Chapter 176 Standing up for herself II
“Fabian already figured out we ditched the guards at the boutique. He called me and I told him you went to see your grandmother. Since you weren’t picking and it’s past an hour I couldn’t hold back the location…but I didn’t tell him of the threat..” Samantha explained, sounding guilty. “I’m sorry..”
“It’s fine.. I will call him.” Heaven said.
The call disconnected and she quickly left a text message for Fabian.
I am on my way home.
She entered the convertible. It was already dark. She needed to leave. She didn’t want Fabian to come because it wasn’t going to end on a good note with Maverick here. This wasn’t a place to create a scene.
The gate to the Johnson’s opened, Heaven drove in.
She saw her five body guards. Two of them knelt on the floor with their faces down.
She got down from the car and walked towards their direction. When they saw her their shoulders slackened in relief.
“Lady Boss” they called in unison.
“What’s going on here?”
Heaven saw Tommy and Kai’s faces, her heart squeezed painfully, they were the guards who she had ditched at the restaurant. Before she got any closer, “Boss you can’t..” Jimmy stopped her showing the floor was covered in sharp spikes and they were kneeling on it. Their faces had swollen patches as if they were beaten severely.
“Stand up now!” She ordered. “Who did this to you? Kai? Fucking answer me?”
They didn’t move an inch from the spikes. She heard footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Fabian walking towards them; his right knuckles were bruised.
She didn’t want to believe it.
“Fabian, did you do this to them? She asked.
“Yes.” His eyes locked on hers. He took in how she was dressed, her mascara streaked face and her smudged lipstick.
“I gave them a simple job and they couldn’t deliver.” He added stopping a few inches away from her.
Heaven sighed, she used her hand to palm her face.
“Get up and leave now!” She said to them. They hesitated, looked up at Fabian. He nodded at them to leave.
They rose slowly wincing and limped away with the help of others.
Heaven turned to Fabian. “And what is that simple job you gave them that they couldn’t deliver? That you had them kneeling on nails, Fabian.” She raised her voice.
Fabian wasn’t like this. She didn’t recognize this side of him.
“They missed you leaving the boutique” His jaw tightened.
“So they are being punished because of me?” She closed her eyes and bit her lips.
“Am I a prisoner?”
Her question took Fabian off guard.
“Why would you say that?”
“Why wouldn’t I say that when they are being punished like they lost a criminal?” She raised her voice.
“They are supposed to know your whereabouts and protect you all round the clock and they failed. What if something bad happened to you,” he countered.
“I was suffocated.” She snapped. “I hate being followed. I ditched them on my own because I wanted a breather.” She told him.
“You had a breather with Samantha. You both went clubbing and all. Why didn’t you take her to go see your so-called grandma then.” He blurted out.
“Are you implying I was out doing something else rather than visiting my grandmother?” She asked him in disbelief.
“You should tell me.” His voice hardened. “Because I don’t know. You have a mad ex ready to grab you and lock you in a tight box and throw the key in the ocean. Being protected shouldn’t suffocate you unless you are looking for an opportunity to be with him!” Fabian snapped.
The tension coiled around them like smoke.
“I thought you would have trusted me more than that Fabian.” Her vision blurred. To all of them she was still a loose woman.
“I want to so badly but you have a child together. I need reassurance too badly so you keep the body guards with you at all times.” He regretted the first words he said.
“My son bothers you?” She looked at him shocked.
“That’s not how I meant it.. I..”
“I have no control over it. I can’t change who his father is even if I want to so fucking badly. If Liam is an issue to you. Then we should call it off.” She pulled the ring off and tossed it at him and walked away. Tears streamed down her eyes.
“Shit!!!” Fabian cursed, pulling at his hair.
Fabian didn’t know how long he stood there. He couldn’t control his unease. Vera still had feelings for Maverick. He was scared she might change her mind and decide to go back to him. He wanted to eliminate all options. Truly he couldn’t do anything about Liam. Fuck what had he become he shouldn’t have mentioned that.
“Don’t let your insecurities cloud your judgement, son.” Old man Johnson’s hoarse voice sounded
“I didn’t mean it that way…”
“Sometimes the words we don’t really mean to say shatters things that can never be mended. She has never given you a reason to doubt her. Why don’t you trust her fully?”
“Is it shattered now?” Fabian asked, confused.
“As long as you both are alive, it is mendable. Trust her.”
Fabian nodded. He picked up the ring and walked away.
Old man Johnson took a drag from his cigarette and puffed it out to the air. The smoke curled, taking his mind back to the moments he wished he could change.