Chapter 195 Book 3 - Dakota: Loyalty - Chapter 1 - Explosion
The first few paragraphs are from the Epilogue of Book 2
Dakota's P.O.V.
I look in the mirror as I comb my long blonde hair. We're having a family barbecue at Uncle Yorkie's house. We usually do them at the compound, but he decided to do this one at his house because he and Corrine just had the backyard redone, with a tiki bar and swimming pool.
"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence," Sarah says from her seat on Xavier's lap as Ari and I join them in the kitchen.
"We had important things to do. Is everyone ready to go?" I ask, looking at Rain, Luka, Shea, Tyler, Kylie, Noah, Shannon, Benny, Gabe, Galdino, and Valentina, who are also sitting around the table. Our family is getting bigger by the minute, and I love it.
"Don't forget me." I turn and see Enzo running toward us. "Can we really swim at Uncle Yorkie's?"
"Yep." I pick him up and kiss his cheek. He has started calling all the uncles by the nicknames I gave them when I was four, and they love it.
"Will you help me swim?" he asks, using the pout I taught him by making puppy-dog eyes and sticking his lip out. He's not supposed to use it on me, but damn if it doesn't work every time.
"Of course I will." We head outside and load into the SUVs. So far, the other families have kept their word and returned to focusing on their businesses rather than trying to destroy my family and Ari's. The twins are still out of the country, and we haven't been able to track Myra. It's as though she disappeared and resurfaced only to try to kill Galdino and Ari before disappearing again. We're not stupid enough to believe she'll stay away forever.
We pull up to Uncle Yorkie's house, and the driveway is already filled with cars. I'm helping Enzo out of his car seat when I look across the street. A woman is watching us. When she smirks, I feel sick. It's Myra. I hear someone running and realize Enzo is running toward the house. I look back at Myra and then at the house. No.
"Enzo, stop!" I yell and run after him, but it's too late. There's an explosion, and the house bursts into flames just as he reaches the porch. I continue running to the house as I scream, scared of what I'll find. When I get done torturing that bitch, there will be nothing left to send to hell.
Everything seems to move in slow motion as I hear screaming from all directions. I sigh in relief when I see Enzo sitting in the grass near a bush.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yeah. What happened?" he asks as he stands, and I check every inch of him to make sure he's not hurt.
"It was Myra. She was across the street when we pulled up," I tell the others when they reach us. Xavier and Tyler turn and run back toward the street.
"I have to check on the rest of the family," I say as I run around the burning house to the backyard. I freeze when I see my family, some lying on the ground and others standing. I run to my mom, who is kneeling beside my sister Khloe. She has blood on her face even as she tells our mom she's fine.
"Was anyone in the house?" I ask them.
"I don't think so. Your dad and Kozar had just come back out with the meat. I think everyone else was already outside,” my mom says.
"Are you okay, sis?" I ask Khloe.
"Yes. I just fell and hit my head." She sits up and smiles.
"Okay, good. I'm going to check on the others." My mom stops me before I can walk away.
"Do you know who did this?" she asks.
"Yes. It was Myra. She's Ari's birth mother," I reply as I begin checking the others. It looks like everyone was outside when the house exploded, just like my mom said. Most have injuries, and some have minor burns, but overall, it could have been a lot worse. I hug Uncle Yorkie and Corrine when I reach them.
"I'm so sorry about your house. I promise I will make the person who did this pay," I tell them.
"You know who did this?" Corrine asks.
"Yes. She's the one who blew up Galdino's house. Her name is Myra. I saw her across the street when we arrived." I look at Ari, who is talking to my dad.
"We trust you. I'm just glad no one was in the house," Uncle Yorkie says as we hear sirens approaching.
"No one is to tell the police who's responsible, or she may disappear again." I look around at my family, and they all nod. Police, firefighters, and medics run around to the back of the house with Tyler and Xavier.
"She was gone by the time we got out there. She may have had a car waiting down the street because we split up, and neither of us saw her," Xavier says as the medics begin checking everyone's injuries and the police take statements.
"We need to find her and figure out how she got into the house. Maybe when they were having work done in the backyard, but Corrine and Yurkov know we have to be careful who we trust, so they wouldn't let a random woman inside," I say as the others who came with me join us.
"She messed up my swimming day and fun time with the family. She needs a big timeout," Enzo says. I smile and pick him up.
"I agree. She needs a really big one." I look around at everyone, but something doesn't sit right with me. I was fooled before by Victor and Jamie, but I won't be fooled again. Right now, everyone who wasn't at the compound is a suspect. I don't care if they are my family; I can't trust anyone until I prove their innocence.
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Myra's P.O.V.
I look behind me as I get onto the highway. I thought those men were going to see me getting into the car after I ran from the house, but they didn't. I look at my phone as it vibrates, and I'm so angry that I have to pull over on the side of the highway.
No one was killed, and only a few were injured.
What the hell happened? You were supposed to set it off when everyone was there, and most of them were in the house. It went off before Ari and Galdino were barely out of the car.
I'm sorry. I got anxious and did it too early. Don't worry, though; no one suspects a thing. I'll let you know the best time to attack again.
I begin driving again as I curse the incompetent fool who was supposed to help me. She better not fuck this up a second time, or I will torture her until she begs me to kill her.