  “But it is,” William informed him. “So, unless you have actual evidence to charge my client, we’ll be leaving and if you come near either of them again with these wild accusations and no proof. We’ll sue the city, and I’ll have your badge.”

  That said, Maleiha rose from her chair and followed William out with Grae behind her.

  When they made it out of the police station to the parking lot, she turned to William. “Thank you.”

  “No need. Everything he had was circumstantial at best. I get the feeling he was more so doing it to fuck with Grae.” Maleiha watched as William turned his attention to Grae. “Which means he’ll try again. Even with my threat. So, be careful.”

  Grae nodded at him, and the two of them watched as he headed towards his car. Once they were both in Grae’s, he turned to her, damn near pulling her over the middle console, and stole her breath away with a kiss.